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Latest Ideas Kitchen Countertop Options
Whether synthetic quartz, natural stone, laminate or stainless steel, qualities that cannot miss on a countertop are resistance and hygiene. When choosing most appropriate, in addition to its aesthetic beauty in mind, we must learn about intrinsic characteristics of each model, to select one that best suits needs of each home. Know different types of kitchen countertop options here…
12 Picture Gallery: Latest Ideas Kitchen Countertop Options
Compac, producer of decorative marble and quartz surfaces, is distinguished by strength of its materials and aesthetic innovation of quartz kitchen countertop options to suit latest trends in design. In picture, Gray Zement model of Quartz Compac, for existing spaces.
Granite has become a key element in home decor. Strength and durability of this material make it ideal for all types of coatings and kitchen countertop options. Movement and soft colors on a white background, model Lennon by Naturamia offers its satin version to embrace latest trends in interior design.
Solid wood is a material of easy work, noble and light. As a porous material must carry a surface treatment to protect it from moisture and it must be serviced. Also keep in mind that it is a soft material and can be easy to scratch, but you can always try again polish and leaving surface as new.
This post topic: Kitchen Ideas

subset: commoncrawl


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Our PureSave account helps you to save your spare cash and build up your cash reserves. The product features and competitive interest rates make your money work for you. The more you save the more you earn!
What it offers you?
- Attractive tiered interest rates offered. The more you save the more you earn.
- Interest is calculated daily and paid into your account every month.
- No monthly management fees
- One free over-the-counter withdrawal a month
- Free cash deposits at any Stanbic Bank branch or ATM.
- Free email notifications and statements on your account
- You can check you balance at any time on the Stanbic internet banking
To apply?
- ID or passport (original and copy for new customers)
- Two passport-size photos (for new customers)
- Proof of physical address (for example, a utility bill or lease agreement for new customers)
- Minimum opening balance of KSh5,000
- Introduction or reference letter from either your employer or an existing Stanbic Bank customer.


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Composing Decomposition: In Memoriam and the Ecocritical Undertaking
Nineteenth-Century Contexts vol. 39, no. 5, 2017, pp. 383-398. (PDF)
A fascination with rotting corpses lies buried just beneath the surface of In Memoriam, Alfred Tennyson's otherwise sombre, searching lyrics on the premature death of his best friend. Learning to read for this kind of rot may sound morbid, but it's important: decomposition is the process of returning the body's nutrients to the earth, so changing attitudes towards decay provide valuable information about humanity's understanding of our place in the natural world.
When Drama Went to the Dogs; or, Staging Otherness in the Animal Melodrama
PMLA vol. 132, no. 3, 2017, pp. 526-542. (PDF)
Live animal actors ruled the nineteenth-century stage in a series of forgotten works known as quadruped dramas. These interspecies performances reveal much about melodrama—and about the theater's fascination with treating animals as outsiders who never truly belong onstage.
Slavish Poses: Elizabeth Barrett Browning and the Aesthetics of Abolition
Victorian Poetry vol. 52, no. 4, 2014, pp. 637-659. (PDF)
Elizabeth Barrett Browning's encounter with The Greek Slave, a controversial nude statue sculpted by her friend Hiram Powers, changed the way she thought about the role women and artists could play in politics—especially the politics of slavery. Her sonnet on the nude statue shows how Powers's work inspired her to develop the highly performative and conventionalized female speaker central to her late abolitionist poem, "A Curse for a Nation."
Animal Attraction: The Ridiculous Realism of Bachelor in Paradise
Avidly, 4 October 2018.
The stars of ABC's Bachelor in Paradise don't just act like animals--they act with animals, too. The show's strategy of placing its actors in conversation with raccoons, parrots, dogs, cats, and crabs is not as odd or innovative as it seems: it is simply the latest in a long line of theatricals that have put human and animal actors side-by-side to meditate on the artificiality of drama itself.
Can Novels Change Our Attitudes About Death?
Electric Literature, 27 February 2018.
Most fiction writers treat death as final--as literally the end of the story. But by continuing to follow their characters even after they die, a growing batch of novels promises to help readers come to terms with their own mortality.
Is it Really So Wrong to Kill a Mockingbird?
The Millions, 21 July 2016.
There's no need to read Go Set a Watchman to see that Atticus Finch was a flawed character deeply invested in glorified images of the Old South. All that's needed is a deeper understanding of the titular bird of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.
People Are Sickening: The Bug's Eye View of Pandemic Games
PopMatters, 5 February 2013.
A new strain of mobile gaming puts players in the position of a disease bent on eliminating the human race. These simulators experiment with an extraordinarily alien perspective that shows both the potential and the limitations of video games as tools for changing humans' understanding of our impact on the planet.
Book Review
Meat Cultures
Humanimalia vol. 10, no. 1, 2018.
Review of:
Adams, Carol J. Burger. Bloomsbury Academic, 2018. 192 pp.
Geier, Ted. Meat Markets: The Cultural History of Bloody London. Edinburgh Univ. Press, 2017. 200 pp.


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Call Center Services
Call Center Service Experts
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- Innovative, yet low maintenance, technology. Get flexible, pay-as-you-go, always up-to-date, cloud technology.
- Deep industry experience. We've been working with contact centers for a long time. We really understand your challenges and know technology to solve them.
- Passionate tribe of customers. We're grateful (and humbled) that our customers have lots of nice things to say about us.
To get started with a risk-free, no obligation analysis, call us at 888-412-5756 or email firstname.lastname@example.com


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Rockbox mail archiveSubject: Re: Archos build quality......
From: Justin Heiner (jheiner_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 2003-05-19
I know exactly how you feel. My AJBR-FM has the same problem. If you activate the auto-shutoff feature and set it to something like 5 or 10 minutes it should shut off without wasting too much battery.
---------- Original Message ----------
> Yes, it is a AJBR
Page was last modified "Jan 10 2012" The Rockbox Crew


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Summer Camp( Entering K-5th Grade)
The "Rec" Summer Camp: The "Rec" Summer Camp exemplifies the best traditional day camp experience for your *K-5th grader(s) while also helping your student avoid the "summer slide." Did you know that on average, students lose two months of reading skills and over two and a half months of math skills over the summer months? Our camp will support your child's retention of academic facts and provide them opportunities to develop friendships and great summer memories. Each week there will be exciting activities including art, dance, music, field trips and fun in the sun games all dedicated to a weekly theme. Our highly trained staff bring a wealth of experience and mentorship to all students.
Entering Grades PK-5 Summer Camp Registration Form
Entering Grades 6-8 Summer Camp Registration Form
Deadline to sign up will be the Wednesday before the start of each camp.
Deadline to sign up for the Underwater Adventurers Camp (week of 6/17) will be on 6/12. Enrollment is on a first come first, served basis. Limits apply so don't delay and register today!
Playwell Engineering with LEGO
Minecraft Engineering Using LEGO
Bring Minecraft to life using tens of thousands of LEGO®! Build engineer-designed projects such as a motorized Creeper, a portal to the Nether, and a moving Minecart! Create your favorite Minecraft objects with the guidance of an experienced Play-Well instructor. Whether you are new to Minecraft and LEGO or a seasoned veteran, you'll be hooked on the endless creative possibilities.
Minecraft Master Engineering Using LEGO
Bring Minecraft to life using LEGO! Build a motorized walking Creeper, a terrifying Ghast, and a motorized Minecart! This project-based course, designed by Play-Well instructors, combines the basic format of our core engineering-themed programs based on the world of Minecraft. Students will explore real-world concepts in physics, engineering, and architecture while building their favorite Minecraft objects. Students will have a blast, even without any prior experience with Minecraft or LEGO
School Break Camps
The City of Emeryville's Break Camps are specifically designed for the creative and active needs of children 5 (or are going into Kindergarten) through 12 years old. All campers participate in fun activities based around holiday themes. Campers will rotate through programs throughout the day such as: art projects, sports, cooperative games, music, dance, cultural studies, group projects, environment awareness, off-site trips to Bay Area attractions, and much more! Our highly trained staff brings in a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to ensure a positive, fun, and safe experience. Campers must bring a bagged lunch each day.
Middle School Summer Camp
The "Rec" Middle School Summer Camp: The "Rec" middle school summer camp is the perfect place to send your *middle schooler this summer. Get them out of the house and off those devices! We offer exciting, age appropriate and relevant experiences within a supportive small group environment. Campers will engage in disguised learning activities, creative arts and go on specialized field trips that are designed just for them. They will also get a head start on preparing for the school year both academically and social-emotionally. It will be an unforgettable summer for your pre-teen this year! Deadline to sign up will be the Wednesday before the start of each camp. Deadline to sign up for Creators Camp (week of 6/17) will be on 6/12. Enrollment is on a first come first served basis and does not include entering 9th grade students. See our Leaders in Training Program below for services for 9th-12th grade students. Limits apply so don't delay and register today!
Create up to 5 stop-motion animated flix! Each day you'll use a new style of stop-motion, combining the favorites of past years with some exciting new styles, making this camp new each year for everyone to enjoy! It's the ultimate arts and crafts camp where you create, direct, and film your movies in age-appropriate groups. *Flix downloadable within a month after camp ends. Registration deadline is July 12th.
Turn the video game into an exciting Minecraft stop-motion movie! Working in age-appropriate groups, bring Steve, the creepers, and more to life, as you write, storyboard, shoot and add voice-overs to your favorite characters. *Flix downloadable within a month after camp ends. Registration deadline is July 12th.
Registration discount and lunch supervision provided to those who register for a full day of IncrediFlix camps! *Discount included in price of camp. Bring your own sack lunch. Registration deadline is July 12th.


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We are pleased to announce the re-issue of the pivotal recording, Lonely Universe à la plage, soon to be available at CDBaby, iTunes and others. It was one of the first Jazz from Rant cds ever produced, from 1993. This album features the poetry and vocals of Jeannette Lambert performing along with Michel Lambert, drums, […]
Now available at CDBaby and iTunes. Review The Whole Note The Ottawa Citizen
Jeannette, Michel and Reg travelled to Sulawesi, Indonesia, in late December 2013, to perform at the Toraja International Festival in Tana Toraja with assistance from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec. Here is a Youtube channel featuring videos from this adventure.
Now available at CDBaby and iTunes Montreal jazz vocalist Jeannette Lambert's 9th recording as a leader, Born to be Blue features her longtime collaborators, her brother guitarist Reg Schwager, her husband drummer Michel Lambert and bassist Neil Swainson. The recording features a return to the jazz standards Jeannette and Reg […]
Journal des Episodes, a new cd by Michel Lambert with 92 musical journal entries, featuring Alexandre Grogg and Guillaume Bouchard, is now available at CDBaby and iTunes Reviews Monsieur Délire, Free Jazz Blog, Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music, Tom Hull, Culture Jazz, Free Form, Free Jazz, Citizen Jazz, The Whole Note
Reg Schwager's Trio Improvisations with Michel Lambert, Misha Mengelberg, Kenny Wheeler and Michael Stuart Available from CDBaby and iTunes Reviews Tom Hull, The Whole Note, Culture Jazz
Maikotron Unit performs the poetry of Claude Gauvreau with guests Jeannette Lambert, Rénouka Chaudry and Alexandre Grogg at Chapelle Historique du Bon Pasteur during the L'Off Jazz Festival.
Available at CDbaby and iTunes Nominated for the Prix Opus! Reviews All About Jazz Free Jazz
Behind the scenes of Effugit by the Maïkotron Unit.
New release, Effugit, by the Maïkotron Unit, featuring more maïkotrons and other surprises! Maïkotron Unit, videos Cdbaby, iTunes Review: Monsieur Délire
More than half an hour of jazz standards sung by Jeannette Lambert with Gary Williamson on piano and Neil Swainson on bass.
Available now at CDbaby and iTunes Reviews Whole Note


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The introductory seminar was held on Feb 7 at Bob Connor's house in Cannon NY, the meeting place of this group. There were 7 participants out f which 2 had attended my previous classes. The feedback received from the 5 new learners is posted below.
Scanned images of the completed feedback forms.
Summary of the feedback:
The seminar was …
- Excellent – 4
- Excellent/ Very Good – 1
I will use this technique to relieve my (concern)
- Asthma
- Family upsets
- Hopeless optimism
- Racing mind, Tension
- Sleep
Comments/ Suggestions (if any)
- Introduction was too long, great analogies, simple, very powerful philosophies connected for me
- Humorous and to the point
- Fabulous
- Nice combination of technique and story telling
If you like this page,share it with your friends.
Please send your comments through the 'ABOUT – Contact' page.


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Five colour options for these little cuties, so please let me know what one you would like in your notes.
Please state your skin tone of Oceana in your notes please as she will come as she is in the picture
Please note these items have NOT undergone safety testing and are not for children under 3 years. Adult supervision required. These are not toys, they contain small parts which may cause choking.
📷 Featuring in my pictures:
@twinkle.sprinkles - shell mirror


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To start this look, I used 2 coats of the beautiful China Glaze Boho Blues, which I reviewed previously here. It is such a fun shade of blue/periwinkle - bright & soft at the same time. Like I said, I painted on 2 coats and let it dry for a bit. While letting it dry I applied the El Corazon Cuticle Defender all around my nails (also across the top of my fingers) and made sure I didn't smoosh my fingers together. Tip: if you're a klutz like me, you can also work 3 nails at a time (thumb, middle, pinky) and then do the other 2. This way you can't smoosh them together and make the latex barrier stick to each other.
The El Corazon Cutcile Defender is so easy to apply for me. It has a regular polish brush which makes it easy to cover large areas, but it also comes quite close to your cuticles without covering parts of your nail. If you have a latex allergy or think you might have an allergy, be sure to test this product first on a small patch of skin or maybe stay clear of it all together. It dries quite quickly on me and peels off easily, so I really like using it :-).
After the El Corazon Cuticle Defender dried I grabbed Cirque Colors Memento Mori and some saran wrap and dabbed my nails with the black. It came out a bit too stark so I went back in with China Glaze Boho Blues to soften the look again. After it dried I used my Konad white stamping polish and MoYou London Fashionista 04 to stamp on the design. After I was done with stamping I peeled the latex barrier away and was left with so little clean-up! Pure heaven!
What is your favorite latex cuticle protector? And what do you think of this look? Tell me in the comments!


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After the very successful No Other Woman (which is officially the highest grossing local film of all time), one might think how Star Cinema and Viva Films will follow that superb path. When in doubt, then go with Vice Ganda. This military themed comedy about how a gay man sacrifices his identity in order to save his family is having the last laugh with its box office success.
Vice Ganda plays Benjamin Santos, the flagbearer of the iconic name that spells machismo and hero at the same time. When his famous grandfather (who holds the same name) figured out that he's gay, his family was altogether banned from the entire clan. Tables turned when this specific Benjamin Santos, together with a bunch of imperfect friends, became the life saver of the clan that threw his family off.
The movie uses a specific type of humor to carry the film. Sarcasm is their best weapon, and if that's the kind of humor you are looking for, then you're in for a very fun ride. Lucky for me, I do well at sarcasm and the film had me rolling in stitches. The dialogues are not deep and relied on the delivery of the actors. There are still some weak and failed jokes that obviously has been recycled to death already. I also do feel that there are no need for cameos and some pop culture references that were mentioned in the film. Most of them failed to give justice to what they are supposed to do.
Still, this is the Vice Ganda show. The role was tailor made for him, and the lines were obviously written for him. Had this been any other actor in the lead role, then it wouldn't have had the same success. The supporting cast were good as well, though most of the jokes were straight from their personal life. Everything in the film seems calculated from the actors to the roles. Good thing though is that this is not the type of film that must be taken seriously. So it works.
If you want to laugh out loud like there's no tomorrow, then I recommend you to watch this one. On the other hand, serious "critic" reviewers must avoid this like a plague. They'll be missing the point of the entire film.
Grade: B-


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The 22-year-old had a transfer request turned down by West Brom, but they did suggest they would be open to offers.
Villa had long been linked with a move for the former Luton star, who was keen to move back to the Premier League.
Reports suggested Davies was set for a permanent move with Spurs rumoured to be keen on the £10m-rated player.
West Brom, who lost in the Championship play-off final to Derby in May, have already seen stars Jason Koumas and Diomansy Kamara leave the club.
What are these?


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The following originally published in the Austin American-Statesman on Nov. 15, 2012 to advance Aerosmith's Nov. 16 concert in Austin with special guest Cheap Trick. Where noted, it has been expanded to include additional content. AEROSMITH DRUMMER JOEY KRAMER STILL HITS HARD, LIVES IN TEXAS By David Glessner Special to the American-Statesman Joey Kramer wasn't […]
Posts Tagged 'joey kramer'
Interview: Aerosmith Drummer Joey Kramer Talks New Album, 'Idol,' Skynyrd, '70s InsanityPosted: 15th November 2012 by admin in Quotes and Chatter
Tags: aerosmith, Hit Hard, joey kramer, Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash, Music From Another Dimension, Rock in a Hard Place
Ozzy: Madman's Diary is a Crazy Must-Read!Posted: 7th August 2010 by admin in Reviews
Tags: anthony kiedis, I Am Ozzy, joey kramer, ozzy, randy rhoads
Been rolling on the floor trying not to pee myself while finishing Ozzy's autobiography, "I Am Ozzy" (is that a title or a reminder?). This book is laugh-out-loud hilarious and a must-read for even geeks like myself who thought they knew all there is to know about the heavy metal madman. Yes, the lunacy of […]


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Reservations appreciated
(541) 673-0848
5:00 to 9:00 pm
5:00 to 9:30 pm
Authentic Italian in Roseburg!
Come taste our distinctive Italian cuisine featuring fresh, locally grown ingredients prepared in modern combinations.
Whether you choose seafood, chicken, or beef, you can experience the most authentic and delicious Italian food around. Our inventive cuisine, attentive service, and a casual, atmosphere has made us one of the most popular restaurants in Roseburg. We have been in business and family run since 1998.
Our hours of operation are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Private parties with reservation welcome anytime.
Experience the true leisurely style and authentic cuisine of Italy


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ESRD Data Systems
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) established the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Initiative Program (QIP) as part of its ongoing efforts to improve the quality of dialysis care provided to ESRD patients. This initiative supports quality improvement efforts among providers and makes available quality information that will enable patients to participate in making health care decisions.
Data for Quality Incentive Program (QIP) is reported in CROWNWeb, NHSN and ESRD CLAIMS. Data from these systems is used to create reports for Quality Incentive Program - Performance Score Reports and Certificates, Dialysis Facility Reports in DialysisData.org and Dialysis Facility Compare reports under Dialysis Facility Compare. ICH CAHPS data is collected by third party vendor.
CMS ESRD Data Systems Overview
- CROWNWeb
- National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)
- Dialysis Data
- Quality Incentive Program (QIP)
- In Center Hemodialysis Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (ICH CAHPS)
PII/PHI and HIPAA
Please be advised that email correspondence to the Network IS NOT SECURE and does not meet the guidelines established by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for transmission of patient identifying information (PII) or protected health information (PHI).
For more information about PII/PHI and HIPAA guidelines, please click here.
Initiative Contacts:
Jaya Bhargava, Ph.D., CPHQ
Operations Director
Krystle Gonzalez
Senior Data Coordinator


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When I visit a new city I want to get a feel for it as quickly as possible. Who lives there? What are they like? How do they dress? In my experience, one of the best ways to get a really good idea of a city's local people is by visiting the main food market. By standing in the corner (sounds a bit creepy, but it works!) you can observe a lot of things about the local culture, and quickly feel in touch with a different society.
One of the highlights of my summer travels was our visit to the gorgeous Malaga Central Market. The Mercado Central de Atarazanas is one of the most beautiful and lively markets I've visited in Spain. The mix of booths and small bars and restaurants make it a place you could easily spend the morning, and if we'd been lucky enough to have the use of a kitchen, we'd have stocked up on some of the area's best seafood, fruits, and vegetables to make a lovely meal.
The market was once Malaga's shipyard, a place where ships were repaired over 600 years ago. At this point in history, the water made it all the way up to the market's entrance. After the reconquest, the building was shortly used as a convent, a military hospital, and an army barracks, before finally becoming a market in 1879. Inspired (as most Spanish markets were during this time) by Mercado de Les Halles in Paris, the iron work on the market was a main feature, though the most striking part was definitely one of the original marble doors, dating back to when the building was first built as a shipyard.
Like most Spanish markets, the Malaga Central Market had its share of tough times. The market was in desperate need of renovations, and in 2008 they began. Over the course of two years, the market was updated, opening up the beautiful ceiling, adding in a gorgeous stained glass window, and arranging the 260 stalls in three separate areas– fish, meat, and produce.
The result is the gorgeous Mercado Central de Atarazanas (atarazana means shipyard), that happened to be filled with people on the day of our visit. People were shouting, laughing, and carefully inspecting their potential buys. The bar areas were filled with lucky locals, chowing down on the most delicious fried shrimp, octopus skewers, and other mouthwatering delights.
Sound good? Take a look for yourselves!
Malaga Market Tour
When I started planning our food tours in Malaga, I knew that the Atarazanas market had to be a stop. Our daytime Tastes, Tapas and Traditions of Malaga Food Tour visits this lovely historic market to taste some of the city's best bites. We meet locals like Javi and José, who have spent their adult lives working inside the market and sharing their delicacies with shoppers!
Have you ever been to an amazing local market? Where?


text: Our handmade gold swirl tapas tray is an easy way to bring a little glamour to any space. This tray makes an amazing luxury gift, its a practical tray that's made to be used, and our gold splash pattern is sure to brighten up anyone's home. We love this tray for serving up appetisers, mains and deserts, its also looks great on a coffee table or kitchen island when its not being used. This tray isn't something you'll ever want to put away! Each gold splash tapas tray is handmade in Jill's Boston studio. Jill's team of professional potteristas makes paints and then ships it straight to you! Like all of Jill's pieces, this one has a little extra gold, in the form of a fabulous gold rim. If you're not all about gold and silver's more your thing, be sure to ask us about customizing!


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This contest has now ended. Winners will be notified by e-mail.
Official Sweepstakes Rules
At UV, we are taking the COVID-19 outbreak very seriously and doing all that we can to follow the guidance of local and state health officials to keep both our employees and our amazing customers safe. Currently, our online store is open for business and our corporate office teams are working from the safety of their own homes. Orders will continue to ship as usual with no anticipated shipping delays. Additionally, our Burbank flagship store has been closed temporarily and in-store pick-up will not be available at this time. Our customer service team is available Monday through Friday from 9:00a to 3:00p Pacific time via live chat here on the site or via email at email@example.com. We will continue to update this page with the latest and greatest info in an effort to help answer any concerns you may have.Easy Returns may be made with-in our temporarily extended 60-day return window for all domestic orders.


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Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
Registration for this league will open April 8th through May 20th unless until maximum capacity is reached.
All participants must be 15 years or older to play with a minimum of 10 players: 5 women and 5 men and a maximum on 15 players on a roster.
Games will begin on June 16th
*There will be a mandatory managers meeting Tuesday, May 28th 2019 @ 7:00 p.m. in room 331 of the Civic Center. The team captain or a member of the team is required to attend this meeting.*
RAINOUT/CANCELLATIONS: Dial 928-759-3093 during inclement weather, cancellation information will be posted as soon as we become aware. Please contact your team manager as they will be notified via email.
Register Now
View Schedules, Scores and Standings
*Divisions may be combined depending on league registration*


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Posts Tagged 'transcendence'
Radiolab, "In the Dust of this Planet," and Glenn Beck: Nihilism to Love
True to style, Radiolab recently produced an especially stellar episode on the obscure topic of nihilism (the view that life has no meaning or purpose). And apparently, they did such a good job with it that Glenn Beck picked it up and did an episode of his own on the matter. Beck thinks that Radiolab is endorsing nihilism (and also that they are a part of a progressive movement to seed the public mind, apparently). In thinking this, Beck entirely misses the real thrust of Radiolab's episode, which is a shame because he could likely benefit from a bit more "nihilism." Allow me to explain.
The Paradox of Serious Nihilistic Denial
My own work centers on the classical insight that the fulfillment of life comes only after a certain kind of death (e.g. Mt. 16:25, Mk. 10:42-45). This entire blog, is one long meditation on this single monumental truth. So when I heard this episode by Radiolab, I could hardly stay in my seat. "They're on to it!", I shouted to my somewhat startled wife as we were cruising down the interstate. "On to what?", she asked. "This is what I'm writing my dissertation on!"
Here I must clarify. I'm not writing my dissertation on nihilism. But then again, Radiolab's episode was not really on nihilism either. Their episode was on the draw of nihilism, and that ends up pointing to something much larger. They noticed a trend in popular culture to valorize nihilism. Specifically, they noticed how the cover of Eugene Thacker's philosophy text In the Dust of This Planet: Horror of Philosophy vol. 1 had made its way into popular culture (appearing on tee-shirts and even inspiring a character on the program True Detective). The question (because Radiolab is always about the question) was: why?
In seeking to answer this Simon Critchley suggested that nihilism is as old as human history itself. Jad went on to explain that you'll see it crop up whenever social structures begin to come undone, either by cultural decay, natural disasters, or war. He points to Ivan Turgenev's novel "Fathers and Sons" as the moment the term nihilism was coined. In that novel the son turns to the father and says "We base our conduct on what we recognize as useful. In these days, the most useful thing we can do is repudiate. And so we repudiate everything." The father says, "Everything?" "Everything… with indescribable composure." In our time, all we need to do is turn on the news and we are bombarded with what seems to be a nameless evil that continues to emerge from both without and from within our own culture. It makes sense, then, that this urge to repudiate should manifest yet again. But when asked if there was something more potent about it in our own time, Critchley said, without hesitation, "yes."
Recounting a class he taught with Eugene Thacker on mysticism, he tells of how in the fourth century AD, there was a movement in which people began to leave the great city of Alexandria for the desert. Influenced by a Neo-Platonic philosophy (and its suspicion of material reality) and a desire to encounter the pure love of Christ, these people fled the seat of all culture and learning of their day for the desolation of the Egyptian desert where they engaged in ascetic activities of self-renunciation and prayer. They wanted a love that was pure, and so they left what they deemed was evil in the world and sought to purge the evil within themselves in the solitude of the desert. What struck Critchley was that the students were deeply captivated by this image in a way that undergraduates are not typically prone to be captivated. Something in these strange mystics and their practices of solitude and bodily mortification in an attempt to free their capacity for love was hitting them in a very deep place.
Notice this: We are not talking about nihilism anymore. We are talking about forms of denial and about forms of criticism, but this is not nihilistic denial. Nihilistic denial must deny even the seriousness of its own denial, but these mystics denied and criticized the world and themselves out of a yearning for a goodness and truth the surpassed the world's (or their own) ability to fathom. They recognized that even the very best human goods are ambiguous. As Thomas Merton said, "The best, imposed as a norm, becomes evil." Thus, even the very best in human culture is open to criticism.
Negative Theology: Denial and the Transcendent Good
Again, this is not nihilism. This is what theology calls apophatic, or "negative" theology. Negative theology speaks of God, the ultimate good (Goodness itself), by way of negating the elements of creaturely goods that fail to rise to the level of the ultimate good. For example, we know that justice is good. But we do not know what perfect justice looks like. We only know what human justice looks like. Thus by way of the apophatic method we would seek to get closer to speaking of perfect justice by negating all the ways human justice fails to rise to the level of perfect justice. This way of thinking is thus critical of all human attempts to say positively what perfect justice is, but it is not nihilism. It is the denial that any human (ourselves included) have a positive and adequate concept for our longings for perfect truth, goodness, and fulfillment. There is a pull within us that we can hear calling our name, but though we have names for it (fulfillment, justice, salvation, etc), we do not know its essence (a classic source for this style of theology is Pseudo Dionysius the Areopagite who influenced almost all Western theology. Check out a marvelous passage of his here).
Rationalized Consciousness Sees the Apophtic as Nihilistic
Now, to the one who is convinced that they do have a positive and adequate concept for this deep goodness, apophatic criticism cannot be distinguished from nihilism. To their minds, their own concept is not open to criticism. They are convinced that they have the answer, thus any criticism is deemed not faithfulness to a transcendent good, but instead a merely corrosive attack. Beck seems rather obviously in this place. At the end of his episode he says "As this world devolves into chaos and depravity, people are searching for meaning. We have to provide them with truth on every platform possible."
For him the matter is straightforward. "We" (as opposed to "the progressives") have the truth and what is needed is simply to distribute it.
The Paradox Beyond the Alternatives
The desert mystics would see such truth, in spite of its divine claim, as being all too human. It is too bound up in the city and the world that they had abandoned. It represents the prison bars behind which eternal love lives, longing to be freed. This is why Christ was such a powerful figure for them. Not because, as Beck thinks, he came to impart an adequate concept of goodness, but because Christ, in a single move, exposed the evil of the world and a love beyond understanding by completely giving himself away. In this act, the ultimate nihilism and the ultimate meaning are one.
UPDATE: Since writing this I've been pressed on they way (in a previous draft) I affirmed Simon Critchley's suggestion that nihilism goes all the way back. "Nihilism is a modern problem," said my critic. I think that's probably right. The examples the Critchley sites as nihilism prior to the modern era are in fact being conflated with other forms of criticism, including the apophatic criticism that I discussed in this paper. Thanks for the push-back, unnamed interlocutor.
Breaking God Talk
[Warning: this is an especially geeky post]
God talk is an impossible possibility. This leads to all kinds of problems. Among them is a situation where many theists and atheists think they're talking about God when they have not yet risen (or perhaps better, descended) to that level. The problems all flow from God's eternality, and our non-eternality. I've been engaging this difficulty with a friend of mine via email. Below is a recent response by me to him. In the exchange "God talk" is being discussed as "the eternal." I had said previously that religious belief was in a category of its own due to the eternal nature of its object. I said that religious belief needed to "transcend the categories of merely subjective and objective reflection." He took issue with this, saying: 1) How can you know this? and 2) It's impossible. The following was my reply.
The Possibility
It's an interesting situation we're dealing with. On the one hand, as you say, you can form a theoretical belief about the infinite that does not "mark it off as an object beyond oneself." As you point out, I'm doing that when I say that the eternal "includes the reflecting self as well as the reflection." You are right on both these points. And the fact is, there's no way around it if we wish to go on thinking or speaking about the eternal in a discursive mode.
The Impossibility
Here we see the point where the trouble starts. Since these acts of thought can be performed, and because they are, in a sense, necessary, it is easy to think that by that very fact they are adequate. They are not. The eternal can never be talked about adequately because we are always in it, speaking, from it. (just like, as you point out, we are in our subjectivity. I'll come back to that). Because of this there is no simply theoretical, no objective, no detached analytical knowledge of the eternal. This is why, I argue, religious belief is (or ought to be) in a category all its own.
The Paradox
Thus, religious beliefs (including atheistic religious beliefs) are sort of weird. They are irreducibly subjective, but they make universally objective claims.
From this, the terms we use to talk about the eternal need to mirror this weirdness. Their relative adequacy is constituted not simply by a their reflexivity, including the self as an object of reflection ("the eternal as the sum of all things, including myself"). No, as Charles Taylor points out, a radical reflexivity is necessary. The mind must try and fail to grasp as an object the very act of its own reflecting. This is what Robert Sharlemann pointed out as the genius of Tillich's relation of human reason to divine revelation. In this attempt and failure, something of the eternal is paradoxically understood without being grasped. And from here, a sort of map is given for all further speech about the eternal. There is the attempt to speak of the eternal reality, the failure, and the pointing out of the attempt and failure (It's rather Christological, if you think about it).
Transcending Our Subjectivity?
As for transcending subjectivity. The claim was that any relatively adequate term must transcend the merely subjective and objective modes. It was not that I have done this and have returned with the eternal Word. You're right; it's impossible (hence, what I said in the paragraph above).
How Can This Be Known?
To the question of how I know these things, two responses: 1. This question assumes that we are dealing with a theoretical question. As I've shown above, we are not. 2. It happens every time I pray. It is, as Sebastian Moore says, "intersubjectivity with the infinite."
In closing, the following passage makes no sense if it is read from an "un-broken" frame of mind, one that has yet to meet the failure of radical reflexivity. But from the standpoint of one who as endured this paradox, it is a beautiful extension of the logic I have been describing in this post.
Speaking of God
A good friend of mine recently told me that he needs to be able to conceive of God before it's possible for him to believe in God. This got me thinking. We cannot conceive of anything apart from our ability to speak of it. How then do we speak of God? The way the situation is often put is that God is a being possessing a host of "omni" properties (e.g. omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, etc…). Yet as we consider language of this nature it becomes clear that terms originating in finite existence are struggling to grasp an infinite reality. This can be seen when we consider what could it possibly mean to say that a being is present everywhere (omnipresence)? What results is actually a contradiction!
But what about other language we use to conceive God? We say God is love. We say God exists. We say God is a being, is triune, has a son, desires things, punishes the wicked, saves the faithful, and so on. Does our finite language run into similar problems with these ascriptions? Or are things more straightforward in these cases? Perhaps that's a matter up for discussion, but for the time being I hope it can at least be seen that something puzzling happens when we speak of God. My basic thesis on this point is that the "something puzzling" is due to the "infinite" nature of the "object" under discussion and the finite nature of the linguistic tools we are using in trying to grasp it. In the interest of providing a framework for speaking of God under these circumstances, allow me to propose three types of God language.
- Natural Terms: Terms that mean exactly what they stand for but mean a reality that transcends the finite. For example: "God is the absolute." "God is being itself," "God is," "God is that which is ultimately real," etc…
- Analogical or Symbolic Terms: Terms that "participate" in the infinite reality they describe, but due to their origin in finite existence lead to absurdities if taken in their natural sense. For example: "God is all-powerful," "God is all-knowing," "God is personal," "God exists," "God is love," "God lives," etc…
- Metaphorical Terms: Terms that are not literally intended in most important respects, but which point toward a single conceptual identity located within some specific attribute (which itself most likely needs to be understood analogically). For example: "This was from the hand of God," "God is our rock," "God is a consuming fire," etc…
What should be noticed is that category 1. contains a single affirmation which is affirmed in multiple ways. And here is what is important: That single affirmation is all that can be said about God with the use of natural terms. Every other affirmation must be understood symbolically (be it analogically, or metaphorically).[1] The reason for this found in the nature of language and the structure of existence. God, as the absolute, grounds the categories of existence but is not conditioned by them. Our language is an expression of the categories of existence and as such is capable of dealing with objects within existing reality, but that is where its use as natural language ends. To speak of the reality that is not conditioned as an object within existence, but is both immanent in, and transcending of, existence, is to be forced to put language to a use that strains and ultimately breaks its natural role.
But it must be broken. For to the extent we insist our natural language grasps God, we force what is ultimate to play by the rules of that which is not ultimate. This can be easily seen by looking at the history of Christianity. The failure to recognize the symbolic nature of language about God has lead to innumerable conflicts, including: the conflict between God's knowledge and will, freedom and foreknowledge, love and holiness, existence or non-existence, transcendence and immanence, power and weakness, unity and plurality, the list could go on. In each case God is being made a subject to the categories of existence, an attempt is then made to affirm God's ultimacy, and the result is (as we saw above) a contradiction or antinomy.
There is real insight to be had in each of the above mentioned conflicts, but they ultimately reduce to analyses of existence. This is the doorway to analysis of God, but it is not analysis of God as God. God's ultimacy assures this.
The implications of this insight are far reaching and existentially important. I have, myself, only begun the process of sorting through them. Perhaps the most deeply felt worry resulting from this discussion is the impression that God is being made infinitely remote, as in deism, or perhaps irrelevantly present, as in pantheism. There is insight in each of these concerns, but ultimately they succumb to the same problem we have been mentioning all along. So where is God? As natural language the question defeats itself. As the cry of our heart, it wells up from, and draws us toward, our origin, condition and end.
May we continue to speak of God, but may we avoid having our symbols become idols.
In our present age this term is problematic, as it now carries with it the connotation of being less real. It might be said that something is "only" or "just" symbolic. What is thought to have a greater ontological standing is language that is meant "literally." This is unfortunate and is symptomatic of the basic problem I am addressing. On this latter scheme, either God is a being in the natural sense of the term, or God is not real. Modern atheism rightly protests the existence of such a being and accepts the latter conclusion. My point is that the dilemma is a false one. Symbolic language recognizes that all particular being participates in ultimate being. Language is one more instance of this general assertion. As such, to the extent that language is used symbolically it carries within itself its own negation. If it did not, finite reality would be capable of bearing ultimate reality, or ultimate reality itself would be subject to the tensions and conflicts essential to existential being. This cannot be so. Symbolic language dies to itself as natural language and in so doing reveals its own depth. If natural language resists this dynamic, it becomes idolatrous for it seeks to elevate something finite to the level of the ultimate.
Introduction to Paul Tillich's Systematic Theology
Theology, as a function of the Christian church, must serve the needs of the church. A theological system is supposed to satisfy two basic needs: the statement of the truth of the Christian message and the interpretation of this truth for every new generation. Theology moves back and forth between these two poles, the eternal truth of its foundation and the temporal situation in which the eternal truth must be received. Not many theological systems have been able to balance these two demands perfectly. Most of them either sacrifice elements of the truth or are not able to speak into the situation. Some of them combine both shortcomings. Afraid of missing the eternal truth, they identify it with some previous theological work, with traditional concepts and solutions, and try to impose these on a new, different situation. They confuse eternal truth with a temporal expression of this truth. This is evident in European theological orthodoxy, which in America is known as fundamentalism. When fundamentalism is combined with anti-theological bias, as it is for instance, in its biblicistic-evangelical form, the theological truth of yesterday is defended as an unchangeable message against the theological truth of today and tomorrow. Fundamentalism fails to make contact with the present situation, not because it speaks from beyond every situation, but because it speaks from a situation of the past. It elevates something finite and transitory to infinite and eternal validity. In this respect fundamentalism has demonic traits. It destroys the humble honesty of the search for truth, it splits the conscience of its thoughtful adherents, and it makes them fanatical because they are forced to suppress elements of truth of which they are dimly aware.


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This cartoon that speaks to me..
For some reason this cartoon by Emre Ozdemir speaks to me. I am not sure if it because I sometimes feel like I am held hostage by foreign influences that I cannot quite put my finger on or if it is something else. Maybe I resonate with the idea of being held hostage by oil companies that seem to be taking more and more of my wallet at the pump. Or maybe it is the feeling that I get when I ponder all of the secret Mideast agendas.
What, if anything, speaks to you in this cartoon?
5 comments:
Bob, we must be on the same thought wave. I've been reading up on Marxism for almost a month now, and it's led me to think a lot about enslavement.ReplyDelete
This makes me think about how we enslave ourselves in exchange for desires we refuse to give up.
I've been so frustrated because for some reason Blogger hasn't allowed me to comment on you blog. I hope this will go through since i have written different times. Not going to comment but just say hello.ReplyDelete
yea! It went through. Ok. now I can go to bed!ReplyDelete
@Missy - Good thoughts. I wonder if the desires of politicians (for things like power) can bring a sort of enslavement?ReplyDelete
@photowannabe - What kind of commenting issues have you had? Please let me know specifically what Blogger is doing. Thanks!
Perhaps it was my computer, I don't know. I was trying to comment through the post on FaceBook. The message kept saying it couldn't go through.ReplyDelete
Hard to write the same thing 3 times. Now today everything seems fine.
Modern technology and me sometimes aren' t the best of friends. (:0)
I love to get comments and usually respond. So come back to see my reply. You can click here to see my comment policy.


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Locker Room Lovers by Bruce Webster 1975, PaperbackOUT OF PRINT
"Tony didn't plan to fall in love with Butch, his teammate and best friend. It just happened...in the shower at the gym...when they were alone one night. Both wanted it but neither knew how the other felt. It was okay though. Once they felt the erotic joy of the gay love, they knew they would need it - always and all ways."
Condition: Very Good


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In these kits you'll have materials left over to tie more jigs. You'll just have to order more jig heads. You may also want to try some different colors.
The Kit consists of: 6 ea. 1/8, 1/4 oz heads, 3 powder paint shell pink ( sand shrimp ), hot pink, and purple, 3/0 Uni thread, pink, black, 1/8 " rabbit strips straight cut, white, pink, 2 krystal flash pink and purple, marabou plums, white, shell pink ( sand shrimp ), and hot pink.


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This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.
Tuesday, 7 April 2015
Posted by My Desktop Daily at 05:21
4 comments:
Neat shot - thanks for sharing it with us at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/04/bluebird-breakfast.htmlReplyDelete
oh how beautiful! I am watching snowflakes flutter to the earth like tiny white butterflies at the moment. Spring takes its time here in NH, I'm content to have blossoms on my windowsill.ReplyDelete
Like the contrast between background and foregroundReplyDelete
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Revolution Brings Reform and Terror Presentation
Interactive and engaging History lesson plans
Email: email@example.com
Mr. Harms has designed a number of PowerPoint and Keynote presentations to help students understand history. Designed by a teacher for teachers, this PowerPoint focuses on "Revolution Brings Reform and Terror". This presentation is designed to give students an overview of The French Revolution. Students will be shown maps, animations and descriptions detailing these events.
The presentation is totally customizable, allowing you to add your own pictures, graphics and animations to take what we've done even farther. It comes with presentation notes to help you discuss the subject and engage students in the events of The French Revolution. At less than $5.00, it will save you time and lay the foundation for presentations that help students understand and remember.
The Topics include: French Revolution, The Rights of Man and of the Citizen, Louis 16th, Limited Monarchy, Old Regime, Political Spectrum, Sans Culottes, Emigres, French Republic, Jacobins, Robespierre
Number of Slides: 42 $4.20
Included in The Presentation Package:
1. Keynote Presentation
2. Power Point Presentation
3. Text edit file of the outline of the presentation and presenter's notes.
(The package is a digital download (Zip File) of these three items.
McDougal Littel's World History: Patterns of Interaction
Absolutism To Revolution
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Chapter 23, Section 2 "Revolution Brings Reform and Terror"
Copyright © History Simulation. All rights reserved.


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Choose your route
History and activities in Fontenay-aux-Roses
The name of the city comes probably from Latin fons fontanetum which means spring or fountain. The name of the town was recorded in the literature for the first time to the eleventh century. At that time, it was still attached to the parish of Bagneux. It was not until the eighteenth century that the destination became independent and took the name of Saint-Pierre. Its current name was proposed to the month of January 1657. The main activities of the town were the cultivation of vines and roses. From 1893, the modernization settled in the town of Fontenay-aux-Roses.
Tourism and visits to Fontenay-aux-Roses
For lovers of discovery and adventure, the town of Fontenay-aux-Roses is ideal to explore. Throughout the year, many tourists go there to enjoy the beautiful roses from the region as well as the remarkable sites which it owns. The Church of St. Stanislaus Blagis is a religious monument existing in the city. It was founded around the year 1934 by the architect and engineer Georges Jean Braive Braive. Furthermore, this church is also a tour to the church Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul and the College Sainte-Barbes-des-Champs. To fill sightseeing in this city, do not hesitate to see the Château La Boissiere, Portal home Suard, the site of Panorama and The Statue "Spring".
Trips are very interesting in the town of Fontenay-aux-Roses especially with the help of our transfer service. You will no longer worry about your transportation between the various sights of the city. Simply make a reservation in advance and also to choose between collective shuttle, luxury car VIP and private vehicle. Regarding our team is very friendly, smiling and very welcoming. A true atmosphere will be provided throughout your career.
Transfer from Fontenay-aux-Roses to the Paris airports
The town of Fontenay-aux-Roses is 1km from Châtillon and 9 km from Paris. This destination is 8.9 km from Orly airport.


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Discussion (14) ¬
you are the borges of webcomics, with your own clear voice and lingering sad tone…
amazing color and line, each panel is beautiful
Here via Echo Bazaar. This is rather delicious.
Your work is beautiful.
Also here via EBZ, subscribed. "The Borges of Webcomics" 🙂 !
I love your use of halftoning, e.g. on the senator and the boxer, and the economy of your backgrounds make them really evocative.
Straight on my blogroll.
Terrific, amazing, wonderful.
Juan, I want to marry your imagination.
Also, it wouldn't surprise me if that were already an idea (someone marrying someone else's imagination) you've had for a story before.
Incredible, as always.
Also here from Echo Bazaar (and I'm glad you guys said so, because I couldn't remember how I found this webcomic!) I've now read through your entire archives and can safely say I'm now a huge fan. It reminds me very strongly of some of Neil Gaiman's stuff, at least in writing. The art style…it's on the tip of my tongue, and I can't quite place it, but it is nevertheless very poignant and beautiful. I do hope you continue updating, as I'll be spreading you around amongst my friend network as much as I can without being gagged with a sock.
In the third panel, the objects under the glass dome are Japanese characters. I only caught this after many read-throughs. Great little detail.
"Excuse me please. I've got enough work already."
I'm equally worried that I'm reading too much into this, and that I've "got" it this time.
I came here via io9, your work is stunning. I love the stories you create and the pictures match them perfectly.


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Additional Resources
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Eliminate unsightly veins at the source. The twisted bulging that causes discomfort and embarrassment results from faulty valves in the veins. As blood flows through your veins to your heart, stop valves are supposed to prevent the blood from flowing backwards as gravity pulls it down. If the valves don't close properly, blood pools in the vein, forcing the walls to enlarge and bulge out.
Endovenous Laser Treatment or EVLT uses targeted laser energy to seal the vein shut and help you look and feel better faster.
- Treatment in less than 1 hour.
- Treatment performed at The First Glance office.
- Immediate relief of symptoms.
- Return to normal activity immediately – with little or no pain.
- No anesthesia or hospitalization.
- No scars.
The No-surgery, No-scar Way to Treat Veins
Remember life before bulging, twisted veins? You can have that freedom again with the EVLT procedure. Tens of millions of people – up to 40% of women and 25% of men suffer from this condition. Traditionally, painful surgery was the best treatment option. Now there is a safe, fast, and comfortable EVLT (EndoVenous Laser Treatment).
What are the complications of having an Endo Venus Laser Treatment EVLT?
The only minimal complications experienced with the EVLT have been a small number of cases of numbness that passes quickly.
Am I at risk from the laser?
No. Just as a precaution against accidental firing of the laser energy outside the body, you will be given a special pair of glasses to protect your eyes.
The EVLT Procedure
EVLT is a quick, minimally invasive laser procedure that leaves no scar and can be performed in our office. The treatment takes less than 1 hour. Here's what to expect:
- Dr. Lockwood uses ultrasound to map out your vein.
- A local anesthetic is applied.
- A thin laser fiber is inserted through a tiny entry-point, usually near the knee.
- Laser energy is delivered to seal the faulty vein.
Walking immediately after the procedure is encouraged. Normal daily activity can be resumed. Rigorous activities, such as gym workouts, should be avoided.
There may be minor soreness and bruising. Any discomfort can be treated with over-the-counter, non-aspirin pain relievers as needed.
How does the EVLT work?
The laser energy damages the vein walls, shrinking them and closing the faulty vein so that the blood cannot flow through it. This eliminates vein bulging at the source.
Is loss of this vein a problem?
No. After treatment, the blood in the faulty veins will be diverted to the many normal veins in the leg.


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Zhihong Liu, MD; Haitao Zhang, MD; Zhangsuo Liu, MD; Changying Xing, PhD; Ping Fu, MD; Zhaohui Ni, MD; Jianghua Chen, MD; Hongli Lin, MD; Fuyou Liu, MD; Yongcheng He, MD; Yani He, MD; Lining Miao, MD; Nan Chen, MD; Ying Li, MD; Yong Gu, MD; Wei Shi, MD; Weixin Hu, MD; Zhengzhao Liu, MD; Hao Bao, MD; Caihong Zeng, PhD; Minlin Zhou, MD
Grant Support: By the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, No. 2012CB517600, No. 2012CB517606), National Key Technology R&D Program (2011BA I10B04, 2013BAI09B04).
Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M14-1030.
Reproducible Research Statement:Study protocol: Available at www.annals.org. Statistical code: Available from Dr. Zhang at firstname.lastname@example.com. Data set: not available.
Requests for Single Reprints: Zhihong Liu, MD, National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Diseases, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210016, China; e-mail, email@example.com.
Current Author Addresses: Drs. Zhihong Liu, Zhang, Hu, Zhengzhao Liu, Bao, Zeng, and Zhou: National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Diseases, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, China, 210016.
Dr. Zhangsuo Liu: The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jianshe Road, Zhengzhou, Henan, China, 450052.
Dr. Xing: The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, China, 210029.
Dr. Fu: West China Hospital, 37 Guoxue Xiang, Wuhou District, Chengdu, China, 610041.
Dr. Ni: Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, China, 200127.
Dr. Jianghua Chen: The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, 310003.
Dr. Lin: The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, NO 222, Zhongshan Road, Dalian, China, 116011.
Dr. Fuyou Liu: The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 139 Renmin Middle Road, Changsha, Hunan, China, 410011.
Dr. Yongcheng He: Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, 3002 West Sungang Road, Futian District, Shenzhen, China, 518035.
Dr. Yani He: Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, 10 Changjiangzhilu Daping, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China, 400042.
Dr. Miao: The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Ziqiang Street 218, Changchun, China, 130041.
Dr. Nan Chen: Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197 RuiJin Er Lu, Shanghai, China, 200025.
Dr. Li: The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 102 Youyi North Street, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China, 050081.
Dr. Gu: Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Wulumuqi Zhong Road, Shanghai, 200040.
Dr. Shi: Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Science, 106 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou, China, 510080.
Author Contributions: Conception and design: Zhihong Liu, H. Zhang, Zhangsuo Liu. P. Fu.
Analysis and interpretation of the data: Zhihong Liu, H. Zhang, Zhangsuo Liu, P. Fu, Zhengzhao Liu, H. Bao, C. Zeng.
Drafting of the article: Zhihong Liu, H. Zhang, P. Fu, H. Bao, C. Zeng.
Critical revision of the article for important intellectual content: Zhihong Liu, H. Zhang, Zhangsuo Liu, P. Fu, Zhengzhao Liu, H. Bao, C. Zeng, M. Zhou.
Final approval of the article: Zhihong Liu, H. Zhang, Zhangsuo Liu, C. Xing, P. Fu, Z. Ni, J. Chen, H. Lin, F. Liu, Yani He, L. Miao, N. Chen, Y. Gu, W. Shi, W. Hu, H. Bao, C. Zeng, M. Zhou.
Provision of study materials or patients: Zhihong Liu, H. Zhang, C. Xing, P. Fu, Z. Ni, J. Chen, H. Lin, F. Liu, Yongcheng He, Yani He, L. Miao, N. Chen, Y. Li, Y. Gu, W. Shi, W. Hu, Zhengzhao Liu, C. Zeng.
Statistical expertise: P. Fu, M. Zhou.
Obtaining of funding: Zhihong Liu, H. Zhang, P. Fu.
Administrative, technical, or logistic support: Zhihong Liu, H. Zhang, Zhengzhao Liu.
Collection and assembly of data: Zhihong Liu, H. Zhang, Zhangsuo Liu, C. Xing, P. Fu, J. Chen, H. Lin, F. Liu, Yongcheng He, N. Chen, W. Hu, Zhengzhao Liu, C. Zeng.
Treatment of lupus nephritis (LN) remains challenging.
To assess the efficacy and safety of a multitarget therapy consisting of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroid compared with intravenous cyclophosphamide and steroid as induction therapy for LN.
24-week randomized, open-label, multicenter study. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00876616)
26 renal centers in China.
Adults (aged 18 to 65 years) with biopsy-proven LN.
Tacrolimus, 4 mg/d, and mycophenolate mofetil, 1.0 g/d, versus intravenous cyclophosphamide with a starting dose of 0.75 (adjusted to 0.5 to 1.0) g/m2 of body surface area every 4 weeks for 6 months. Both groups received 3 days of pulse methylprednisolone followed by a tapering course of oral prednisone therapy.
The primary end point was complete remission at 24 weeks. Secondary end points included overall response (complete and partial remission), time to overall response, and adverse events.
After 24 weeks of therapy, more patients in the multitarget group (45.9%) than in the intravenous cyclophosphamide group (25.6%) showed complete remission (difference, 20.3 percentage points [95% CI, 10.0 to 30.6 percentage points]; P < 0.001). The overall response incidence was higher in the multitarget group than in the intravenous cyclophosphamide group (83.5% vs. 63.0%; difference, 20.4 percentage points [CI, 10.3 to 30.6 percentage points]; P < 0.001), and the median time to overall response was shorter in the multitarget group (difference, −4.1 weeks [CI, −7.9 to −2.1 weeks]). Incidence of adverse events did not differ between the multitarget and intravenous cyclophosphamide groups (50.3% [91 of 181] vs. 52.5% [95 of 181]).
The study was limited to 24 weeks of follow-up.
Multitarget therapy provides superior efficacy compared with intravenous cyclophosphamide as induction therapy for LN.
National Basic Research Program of China, National Key Technology R&D Program.
Liu Z, Zhang H, Liu Z, et al. Multitarget Therapy for Induction Treatment of Lupus Nephritis: A Randomized Trial. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162:18–26. doi: https://doi.org/10.7326/M14-1030
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Published: Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(1):18-26.
Autoimmune Kidney Disease, Lupus Erythematosus, Nephrology, Rheumatology.
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Mayor McLean opened the meeting by asking, "What is a legacy?" She had legacies on her mind not just in anticipation of her own, but because of the passing of many notable Claritans this year.
Awards and recognitions came next. Student winners of a Sister Cities artist/author showcase were lauded for their work and got their photos taken with the whole council--they were clearly thrilled . The City received a giant $176,000 "rebate check" from Southern California Edison, equivalent to the amount saved through energy efficiency/conservation since 2010 as part of a community energy partnership. Right now, the City is at Edison's gold tier level, but platinum level is within reach. For most, this was the most exciting revelation of the meeting.
Public Participation
Elaine Ballace opened things up with comments about mobile home parks. She cited a recent news article describing the profitability of owning mobile home parks. She said residents are getting "totally ripped off" while owners get rich. Ballace admonished the council to "take care of your residents!" and not to believe that park owners are barely scraping by.
Al Ferdman spoke next and brought up Santa Clarita's Shangri La water deal for at least the second time in recent weeks. That community has unstable hillsides that are dewatered with pumps, and the water produced years ago was too high in chlorides. Santa Clarita reached an agreement to pay a fine, half of which would go to improving water infrastructure for the SCV. The money is still sitting around, slated to increase capacity at a plant that will most directly benefit the future Newhall Ranch community. Ferdman was upset at the mismatch between who pays and who benefits.
Finally, roller hockey enthusiasts and parents asked for the council to consider studying the feasibility of installing a roller hockey rink/facility in Santa Clarita. Currently, families have to drive to Burbank. Frank Dalessandro, the apparent guru of Burbank roller hockey, said it would be a great addition to the community.
The City Council responded enthusiastically to the idea of SCV roller hockey. Councilmembers Weste and Boydston were on board with studying the feasibility, and Mayor McLean suggested a meeting with Dalessandro to get the ball rolling. Weste also addressed the mobile home park comments. She asked City Attorney Joe Montes to explain the concept of "fair rate of return" as it applies to mobile home park owners. (Recall that after the council voted to decrease the minimum annual increase on rents, they were threatened with litigation by these owners.) Montes said that a city can set rent increase policy, but modifying existing policies in such a way as to benefit renters at the expense of owners could lead to lawsuits. The court has usually sided with the owners in such cases. In other words, Weste was again sympathetic to renters, but cognizant of how little the council could realistically do to help them.
When Boydston asked for further explanation of the Shangri La water agreement, City Manager Ken Striplin offered additional detail. He said that it wasn't a hasty settlement but the result of three years of negotiation. Boydston was somewhat satisfied with the answer, but he asked for Striplin to determine who will actually benefit from increased water treatment capacity and share his findings at a future meeting. Boydston doesn't want to see developers enjoy benefits paid for by current residents.
Consent Calendar
The consent calendar was approved with the recommended actions on all items and without comment. That means the City will be purchasing a $200K patch truck unit to help with city roads, you can't get a massage after 10 p.m. (second reading), trees will be trimmed through 2016, and investment policy will stay on track.
Public Hearings and New Business
Up next was consideration of a new low impact development ordinance relating to stormwater runoff. The City's stormwater permit requires such an ordinance, which essentially guides development to incorporate strategies that enhance rainwater treatment and retention: lots of swales and permeable surfaces. Samples of how the Newhall Library, Chick-Fil-A, and others accomplished these goals were shown. Councilmember TimBen Boydston used the item as an opportunity to riff on burdensome mandates from the State. He said these measures can be expensive for construction that will drain large areas (e.g., big parking lots). He spoke for a while longer, eventually ending with the observation that people keep moving to SoCal even though there isn't enough water and that we can't pass a law against that. His venting over, the council passed the ordinance to a second reading unanimously.
Master's College is looking to build new dorms as part of its modified master plan. Roads must grow in concert. Consequently, a couple of alternative plans are being considered. Staff proposed awarding a contract to Lilley Planning Group to weight the options. Planning Manager Jeff Hogan explained that the City awarded a contract to prepare an EIR. He continued: "The City Council also directed staff to hire an independent consultant to evaluate both roadway options as a result of the project's location [next] to a City Councilmember's property, Councilmember Weste. The City Council believes this report and recommendation will provide the community with additional assurance that the roadway options in the EIR would be independently reviewed." Weste has recused herself from this item because of her proximity to the college, so I wasn't clear on why an extra $20K was needed to be somehow even more independent in the analysis of the two road options. No one from Placerita Canyon was present to speak, and it's just an independent analysis anyhow (no recommendation yet), so the contract was awarded.
The final item of the evening was a heartfelt remembrance of Connie Worden-Roberts, a major figure in Santa Clarita's recent history and our community's "road warrior." At Mayor Pro Tem Bob Kellar's urging last meeting, the council considered naming the Golden Vallery Road bridge to honor her. He said, "She's got her thumb on every inch of that eight-and-a-half mile road…I gotta tell you that the level that Connie Worden-Roberts served this community, I will tell you, I look at her as virtually a stand-alone citizen." Every one supported the proposal. Leon Worden was in the audience to witness the awarding of this honor.
There were no additional public speakers and the meeting ended a bit before 9.


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Attendance is not only vital for students to achieve their full potential but it is also a legal requirement. The key leaders will review attendance on a daily basis so that absence can be followed up and support can be put in place in order to improve attendance. In addition, the Education Welfare Service regularly checks the attendance of all students and will engage early with parents/carers of children who are persistently absent from education. Student Support Officers from the pastoral team will make contact with the student and parent /carer for any absence.
All students will have half termly review meetings with a member of the MALP team. This will ensure that progress is being made in all settings and will allow individual student targets to be agreed and reviewed, enabling a quick and suitable response to any issue. You will be kept informed about progress and will be involved in all review discussions.
All students will be provided with transport to and from Diamond House. A minibus will collect all students from the Academy gates at 8.40am and return to the same point at 2.30pm. In exceptional circumstances a taxi may be arranged.
Food During The Day
The students will have access to a sandwich service from the Academy. Orders will be taken the day before and then food delivered to the minibus for distribution that morning. Free school meal arrangements will still apply in the off-site setting. Hot and cold drinks will be available throughout the day.


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We can't believe it's already the middle of March. That means we're only 4 months away from our annual summer trip to Kenya! It also means we haven't shared on this blog with you, our friends and partners — the ones who make all of this work possible — in nearly six months. There has been a lot happening, and we're eager to share with you.
First, we wanted to share with you that Alabaster's partnership in Kenya continues to deepen. This year, we're excited that one of our board members is spending a few months in Nairobi, and will be joined by our founder for a week in April. Part of their on-the-ground work is to partner with Girl Child Network to advance efforts to register the Endonyolasho First Aid Cinic with the Ministry of Health in Kenya.
This has been the plan from the very beginning — because the clinic doesn't belong to Alabaster, but to the people of Kenya, and specifically to the community in Endonyolasho. Registration will bring resources from the government, including a regular staff posting, so that the community will have year-round access to health care. It also means that the students of Endonyolasho Primary School will have more opportunities to study in the Health Sciences library, and to interact with a Kenyan health worker. We hope this will continue to inspire young people to become nurses and doctors that serve their communities.
So let the updates begin! Watch this space for details on the clinic registration, real-time updates on Endonyolasho, a profile on this summer's Alabaster team, and a look back at some of the ways you helped us raise funds this past fall for more resources for our beloved friends in Kenya.


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*dreamy sigh, been following Jenny for about 3 years now, and have loved every post she's ever cranked out. With such honesty and openness about the qualities that make her human as well as killer food combos and hilarious daily insight, it's no wonder she's one of my top blogger idols.
Yesterday she posted her July Blog Challenge!
Join me!


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TATOC 2017 Conference round-up: Part 1
In the first of a series of reports on the 2017 TATOC conference, LEIGH CONNELLY looks back at some of the highlights of the leading industry event.
This year's event was held from 3-5 March at the Park Royal Hotel Warrington and was well attended by representatives of TATOC member resorts, industry professionals and resort committee members.
This annual event is the only one of its kind, bringing industry professionals together with timeshare owners and resort committee members, bridging the gap and facilitating important discussion.
The conference was opened by Robin Mills, RDO Communications, Chairman of Club Leisure Group, and for this weekend, as in previous years, a capable and knowledgeable conference moderator.
Before the sessions began, delegates heard briefly from the Chairman of TATOC, Harry Taylor. Taylor is highly regarded within the timeshare community, for his dedication to the industry, to the timeshare product, and to making sure everyone is playing fair. Throughout the conference, this dedication was noted by various speakers, particularly Howard Nusbaum, CEO of ARDA, who presented TATOC with a check for £30,000, a generous donation made in recognition and gratitude of TATOC's ongoing support to ARDA.
A Motivational Morning with Geoff Ramm
Each year the conference is kicked off with a motivational speaker, setting the tone for a weekend of positivity and creative solutions. This year was no different.
Delegates were treated to a motivational presentation and interactive session with Geoff Ramm, Customer Service and Marketing Speaker, and creator of OMG Marketing and Celebrity Service.
Geoff began by saying that every business should be aiming to create memorable experiences for its customers, which hopefully they will then share with the wider public – other potential customers. He added that this is nothing new or unusual and that most businesses claim this to be their top priority. "But why, then, is there so much non-experience?" he asked.
Ramm went on to say that he is constantly hearing cries of "retail is dead" and "Amazon is killing us." But, he suggested, this is a convenient excuse to make when so often businesses are not doing all they could to retain their customers.
Don't self-sabotage
Ramm highlighted recent examples of bad customer experiences which he had personally endured. He had been wandering a shopping centre at Christmastime last year, when he saw a Santa's grotto. "The queue was a mile long," he explained. But when he and his young son reached the front of the queue, they were greeted by a small sign which read: 'NO photography. Parents will have one chance to take a photograph, no retakes will be allowed'. How very festive indeed.
This is an experience which cannot be recreated online, one which has potential to create so many happy memories for children and families to share. People were willing to queue for a long time and pay good money for this experience, and yet, this curmudgeonly note threatened to undermine it entirely.
A further example, was an image of three air hostesses in the uniform of a widely-recognised airline, sat outside an airport, smoking cigarettes directly under a no-smoking sign. Ramm had photographed this as well as the note at the grotto, and while he does so for work purposes, it's likely that these things are noticed by regular customers. His point? "Look at yourselves, before your competitors. Ask yourself, who is talking about the experience you are providing right now? What are they saying?"
Create excitement
Thankfully, there were some examples of brands creating fantastic customer experiences, often with small, yet meaningful acts of customer service:
- The first was a Premier Inn, which hid toy ducks in rooms where there were children staying, along with a note congratulating the child on finding Donald and Daffy Duck and asking them to visit reception to claim their treat, a bag of sweets.
- The second example was when Ramm took his son on a train for the first time. The child was under the age bracket for requiring a ticket and could travel for free. However, the ticket attendant recognised the excitement that a young child might feel, so she asked his name and wrote 'Elliot's magic ticket' on a plain ticket.
Ramm highlighted the value of creating excitement and advised delegates that they should all be getting personal to create a memorable experience.
Alter your viewpoint
Delegates were then asked to complete a task with those sat on their tables. They were given the below, and asked to find a creative solution.
- You open a café at a well-known beauty spot in the countryside, selling coffee, tea and homemade produce. There is only one carpark near to the beauty spot, which is right next to your café. Visitors must pay for car parking, and are often faced with the dilemma of not having any change. Seeing an opportunity to promote your café as a place where visitors could get some change and, hopefully, stay for refreshments, you decide to put a note on the parking meter – what does it say?
Delegates were given two minutes to think about what to say, and came up with all sorts of notes, varying from simply, 'Change available at the café' to short rhymes, and even an offer to refund parking fees if purchases are made at the café.
When Ramm revealed that this was a real-life scenario and shared the real note, delegates were surprised. It read: 'Please do not ask for change at the café bar, we have none left!!'
Ramm highlighted that when we are placed in this kind of environment, with ideas bouncing around, we can come up with many creative ideas in a short time, and in fact the best ideas usually come within the first few minutes. But it is all about how we view things. Do we see opportunity to enhance the customer experience? Or do we find reason to limit customers, spoiling the experience entirely.
Always respond
No one wants to be ignored when making a complaint or query, It's infuriating, especially in this day and age, when is has never been easier to connect.
But Ramm wanted to highlight the importance of response, even when no question, or complaint is being made. This is particularly relevant on Twitter. When people are engaging with your brand in any way, you should be making the effort to engage back. If you don't, why would they bother tagging, or mentioning you again? It's easy to reply, retweet or favourite a Tweet and not doing so shows a distinct lack of interest in your customer.
Don't forget to say "Thank you"
"When someone has given you their money for your product or service – you should be thanking them," Ramm said. He went on to explain that he has reinvested money each year in saying "thank you" to clients at Christmas, since starting his business 15 years ago. "In the beginning, people would call me when they had received their gifts, I would be in the forefront of their minds and they would book me again. These days they will take photos of their gifts and Tweet them."
Ramm asked delegates: "What is on your customers' desks to remind them of you?" But, equally, he urged against giving useless things that people don't want. "If you are going to spend the money then spend it on something worthwhile."
He gave an example of when he was looking to book a conference venue many years back. He looked at three different venues, not actually booking any of them. Only one company kept in touch with him via their marketing – and at Christmas, they sent him a calendar. At first he thought, "of all the stuff you could give away, why another calendar, what a waste of money. But," he said, "When I flicked through the pages, I found each month was personalised with my name. They took a simple concept and made it all about me, rather than them. And yes, it would have cost them more money, but it sat on my desk rather than in the bin. Sometimes you have to spend money."
Know when to be quiet
Ramm finished by discussing what he feels to be a major flaw in many companies' marketing strategies – over marketing.
"Many companies are sending out monthly newsletters, with their only goal being consistent contact. They are literally sitting down to work out how to fill the space. But the issue is, everyone is doing the same, clogging up their customers' inboxes, and no one is reading all of this content. But, what's worse is when you do have something to say, it's ignored, or it's relegated to the spam folder."
Ramm's opening session got the event off to a high-energy start and was an excellent beginning to what proved to be an insightful and useful few days.


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$121.29/ per Night
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Come to our villa and enjoy the beautiful décor, tranquillity and calm of countryside setting!!!! This truly elegant private villa will leave you with very fond memories of quality time spent with your family and friends!!!
Property ID# 2531
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use this link It's not every day that a client asks his agency to develop a judging criteria for assessing work. When our lead client recently gave us that task, we felt blessed with the opportunity to educate them and ensure we would all be on the same page when reviewing work. Mind you though, we quickly realised it was easier said than done.
alli orlistat best price Throughout the process, our planner thought he would establish a parallel between our world and the world of sport. After all, athletes are like work. They happen through a long process that see them constantly try to overachieve themselves, learning through failure and building on success to reach the highest level. A lot fail early on, some manage to break through and only a handful become legends. If you can't apply this when thinking about work then there might be something wrong in your agency culture.
zenegra 50 in nepal But if there is one thing you need to take from all this, it's that we're all playing a game of inches. I remember Chris Hirst (Grey London's ex-CEO) giving a speech about pitching and the fine line between winning and losing. He – conveniently – used a sport metaphor and talked about the results of the final of an Olympics bobsleigh race (disclaimer: it might have been a different sport). The gap between the first and the 10th was probably of less than a second and yet no one remembered anyone past the podium despite of the fact that they were all probably pretty good athletes…
So how can we use this? Going back to pitching, how many times were you asked to completely change the pitch presentation the night before the meeting, because of a change of heart from your ECD? In a game of inches, every little inch will make the difference. 180 has got a smart belief, not being afraid to take a U-turn at any point in the process, instead of forcing itself towards conventional wisdom. And I'm probably not the first one who have had to brief amends on a website design or UX the week before it went live.
So make sure you always go for that extra inch, right up to the last second before the final whistle.


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Since my High School years (in America), I have come across many people especially Muslims, who had a complete lack of understanding of Islam, although they never would admit to this. People of other faith, I understand, but Muslims not knowing A-B-C of Islam this is what I am talking about.
You might be thinking how arrogant I am to say such a thing. You might think who do I think I am that I can judge people and their understanding. Continue reading


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I have lived in the state of Washington all my life, with the exception of living in Hawaii, where I earned my nursing degree. Even with the beauty of Hawaii, nothing beats living in the Great Northwest. This is why I call Snohomish my home. Specializing in the Snohomish market is a passion and allows me to bring specific knowledge of our local market, education, business, and our beautiful surroundings. I want to bring my delight of helping others and my enjoyment of the real estate industry together, to assist you with all your real estate needs. As a full time Managing Broker, Relocation Specialist and Accredited Staging Professional, it is my pleasure to provide beautiful marketing pieces, aggressive selling strategies, up-to-date technology, and provide superior customer service to both buyers and sellers.
Statistics show that a staged and prepared home sells faster and for a more money. As your ASP Managing Broker this is the outcome I want for you! Staging your home does make a difference and I can show you how. See some of my staged home galleries on my Zillow page.