text:
A few days ago we ran a post on the 2006 Major League Baseball amateur draft. Needless to say the baseball draft receives far less attention than than say the NFL draft. As a result, their are very few mock drafts to be found. Quite frankly we are not big fans of mock drafts, especially if your team is picking #23 (as the Bucs did recently). Too many things can happen in the first 22 picks. In all the mock NFL drafts, I don't think a single one got the Bucs pick correct and only a couple said the they would pick an offensive lineman. Well, with the Devil Rays picking third, the predictions are likely to be a bit more accurate.
The consensus seems to indicate that the Rays will take a pitcher. More specifically, they are leaning towards a college pitcher, which the "experts" say is the deepest part of the draft. The Rays' brass have indicated that they will not draft for need at the Major League level, but rather, they will take the "best player available". Every mock we have been able to locate has Tampa taking University of Houston right hander Brad Lincoln. This includes SI.com, milb.com, and Prospect Insider. Word on the street (by street we mean the information superhighway) is that Lincoln is not ideal size for a righty, but that he has the best stuff in the draft. There are a couple of other pitchers that have more potential, but the belief is that Lincoln has already filled out his frame and won't get any bigger or stronger. An interesting side note on Lincoln is that he would probably be a high draft pick as a first baseman if he wasn't such a good pitcher. Some have suggested that he could DH on days he does not pitch.
Apparently Tampa has narrowed their list to 5 potential picks. This list includes Lincoln, LHP Andrew Miller, 2B/3B Evan Longoria, RHP Tim Lincecum, and RHP Brandon Morrow.
One thing that could complicate the pick for the Devil Rays is a former draft pick. Andrew Miller who was the 3rd round pick of the Rays in 2003, but never signed, is expected to be the top by the Kansas City Royals. However, signability, which often effects status in the MLB draft could lead the Royals to take Lincoln as their second choice. If that is the case, the Rockies would likely take Miller with the 2nd pick who are said to be less worried about financial matters and that would leave the Devil Rays with Eva Longoria from Desperate Housewives. What was that? Ohhhhh. Our bad, it would be 2b/3b Evan Longoria from Long Beach State, the top rated hitter in the draft.
At this point we have to assume that Lincoln will be available and will be picked by the Rays. One nice thing about Lincoln and the belief that he has already reached potential, is that he would be the quickest player to the majors. When could we expect to see Lincoln in a Devil Rays uniform. Our guess would be 2007 Spring Training and then sometime late in 2007 for his regular season call-up assuming he doesn't need shoulder surgery like the team's last two first round picks.
Brad Lincoln profile [UHcougars.com]
MLB mock draft [SI.com]
First round full of possibilities [milb.com]
Mock Draft v1.0 [Prospect Insider]
The last 16 years of #1 picks [Rubber Arm]


text:
For the latest updates to Global Public Square, including show information and Fareed's Take, visit the new GPS site on CNN.com.
orangutan tour
very nice
sewa mobil jogja
Bandar Online Terpercaya
Situs Togel Terpercaya
Great comment, appreciate the share https://capthatt.com/product-category/mens-fashion-accessories
one of the best top news i have seen here
Covering News from around the Globe!
Want to know more information about the professional resume writers service in usa?
Want to discover more information about the professional resume writers service in usa? http://www.resumestree.com
Want to discover more information about the professional resume writers service in usa? visit: http://www.resumestree.com
Fincially literacy is a necessity for a better world.
Are you obtaining any technical problems along with your Gmail/ Yahoo and you're looking ideal technical support, then be happy to contact at helpline variety that is Toll-free – (+1-877-427-8178) and accessible 24/7.
Are you tired with Amazon Fire, Roku TV & Zoonix TV, Stick Streaming issues like Amazon Fire Stick slow streaming, Freezing or keeps buffering? Eager to know how to get rid of Amazon Fire Stick Streaming issues in 5 easy steps? Call Now: (+1-877-427-8178)
roku tv, roku tv remote,roku tv review, roku tv box, roku tv apps, roku tv stick, roku tv channels, roku tv price,#amazonfiretv4k, #amazonfiretvstick, #amazonfiretablet, #amazonfiretvchannels, #amazonfirestick, #amazonfiretvcube, #amazonfirestickprice, zoonix tv, zoonix tv review, zoonix tv customer service, zoonix tv Romania, zoonix tv box, zoonix network, zoonix tv review, zoonix network review, zoonix partnership, zoonix tv customer service
great awesome share, thanks

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Volume 19 - Article 46 | Pages 1635–1662
Sources of error and bias in methods of fertility estimation contingent on the P/F ratio in a time of declining fertility and rising mortality
|Date received:
|02 Apr 2008
|Date published:
|16 Sep 2008
|Word count:
|developing countries, estimation, fertility, HIV/AIDS, indirect techniques
Almost all commonly used indirect fertility estimation methods rely on the P/F ratio. As originally conceived, the ratio compares cumulated cohort fertility with cumulated period fertility on the basis of three, fairly strong, assumptions. The intention of this paper is to interrogate what happens to the results produced by the P/F ratio method as each of these three assumptions is violated, first independently, and then concurrently. These investigations are important given the generally poor quality of census data collected in developing countries, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, and the radically altering demographic conditions associated with a generalised HIV/AIDS epidemic in the region.
Author's Affiliation
Tom Moultrie - University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa
Rob Dorrington - University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa
Other articles by the same author/authors in Demographic Research
Sexual behaviour patterns in South Africa and their association with the spread of HIV: insights from a mathematical model
Volume 21 - Article 11
Dispensing with marriage: Marital and partnership trends in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 2000-2006
Volume 20 - Article 13
Modelling the demographic impact of HIV/AIDS in South Africa and the likely impact of interventions
Volume 14 - Article 22
Most recent similar articles in Demographic Research
Estimates of Age-Specific Reductions in HIV Prevalence in Uganda: Bayesian Melding Estimation and Probabilistic Population Forecast with an HIV-enabled Cohort Component Projection Model
Volume 27 - Article 26 | Keywords: estimation, HIV/AIDS
More on the Cohort-Component Model of Population Projection in the Context of HIV/AIDS: A Leslie Matrix Representation and New Estimates
Volume 25 - Article 2 | Keywords: estimation, HIV/AIDS
Out of Sync? Demographic and other social science research on health conditions in developing countries
Volume 24 - Article 2 | Keywords: developing countries, HIV/AIDS
Unconventional approaches to mortality estimation
Volume 13 - Article 12 | Keywords: developing countries, estimation
A system of model fertility schedules with graphically intuitive parameters
Volume 9 - Article 5 | Keywords: estimation, fertility
Cited References: 30
»View the references of this article
Download to Citation Manager
Similar Articles
Google Scholar


text:
When a block gets mined, you can collect rewards of Bitcoin and Febbit. You can redeem your Bitcoin on your profile page when you are above the minimum threshhold.
Use chips to increase your boost time and boost rate so you can earn more rewards faster.
You can refill your battery to collect your rewards and extend the battery life with chips so you can earn more rewards.
Use battery chips to greatly extend the time that you will mine for. You mine for many hours, even when you're offline.
Upgrade your chips so that you can increase the boost they give.
Open caches for a chance to receive legendary rewards that will greatly boost the amount of chips you can get.
The goal of this game is to unlock, upgrade, & equip chips to optimize your mining productivity! Level up to receive caches that contain chips of various rarities and boost types.
Equip your chips so you can take advantage of their bonus.
The higher the level you are, the more chips you can equip at once.
Mix and match chips to create the most powerful combination.
Different colors means different rarities.
Tired of tedious Bitcoin mining? Febbit allows you to earn Bitcoin just by playing a game! Using real bitcoin as in-game currency; upgrade chips, complete missions, and get paid!
You can start playing by clicking the "Collect & Refill" button on the Miner page. This will start mining. You can see how much time there is left to mine at the bottom labeled "Battery"
Every time you level up you will receive a Cache that once opened will contain a Chip. Chips are used to imporove your Miner so you can mine faster and more efficiently. You can see all the chips you have unlocked in the Inventory page. You can click on each individual chip to Equip them, Upgrade, or Sell. A chip will not work until equipped.


text:
Shootings across the city late Saturday and early Sunday left two men dead and at least four people injured, authorities said.
About 5:19 a.m. Sunday, a 26-year-old man was shot on the 3300 block of West Crystal Street in the West Side's Humboldt Park neighborhood, police said.
The victim, Cintrail Williams, of the 200 block of South Sacramento Avenue, was pronounced dead on the scene inside a car at 5:40 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
Another apparent homicide on the West Side early Sunday morning claimed the life of man identified by the Cook County medical examiner's office as Chad Carrasco, 35.
Chicago Police Department News Affairs Officer Daniel O'Brien said police responded to a call of shots fired at 5:09 a.m. and found the victim lying on the ground in the 3500 block of West Lake Street in the East Garfield Park neighborhood with a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
Carrasco, of the 12500 block of South Harvard Avenue, was pronounced dead at 5:27 a.m., according to the medical examiner's office.
Autopsies for the two men are scheduled for Monday.
About 2:15 a.m., a male was shot in the head in the 3500 block of West Diversey Avenue, Chicago Police Department News Affairs Officer Amina Greer said.
The victim was taken from the scene of the shooting in the Northwest Side's Belmont Gardens neighborhood to Norwegian-American Hospital, where his condition was stabilized.
Latest Breaking News
About 12:20 a.m., a woman and a man were shot on the 1200 block of West 18th Street in the West Side's Pilsen neighborhood.
The woman, who is 23, was taken in critical condition to John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County with a gunshot wound to the face, police said. The man, who is 21, was also taken to Stroger, where he was listed in good condition with a gunshot wound to the arm.
Earlier, about 11 p.m. a man was shot by someone exiting a vehicle in the 100 block of East 49th Street in the South Side's Bronzeville neighborhood, police said.
The 21-year-old man was taken to Stroger, where his condition was stabilized.
Twitter: @AdamSege


text:
To order anything, Call 804-367-3073
Regular price
Kegs must be ordered 2-3 days in advance. Once you place your order we will contact you when the keg arrives. If you have special timing needs, please note them in the order notes at checkout.
If you would like us to deliver your keg(s), please purchase a delivery option available to see here.


text:
Reiki - New Town
Wednesbury is a market town in England's Black Country, part of the Sandwell metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, near the source of the River Tame. Historically part of Staffordshire, at the 2011 Census the town has a population of 37,817. Wikipedia
Julie Boseley Reiki Master Teacher
Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL4 4RL
Teaching ancient and original Usui method Reiki. NOW ONLINE COURSES AND TREATMENTS AVAILABLE (Please message me for details) Stage 1 Friends and Family Stage 2 Practitioner and [...]Distance: 14.06 miles.
Seek Something New
Cinderford, Gloucestershire, GL14 2PD
07966 282365
After years in industry working in manufacturing and telecoms I found an opportunity to transform myself into a provider of change for others using [...]Distance: 3.31 miles.
Bearwolf spiritual healing
Longhope, Gloucestershire, GL17 0PH
I AM a Certified, Insured Master & Practitioner of Dr Mikao Usui Reiki, Attuned and taught by Reiki Master/Teacher to student one 2 one physically. I [...]Distance: 4.12 miles.
Usui Reiki Master Practitioner – Natural Healing for Animals
Ruspidge, Gloucestershire, GL14 3HP
I became a Reiki healer in 1991 in South Africa providing healing to small animals. Whilst living in Cape Town I had the privilege [...]Distance: 4.81 miles.
Rainbow healing services
Ruspidge, Gloucestershire, Gl14 3an
07879 635648
I provide training in all levels of reiki and offer individual reiki healing sessions. I am trained in karuna and holy fire II reiki.Distance: 5 miles.
Jackie Jackson
Newent, Gloucestershire, GL18 1AF
I am a Usui Reiki (Second Degree) holistic practitioner working from Newent Osteopaths practice. I also offer Touch for Health Kinesiology and RESET-TMJ. Appointments also available [...]Distance: 6.91 miles.
Usui Reiki Practitioner in Newport, South Wales
Newport / Casnewydd, Gwent, NP10 8AS
Beam Holistic Therapy & Training aims to restore your natural beam, whether that is helping you rebuild your internal support to feel stronger, healthier [...]Distance: 8.75 miles.
Monmouth Clinic
Monmouth / Trefynwy, Gwent, NP25 3EQ
07585 552462
Usui Reiki works effectively alongside orthodox healthcare and natural remedies, expanding treatment options. Reiki can enhance everyday living, and regular sessions may help [...]Distance: 9.03 miles.
Healing Happens Here
Monmouth / Trefynwy, Gwent, NP25 5AS
07968 783653
I have over 18 years experience of the amazing energies of Reiki and Seichem. I also offer Healing Energy Readings to guide and empower [...]Distance: 9.19 miles.
karens helping hands
Lydney, Gloucestershire, gl156ee
I am a Reiki Master/Teacher , I practice Usui/Tibetan Reiki , Usui Shiki Ryoho , Reiki is a hands on or off [...]Distance: 11.09 miles.
Hits the Spot
Corse, Gloucestershire
Oridge Street, Corse.Distance: 11.31 miles.
Simply Tranquil Holistic Therapies
Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL2 5EL
Providing an extensive range of relaxing Holistic treatments and indulgent Gift packages. A friendly welcome awaits you at our beautiful calming treatment room in Gloucester [...]Distance: 11.69 miles.
Butterflies Beauty Therapy
Quedgeley, Gloucestershire, GL2 2AT
Pamper yourself with one of my famous back massages, or relax and enjoy a wonderful organic facial. Try out my heated couch and just [...]Distance: 12.04 miles.
Redclover Peace
Gloucester, Gloucestershire, Gl11na
Offering reiki therapy/Neck and back massage /Spiritual readings /Portrait drawings.Distance: 12.1 miles.
A Touch of Light Natural Healing Therapies and Reiki Training
Gloucester, Gloucestershire, Gl15QQ
Hi I provide Reiki training and Attunements at all levels from level 1/ First Degree Reiki to the Master Teacher level. I teach both [...]Distance: 12.21 miles.
Divine Reiki Training in Gloucester
Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 5BY
Please visit website for further details. http://divinereikitraining.webs.com/ Reiki I, II and III Master Teacher training, refresher courses, attunements, healing. We specialise in visiting your own [...]Distance: 12.33 miles.
Serene Soul
Corse, Gloucestershire, GL19 3RL
07801 498519
As a Consultant and Holistic Practitioner/Healer for 10 years, I provide my clients with an integrative approach to change and empower, utilizing proven holistic [...]Distance: 12.4 miles.
Reiki with Rachel
Ledbury, Herefordshire, HR8 1JA
Reiki is a safe, non-intrusive system of ancient natural healing. Reiki stimulates the body's natural healing ability at the deepest level. Reiki removes physical [...]Distance: 12.41 miles.
Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 4ST
12 Dynevor Street, Tredworth
Approved Reiki practitioner Professional Course including Level 1 and 2. Approved Reflexologist Advanced Level 3Distance: 12.78 miles.
Usui Reiki Level 1
Nov 2020
Abbeymead, Gloucester
Reiki Level 1 The first step in the journey of self healing. For support physically, mentally and emotionally. Everything in this universe vibrates and that creates energy. This energy has [...]


text:
Friday, January 11, 2008
Heard the Bach - got the T-shirt
An article by pianist Angela Hewitt in today's Guardian prompts me to ask what is the difference between journalism and a press release? The full-page piece promotes Hewitt's forthcoming tour of twenty-five countries and uses the first person throughout.
I am a huge fan of pianist Angela Hewitt and will be broadcasting a recital by her of Bach (two Toccatas) and Messiaen on Future Radio on January 27. But, for me, this uncritical Guardian piece reads as though it came from her agent. Together with the Bach world tour website, the artist website, the DVD (sponsored by her piano supplier), CDs (above), and the official world tour T-shirts, posters and souvenir programme, not to forget her couturier.
I'm certain Tatiana Nikolaeva didn't have a couturier. But there is still hope. Gentlemen, old Bach is here.
Any copyrighted material on these pages is included as "fair use", for the purpose of study, review or critical analysis only, and will be removed at the request of copyright owner(s). Report broken links, missing images and errors to - overgrownpath at hotmail dot co dot uk
14 comments:
- Pliable said...
Thanks to 'Sander' the bad link to my webcast recital played by Angela Hewitt is fixed:
- 11:13 am
- Kat said...
Hi there
Angela Hewitt did write the article herself, it was intention to be promotion and the critics will come after the concert.
- 4:18 pm
- Pliable said...
Kat, precisely my point. The Guardian published a press release verbatim, and the problem is it reads like a press release.
It's not the first time -
Or the second -
- 5:22 pm
- Kat said...
but this time it is not a press release being published. she was asked to write a diary form of her experience on tour, the only fault i can see is that they didnt note this or make it clear in a short introduction.
i like the article very much to be honest.
- 5:30 pm
- Matthew said...
I'm certain Tatiana Nikolaeva didn't have a couturier.
I'm not certain she would have turned one down—that's a great dress.
- 6:10 pm
- Pliable said...
Kat, I think we are going to amicably differ on this one.
Giving an artist an editorial carte blanche to promote her forthcoming London concert, together with the related CDs, is a cheap, and lazy, way of filling the arts pages of the Guardian.
The style of the article is, for me, so obviously promotional that it loses virtually all editorial credibility and authority.
But there is a more important point. I am sure that the marketing men thought this 'advertorial' was a clever idea.
But they are one step behind what is happening.
There is a small but growing market segment of CD buyers and concert goers who are not only unswayed by this kind of promotion with its T-shirts and other tacky tools.
The market segment, and it includes me, is actually turned off the artists who become involved in it.
I have many Angela Hewitt CDs, and I have been to several of her concerts in recent years. She is a great pianist, and her music making is her best promotion tool.
Her London concert on January 20 is virtually sold out. Isn't that enough?
- 6:17 pm
- Pliable said...
Matthew, OK then -
I'm certain Glenn Gould didn't have a couturier.
- 6:27 pm
- violainvilnius said...
Not sure I'd want to be seen having a CD with a picture like that in my collection. Why is she screaming like that? 'Thank God that is over'? or 'Hey, I can get out of this stiff dress now!'
But then some people might like a collection of this one, the one of Hilary Hahn (?) wearing only her fiddle, some other woman wearing only a cello ....
Surely lots of people have done 'diaries' which happen to be published in papers just when their book or CD comes out, no? And all those appearances on talk shows - would that not also be a no-no?
- 9:14 pm
- Pliable said...
I guess you are right vv, and it is just me being old-fashioned.
I can't help feeling a little sad though, that Angela Hewitt is now just another person using every possible way to put bums on seats and sell CDs.
- 9:28 pm
- Matthew said...
I'm certain Glenn Gould didn't have a couturier.
What happens in Toronto, stays in Toronto. :)
In terms of getting bums in seats, I always pragmatically remind myself that the great thing about music is that it's still what happens once the bums are actually in the seats that matters.
- 10:57 pm
- Pliable said...
Matthew, an appealing argument.
But is it always true?
When the bums are actually in the seats the story doesn't always end ...
- 7:44 am
- Kat said...
hi everyone,
i have been reading the comments with interest.
funny enough Angela sells her concerts before any promotion or press in the papers.
she also sells a lot of Cds and to be honest her fans are so devoted it doesnt need an article in the guardian to get them to come or buy anything.
i think you are missing the point here, which is trying to get new people interested in her. giving her profile in the press and recognition.
quite right , every interview, every talkshow appearance is promotion and just because this time she got to write it herself..
also , the real criticism and journalism is existent in CD reviews and journalists coming to concerts.
- 10:02 am
- Pliable said...
'i think you are missing the point here, which is trying to get new people interested in her. giving her profile in the press and recognition.'
'But it doesn't always work as Dominic Sandbrook recounts in his excellent book White Heat, a History of Britain in the Swinging Sixties? 'Many Protestant churchmen, alarmed at their inability to reverse the long decline in church-going, concluded that 'relevance was the order of the day'. According to Grace Davie, the churches, besotted like so many other institutions by the 'desire to be modern', consequently 'looked to the secular world for a lead and borrowed, in some cases rather uncritically, both its ideas and forms of expression'. It was in this period, for example, that liberal churchmen first began wielding guitars, introducing handclapping into the Anglican rite and generally conducting themselves like frustrated pop singers, a tactic that failed to attract many new parishioners and often alienated those still loyal to the Church of England.''
'Several souvenirs are available for sale to the public over this website. They include the official Bach World Tour poster in two sizes, and T shirts. The T shirts are designed in Italy using a fine quality cotton and a sophisticated design. The front of the T shirt is simplicity itself, with the elegant Bach World Tour logo stitched in bronze or silver. A list of cities visited during the tour is printed on the back. The T shirts come in four colours and a range of sizes, with a classic unisex version and a choice of styles for women.'
- 10:20 am
- Kenny Wood said...
After reading through the comments left here I cannot believe that some become so petty as to pick at selling tour posters, t-shirts or the use of a couturier or even the photo used for the cover of a recording.
Why should Miss Hewitt NOT offer her public a few momentos as keepsakes? Hearing the WTC performed in it's entirety is an EVENT that the majority have never before experienced nor might they ever again (let alone one defined with such tastefulness and musicianship of the highest order) so why not a small token to hold onto in remembrance? If you've had the fortune of attending any of the tours' performances then you'd have seen that the souvenirs are really not what people are after but rather her recordings and the chance to say "hello" to her as she's gracious enough even after a two hour marathon to greet her public and sign a cd, program or ticket stub. There's not a doubt in my mind that were there NO souvenirs at all her recitals would STILL sell out (as has been evidenced time and again BEFORE she embarked on her current tour). As a result the idea of using promotional items as a way to fill seats really is an inane and moot point. However, if the idea of grabbing a t-shirt or a tour poster motivated you to go hear some of the greatest music ever written performed by arguably it's greatest interpreter then perhaps it's your own priorities that need be examined though you're certainly richer for the experience.
To those questioning Miss Hewitt's use of a couturier would you rather see her in jeans and a sweatshirt? I find her choice of such beautiful attire to be complimentary of such great music (does music of such genius deserve anything less?) as well as a show of respect for her audience. It's always amazed me how many IN the audience show up in a pair of jeans or even a ballcap. It's a TON of hard work and a life long labor to bring such artistry to the stage so why is it some find it such an effort to simply put on a shirt and tie for a few hours if only to show a medium of appreciation and respect for the artist? I'll go one further and say that if pop performers can bring such lavish outfits to the stage then why shouldn't an artist speaking on a much higher level be just as, if not more, fashionable?
Finally to those so concerned with what photo or artwork you find on the cover of a recording...you're missing the point completely! It's what INSIDE that really matters! It's not as if it's an offensive or objectionable photograph and I simply can't believe anyone would have a problem with it but then there are those who always have to find something to complain about.
- 5:54 pm


text:
Wires and cables are used for transmitting power, signals, and payloads in various industries. They are widely used across various end-use segments including residential, commercial, and industrial purposes. The growth of global wires and cables market is primarily driven by the growth of the IT and communication industry where wires and cables play a vital role in transmitting power.
The growing demand for wire and cables across various end-use industries such as IT and telecommunication is one of the major factors driving the market for wire and cables. However, the volatility in raw material prices is acting as one of the major concerns for various players operating in the global market for wires and cables. The global wires and cables industry is very large with many participants operating in the market. Some of the end-use industries for wires and cables market include telecom operators and power supply companies. The global market also exhibits non-homogenous characteristics.
The market for wires and cables can be segmented into power cables and telecommunication cables based on their application. Power cables constitute the biggest segment for the wires and cables market which is expected to exceed a market worth of USD 190 billion by 2018, growing at a CAGR of approximately 8.9% from 2012 to 2018. The telecommunication segment is the fastest growing one for wires and cables and is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 11.1% from 2012 to 2018.
Some of the leading companies operating in the global market of wires and cables include Aksh Optifibre, Alcan Cable, Belden, CommScope, Corning Inc., EL Sewedy, Finolex Cables, Leviton, and Molex.
This research report analyzes this market depending on its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report include
North America
Asia Pacific
Rest of the World
This report provides comprehensive analysis of
Market growth drivers
Factors limiting market growth
Current market trends
Market structure
Market projections for upcoming years
This report is a complete study of current trends in the market, industry growth drivers, and restraints. It provides market projections for the coming years. It includes analysis of recent developments in technology, Porter's five force model analysis and detailed profiles of top industry players. The report also includes a review of micro and macro factors essential for the existing market players and new entrants along with detailed value chain analysis.
» Read More...


text:
Television has come a long way since it's mainstream popularity in a Post-World War 2 world. Today, the convergence of the Internet along with other digital innovations has, rather ironically, provided the same kind of industry wide, mass-disruption that Television caused Radio, all those years ago. However, where Television sought to replace Radio as the primary source of household entertainment, the Internet has instead empowered audiences to seek control over their entertainment habits; granting them the ability to consume media on their own and often unique terms. This ability to deeply personalize what traditionally used to be a static user experience has created a number of technological, social, ethical and commercial concerns, which will need to be addressed in the near future for Television to survive this most recent technological and social transition.
The most extraordinary shift in the disparity between old media and new consumption behaviors is due primarily because users have discovered new means of information access and how this information can be heavily personalized. Traditional broadcasted Television (old media) is a highly inflexible medium that can only be consumed in pre-packaged linear ways and it's this content model which the entire Television industry has built is business models. Until recently, control over distribution channels was relatively easy, and this control gave commercial networks the power to monetize specific demographics. Primarily, the monetization strategies were structured around selling consumer attention (advertising to audiences).
Küng, Picard, & Towse state that "Once such content is available in digital format, it can be accessed through several devices, channels can be broken down into constituent parts, advertising can be avoided and programs can be consumed on demand, and in different locations, according to consumers' individual preferences." In other words, anyway, any place and anytime – something quite foreign to the established status quo of successful commercial Television networks. However, despite technological advances and changing audience behaviors over the past decade (favoring new and exciting content delivery mechanisms) the Television industry has been quite slow to find a place in this emerging new paradigm.
Increasingly, programs are utilizing the web, and specifically social networking (such as Twitter and Facebook), as a cost effective means to increase audience engagement. Websites, Video streaming (via catch-up services), blogs, and Social Networks can be easily created to catalyze an audience and create 'lock-in' which aide in stabilizing audience numbers and potentially even increasing them through word-of-mouth. Content lifespan can also be extended through convergence. Jeremiah Zinn from MTV Networks said recently at a VideoNuze event in New York, that "overlaying commentary and contests on TV reruns extends the life of that content and can make it relevant even during a second or third airing". This clearly shows that old media is happy to converge with new technologies, provided that they don't interfere with existing monetization and distribution strategies. New monetization opportunities are beginning to be explored, but so far the Industry seems lethargic to embrace them; possibly due the complex and sometimes delicate distribution deals currently existing between studios, producers, copyright-holders and Television networks around the world. The Film and Television Industries have learned from the music industry's mistakes and the subsequent success of legal music download services, such as iTunes and are slowly embracing them, however, the burden of geography still handicaps many users from getting what they want, when they want it.
It is this "digital distance" that is fracturing the Industry. The effect that these arbitrary geographical rules imposed on different audiences is a primary driver behind the increasing quantity of pirated Television. Some popular TV episodes are getting up to as many as 5 million downloads per episode, a number that is rapidly approaching the total audience population for that same episode in the US. Ernesto Van Der Sar who created the Torrent Freak website said that after they analyzed some 400,000 torrents the "data indicated that approximately half of all the people using BitTorrent at any given point in time, were using it to download a TV-show". This is supported by Michael Newman who stated that in 2008 the most popular episode of Lost was downloaded over 5.7 million times versus Neilson's report of 13.4 million US viewers tuning in. The Industry is concerned that the increasing quantity of 'bootlegged' or otherwise unauthorized episodes downloaded online will only increase profit hemorrhaging, but there are also reports that the Industry has allegedly used these same illegal distribution networks as a marketing tool by deliberately leaking unaired pilots. One of the members of EZTV reportedly told Torrent Freak that it was his "understanding that many of the people that download TV shows from us are avid TV fans and will usually buy DVD boxsets of shows they like."
Clearly, there is an argument to be made for Torrent downloading in actually helping Television in building stronger, deeper, more engaged audiences. Additionally, the Television Network NBC recently commented that they actually make less money on per-per-download services than they do on free download sites due to the advertising revenue gained from so many viewers, further justifying BitTorrent downloading as a viable distribution platform. Never-the-less, unauthorized downloading are publicized by traditional media as being theft, whilst many downloaders argue that if recording to PVR from freely broadcast media isn't illegal, then neither should be Peer-to-peer (P2P). Proponents of Television downloading argue that P2P represents an opportunity, not a threat.
New media is something that the mainstream will soon expect from the Television Industry. New media is about breaking down the walled garden of traditional media and stripping away all geographical bias and enhancing the social relationship. People now see Television as an invested social experience; one to be shared discussed and participated in. The concept of Prime-time Television is starting to disintegrate and soon will be gone altogether, as audiences simply download or time-shift to the program they wish to watch at the time. Interestingly, only Reality Television and Special Events (e.g., Olympics, Sport Finals) are likely to avoid this trend and be watched live, partly because of the need audiences will have to share these experiences in real-time. This later trend has already converged into mainstream Television behavior, with people discussing live Television events as they watch, and some shows such as the Australian ABC's Q & A and the American's CNN which actually already incorporate a live audience Twitter feed into the regular broadcast.
The next generation will be the one to watch closely. They will be an entire generation who've not known Televisual media any other way, with an utterly transformed mode consumption and interpretation. A generation of Television viewers who don't care which network a program comes from, only care that it's right for them, at that moment, to be shared and discussed. They will expect to watch Television in a post-scarcity world and in contrast Television's current status quo, expect Television to adapt it's broadcasts to everyone's own personal schedules. While the demands of unique personalization may take the Industry more time to adjust to audiences pulling them in every personal direction, once the Industry embraces new media we will again reach equilibrium. Despite the possible short-term struggles with the ethical, commercial and technological challenges, the future looks bright for all Television audiences because ultimately digitization allows new communicative, journalistic and content consumption which will force us to reformulate the existing paradigm.
This post is a slightly modified version of a piece I wrote for a University assignment for the Curtin University Subject Web Media: WEB207, answering the question: What are the Impacts of Digitization and Convergence on Television?


text:
Flights to Santiago from Mahon
Find cheap flights
Flights to Santiago from MahonFlights Mahon - Santiago fly from Mahon to Santiago at the best prices in the market. Flights from Mahon (Minorca-Mahon) to Santiago (Santiago de Chile- Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez) with Destinia. To search for availability and reserve your flight Mahon - Santiago look at the box above and select the departure and return date as desired. You can also buy several airplane tickets Mahon (Minorca-Mahon airport) - Santiago (Santiago de Chile- Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez airport) at the same time, by selecting the adults, children and babies travelling. You can filter the type of flight if you only want direct flights to Mahon - Santiago, multiple destinations or flight stopovers.
InformationMahon and Santiago are 10533 kilometres away from each other, with an estimated flight time of 15:03 h (this may vary depending on the weather or air routes)
Airports near Santiago
All Santiago airports
Flights to Santiago
Flights to Santiago (Chile) most sought after by users, in the following chart we show the flights from some important cities to Santiago (Chile) .
Top destinations in Chile
Book your flights now from Santiago (Chile) to the most important cities in the world. The box below contains flights from Santiago (Chile) to the most important cities.
- Flights to Antofagasta
- Flights to Arica
- Flights to Balmaceda
- Flights to Calama
- Flights to Concepcion
- Flights to Copiapó
- Flights to Isla de Pascua
- Flights to El Salvador
- Flights to Iquique
- Flights to Villa Las Estrellas
- Flights to La Serena
- Flights to Osorno
- Flights to Pucon
- Flights to Puerto Montt
- Flights to Punta Arenas
- Flights to Santiago
- Flights to Temuco
- Flights to Valparaíso


text:
Akin claims McCaskill benefited from stimulus
Republican challenger Todd Akin went on the offensive against Sen. Claire McCaskill in Missouri's Senate race on Monday, claiming that her husband's businesses profited from a federal stimulus act provision that helped finance low-income housing.
Akin began running a TV ad claiming "the stimulus made McCaskill rich." In an interview with The Associated Press, Akin said the 2009 stimulus law funded a federal program for low-income housing that directed about $1 million to corporations affiliated with McCaskill's husband. He stopped short of accusing McCaskill of a conflict of interest, but he suggested she knew of the funding - pointing to McCaskill's own statements that she reviewed the bill "line by line."
"She went through it line by line, and a million dollars went to her family business - I think it was that simple," Akin said.
McCaskill denounced the assertions as "completely wrong" and referred further questions to her campaign staff.
McCaskill's husband, Joseph Shepard, had only a small ownership stake and received just several thousand dollars from the companies at issue, her campaign said. The stimulus bill did not specifically direct any money to Shepard's companies, but rather allotted $2 billion to a program in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which distributed it among more than 6,000 contractors who ran subsidized housing units.
Akin, a congressman from suburban St. Louis, voted against the stimulus act and McCaskill voted for it, an action that each has defended in the context of a broader debate about the nation's economy. But Akin's assertion that McCaskill personally benefited from the law marked his most aggressive move yet in the race. Akin has generally been on the defensive, largely because of remarks he made last month about women having a biological means of averting pregnancy in "legitimate rape."
Top national Republicans pulled their financing and called upon Akin to drop out of the race after the rape remark. Akin apologized but refused to quit, and has slowly been rebuilding GOP support after a drop-out deadline passed last week.
The attack on McCaskill's family finances may be evidence that GOP support is coalescing around Akin. The supporting documents for the ad originally were intended for one of Akin's rivals in the GOP Senate primary. And the substance of the accusations originally was posted online in April by American Crossroads, a group affiliated with GOP strategist Karl Rove that has pulled its ads from Missouri.
McCaskill spokeswoman Caitlin Legacki said Akin's ad was an example of "nasty, desperate campaigning."
"Todd Akin can't defend his own extreme record, so he's resorted to false, misleading attacks against Claire's family," Legacki said.
McCaskill married Shepard in 2002 and the couple keeps separate finances, Legacki said. Yet McCaskill's opponents have long made an issue of Shepard's wealth and his complicated business dealings.
In the 2004 gubernatorial primary, Democratic Gov. Bob Holden aired an ad accusing Shepard of running dangerous nursing homes that helped finance McCaskill's campaign. In the 2006 Senate race, Republican Sen. Jim Talent ran an ad accusing Shepard and McCaskill of using an insurance company based in the Bahamas as a tax shelter, which they denied.
Akin's ad focuses on about $1 million of stimulus-funded payments made by HUD to subsidized housing developments in Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and New Mexico. The payments went to companies in which Shepard had assets, according to McCaskill's personal financial disclosure statements filed with the federal government.
But Akin's ad may overstate how much of that money went directly to Shepard. The financial disclosure statements show Shepard received between $2,800 and $9,600 from the companies at issue in those years. McCaskill's campaign said Shepard's ownership stake in the developments ranged from 5 percent downward to less than a single percentage point.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development determined how to divvy up the money in the stimulus act. The agency said the money was intended to ensure timely payments to businesses already under contract to provide low-income housing. It noted that payments in prior years had been delayed by budget shortfalls and congressional standoffs. The stimulus bill ensured the housing contractors got what they were owed, the agency said.
As Akin launched his new ad, McCaskill's campaign countered by criticizing Akin for missing most of the House votes taken since July.
"In the real world, he'd have been fired from a job, and if he was in the military, he'd be considered a deserter," said Bob Murphy, an Army veteran from St. Charles who participated in a conference call organized by McCaskill's campaign.
Akin said he chose to campaign in Missouri instead of casting certain votes in Congress because he said the Democratic-led Senate has refused to act on many of the priorities passed by the Republican-led House.
"I felt like it was probably better to try to do what I could to fix the problem, which is to change the Senate," Akin said.
Associated Press writer Chris Blank contributed to this report.


text:
VIDEO DOWNLOAD - Iron Sheik 2007 Shoot Interview
There are shoot interviews and then there is this.
Olympic Gold Medalist
Bodyguard for the Shah of Iran
Real Man
Former WWE World Champion
Hall of Famer
Once in a while a shoot interview comes along that is so special so newsworthy so incredible that it becomes the talk of the entire wrestling industry. Now we are prepared to unveil a shoot that tops all the others. A shoot that will leave your jaw hanging on the floor while you slap your head in disbelief. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we present
THE IRON SHEIK 2007 Interview.
The definition for the word "insanity" isn't enough to describe what you will witness in this exclusive shoot interview that no one will ever be able to forget. The Legendary WWE Hall of Famer the Iron Sheik shoots on everyone and everything imaginable in this two hour shoot interview. No one escapes the wrath of Sheiky. B Brian Blair, Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Bill Watts, Dusty Rhodes, Jake "the Snake" Roberts, Chris Jericho, Jimmy Snuka, Bill Watts, Junkyard Dog, Dan Mirade (Dan Malone), and the Fabulous Moolah are just a sampling of the people who get a tongue lashing like you've never heard before. Hell, the camera crew had two beer bottles thrown at them because Sheik became so livid during his rants! Trust us, you have NEVER seen anything like this before in the history of shoot interviews.
Sheik has had a wonderful career, and because of his unpredictable nature, well the public was beating down our door to get him to do a shoot interview and have Sheik shoot on everyone. We were not disappointed, and neither will you.
Were you a fan of pro wrestling growing up
Some dispute your claim of winning a medal Iran during the 1968 olympic games. They claim you were eliminated during the trials, how do you respond
Talk about bodyguarding for the Shah
How did you meet Verne Gagne
What was his training camp like
Memories of Ric Flair, Ken Patera, and Greg Gagne from camp
Memories of training Ricky Steamboat
What was Verne like as a boss
Memories of wrestling Dick The Bruiser
Memories of working in Canada
Memories wrestling in New Zealand
Thoughts on Don Owens
Memories of matches with Jimmy Snuka
Memories of matches with Jesse Ventura
How did you wind up in the WWWF
Memories and thoughts of Vince Sr.
Memories of wrestling Bob Backlund in 1979
Memories of wrestling Inoki in MSG
Memories of matches with Chief Jay Strongbow
Memories of matches with Bruno Sammartino
Memories of Hulk Hogan during this time
Memories of your series with Larry Zbysko
Memories of matches with Ted Dibiase
Why did you leave the WWWF
Did you leave on good terms
Why did you change your name to the Iron Sheik
Memories of wrestling in the Mid Atlantic region
Memories of matches with Ric Flair during this time
Thoughts on Jim Crockett
Memories teaming with Greg Valentine
Memories of matches with Jim Brunzell
Memories of matches with Blackjack Mulligan
Memories of matches with Angelo Mosca
How did you wind up in Florida
Thoughts on Eddie Graham
Memories of teaming with Terry Funk
Memories of matches with Dick Murdoch
Memories of matches with Andre the Giant in FLA
Memories of matches with Ivan Koloff
Memories of matches with Roddy Piper
Memories of matches with Dusty Rhodes
Memories wrestling in Memphis
Memories of matches with Jerry Lawler
Memories of working briefly for Bill Watts
Memories of working for Ole Anderson in Georgia
Thoughts on being managed by Freddie Blassie
Memories of your series of matches with Bob Backlund
Memories of the night you won the title in MSG
How did life change for you as WWF Champion
Average Customer Review: Not yet rated
Write an online review and share your thoughts with others.


text:
Food & Drink
8 buildings shaped like animals
By Adam McCulloch, Travel + Leisure • Updated 4th July 2013
View Gallery
8 Pictures
It's a Jonah-and-the-whale kind of moment. You wake up, and your guest room appears normal. But as you get your bearings, you realize that you're in the belly of a reptile -- otherwise known as Australia's
Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn
The curious trend of zoomorphic architecture -- that is, buildings that look like animals -- has been around for millennia (ever heard of the Sphinx?). And new species of animal-like buildings continue to turn up in concrete jungles like Bangkok, along roadsides or in national parks.
Even serious tastemakers like Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry have been inspired to inject a playful animalistic motif into their building plans. For the Vila Olímpica in the seaside city of Barcelona, Gehry managed to capture the sleek, muscular movement of a fish in motion in a way that is utterly sublime.
Read on for more strange buildings that -- beastly or beautiful, by design or by accident -- pay tribute to the animal kingdom. Long may these crazy critters stand.
See more buildings shaped like animals
Church by the Sea
, Madeira Beach, Florida
Times were hard at the end of WWII, but this small community managed to cobble together a collection plate large enough to buy land. Volunteers flooded to help, including an architect who unwittingly constructed two eyes and a beak from the bell tower, eventually inspiring the nickname
Chicken Church
. When the bell rings it makes a clucking sound—well, not really, but it looks like it should.
Travel + Leisure: World's coolest futuristic buildings
Vila Olímpica
In the late 1980s, many architects were obsessed with Grecian columns. Frank Gehry felt that postmodernists weren't looking back far enough. He surmised that we are all descended from fish and, for the 1992 Olympics, set about creating a structure near the
Hotel Arts
that would reflect our 300-million-year-old ancestor. The metal canopy, measuring roughly 114 by 177 feet, is supported by a wood and steel space frame and was the first of several fish-inspired buildings Gehry created.
Cat Kindergarten
, Wolfartsweier, Germany
This ingenious preschool is so adorable that it makes any work seem like play. Artist Tomi Ungerer and architect Ayla Suzan Yöndel designed it so that children enter through the cat's mouth, where the classrooms and cafeteria are located, and exit into the backyard via a slippery dip for a tail.
Travel + Leisure: Cutest baby animals at U.S. zoos
Observation Tower
, St. Georges de Windsor, Quebec
About two hours east of Montreal, on the drive toward the Maine border, is a roadside attraction worth a detour. Local artist Josée Perreault designed an observation tower from boulders painted to look like a cow reclining in a field. Upon climbing the squat tower, travelers are rewarded with a view of real-life cows reclining similarly in green pastures.
Ladprao Tuk Chang
, Bangkok
You'd have to have a thick hide to work in the 335-foot-tall
Elephant Tower
, easily a contender for one of the world's ugliest buildings. Architect Ong-ard Satrabhandhu's creation is certainly one of the most famous in Bangkok, thanks to three towers -- the pachyderm's thick legs and trunk.
Travel + Leisure: World's most mysterious buildings
Universum Science Center
, Bremen, Germany
A giant silver clam shell and a giant chrome sperm whale rising from the reflecting pool are two popular interpretations of Thomas Klumpp's design. Inside the
Universum Science Center
, opened in 2000, are interactive exhibits also meant to provoke and engage the visitor: you can, for example, feel sound waves vibrate throughout your entire body.
Lucy the Elephant
, Margate, New Jersey
Lucy was the first example of zoomorphic architecture in America, with the patent to prove it. Built in 1882 to sell New Jersey real estate, Lucy then found use as an office, a bar and a summer home. The patented 65-foot-tall tin and wood construction was meant to be one of a pack, but giant elephants didn't take off the way the architect intended. To this day, Lucy stands proudly alone.
Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn
, Kakadu National Park, Australia
Upon arrival, you don't immediately appreciate how true this hotel is to its name: the low-lying, curved corridors could simply be a way to give each room a unique view of the landscape, rich with kangaroos and other wildlife. A bird's-eye view, however, reveals that the
entire hotel
is shaped like one of the region's most feared residents, the crocodile, and that every guest has been swallowed whole.
See more buildings shaped like animals
A year of the world's
Best Beaches
There's a perfect beach for every week of the year. Join us on a 12-month journey to see them all
Go to the best beaches


text:
Texas library offers glimpse of bookless future
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Texas has seen the future of the public library, and it looks a lot like an Apple Store.
In the San Antonio area, Bexar County recently opened a library with rows of glossy iMacs, iPads and hundreds of tablets available for checkout.
But the $2.3 million facility might be most notable for what it does not have -- any actual books.
Known as BibiloTech, it is the nation's only bookless public library, a distinction that has attracted scores of digital bookworms, plus emissaries from as far away as Hong Kong who want to learn about the idea and possibly take it home.
All-digital libraries have been on college campuses for years. But the county made history when it decided to open BiblioTech in a strip mall.


text:
All News Releases By Date
$364,000 Grant to Plattsburg, Mo., for Drinking Water Improvements
Release Date: 02/09/2012
Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, (913) 551-7557, email@example.com (news media only)
Environmental News
(Kansas City, Kan., Feb. 9, 2012) - EPA has awarded $364,000 to Plattsburg, Mo., for improvements to its drinking water system. The project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2013.
EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks said, "The City of Plattsburg recognized the need for drinking water improvements and is taking proactive measures to provide safe drinking water now and in the future. This grant will partially fund the construction project which is estimated to cost $661,800."
The purpose of the project is to increase the capacity of the current water transmission main which conveys water from the water treatment plant to the distribution system. The construction will include approximately 9,200 feet of 16-inch iron pipe, water valves and fire hydrants. This will reduce numerous leaks that have recently occurred. Such leaks can cause low water pressure and introduce contaminants to the water.
EPA oversees the protection of water quality and public health. The Safe Drinking Water Act protects human health by regulating the nation's public drinking water supply. The responsibility for ensuring safe drinking water is shared by EPA, states, tribes, water systems, and the public.
More information about water-related activities in EPA Region 7
Locate this and other Region 7 news items on the News Where You Live interactive map
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion7
Search this collection of releases | or search all news releases
View selected historical press releases from 1970 to 1998 in the EPA History website.


text:
For More Information, Call: (864) 278-8499
Fleet Group, Inc PO Box 170308 Spartanburg, SC 29301 (864) 278-8499
Fleet Group, Inc. specializes in customerspecific workable fleet maintenance management solutions and customized management and technical training.
(864) 278-8499
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
Consent Landing page
PHPSESSID is used by PHP for session management, en4_language is used for storing user language preference, en4_locale is used for user locale preference and Local storage is being used for storing your privacy preferences (if guest user)
Domain: This Site (fleetgroup.com)
Cookies Used


text:
The wind blowing through Dalaran carried the promise of spring to come and the last sharp bite of winter. For this last reason, Skaedi was very glad The Filthy Animal kept its fireplace roaring.
"What kind of magic are we going to be doing?" Anna asked. Perched on several thick black furs and dressed in the white robes she favored, hands cupped around a mug of peacebloom tea, to Skaedi the Forsaken priest looked like an exquisite, fragile doll – something to be set on a shelf and admired. Skaedi refilled her own barely-touched tea to hide a smile.
"What kind do you want?" Skaedi had her own ideas, but she wanted to hear from the other two members of their coven. It would be interesting to see how they worked as a group – or if they could.
"I'd like to have visions… spy on people and places far away." Her mother had had a tool for that, a pool of quicksilver. Skaedi couldn't put a number to the times her hand had been snatched back from its surface as a child. Anna nodded approvingly to Skaedi's idea before adding, "That sounds all well and good. I think a more useful purpose would be to send curses from a distance."
Znort laughed, dipping a piece of flatbread into her kettle of beans. "I like the sound of that! Catch them in the raw, no warning! With their lover or squatting!" She grinned at the thought, firelight glinting on her tusks.
Anna briefly looked at Znort with amusement and turned her attention back to Skaedi.
"A magic mirror? They're useful for scrying. It shouldn't be too difficult to use them for more active magic." Skaedi stirred honey into her tea. "There's other ways to send curses, you know. Poppets. Or flowers."
"FEH! Flowers are a curse!" Znort started ticking off fingers, speaking as she chewed. "They have no purpose, they crawl up out of the dirt and draw bees; they look stupid, they stink, they make me sneeze..." She stopped, realizing that she had run out of fingers unless she put down her flatbread. "I could go on, but there is no point. Flowers are disgusting. They are weak and they are useless. Now... poppets, oh yes, the trolls are good at that I hear. Link the poppet with you enemy, then take the poppet apart, oh, yesss!" She laughed, casting a fine spray of beans back into the cook pot.
The corners of Anna's mouth tightened before she spoke. She looked down as she addressed the coven in an attempt to distort her emotion. "Flower magic? It sounds like druid nonsense. A mirror delivering curses and hexes sounds far more practical than using dirty plants."
"No, really, "Skaedi insisted. "Some of the old human kingdoms had a whole symbolic language for flowers: -- 'love unrequited' 'I am lost without you', that kind of thing."
"Roses for love, obviously," Anna pointed out. She speared a wedge of goat cheese between with the cheese knife, stole one of Znort's flatbreads and spread the cheese over it in swirling designs.
Skaedi nodded. "Different roses have different meanings. Yellow roses mean jealousy, white roses, purity."
"For SOME of us, purity is a curse." Znort glared slyly at Anna.
Anna looked dryly at Znort. She continued to stare at the orc as she spoke in hopes of unnerving her. Anna had found an unblinking stare from the dead can make the most stout of the living squeamish. "I was not convinced the flowers were a very good idea. I confess I am now intrigued."
"The mirror will take a lot of work. I think glass or obsidian would be best, but even silver painted with black enamel would work. The stand for it, the mirror itself…hmm. Neither of us are that level of crafters."
"Hire out?" Znort sounded half-approving, half-scandalized."Hmm. Peons are too crude and lazy. Mechanics are expensive. They are both untrustworthy. Well, everyone is untrustworthy when you get down to it..." She paused, looking back and forth between Anna and Skaedi. She tried to make her small maroon eyes big and round. "Well, except for you two, of course. You know what I mean." She waved her flatbread around dismissively, dotting the floor and the furs with beans and bits of fat. "Anyway, we are too refined for mundane, physical work. It has to be done by menials." She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth and softly belched.
But not too refined for a napkins, Skaedi thought as she wiped at her dress with a hand-towel she'd brought on impulse from Snowshadow. Or maybe bibs.
"We'll have to. I'll draw up the specifications and post them around. We can even appeal to Alliance --
Znort and Anna both made sounds of disgust.
"Come, now, if that's where we find the best work, why not?"
"Double-cross," Anna muttered.
"We can take steps against it. And I'll foot the bill for materials and pay."
"You better," Znort mumbled through a mouthful of beans. "You're the only one of us with serious money. " And Anna's right. Double cross indeed. Perhaps we can kill them after the work is done? Save the money?"
Skaeid shook her head. "Not unless they try something against us first. What if we need more work done later on? No matter who it is, I'd like to build up a professional relationship if possible." She took a drink of her tea, frowning in thought. "Besides, craftsmen just up and disappearing would be noticed."
"You haven't told us your own personal interest, "Anna said.
"I found notes on an old herb called moly," Skaedi leaned forward. "It can stop shape-changing and dispel illusion. I want to experiment with it on a worgen."
Znort tittered. Anna sipped her tea, looking thoughtful. "Magic mirror and flowers. I think we're going to be busy."


text:
The sleepy town of Bowen is the best-kept secret on the Whitsunday Coast, with palm-fringed beaches, secluded coastal bays and plenty of play equipment for the kids.
Stoll along the beaches and swim the lagoon. But you cannot visit Bowen without learning how to eat a juicy Bowen mango.
Visit the foreshore waterpark and check out the display depicting how the town was transformed during the filming of the movie Australia.
And when it's time to go for a dip, snorkel straight from the beach.
A hop, skip and jump, from the buzz of Airlie Beach, lies the charming country township of Collinsville.


text:
Janet Shibley Hyde, Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology, and Evjue-Bascom Professor of Women's Studies at the University of Wisconsin--Madison, received her education at Oberlin College and the University of California, Berkeley. She has taught a course in human sexuality since 1974, first at Bowling Green State University, then at Denison University, and now at the University of Wisconsin. Her research interests are in gender differences and gender-role development in children. Author of the textbook Half the Human Experience: The Psychology of Women, she is currently President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality and is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association. She has received many other honours, including an award for excellence in teaching at Bowling Green State University, the Chancellor's Award for teaching at the University of Wisconsin, and the Kinsey Award from the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality for career contributions to sex research. She is married to John DeLamater.Hyde, Janet Shibley is the author of 'Understanding Human Sexuality', published 2007 under ISBN 9780073382623 and ISBN 0073382620.[read more]
You can find lots of answers to common customer questions in our FAQs
View a detailed breakdown of our shipping prices
Learn about our return policy
Still need help? Feel free to contact us
View college textbooks by subject
and top textbooks for college
With our dedicated customer support team, you can rest easy knowing that we're doing everything we can to save you time, money, and stress.


text:
Reclyn Sandy, January 18th , 2019.
In the event that you have not chosen a wedding hairdo to coordinate your dress two months from the genuine wedding date, than I propose that you rapidly read my guide on where to discover wedding hairdos. For the individuals who are arranged and have chosen a hairdo to coordinate an exquisite dress, let perceive how we can streamline the haircut with certain assistants to make the lady emerge among the horde of individuals, other than a wonderful white dress obviously.
The manner in which you wear your hair can surprisingly change the manner in which you look. Appropriate styling can add the correct edges to your face or can even tone down a portion of the hardness that your face may somehow pass on. For youngsters haircuts are as imperative with respect to somebody more established. Actually it is amid your teenagers when you begin connecting with the outside world, make companions and colleagues, begin going out on dates, and some of you even begin your profession. High schooler haircuts that suit their facial settings in this way complementing their identity are what all young people search for. There are many heap youngster haircuts. You can look over short, long and medium hairdos or from formal, wavy, straight and dark haircuts. You likewise have the choice duplicate the haircut of your most loved superstar/star.
Popular Ideas
More Inspiration
Monthly Archives
Disclaimer ♦ Contact ♦ Privacy Policy ♦ Terms of Service ♦ Copyright/IP Policy
Copyright © 2018-2019 · Home decor ideas and Fashion Inspired. All Rights Reserved.
Any content, trademark/s, or other material that might be found on this website that is not our property remains the copyright of its respective owner/s.
In no way does we claim ownership or responsibility for such items, and you should seek legal consent for any use of such materials from its owner.


text:
Mayor's Office
City officials have closed an additional block of "N" Street due to congestion at 14th and "N."
The Celebrate Lincoln festival has already closed "N" from 12th to 14th streets. "N" Street is now closed from just east of 14th to just west of Centennial Mall. The intersection of 14th and "N" will remain open. Traffic signal timing in the area also is being adjusted.
Traffic on 14th between "N" and "P" is down to one lane due to a water main project, contributing to the congestion at 14th and "N."
Other closures are 13th Street from "M" to "O" for Celebrate Lincoln and Centennial Mall from "M" to "N" for the mall improvement project. Work on other downtown street resurfacing projects has been temporarily suspended.
Those headed to Celebrate Lincoln from the east are advised to use "O" or "L" streets.
More information on downtown parking and City construction projects is available at lincoln.ne.gov. More information on Celebrate Lincoln is available at celebratelincoln.org.


text:
Apple Computer will soon be a member of the "month of bugs" club.
A Bug a Day
On January 1, two security researchers will begin publishing details of a flood of security vulnerabilities in Apple's products. Their plan is to disclose one bug per day for the entire month, they say.
The project is being launched by an independent security researcher, Kevin Finisterre, and a hacker known as LMH, who declined to reveal his identity.
Some of the bugs "might represent a significant risk," LMH said in an e-mail interview. "Others have a lower impact on security. We are trying to develop working exploits for every issue we find."
The two hackers plan to disclose bugs in the Mac OS X kernel as well as in software such as Safari, iTunes, iPhoto, and QuickTime, LMH said. Some of the bugs will also affect versions of Apple's software designed to run on Microsoft Windows, he added.
LMH was one of the brains behind the recent Month of Kernel Bugs project, which exposed flaws at the core of several different operating systems. It was inspired by an earlier effort, called the Month of Browser Bugs, which was kicked off in July.
This latest Apple project is being launched to raise awareness of security vulnerabilities in Apple's products and to "stomp smugness," Finisterre said via e-mail.
Security Questioned
While the Macintosh is generally considered to be more secure than the Windows PC, many security researchers believe that this reputation is not attributable to any superior security practices on the part of Apple. They say attackers have been deterred by the Mac OS X's more secure Unix kernel and the product's less widespread adoption.
Apple enthusiasts and security researchers have been at odds since last August, when David Maynor and Jon Ellch claimed to have discovered a flaw that affected Apple's wireless device drivers. They played a video at the Black Hat conference demonstrating how this flaw could be used to run unauthorized code on a MacBook. However, their claims have been slammed because the demonstration used a third-party wireless card rather than the one that ships with the MacBook, and because the two hackers still have not published the code used in their attack.
LMH said the Apple community's negative response to Maynor and Ellch's claims played a role in the decision to launch the Month of Apple bugs.
"I was shocked with the reaction of some so-called 'Apple fans,'" he said. "I can't understand why some people react badly to disclosure of issues in their system of choice. ... That helps to improve its security."
Bug-Hunt Responses
A similar effort to disclose flaws in Oracle's software had to be abandoned before it was ever launched in November. The man behind the Week of Oracle bugs, Cesar Cerrudo, of Argeniss Information Security, said he pulled the plug when it became clear that the project could damage the relationship between one of his customers and Oracle. "This customer realized that they could have had serious business problems, so they changed their mind and asked to cancel it," he said via instant message on Tuesday.
LMH said he didn't expect any legal problems from Apple. "I keep talking to a guy from the Apple security team and I'm willing to help whenever necessary," he said. "I'm far away from any illegal activity."
Apple, for its part, did not seem to be upset with the project.
"We always welcome feedback on how to improve security on the Mac," said Anuj Nayar, an Apple spokesperson.


text:
Connection Finder
20,738,836 people are connected to each other on our global family tree.
Enter any two WikiTree IDs below to see their connection. more information
Member of the Week: Chandra Garrow is a friendly Greeter and participates in the Wisconsin Project where she has been developing Chippewa and Dunn county pages and creating profiles for local people. Check Hamilton-32's connection. Check Glenn-26's connection.
Profile of the Week: Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prize, born 21 October 1833. Check Hamilton-32's connection. Check Glenn-26's connection. Which Nobel prize-winning scientist are you most closely connected to?


text:
Palm Beach County, Fla., is installing an emergency vehicle priority system that adjusts traffic signal times to help improve traffic flow for fire and rescue teams.
Traffic congestion could soon be a distant memory for fire and rescue personnel in Palm Beach County, Fla. An intelligent traffic signal system is being installed that will adjust traffic light cycles to favor the routes being driven by first responders.
Called Emergency.now, the technology connects Palm Beach County Fire Rescue's computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system with the county's traffic control system. When an emergency call is placed, a route is generated and transmitted to each responding vehicle. The software then adjusts the traffic lights along the route to stay green for longer stretches of time.
The major difference between Emergency.now and other emergency traffic signal systems is that it doesn't pre-empt traffic flow by setting up blinking yellow lights or completely stop one direction of traffic. The software adjusts the existing traffic cycle to meet an emergency responder's needs and goes back to its normal timing quickly thereafter.
The extended green lights help "flush" traffic through a particular road and intersection, delaying additional congestion that may come from motorists on side streets.
For example, if a normal green light lasts for 30 seconds, the priority system can be set so a green light is extended for a longer period of time. It still cycles the lights so that motorists on side streets are able to go through, but gives a longer green light to the corridor that will be taken by a responder.
According to Evan Bestland, division chief of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, the county plans to add the technology to approximately 600 of its 1,000 intersections. Currently only about 50 intersections are connected to the priority traffic signal system.
For the system to work efficiently, however, firefighters and other responders need to stick to the main roadways. Although drivers likely know all the shortcuts through side streets, now they don't need to cut through neighborhoods to reach their destinations quickly.
The CAD system was also programmed so that stop signs, speed bumps, guard gates, etc., are all assigned a negative time rating when the shortest route to an emergency is being plotted. So by default, the route sent to a responder likely won't include cuts through heavy residential areas unless the emergency is located in one of them.
"When the call gets generated and the major thoroughfares don't have the penalties and the side streets do, it should route them to take advantage of that," Bestland said. "I can't help it if someone wants to take a shortcut. But they're not going to get the full advantage of the system by doing that."
The technology is completely automated. Responders simply follow the route they're given and the green lights automatically adjust their timing according to the ETA of the emergency vehicle. Speed is initially calculated using the speed limit of the road the responder is first on, or the road the vehicle is parked on.
The full rollout of Emergency.now in Palm Beach County was approved earlier this year after years of testing and development. Initial work on the technology began in approximately 2005 after a new CAD system was purchased.
Trafficware — then under the name Naztec — was approached with the concept and agreed that they could design software to sync the CAD system with the county's traffic control system for $2.1 million. The catch, however, was that if Trafficware couldn't get the software to work, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue wouldn't have to pay.
Bestland explained that since it was bleeding-edge technology, the county didn't want to sacrifice taxpayer dollars for something that hadn't been fully vetted. It took eight years to perfect the system, but the county paid up and is satisfied with the results.
There were a few hiccups along the way, however. When Palm Beach Fire Rescue first tested the system, the first few intersections weren't working accurately. They discovered the software was basing the vehicle's ETA at an intersection by the actual speed of the truck or ambulance, which at the start would be around 5 mph. The system was quickly adjusted to instead use the speed limit of the first road the vehicle would be on, which corrected the problem.
Another discovery was that the system works better when emergency vehicles travel in packs. The extended green lights eventually time out and go red. So if one responder gets out the door right away and another is behind by a couple of minutes, the latter vehicle might get stuck with red lights.
There's no real fix to that issue, other than to travel in a group, or to have a responder who is running later fall further back to catch the next extended green light cycle. So emergency personnel are encouraged to travel in packs.
"Because we're flushing traffic out, if the traffic is lighter to begin with, that in itself is a big benefit," Bestland said. "So even if we don't have the green light, just because we moved traffic out of the way, that's going to improve our response times."
Additional intersections will be added to the priority system network over the next several years. But while Palm Beach County Fire Rescue believes the system will help save lives, there are a few different upgrades in the works.
One of the major enhancements the agency would like to see is the ability to reconfigure traffic light cycles once a victim has been picked up at a scene and is being transported to a hospital. The technology isn't dependent on a vehicle starting at a fire station, so adjusting the system to work from different starting locations is on the agency's agenda.
Palm Beach County also has a number of drawbridges that emergency personnel would like to see added to Emergency.now and the county's traffic control computer. Right now the priority traffic signal software and CAD establish a route using shortest physical distance. But if a bridge is up, a fire station further away might be the right one to send to a fire or accident scene.
By adding the bridges and whether they are up or down, the CAD system could do the calculations to determine the right station to assign to a particular call, while the traffic signal technology does its job by extending green lights and flushing congested traffic out of the area.
Right now, however, the priority for Palm Beach County Rescue is getting the system fully deployed.
"My philosophy on technology is crawl, walk, run and fly," Bestland said. "You really need to get the foundation right."
Looking for the latest gov tech news as it happens? Subscribe to GT newsletters.


text:
Veronica BeardMarla Ruched Floral-Print Short Dress
- Item Information
- About The Designer
- Shipping & Returns
- Ratings & Reviews
- Online Inquiries: OC121_T0GQZ
- Store Inquiries:#3432808
- Veronica Beard "Marla" dress in floral-print.
- V neckline.
- Short flutter sleeves.
- Fit-and-flare silhouette.
- Ruched skirt with drawstring.
- Flounce hem.
- Hem hits above the knee.
- Silk/spandex.
- Dry clean.
- Imported.
Model is 5'10"/177cm and wearing size 2 US.
Veronica Beard is an elevated American sportswear brand that strikes the balance between cool and classic. Inspired by timeless style, the Veronica Beard ready-to-wear collection consists of iconic pieces that are designed to make dressing chic and easy for the girl-on-the-go.
We want you to be completely happy with every purchase. If you are not satisfied you have 30 days to return most Neiman Marcus purchases. Altered apparel, special orders, cloth face mask coverings, perishable or personalized/monogrammed items, and items identified as "final sale" cannot be returned.
Our stores are now open for either in-store or by-appointment shopping! If you need to return an item purchased between 2/15/20 and 7/15/20, please make arrangements to bring it to your store or send it back to us by 8/15/20 so we can process the return. Beginning 7/15/20, all returns will be accepted within 30 days of receiving your order.
For complete details, see our Shipping and Returns policies.


text:
Scripts which deal with items or pre-adventuring detail management go here.
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.
Forum Rules


text:
I can't believe that the Winter Olympics are over!
How sad I am that it will not be until 2010 that I get to sit on the couch and watch the exciting game of Curling.
That game is amazing. It really gets my adrenaline up to watch a sport that the commentators described as a cross between a game of chess and shuffle board...All while wearing attractive bowling shoes which slide easily on ice.
It was just so exciting.
What will I do for the next four years?
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Four Whole Years
I can't believe that the Winter Olympics are over!
Posted by Unknown at 3:10 PM 3 comments Links to this post
Friday, February 24, 2006
Well, the first step is to admit you have a problem...So let me explain...
Two weeks ago today my friend came to see me and she came bearing gifts. She came with cute little toys for the kids and she brought me something that I wanted to ask her for before she came but knew that there was never any need to ask...She would bring them: Flour tortillas from Central Market/HEB.
There is actually a funny story about how she got to the store at closing and had to beg a clerk to smuggle her some (any!) tortillas for her poor friend on the east coast who was going through CM Tortilla withdrawal. If you live in her town and see her ask her about the "Tortilla Caper" ...Its actually quite funny and proves that I have great enablers in my life!
Anyway, she came over with 6 dozen tortillas (wrapped individually by the dozen) and her famous homemade "Salsa Caliente". As a side note I think she named it this just for me because she knows about my salsa pet peeve... (there is a BIG difference between salsa and hot sauce- and it irritates me when I make salsa and people say "nice hot sauce...", but I digress)....back to my sweet friend...for a self proclaimed white girl from Indiana, she makes some mean "salsa caliente".
So we get home from the airport and I opened one of the tortilla bags and start handing them out to my kids for snacks. I put the other 5 packages in the freezer. I had half-jokingly said that I was going to ration them and make them last until I could get back to Texas myself....
What a lie that was.
And here is my trouble...
There are only 6 tortillas left in the package that is currently open and only 1 dozen left in the freezer... I could have a panic attack over this situation...but luckily there's medication for that.
OK...That might be an exaggeration, BUT everyday this week I have had a bean burrito for lunch except yesterday when I ran out of beans and rolled up a cheese stick and nuked it instead. This afternoon I suddenly had a cheese aversion... So I scrambled an egg (with some of Bec's Salsa Caliente--which has done wonders for the residual congestion left over by the flu!).
My kids have resorted to eating tortillas for breakfast and I have let them eat them...Because after all we have DOZENS in the freezer!!!! What was I thinking?
When it comes to tortillas I am a failure at rationing.
So it's likely I won't need a Tortilla Intervention...Because from the looks of the tortilla hungry people in this house I will be going cold turkey in about 48 hours.
Maybe I'll hide the last bag of tortillas....What they don't know won't hurt them.
Posted by Unknown at 1:12 PM 5 comments Links to this post
Thursday, February 23, 2006
The Best Medicine
It's been a bit of a long month. It started out with major anxiety issues. Then I got the flu. And this last week my heart is heavy over the sudden loss of the dynamic youth pastor at our church in Texas. Although I didn't know him well my heart aches over the loss that my church family is experiencing. However in the middle of a more difficult month I am reminded of the amazing gift we have been given: Laughter.
I read an article about the importance of laughter this week and how critical it is within the context of family. It talked of how laughter brings people together and allows people a respite from a life that is sometimes more hectic than funny.
Laughter is particularily important to children who need it to feel a sense of belonging and well being. It reminded me of the times when my family in Arizona gets together and laugh over those family "legends" that seem to get more and more ludicrous with the passing of time. And now that we have kids the stories are even better.
My kids love to laugh. For instance, a couple of weeks ago we were all sitting at the dinner table and The Girls's lips were red and swollen because they were chapped. I had just bought her and The Boy new chapsticks and had told them not to loose them. The Girl was complaining that her lips hurt and I asked where her chapstick was.....To which she responded without words but with a look that said "I lost it within the first hour you bought it."
The Boy then pipes up and starts in on how she should be responsible for her stuff and that "Mom had said to keep track of the Chaptick".
To which I replied, "Oh yeah?, Where is your new chapstick?"
"Um, I lost it?"
This is when The Girl, who had just taken a sip of water, burst out laughing and showered her brother with the contents of her mouth. That's when we all started laughing...And cleaning up.
Every night since then The Girl has retold the story laughing (with The Boy) like it is the funniest thing that has ever happened.
Yesterday The Boy came home from school and asked if we could get online and find a website that has to do with a gorilla named KoKo. He wanted us to send money to her foundation because "gorillas may become extinct". I told him that we could look at the site but that we probably wouldn't be sending money. Of course he asked Why? I told him that his Dad and I like to give our money to charities that help people. With tears in his eyes he reached over so I could hug him. The Girl, my 6 year old animal rights activist, who was sitting on the counter licking peanut butter off a spoon, starts indignantly asking me questions: Don't you care that the gorillas are going to be extinct? Do you know that means that there won't be any more gorillas? If we don't send money to help save the gorillas who will?
This was all in a build up to the final blow (or so she thought). With a slight smile on her face she says:
"What if Kona (our dog) was a gorilla? Would you send money in then?"
I burst out laughing...And fortunately so did The Girl. I think he new he should probably laugh at this moment, in the event that my answer wasn't favorable.
Save the gorillas...as if i didn't live with two monkeys.
Posted by Unknown at 8:18 AM 2 comments Links to this post
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
For those of you who are worried....I am still alive.
I have spent many years avoiding the flu shot because after all I "never" get the flu.
Well next year I will be the first in line along with all the old people waiting for the flu shot because I now understand what the "flu" really is.
Today is the first day that I have been out of bed since Sunday...When they say that the flu knocks you down from out of no where...They aren't joking. I was fine on Saturday and on Sunday I was sick, sick, sick.
Unfortunately, it couldn't have come at a worse time. My sweet friend flew all the way in from the Lone Star State and we spent most of her vacation parked on my couch; with her bringing me glasses of water with lemon and coaxing me to eat toast. She got to listen to me hack and sniffle and sneeze all while trying not to breathe the same air.
The weekend wasn't a total loss.
We did get to go to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner (which was yummy) and there was a lot of girlie bonding that proves when two good friends come together over chocolate it doesn't matter where you are, or how sick you are, or how long it has been since you have last seen each other--friendship takes the crumbs in life and makes a cheesecake.
Posted by Unknown at 4:49 PM 3 comments Links to this post
Friday, February 03, 2006
Don't Blink
There was an ad in a parenting magazine that I found when I was pregnant with The Boy. It was a black and white picture of a beautiful baby with big eyes. The words on the side of the picture read like this:
31,536,000 seconds.
525,600 minutes.
8,760 hours
365 days.
1 birthday candle.
Don't blink.
I cut that ad out and placed it on the fridge before I even gave birth to The Boy and whenever I would open the fridge on a sleepless night, or during the day when realities set in on how parenting is (mostly) hard work, I would see that ad and it would remind me that life is precious and it will certainly go quickly so enjoy it. I eventually pulled it off the fridge and put it in his baby book, but it made such an impact on my mind that I think of that ad often...especially in times when I start to believe that things will never change...that we will always be struggling with a certain issue (i.e. - sleepless nights, diapers, learning to read...it goes on and on!)
Today we celebrated The Girl's 6th birthday and it seems hard to believe that 6 years ago today I accidentally pushed snooze on a 5:30am alarm and the hubby and I were almost late for the scheduled birth of our second child! Of course nothing could've happened till I got to the hospital...But we felt a little guilty. That would NEVER have happened with the first baby!
This weekend will be filled with Princess parties and cake and ice cream and the prayers of a Mom and Dad that time would slow down...Just a bit...But just in case...
...Don't Blink.
Posted by Unknown at 10:30 PM 2 comments Links to this post
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
I Can Bring Home the Bacon
Well...Just a small slice of bacon....
It is amazing how this world revolves so much on the "Who you know" principle. Such is the case in my life.
This time last week I was doing pretty much the same thing. The Wednesday schedule includes my laundry, cleaning the bathrooms and sweeping and mopping (although I usually push this last chore off until I can no longer take the look (or feel) of my kitchen floor.
Today I am sitting at home in blessed silence after spending three hours teaching music to 4 year olds. And if you think pre-school isn't a high risk job, then you have never spent thirty minutes with 10 pre-schoolers with wooden rhythm sticks in their hands.
How did I get this job? Well it all started out with the kindergarten class Christmas party...Although we have to call it a "Winter Party"...I volunteered to play my guitar and sing some Christmas songs. Little did I know that another parent in the class would remember that I played guitar when the music teacher at her school quit last week...And she would call me. I would tell her that I have never taught music before and although I can play the guitar I usually don't choose to play in public. This is when she told me that 3, 4, and 5 year olds are not really public.
So last week I interviewed (for the first time in almost a decade) and this week I can suddenly add "Pre-School Music Teacher" to my resume. Of course this is right on course with some of the other crazy (but very true) things I could put on my resume. For instance: ICEE drink promotional bear, or tap dancing Foley's bag (for a grand opening), and my all time favorite-- Nanny to Vegas on a highjacked plane. Sounds like a country-western song.
I think this little job will be fun, relatively easy, and put a little pocket change in my cute little handbag that matches my shoes.
If my blogs are a little more infrequent it's cause I am getting used to the schedule...Or I have been rendered unconscious after a serious exercise with Rhythm sticks...But hang in there I will return! I am sure that hanging around with Toddlers 9 hours a week will bring lots of blogging material.
La Vida Dulce!
Posted by Unknown at 1:22 PM 1 comments Links to this post


text:
Story highlights
- James Curry was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2011
- He undergoes a battery of tests each month to see whether the cancer has returned
- The process causes him mental anguish, he says
- But he acknowledges it's a small price to pay for staying alive
In January of 2011, at 25, I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. I went through four months of chemotherapy and eight weeks of radiation.
As of this writing, one and half years later, I'm happy to be in remission, but many people think that is where the battle ends. For me, that's where the real fight began.
After all of the procedures were over and my hair finally grew back, the physical side of being a cancer patient was behind me. There was some relief in knowing that I'd no longer have to spend hours over the toilet vomiting partially digested Jell-O because that was the only semi-solid food my body would tolerate.
It was also refreshing to know that my appearance was slowly morphing from a powdery white, emaciated, bald, albino-looking bag of bones to a somewhat normal and healthy 25-year-old guy. But shortly after the treatment stopped, the psychological stress of being a cancer patient set in.
Every month, since my last day of radiation, I go to my doctor for a battery of tests designed to determine whether my cancer has come back and whether the treatment caused any residual side effects. It's a seven-day process that causes more mental anguish than any single person deserves.
The week begins with blood tests and scans. Then, I go home and wait seven days for the doctor to tell me whether I'm still in remission.
The period in between the tests and the results is the worst. Every time my phone rings, my heart sinks. I wonder if it's my oncologist calling to deliver bad news.
My mind spends a lot of time analyzing the "what if" scenarios. What if it comes back? Will I go through the treatment again? What if the chemotherapy and radiation caused some other form of cancer or did it cause a genetic mutation that's going to force me to be isolated from the human population and live in a clean room forever? I try to run every possibility through my head. That way, I'm be prepared for whatever news I'm given.
On the seventh day, I drive myself back to the cancer center, check in and wait for about two hours for my 15-minute appointment. (My doctor has a problem with punctuality.)
In the waiting room, I sit with many other cancer patients. Some wear surgical masks to protect them from germs, while others are in wheelchairs. Their situations seem far worse than mine was, so I don't complain.
After reading 16 magazines cover-to-cover, mostly about how to prevent cancer, and several rounds of counting the floor tiles, the nurse calls my name. My heart, once again, sinks because I know I'm about to learn my fate. I try to play it cool and act calm, but after she takes my vital signs, my cover is blown.
"Are you nervous, Mr. Curry? Don't be nervous," she says. That's easy for her to say.
She then peels the Velcro cuff off my arm and walks me to the examination room where I wait for the doctor. A few minutes later, he knocks on the door and then enters the room. He's usually carrying an iPad and some papers.
"Good news, Mr. Curry," he says. "The tests show no evidence of disease."
A sense of relief comes over me and my sphincter muscles loosen.
Before I leave, the doctor hands me the paper with the test results. I treat it like a trophy or diploma. I never fold the document, and I save all of them.
Before leaving, I make another appointment for next month, so I can then start the same process all over again. They tell me I'll have to do this for the next five years.
In between appointments, any cough, ache or pain forces me to wonder whether it's cancer growing in my body. As a cancer survivor, it's something I can't help but think of.
As time goes on, I'm getting better at managing the stress. The monthly exams are a small price to pay for staying alive. Some aren't so lucky.


text:
Synny667 wrote:Sidelined since Friday... Seems I went and got me a compression fracture in a vertebrae.... Been in bed since. Seeing orthopedic dr tomorrow to find out for certain and what my options are. Most importantly if I will be able to resume work as a cna.... Pretty scared right now.
Well I hope it's not to serious! I had a serious back injury last year. I know it can be a very difficult to handle and rehab. I wish you luck with it.


text:
SunTrust to Pay Nearly $1B Over Foreclosures, Mortgage Practices
Show more sharing options
Share Show more sharing options
Several federal agencies and 49 state attorneys general struck a $968 million settlement Tuesday with SunTrust Mortgage over charges that it violated laws governing foreclosures as well as mortgage origination and servicing.
The agreement with the Justice Department, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, along with the AGs, requires SunTrust to provide $500 million in relief to struggling borrowers, pay $418 million to DOJ, give $40 million in restitution to roughly 48,000 improperly foreclosed borrowers and pay an additional $10 million fine to the government.
The settlement resolves civil claims arising after multiple investigations revealed that SunTrust allegedly robo-signed mortgage documents and illegally foreclosed on consumers.
"Deceptive and illegal mortgage servicing practices have pushed families into foreclosure and devastated communities across the nation," said CFPB Director Richard Cordray, in a press release. "Today's action will help homeowners and consumers harmed by SunTrust's unlawful foreclosure practices. The Consumer Bureau will continue to investigate mortgage servicers that mistreat consumers, and we will not hesitate to take action against any company that violates our new servicing rules."
As part of the agreement with the Justice Department, SunTrust will pay $418 million to resolve liability for originating loans that violated its obligations under the Federal Housing Administration insurance program. The Justice Department said SunTrust admitted that from January 2006 to March 2012 it underwrote FHA-insured mortgages that did not meet FHA requirements nor did it have a quality control program to identify these loans or self-report issues it did uncover to HUD. During that period, SunTrust also admitted that management was made aware of these flaws numerous times and that at least half of its FHA-insured mortgages did not meet necessary requirements.
The agencies said they would follow a structure similar to the $25 billion National Mortgage Settlement of 2012 against the five largest servicers in determining relief payments. Under the agreement, SunTrust must pay $500 million to borrowers over the next three years in the form of mitigation activities, primarily by reducing principal or lowering interest rates.
"This agreement with SunTrust is another step forward in the Obama Administration's ongoing effort to hold mortgage lenders accountable," said HUD Acting Deputy Secretary Helen Kanovsky in a press release. "By using the framework of the National Mortgage Settlement, we will ensure that SunTrust provides mortgage relief to struggling homeowners in the hardest hit communities and changes their worst practices. HUD will continue working with the Department of Justice, CFPB and state attorneys general to hold lenders accountable and require them to institute practices that are beneficial to borrowers and the FHA fund."
Attorney General Eric Holder further indicated that SunTrust was an example of similar cases yet to come.
In response, SunTrust issued a statement saying that management was relieved that "certain legacy mortgage matters" from agreements alluded to last October have now been settled.
"As we said when these agreements in principle were announced, we are pleased to have resolved these legacy mortgage matters," said William H. Rogers Jr., the chairman and chief executive of SunTrust Banks in Atlanta, in a press release. "Like most major financial institutions, we are addressing issues related to mortgage matters stemming from the financial crisis and recession period."
The bank said during the last several years it "has made significant improvements to its mortgage underwriting processes and internal controls" including increasing training and the establishing a center specifically for underwriting all government-insured mortgages.