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MOBILE, Ala. — In today's turbulent economy, the multi-billion dollar cruise industry is sailing in uncertain waters. So, investing more than $1 billion to build a new ship may not be financially sound.
But, renovating older ships to look like new, is.
The overhaul is performed at a "dry dock" - a place many people within the cruise industry have never seen. This dock is drained of water, which allows for workers to inspect, refurbish and repair a ship from the bottom up, and everywhere in between. The renovations, not matter how major, are just a fraction of the cost of building a new vessel.
When CNBC visited in November 2008, the ship undergoing the extreme makeover was the 76,800-ton Norwegian Spirit, a mid-size ship in Norwegian Cruise Line's 11 vessel fleet. For 24 hours a day, for three weeks straight, nearly 250 contractors worked alongside the Spirit's regular 1,000 member crew, who were trained to do jobs they never do while the ship's at sea.
"Everybody gets their briefing," said Frank Hasenwinkel, Spirit Hotel Director. "If you are usually a waiter, you would work in the engine room scrubbing floors, or as a casino guy, you would do some fire duties. They get some extensive training."
Entering into the center of the ship, there's a flurry of carpet laying, sanding and welding; the Spirit's public address system sounds the familiar cruise ship signal: "Bing Bong! Good morning, team Spirit! This is Capt. Hoyt. Well, we are now on the countdown - it is 8 days until we are embarking passengers in New Orleans. Eight days and counting..."
Capt. Evans Hoyt has sailed the seas since he was 17 years old, and has been with Norwegian Cruise Line since 2004. He piloted the Pride of America in Hawaii, then spent time in the European fleet, until coming to the 10-year-old Spirit. He is supervising what turned out to be a $16 million overhaul.Video: Ports of call
"The capital investment on one of these ships is enormous", said Hoyt. "Even if you have the capital to build a new ship, the availability of shipyards and the delay time in the construction of one of these is quite a bit."
"The whole point is to keep the quality of the ship up and this is our opportunity here to to do all the upgrades that will bring us up to the premier level of the rest of the fleet."
On the dock, crews changed out one of the ship's four main engines, then rewelded the cutout on the side of the ship through which the engine was transported. On scaffolds, two workers cleaned the propellers, which usually live below sea level, while others painted the ship's bottom.
Inside, more than 21,000 square meters of carpet were replaced, and the 1,000-seat Stardust Theatre was completely redone. Fifteen upholsterers, who create seat covers for the thousands of chairs onboard, lived in what serves as a bar when the ship is in service. The renovation takes time and money, but to Norwegian Cruise Line, it may translate into future profits.
"A large percentage of our guests are actually repeat customers and, like in a hotel, you want to offer the guests an updated look," Hasenwinkel said. "And little things like carpets or new windows or new fabrics, new furniture - these are all things that are very important and that people realize right away."
Those repeat visitors will also notice that the Spirit has grown to make room for new cabins.
"The video arcade, which we had on Deck 10 portside aft, has now been converted to 11 new cabins - eight of which will be balcony cabins," said Hoyt, standing next to a newly-upgraded Bridge navigational system.
The balcony cabins, according to Hasenwinkel, are the top sellers.
"After the ship is all done, you won't see any difference from the rest of the ship," he said. "It's quite fascinating to add balconies. How they are doing that? I'm amazed myself."
On Nov. 22, 2008, the Norwegian Spirit left dry dock and headed towards its home port of New Orleans, where passengers anxiously awaited its return.
"I think when the passengers come on, the overall impact will be that of a new ship," Hoyt said. "That's what we're shooting for."


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Scholarships for Volunteering and Community Service
This page provides information about scholarships and financial aid for volunteering and community service. These scholarships reward you for helping others. It's a nice way of doing well by doing good.
In addition to the resources listed below, students who are involved in volunteering and community service should ask whether there are any awards available at the location where they perform their community service. It is quite common for hospitals and nursing homes, veterans groups, churches, mosques and synagogues, historical societies, fraternal organizations and other community service organizations to provide scholarships to recognize outstanding community service by young volunteers.
This list of awards is intended to be illustrative. For a more complete list, search the FastWeb scholarship database.
See also the list of prestigious scholarships, several of which select winners in part on the basis of community service.
Senator Chris Dodd has introduced legislation, the Youth Service Scholarship Act of 2005 (S1247), which would create a new scholarship program to encourage and reward low-income students who make significant public service contributions to their communities. The program would award 1,000 scholarships worth $5,000 each. To be eligible, candidates would have to perform 300 hours of community service per year for at least two years in high school and during the previous year. The legislation has not yet been passed.
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program provides for forgiveness of federal education loans after ten years of full-time employment in public service. The borrower must make 120 payments while the loans are in the direct loan program and while employed in public service. At the end of the ten-year period, any remaining outstanding principal and interest is forgiven. The benefit is maximized when the borrower repays the loans under the income-contingent or income-based repayment plans. This forgiveness program is best for borrowers with high debt and low income.
FastWeb and VolunteerMatch are providing a volunteer matching service that matches prospective volunteers with more than 50,000 active volunteer openings in 28 different interest areas, including children and youth, disaster relief and crisis support. There is also a special subsection called "Green Volunteers" for 3,000 volunteering opportunities with a positive impact on the environment. The service is available to students, parents and educators (including financial aid administrators and guidance counselors).
AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National Service
Corporation for National and Community Service
The Segal AmeriCorps Education Award provides several thousand dollars for each year of full-time service (prorated for part-time). Through 2009 the maximum education award was $4,725. Starting in 2010 the maximum education award is pegged to the maximum Pell Grant. The money can be used to pay for college costs or to repay student loans. The award may be claimed up to seven years after the service is completed.
The Presidential Freedom Scholarships are awarded subject to the availability of funding in the federal budget.
National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC)
National Awards
Bonner Scholars Program
The Do Something Awards
Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program
Disabled American Veterans Youth Volunteer Scholarship Awards
Another scholarship available to students who volunteer at VA Medical Centers is the James H. Parke Memorial Scholarship.
Discover Card Tribute Award
Echoing Green Public Service Fellowship
Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
The Heart of America Christopher Reeve Award
Kohl's Kids Who Care Program
Ladies Auxiliary VFW Outstanding Young Volunteer of the Year
National Caring Award
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
Samuel Huntington Public Service Award
William R. Simms Award for Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy
VISTA Volunteers in Service to America
Youth Service America
National Recognition
American Citizenship Award
Campus Compact
The Congressional Award
Daily Points of Light Award
International Youth Hall of Fame
Jefferson Award
Nestle & Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) Very Best in Youth
PBS Zoom into Action
President's Volunteer Service Award
College-Specific Awards
Green Mountain College's Make A Difference Scholarships
Local Awards
Mary A. Mades Volunteer Scholarship Award
Miller Memorial Blood Center Volunteer Scholarships
Minnesota Historical Society Student Volunteer Scholarship Program
Project V-FIRE
University of Iowa Health Care Volunteer Scholarships
Washington Hospital Service League Volunteer Scholarships
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Mark Kantrowitz, Founder

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Holiday Inn ExpressAdd to Favorites
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Please contact the business for updated hours/services due to the COVID-19 advisory.
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IHG Rewards Club Members: Get better savings with YOUR RATE. Book hotels direct at holidayinnexpress.com for our lowest rates. You won't find these anywhere else.
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You may find yourself feeling particularly smart for choosing to stay at Holiday Inn Express. With nearly 1,800 locations worldwide, you'll find comfortable, inviting accommodations with just the right mix of services and amenities all at very affordable rates. Stay Smart. Stay at Holiday Inn Express. With your comfort and convenience in mind: Still free. Now hot. Express Start Breakfast Bar Our breakfast bar now features hot entrees as well as our exclusive cinnamon rolls and Smart Roast Coffee. Simply Smart Bedding Collection Our bedding will have you waking up feeling refreshed and recharged.* Free High Speed Internet Access Enjoy free high-speed Internet access from your guest room. Our online concierge, eHost, is also available to assist with information about the hotel and the local area. Simply Smart Guest Bathroom Featuring the Stay Smart shower head by Kohler.* IHG Rewards Earn points toward free nights, airline miles, or merchandise on every qualifying stay. *Available at Holiday Inn Express hotels in North America only
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***NOTE: In response to COVID-19, the Ranger-guided cave tours at Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park have been cancelled from Saturday 21 March 2020 until further notice. They apologise for any inconvenience.
Featuring spectacular limestone caves, small galleries of Aboriginal rock art, jagged limestone outcrops and an historically significant mining site, this park is rich in natural and cultural heritage.
The Chillagoe landscape began to form about 400 million years ago, when the area was covered by a shallow sea. Today that limestone towers over the surrounding plains as outcrops while underground, caves and caverns created by dissolving of the limestone are decorated by stalactites, stalagmites and flowstones.
Join a ranger on a guided cave tour to view splendid limestone formations. Ranger-guided tours to Donna, Trezkinn and Royal Arch caves operate daily, except Christmas Day.
If you are adventurous and well-prepared you can explore other caves and Aboriginal art sites on your own. Walk the nine kilometre return track to Royal Arch bluff or the short 440 metre return track to Balancing Rock. Visit the viewing area at the Chillagoe Smelters and learn about the State's mining and industrial heritage dating back to the 1890s.
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|Child is 4 to 14 years old. Children under 4 years are free.
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|$28.75 - $72.10
|Adult price to Family (two adults, two children) price. Child is 4 to 14 years old.
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).


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Profiling?: Cop Takes Some Guys Xbox. Thinking It Was Stolen!
CNN reports "The Orange County Sheriff's Office explains why a deputy walked off with someone's Xbox"
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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100% Whey Hydro Isolate SS 900 g
- Description
- Comments (18860)
** Reference intake not established.
Allergy Alert:
Contains milk and soy. May contain traces of egg and gluten.
With sweetener. Due to its creatine content, this product is to be taken by adults only. Not to be used by pregnant women or children, or for longer periods without consulting a healthcare professional. Do not exceed the Recommended Daily Portion. This product should not replace a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Keep out of reach of children. Keep tightly sealed in the original packaging in a cool, dry place and away from direct sunlight.
Next Generation Whey Protein
There can only be one whey that leads the way and stays ahead of the competition. Only one whey that can be the purest, the most bioavailable, and the quickest to be absorbed. Only one whey that can have the best amino acid profile, the smartest, most useful additions, and the best taste of all. And Xcore is proud to produce that whey. Make way for our all new 100% Whey Hydro Isolate.
The macros leave no room for doubt: 100% Whey Hydro Isolate takes the cake. Per serving, you get more protein and fewer fats and carbs. Plus, the hydrolyzed whey results in an even faster absorption of the amino acids contained in the protein. But we're not quite done yet!
The most sophisticated whey protein by Xcore also contains added BCAAs, glutamine, creatine, vitamins, and an enzyme blend for enhanced digestion. And the cherry on top? Our team of amazingly talented food scientists have made no concessions in terms of flavor!
The name Whey Hydro Isolate is composed of three parts, of which we're sure the word Whey doesn't really need any explanation.
Isolate means the whey has been isolated, to remove a major portion of fat and get rid of unwanted elements like lactose, resulting in a much purer whey protein.
Lastly, Hydro is short for hydrolyzed. Hydrolysis is the process that breaks the protein isolate up into smaller particles called peptides, to be digested faster and more easily for a more efficient absorption in the body.
At Xcore, the iXPB process is the secret to achieving the isolation and hydrolysis of the whey. Essentially, it's an improvement on whey protein concentrate that uses two distinct techniques, resulting in a product that leaves all its rivals miles behind. For 100% Whey Hydro Isolate though, the masterminds at Xcore have given the iXPB process an extra boost!
Enhanced iXPB Process
To raise the bar and set 100% Whey Hydro Isolate even further apart from its competitors, it's subjected to an enhanced iXPB process. After the isolation and hydrolysis, a little something extra is added that will make a major difference.
Here is a step by step description of the process:
Unlike other protein powders, which blend several different protein sources in their formulas, 100% Whey Hydro Isolate uses only the most bioavailable protein source: whey protein.
Biological value of protein sources *
* Adapted from: Hoffman, J. R.; Falvo, M. J. (2004). PROTEIN - WHICH IS BEST?. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. 3, 118-130.
Protein and Oligopeptides:
The formula of Xcore 100% Whey Hydro Isolate may already seem unbeatable, but to satisfy every single muscle fiber in your body, it's enriched with:
BCAAs and Glutamine: L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine and L-Glutamine make the amino acid profile of 100% Whey Hydro Isolate even more amazing.
Creatine: two servings of 100% Whey Hydro Isolate a day are good for a total of more than 3g of Creatine, sufficient to help increase performance in successive bursts of short-term high-intensity exercise, such as strength training.
DigeZyme®: added in the final stage of the enhanced iXPB process, this complex of various digestive enzymes enhances the use of protein in the formula.
12 vitamins: these are added to make sure all your nutritional requirements for the day are met.
People who work out often also tend to grab a protein shake more often, and drinking the same protein powder day in day out can get really tedious if the taste is not on point. That's why the flavor factor simply can't be ignored when your ambition is to create the best whey protein formula in the world.
Luckily, Xcore is very well aware of that. With plenty of different varieties to choose from, each more delicious than the other, you can rest assured your shake time will be a moment of pure pleasure, even in the long run!
* Images presented are merely for illustrative and promotional purposes only. The product's final image may be altered.


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A little sooner than he would have liked, Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy is back on the head coaching market.
With the Broncos' season finished, McCoy is now free to interview for head coaching positions again. The San Diego Chargers have swooped in and scheduled an interview with McCoy for Monday.
The Chargers are the fourth team to interview McCoy for their top coaching job. He had interviews two weeks ago with Chicago, Arizona and Philadelphia. Those three teams have yet to fill their coaching vacancies.
With NFL coaches, scouts and executives set to descend upon the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Sunday, McCoy may get second interviews this week.
McCoy's interview in San Diego increases the possibility that Broncos head coach John Fox could lose coordinators to AFC West rivals twice in two years. Dennis Allen was the Broncos' defensive coordinator in 2011 before the Oakland Raiders made him their head coach this season.
Aloha vacation. Broncos cornerback Chris Harris is planning a Hawaiian vacation this offseason, his first as a husband.
"I was hoping to get a free trip to Hawaii (by being selected to the Pro Bowl)," he said. "I'll have to get that next year."
Tossing and turning. Understandably, Broncos Pro Bowl linebacker Von Miller said he had trouble sleeping Saturday night.
"I tried to go to sleep," he said. "I watched the 49ers game, and after that, it was pretty much thinking about the game and what I could have done differently. Could I have put us in a better situation to win? I had my hands on the ball a couple of times. If I could have just gotten it out (for a fumble), I could've created a short field for us."
Hester wants back. Broncos running back Jacob Hester, who completed his fifth NFL season, signed a two-year contract with the team in November. He believes the Broncos have the nucleus to make a long playoff run next season.
"I've been around long enough to know when you have the right group, and I believe we have that here," Hester said.
Close doesn't count. Wide receiver Brandon Stokley, who was the intended receiver on Peyton Manning's last pass of the 2012 season — an interception by Ravens cornerback Corey Graham with 51 seconds left in the first overtime, said he thought he could knock the ball away from Graham.
"I don't know how I didn't knock it down," Stokley said. "I really don't. I felt like I had my hand in there. But then he had it."
The Ravens ran Ray Rice three times before rookie Jason Tucker kicked the winning field goal.
Men in stripes. The officiating crew for Saturday's game was an "all-star" crew made up of officials who had graded out highly enough during the regular season to be awarded playoff duty.
Referee Bill Vinovich is the league's "extra" referee. The league has 17 officiating crews, and Vinovich rotates with a different crew each week of the season.The Broncos were called for 10 penalties, the Ravens eight, but several players said privately there was a lack of consistency about what was and wasn't called.
Vinovich was the referee for the game with the highest penalty total of the season — 25 combined for 192 yards in the Eagles-Lions game in Week 6.
Footnote. Fox and Broncos executive vice president John Elway will speak to the media Monday in the team's season wrapup. Tom Kensler and Jeff Legwold, The Denver Post


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Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today's stories:
Melville House has a breakdown of the latest news in the Department of Justice's antitrust lawsuit against publishers and Apple.
Jackson prize-winning poet Henri Cole visits the graveside of a literary hero—the poet Hart Crane. (New Yorker)
The Millions rounds up a list of famous writers who were cast in films (not playing themselves), including George Plimpton, Calvin Trillin, and Maya Angelou.
Following recent news of a five-book deal for books for kids, author Neil Gaiman announced he will publish a prequel to his famed graphic novel, The Sandman. (Guardian)
On her Tumblr, veteran novelist Jami Attenberg offers advice to a young writer who asked what to expect with the publication of her first book: "Stay off the internet if you can help it."
The New York Daily News looks at a popular new Facebook game: Jane Austen's Rogues and Romances.
The Los Angeles Times details a recent Literary Death Match event, at which writers and judges—including former Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins, and comedian Rob Delaney—shot Silly String at a poster of T. C. Boyle.
For Star Trek fans, John Scalzi has written a novel about the anonymous officers in red shirts whose appearance on camera usually ended in tragedy. (NPR)
Check out Book Riot's list of lists.


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Nintendo eShop Code Generator
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Castle subtitles
|#1 - #2 - #3 - #4 - #5 - #6 - #7 - #8 - คำบรรยายที่ยังไม่ได้ทำการจัดหมวดหมู่
|9 มีนาคม 2009
|Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Molly C. Quinn, Jon Huertas, Tamala Jones, Seamus Dever, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Penny Johnson
|8.1 / 10 (136680 136680 vote)
|"Solving murder has never been so much fun". After a serial killer imitates the plots of his novels, successful mystery novelist Richard "Rick" Castle gets permission from the Mayor of New York City to tag along with an NYPD homicide investigation team for research purposes.
Visitors of SubtitlesBank have given a rating of 8.1/10 for Castle subtitles . Subtitles of different languages may be downloaded for free as a .zip file from our site. Inside, you'll find an .srt file, which is actually what adds the translation to your video. HD-quality versions are also available.
Castle first appeared on the screen back in 2009. We encourage you to leave comments regarding the Castle subtitles : is the translation good enough? Are there any mistakes? What other subtitles would you like to see from us?
The subtitle database SubtitlesBank is sure to delight lovers of world cinema masterpieces. Now you'll be able to watch and understand any movie or show. All you need to do is click on the appropriate link, download the free subtitles, and attach them to your video!
Chicago Fire (S05E10) 17/1/17
Superior Donuts (S02E20) 7/5/18
Сімпсони (S16E07) 30/1/05
Stone (2010) 7/10/10
Hatfields & McCoys (2012) 28/5/12


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Creating a Culture of Excellence
This story appears in the March 2010 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
Ever since Tom Peters introduced the word excellence into the business world, companies have been madly scrambling after it. His 1982 book, In Search of Excellence, spawned a whole industry of excellence--management gurus and cultural consultants invading the workplace with formulas for total quality control, going from good to great, breaking all the rules, getting things done, busting e-myths and moving cheese.
But in the end, it turns out the quest for excellence is a little like stopping smoking--there are hundreds of plans, but in reality none of them work very well, at least without a strong commitment from the top. According to research by IBM and others, between 60 and 90 percent of organizational change initiatives fall flat. It's no wonder. Making the changes that lead to excellence is not an overnight pursuit--it's a long process that often means rewiring a company's fundamental DNA.
That's something Atlanta audit firm Porter Keadle Moore learned early on. In 1995, PKM was a typical stuffy auditing firm, with dark wood paneling, a command-and-control system and overworked employees. When Phil Moore and his colleagues split up, though, Moore decided to make the new incarnation of PKM very different. "At that point in time, we wanted to have a firm that had a culture that embodied our hearts and minds," he says.
Fifteen years and countless initiatives later, PKM is Atlanta's top accounting firm, with a 98 percent positive rating, 11 percent turnover rate and awards for being one of America's psychologically healthiest workplaces.
How did PKM do it? Its approach to excellence isn't off-the-wall. In fact, PKM has followed fairly conventional strategies to make it to the top. It's just that it has implemented those extremely well, stayed focused and learned that managing people is the key. PKM also had the essential element in place with Moore: The chief motivator of change in an entrepreneur-led company is the leadership.
"The willingness and desire to make personal changes themselves will radiate out in the business," says Peter Bregman, a corporate culture consultant and author of Point B: A Short Guide to Leading a Big Change. "A corporate culture is incredibly strongly linked to a leader's personality."
Change begins with asking what you want your company to do and what your company could be. The greatest skill that PKM has developed is its ability to harness the ideas and wisdom of its employees and apply them to that grand vision. "We've created a continuous feedback culture," says Debbie Sessions, a partner and COO who helped launch a program that trains employees in the art of feedback. "We're getting and giving new ideas on a daily basis."
We took a close look at PKM and at the most current research and thinking on corporate culture. We can't promise instant success. No one can. We can't give you the zeal to make it happen. You have to have that yourself. But we can give you the tools to create your own culture of excellence.
Make a Plan--and Stick With It
Pursuing excellence is unique for each company that reaches for it, but almost all of them have trouble figuring out if they're hitting their goals. Sometimes, even knowing what constitutes excellence can be a stumbling block.
Rick Maurer is an advocate of detailed benchmarking. Before starting a change initiative, some of which span many years, he advises sitting down and deciding what excellence looks like for your company. What does an excellent manufacturing process look like? What is good customer service? As your changes take hold, consult those benchmarks and see if your changes are moving you in the right direction. Here's how:
- Create a master document. Spell out exactly what excellence means. Be as detailed as possible and set up reasonable timelines and benchmarks.
- Survey your customers. Studies show long paper questionnaires are often ignored. Instead, pull aside a few customers and personally ask them two or three specific questions.
- Get outside help. Whether it's a heavy-hitting consultant such as Gallup or McKinsey & Co. or a local management coach, they can help identify problems you can't see yourself.
- Talk with the neighbors. Find some local businesses you hope to emulate and learn what they're doing right and use them as benchmarks to measure your progress.
- Survey employees anonymously. One of PKM's secrets is an in-depth biannual employee survey that asks detailed questions. Creating a climate in which employees can express criticism without worry is essential. PKM also holds an NCAA bracket-style competition to get all employees thinking and innovating on one another's ideas. Besides leading to improvements on the technical side of the audit business, the game results in lots of small cost-saving changes, such as closing the offices between Christmas and New Year's.
COO Debbie Sessions is in charge of employee engagement, the fine art of keeping the 85 people at PKM motivated and even excited when they come to work each morning. For her, engagement means creating a fun office atmosphere to counter the often stressful and technical workload and to promote a happy work/life balance, strategies that have been shown to increase productivity and employee loyalty.
"There's absolutely a financial benefit to employee engagement," she says. "Clients aren't happy if we have turnover, and it costs twice as much to train new associates every year."
Employers often think money is the key to motivating employees, but research shows it only works in the short term and other things keep employees happy and productive over the long run. "Our notion of recognition tends to be antiquated," says Bob Nelson, an incentive specialist and author of Keeping Up in a Down Economy. "In this new generation, flexibility and time are more important rewards."
Here is what he suggests:
- Make days off, long lunches or customized work schedules rewards for meeting new goals.
- Praise is difficult for many managers, but Nelson says acknowledging good work--face-to-face, via e-mail or in a newsletter--lets employees know they're on the right track and creates more loyalty than you think.
- Office-wide rewards build teams and shake employees out of their ruts--and are usually cheaper than parties or cash bonuses. Think about a spa day or an afternoon baseball game.
- Reward productivity, not long hours. Encourage employees to get their work done quickly.
- Promote good health. Setting up a company gym membership or wellness plan, or even providing healthy snacks in the break room, can lead to more alert, engaged employees.
- Promote a strong work/life balance. At PKM, the top management makes a point to leave the office at 5 p.m. and take time off for personal events.
Developing a thoroughly engaged, motivated workforce is the surest route to productivity, but it takes time. So it's a good idea to aim for some quick boosts in the meantime.
The first one is simply stepping back: Micromanagement is a huge problem for entrepreneurs because of their strong personalities and personal stakes. "Entrepreneurs are often worried about revenues," consultant Bregman says. "So they start micromanaging. It can lead to personal conflicts, especially in small companies where the politics are much starker." That makes employees more likely to disengage and possibly even quit--and that's not productive.
You should also:
- Explain every change. A streamlined workflow might make perfect sense to you, but don't assume your employees will get it. Schedule an in-depth meeting or training each time you alter your business. It will help alleviate fear and resistance.
- Get people on board. Those new systems will be worthless if employees don't use them. One of PKM's most successful strategies is creating competitions. When the company recently switched from weekly to daily time tracking, it set up a contest: The team with the highest compliance rate after 10 weeks won a fully funded happy hour, and a drawing of top compliers had a $250 cash prize. The result: More than half the firm had 100 percent compliance within 10 weeks.
- Give them freedom when it comes to the web. Employees who check personal e-mail, watch YouTube or peek at Facebook are almost 10 percent more productive than those whose access is blocked, mainly because the frequent, small breaks help them to regain their concentration.
Investing money and training in a few key pieces of equipment can help your office stay organized, reduce stress and get more work done. And in most offices, nothing is more key than its server.
A server, or at least a shared hard drive, should be what keeps people connected. Problem is, most people ignore the public space or clutter it with ancient documents.
"Unless there is a mandate from the top down, many employees save documents on their hard drives instead of the server," says Laura Leist, founder of Eliminate Chaos. "When they leave the organization those documents might be lost. Or, while they're still employed, other workers aren't aware that the projects exist." That means a lot of wasted or duplicated effort. Institute a uniform naming and filing system to help the company navigate what is often an under-used repository of information. Then consider:
- Syncable calendars. They are found in most office software suites or can be used online free through Google. In one company Leist worked with, employees wasted hours every week walking office to office, scheduling meetings.
- Instant messages. They speed the flow of information.
- Meeting software. If you have employees in the field or in other cities, you can save travel expenses by using Go To Meeting, Skype or other new, affordable web conferencing software.
- Paper management. A good document scanner to digitize files costs less than $1,000. If paper filing is a must, schedule regular times to clean out and organize filing.
Creating a culture in which people can do their best work sometimes means retooling the physical office. Here's what we know about making your headquarters productivity-friendly.
- Provide quiet spaces. Creative thinkers often need solitude, so be sure there are enclosed offices or temporary spaces available where they can block out distractions.
- Have informal gathering spots. Employers often see water-cooler chats and break-time conversations as wasted productivity, but they're actually some of the main conduits of office communication and innovation, especially between departments. Make sure there are spaces that encourage interoffice networking.
- Keep employees comfortable. A controversial 2004 study showed that keeping an office at 77 degrees versus 68 degrees made employees 46 percent more productive. While the science might be questionable, the underlying idea is not. Comfortable employees are more productive.
- Bring in an ergonomics consultant to help determine what each employee needs. It might be as simple as a better keyboard or adjusting a chair a couple of inches.
Three Steps to Take Now
Rick Maurer, author of the soon-to-be published Beyond the Wall of Resistance: Why 70% of All Changes FailÿFD--and What to Do About It, offers some key advice on engaging your employees in the pursuit of excellence.
- Some people will always be suspicious of change. Ignore them. If you put your attention on converting the 5 percent who aren't going along, you're missing opportunities with the other 95 percent.
- Employees need the same fire in their bellies as their leader when it comes to change. Hold meetings on implementing your plans and really let employees engage in the discussion. They need to walk out saying, "I contributed something."
- Give employees room to create change. They're often busy enough; when extra assignments add stress, they're more likely to fail. An employer needs to ask, "What support do you need to make this project happen? What can we take off your plate to help? What money or access do you need?" The leader needs the guts to say, "Spend 70 percent of your time on this project and let other things slide." Otherwise, change projects don't get done.
Jason Daley is a freelance writer based in Madison, Wis.
10 Companies Getting It Right
If you want to create a culture of excellence, it pays to take a look at the companies that do it best. That's where the Great Place to Work Institute comes in. The research and management consultant group makes an annual survey (in partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management) of businesses ranging from the smallest mom-and-pop operations to mega-corporations. It questions employees and performs "culture audits" that reveal on-the-job perks, benefits and training. The results are its annual lists of Best Companies to Work for in America.
"The main thing all these companies have in common is that their leaders and managers are visible and openly convey how valuable each employee is to the company," says Amy Lyman, the institute's co-founder and director of corporate research. "The result is a high degree of trust, which makes people commit more to their jobs. In the top 10, more than 90 percent of employees said they trusted their companies. That's phenomenal."
Here are the top five small companies, with 50 to 250 employees, and medium companies, with 251 to 999 workers, and what made them stand out. --Jennifer Wang
Best Medium Companies
- Ultimate Software
This publicly held HR software development firm in Florida employs more than 930 people and provides benefits, stock options and lunch lectures on personal finances. A vanpooling program helps employees save money on gas.
- Acuity
The 840 employees at this private property and casualty insurance firm in Wisconsin enjoy flexible schedules and are encouraged to be a community. Off-the-wall parties such as "Lumberjack Day" help.
- Holder Construction Co.
The CEO of this Georgia commercial construction services firm, Tommy Holder, encourages communication and a "challenge everything" attitude from 696 employees. To increase participation in a meeting, Holder awarded $1,000 in prizes to the individual who asked the toughest question.
- Integrity Applications Incorporated
IAI's 297 employees were sheltered from the worst of the recession. The Virginia company, which services engineering and software systems for government and intelligence organizations, still provides paid perks, including an anniversary trip to the Grand Cayman Islands.
- Sage Products Inc.
Sage, an Illinois manufacturer of hospital patient hygiene products, offers its 546 employees an on-site fitness center with a basketball court and softball field and free on-site mammograms. To offset the slowdown, a profit participation program paid a 10-percent to 15-percent cash bonus to workers.
Best Small Companies
- Badger Mining Corp.
The Wisconsin silica sand mining company employs 160 and heads up the small companies list with a minuscule 1.2 percent employee turnover rate, full medical coverage and a smoking cessation reimbursement up to $350.
- Dixon Schwabl
This upstate New York advertising agency is run by a husband-and-wife team that rewards its 75 employees well--free tickets to sporting events and concerts, free ice cream and flexible scheduling. A full 90 percent of its hires are through employee referrals. No wonder turnover is less than 3 percent.
- SnagAJob.com
This Virginia staffing and recruitment company keeps its 117 employees team-oriented. They earn prizes for getting to know new hires and get "SnaggerPerks" for free lunches and early Friday exits--if they invite someone from a different department.
- Heinfeld, Meech & Co.
The 80 employees at this Arizona CPA firm are asked to focus on honesty, excellence, attitude, respect, teamwork. Office "decathlons" include paper airplane flying, office-chair racing and paper football.
- McMurry Inc.
The employees at this Arizona marketing and communications firm are "an integral part of the identity of the company." During the downturn, each was given a monthly savings goal of $400, achieved through improved work efficiency. So far, the tracker program shows total savings of $1.6 million.


text: The good news about finding the perfect fragrance for your wedding day is that there's just been a crop of fresh new releases for fall 2011. This is also the bad news—too many choices! We spritz-tested them all and have come up with this beautiful list of 14 for you to choose from. If you can't pick just one, pick a few—one for your engagement period, your wedding day and honeymoon.


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Housing: State AGs testify before Senate Banking Cmte on foreclosure fraud 2:30pm ET; securitization lobby strikes back at TARP COP report on failures
Update 7: Video added of Levitan explaining the losses must be taken, still, and the US taxpayer isnt taking them this time, no more bailouts, thus the TBTF need to eat the shxt they created. and added video of NACA calling out Lowman of Chase. Clips courtesy of CSPAN and FDL TV
Update 6: Perfect end to this, Diana Olick, via ZeroHedge, reports the AGs are gonna kill the investigation and cut a WEAK deal to have some pitiful fund for possible restitution to 'wronged' homeowners, and an attempt to end the two track system wherein banks keep foreclosure proceedings open, timeline evolving, while evaluating homeowners for mods. Like I said, WEAK. We need HOLC but we arent gonna get it. Lack of leadership.
My totally unprofessional advice: if you were reamed by servicers with fees and gouged with atty fees or forced placed insurance, or foreclosed on while in HAMP trial modification, or HAMP application process, then contact your STATE AG NOW. File a complaint with your state AG NOW.
Update 5: WSJ reports on modifications being the tool of choice for the AG settlement options and the legislators.
Update 4: Hmmm. CFO of Fannie resigns.
Update 3: Well it's an oligarchy folks and the TBTF are in control. WASS. I disagree with David Dayen of FDL on practically everything, but he has been doing an excellent job following the foreclosure and housing crisis and the impact on the economy at large and we concur on this issue. He live blogged the hearing today here.
…Dodd says he held a summit on how to handle foreclosures with servicers in 2007. Servicers agreed to modifications, added resources to deal with the scale of delinquencies. Despite agreeing to that, the servicers simply failed to do any of this.
Dodd mentions people losing their homes without having mortgages. Banks were "too quick" to call robo-signing scandal a technical problem, seem emblematic of much deeper problems with servicing practices "putting homeowners at risk." The current servicer business model "is broken" and not equipped to deal with the current crisis. Mentions financial disincentives to modification among servicers. Could be "extensive problems" throughout the servicing process. Quotes Sarah Bloom Raskin on all the servicer fraud. "Service-driven defaults," mentions "forced-place insurance" scandal, failure to record transfer, failure to administer HAMP, failure to meet requirements of foreclosure process, and failure to manage trusts under pooling and servicing agreements.
Mentions COP report and systemic risk.
Dodd says he created Financial Stability Oversight Council to deal with exactly this issue. That's a big deal; the FSOC doesn't think this is a systemic risk.
Dodd says we need more robust loan modifications with real principal forgiveness, but should expedite foreclosures where the homes are vacant. Must put an end to this housing crisis….(go read the whole live blog!)
Chase claimed they never wrongfully foreclosed, at which point Bruce Marks of NACA jumped up with around 20 supporters and he yelled Perjury! and called the Chase Suit a liar, which the Chase suit clearly is. NACA has been unable to get JPMChase to throw any modification action their way so Marks is pixxed. BofA and others get a 'pass' from Marks and NACA because they play ball. If you want help from NACA you sign an agreement to go 'protest; several times a year at their request.
Consumers are so screwed. Nary a peep from the much vaunted Consumer Protection Team led by the suddenly mute Elizabeth Warren.
The economy will not recover until the American consumer can deleverage and the TBTF MUST take a hit on the books a big hit to do that. It is the simple truth, let;s see how long they can pump $ to try to make the TBTF whole, they do not get it. UE will continue and more homeowners will default.
If the incentives which securitization skewed are not realigned and I would say restored, then there is NO PROFIT MOTIVE for the TBTF Servicers to make meaningful mods the way banks did time immemorial pre MSB bullshxt.
Bank of America is responding to the securitization fiasco by proclaiming they are in HAND TO HAND COMBAT with bondholders on putbacks of Countrywide loans that failed to comply with the PSAs. Fabulous.
To fix what the TBTF geniuses did by overleveraging the world on bad MBS loans they, the TBTF must take a hit, the GLOBAL taxpayers of the industrialized world have ALREADY taken HUGE hits, time to share the pain big boyz, write down losses on HELOCS, release the dead equity off the loans, let ALL refi to 3%
Give all GIs a home loan! There are answers but since they all involve the TBTF taking huge hits and decimating their bonus pools geithner and co cannot see them as options. Frakkers.
Update 2: The complete PDF of the Congressional Oversight Panel report on the mortgage securitization/foreclosure fraud fiasco.
Update: CSPAN now has the hearing listed as 3:15pm ET. Will be carried here
The Senate Banking Committee will hear testimony from the State AGS investigating what IS SYSTEMIC FORECLOSURE FRAUD AND A FAILURE OF THE SERVICING AND SECURITIZATION PROCESS today. Bankstas will be there to whine as well.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
538 Dirksen Senate Office Building
The witnesses will be: The Honorable Tom Miller, Attorney General, State of Iowa; Ms. Barbara J. Desoer, President, Bank of America Home Loans; Mr. David Lowman, CEO, Chase Home Lending; Mr. Adam J. Levitin, Associate Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center; and Ms. Diane Thompson, Counsel, National Consumer Law Center. Additional witnesses may be announced at a later date.
TBTF are still fraudulently foreclosing on Americans. Regardless of your feelings on this issue you should recognize the extreme danger to property rights and rule of law if the securitization fiasco via MERS is allowed to continue to bypass state courts. No one's property will be safe if TBTF can manufacture documentation and take your property without due process. PEOPLE WITHOUT LOANS ARE LOSING HOMES ALREADY. HOLC FTW. Sept 28 2008 HRC in WSJ on HOLC here.
The Senate Banking Committee will hear testimony Tuesday from both sides of recent foreclosure problems at the major banks.
…Senate Banking Committee will hear testimony on the issue from Bank of America Home Loans President Barbara Desoer and JPMorgan Chase Home Lending CEO David Lowman. Speaking first will be Iowa AG Tom Miller, who is heading up the 50-state investigation.
Diane Thompson, counsel for the National Consumer Law Center, and Adam Levitin, an associate professor of law at Georgetown University will also testify.
Those listening in can expect Desoer and Lowman to elaborate on the amount of volume the banks are facing, and the others to demand action to sure up servicing operations…..
Oh cry me a fxckin river. The poor poor TooBigToFail shxtheads that took down the global economy are whining b/c they don't have enough staff to foreclose?
I CALL BULLSHIT! They DELIBERATELY left peeps in homes to AVOID TOO MUCH INVENTORY DRAGGING DOWN PRICES.
They DELIBERATELY used HAMP as an EXTEND AND PRETEND vehicle to DRAIN FAMILY'S LAST RESOURCES only to turn around and deny the mod when the family had nothing left.
FXCK the TBTF. And Fxck the banksta backed Obamaites like Geithner who are selling Americans PROPERTY RIGHTS and RIGHTS TO DUE PROCESS down the river to avoid WRITING DOWN BAD PAPER, AND HELOCS.
The TBTF MADE THE LOANS, the TBTF DESIGNED THE ENTIRE SECURITIZATION PROCESS.
We, taxpayers, made them whole. They have failed to do jack shxt to help families.
Obama is an utter failure. Hillary would have done HOLC, This would be BEHIND US. We would be RECOVERING.
As we have said for THREE YEARS, there will be NO ECONOMIC RECOVERY if HOUSING is not addressed. DO THE DAMNED HOLC.
Meanwhile back at the ranch the TARP Congressional Oversight Panel (TARP COP) REAMED the securitization market in a report today based on a hearing two weeks ago.
.."I'm concerned about Treasury making representations categorically that you don't see a systemic risk," Silvers told Treasury's chief homeownership officer. "And let me walk you through exactly why."
"That letter asks for $47 billion of mortgages — of mortgage- backed securities to be repurchased at par," Silvers went on. "Do you know what those mortgages are currently carried at … the market value of those bonds today?"
Caldwell declined to comment.
Silvers continued:
"OK, fine. Let me tell you what the Fed says they're worth. The Fed tells us they're worth 50 cents on the dollar. So if the Fed's request to Bank of America is honored, right, Bank of America, assuming they are carrying these bonds, assuming when they buy them back they mark them to market, Bank of America will take a $23 billion loss.
"The Federal Reserve further informs us that there is nothing particularly unique about that particular set of mortgage-backed securities — meaning they have not been chosen…because they're particularly bad. They believe they are of a common quality with the rest of Bank of America's underwritten mortgage-backed securities. There are $2 trillion [worth] of Bank of America's underwritten mortgage-backed securities.
"Five such deals — five such requests, if honored to Bank of America…will amount to more than the current market capitalization of Bank of America, which is $115 billion.
"Now do you wish to retract your statement that there is no systemic risk in this situation? And the word is 'risk' — not 'certainty' — but 'risk'? And I would urge you to do so, because these things can be embarrassing later."…
From the report issued today:
…"Clear and uncontested property rights are the foundation of the housing market," the report said. "If these rights fall into question, that foundation could collapse. Borrowers may be unable to determine whether they are sending their monthly payments to the right people. Judges may block any effort to foreclose, even in cases where borrowers have failed to make regular payments."…
Better do HOLC now Bankstas NO MORE TAXPAYER BAILOUT $ FOR YOU!!!! FHA will take until 2014 to get to 2% MANDATED reserves!! Good Grief!! And 'experts' agree, HOUSING IS GOING DOWN AGAIN.
SIFMA the IDIOTS who designed the securitization process and who lobby for it madly have a typical it's all lies! everything is fine! response courtesy the NYT acting as mouthpiece for Obama positions as always via Naked Capitalism:
..No Breaks for Robo-signing Computer Stamping Files":
It doesn't matter when mortgage assignments and endorsements are recorded because the existence of the pooling and service agreement and purchase sale agreement is proof in itself that the loan was conveyed, said Stephen Ornstein, a partner in the Washington office of SNR Denton, a law firm that represents loan servicers and lenders.
"If the assignment is missing, you can create it by having the old assignee reassign it to you," Ornstein said.
I've heard this argument before, and none of the five experts who advise New York state on trust matters (and virtually all mortgage securitizations use New York trusts) accept that point of view. New York trusts can accept assets only as stipulated in their governing agreement. The pooling and servicing agreement made very specific provisions as to how the notes (the borrower IOUs) were to be endorsed and further required that the process be completed by specific dates, typically no later than 90 days after the trust was closed, with only very limited exceptions. And the trustee, on behalf of the trust, was required to provide multiple certifications that all these steps had been taken.
Let's put it another way: the industry position is that the underlying contract, the pooling and servicing agreement, can just be ignored if the industry screws up on a grand enough scale. Would any servicer tolerate this argument if someone, say Treasury, tried to cut their fees? Funny how the "sanctity of contract" argument is nowhere to be found when adherence to contracts might crimp industry profits….
The soopergeniuses in D.C. and on Wall St have tried everything EXCEPT meaningful mods, helping homeowners, principal writedowns-HOLC. Nothing is working. DO THE DAMNED HOLC ALREADY.


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...but I don't know why anybody would want to do that. This swiveling panel can rotate the TV around 180 degrees making it vanish completely. I'm trying to figure out a good application for this monstrosity of an entertainment center—maybe if you felt like knocking out a wall in your house, this could be an interesting replacement that would provide TV entertainment in two rooms. Regardless of how you use it, this swiveling entertainment center is sold at Costco, so it should be cheap, correct? Kind of. It will set you back $3,600, which isn't too shabby for a high-end entertainment center from the future.
Product Page [Via SCI FI]


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ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at email@example.com.
- Ahn, Gail-Joon
- Barbier, Geoffrey
- 1 Arizona State University
- 1 Gundecha, Pritam Sureshlal
- 1 Liu, Huan
- 1 Ye, Jieping
- 1 English
- 1 Public
- Security
- Computer science
- Online Social Network
- 1 Computer engineering
- 1 Data Mining
- 1 Machine Learning
- 1 Social research
- more
- 1 User Privacy
- 1 User Vulnerability
- Mobile Crowd Sensing in Edge Computing Environment
- The Effect of Disability on Subjective Well-Being across the Adult Lifespan: The Moderating Roles of Age at Disability Onset and Disability Type
- Mechanically Active Heterogeneous Polymer Matrix Composites
- Attribute-Based Encryption for Fine-Grained Access Control over Sensitive Data
- 并购背景下教育行业品牌价值研究
Users often join an online social networking (OSN) site, like Facebook, to remain social, by either staying connected with friends or expanding social networks. On an OSN site, users generally share variety of personal information which is often expected to be visible to their friends, but sometimes vulnerable to unwarranted access from others. The recent study suggests that many personal attributes, including religious and political affiliations, sexual orientation, relationship status, age, and gender, are predictable using users' personal data from an OSN site. The majority of users want to remain socially active, and protect their personal data at the same …
- Contributors
- Gundecha, Pritam Sureshlal, Liu, Huan, Ahn, Gail-Joon, et al.
- Created Date
- 2015


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The Craft of Writing
A recent study by sociologists at New York University and the University of Virginia showed that more than a third of students showed no improvement in critical thinking skills, even after four years at a university. With their heavy load of writing assignments, graduates of the Honors College aren't likely to end up in that bottom third. Especially now.
To support the writing efforts of Honors students, the College has recently instituted three new programs: Senior Honors Thesis Writing Studios, Peer Writing Tutoring for Human Situation students, and Craft Talks from our own professors and other writing experts.
The Senior Honors Thesis Writing Studios—working through the University of Houston Writing Center—support students engaged in projects that require an entirely new level of writing and research. "The studio provides a backbone for the document," explained Sarika Patel, a senior finance major writing a thesis on the emergence of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a global commodity.
"A thesis is an overwhelming project, and many undergraduate students are unaware of exactly how much dedication and discipline it takes to complete it. But the studio helps students with the logistics of the thesis—it helps me create goals and stay on task since it is an independent project. Going about such a big project can be scary; it's nice to know that there are others out there just like you who are feeling the same thing."
The fear that strikes thesis writers can be just as intense for a freshman making his or her first foray into college writing in Human Sit. That's where the value of peer tutors—upper-level Honors students who have already experienced the rigors of Human Sit—is most apparent.
"Every time before I write a paper, I always freak out—I never know what to write about, and my ideas get jumbled up as I write," said Kelley Poblete, who worked with peer tutor Erica Fauser before turning in her first Human Sit paper of the semester. "But when I met with Erica, she showed me places where my explanation was lacking, or places where I repeated myself in multiple statements. Afterwards, I felt great about my paper."
Last fall, Honors professors delivered four Craft Talks—on style, interpretation, writing process, and argumentation—that packed the Commons with eager freshmen (and more than a few upperclassmen) looking to improve. These new programs promise great things for the quality of Honors students' writing—and for the development of critical thinking skills in higher education, and beyond.


text: Connect With Gardeners Around the Globe Hello world, indeed! As nearly 200,000 men, women and kids can attest, the rewards of belonging to a garden club within NGC's international network are much greater than the pure pleasure of growing things. Certainly, joining a garden club is a great way to "green" your thumb along with like-minded people. But, membership also provides extensive opportunities to participate in garden-related activities for worthy causes, such as: conservation efforts, school gardens for kids, disaster relief and community beautification. With eight regions, 50 state garden clubs and the National Capital Area, 60 national affiliated organizations within the United States, 330 international affiliated organizations around the globe combined with 5,000 member garden clubs and 165,000 members; NGC is the largest volunteer organization of its type in the world. Our members come together to create a powerful international voice and synergistic network for advancing common interests. Most state and regional clubs meet monthly and offer a wide range of top-notch educational programs and speakers on such topics as the latest gardening techniques, floral design, conservation and the study of birds, butterflies and beneficial insects. In addition, garden clubs develop and participate in a variety of local, state, regional and national projects. Our membership is diverse and includes men, women and kids of all ages and backgrounds. Over the years, we have found activities such as these bring our members together to make a positive impact on their environment. We Engage in a Variety of Projects, Events and Programs Most local garden clubs meet monthly to participate in educational programs on topics of current interest; ranging from gardening techniques to sustainability. In addition, local garden clubs develop and participate in their choice of a wide variety of local, state and national projects, including: President's Projects: "New Every Two." NGC President chooses a timely theme and related special projects every two years on election in order to inspire new programs and efforts throughout our organization. The 2019-2021 President's Project Theme is "Plant America". This project emphasizes the key components of gardening: types of gardens; horticulture; conservation; and the building blocks of any garden - air, water and soil. The project also creates the Plant America Community Grant fund to receive and distribute funds to sponsor and support NGC affiliated club projects. The grants will begin in 2017 and the Community Grant Fund is expected to live beyond this administration as a way to provide an ongoing source of funding for NGC clubs. "Greening" and Beautifying the Community. The Blue Star Memorial initiative honors American servicemen and women and beautifies public settings. Garden clubs have dedicated nearly 3,000 Blue Star markers nationally. Other examples include the Butterfly Garden at U.S. Botanic Garden, educational school gardens and community garden projects throughout the U.S. Disaster Relief and Replanting Forests. The Penny Pines program, a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, encourages local garden clubs to raise funds to replant damaged state and national forests coast-to-coast. The Natural Disasters grant program funds efforts of local clubs to replant, restore and beautify public areas that have been damaged by such events as earthquakes, floods and storms. Preserving Heritage Plants. One national example, housed at NGC headquarters in St. Louis, is a unique tree preservation site that includes a white ash cloned from the Mount Vernon estate of George Washington. The planting of more cloned trees from historically significant sites is planned to preserve the genetic material of what many consider "the last great trees of America." Corporate Partnerships. NGC works with other corporate, philanthropic or civic organizations on national initiatives such as the Habitat for Humanity Landscaping program, which assists new homeowners in establishing low-maintenance, environmentally friendly gardens. Horticultural Therapy. Many local and state garden clubs serve their communities by launching and maintaining healing gardens in nursing homes, hospitals and special needs facilities. A related project called Plant It Pink promotes breast cancer education and awareness. We Provide Educational Resources and Programs NGC offers members a vast array of educational resources including catalogs, informational publications and lesson plans that provide insight and ideas year-round. Accredited educational programs and schools. Topics include basic horticulture study, design study, flower shows, landscape design, environmental study and gardening study. Flower Shows.These colorful, enjoyable events, packed with learning opportunities, continue to draw crowds across the U.S. We're Nurturing a New Generation of Gardeners NGC strives to educate children, teens and college students about gardening, conservation and environmental stewardship. Scholarship program. Provides financial aid to students majoring in fields of study related to horticulture and the environment. Poetry, essay and art contests; including a sculpture competition using recyclable materials and the very popular Smokey Bear / Woodsy Owl poster contest which is sponsored in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service. Promoting youth gardening activities in schools and public locations. Our school gardening programs are recognized nationwide. Welcome to New Members, Clubs and Partnerships! Click here to contact us regarding corporate or philanthropic partnerships Click here for more information on joining a garden club Click here for more information on how to organize a garden club


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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas U.S. Sen. John Boozman had unscheduled heart surgery Tuesday at a hospital in the northwestern part of the state, where his office said he was recovering well.
During the night, Boozman, a Republican, had pain in his chest and an arm, which prompted the hospital visit. Doctors performed tests and decided to perform the surgery, according to his Senate office.
Boozman's office didn't release what type of heart surgery the senator had.
"Doctors say he responded well to the surgery and are monitoring his recovery," according to a statement released by Boozman spokesman Patrick Creamer.
The statement also said Boozman's family had visited him and is hoping for a full recovery. His office didn't release the name of the hospital.
The state's junior senator, Boozman had been scheduled for an 8 a.m. appearance in Gravette to discuss a highway bypass project and President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. In the afternoon, he was to have spoken at a rural health center in Green Forest and at a housing agency in Harrison.
Other politicians, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, on Tuesday offered wishes for a speedy recovery.
"We're glad to hear that John is doing well and we all look forward to having him back at work. He is a fantastic Senator and a tireless advocate for Arkansas and the people he so proudly represents," the statement from McConnell's office said.
U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, the only Democrat in the state's congressional delegation, released a statement expressing his concern.
"I'm fortunate to call Senator Boozman a good friend and trusted colleague," Pryor said. "Today, I lift up his wife, Cathy, his three daughters, and their family and friends in prayer. On behalf of all Arkansans, I'd like to wish Senator Boozman a speedy recovery."
Republicans in the delegation also sent their good wishes in prepared statements and on Twitter.
U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, a Republican who is running to challenge Pryor, wished a quick recovery for Boozman.
"I am grateful to call Senator Boozman a colleague and a friend. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family," Cotton said in a prepared statement.
The statement from Boozman's office said the family asked for privacy as Boozman recovers and said that his Senate office would provide updates when more information is available.


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Max Domi
- Center
- Shoots Left
- 39G, 48A = 87 Points in 67 regular season games for the London Knights this year.
- Son of former Jet Tie freakin' Domi!
- (My) NHL Comparable (based on watching 2.5 games of him in the Memorial Cup) – Daymond Langkow with both offesnive and nastiness upside.
A lot of Articles you read have an introductory statement. This piece is no diffirent. In fact, we're already well over two sentences deep into the opening comment on this Max Domi writeup. Now that we're already well into things, let's take a closer look at 2013 NHL Draft prospect Max Domi of the OHL's London Knights, one of the potential picks of your Winnipeg Jets with the 13th Pick of Round One.
What's Great?
And this!
And this, too!
Check that
shi tremendous display of Hockey ability out! I would like to make this clear right from the start: I am sold on Max Domi. Can you believe that pass? Look at how many people he's injured! In fact, slightly above 66% of the Clips above feature players who wish Max Domi never crossed their path. That's my kind of player! And, fortunately for JetsNation, the Nations Mock Draft has the Winnipeg Jets ending up with Domi. Lucky us! How could you not be sold on Domi? If you're not yet, allow me to completely change your mind.
This guy makes people hurt. We must remember that this is Hockey, not the Mall. Physical Intimidation and Pain-Giving Ability are excellent traits to have in a player on your team.
No, he doesn't have Dupuytrens Contracture – what he does have, though, are the hands and vision of an elite hockey player. That pass to Bo Horvat in the Memorial Cup was Datsyuk'ian like. You can't teach hands like that.
His dad is Tie Domi for profanity's sakes! You can't measure heart – well you can, but it's messy – but Tie Domi had it in spades. When he was acquired from the New York Rangers (along with Kris King in exchange for Eddie Olcyzk) in December 1992, he arrived primarily as chief protector of Super Rookie in-progress, Teemu Selanne. It was a role he flourished in. Teemu was beyond amazing that year, but having Tie Domi on the wing with him signifigantly lessened the punishment he would face in game in and game out. And Tie was more than just fists. That famous goal where Selanne broke Bossy's record and shoots down his glove? Tie Domi set it all up with a gorgeous flip pass from three zones away. There is more than just ruthless physicailty in the Domi Hockey DNA. There's good Mojo with Domi's in Winnipeg – let's hope it continues.
Repeatedly calling your grandmother stupid at the dinner table on her Birthday. How could you?
When it comes to Max Domi, though, the way I see it, not much. He could be taller, I suppose. But there's more superb NHL players under 5"10 than there are over 6"6. He also looked like he was trying to do everything and be a little too cute with the puck on occasion. I'm sure when you're a supremely talented Hockey player, you can do all sorts of neat tricks with the puck, but sometimes the best play can be to chuck it at the net blindly. I'm sure, though, that an NHL coach would beat the fancy-nancy out of him, which I imagine would make him an even more effective player.
Also bad is his rising stock. He was a late First-round prospect earlier in the Year, but his strong regular season and playoffs have shot him up to as much high as a Top 10 pick in some Mock drafts. So, he may not be around at the 13th pick, which is bad.
Dave Burstyn at McKeens's Hockey has this to say:
Max Domi (C/W, 2013), London – can attribute his success this season to the work he put in during the summer – adding 12 pounds of muscle, primarily in his core and lower body .. small in terms of size, yet already possessing leg and trunk strength that rivals some NHLers .. extremely tough to knock off the puck because he is so balanced and strong on his skates .. benefits from the added strength which makes him harder on the puck now when engaging in the trenches, traffic areas, and along the boards .. a shifty player – backed by above-average speed .. boasts multiple levels of quickness due to a short, compact stride that swallows up ice .. generates tremendous acceleration and speed while executing crossovers .. stays low to the ice and is always navigating with head fakes and dekes to side-step opponents .. a most lethal counter-attack threat, extremely effective when playing high in the defensive zone and exploiting his swift acceleration gear to get a jump on the opposition .. reaches full speed within a handful of strides, and can be a real challenge to stop .. able to change the complexion of a game .. capable of taking the puck end-to-end – and can burn a goalie from 25-to-30 feet out with a sizzling wristshot that explodes off his stick .. gradually becoming more mature in terms of his offensive play, and specifically puck distribution .. does a decent job passing the puck, a criticism that plagued him as a rookie .. still has a real hunger for the puck, however now is starting to exhibit better patience in his approach play .. more confident holding the puck and curling back once he gains the offensive zone – and can stickhandle while standing still in order to create a passing lane .. his development as a playmaker adds dimension to his offensive repertoire and makes him that much more difficult to play against .. always around the puck when he is on the ice, albeit can 'ride the pine' occasionally in even-strength, 5-on-5 situations, when the coaches are concerned about his defensive intensity .. shows marked improvement in his overall defense however, yet comes up alarmingly flat and static as a checker in his own zone at times .. must continue to round out his game and learn how to fully exploit his skating, strong competitive nature, and superior puck skills.
While Corey Pronman has this to say of the man he ranks 9th in this Years Draft:
Max is the son of former enforcer Tie Domi, but he differs completely from his father in talent level. Max is a highly-skilled player who can impact an offense in multiple ways. One NHL source said he possesses clearly high-end playmaking abilities. He controls the puck, and he can make quality passes in a multitude of ways: slowing the game from the sideboards, through tight spaces in pressure, or saucers over a defender's stick. Although he is undersized at 5'9", he has very quick feet, and he displays a good level of speed and agility. He has the explosiveness a small player needs to play on a top line in the NHL. Combining his speed with his high-end puck skills makes Domi a dangerous scoring threat. Domi possesses dynamic qualities when creating offense, but often, he tries to be too fancy. He has a high on-ice work ethic and he does not shy from contact despite his size. He will need to improve his defense at the next level. Ranking explanation: Domi is similar to Hunter Shinkaruk in many regards. They are both small forwards who skate well, work hard, and possess the offensive ability to score. They handle the puck with proficiency, and they both possess high-end hockey IQ. This is a marginal decision, at best. Domi is a slightly better skater and puck possessor, but Shinkaruk's size is better suited for NHL success. It is a close decision, but I ultimately prefer Domi based on how much I have liked him on tape.
Who knows? GM Kevin Cheveldayoff doesn't really keep in updated on his plans. Yet still I write…
What he should do is tear up all those scouting reports in front of him, go directly here to JetsNation, read this take on Max Domi, and then chill out at the Lake/Ocean/Waterslide until June 30th, his mind thorougly and easily convinced of his needing to select Max Domi. Hey – just remember nothing is impossible.


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When many entrepreneurs hit a snag, they point the finger at outside factors. But Suzanne Evans, author and entrepreneur, says that you—and you alone—are the source of your success or failure. Here, excerpted from her book, are 10 inconvenient but ironclad truths that all business owners should take to heart.
So you decided to seize your dream and start your own business. unfortunately, your fledgling company is losing altitude fast. despite putting in the work, you're not seeing the profits. No matter how much you scour profit-and-loss statements, analyze your data, tweak your advertising, encourage your employees, or suck up to potential clients, you can't move the needle. It feels hopeless.
before you throw in the towel, though, here is some 'tough love' advice. Your problem isn't bad luck, bad breaks, bad people, or even a bad economy. It's you.
"before you can hope to change your company's fortunes, you have to first change yourself," says Suzanne Evans, author of The Way You Do Anything Is the Way You Do Everything: The Why of Why Your Business Isn't Making More Money.
"business acumen doesn't matter as much as who you are and how you play the game." Evans speaks from experience. In the space of just five years, she transformed herself from a dissatisfied secretary in a deadend job to the owner of a business-coaching firm that has surpassed the seven-figure mark and is on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing companies.
The way you do anything is the way you do everything. Most of us approach life with the belief that as long as we get the major stuff right, it's okay to let the little stuff slide every once in a while. As long as your team signs the client, it's okay to skip out of a few meetings and leave a few voicemails unanswered. As long as you don't actually lose anything, it's okay if your files are disorganized. but you're deluding yourself: Your attitude about the little stuff says a lot about your overall approach.
"Stop telling yourself that 'good enough' is acceptable or that the little things don't matter," she adds. "It's not and they do. It's all those little details that add up to who you are."
Emotions are worthless. Yes, you read that right. Emotions really don't do you any favors when you're trying to launch and grow a business. If your motivation and enthusiasm are tied to feeling the warm-andfuzzies, you're dead in the water, because there are a lot of disappointments and challenges ahead.
"You don't have time to mope all afternoon when you receive an email from an unhappy customer," points out Evans. "You can't afford to sit at your desk and stew after an employee quits with no notice. You have to keep moving forward and making smart decisions— and to do that, you need to stop giving your energy to unhelpful emotions. And make no mistake: That's a choice. You can choose to plug into negativity or into enthusiasm.
You only think you're a special. "Problems don't make you different," says Evans, "they make you the same as everyone else who has problems—and that's all of us! So stop using your 'differences' to justify your lack of success. Trust me, my 'differences' didn't magically disappear, allowing me to finally launch my business. I simply stopped fixating on what was holding me back and started paying attention to beliefs and habits that helped me achieve my goals."
Playing it safe is for wimps. A lot of entrepreneurs have a "better safe than sorry" mindset. They follow the rules, avoid risks, and accept mediocrity as the price of stability. They aren't willing to gamble the way things are for the way they'd like them to be.
You don't have what it takes to do it all. In some ways, entrepreneurs are the ultimate narcissists. They tend to tell themselves that no one is as smart, capable, or caring as they are: "No one can pitch to clients as effectively as I can. No one is as meticulous with accounts as I am." As a result, these entrepreneurs suffer from 'founder syndrome': They can't do all the work of running a business alone, but they don't have enough faith in others to do it, so they get stuck.
You cannot do it all. ultimately, you're going to have to take a leap of faith. Hire the smartest, most capable people you can and trust them to support you.
There is no such thing as 'right' and 'wrong.' Thinking about your business in terms of right/wrong, good/bad, pass/fail isn't helpful. However, there is no failsafe way forward; everything is a lesson waiting to be learned.
"Because we've been raised to believe tests are pass or fail, we usually become overwhelmed and scared when faced with them," Evans points out. "but in the real world, outside of the classroom, tests exist to help us to grow. And anyway, what's right for someone else may not be right for you and vice versa."
Yes, you can spend your way to success. If you've been nodding along up to this point, here's where Evans admits she might lose you: Sometimes, money—more money than you're comfortable spending—is what it takes to jolt your business out of the mediocrity rut. (Nope, you're not going to hear this advice from your financial planner.)
"I've overinvested and overspent on my business many times over the years," she admits. "When I saw opportunities from sponsorship to hiring, I grabbed them, regardless of whether the expense was 'prudent' or success was guaranteed. And I've rarely had any regrets."
You don't know as much as you think you do. When you believe that you know it all and that you're ahead of the pack, you don't leave much room for learning more. And in an age where competency is no longer enough, that's the kiss of death.
"You can't be merely good at what you do; you need to be excellent and maintain your excellence by continuously studying your craft," says Evans. "If you don't actively seek to develop and deepen your skill set, you are severely limiting yourself. Remember, your skill or talent is simply that: a skill or talent. Reaching excellence is a choice. It's what makes you better equipped than anyone else to serve your clients."
Goofing off will help you succeed. When you're bootstrapping a business, it can feel like you're constantly under the stress of the to-do list. Taking a break, taking your eye off the prize, seems like blasphemy. do it anyway.
"On a daily basis, I recommend closing your email and doing something fun," says Evans. "And every three to four months, you should take entire days off to do something you love. Here's why: You'll get more from the play than from the practical. You'll get more ideas and answers from shutting down your to-dos than you will from driving yourself relentlessly."
"As entrepreneurs, we have an amazing opportunity to shape the world, but we can do it only through expanding our thought processes," concludes Evans. "Every success I have had, and every success you will have, is a reflection of your ability to expand your knowledge, to change your approach, and to adapt. In other words, your business is you. So it's time to face the truth and get on track."
EDITOR'S NOTE: Suzanne Evans is the author of The Way You do Anything Is the Way You do Everything: The Why of Why Your business Isn't Making More Money. She is owner and founder of SuzanneEvans.org, the "tell-it-like-it-is," no-fluff boss of business building.


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McCracken Research Library
The McCracken Research Library supports inquiry across many disciplines related to the American West.
With extensive collections of rare books, historic photographs, and original manuscripts, the library offers scholars direct contact with the materials of history. Through proper storage and the monitored use of archives, librarians safeguard the treasures entrusted to their care while making those resources available.
As Dr. Robert Martin, library adviser and former director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, has stated, "It's all about learning." We create, in his words "the synergies that facilitate learning."
CLICK HERE for answers to frequently asked questions about the Library.
CLICK HERE to discover Ten Things You Should Know about the Library.
Our Mission
"The McCracken Research Library advances the understanding, appreciation, and study of the American West and plays an integral role in the creation and dissemination of scholarship on the region." —Adopted by the McCracken Research Library Advisory Board, September 21, 2006
The McCracken staff collaborates with curators, scholars, students, writers, and filmmakers to reveal the American West in all its human and natural complexity. The last word on the West defines the mission—to preserve the written and visual record. As the stewards of many forms of expression, our library professionals understand how language and images have shaped perceptions. What Americans believe about the West is as significant as what actually happened in these storied landscapes.
"The Western history popular culture collection at the McCracken is unmatched anywhere in the world." —Dr. Paul Hutton, University of New Mexico
From its beginnings as a reading room in a log building, the library has grown substantially. Holdings include 30,000 books, more than 300 manuscript collections, and over a half-million photographs. Behind the scenes, large vaults store archives and photographs in a controlled climate. In the new reading room, rare books recount the experiences of early travelers with illustrations that often convey an imaginary version of the West.
Online Finding Guides
Find out more detail about the library's collection by accessing our online Finding Guides.
Digital Initiative
More recently, the library has embarked on a digital initiative, contributing 20,000 images to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West's website. Online visitors can search a suite of photographic collections and digital documents, conduct research, and submit orders for reproductions.
"The best work I've seen." —Bud Lake, specialist, photography of the Crow Indians, on the Great Plains People collection.


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Welcome to the Ouneva Group Website
Ouneva Group is a Finnish family enterprise founded in 1972 which has become a strong international system supplier thanks to a high demand for their electric components.
The product quality and the fundamental R&D work makes Ouneva Group an interesting partner while searching for new solutions. By answering the demand and the needs of the customers Ouneva Group has grown into a strong group of five units which complement each other: Alsiva Oy, Eswire Oü, Jotwire Oy, Ouneva Oy and Valukumpu Oy.


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Pictured: Kevin McNamara
SUNDAY RIVER, Maine. – The Harvard University ski program finished ninth out of 17 programs at the EISA/ Bates Carnival. The Crimson finished with 305 points, comfortably ahead of the 10th place finisher, Bowdoin. The women's alpine program delivered the best finish of the weekend with a seventh place spot in the giant slalom event.
In the GS, Catherine Sheils took home 22nd place with two nearly identical runs. Caroline McHugh pressed her teammate before settling for 24th position.
Sheils had her best individual finish in the slalom event however, finishing in 14th place overall with a second run that was over three seconds faster than her first. No other Crimson racer finished higher than 30th in the slalom however, accounting for the lower team score.
In the men's downhill events, Kevin McNamara led the way in the GS with a 36th place finish and in the slalom with a 37th place finish.
Christopher Stock was the high finisher in the men's 10K fresstyle event on the Nordic trails with a 31st place finish – 10 positions higher than his starting point. The other event was a 20K classic run with a mass start and the Crimson was boxed in as Kevin Sprague turned in the best finish in 43rd place.
In the women's 5K freestyle, Jennifer Rolfes was impressive in a 21st place finish after coming all the way from 49th in the pack to narrowly edge Vermont's Jane McClelland at the finish.
The classic event was also a mass start for the women with the group going 15K. Alena Tofte had a great showing with another top 15 finish in a time of 55:10.2.


text: Although one prominent writer at the National Review had the audacity to suggest that Sarah Palin isn't God's gift to the McCain ticket and another went so far as to endorse "that one", the frenzied, near-Sapphic praise for her continues apace. Today, Myrna Blyth defends Palin's statements that poor people needed to take responsibility for the financial crisis by saying, "Frankly, I wish we were hearing more of her realistic assessments and her honesty about future policies," and Blyth's colleague Michelle Easton defends Palin's decision to forego in-depth interviews by saying "Now, with a great debate under her belt and thousands of Americans flocking to her rallies, Palin has stopped wasting time on annoying reporters." For some reason, this keeps flashing before our eyes. [NRO, Daily Beast, NRO, NRO]


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Sigbjørn Hovland necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 44 diseños de 19 diseñadores freelance.
One logo, many brands! Our main software name is HorsePro, but we have many different systems and services under this name. We need a logo containing a main part "HorsePro", followed by a more descriptive word like EVENT, NET, etc...
HorsePro SYSTEM
We need one logo were a part of the logo, the descriptive part could be easily changed by us.The main part of the logo is the HorsePro-part, but it can be followed by different words describing one of our systems or services.
We do have some examples in for use in foreign countries:
HorsePro EVENT, HorsePro NET, HorsePro SUPPORT, HorsePro TIMING.
But also some examples used in Norway:
HorsePro STEVNE, HorsePro NETT.
Our company is a small one-man-company with one employee exept from the owner.We develop software, both applications and web based systems, and the HorsePro systems are our main product. We are based in Bergen, on the west coast of Norway.
The company has run for 5-6 years but we have not yet had focus on logo design. We hope this may be changed now.
- Compact and easy design
- Logo usable for many purposes, ex. both software and merchandise.
- May use color to vary the different products (EVENT, NETT, SUPPORT etc.)
- Logo should be horse relative, but not in a very obvious way. A horse relation should be abstract.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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MADISON, Wis. — Police have arrested 30 people for singing without a permit inside the Wisconsin Capitol.
Tuesday marks the fourth week day out of the past five that people have been ticketed for gathering without the required permit in the Capitol.
There were no arrests Monday, as the usual people who sing songs lambasting Republicans and Gov. Scott Walker performed outside. Another group of conservatives obtained a permit to sing in the rotunda.
About 100 anti-Walker singers returned Tuesday and about 50 others observed.
Police have issued more than 120 tickets since last week to the singers, mostly for not having a permit.
The singers argue they don't need a permit to exercise their free speech rights. But a federal judge says a permit can be required for groups larger than 20.


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Users / How do you close LinuxMCE« on: April 01, 2007, 08:53:41 pm »
I'm having trouble with the setup and I would like to know the key sequence to shut it down.
Rule #1 - Be Patient - Rule #2 - Don't ask when, if you don't contribute - Rule #3 - You have coding skills - LinuxMCE's small brother is available: http://www.agocontrol.com
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City of Lewisville, TXHome Menu
City and Community Calendar
Preschool Time
For children, ages 3-6 years
- Date: January 14, 2019 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
- Location: Lewisville Public Library
1197 W Main Street
Lewisville, Texas 75067
Return to full list >>
Preschool Time for preschoolers, ages 3-6 years, is offered
- Mondays, 10:30 a.m.
- Tuesdays, 11:15 a.m.
Get set for fun as we share stories, songs, fingerplays, movement designed to strengthen early literacy skills. Ticket required. Space is limited, so plan to arrive early. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Youth Services Desk, 30 minutes before the start of the class.


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ST. LOUIS – You have sent out invites for the big Thanksgiving dinner, picked out a fancy tablecloth to go with the plates and bought a 20-pound turkey. Now, before you grab Grandma's recipe box and don the apron, here's a quick refresher on some food safety tips for a healthy Thanksgiving dinner.
|Donna Duberg is the assistant professor of clinical laboratory science at SLU.
Poultry like turkeys are home to food illness-causing bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli. Donna Duberg, assistant professor of clinical laboratory science and germ expert at Saint Louis University, says you can avoid the growth and spread of such bacteria by correctly thawing, cleaning, cooking and serving the turkey.
Environment matters
When you bring home the turkey, there are two possibilities – there is bacteria already sitting on the bird and/or existing bacteria from your house could spread to the turkey.
Before you start the process of cooking it, clean the kitchen counter and sink with either a one-part vinegar and nine-part water solution or hot, soapy water, Duberg says.
"Make sure you clean everything from the counter to the utensils and the cutting boards, so that bacteria from your kitchen do not transfer to the turkey."
Thaw it evenly
Duberg recommends three ways to thaw a turkey: refrigerating it for five to six days, putting it in cold water, or microwaving it.
For every pound, let the turkey sit in cold water (less than 40 Fahrenheit) for 30 minutes changing the water frequently. As the turkey sits in the water, the bird will thaw more evenly and at a temperature which slows the growth of bacteria.
"If you decide to thaw the turkey in a microwave, make sure you cook it immediately as some parts of the turkey may have heated unevenly and can start growing bacteria," Duberg says.
"Forty to 140 degrees Fahrenheit is the danger zone – that's when the turkey is most prone to growing bacteria. It is essential that the turkey thaw and be kept cold until cooking (less than 40 degrees)."
To stuff or not to stuff
Over the years, stuffing has been a topic of debate – should it be served separately or inside the turkey?
"If you plan to put the stuffing inside the turkey, make sure the temperature of the center of the stuffing is 165 degrees Fahrenheit," Duberg says.
According to CDC's guidelines on safely cooking a turkey, heating the stuffing to reach an internal temperature of 165 degree Fahrenheit will kill any bacteria on the turkey and prevent possible foodborne illnesses.
Cook it right
Before you begin cooking, Duberg says make sure the turkey completely thawed.
If you're cooking the turkey without the stuffing, check the temperature of the innermost part of the thigh, breast and wing with a food thermometer and make sure all are 165 degrees Fahrenheit, she says.
Serving order
Cooked turkey should not be left out for more than two hours.
"When the turkey is left out, any bacteria present will start growing. Children and the elderly with a weaker immune system could easily get sick," she says.
Long a leader in educating health professionals, Saint Louis University offered its first degree in an allied health profession in 1929. Today the Doisy College of Health Sciences offers degrees in physical therapy, athletic training education, clinical laboratory science, nutrition and dietetics, health informatics and information management, health sciences, medical imaging and radiation therapeutics, occupational science and occupational therapy, and physician assistant education. The college's unique curriculum prepares students to work with health professionals from all disciplines to ensure the best possible patient care.
November 25, 2013