text: Andrew "Andy" DeFilio, Sr., 72, husband of Sheri (George) DeFilio, of Bristol, passed away peacefully on Monday (March 4, 2019) at Southington Care Center surrounded by his loving family after a long courageous battle with leukemia. He was born on January 14, 1947 in Waterbury to the late Salvatore and Lillian (Hart) DeFilio. Andy graduated from Capitol Community College in 1983 earning his RN. He spent his life dedicated to caring for others, whether at work or for his family at home. Andy showed his love for people through food. He was an avid cook, which included making his homemade olives and wine, there was always a seat at the table for whomever may show up. Spring, being his favorite season, allowed Andy to show his love for his home by spending afternoons gardening and planting, ensuring his yard was always meticulous. Above all, Andy simply celebrated life being with those he loved and cared for. In addition to his beloved wife of 40 years, Andy is survived by his five children: Michael and his wife Georgiana DeFilio of Torrington, Andrew and his wife Cindy DeFilio of Bristol, Audra Armour of Bristol, Shawn and his wife Jennifer DeFilio of South Carolina, Stephen and his wife Carey DeFilio of Bristol; his six siblings: Janet and her husband Ray Adams of Morris, Sally and her husband Joseph Cyr of Naugatuck, Robert DeFilio of Bridgeport, Stephen DeFilio of Naugatuck, Michael Moleur of Bristol, Maureen Moleur of Bristol; sixteen grandchildren; five great grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and his best friends: Lubrico and Angela. In addition to his parents, Andy is predeceased by his brother: Gregory DeFilio. Relatives and friends may call at Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave, on Saturday (March 9, 2019) between 1:30 and 4:30 PM followed by a funeral home service at 4:30 PM. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to Southington Care Center, 45 Meriden Ave, Southington, CT 06489. Please visit Andy's memorial website at www.FunkFuneralHome.com. Funk Funeral Home 35 Bellevue Avenue Bristol 06010 (860) 583-4107 Website


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Dodged a bullet tonight
A couple hours ago, I noticed the NEXRAD was showing a large storm bearing down on my location, complete with a tornado vortex signature and inch-and-a-half hail!
I covered my car with blankets and tied them down with rope, just in case of hail, and we started moving the deck chairs inside and shutting up the windows, and finally we cut off the power from the pole outside, just in case of a power surge caused by lightning.
Fortunately, the storm squeaked by just to the northwest. It was pretty energetic, with some very impressive bolts of lightning less than 2 miles away, and the wind was pretty strong (I'd say about 20-25 knots), but we didn't get any rain, let alone hail. The tornado apparently dissipated while it was some distance away.
Too bad it was dark out, I'd have liked to have seen the storm.

subset: commoncrawl


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John Elmerdahl Olsen
Sektion, Veterinary Clinical Microbiology
Stigbøjlen 4, 1870 Frederiksberg C, 1-20, Bygning: 411
My research focuses on prevention of diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria. The approach is to understand strategies used by the bacteria to prevail. This can be a trait used to colonize, survive (for example antibiotic resistance), persist and cause disease in the hosts, or it can be evolutionary mechanisms that ensure the ability to adapt to new conditions. Based on this, new principles and guidelines for control of pathogenic bacteria are proposed and preliminarily evaluated. Current projects are concerned with Salmonella, Pasteurellaceae, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. In addition, I research more general aspects of antimicrobial resitance in farm animals and also participate (and lead) projects in developing countries concerned with improved livestock production.
I teach clinical microbiology and food safety aspects of selected zoonoses on the veterinary curriculum.
I head the research group "molecular veternary microbiology" that currently consist of two professor, two associate professors, one assistant professor, one post doc, five PhD students and a varying number of graduate students and technicians.


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Cabbage's twisted and ferocious post-punk shot through with righteous bile and an amphetamine black humour makes them our favourite band of the moment.
Yesterday we included their new single Gibraltar Ape in Part 1 of our Best of the Week Round Up, and here is the b-side – the equally good Save The Human.
Follow @madmackerel


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Like all segments of the online world, SEO continues to change at a dizzying pace. It seems like everyday there is a new update that requires a ton of reading. Of course, nobody has time to do all of that reading, right? Not only are there business to run and products to create and sell, but there are also tons of areas that require an equal amount of reading to keep caught up. In situations like this, it can be easy just to decide to something like SEO on the back burner until you have some time to digest it all.
We wanted to give you a bit of a hand in starting to tackle what's happening with SEO. This is by no means comprehensive, but it will give you a brief glimpse into some of the key issues that have surfaced during 2012.
1. The Google Plus Factor: As you may have heard, Google launched yet another social platform last July. Called Google Plus, the platform launched to much fanfare as well as a little bit of controversy – "A-Listers" were the first people invited to the beta launch. People have been wondering how Google Plus would impact search, which of course has been Google's Raison D'etre. There is still a lot of confusion about this issue. This article from Mashable explains a bit how the "+1" feature (kind of like the "like" button on Facebook) might impact your search results. There has also been a lot of talk about Search Plus Your World, which launched in January 2012. Danny Sullivan of SearchEngineLand does a great job of outlining how this impacts SEO, but one of the most important things to remember is that people have to be logged into Google (or Google Plus) for this to impact their results at all. Indeed, that is the key to many of the discussed impacts of Google Plus on SEO. Being signed in has significant impact on whether or not the social platform affects what you see when you search.
2. Penguin: Google constantly is making updates to its "secret sauce" algorithms. Often times these updates can have significant impact on how websites show up on the first page of search results. There's been a lot of buzz about the Penguin update, which launched on April 24, 2012. Google has been framing it as an "anti-webspam" measure, which you can read more about in this post from Search Engine Land. The problem is that many websites have been dinged unfairly (at least from their perspective). You can read about the anti-penguin sentiment in this article from SeoBook.com.
3. Can you be "too" optimized? The third issue you may be hearing a lot about is the idea that websites can now be considered TOO optimized. In large part, this is still tied to the Penguin update, but sometimes the issue of over-optimization appears as an issue unto itself. I think this may be creating some unnecessary trepidation for companies who may be midstream in improving their SEO, which is unfortunate. This article by Modesto Siotos does an excellent job of delineating exactly what Google means by over-optimization, and he also ties the Penguin updates into the mix.
What are you hearing out there about the crazy world of Search Engine Optimization? What are your experiences, if any, with the three issues above? We'd love to hear from you!
Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marciookabe/3102556540/ via Creative Commons


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Fur flies in Fairfield over deer
FAIRFIELD -- The name of the committee might seem benign -- Deer Management Subcommittee -- but it has caused an uproar, particularly with a group of about a dozen animal-rights activists who attend the group's meetings. And there appears to be little room for compromise when it comes to subject of white-tailed deer and their "management" in town -- particularly hunting the animals on public land as a means of controlling their population.
On the one side are the ardent animal activists, who are not only outspoken in their opposition to the idea of any kind of hunting, but who dispute any data on the numbers of deer provided by the state Department of Environmental Protection. Those numbers, they say, are skewed to support hunting and bring revenue to the state from hunters' licenses.
On the other side are residents who may be gardeners, have Lyme disease, or have had a run-in with a deer and, as a result, feel the deer numbers are out of control.
Over the last few weeks, an anti-hunting protest has been staged on downtown streets, while one member of the subcommittee said she felt threatened by the activists after the panel's last meeting and filed a report with police. Angry that they aren't allowed to comment at subcommittee meetings, activists still make their voices heard, shouting comments during the meetings.
Is there a problem?
The subcomittee was appointed by the Conservation Commission to review the issue of the local deer population, determine if there is a deer "problem" in town, and possibly recommend methods that could be used to manage the problem.
"The DEP makes a lot of money off of hunting and that is why they promote it," said Nancy Rice, a local resident and outreach coordinator for Friends of Animals.
"If the DEP can figure out a way to manipulate data to show a correlation between collisions, Lyme disease, etc., they will do that in order to get the public to believe that killing deer is a way to solve problems."
In 2007, the state took in $2.6 million in revenue from hunting -- $1.25 million from the sale of licenses themselves and $1.4 million from the sale of permits to hunt specific animals, such as deer, turkey, pheasant and ducks. Of the permit revenue, $1.1 million is for deer permits.
Rice said the correction factor the DEP uses to report the number of deer vs. car collisions is unnecessary and creates high numbers that are not accurate.
For example, she said the DEP reported 26 deer collisions in 2006, and the state Department of Transportation reported 10. If the correction factor is used -- multiplying the reported number by 5, based on the assumption that not all mishaps are accounted for -- the DEP number becomes 130. In 2007, she said, the DEP had 19 reports of deer-car collisions and the DOT 25. Those two years alone, Rice said, show the correction factor method "doesn't hold up."
In 2008, the Fairfield police got 127 calls involving deer, though not all calls are about collisions with deer.
That number so far this year is 62. In the last few weeks, for instance, police have received calls about a deer in a driveway with two broken legs and another about a deer with the skin from its underbelly completely gone.
DEP defends figures
DEP officials stand by their estimates of deer population, which they add show the numbers appear to be stabilizing. This year, the DEP estimated the population on Bluff Point Coastal Reserve in Groton at 62, and held a cull in February to remove 37 deer from the herd. They determined that a herd of 25 deer on the 806-acre site is healthy.
According to Ed Park, chief of the Bureau of Natural Resources, since the deer management program at Bluff Point began in 1996, the overall health of the deer herd has improved significantly as have habitat conditions.
"The DEP makes use of scientific methods and widely accepted professional standards in all of its wildlife management programs," spokesman Dennis Schain said. and as part of that scientific approach to wildlife management, strategies to address the size of animal populations are important and hunting is a viable and important tool. "We work hard to manage wildlife -- including deer -- in a way that protects the best long-range interests of the many species found in Connecticut, while protecting other valuable natural resources and the safety of the public."
He said the agency's only motivation is "a sincere desire to do the right things for the wildlife and the people of this state."
Ridgefield resident Mike Gorfinkle has also joined the debate, contending that deer should simply be left alone. In Westport, he said, there is no hunting and the deer population has remained stable at about 30 per square mile. Others, however, suggest the deer population be kept at 10 to 12 per square mile to help reduce the incidence of Lyme disease, car collisions and deforestation
Fairfield County has most deer
An aerial survey in January showed an average of 61 deer per square mile in Fairfield County, according to the DEP -- figures that are being used by the Fairfield subcommitee for its study. In addition to aerial surveys, the DEP considers reports of deer-vehicle accidents and complaints by private landowners and local officials. Schain said based on that data, Fairfield County has been recognized as having the highest deer density in the state. The aerial survey of Fairfield County is done four times a year.
Countering that data, Gorfinkle cites the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y., which found that land development reduces vertebrate biodiversity, increasing the risk of human exposure to Lyme disease-infected ticks.
But that group also supports deer management, and on the institute's property that is done through a controlled access hunting program for "the protection of forested ecosystems."
In addition, the IES Website states deer cause more damage to crops than any other species of wildlife, with some of the greatest damage in the Northeast; are "an important vector for blacklegged tick-borne diseases," including Lyme disease, and are involved in more than 700,000 reported collisions nationally.
Gorfinkle also cites several studies scientific literature -- "Host Density and Tick Dynamics: The Case of the Vector of Lyme Disease" is one -- regarding the relationship between deer and Lyme disease that he said the subcommittee ignores.
That study concluded the abundance of deer ticks is sensitive to the abundance of mice and the ticks don't perpetuate if mice are scarce. And, according to "Conspicuous Impacts of Inconspicuous Hosts on the Lyme Disease Epidemic," since several important host species influence Lyme disease risk, "interventions at a multiple host species will be required to control this epidemic" -- in other words, reducing only the number of deer will not significantly decrease the number of ticks that spread disease.
The Fairfield subcommittee has yet to vote on a recommendation to the full Conservation Commission, although an informal survey showed most favor a combination of several management methods, including a controlled hunt of deer. The subcommittee also plans to hold a public hearing, most likely in September.
Conservation Commission Chairman Stanton Lessor said people need to keep in mind that no decision has been made yet and none will be until after a public hearing is held.


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Mountrath girl in Jailbreak
Genevieve Williams from Mountrath is taking on the challenge of her life on March 7 with her best friend Megan.
The daring duo are one of 110 teams chosen to take part in Jailbreak 2015, an Irish university challenge to race to an as yet secret destination in the world, crossing the finish line within 48 hours by 9am March 9, but it is not as easy as it sounds.
"We have to get there without spending any of our own money, or taking a flight that is longer than 2 hours," explains Genevieve, a graduate of Mountrath CS.
Competitors have to use their 'blagging' skills and charm to travel for free, but can accept donated airmiles.
They must also complete four charity challenges.
"It's going to be amazing, the secret is to draw attention to ourselves, go a bit crazy, lose our shyness and run up to people to ask for help," she said.
Her study of linguistics and sociology will come in handy.
"We are going to learn basic phrases in lots of different languages, but it will be interesting to see how people will react," she said.
She decided to do the challenge in her final year because it is the first time the competition is open to girl only teams.
"They changed the format so it is safer for girls. Before it was how far you could get in 48 hours, so people ended up in bizarre destinations. We think this year it will be in Europe," she said.
The fact that Amnesty International and St Vincent de Paul were the chosen charities sealed the deal for her.
"Amnesty do extraordinary work in equal rights, and I volunteer with UCD St Vincent de Paul. We do a soup run for the homeless and an afterschool programme for disadvantaged children. All the money we raise goes to them," she said.
Her parents Catherine and Liam are worried, she admits.
"But each team has a media correspondent who will track our progress, and help us get home as well," she said. Along the way we will have a massive social media presence, through our videos, photos, check ins, and constant tweets about our adventures and charity challenges.


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And today, our Country File is about the third completely enclaved microstate you'll find within Italy, along with San Marino and the Vatican: the Sovereign Military Order Of Malta!
"Wait, what?" you say? "You did Malta last, and it's an island and its own country, not inside Italy. What's up with that?"
Well, this is one of those quirks of history that is perhaps the very quirkiest to persist into the modern world: the Sovereign Military Order Of Malta is the only widely recognized country that does not, in fact, actually have any territory of its own.
How does that happen, you ask? The timeline goes like this:
1099: The Order Of St. John, aka the Knights Hospitaller, is founded in Jerusalem after the First Crusade. They operated through the Middle East, building for instance the most impressive World Heritage Site nobody ever visits, the Krak des Chevaliers in Syria; but over the centuries are pushed out to Cyprus, then to Rhodes, and finally expelled from there in 1522.
1530: Charles of Spain, the King of Sicily, gives the Order the fiefdom of Malta, where they started building World Heritage Sites, fighting Ottomans, hunting pirates, colonizing the Caribbean, and other such manly pursuits.
1798: The Order surrenders to Napoleon and is expelled from Malta.
1822: The Congress of Verona settling up the post-Napoleonic European order agrees that although Malta is a British colony now, the Order is still a sovereign entity, making its leader the proverbial King without a country.
1834: The Order headquarters in Rome and is granted extraterritoriality, similar to an embassy.
Today, those buildings are counted as an MTP location, prompting one wag to observe
Rome must be unique among cities in having three MTP locations. Walking down Via Condetti it is easy to miss the location dazzled as most people must be by the high end fashion shops and the well dressed pedestrians…
Can confirm, us scruffy travel tickers taking pictures of what must be the least interesting looking building for miles in any direction get some rather puzzled stares!
So, that's not sounding like a country to you? Well, they issue passports,
This Is the World's Most Exclusive Passport and Only 500 People Have It
coins, postage stamps, and license plates; they have diplomatic relations with 107 United Nations members and observer status at the UN and UNESCO —
— although they're not a UNESCO member, so they're not a real country by this site's definition! —
— and run humanitarian projects in 120 countries:
What's the Sovereign Military Order of Malta up to These Days?
Which is pretty serious, for an entity with no territory, permanent population, or economy!
We'll just leave you with this last link, because the title sums things up just about perfectly:
p dir="ltr">Sovereign Military Order Of Malta
Knights Of Malta, Knights Of St. John, Knights Hospitaller, Order Of Malta, Knights of Jerusalem, Different Names But Relate To The Same Order Of The Knights
Whether you count the Order as a country or not, that's certainly an intriguing history isn't it now? Since there's so many other good reasons to go to Rome anyways … might as well stroll down Via Condetti and check it out!


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Grow Asia, a multi-stakeholder partnership platform for inclusive and sustainable agricultural development in South East Asia, signed a partnership agreement with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), the largest corporate-led social development foundation in the country, to establish a Secretariat for the Philippines Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (PPSA).
PPSA was formally launched in 2015 by the Philippines' Department of Agriculture in partnership with local and global companies. To date, PPSA has brought together more than 80 organizations and is developing projects based on detailed analysis of value chains aligned with the government's Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP).
"The collaboration between Grow Asia and PBSP will enable us to co- develop and scale initiatives which address key issues in agriculture. Together we are creating multi-stakeholder, locally-driven value chains focused on increasing business opportunities in under-served markets. Most importantly, the initiatives will enable the inclusion of marginalized smallholder farmers and promote a more sustainable source of income which will eventually contribute to improved quality of life," said Reynaldo Antonio D. Laguda, Executive Director, PBSP.
The PPSA Secretariat, under PBSP's Livelihood and Enterprise Development PlaCEs Management Office, will serve as an in-country coordinating body and will provide on-the-ground support to Working Groups in the areas of performance measurement, resource mobilization, research and technical assistance as well as communications. Four Working Groups organized around coffee, corn, coconut, and fisheries are currently in place and developing their value chain projects. Grow Asia will continue to provide overall strategic direction and support to PPSA locally and regionally.


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Best County Official
Elle Cochran
For yet another consecutive year, our readers have decided that Maui County Councilmember Elle Cochran is the county's best public official. Though she's only been in office since 2010, Cochran made a name for herself fighting to preserve Lipoa Point as part of the Save Honolua Coalition. With the state Legislature voting this year to buy the point from the Maui Land & Pineapple Company (which last summer had convinced a majority of Cochran's colleagues to take the famed point out of preservation), that battle is now largely over. But look for Cochran to speak out on issues like GMO labeling, the development of South and West Maui. @apignataro
Runner-up: Alan Arakawa


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How changing payments kept a small business afloat
SOMETIMES it pays to break with tradition.
When Wyndi and Eli Tagi set up WE Accounting & Business Services three years ago they figured the traditional accounting firm practice of charging clients a single, annual fee wouldn't provide the cashflow they needed to keep their small business afloat.
Instead they decided to agree on fixed annual costs for their services with clients, and then break those down into monthly payments.
"We decided that this was a win-win situation," says practice manager Wyndi Tagi, "because the client wouldn't need to find a lump sum at the end of the financial year and we could have regular monthly payments coming into our account."
Clients were initially given the option to pay by automatic payment or direct credit, but people would often forget, says Tagi, leading to time spent chasing invoices. Shifting all clients to paying by direct debit means they now know everyone will pay, and on time.
Because, who doesn't want to get paid in a more timely way? This week I've interviewed a number of small business owners about the strategies they've adopted for getting paid faster.
Taking a front-footed approach by establishing good accounting processes and systems was a common theme amongst many of the responses, as was keeping payment terms relatively short.
Justine Mitchell, for example, the general manager of Wellington-based Boomrock, says they have seven-day payment terms. "Given we have long-term relationships with many of our customers, they support us by meeting these terms where possible. We are also fortunate to have minimal bad debt," she says.
Victoria Crone, managing director of Xero New Zealand, says sorting out payment terms and communicating clear expectations upfront is one of the most important things you can do to help get paid faster.
"Keep in mind that on average, regardless of the due date you give them, debtors only pay invoices two weeks after the date set. So if you need to get paid within 30 days for example, you may want to consider setting your terms at 13 days to be safe," Crone says.
But with even the best systems and communication, you're still going to get some overdue invoices.
Jo Williamson, who owns Howler Hotdogs with her husband Brent, advocates following up quickly on overdue accounts.
"Communication is very important, as in the majority of cases overdue accounts turn out to be innocent issues with paperwork," Williamson says. "If this isn't the case, we negotiate a payment date. Depending on the 'risk profile' of the customer this may or may not involve a credit hold being put on their account until payment is received."
And when a bill is overdue, nothing beats getting on the phone to sort it out, according to James McGlinn, co-founder and CEO of Eventfinda. An email might be easier to send, he says, but a phone call is harder to ignore and you can quickly get to the bottom of any issues the client might have.
"Get a commitment for the overdue amount to be paid within a few days," McGlinn also advises, "and if you haven't received the funds by the day following the agreed date, call again. Keep calling until you're paid - be the squeaky wheel."
Wyndi Tagi - WE Accounting & Business Services
Wyndi Tagi is the practice manager at WE Accounting & Business Services, which she owns alongside her husband Eli.
By way of background can you tell me a bit about WE Accounting & Business Services?
We are a Chartered Accounting firm, which opened for business three years ago. Initially we started with just Eli working in the business out of our office in Grey Lynn. Now I also work in the business, as well as four full-time and two part-time staff members, which has meant taking on a second premises.
Eli's background is in auditing and prior to setting up the business he worked for a large accounting firm and at the IRD as an auditor, so he oversees our accounting and business services. My background is in finance and sales, so that's my focus in the business, alongside marketing and customer service.
We also have five children between us - all boys - and we're part of the Grey Lynn Business Association and the Samoa Business Network.
What has been your company's journey in terms of managing cashflow?
We've always known that cashflow is king so we've tried to adopt practices that have allowed us to maintain and build our cashflow. Traditionally accounting firms charge an annual fee, but we knew this wouldn't help our cashflow and to keep our business afloat we couldn't wait a year to be paid.
When we were looking into accounting software for our practice we decided that Xero would work best for us and offer the best solutions to our potential customers. When we began looking into Xero further we found they worked on monthly invoicing and we decided we could adapt the same philosophy into our business and invoice our clients monthly too - breaking up our clients' annual accounting fees into smaller monthly payments. We decided that this was a win-win situation, because the client wouldn't need to find a lump sum at the end of the financial year and we could have regular monthly payments coming into our account.
We also agree on fixed costs for our services with our clients, so they don't get any nasty surprises. They know how much they will need to pay each month and we know exactly how much to expect.
You also receive payment from clients by direct debit. What effect has that had?
We started by allowing our clients to make automatic payments or direct credits into our account each month, but we found people would forget to make payments and we would spend a lot of our time following up.
So we decided to set our clients up on direct debits. This way we had control over the payments and could be more assured that payment would be made, and be made on time. Initially we were worried about what our clients would say, so felt uneasy to start with about asking, but it turned out not to be an issue at all.
To set up the direct debits with our bank we did need to meet certain criteria, but now that it's set up the process is relatively easy. In most cases we can get clients set up before their first payment is due and they like that it's one less thing for them to worry about each month. Processing at our end isn't too difficult; we just need to add any new clients to our direct debit list at the end of the month, or update new amounts for clients that have upgraded their monthly plans. It's definitely given us more certainty.
Do you have any other advice for getting paid faster?
The advice we give to our clients is to keep your terms of trade short. Once you've finished the job, request payment be made within seven days. If your terms are the 20th of the month, you could be waiting a couple of months for payment and if the client forgets to pay, you're waiting even longer. And if cashflow isn't coming in, you could be missing your own payment deadlines and getting yourself in the red.


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7 Hits
0 Misses
Season to date: 37-19
For most leagues, your team needs at least 110 points to have a chance of winning. You never want to concern yourself with what your opponent is doing, just aim to get to this number, hope for more and let the chips fall where they may. To reach this goal you will need (at minimum) 12 points from each of your starting skill positions (over 20 from your QB; more than a few from your kicker and at least 11 from your defense). This is the threshold for the IN/OUT predictions.
Here are the basic league settings that we are basing our predictions on…
|QB,2WR,2RB,TE,FLEX (w/r/t), K, DST
|6 pts
|0 pts allowed
|25 yds/pt
|10 yds/pt
|10 yds/pt
|1 pt
|blocked kick
|Return Yds
|50 yds/pt
It was another perfect week for the FANFOOD 3 IN/OUT picks. Here are the FANFOOD Fantasy Football 3 IN/OUT results for week 8 followed by a step by step guide on how to Deep Fry a Turkey.
Greg Jennings had one catch for nine yards in Sunday night's Week 8 loss to the Packers. Jennings continues to be limited by the Vikings quarterback situation and hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 4. He was only targeted three times in the passing game, though he did draw a pass interference call that set up Minnesota's first offensive touchdown. Jennings should be viewed as a low-end WR3/FLEX option for Week 9. It was a good week to have him on your bench as recommended.
Le'Veon Bell rushed 13 times for 24 yards and a touchdown and caught five balls for 27 yards in the Steelers' Week 8 loss to Oakland. The flow of Sunday's game played out miserably for Bell, as the Raiders jumped out to a 21-3 first-half lead and couldn't commit to the running game, which was the way they'd been successful in their previous two contests, both wins. Bell saved his fantasy day with a late-game goal-line plunge. Bell now gets three favorable games versus porous run defenses all in a row. A legit every-down back, he's a locked-in, every-week RB2 moving forward. He didn't score you a ton of points, but enough to help you reach your goal.
Willis McGahee rushed nine times for 28 yards in Sunday's Week 8 loss to the Chiefs. McGahee struggled to get anything going early and lost snaps to Chris Ogbonnaya and Fozzy Whittaker in the second half. Since being signed in Week 3, he's averaging a brutal 2.9 yards per carry and has just one touchdown. McGahee will be nothing more than a low-end RB3/FLEX in Week 9 against the Ravens. Keep him "OUT" of your lineup going forward.
Terrance Williams caught two passes for 64 yards and a touchdown in Week 8 against the Lions. Williams' score was a 60-yarder in the fourth quarter. The impressive rookie destroyed Darius Slay on a slant, and spun out of one more tackle on his dash to the end zone. Williams was just inches shy of a much bigger day, as he couldn't make a play on a potential 35-yard touchdown, and got tripped up on another long would-be reception. Either way, Williams has now scored in four straight games, and will remain a high-upside WR3 in Week 9 against the Vikings. He was a HIT pick to be "IN" your lineup.
Dwayne Bowe was held to one catch for seven yards in Week 8 against the Browns. Bowe was shadowed by Joe Haden and only targeted twice in the passing game. He was clearly playing at less than full health after suffering a groin injury in practice this week. Bowe has been a major disappointment after signing a five-year, $56 million extension this offseason. He's on pace for just 52 catches, 604 yards, and four touchdowns through eight weeks. He cannot be trusted and should continue to be "OUT" of your lineup.
Michael Floyd caught three passes for 30 yards with a touchdown in Sunday's Week 8 win over the Falcons. Floyd continues to do the rugged things over the middle a very good possession receiver needs to do. But the Cardinals aren't using him as a deep threat, leading to just 12.7 yards per catch on the season. Still, Floyd is getting a ton of usage in the red zone and has finally converted that into two touchdowns over the last three weeks. He's now on pace to catch 68 passes for 866 yards with four scores. With a soft schedule coming after the Week 9 bye, Floyd remains a WR3 weekly. He was a decent player to put "IN" your lineup to cover injuries and byes.
The rash of injuries that has hit the Packers DST this season has impacted them most on special teams. They had six rookies or first-year players — including two (receiver Chris Harper and tight end Jake Stoneburner) who weren't on the Week 1 roster — on their kickoff coverage team who allowed Cordarrelle Patterson's 109-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the game. The Packers had several chances to stop Patterson deep in Vikings territory. Jerron McMillian and Sam Barrington both had shots inside the 20-yard line, and Micah Hyde missed a diving attempt at the 23. Special teams coach Shawn Slocum also pulled punter Tim Masthay off of kickoffs after Patterson's return. Field goal kicker Mason Crosby handled kickoffs the rest of the game, making it a light night for Masthay, because the Packers never had to punt.It's always possible an injury or two could pop up in the next couple of days, but perhaps the best thing to come out of Sunday's game was the fact that the Packers did not suffer any more injuries. For a team that has been hit hard by the injury bug, that's no small matter. All but one of the seven inactive players on Sunday was injury-related. What's more, linebackers Nick Perry (foot) and Brad Jones (hamstring), along with James Jones (knee), might be able to return for Monday night's game against the Chicago Bears. And linebacker Clay Matthews, who told ESPN.com on Sunday night that he will have the pins removed from his broken right thumb Nov. 4, could return as soon as the following week against the Philadelphia Eagles. They gave up a ton of points, but the special teams TD helped you reach the magic number to be considered a good pick to be "IN" your lineup. Here are their stats.
|Fan Pts
|Pts Allow
|Fum Rec
|Blk Kick
How To Deep Fry a Turkey
As the popularity of Cajun Deep Fried Turkey has continued to grow, a whole industry has sprung up to support it. The problem is that most people face a big problem trying to do this on their stove. Namely, it makes a terrible mess and it's dangerous to do in an enclosed space. The answer is to take it outdoors. But be warned, this can be a expensive operation, but well worth it. For those of you who don't know what a deep fried turkey is like, let me give you the basics of the process.
How to Deep Fry a Turkey:
Step One: Get a turkey, a very large cooking pot, and some cooking oil. vegetable oil can be used, but it's better to use peanut oil. Peanut oil is very expensive and several gallons are going to be needed.
Step Two: Prepare the turkey. It needs to be defrosted and washed. Make sure there are no pop up tender timer devices or anything left inside. And, most importantly it must be completely dry. I mean really, really dry. You know what happens when you put water in boiling oil, don't you. You will also need to truss the turkey, meaning you need to secure the legs, neck flap, wings and tail to the body of the turkey.
Step Three: To determine the perfect amount of oil you are going to be using, place the turkey in the pot and add water until the turkey is completely covered plus two inches. With the turkey and the water there should still be several inches of room between the oil and the top of the pot. If it's a close call, then you need either a bigger pot or a smaller turkey. Remove the turkey and measure the water. This is the amount of oil that will be needed.
Step Four: Dry and season the turkey. Various recipes will call for seasoning rubs or injection mixtures. You'll find out more on this in the coming posts.
Step Five: Make sure that your frying pot is completely dry. Water left behind can cause some serious problems once the oil is added and starts heating up.
Step Six: Add the oil to the pot and bring it to a temperature of about 375 degrees. You should really get a good thermometer so you can get the temperatures right.
Step Seven: This is where it gets tricky. The turkey needs to be room temperature and dry. Turn off the burner when you put the turkey in. You are going to lower the turkey into the pot of very hot oil. The oil is going to splatter. You need some very good cooking gloves and a way to put the turkey in the oil while you are a safe distance. This is the reason why it's really not that good of an idea to do it on your stove top. There are now devices to help you like Deep Fried Turkey Lifter for $39.95 that give you a good hold on the turkey. Now I have heard of people using a wire basket on the turkey and a wooden board to do this. A bit of inventing and I'm sure you'll find a way. Anyway, slowly lower the turkey into the oil.
A good method here is dunking. When you lower the turkey into the oil it will boil up. This is why you want the burner off when you do it. People have been burned by hot oil hitting the burner. You might not need to do more than a single dunk but you should be prepared to raise the bird out of the oil it it starts boiling up. You can greatly reduce the mess and risk of personal injury by lifting the bird up as the oil boils around it. A couple of dunks and the turkey should be nicely settled in.
Step Eight: Once the bird is safely resting in the oil, turn the burner back on to get to a temperature of 350 degrees F. At this point you can go take a breather. But don't wander too far because that turkey will be done soon. A deep fried turkey cooks at a rate of about 3 to 3 1/2 minutes per pound. A ten pound turkey should take 30-35 minutes. An instant read thermometer can help you test for doneness, but of course you will need to lift the turkey out to test it.
Step Nine: Remove the turkey from the oil when it's done. Do this slowly and after you have turned off the burner. Let the turkey drain a little bit and you're set to go.
Step Ten: Carve and enjoy. If you have never had a turkey cooked this way then you have not finished your life requirements. Do this and you may never put a turkey in the oven again. Despite what you might think this turkey is not oily or greasy. It's crisp, juicy and delicious.
Of course I know that if you put your mind to it you can come up with a good cooker arrangement. But there are a couple of things this cooker needs: a good stock pot, a controllable heat source and a way to safely get the turkey in the oil and out again.
whole turkey, completely thawed
seasoned rub
peanut oil
1. Get a huge pot, like a stock pot. Put the turkey (completely thawed) in the pot, add water to completely surround the turkey. Look at how much water you added; that's how much oil you will need. Pour out the water and dry off the turkey.
2. Put a seasoned rub on the turkey. You don't have to, but it makes the skin delicious.
3. Fill the pot with as much oil as you need..The more the better. This is where it gets expensive, because you need at least a couple gallons of oil. The better quality oils (like peanut oil) will get hotter, and work better, but you can use a cheaper oil. Now, get the oil as hot as possible, and as close to 400 as possible without excessive smoking.
4. Turn off the burner (this is a precaution to prevent spatters from hitting an open flame). Add the turkey. You can use a 2 by 4 piece of wood (thru the wrapped legs) to lower the turkey into the oil. WARNING: the oil really splatters out at this point, so STAY back. This is MESSY! Once the spattering has stopped, turn the burner back on.
5. After you add the turkey, the oil temp. will drop rapidly. That's why you want it as hot as possible to begin with. Hopefully, it will remain around 350 degrees, so it sears the skin, and the meat does NOT get greasy.
6. Cook for about 3 min per pound, + 5 minutes. It the turkey is over 18 lbs, you might want to go 3 min per pound +10 or 15 minutes.
Turkey done this way is very tender and moist, and amazingly not greasy…
Designed & Developed by
SilverTree Technology


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Natural Menu 1.5 kg
Semi-moist feed with fresh meat for adult dogs
Innovative way of production:During the preparation process of NATURAL MENU, min.70% of fresh chicken meat is used. Added digestible ingredients such as rice, hydrolysed meat proteins, dehydrated meat and all the essential minerals and vitamins for the body of the dog. These materials are cooked slowly and at low temperature in their own juices without additional water. In this way the high nutritional value, the high taste and the excellent quality of NATURAL MENU foods are achieved.Semi-liquid food:Since NATURAL MENU is cooked in its own meat juices and dehydrated at room temperature, it has a higher moisture content than an ordinary dry food. With 18% moisture, exclusively derived from meat juices, NATURAL MENU is nothing but dry. This makes it extremely digestible but also delicious! Dogs love the juicy and juicy dry food NATURAL MENU.Designed for the needs of any dog, regardless of size and race. The Natural Menu Adult provides an ideal protein / energy ratio, but all the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals for each dog's life stage, even in dogs with high energy requirements.Components:70% fresh meat (chicken, turkey, lamb), rice, dehydrated chicken meat, corn, chicken fat, cornstarch, hydrolyzed chicken proteins, corn gluten, corn oil, sunflower oil, salmon, beet pulp, linseed oil, potassium chloride.


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As many of you have noticed, the website has been down for a few days. On Thursday, the webhost, one.com, had suspended the website because they had found some malicious software on it. Hackers had exploited security issues in some outdated WordPress software still used by the website to gain unwanted access.
To fix this, all malware had to be removed and the WordPress software had to be updated to the most recent version. All this had to be done from behind the safety of a password protection.
All cleaning operations have now been done and as from this Sunday morning, the site is open again.
My sincere apologies to all readers of the website for the inconvenience. I have learned my lesson and hope that this will not happen again.
Finally, a big thank you to the support team from one.com for their clear and efficient instructions.
— Johan S.


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The mountain village of Folldal stretches between the valley of Østerdalen and the Dovre mountain plateau. The area enjoys a dry and stable inland climate, and there are rich opportunities for varied outdoor recreation activities year-round.
Folldal has Norway's highest municipal administrative centre – the stairs of the council building are 712.5 m above sea level! The municipality's land area is 1275 km², and the population is just under 1700. Folldal borders three municipalities in Hedmark County, Alvdal, Tynset and Stor-Elvdal, as well as Sør-Fron, Sel and Dovre in Oppland County and Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag County.
The municipal services are well developed, including a primary school in a new building, full kindergarten coverage and a retirement home and service centre.
The mountain village has a vibrant cultural life with many clubs and organisations, and the Folldal Municipal Council runs a cinema and school of music and performing arts, which is regarded as one of the best in the region.
The economy is based on a vibrant agricultural industry in addition to tourism, trade, service and production of commodities. Folldal Verk's mines at Dovrefjell were closed in 1993, and in so doing nearly 250 years of mining operations were a thing of the past. The mining history with inward migration of people from within Norway and from overseas has provided the municipality with valuable impulses from the outside. Consequently, Folldal is an open and inclusive community, positively curious about new fellow villagers.
If you want to know more about opportunities to live and work in Folldal, please contact the municipality's customer service centre.
© Photo: Tommy Kristoffersen
Contact Folldal Municipality
2580 Folldal
Phone: +47 62 49 10 00
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: Folldal.kommune.no


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|Reviewed By
|Room Note
|StevieB (1981)
|Mild to Medium
|Medium to Strong
|Mild to Medium
|Pleasant to Tolerable
Sutliff - Tropical Cavendish #13.
Quite a coarse cut mixture and although it's loosely pouched it's still too moist; not dreadfully so, but a slight airing period's required. The fruit comes over fairly strong in the pouch-note.
I'll start with the light and burn consistency: it's easy to get burning and then gives a steady burn; although slightly fast. For the initial part of a bowl the topping masks quite a lot of the tobacco attributes, and to be fair, although it isn't my type of aromatic, it isn't that bad. I get very little citrus causticity, and a lot more actual flavour. To me, 'Tropical' usually implies pineapple, but I don't get any, I get sweeter/softer tropical varieties. The tobaccos take until about halfway through a bowl to gain some recognition, and when they come through I find them quite pleasant: more of the nutty Burley compared to grassy Virginia.
It doesn't really bite but something that puts me off is the harsh taste it leaves in my mouth.
The room-note's pleasant enough, albeit quite strong, and the nicotine's mild to medium.
I wouldn't smoke this regularly, glad I only bought an ounce! I think two stars seems fair.
Somewhat recommended.
Pipe Used: Peterson #03 P'Lip
Age When Smoked: One month
Purchased From: 4noggins.com
3 people found this review helpful.


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Screengrab via Vimeo
Montreal-based electronic band Wake Island know that technology can sour relationships, but it can help strengthen them, too. Their video for "Never Entirely There" combines modern digital technology with traditional aspects of being human. Combining footage from a Microsoft Kinect and a video camera, the band's video uses the forgotten technology and creates a beautiful 3D imagery of couples embracing in a Tron-like dimension as they bend in and out of the pixelized soundscape.
"The song is about realizing what needs to be done and what your limitations are, and then going for it head-on. But this cannot be done alone. That's the best part of it. We always have each other, 'we're on the same boat'", the band explains. "We never really arrive at our destination, but the journey is what it's all about." Watch the video below.
Look out for Wake Island when they go on tour starting this week with more dates in Beirut TBA for June:
May 6th - Toronto @Burdock (CMW)
May 7th - Toronto @Handlebar (CMW)
May 13th: Wrexham @The UndegUn (Focus Wales) *
May 17th: London @The Water Rats (Canadian Blast Showcase) *
May 20th: Brighton @The Green Door (The Great Escape) *
May 25th: London @Queen of Hoxton *^
May 29th: Liverpool @Cargo Stage (Liverpool Sound City) *^
May 31st: Manchester @The Soup Kitchen *^
June 3rd: Berlin @Acud ( "The Night Before" Torstraßen Festival) *
June 7th: Leeuwarden @Neushoorn
June 8th: Groningen @De Gym
* POP Off Europe with L.A. FOSTER
*^ POP Off Europe with L.A. FOSTER and Foxtrott
Byron Yan is a writer from Toronto. Follow him on Twitter.


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You may need to install Flash or enable it on your browser to play the puzzles.
Can't see the Full Screen puzzle? Your pop-up blocker probably prevented it from opening. Click here to relaunch the pop-up.
Still can't get it to work? Please contact us for additional help
Online puzzle of two scoops of raspberry ice cream. The ice cream scoops are garnished with mint and fresh fruit.


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Modern Hamilton Bedroom Set
Hamilton Bedroom Set – If you like something different and want to make your bedroom separate from other bedrooms, you might want to look at some modern bedroom schemes and sets. It's not for everyone and you need to have well artistic and have good ideas about architecture and lines and patterns. If you are a perfect candidate then a modern bathroom set is your best choice. But be careful because this set is burdening the earth and you have to know how much you are willing to spend before starting such a business.
There are many modern types Hamilton bedroom set and your choices are not limited to wood. What about checking the latest outrage and getting in to make the bed from wrought iron. They are the anger of the city and make you feel special. Then there is special bedroom furniture that is hand carved and painted. Hand craftsmen carve intricate designs on wood and then paint them using brushes and exotic color combinations. Do not be confused with the standard sprayed bed. Each such bed takes weeks and sometimes months to complete and is very expensive.
12 Photos Gallery of: Modern Hamilton Bedroom Set
You might even find wood that has a soft grille on them with a soft light behind this grill. There are also special beds that have speakers hidden in their interiors. When entering for a bed like that, you have to remember that you also have to buy another piece of furniture for your bedroom that suits your bed. If you do not do this, then all the money spent on the bed is wasted and will look weird in the middle of ordinary furniture. Before entering and ordering such furnishings (generally not available and made and designed on demand), you should also make sure that the designer designing your bed has your bedroom color scheme. That's the article about Hamilton bedroom set.


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A Gift That Keeps on Giving
BISMILLAH AR-RAHMAN AR-RAHEEM, As-Salaamu 'Alaikum wa-Rahmatullah wa-Barakaatu,
People who live in extreme poverty face so many barriers to education, including:
- Armed conflict or natural disasters
- Having to work at home and care for family
- Illness from preventable causes like malaria or waterborne disease
- Weakness from malnourishment
- Inability to afford university fees or supplies
As every parent knows, education means growth and a chance for a better and more promising future for a child. It is a blessing that keeps giving and that can radically change the course of a person's life. Please watch our attached video clip and Insha'Allah you will find the report rewarding and may it please you as it has pleased us to do this work on your behalf.
For more than a decade now Al Noor Charitable agency for the Needy with the help of our committed supporters has been providing university scholarships to the deserving men and women of Unguja and Pemba Islands and help them become upstanding members of the community with something worthy to contribute to the world. Our scholarships allow qualified youth to advance their education in colleges and universities.
With your continued support of our Education Program, AL Noor will strive to foster the education of those who show aptitude, potential and passion thereby opening doors that are always closed for those in need. Dear supporters, this is a race with no finishing line. We need to reach every vulnerable orphan and every deserving Muslim. This is why we still need your help and continued support. By MAKING A DONATION TODAY you can help us be there for them.
Please contact us today and help sponsor our deserving students however you can!
- A Diploma program for 1 year costs $1,600 while 2 years costs $3,200
- A Bachelor's degree for one year costs $1,800 while 4 years costs $7,200
- A Master's degree for one year costs $3,700 while 2 years costs $7,400
- OR whatever Allah inspires you to contribute for their educational needs.
We leave you with a quote and a lesson from what our Prophet (saw) said:
"Seek (beneficial) knowledge, because seeking it for the sake of Allah is a worship. And knowing it makes you more God-fearing; and searching for it is jihad, teaching it to those who do not know is charity, reviewing and learning it more is like TASBEEH. Through knowledge Allah will be known and worshiped. " Ibn Taymiyyah


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Dr. Alicia Arbaje, a geriatrician at Johns Hopkins, has come up with a list of indicators that can help patients and caregivers determine whether a hospital is doing a good job of serving older patients.
Arbaje, who is in the process of getting the senior care quality index research published, says she has found when doing formal research on senior care quality that one of the top indicators is whether a hospital makes a point of trying to identify and address a patient's problems with functioning outside the hospital.
That might like an obvious matter for doctors to ask about, but many do not think to do so, Arbaje says.
A good hospital also should test a patient's cognitive abilities, to make sure the patient can get by outside the hospital without extra support and it should closely monitor the medications the patient is taking, Arbaje says.
By making sure patients function well, both physically and mentally, outside the hospital, a hospital can reduce the likelihood that a patient it discharges will return a short time later, Arbaje says.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Princeton, N.J., has given Arbaje two grants, and it included an account for her senior quality index research in a profile.
Arbaje now is working with living space engineers to identify home environment problems that may interfere with older people's ability to shift from hospitals back to their homes, the foundation says.


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Vice to Launch Daily Newscast for HBO
HBO and Vice Media will produce a daily newscast and a stand-alone online channel. WSJ's Lukas Alpert reports.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... it's the island Vice Media of marriage made in Daily News had ... started soon Vice Media and New York startup known for edging news coverage ... will produce a daily newscast on HBO ... is the first of its kind ... to the TV channel joining us to discuss the Journal's Lukas Alpert ... thank you so much for joining us live this month from so I was a lot of bites HBO as a lot of success with Bill Maher show ... with ... last week's tonight ... can they do with a daily show one uses their appetite for it in and what you think it'll look like ... what this watch ... well by East ... Weiss thinks it can work that's for sure how Mabe inane going to try and Korea ... the programming of this type for some years now to negotiate with several other ... networks and haven't quite made it work but this seems either first out really becoming though you know ... more for proper broadcast channel rout of the online ones ... um what to look like is primarily what twice looks like now it's a lot of ... veggie contents of ... the new mix of ... you know ... the profiles on the Juarez drug cartel ... drug drug users in Russia drug smuggling in way yet to do but yes it's a ... fact that stuff you know of the underbelly of society that seems to resonate well it's interesting you to check the piece how he did say how it it's can help a ... place nearby going for networkers Ricketts Morgesen tissue but also goes the other way right ... a steal by party with bias will have ... that actually a bit more online presence and the ability to use each other ... it has pursued his HBO loosened OnDemand moves into more web based services to was a bit more tit-for-tat they help each other until my legs ached with the pre HBO that's exactly what this ... enables them to do their about watch HBO now they're streaming service ominous above the competing with ... that what's on Allscripts other ... operations and you know we did it to ... buy sort of has done well in this space has pulled up with hope HBO are at least a hope it will ... be no attract a younger audience given to the end of the quantum Cuomo won the open space and to think by sending prices had this new York rise due to the half to ... change their tone or is there telling what got them there and they're gonna stick with ... the edge in this and in what the deal ... which in smite their founder and Dean and then the statement's Basin hinted that they ... are instead pretty tightly to ... their core focus of independence not they pay say this deal allows them to ... be a full control their costs which some of the table is common for good for so ... many remains to be seen when you have to do ... you know we've had thirty minutes a day for five days a week they haven't really had to do it that way but they do a lot of contact the local what's that got tons of stuff so ... you know they're in the bill to have the ability to make it suspended packages in a way


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Program Director
(610) 519-7325
The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program is designed to provide an alternative approach to continuing education within the field of liberal studies. Its distinctive feature consists in its core course offerings, which are interdisciplinary in nature.
The program is designed for those adult students with bachelor's degrees who wish to broaden their knowledge of the liberal arts in an integrated graduate-level course of studies and who have an interest in the values of human cultures and societies.
Liberal Studies: The non-traditional degree for the non-traditional student.


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Luis Palafox is a senior biomedical engineering major, and a current Gilman scholar studying abroad in Spain. Below, he answers questions about the scholarship application process and his study abroad experience so far.
UArk BME: Where are you from? How far along are you in your studies at the U of A?
Palafox: I am from Fort Smith, Arkansas; it is my hometown and I went to high school there (go Northside Grizzlies!) I completed 2 years of undergraduate study at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith prior to transferring to the main U of A campus in Fayetteville. I completed my junior year here before leaving to study abroad and I am now a senior, currently in my 4th year of undergraduate study.
UArk BME: When/how did you first hear about the Gilman Scholarship?
Palafox: I first heard about it from Bryan Hill when he made a presentation in my course "Intro to Biomedical Engineering," which Dr. Raj Rao was teaching at the time (fall 2016). Bryan presented new study abroad options for BME students—there was an opportunity to go out of the country for transferable credits in Australia, Denmark, or Spain. Towards the end of the presentation he discussed funding options such as saving personal money, going to nearby local churches for possible scholarships, setting up a GoFundMe, applying for bank loans, using FAFSA, applying for UArk scholarships like the Johnetta Cross Brazzell Award or a College of Engineering travel grant, and applying for outside scholarships like the Gilman Scholarship.
UArk BME: What was the application process like?
Palafox: It was a rigorous experience, especially because I was working on a few other study abroad scholarships at the time. It was early in the month of March 2017, and my Gilman application had the toughest questions—I was to write a statement of purpose essay that discussed, for example, what challenges led me to choose to study abroad, and how I anticipated going abroad would impact me. The second essay on the Gilman application was about my project proposal. I remember thinking throughout the mornings and nights about the essays and as the last days approached, I thought I'd be rejected because of not giving myself more time to write. I also asked two BMEG friends to help me proofread my essays, which they kindly did even though they were busy studying for their wave of spring semester exams prior to spring break.
UArk BME: Where in Spain will you be, and what are your plans for when you're there (internships, study, etc.)?
Palafox: I'm currently in Madrid, specifically in the central region, and I commute to Leganés to attend classes for the academic year. I plan to volunteer at nearby health clinic or veterinary hospital as soon as I receive my Spanish resident card, which you need if you stay in the country for more than 180 days (6 months). I am also currently participating in a group engineering competition at my exchange university that could go from the local to the state level, and possibly even national. As a Gilman Scholar, I need to blog about my experiences abroad, so I am working on my personal wordpress site. In between my fall and spring semester I plan to visit other countries such as France, Italy and Belgium. I also plan to create another wordpress site with information about preparing to live in Madrid, as well as a homestay program available to University of Arkansas students. I wish to have the website ready by January 2018, and I plan to include an accommodation option to help English native speakers study abroad in Madrid, Spain. It is quite expensive to go to another country—especially the central capital of España—so with the help of my current homestay family I plan on building a bridge to help students to study in Europe.
UArk BME: How will this scholarship help you in your study of biomedical engineering?
Palafox: It has given me ease of mind to know I can afford the cost of living in the community of Madrid, Spain. Award winners for fall/spring semesters were announced at the end of July 2017, and when I received the email it made me much less nervous about leaving the U.S. to go to Spain. With the help of the Gilman scholarship I will be more comfortable, and will have more time to devote to my studies at UC3M, UArk and other institutions down the road.
UArk BME: Any advice to other University of Arkansas students looking to pursue international scholarships like the Gilman?
Palafox: University of Arkansas students should consider some sort of undergraduate research, volunteer work, or part-time job in their first two years of college. When freshmen year ends, go on the Gilman website and learn about your eligibility for potential scholarships and register for the newsletter. Consult with the dean of your department about available countries, and work on improving your curriculum vitae. The Gilman International scholarship will help get you through college while abroad and will strengthen your CV; I highly recommend attending a Hogs Abroad meeting about the Gilman!
UArk BME: Anything else you'd like to add?
Palafox: Before going abroad, whether you're majoring in biomedical engineering or something else, it's best to believe in yourself when submitting those scholarship applications. Also prepare yourself with some language courses for your designated country and be sure you're taking the right courses otherwise—the decision to go abroad can be made even after your first year or third year, but some prerequisites such as organic chemistry 2 or university physics 2 may be needed. It's also best to give yourself plenty of time to write those application essays and complete other necessary paperwork. It can seem overwhelming because there is a lot of prep work to be done—I had to go to Houston, Texas, in May 2017 for a Spanish student visa, for instance—and it may all feel tedious and expensive, but have faith. It's worth it!
My personal blog is here. I'm developing the blog and will be adding many new photographs soon!


text: Faith-Based Movie Releases Video Comparing Itself to 'Fifty Shades of Grey' 3:19 PM PST 11/13/2014 by Paul Bond FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Courtesy of Old Fashioned Old Fashioned Trailer Still - H 2014 "Clearly, we're picking a fight with 'Fifty Shades,' " says 'Old Fashioned' filmmaker Rik Swartzwelder In an unusual trailer released online Thursday, a small, faith-based movie is drumming up publicity by comparing itself to Fifty Shades of Grey, the upcoming Universal Pictures movie that is expected to be explicitly erotic and has nothing to do with Christianity. The film, called Old Fashioned, centers on a former frat boy who finds Jesus and wants to experience an old-fashioned courtship with a free-spirited woman. While the plots of Old Fashioned and Fifty Shades of Grey are nothing alike, the films — technically speaking — both deal with romance, of a sort, and they both open Valentine's Day weekend next year. Those similarities are apparently enough for Old Fashioned to market itself as a worthy alternative to the much bigger-budgeted adaptation of EL James' best-selling novel. Read more Watch the First Trailer for 'Fifty Shades of Grey' In the video released Thursday, Old Fashioned star, director and writer Rik Swartzwelder says: "Clearly, we're picking a fight with Fifty Shades. We're not only picking a fight, we're picking a fight with the schoolground bully, likely to get our nose busted in two. ... Love and romance are created by God and designed to lead to marriage and physical intimacy. ... I find it impossible to not believe that, deep down, we don't want to celebrate something more than Fifty Shades." After Swartzwelder's remarks, the video segues into a traditional trailer. "When did treating women with respect become the joke?" asks Clay, the main character. See the video below. "Fifty Shades is short-term titillation and Old Fashioned offers a long-term alternative," says producer Nathan Nazario. "Audiences want to hear that the best of the past is still possible — that a relationship can be the safe room," Nazario adds, loosely referencing the Red Room of Pain, a place of pain and sexual pleasure in Fifty Shades. Old Fashioned, also starring Elizabeth Roberts, hails from Freestyle Releasing with Skoche Films, in association with Motion Picture Pro Studios Email: firstname.lastname@example.com FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Paul Bond email@example.com @thr


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With the back to school season approaching soon, Computer manufactures have started launching new products so as to lure buyers. AMD also in a bid to lure buyers launched a new Intergrated chipset targeted towards the masses, 785G which features DirectX10.1 and AM3 socket bassed processor compatibility.
The 785G chipset features an inbuilt HD4200 graphics core based on the RV-620 core and supports UVD 2.0 along with HDMI 1.3. AMD 785G Chipset can work with both AM3 and AM2+ socket based processors along with DDR2 or DDR3 RAM.


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The Debt Ceiling 101
It's been all over the news lately. The debt ceiling. CNN even has a countdown clock till we hit it, like some dramatic movie, ticking down the time till the asteroid hits the economy. The debt ceiling. Something hovering over us all like some sort of magical barrier desperately saving us from ourselves. But what is it exactly and why have our politicians lost their collective minds over it? Why are the markets so nervous about it, and why is the world watching with baited breath to see if the US actually hits it? Find out below.
Defining the Debt Ceiling
Let's keep this simple. About a hundred years ago, the country set a legislative limit on the amount of debt it could incur. It describes the maximum amount of money the US can legally borrow. In a nutshell, it's like your parents saying, "You can only borrow this much, and you can't go over it. If you do, we're cutting you off." That's it. You go over it anyway (of course), but instead of your parents cutting you off like they said they would, they consider raising your limit. They just need to work out the details.
Currently, the US limit is $16.7 trillion (that's trillion with a capital "T"), which is probably slightly higher than what your parents loan you. This is about $25 billion shy of the precise legal limit. This Thursday, October 17th, the US is expected to hit this limit, which means that unless Congress (our parents) raise the debt ceiling (how much we can borrow), the US will go into default, meaning Treasury can't pay its debt obligations.
This is really, really bad. As in historically bad. In its entire history, the United States has never defaulted. Ever.
Well…Who Does the US Owe?
For the most part, its own citizens. Sixty-six percent of the country's debt is held domestically. It's primarily US individuals and financial institutions, with the key groups being the Social Security Administration (FUN FACT: the entire Social Security trust fund — over $2 trillion — is invested in Treasury bonds, which is required by law), pension plans and retirement accounts. If you have a retirement plan as a recent grad then you are WAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE. But it also means you are probably lending money to the US government, which puts you right back into the curve. Sorry.
Another key creditor is the Chinese government. It holds about $1.2 trillion in Treasury bonds. Not surprisingly, China would very much like to see the US avoid a default.
So, What Does Default Mean to Me?
Chris Weafer, a senior partner at Macro-Advisory.com, puts it this way: "[The world's financial system] would start to freeze up. Banks would pull back from risk and lending. The US economy would slide towards recession and the global economy would quickly be affected." He also adds that a "prolonged US default would lead to job losses everywhere and much tougher borrowing conditions for companies and individuals." This is exactly how it could impact you: job loss and increased difficulty in finding one, and also the inability to get a personal loan, from your bank or your parents.
But all is not bad. As of this writing, the White House and congressional leaders were very close to a deal, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid saying that tremendous progress has been made. You might also want to take that with a tremendous grain of salt, but at least the two sides are talking to each other and working to come to a solution. In the meantime, all you can do is keep an eye on the headlines, be prepared, and most importantly, keep practicing your ABNs. You never know when it might come in handy, especially in today's climate. A debt ceiling is not necessarily your ceiling.


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Well you wait for one book deal, then two come along at once - DING DING!
I'm happy to announce that I have just signed a two board book deal with Little Tiger Press.
The books are beautifully festive and will be out in time for Christmas 2012.
I can't show you anything at the moment but as soon as I can I will.
In the meantime click on the Little Tiger logo to take a look at their list - its quite expansive!


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Following yesterday's discovery of the photos of the Solomon R Guggenheim museum, we're hearing today about the second large set that I mentioned.
A Dutch toy site has put up a placeholder for the product on their website that announces the product without details. They do have a price of €39.99 list but it's not known if that is a real price.
If LEGO is doing an Arc de Triomphe set, I'd imagine it could be a larger set given the number of details that exist in the facade of the real world monument.
Consider supporting Brick Brains by purchasing your LEGO from LEGO.com using our affiliate links.
We get a small percentage of the purchase total.
We get a small percentage of the purchase total.


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The Sand Bar in Sand Lake may have shut its doors, but a part of it lives on in a memorial to a man who felt at home there.
Andrew Giovanni Marini, 24, tragically passed away two years ago due to injuries sustained in a car accident. "Andy was a very loved friend, son and brother," said friend Megan Wagenaar. She explained that the Sand Bar was the usual hang out for Andy and his friends to be on the weekends, and about four years ago he proclaimed the Sand Bar as his bar by carving "Andy's bar" into one of the tabletops. "So the night after Andy's funeral everyone went and met up at the Sand Bar. Pat and Toni Bush allowed all of us to carve our names in to the table as well, so we self-proclaimed it the Andy table. As everyone has heard, the Sand Bar closed, so all of Andy's close friends got together in an effort to have "Andy's table" taken out of the bar. Pat Bush said we could have the table as long as it went to someone in Andy's family."
On Friday May 16, Patrick Ottobre, Cory Frandsen, Dan Myslenski, David Westveer, Michael Bowers, Megan Wagenaar, Ashley Robinson, Leah Scott, Morgan Jantzen, and Timothy Warren all made the final walk in to the Sand Bar to remove Andy's table and bring it home with them. The table was given to Ann, Andy's mother.
"We wanted to make sure the table was preserved and in a safe place," explained Wagenaar. "Andy may be gone but we still love and miss him every day."


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A Charming, All-Suite Newark, CA HotelChase Suite Hotels welcomes you to kick back and relax in our all-suite hotel in Newark, CA within the heart of Silicon Valley. Our welcoming accommodations include one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites with fully-equipped kitchens, charming living areas with fireplaces, and free WiFi. Start your day with a complimentary hot breakfast buffet, take a dip in the outdoor pool or enjoy an intense workout in our fitness center. Meet and mingle as you sip on free wine or beer, and enjoy delicious bites during our weekly social hour. And if you're planning on hosting a social gathering or conference, our well-appointed event space and business center have all your needs covered.
Conveniently Located For The Ideal Silicon Valley Retreat


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Job Search
College Graduates: What You Need to Know to Succeed
Dec 28, 2015
Dec 28, 2015
You recently celebrated your college graduation with your family and friends. All of the hours and hard work in the classroom have finally paid off. As a college graduate, are you ready to take on the world and find your first job in your career? Some may be lucky and have secured their first "real world" job through a successful internship. If so, congratulations! If you are still looking, here are some tips to help you get started on your search and to help you succeed once you land your first career venture.
A recent survey conducted by CareerBuilder.com suggests that many Americans never work in the field in which they received their degree. Among 2,134 workers surveyed, only 53 percent of college graduates found a first job that was related to their college major. A step further revealed that only 32 percent of American workers ever found a job in their related field. I can speak from experience that it is best to branch out. What qualities and skills did you learn from your degree and related experiences? Don't stick to the obvious and explore your options! Part of being successful in a career is being adaptable and learning new things on a constant basis. You may miss out on a lucrative career you love.
Continue to learn and expand your knowledge. Be sure to take notes as you learn new things. Use your expertise to fill in areas of your business that need more knowledge and growth. Take it upon yourself to learn more about the company for which you work. As you grow, support yourself with data, not just your opinions. Even if you start young, you still have life experiences. Support those life experience with data. As you continue learning more about your company, make sure you understand what your company does! You don't have to be an expert in every facet of your company's business. It is still important to show confidence in your area of expertise.
True leaders help others succeed and don't knock others down to show their own successes. Find someone successful within your organization willing to help you grow as a professional. While you are responsible for your own growth, this person can help answer questions and give advice along the way. Be observant of the behaviors good leadership demonstrate. Be sure to also have regular performance reviews to help you see your growth and to receive feedback from management.
Your first few years after graduating will be all about testing out different opportunities that arise. Take the time to learn along the way and push yourself forward and take big risks. Check out these top five skills employers want from college graduates.
Feb 4, 2019
Sep 13, 2018
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*Updated 2019
When was the last time you made a purchase online on Amazon? E-commerce has been expanding for more than a decade, making shopping more accessible and convenient for consumers. Of the e-commerce retailers, Amazon.com is the clear Goliath, estimated to account for almost 38% of US online retails sales for 2019. It also traffics more than one-third of all retail products bought or sold online in the US. But is Amazon's growth good or bad for the shopping industry?
Here are three arguments in support of and three more against the online giant.
Three reasons Amazon gives shopping a bad name
Shopping on Amazon isn't as safe as shopping offline
Shopping on Amazon requires users to input their personal information, which puts shoppers at risk. While online privacy concerns are not an Amazon-specific issue, the company makes matters worse with its current privacy policy. (Not to mention varying Amazon smart products (Alexa, anyone?), which bring their concerns regarding safeguarding users' security and privacy). The company's privacy policy reserves the right to share consumers' personal information with other companies, should it decide one day to do so. In fact, the company stood trial in Del Vechio v. Amazon.com as part of a class-action lawsuit for deliberately going against its customers' privacy preferences and sharing its customers' personal information with third parties without their consent – and against their wishes.
Not to mention, there has been at least one instance where Amazon's customer support team was accused of being tricked into handing over sensitive information, thus falling prey to the growing menace of social engineering hacking. Less worrying, but still of concern, is the fact that Amazon has long had and proactively uses patented technology that tracks both customers' purchasing habits and information about the people its customers buy gifts for.
Too many advertisements
Amazon.com is riddled with ads – specifically pop-up ads – that each prompt the user to buy another product, based on the user's unique purchase history. Not only are these ads annoying, but they also drive users to make unwanted and perhaps unbudgeted impulse buys. And while 84% of all shoppers have made impulse buys at one point or another, it may be easier to do on Amazon since it invests heavily in exposing shoppers to new products at every step of their Amazon experience – from first opening the homepage all the way through checkout. The economic consequences on consumers living beyond their means can be devastating; various studies, for instance, show that materialism correlates to unhappiness in relationships.
Becoming a monopoly hurts shoppers
With Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods, the company is becoming a monopoly on successfully merchandizing convenience, especially for busy Americans and screen-reliant Millennials. Between Amazon Prime and Whole Foods, as well as other grocery stores, the company may account for a large chunk of Millennials' discretionary spending. If Amazon becomes a monopoly, shoppers will ultimately lose out; monopolies kill competition and, once king, they can willingly change customer perks that made them so popular in the first place.
Plus, the success of Amazon and its slew of digital endeavors, including cash-free grocery stores, cause salespeople and shop owners to lose their jobs. In fact, there are hundreds of thousands fewer retail industry jobs because of the successes of Amazon and other online retailers. And millions of jobs continue to be threatened as Amazon's share of online purchases continues to climb. These findings will only keep rising, as Amazon expands to target other goods sectors, including providing delivery services for restaurant-prepared meals.
Three reasons Amazon is great!
Gives a platform and exposure to small retailers
Amazon allows small retailers to sell on its platform, thus providing them incomparable online exposure. In fact, almost half of internet users in the US live in a household with an Amazon Prime membership, and the site gets more than 2.6 billion visitors every month. How's that for reach?
In addition to new consumers, small business can't ignore the benefits that Amazon can bring them, like sales, marketing and branding pushes. It's no wonder, then, that online sales platform BigCommerce found that as many as 73% of small business owners considered selling on Amazon in 2017 – and more than a million small businesses in the US have already taken the plunge.
Streamlines the shopping and delivery process
The online marketplace sells a wide range of almost everything. Plus, during searches, users get the added bonus of being presented with similar products or products frequently purchased together. This makes Amazon's comparison-shopping of brand vs. brand or product vs. related product fast and effortless.
Another benefit of shopping on Amazon is the immediacy in which purchases are received. With services like Amazon Prime, the customer journey of "search – select – pay – possess" is near-instantaneous. Since Amazon has been delivering 26% of its own orders directly to consumers, it's no wonder that the company is giving UPS and FedEx a run for their money, competition that will only benefit consumers. It's much faster than most other e-commerce stores. Being the market leader that it is means that the standard Amazon adopts becomes the market standard, which, in turn, benefits all consumers. This can also be seen with Amazon's PillPack acquisition, which highlights how its embrace of disruptive competition is a good thing for consumers. Pushing itself into the health care – pharma – industry will make much-needed pharmaceuticals more accessible to consumers and more affordable.
Pushes Innovation
What truly sets Amazon apart is its brand promise to be "Earth's biggest selection and the Earth's most customer-centric company." Take its Prime video services, with original and award-winning TV shows and movies, or its cloud computing service, which is so successful that it is now expanding to handle classified CIA data. If the promise of the internet is to provide users with what we need, when we need it – whether product- or service-related – then Amazon has proven that those who have the data can deliver on this promise. Also, Amazon's influence pushes the whole consumer industry forward with innovation, even with the short-lived Amazon Dash and using drones for delivery.
Bottom line: Amazon has made shopping more efficient and more innovative for consumers. Yet, while it has also boosted small retailers, the e-commerce giant has cost the retail industry more than it bargained for. How do you think Amazon has impacted the shopping industry?
Co-written by Rachel Segal