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*i started this post on January 29 and am only now finishing it up…it takes that long for me to actually get back to it. A lot of times I want to put a disclaimer on each post explaining it away, like "I didn't have time to edit this" or " I don't have an editor so forgive all the mistakes and grammatical errors!" Or sometimes, "This is just a random thought- has nothing to do with my own personal life or people I know!" It might not flow smoothly and be eloquent as I'd like it to be. In fact it can be like a pile of tangled string…yet somehow have a beginning and an end with a few knots in the middle;)
But the nice thing is, this is not a book, this is not a "piece of work" and I can have mistakes without a thought of how someone might look at it when they read it.
It's kind of like how I feel about social media. (Yup I'm gonna mention it like an old, old-fashioned grouch or something;)) I have no business as of this moment, for me to have to keep up a certain profile to promote myself. Thus I have freedom to take as many social media breaks as I want. Gives me freedom to not have to like or comment on any one's posts, to keep up an image, to be stuck in an never ending constant craze. Anyway… that might not even make any sense. So back to the post…
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
-Isaiah 40:11
I've been very fond of this verse since Jemma was a wee little one…specifically, "…He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart…"
It's been even more so a consolation with another addition of a little one to our family. When there are things that happen that can be so disheartening, there are those places in the Bible that come to mind like that verse that keep me strong. And when you Believe those words, it's unshakable. Don't get me wrong- it doesn't mean that worries don't cross my mind, or I don't get emotional or cry. I believe you can fully trust and know that what is going on will be ok in the end, and still be sad about it or grieve, or be broken up. We have hearts and emotions. The beautiful thing is that being with Jesus, we can take all those tears or brokenness to him.
I think how many times someone has seen me cry and they have no clue as to why I am crying- they would have absolutely no idea what's behind those tears. I just look emotional, unstable, hormonal… whatever you wanna call it! The funny thing is, some of those tears weren't for me at all but for others. And you could say, "Well why cry for someone else? It is of no concern to you?!"
Peter mentioned to me how someone who was in a hard spot in life, said they tried prayer…and it doesn't work. And I got emotional. Why? Because when someone is so close to death and has no hope and doesn't believe or feel like they are heard, it is absolutely heartbreaking. When you know there is a God and He hears you want those people like that to know too. And to think, how many of those sad, hurting people are out there in this world…
I love this little note from the author in his book called, The Oak Inside the Acorn. (Have I mentioned, I like picture books?) Because I'm a total believer in studying and learning my children. Not in a weird scientific way mind you;) From day one of life outside the womb, I can notice little patterns in my baby. Why he's doing what he's doing…and it helps me as a mom to know how to go about it. I remember Jemma not yet crawling, laying on the play-mat trying to grasp the tag that was sticking out. She would get so frustrated. Same thing with Bella. Barely a few months but trying to grasp the hanging toy within her reach. She kept working and working, putting her hands together until she got a hold of it. I was mesmerized. Watching her persevere! They were already showing their character at such a young stage of life!
So what am I getting at?
My babies are pretty much two years apart. In the two years between one and the next, I get pretty comfortable with the rhythm we have going. What we are doing and how we go about our days. And then the little one comes and all of a sudden everything changes for a bit until we get back into a new rhythm. I'm mostly a one on one person and so having to spread my time between two and then three babies (not even counting my husband) is hard. I find it sad that I can't give all of me to each one. And so in the time that I'm saying, "I can't" or "wait," while pacing and soothing the little newborn, I feel like I'm doing nothing. I start to look around the house and everything bugs me. I feel like I can't spend time with my other two. I have a million things I "need" to do! But the truth is- those are lies to myself. I am doing something! Absolutely a necessary and needed something. I am soothing a little human soul, helpless and so dependent on me! Those thoughts that started to creep in, the doubts, are just lies wanting to make a nest in my head. That I'm not doing anything important. That I'm wasting all my capabilities, that I'm not making the most of my talents…weather it's that I'm not going about the same way with how I spend time with girls, aren't as productive or even that the house is unkept…and how I want to put away everything where it belongs. But the nice thing, with each new baby, the truth comes at me much quicker. I don't dwell in that for much. I am quickly reminded that I am so so blessed to be able to be with my babies as a stay at home mom. I can't see it nor imagine it any other way (speaking for the current situation because I have no clue where life will lead to in the future…) I am so blessed that I can watch them develop, nurture them, listen to them… learn them.
The little ones of this world! As I watch my baby search for me, reach to grasp me, speaking volumes without uttering a single word, I am ever so grateful that I am there for him. For them.
I sat in the lobby of the clinic watching a mom with her kids. A couple toddlers playing and a little infant in the car seat beside her. He kept searching for her face and every time she'd look down at him, he'd break into this huge smile! And then she'd look away and he'd continue waiting, searching for her gaze. I was in awe. This little infant barely a few months, desiring that eye contact, the love and comfort from his mother he already knows. I teared up thinking how such a little one needs and wants love, affection, the hands of a mama or papa and how many little innocent babies are unloved or abused in this world…and of course the nurse that got me probably thought I was just another crazy. All she saw was a pregnant patient crying all by herself in the lobby.
And so I am so, so happy, that I can be here, with my baby. Doing something that is very much important. Taking care of a little soul.
Jesus watches over them, keeps them close- that I can see and believe. And we as parents get to- are privileged- to hold them close to our own hearts!


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"Sokotsu Nagaya" (scatterbrain row house) is a classic "rakugo" comic storytelling number with an offbeat storyline. Yanagiya Kosan V (1915-2002) made this the top piece in his repertoire. The protagonist, Hachigoro, is a scatterbrain with no patience, while his neighbor and buddy, Kumagoro, is patient but just as scatterbrained.The story that unfolds around these two goofballs could belong in the theater of the absurd.
On his way home from Asakusa Kannon temple in Tokyo's Asakusa district, Hachigoro comes across a man lying dead by the roadside. Absurdly convinced that this must be Kumagoro, he decides to go fetch Kumagoro and make him ID "his own body."Hachigoro tells Kumagoro, "Hey, Kuma, you died last night." After his initial disbelief, Kumagoro begins to think Hachigoro is probably right, and agrees to go with him to claim the body.
Neither is even remotely cognizant of the glaring paradox of Kumagoro being in two places simultaneously, as well as being alive and dead. Naturally, whatever conversation they hold with local community elders goes nowhere.One might even say this is a chillingly eerie scene. But it is recounted in a way that makes everything hilarious. The art of rakugo is profound indeed.
Japan during this past year had similar communication breakdown. Supporters and opponents of highly contentious national security legislation argued entirely at cross-purposes over its constitutionality. The same could be said of the verbal warfare between the Okinawa prefectural government and the prime minister's office over the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.Whether or not the parties concerned were scatterbrained, their verbal communication circuits were out of sync.
To return to the rakugo: In the final scene, Kumagoro lifts "his own body" to carry it home. But he becomes increasingly confused, and the punchline goes: "The fellow I'm carrying is definitely me. But then, who's this me who's carrying my dead body?"
Kumagoro finally becomes aware of the paradox. "This is the moment when the bud of reason reopens in man, the thinking reed," says Naoki Fujiyama in "Rakugo no Kuni no Seishin Bunseki" (Psychoanalysis in the country of rakugo).A new year is dawning. I pray that the thinking reed will put out a bud next year to make rational dialogue possible.

subset: commoncrawl


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Shame, David Hughes, Shame!
Earlier this morning, David Hughes, who has been a friend and a colleague for many years, posted the following to twitter:
DHughesy i ate a bowl of all bran type product, 2 scoops of yoghurt & cup of skim milk. ps i am gay
DHughesy and an inch and a half of snickers
Now, I don't care either way about Hughesy's diet, but I am distressed at the use of the word 'gay' in reference to eating yoghurt, skim milk and bran. The half a Snickers I can understand being called gay, because, technically, it is having a mouthful of nuts, but the health nonsense? Gay? Please. Next he'll be calling that rank bogan Shannon from the Biggest Loser gay. I'm sure that will go over well...
Maybe "snickers" is a
Maybe "snickers" is a euphemism for something else. You never know with country boys.
Unless, of course, Hughesy
Unless, of course, Hughesy was actually coming out.
After detailing his breakfast seems an odd time to make the announcement, but I think he should be applauded for this massive step.


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We have a crisis.
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We have a crisis.
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Oh no! Where will they go?
Holy CrapHole!
Man! That's one crap of a business!
I bet those pota pottie owners are flush with money!
We have a port-a-potty company in town. Their trucks say "We're number 1 in number 2!"
'"Construction is booming and anything associated with it is also booming," Lovelace said.'
The Booming Asses WBAGNFARB
You just know FEMA is going to accuse bathroom goers for the crisis. I can see the press report now:
"This situation is flush with difficulties due to the local officials and residents who insist, against our recommendations, on going to the washroom daily. We would like to blame, in order of importance, the governor, the mayor, all elected local officials, the incoming and outgoing police chief, the residents, the resident's inlaws, the White House, and Canada and Mexico who, while not technically involved, didn't get involved in Iraq so we blame them for everything. Oh! And Saddam Hussain who must be involved somehow. Anyway, its not our fault. Maybe also the Japanese mafia."
As the Govenor of Florida says, all crises are local. In keeping with that esteemed opinion, FEMA is not the organization to get off the pot and do something. Rather, that distinction should be the local contruction companies, who, one might surmise, are spending entirely too much time on the pot and taking far too long to complete the construction, anyway.
Why is it that a TV show can completely construct, finish and decorate a house in one week without a porta-potty insight, yet the photo clearly shows multiple porta-potties in place and no houses anywhere near finished?
Just sayin'. Oh, yeah. Poop.
Even if there is a slowdown in home construction, the portable toilet business will continue to clean up
This is a first, as anybody who has had to use one of these facilities will attest.
There has to be joke about the homes being rebuilt with 4-ply wood.
with one cleaning per week.
I seriously doubt the truth of this statement.
S.M. - *snork*
multi-colored monoliths WBAGNFARB
Also, what did construction workers do before portapotties were invented? Hold it? Dig a hole? Mix it in with the wet cement? Inquiring minds want to know.
TCK - Haven't you ever heard of "Construction Worker Grade Depends"?
um - it depends
TCK - that was my question. Apparently even cavemen used porta potties. There are no roads, no stores, no bars (yeah right), houses are trashed, no electric and nobody wants to help rebuild because there are no porta potties?!
well. guess they will have to just build some outhouses. back to the future. i have nothing cleverer to say. this is a funny thread.
At my ex-boyfriend's house, the construction workers just sh*t in the dirt next to the foundation. Found the evidence.
Of course, he's a sh*t himself, so he deserved it. Cheap bastid.
From the TMI department: when we built our house nine years ago, we didn't have a port-o-potty, but we lived right next door to a convenient little corn field. Just grabbed a shovel and a roll of TP and disappeared for a while. Needless to say one of our first priorities was hooking up the plumbing.
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Some words to get you motivated!
When people ask you "How are you doing?"
even if you´re having some difficult times
say I´m blessed and highly fovoured
because anytime you wake up and you don´t have
a white chalk outline around your body
it´s a great day.
And so I say to you, it´s possible you can live your dream
it´s becoming a diamond, it´s having more if it´s achieving more,
if it´s a better father
being a better mother , whatever it is
overcoming addition, changing our society
it´s possible you can live your dream.
It´s necessary that you have a plan of action that you´re resilient, that you stick to
and that you work with a system
that you work with people, that you give support
and that you be there for them
that you have the vision and never give up
that you become creative and relentless
and keep on coming back
again and again and again
and that´s you, that you gotta take personal responsibility to make it happen
and that it´s hard, easy is not an option
and when life knocks you down
jump back up and say:
It´s not over until I win!


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It is too early to predict how German politics and the environment will 'get on' in 2009. Yet, this year will be an important crossroads in showing whether Germany will remain a leader in dealing with environmental issues, including climate change, or not. With a number of state elections, as well as a national, and a European one, election campaigning will have a defining influence on the politicians and policies governing Germany in the coming years, yet so far the signs are not promising.
For the time being, the defining issue in German politics is the second economic stimulus package, agreed upon in principle, and to be passed by the coalition government soon. CDU and SPD have outlined their plans for what it should look like, and from an environmental point of view, it seems likely to disappoint.
It seems likely the emphasis will be on broad-ranging tax-cuts, while government investment will be focused on infrastructure, yet likely to encompass road construction as well as investment in energy savings. The SPD, specifically, suggests using part of a suggested state fund to invest in energy savings in public buildings, as well as a more efficient and environmentally friendly energy grid. Controversially, they also want to encourage consumers to buy more environmentally friendly cars through paying them a bonus for getting rid of their old car, a measure derided by Greenpeace and others as an expensive and environmentally harmful subsidy in disguise to the automotive industry.
The CDU puts a stronger focus than the SPD broad tax cuts, likely to not have a significant positive influence on the environment. Nevertheless, they propose to bring forward a change in car taxation, to make it dependant on a car's CO² emissions, a measure with a potentially large positive impact on CO² emissions. Furthermore, they also want to invest in energy savings in buildings, yet have not yet specified how they would accomplish this. It'll be worth watching the upcoming intra-coalition negotiations on the stimulus package to see what happens to these limited environmental measures.
Overall, in trying to stimulate consumption through broad tax cuts, the coming year might disappoint those who had been hoping for a more focused effort on renewable energy, CO² emissions reductions, and job creation in green industries.


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What Is a Good School?
The quality of a school is evident in student work and how it is assessed, says Justin Wells of Envision Learning Partners.
The quality of a school is evident in student work and how it is assessed, says Justin Wells of Envision Learning Partners.
A parent's experience at a 4th grader's Curriculum Night offers reflections on how assessment can support learning and teaching.
This post is by Jacob Watson, a theatre artist and educator from Chicago, IL, and a recent graduate of the Arts in Education program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education Recently I heard an educator talk about a student who had "failed" an assignment in his class. I asked how the student h...
Despite the challenges, states and districts need to develop high-quality systems of assessment to ensure students have the skills they need in a changing economy.
States are developing new forms of assessment, including assessments of learning and assessments for learning.
Portfolios can be powerful forms of assessment, but they must be done right to reap their benefits.
Jobs for the Future is about to unveil principles for comprehensive assessment systems that maximize efficiency, reduce duplication, and provide rich data.
New results from an assessment of 15-year-olds from 57 nations provide some answers about how well students work with others to solve problems.
Recently released test results show a familiar pattern: stagnation after increases. What can schools do to break this trend?
Performance assessments have the potential to ensure that instruction for students with disabilities is aligned with state standards.


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with some regret for the sleep I'd be missing (an important commodity of late) I agreed when a friend invited me to join him and a few others on a trip to St. John, New Brunswick, Canada. The primary reason for the journey, which started on Friday night in Philadelphia at 7 p.m. and will hopefully end tonight around 10 p.m., was to see the Philadelphia Phantoms play the St. John Flames. Believe me, this devotion to an ahl team has gotten us plenty of strange looks and raised eyebrows along the way.
While the Phantoms victory of 3-2 in overtime was certainly one of the highlights of the trip for me, I will defend the little sanity that I have by pointing out that hockey was not my sole motivation. I was delighted at the opportunity to tour a part of our neighboring country that I have never seen before. Larry just wanted to see hockey. 😉
It has been an immensely enjoyable trip. The natives of St. John were incredibly friendly, even after their narrow loss in one of the better hockey games I have had the pleasure to attend. While we did not have the time or energy to see much of the town, we did get to converse with the locals in the pub and at the hockey arena. Between the gasps of surprise from those who checked our IDs or who, noting the Phantoms paraphernalia and other signs that we were out-of-towners, asked about our point of origin the natives seemed pleased that we came to visit their city; they asked us about Philadelphia and what we thought of St. John. The folks we asked for directions or suggestions on where to go for food and entertainment were amiable and helpful. I don't recall encountering anyone who was outright rude or mean with the possible exception of the guy at the hockey game who approached us for no reason to rattle on about nothing and the counter girl at tim horton's who seemed displeased or unnerved at the four of us ordering together (Larry says she was talking about us as she prepared the food). I was in turn confused by some of the looks she gave me during what seemed to me a not overly complicated order. I suppose it was just one of those things.
During the game the fans were very respectful. It was rather amusing to be the only ones cheering when the Phantoms scored. Consequently there was only our small source of shouts of jubilation at the end of the game. The Flames supporters were gracious in defeat, chatting with the Phantoms fans in their midst as we made our way back through the connecting buildings to our hotel (grateful not to have to step out into the bitterly cold night). This included a funny conversation with a group of young boys who approached us and asked to come back to Philly with us (don't ask me why).
After the game and an attempt to find a different place to eat, drink, and be merry, we returned to Tapps Brewpub where we had lunched earlier in the day. We ended the day with the Flying Scotsman, a performer of Celtic music along with other genres and his own compositions. He was often corny in his humor and rather longwinded, but he was also an excellent musician.
After we got back to the hotel, we all crashed for the night. Around 3:30 a.m. one of us was awakened by team members of the Phantoms knocking on the door across the hall. She opened the door, thinking that the knock was for us, and attracted their attention. She stepped aside in the doorway, and they entered the room and woke the rest of us up as they talked. I opened my eyes to see hockey players in my room, but due to lack of sleep I promptly fell back into slumber. They invited us to the party, but c'est la vie.


text: Rental options (size of party): 8 10 12 Weekly prices From {{ currencymap[currency].symbol }} {{ getProductFormattedMinPrice(productId, currency) }} to {{ currencymap[currency].symbol }} {{ product.prices[currency].max }} Max. occupancy 12 persons Sleeping: {{property.products[productId].adults}} - Bedrooms: {{property.products[productId].bedrooms}} - Bathrooms: {{property.products[productId].bathrooms}} Air Conditioned Bedrooms Internet Connection Private Pool Overview Photo Gallery Click on any photo to enter the gallery View more photos View less photos View more photos View less photos View more photos View less photos View more photos View less photos Description Accommodation Accommodation Getting the gang together at Aromatic Rossa Enjoy making your own pizza in a pizza oven and find out what the town of Casciana has to offer while staying at the luxury retreat of Aromatic Rossa Read more Map Aromatica Rossa is located just outside from the historical village of Chianni, perched on a hill top enjoying typical Tuscan views, just 40 minutes from Florence and close by to the town of Lajatico where the famous opera singer Andrea Bocelli was born. This beautiful farmhouse goes back in 19th century and has had been recently converted into a private home that sleeps very comfortably 12 people, ideal for large families. There is plenty of inside living space with tall beamed ceilings and terracotta floors, typical of a carefully restored Tuscan farmhouse. The house is surrounded by very well kept gardens and has a summer kitchen and a shaded al fresco area just in front of the loggia. The swimming pool is set on a terrace, enjoying sweeping views of the magnificent countryside, next to which a loggia has been installed with a very comfortable seating area. Getting There Airports nearby: Airports: Pisa, 46km/29 miles; Florence, 85km/53 miles. By Car: Motorway exit at Pontedera, 30km/19 miles along paved roads leading to the white access road. Parking for six cars. By Train: Railway station [for Pisa and Rome] at Pontedera, 40 minutes. Bus stop at Chianni, 3 km/2 miles. Prices & Live availability {{ property.products[productId].isSpecialProduct ? property.products[productId].name : property.name }} Check in 6-8pm. Check out by 9am. Rental options (Size of the party): {{ property.products[productId].adults }} Currency: € EUR $ USD £ GBP € EUR $ USD £ GBP Year: {{ year }} Previous months Next months Booked Available Previous months Previous months Next months {{ month }} {{month.name}} {{month.year}} {{ week.from }} to {{ week.to }} {{ week.legend }} AVAILABILITY AND PRICES ON DEMAND € {{ week.price.eur }} $ {{ week.price.usd }} £ {{ week.price.gbp }} per week Next months Previous months Next months Booked Available Check in 6-8pm. Check out by 9am. NB. are available for parties of different sizes and priced accordingly - select your option above. For smaller parties, the unoccupied rooms or guest houses simply remain empty or are closed and you will always have exclusive use of the villa and pool. Prices in £, $ and € are guaranteed Pay for your rental in € (EURO), £ (UK) or $ (US)* Prices are set and guaranteed upon booking No booking or credit card fees No surcharges for currency fluctuations Exchange rates updated regularly *Your choice of currency cannot be changed after the deposit has been paid. Live availability & exclusivity All villas listed are exclusive to TN&M Live availability calendar for every villa Experienced sales staff who know the villas personally We are very, very good at helping our guests choose a property to match their criteria, and we are happy to discuss any aspect of the trip, be it detailed information about the villas and their locations or general tips about travel in Italy. Price lists Booking Conditions What's included and not included in your rental charge Your rental might include some Staff & Services. Our free Concierge can help add-on any extras you require: Included Weekly rent.Services included (1).Credit card service charges.Hot and cold tap water.Garden and swimming pool maintenance.VATTN&M Concierge Service24/7 Emergency Service Not included Telephone (outgoing phone calls).Flights and car rental.Travel insurance.Transfers to/from airports.Extra services available on request.Use of swimming pool out of season.Tourist tax. Bed linen(2)Bath towels(2)Swimming towels(2) Facilities and utilities {{ service.name }}: (1) Please note that, when included in the price, maid service does not include laundry service. If you require any laundry services please advise us prior to your arrival at the villa, payable locally in Euros. Verified reviews by FEEFO A live feed of reviews collected independently from our clients by Feefo service comment Friendly and efficient service in every detail. From the first moment I contacted Tuscany now & more and was referred to Sean, my experience was nothing but superb. He answered every request, including those that required some research, with alacrity and completeness. His recitation of his own personal visit to the Villa was also very reassuring. By the time we arrived at the Villa we knew exactly what to expect, something that eliminated unpleasant surprises. There was never a moment when we felt we had been mislead. 25-Sep-2018 product comment The Villa is in an incredible location. The owners have invested significantly in making it a comfortable and welcoming venue for our party of 13 people and were available at all times to answer questions and to supply all that we needed, both in advice and in service. We could not of dreamed of a better vacation location and facility. 25-Sep-2018 Mr William L Gross Israel Read more Reviews These are collected from the feedback forms we send to all our clients. A great Base for a a UK and Australian family reunion! We particularly enjoyed the pizza oven and badminton. Don't miss the steak Florentine at La Vecchie Cantine - which also has a great wine and dessert. Volterra and San Gimignano are great day trips, although get there early for parking. La Bottega does an amazing Tuscan cheese, salami board and wine. there's beautiful chef wine to be found everywhere. Get Fabio in for a couple of evenings, his cooking will leave you feeling more than satisfied! Thanks for having us all 14-Sep-2019 Ms Kerry Glover United Kingdom Thank you for a fabulous week! Arrived in a big storm and torrential rain but Giulia and her team were super helpful in everything! After the exciting start, a beautiful sunny week in an amazing villa! Highlights were a pizza evening organised by Giulia and a delicious meal at the Locanda in Chianni. Trips to the leaning tower and Lucca also were great fun! 27-Jul-2019 Mr David Clymo United Kingdom Beautiful villa. The kids spent lots of time in the pool!This was out first time in this part of Tuscany and it won't be the last. Giulia was so helpful during one week here. the dinners organised by Tuscany Now were amazing. A Presto! 13-Jul-2019 Mrs Claire Sturgess Canada Our holiday in Tuscany is now over and we had a fantastic time. We would all like to thank you for your help and advice beforehand and for the good communication at all times. Villa Aromatica Rossa was superb and we all absolutely loved it. We really enjoyed the beautiful Tuscan countryside and in particular the peace and tranquility of the house and garden. Some of our friends who had never been to Italy before have been totally converted!! Hopefully we will be able to come back again sometime soon. We will definitely contact you and Tuscany Now and More when we decide on another trip. 08-Jun-2019 Mr Robert Stewart United Kingdom Thank you for a lovely stay in your beautiful villa. We will remember your great hospitality, the side trips, the food arrangements and the "Jack Daniels"! Bill and Susan R ---- We had an amazing stay! Thank you for making this home available to us. The room, dining area, kitchen, pool etc... A really lovely week in Tuscany! The villa offered a wonderful home perfect for our daily adventures. Lovely the hillsides of Tuscany. The pool and outdoor spaces were wonderful places to relax when we were between adventures. Carla, Barry S. and Karen L. June 2018 09-Jun-2018 Mrs Shelly Steinhaus United States Read more Services {{ category.cat1 }} {{ service.name }} Services available on demand These services are organized by our concierge team not by the owner/manager. N.B.: Please note that prices and availability for the following services are subject to change and should be paid locally and directly to the supplier of the single service required. . {{ extra.title }} Maid service available & organised by TN&M concierge service. Cook service available & organised by TN&M concierge service. Shopping list service available & organised by TN&M concierge service. Other services available & organised by TN&M concierge services. Sample menus can be obtained by contacting Concierge Services They do request that you pre arrange your meals prior to your arrival by contacting Concierge Services and advise us accordingly. Remember that if any members have any allergies or food intolerances, you must advise us and of course if you have any personal preferences. Free Brochure 2020 New and free 160 page brochure with stunning photographs of our specially selected properties and some of our fantastic experiences. Request our free brochure Can we help? Call us on +44 207 684 8884 or Send us an email Experiences We promised you "&More"... Our handpicked experiences show you a side of Italy that stays hidden from most visitors. TN&M's expert travel concierges work with Florence-based Taols to create customised tours and activities for two up to twenty guests. From food and wine to foraging, Florence's markets and artisans, or a guided road-trip by Fiat 500, we've got it covered. How about these three below? Play a Round of Golf with a Pro Wherever you are in Tuscany or Umbria, there is a great golf course nearby. On this experience, you will learn from and play a full round (you decide where) with Alessandro Resseguier, a golf professional and certified member of the Italian Gold Federation. Pick from championship links, parkland and mountain courses; recent PGA Tour Italian Open venues; or the 2022 Ryder Cup host course. The Artisans of Florence Embark on a unique journey into the world of Florentine Artistry. Renowned both for its history and unique craftsmanship, Florence creates some of the most exquisite and sought-after jewellery and clothing in Italy. Our tour provides a first-hand experience of the passion and talent of the regions artisans and the traditional methods of craftsmanship passed down over the centuries. Play the 2022 Ryder Cup Course with a Pro When the 2022 Ryder Cup hits TV screens, you can say that you have played there! This special experience takes place at Marco Simone Golf Club, north of Rome. Alongside Alessandro Resseguier, a golf pro and FGAI teacher, you will play 18 holes of this championship course built around an 11th-century castle. Alessandro will share tips on improving your game. View all Need help? Ask our Concierge Service at +44 20 7684 8884 or by e-mail Who in our team has stayed or visited this villa Simon Barbara Sean Valeria Alex


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Fully functional evaluation version.No credit card required
glTF (derivative short form of GL Transmission Format) is a file format for 3D scenes and models using the JSON standard. It is an API-neutral runtime asset delivery format developed by the Khronos Group 3D Formats Working Group. It was initially intended to be an efficient, interoperable format with minimum file size and runtime processing by apps.
Being called 'JPEG of 3D', GLTF is indeed a star of 3D model formats. Standard for many 3D applications and game engines, it is especially prominent as a common publishing format for 3D content tools and as the format of choice for web apps.Read more
Parasolid file format is native for Parasolid geometrical kernel. Today it is widely used in a range of applications, including SolidWorks, SolidEdge, NX, Microstation, Ansys, Abaqus and others. Parasolid has two primary file extensions: .x_t, which is text based, and .x_b – binary-based format. Parasolid is also used to provide precise geometrical definitions of parts in JT files (as XT B-Rep data segments).Read more


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Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma Released On PC
Say, do you like life-or-death decisions, puzzles, room escapes, and murderous scenarios which force you into all of the aforementioned? If so, do have a look at Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma [official site]. The third and final game in the horror trilogy started by Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors has launched on PC – only two days after the Vita and 3DS releases. Publishers Spike Chunsoft have been releasing more games rounds our way lately, such as Danganronpa, but a near-simultaneous launch is a rare treat. Well, as much as any horrific scenario can be a treat.
Nine people wake up trapped in a strange underground facility with weird black bracelets and told six of them must die if they're to get the passwords they need to escape. They're drugged, memory-wiped, and generally mucked around, then put through challenges and murdergames with awful decisions. Happy days! It's split into ninety-minute sections but the memory loss means it's not clear in which order events happen. Oh, and of course there are multiple endings.
Given the setup and the characters' general surprise at all these murdergames, it's hopefully not too much of a problem to come into this without playing the first two games – which aren't yet on PC. Any 3DSfolk or Viteers out there have thoughts on that?
Developers Chime had help from Danganronpa porters Abstraction Games for the PC version, and it offers these options for prettiness (I know y'all go wild for options menus). As for languages, it looks saves are locked to either English or Japanese as their main language once you start, but you can still swap between English and Japanese voices on the fly.
Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma is £29.99/36,99€/$39.99 for Windows on Steam. Spike Chunsoft had planned to offer pre-order bonuses of a mini soundtrack and a virtual booklet of illustrations and design commentary but, er, it seems they didnt enable pre-ordering. So instead, they've made both of those free to folks who buy the game by July 8th.
Spike Chunsoft's roguelikelike Mystery Chronicle: One Way Heroics will be their next PC release, coming to Steam this summer.


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The education arm of the Mississippi National Baptist State Convention (MNBSC) presented Jackson State University with a $15,000 check during its 5th Annual Session earlier this month to assist students with financial aid.
Dr. Kenneth Hollins, education board chair of the MNBSC, presented the gift during the annual event at the Greater Antioch Baptist Church in Pascagoula. He said, "We are a young convention, but our state president believes we should help students who fall in a gap situation when money runs out during their post-secondary educational studies."
The donation, which recognizes the partnership between the university and the faith-based community, earns the state convention a JSU "Circle of 1,000" honor in the category of "Seeds of Promise" ($10,000 or more). Also, donors can earn distinction in the categories of "Seeds of Faith" ($1,000) and "Seeds of Hope" ($5,000).
Hollins, pastor of New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Biloxi, said the MNBSC also has provided thousands of dollars in support to other HBCUs throughout Mississippi. "We have a historical account of how HBCUs have helped our communities. There was a time when (African-Americans) could attend only an HBCU. We are aware that when we sow seeds in good soil it brings forth a good harvest."
Sandra Hodge, vice president of Institutional Advancement at JSU, extolled the generosity of churches in helping HBCUs.
"This is an example of faith-based organizations remembering and reminding others of our roots," said Hodge, reflecting that JSU was founded in 1877 as Natchez Seminary.
"We must remember our students and continue asking ourselves how are we challenging minds and changing lives. … Size doesn't always matter, but rather let's be about quality, nurturing and be good at what we do. … In addition to an alliance with churches, JSU has a mission and a responsibility to be partners with the city, public schools and local communities to address urban issues – blight, homelessness, health disparities."
Meanwhile, Hollins said he and two other brothers received their doctorate degrees from JSU, so he's especially endeared to the urban institution. As well, he said he is duty-bound to follow the "wonderful leadership of Dr. Kenneth Davis, the president of Mississippi National Baptist State Convention, for leading the charge to assist our young people in furthering their education."
Dr. Vernon Graves, a member of the education committee and pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Laurel, said a mission of the organization is to help "at-risk students."
He said, "Our concern as pastors and ministers is not just about the soul of man but the whole of man. Part of that means educating man from a spiritual perspective as well as a secular perspective."
Mirroring the convention's theme of "Fulfilling the Great Commission" by spreading the gospel worldwide, Graves said, "The idea of making disciples also has to do with educating individuals who can go out and educate others."
Hollins, too, agrees that every teacher is a disciple.
"It's so important that we teach our children the skills they need to be successful in this world – whether it's English, math, engineering or education. We can really make a difference," he said.
As the state convention continues fulfilling its mission, Graves said he especially wants people to know that "before we can ask anybody to help us as a people we must be willing to help ourselves first." So, he's urging HBCUs to "keep doing an excellent job in educating our young men and women because we have stellar individuals graduating from all of our Historically Black Colleges and Universities."


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Now that we have Thanksgiving out of the way, we are now allowed to start decorating for Christmas (if that's your thing)! You can now put up your lights, hang up your stockings, and put up your freshly cut Christmas tree.
If you're in the market for a freshly cut Christmas tree, you should head over to Costco and pick one up. Typically, Costco puts their fresh fir Christmas trees up on display for sale anywhere between the week of Thanksgiving and the week after Thanksgiving. When I headed over to the Costco Greenville, South Carolina location, they had their live tree out on display right in front of the warehouse.
The prices of the fresh cut Christmas trees will typically differ from region to region. As you can see, Costco Greenville, South Carolina charges $28.99 while Wisconsin stores charge $32.99; I've seen some California stores charge as high as $49.99. The pricing is also going to depend on the species of fresh cut Christmas tree that your warehouse is carrying.
I didn't pick up my Christmas tree at the Costco Greenville location because I was on one of my mega Costco trips. Even though I wasn't in the market for a tree, I did venture past the Christmas tree display and their outside liquor department, into the building to check out what else the Costco Greenville had going on.
The Costco Greenville location was in full Christmas swing. Upon walking in past their major sales department, you are greeted with a nice aisle of artificial Christmas trees and all types of other Christmas decorations.
Past the Christmas decorations, I passed some towering clothing tables as I made my way towards their fresh departments.
Before getting to the bakery, I was impressed at all of the quantity of produce that this location had. Besides all of the produce, they also had a basketball net high in the sky that you could practice your free throw on.
When I made it to the Bakery, the first thing that I noticed was they had their peppermint bark and their fruit cake right up front and they had plenty available. The rest of their department was well stocked and had plenty of items to choose from. For those wondering, I did decide to pick up a peppermint bark to munch on in the car.
Over in the deli department, they had a margarita pizza. Here in the Midwest, we only have cheese, pepperoni, and meat lovers. I only wish I wasn't 10+ hours from home or I would have loved to picked one up to try.
Another unique thing about the Costco Greenville location was the amount of industrial cooking products they sold. It reminded me of the Costco Salt Lake City location that was part business center park regular warehouse. The Costco Greenville was obviously just a much smaller scale.
My favorite item in the building was the three pack of spray starch for $3.99. I honestly have no idea what you would even use spray starch for, but it's the first time I've ever seen it sold at Costco.
The rest of the warehouse looked in tiptop shape for what I'd imagine was going to be a busy day.
After paying for the peppermint bark and heading out past the tire shop, I noticed one more thing that was a surprise. This is one of the few Costco locations that does propane tank refills. The last Costco location that I visited that had the propane refill service was the Costco Louisville location.
Overall, the Costco Greenville, South Carolina location was full of unique items, and I was glad to be able to check my first South Carolina location off of my list to visit every Costco in the world.
What are some unique items or services that your Costco location offers? Let me know in the comments below.


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Plastic Surgery Frequently Asked Questions
Depending on the procedure recommended, state-of-the-art computerized imaging can facilitate communication and give you an idea of what to expect during your consultation with Dr. Mandal.
Q: The corners of my mouth have begun to turn downwards. People say I look sad even though I am a happy person. I do not want surgery. Are there any effective non-surgical options?
A: Droopy mouth corners are often treated without surgery in my practice whereas sagging jowls more likely require surgery. While the use of filler injections to lift sagging mouth corners is a common treatment choice, the effectiveness of Botox or Dysport in raising the mouth corners is often overlooked. Whereas fillers such as Radiesse, Restylane and Juvederm can be injected to fill and raise the mouth corners, Botox is injected into the depressor muscles responsible for causing a downward pull on the mouth corners. Botox can weaken the depressor muscle action, such that the remaining elevator muscles take over, resulting in a lifting of the mouth corner. In mild cases, fillers or Botox alone are effective. In patients with moderate to severe sagging of the mouth corners, a combination treatment with Botox and fillers can give enhanced results.
The choice of filler used depends on the degree of mouth corner sagging. A slight downturning of the mouth corners can be treated with Botox or Restylane alone. When a droopy mouth corner is accompanied by a groove that extends inferiorly from the mouth corner, giving the appearance of " puppet lines", a deeper filler such as Radiesse can be more effective when used in combination with superficial fillers such as Restylane to fill in both the deep and superficial mouth corner lines.
A cookie cutter approach to correction of a droopy mouth corner can give unsatisfactory results. Because everyone ages differently, your Facial Plastic Surgeon should offer the full array of injectable options based on the degree of aging in the region of the mouth corner. A thorough consultation is the first step to selecting the proper treatment approach.


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My son came down with Croup two weeks ago. Honestly, it has to be one of the most terrifying experiences I've ever had. Croup usually strikes in the middle of the night, as the infected child wakes up with a horrible barking cough. For Walter, it started around 1 in the morning. I could hear him taking short, shallow breaths then, he sprung up and let out a series of loud seal like barks. My first thought was " OH MY GOD, HE'S CHOKING!" I snatched him up, jumped out of bed, and immediately started smacking him on the back. A few seconds later (once I was more awake) I realized he wasn't choking. Honestly, it still hadn't dawned on me that it was croup. His cough sounded so bad that we feared he might have whooping cough!
Like I mentioned before croup usually starts in the middle of the night, so it wasn't like we could take Walter to the doctor right away. At first, we debated taking him to the ER, but we decided that was unnecessary. So that night, we did the only thing I could think of, which was to take him into a hot steamy bathroom. We turned to shower onto the hottest we could get it, and allowed the room to fill with steam. The moist hot air soothed his cough, and we were able to get a few hours of sleep. The next morning, we took him straight to his pediatrician just to be on the safe side. We were able to confirm his diagnosis and start a treatment plan.
Before I jump into our treatment plan, I want to explain what croup is. Croup is a very common airway infection. It blocks breathing and causes a very distinctive barking cough. Croup (laryngotracheobronchitis) is caused by a virus, so antibiotics can't be prescribed to treat it. The virus usually last between 3 to 7 days, and often symptoms worsen at night. Ya know, because getting a toddler to sleep isn't hard enough already.
I do want to add, that I'm not a doctor. These steps are just the ones I took to treat my son. If your child is ill, always seek medical treatment from a physician.
The first thing we did to treat Walter's cough was creating a warm moist environment for him. We turned the show onto the hottest water we could get, put a towel under the door, and allowed the steam to fill up the bathroom. We sat in the steamy bathroom for around 15 minutes, then admittedly went out into our cool bedroom. Going from a warm environment to a cool one usually helps with croup. If you don't keep your house as cold as we do, you can always step outside for a few minutes. The sudden change in temperature can help soothe a cough.
The next thing we utilized was a nebulizer with saline. The nebulizer really helped keep his airways moist. I'm sure anyone who's familiar with a neb machine you know that it's normally used with a bronchodilator. Since Croup is an infection in the airway, and of the voice box, a bronchodilator doesn't help with croup. For the first 4 days or so we did nebulizer treatments every 4 hours. After the first 4 days, we only did nebulizer treatments when it really seemed like he needed it.
The next step we took was putting a cool mist humidifier in our bedroom. Again, keeping the air moist is key when it comes to treating croup. Along with the humidifier, we ran an essential oil diffuser with lemon essential oil during the day. If you're interested in learning more about essential oils, you can check out the blog post I wrote right here. If you'd like to know the exact humidifier, and diffuser we used you can find a link to them here, and here. They were both purchased on Amazon, and they're pretty reasonably priced. It's been about two weeks, and Walter is feeling much better but we're still using our humidifier every night. It was a good sent while Walter was dealing with croup, but it also has a ton of other benefits. Cool mist humidifiers help keep your skin from getting dry in the winter months, as well as preventing nosebleeds, and sore throat.
Next, we did everything possible to help boost Walters immune system. I'm still nursing so he was able to get the benefits from my breast milk. We also introduced more supplements, and homeopathics into his daily routine. The first thing we introduced was colloidal silver. This stuff is amazing! It's a powerful antiviral and can be used for a multitude of things. We added ten drops of colloidal silver to Walter's nebulizer treatments, and also placed it into his EO diffuser. You can find the exact brand we use here
We also added a dose of elderberry syrup into his routine. Elderberries are a great immune booster, and where exactly what he needed to help him fight croup. It was pretty easy to get him to take because it's really sweet. If you have older kids who put up more of a fight, you can try making elderberry gummy bears by mixing agar agar powder (or gelatin if you're not vegan), and elderberry syrup. You can find the exact brand I use here. If you're giving elderberry syrup to your kids, be mindful of the brand you use, some of them contain alcohol.
The last thing we used to support Walter through croup where the Hylands tiny cold tablets. If you know me at all you know I swear by these things! The work within hours and they really helped with Walter's cough. You can find them at most drug stores, or here online. Like I said, I swear by these things. We also use them whenever Walter gets a runny nose or a cough from teething.
I'd love to hear what your must-haves are for a sick baby. Leave a comment here, or on my Instagram. I'll be hosting a giveaway when I reach 1,500 follows on IG, so make sure you stop by @theholisticbee on Instagram to show me some love.
All products mentioned were purchased by me. All opinion are my own. This post does NOT contain a paid Ad


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Peer-Reviewed Publications
Found 609 resultsTitle
The premature graduation of children from child restraints to vehicle seat belts. United States Government Printing Office: Traffic Tech; 2001.
Protecting the child's abdomen: a retractable bicycle handlebar." Accid Anal Prev. 2001;33(6):753-7."
Rear seating and risk of injury to child occupants by vehicle type." Annu Proc Assoc Adv Automot Med. 2001;45:51-60."
Seat belt syndrome in children: a case report and review of the literature." Pediatr Emerg Care. 2001;17(6):474-7."
Trends in booster seat use among young children in crashes." Pediatrics. 2001;108(6):E109."
Validation of the ICD/AIS MAP for pediatric use." Inj. Prev.. 2001;7(2):96-9."
Actions without consequences: injury-related messages in children's programs." Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000;154(4):366-9."
Assessing child restraint misuse by parental survey." Inj. Prev.. 2000;6(2):145-7."
Computer crash simulations in the development of child occupant safety policies." Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000;154(3):276-80."
The danger of premature graduation to seat belts for young children." Pediatrics. 2000;105(6):1179-83."
Discovery of predictive models in an injury surveillance database: an application of data mining in clinical research." Proc AMIA Symp. 2000:359-63."
Factors influencing pediatric injury in side impact collisions." Annu Proc Assoc Adv Automot Med. 2000;44:407-28."
The learning classifier system: an evolutionary computation approach to knowledge discovery in epidemiologic surveillance." Artif Intell Med. 2000;19(1):53-74."
Misuse of Booster Seats." Injury Prevention. 2000;6(4):281-4."
Violence prevention in the emergency department: clinician attitudes and limitations." Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000;154(5):495-8."
When "buckle up" is not enough: enhancing the safety of children in motor vehicles." LDI Issue Brief. 2000;5(9):1-4."
Who can give a pediatric trauma history for children injured in bicycle crashes?" Annu Proc Assoc Adv Automot Med. 2000;44:459-69."
Buckle up! Is not enough: enhancing protection of the restrained child." JAMA. 1999;281(22):2070-2."
The carnage wrought by major economic change: ecological study of traffic related mortality and the reunification of Germany." BMJ. 1999;318(7199):1647-50."
Determinants of Injury Severity With Child Exposure to Passenger Air Bag Deployment. Barcelona, Spain: Professional Engineering Publications Ltd.; 1999.
Determinants of Injury Severity with Child Exposure to Passenger Air Bag Deployment.. Professional Engineering Publishing Limited; 1999.
Development and validation of the injury severity assessment survey/parent report: a new injury severity assessment survey." Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1999;153(4):404-8."
Interpersonal violence." Curr. Opin. Pediatr.. 1999;11(6):588-93."
Looking beyond the physical injury: posttraumatic stress disorder in children and parents after pediatric traffic injury." Pediatrics. 1999;104(6):1293-9."
Patterns of Inappropriate Restraint for Children in Crashes. Barcelona, Spain: Professional Engineering Publications Ltd.; 1999.


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Elizabeth H. Fung, PhD, LCSW, was a senior social worker for 34 years at Lurie Children's Hospital (formerly known as Children's Memorial Hospital Hemophilia) Bleeding Disorders clinic in Chicago until 2012. Elizabeth was an adjunct faculty member at Loyola School of Social Work. Since retiring from the hospital, she has maintained a part-time private practice focusing on stress management. Elizabeth is a past recipient of the National Hemophilia Foundation's Social Worker of the Year award and the "Walking in our shoes" award from the Bleeding Disorders Alliance Illinois.
Diversity Outreach
The National Hemophilia Foundation maintains a long-term commitment to diversity. NHF integrates diversity initiatives into all aspects of its work.
Over ten years ago, NHF established the Cultural Diverse Working Group. The working group is committed to reaching culturally diverse population groups across the U.S. Cultural Diverse Working Group members are available to provide support and counsel in implementing effective outreach programs in your local area. Read more about diversity and MCTF Cultural Diverse Working Group Biographies.
Elizabeth Fung
Family Support Svces Box 130
PhD, LCSW
Sharon Ingram
Sharon Ingram is a Board Certified Human Services Practitioner. She has a BS in Human Services with a concentration in Mental Health Counseling. Sharon currently works as a substitute teacher while pursuing her master's degree in Health & Wellness. Sharon has been involved with advocacy and outreach in the bleeding disorders community for more than 14 years along with her husband, Warren, who has severe hemophilia A. Sharon and Warren live in Charlotte, North Carolina, with their two daughters, Emma and Jasmine.
Gregory McClure
Social Worker
Greg McClure, MA, MS, LSW, is an ordained minister who has two adult sons who have severe hemophilia A. He is a pediatric and adult medical social worker for the Rush University Medical Center Hemophilia and Thrombophilia Treatment Center in Chicago, Illinois. Greg holds an MA in Social Work from the University of Chicago and an MS in Public Services from DePaul University. He is an advisory board member for the Hemophilia Federation of America and serves on the advisory council of the National Center for Cultural Competence at Georgetown University.
Connie Montgomery
Connie was educated at Francis Marion University and the Medical University of South Carolina. She is married and has two children. Connie is very active in her local community of Pawleys Island, SC. She is a retired business owner and occupational therapist. She also serves on NHF's Steps for Living Taskforce . Her family is directly impacted by bleeding disorders. Connie has served on countless boards and she has participated in many organizations, namely MUSC's Family Advisory Committee and several review boards for grants and scholarships, nationally and internationally. She and her son are factor VII deficient.
Casey Nakatani
Casey is the father of three children, one of whom has severe hemophilia A. He continues to be an active member of the Bleeding Disorders Foundation of Washington (state), and has volunteered at numerous summer camps as a counselor and staff member.
Marisela Trujillo
Administrative Director
Marisela is the Administrative Director for the Gulf States Hemophilia and Thrombophilia Center in Houston. She has her Master's in Social Work from the University of Houston and has been employed at the HTC for more than 15 years. She works closely with her local chapter and provides educational presentations to the community regarding bleeding disorders. Marisela has also served on many national boards within the community


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It wasn't just Jesus that came for dinner that night. It was Jesus + perhaps 12 or 72 or more. And they weren't exactly expected. There were no cell phones, no text messages and nothing to give advance notice. Just a strong, very strong social value that when guests come, you meet their every need and more.
Of course everybody had servants but they were the number of servants necessary for a small farming operation and household. The number of disciples with Jesus was significantly larger. There was a lot of work to be done – kill the cow perhaps for dinner (was not a quick process), do the shopping, prepare the dishes and more. It was a lot of responsibility on very short notice.
And then there was that sister.
When the crowds came, she did not spring in to action to help. Everyone else was running around like haywire and working hard with all the preparations that had to be done. It was important not only socially as hospitality was a high value, but everyone needed to eat!
And there she sat. On the floor. Just talking.
Martha would have loved to be with Jesus just listening. But being the responsible one she plowed forward, fuming at her sister. To say the dishes clanked loudly would be an understatement. And when her anger reached its boiling point it spilled over onto Jesus. Did he not see her? Did he not value her hard work? Did he not care that she was frazzled because her sister was so irresponsible? How many times had she had to take up the slack. Mary was impossible. And she, Martha, so very exhausted. Anger has a breaking point. Martha broke.
"Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
A simple, "Mary, would you help your sister for a few minutes and we can talk after dinner" would have sufficed. A simple acknowledgement and appreciation for Martha's hard work would have soothed some wounds. But no.
Jesus saw it differently.
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Worship. Few things are needed but only one is necessary.
Few things are needed in this day, today. But only one is necessary.
Only one is necessary!


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A fairy tale believer since the beginning of her time, Isabelle Hauser discovered the path of storytelling training with professional storyteller Liz Weir in Northernt Ireland. When Isabelle is not telling tales accompanied by her harp on various Swiss stages, you can find her talking to the swans on the shore of her hometown lake, looking for four leaf clover, or chasing rainbows in the surrounding forests.
True Thomas the Storyteller (aka Robert Seutter) has been storytelling for many years. True is an avid proponent of storytelling. He teaches the art, creates events, and has performed in a wide variety of places from campfires to battlefields. His personal storytelling philosophy is that a good storyteller should be able to tell to anyone, anywhere it's physically possible. Anyone can and should tell stories, and to become a master of the craft can take a lifetime. He's also a big believer in the spiritual side of storytelling. He believes in the power of stories and that the right story, in the right time and place can change the world.


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Babylonian Twins
What do you need help on? Cancel X
40% OFF!#1 Adventure game in 40 countries including China, Germany, France, Netherlands, Japan, Italy, Spain, Ireland, New Zealand, Egypt, Hong Kong and Singapore. More than 1 million downloads! APPLE: "Great Platformers" TOUCHARCADE: Platformer of the Year - 4.5/5GAMEPRO: Top 25 iPad Games - 4.5/5POCKETGAMER: Silver Award - 8/10APPOLICIOUS/YAHOO GAMES: Best Family Fun Game for 2010 along with Angry Birds (iPad)Guide the twin princes for Babylon to defeat the evil magic of the great sorcerer and restore peace to the city. Solve challenging puzzles and find hidden historic treasures in a beautifully reconstructed ancient Iraq. A fascinating development story that started on the Commodore Amiga in Baghdad in 1993: http://www.babyloniantwins.com/backgroundAs featured on AOL News, Kotaku, GamePro, Eurogamer, Wired.com, Arstechnica, The Independent, The Vancouver Sun and in the Book: "Buttonless: Incredible iPhone and iPad Games and the Stories Behind Them"----------------------------USER REVIEWS- "Thank you for giving your players credit, this game is from an era when game designers did't care if you could beat their game" - US AppStore- "Thank you for giving your players credit, this game is from an era when game designers did't care if you could beat their game" - US AppStore- "Appreciate the effort that went into drawing an authentic Babylon city, down to the blue bricks of the Ishtar Gate"- "All 3 of my teenage daughters fight to have possession of my iphone just because of this game! luckily can say no- Mom is playing it. Challenging, yet fun" ----------------------------PROFESSIONAL CRITICS"A challenging, explorative platformer that respects its players and refuses to hold you by the hand" - TOUCHARCADE"Fantastic head-scratching puzzles"-GAMEPRO"Charming and demanding in equal measure, reminds us what was so good about 16-bit gaming""- POCKETGAMER"A proud member of Mensa" - 148APPS.COM"Top marks level design, superb challenges that provide a true test of your platforming mettle"- EUROGAMER "A gorgeous, charming platformer with one of the most interesting backstories"- C-NET----------------------------THE GAMETake control of the twin princes of Babylon in their quest to restore peace in the city. Enjoy days and weeks of exploration and mind-twisting puzzles in ancient Iraq? Guide two characters to solve puzzles in unique co-operative tag-team control ?Over a Dozen Huge Levels across Five Worlds including: - Tower of Babel - The Assyrian Place - The Procession Street - The Hanging Gardens of Babylon)?Super Crisp Retina Graphics ?An Album Worth of Original Authentic Iraqi Music ?A Detailed Reconstruction of Ancient Mesopotamia derived from Authentic History texts?Super Smooth Scrolling at 60fps ?Game Center & OpenFeint Leaderboards & Achievements?Secret Treasures and Bonus Levels ---------------------------- Follow us on Twitter @cosmosapps & Facebook: http://facebook.com/babyloniantwins for tips, support and special offers. Produced by Cosmos Interactive Inc. with the financial participation of Telefilm Canada.www.babyloniantwins.com
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Alejandro Mosso – mosso007
Argentinian producer Alejandro Mosso is pursuing his own blend of dance music, one where acoustic and electronic elements coexist in a very well achieved balance.
Engaging for the ears as well as for the feet, Mosso 07, his latest release on his very own Mosso Music label, contains two tracks that, while sharing this electronic-acoustic balance, are also very different in mood.
The A side, 'Kander' has a livelier, sunnier feeling, with a shuffling beat alongside tribal percussion and bright synths in the background. It keeps a steady rhythm as the playful lead synth kicks in, helping to drive the tune forward.
On the flip side,'Tikjda' things get quirkier and quieter, though Mosso´s sense of rhythm is also very much present. Rolling percussion plays alongside the muted house beats that make the foundation for the oscillating pads and kinky effects that float atop, working remarkably well all together and creating a heady, hypnotic track.
Mosso 07 is the latest on Mosso Music´s series of records, where Alejandro looks to achieve an evolution of his sound, expanding it towards a wider musical spectrum while also keeping it dance floor friendly.


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Conor McTernan hears how trance, that most maligned of dance music genres, is the creative fuel behind Warp Records' latest signing.
Senni has been cultivating a specific sound for almost a decade. His primary reference point has been late-'90s and early-'00s Euro trance, while navigating through a trance continuum of sorts. With 2012's Quantum Jelly, released by Editions Mego, his outlandish take on the genre divided opinions. These ideas then evolved on 2014's Superimpositions on Boomkat Editions. Persona, in turn, is another bold leap forwards. Senni's sound palette is still rooted in turn-of-the-century trance euphoria, but here he paints in vivid day-glo colour like never before.
The opening track, "Win In The Flat World," begins like the theme to a lost Japanese platform game. Supersaw chords from his beloved Roland JP-8000 synthesiser (he owns four of them) then come crashing down atop a playful melody. An expansion of his hardware arsenal and the introduction of multi-tracking has amplified his productions to anthemic proportions. There are parallels between Persona and the work of his new label-mates Hudson Mohawke and Rustie—or "the new Warp classics" as Senni calls them. He's mentioned Rustie's Glass Swords as a major influence in his own sonic evolution.
"I always liked the word persona because it's one of the Italian words that is carried over into English," Senni says. "In Italian we use it to describe a generic human being."
Senni seems fixated with certain words, and has devised a kind of vocabulary to help explain his music. On his social media you'll see posts tagged with phrases like "clean trance," "pointillistic trance" and "circumscribed euphoria." These now all sit under the umbrella of "rave voyeurism," the concept that Persona centres on. Senni's main objective is to invite the listener into his world to see how he views electronic music and rave culture from afar.
The record is also inspired by his formative years playing guitar in bands in Rimini, his hometown. Though it may not be easily identifiable, the chords of his music are similar to those found in punk. The text colours on the Persona artwork—black, yellow and red—are a tribute to the Japanese editions ran by Revelation Records, a longstanding punk label based in California.
"I find myself doing things, making music, and then realising that the music was also reflective of my character," says Senni. "It was a surprise to me that after 15 years, I realised that what I was doing was a reflection of how I was going to clubs ten years before."
Senni's idea of the "rave voyeur" is also linked to his sobriety. "There are two main reasons why I haven't tried drugs or alcohol," he says. During the week at school, Senni hung out with friends he describes as "straight-edged." This group were making a lifestyle choice and a statement. Meanwhile, another group of friends in Rimini were gabber ravers, who partied hard at the weekend. "Because they knew I wasn't into it, they didn't offer me anything at the weekend."
They would attend colossal trance clubs like the pyramid-shaped Cocoricò in Rimini. Senni was the only one in the group who didn't indulge in drinks or drugs, giving him a different perspective on nightlife. "I think if you try these things when you are 14, or 18, you realise that there's nothing that bad, or that it's something that you could do sometimes, and then you keep doing it," he explains. "But now I don't need to, I've found my balance."
In any case, Senni is usually the most energetic person in the room. "There is never a dull moment," says Oscar Powell, his close friend and collaborator (they work together as Hot Shotz). "He lights up a room whenever he walks in, and that energy is communicated through his music, too. In fact, he is his music—like most brilliant artists."
The majority of Senni's music is created without drums. "In my music, what sounds like a kick drum is usually the lower part of an arpeggio," he says. "Regarding trance, when a drumbeat drives a track, the song itself isn't really free to go somewhere else. That's one of the key elements that defines the genre."
"It comes back to the JP-8000," he says, referring to the Roland synthesiser that's a cornerstone of classic trance production. He namechecks acts like Rank 1, Cosmic Gate and Tiësto—"huge melodies described by a very rich synthetic sound. It's commercial but with an organic touch. If you go back, there's a way they dealt with filters that's attached to the emotions they wanted to pursue. The filters open an explosion of euphoria like a gate."
Senni's handling of sound stems from his university days in Bologna. "My studies were theoretical," he says. "I wasn't studying notes or how to play piano, I did this myself, but my studies were about musicology, so basically analysing Bach and Mozart to see why they would put one chord after another." This methodology influenced the way he viewed music generally; Senni wasn't interested in trance as a whole, but in particular parts. He began cutting out the build-ups from tracks and looping them.
"I was looking for less drama, or to contain the drama, hence the terms 'flat trance' and 'circumscribed euphoria,'" he says. He started by producing short notes on the JP-8000. "I just start working with the ADSR envelope parameters all set to zero, then slowly open them to reach the shortest note that could satisfy me for timbre and texture."
Senni's DJ sets are usually an hour of build-ups snipped from trance anthems.
He's been collecting them meticulously (he now has over 500) for the past five or so years. To create his desired effect, he chops each build just before the drop. It's a confounding experience—the ultimate tease—as Senni jumps from one build to the next every 30 seconds.
Eight years ago, Senni relocated to Milan to be closer to Italy's art scene. Living with other artists in a warehouse, it was natural for him to attend exhibition openings and private views. He collaborated with artists, and wound up presenting projects in galleries and museums around the city. "Even if Italy is fucked up there is still quite a big group of people who like to spend money on art or support young artists, and Milan is one of the few cities in Italy where you can meet these lovely patrons at illegal parties or in dirty basements."
It was in this cross-disciplinary spirit that Senni reached out to Ed Atkins, a London-based visual artist and poet who Hans-Ulrich Obrist, curator of the Serpentine Galleries, has called "one of the great artists of our time," to ask if he could use a still from an Atkins video for Persona's cover. Atkins' work felt reflective of the voyeuristic concept Senni was going for.
"I came up with the idea while thinking what image could express 'rave voyeurism,' and remembered a video Ed Atkins made titled Ribbons. I went back to it and I saw an image of a guy looking through a hole, his nose is touching the surface, and the guy, a bald android with a human face, is very interested in something. I felt that his work would reflect my concept pretty well." Atkins, a keen sound designer himself, was aware of Senni's music, and he agreed to collaborate.
Keen to explore the Tate before it closes, we take the elevator downstairs and pass through the vast Turbine Hall. We pause to take in the construction of an installation in the main space, before heading to the South Tanks, the space beneath the Switch House building, which recently opened to the public. Senni hints at an exhibition he's been commissioned to take part in next year that should cover similar ground to AAT (Advanced Abstract Trance), his multi-channel installation of breakdowns, falling basses and build-ups that draws from hard trance sounds, and also uses strobes and CO2 cannons.
"CO2 cannons make such a beautiful sound, the whoosh is like acoustic white noise," Senni says. "It's especially beautiful when the gas finishes, and the change of pressure inside creates a different kind of build-up. It's a super strong signal. People who don't really listen to the music will see the CO2 fire and go crazy because they know it's the right time. It's a signal that we are all used to, responding to the build-up like, 'It's gonna come, it's gonna come!'"
Senni relishes having full control over the creative process, something that's evident in Presto!?, the label he runs with Ruggero Pietromarchi that's almost 30 records deep. "Having a label means you reveal your secrets and share your feelings with the outside world, and it's always interesting to see the reactions to what you put out," he says. The range of artists on Presto! is like a diary that reflects his developing taste over time, spanning the experimental computer musician Florian Hecker, the electro artist DJ Stingray and the London dancehall producer Palmistry.
"When people ask me about Presto!? I always say that it is cultural cannibalism," Senni says. "It may sound a bit brutal, but when I like something so much I have this feeling that I want to be like them, so the only way to feel closer to one of these inspiring artists is to do something together, collaborate on something." The label has just released a second DJ Stingray EP, and the release schedule for 2017 includes a new Triad God album and a four-CD retrospective celebrating the work of Toshiya Tsunoda, a Japanese sound artist renowned as a master of field recording.
The Persona release party took place in the backroom of LN-CC in London last Thursday evening. The 100-capacity events space was packed, and felt more like a birthday party than a release launch, with four other Italian artists on the bill and around ten of Senni's friends in town from Milan. During his performance there was crowd surfing, football chanting and even a mosh pit at one point. There were broad smiles across the room. Senni's music may be highly conceptual and experimental, but it still manages to evoke classic rave sensations.


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Launching Genetic Counselling and Speech Pathology
New masters programs in Genetic Counselling & Speech Pathology.
Dr Catherine Gregory: When people think of speech pathologists, they often think of us working with children in helping children speak. But speech pathologist's can help people in a lot of different ways.
Dr Lucy Bryant: A speech pathologist accesses, diagnoses, treats and managers a range of communication and swallowing disorders. So things like speech, language, literacy, fluency, voice and social communication.
Helen Blake: And because we also learn about all the anatomy and physiology you need to speak, we know about any difficulties you might have with swallowing and feeding, so we can help with that too.
Dr Amy Freeman: It's such a diverse profession. We work right through the age spectrum. So from infancy right to old age.
Associate Professor Emma Power: Speech pathologists work with individuals, but we also want to change systems. So, can we make systems accessible for people with communication and swallowing disorders.
Professor Bronwyn Hemsley: Here at UTS in Speech Pathology, we're looking to prepare practice-ready graduates so they're ready to go out and perhaps work in a private practice or eventually run their own private practice.
Dr Lucy Bryant: We have specialized learning classrooms that offer our students the chance to work in small groups to apply the skills that they learn, rather than just being lectured and obtaining loads of knowledge, so that students can actually apply their skills in the types of settings that they would see in clinic rooms.
Professor Bronwyn Hemsley: The other thing we're doing is helping them to work with other professionals, inter professional practice. The job prospects for our graduates are extremely good and growing.
Dr Amy Freeman: Speech pathologists work in hospitals, health care settings, community health, schools, mental health, private practice. It's just so broad, it's a really diverse range of settings.
Professor Bronwyn Hemsley: And we're really focused on the future of Speech Pathology, so areas such as virtual reality, augmented reality, gaming technologies, the smart home devices and 3D printing of food are all areas that Speech Pathology might be going into.
Harmony Turnbull: I chose to be a speech pathologist because I really like the mix of science together with really connecting with people and making a different in people's lives. Dr Lucy Bryant: I chose to be a speech pathologist because I believe that every human needs to have the ability to communicate.
Dr Amy Freeman: I knew I wanted to work with people and I loved science and I loved teaching.
Associate Professor Emma Power: I really loved communication. I love science. I like connecting the two because we're in a profession that involves interpersonal skills where we have to deliver the science through the medium of communication.
Helen Blake: I also love the fact that I'm actually helping people to be able to participate fully in whatever opportunities they want to have across their life.
- 8 October 2020
- 3 September 2020


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New York Long Island Feng Shui Success Story: Visualization is Key in Feng Shui by Laura Cerrano
Yesterday Feng Shui NY consultant Laura Cerrano received a story of success from her Bay Port New York client's Bill and Michele. A huge part of their achievements were based on Visualization and Feng Shui, along with releasing stuck energy. Many times people look passed the huge importance of Visualizing. Remember, Feng Shui integrates every aspect of life, the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. When you have them in-sync and understand the roots to the issues at hand, life will amaze you :)
Element of wood for being grounded or "rooted" in life: Debi Broucher
Background Story:
For a good part of Bill's life, he's been known to have knee problems. Being aware of this, he always took excellent care of his body but, unfortunately the wear and tare caught up to him and was informed that he needed knee surgery a few months back. To complicate this situation even more, Michele wanted to re-register with the same insurance plan before his surgery, but was misinformed, and signed up for the wrong one accidentally.
This created, what seemed like an impossible situation. Bill needed surgery, but now they didn't have enough money due to the new insurance plan. The chances of Michele being switched back, were slim to none. Mind you, there were many other factors to this story, but...this is the section that is very important to be aware of.
The Element of Earth to help enhance Health: Debi Broucher
Knowing Michele and understanding when she is grounded, her capability of channeling energy is very strong. Laura told Michele and Bill that they needed to work together as a team to open channels of communication for the insurance company and to visualize the healing for his knee. Yes, this sounds far fetched, but, if you believe and can visualize your intentions becoming a reality, while knowing what you need and doing the physical work...the universe will provide.
Crystals to help defuse, open areas of communication, and channel energy more efficiently
Feng Shui Suggestions for Michele and Bill:
Laura Cerrano suggested to Michele that, one, she keep trying to talk with the insurance company, having the mindset you will connect with a "Helpful Person" to start moving in the right direction. Two, visualize meeting this person or speaking with them on the phone, and that they are understanding of your situation. Three, visualize you and the employee discussing switching your insurance plan back to the original.
Laura also informed Michele to enhance their "helpful People" section according to the Ba-gua. She included a plant for growth of helpful people in their life, and bells for vibrating the message out further that they need help.
For Bill's situation, they both needed to visualize and heal together. Ms. Cerrano gave Michele specific crystals that are known for enhancing healing and communication. They picked an area in their home were they both felt very comfortable. The human touch can channel a great source of healing energy, along with pure love and compassion. Laura suggested that Michele massage Bill's knee with the intention and visualization of seeing his knee healed. Bill was erged to do the very same. This act also created a stronger bond between the both of them (love and compassion). Now we have all the ingredients :)
At night, Laura said for Michele to place the crystals by Bill's bedside, knowingly or unknowingly. When we sleep, we are most open to receiving energy, and in this case it was for healing.
courtesy of ww.bigguyblog.runnersworld.com
This whole process stated about a month and a half ago from today. A couple days after their Feng Shui consultation and space clearing, Michele and Bill had a huge leak in their home. This was a very good sign, saying the negative energy that was once stuck has now been released and they were able to proceed forward.
courtesy of www.seven-chakras.com
Results with Visualization and Feng Shui:
This is an exact quote from Michele about her insurance plan situation and the healing of Bill's knee:
"Monday I woke up and was inspired to go visit the health insurance sector that wouldn't let me cancel before. I had called, emailed, threatened them with lawyers and they said no each time Monday it was effortless. I visualized it EXACTLY as it happened and guess what...they switched me back. The lady said I was lucky, she never does that for anyone. I feel so blessed and it was perfect timing too because...Bill is canceling the surgery. He and I both feel in all our heart that he is healing. And that's in part because of the positive emotional strides he's made and the crystals which he didn't even know were under his side of the bed and the couple of massages I gave his knew where I truly visualize his healing.
Thank you Laura. We are continuing to grow the business and Bill registered for a free course to help him with that too. :)"
Feng Shui is amazing! :)
Feng Shui Long Island NY in New York
Feng Shui Long Island Fan Page on Facebook
*Carole Provenzale has been a Certified Feng Shui Consultant since graduating from the Country's very first School for Feng Shui Studies that was licensed and accredited in 1997. Carole provides on site Feng Shui Consultations Long Island NY, Queens New York and New York City -Hamptons NY.
Feng Shui Manhattan in New York City
Feng Shui Manhattan Fan Page on Facebook
Connect with Laura Cerrano on Facebook
New York Feng Shui Manhattan New York City Manhattan NYC Consultant Laura Cerrano is a Second Generation Certified Feng Shui Consultant who has trained with Feng Shui Long Island and Masters from across the Country including Shamans to incorporate Native American beliefs and Space Clearings into her Feng Shui Consulting Firm, Feng Shui Manhattan New York City NY. After co-consulting on site for many years Laura began her own business in 2000 and has a strong client base in New York City, New York, Long Island NY, Queens, Brooklyn, New Jersey and the rest of the New York Tri-State area.
Copyright © 2011 Feng Shui LI and Feng Shui Manhattan, All Rights Reserved
Laura Cerrano is a second-generation Certified New York City Feng Shui Consultant Expert. As a full-time Feng Shui consultant, Laura provides bicoastal consultations and workshops for residential, commercial, real estate developments, Fortune 500 companies and healing faculties. In addition, Laura is a resident teacher at the Metropolitan Institute of Design in Syosset, NY. She has been featured in highly respected publications and TV networks such as Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," PBS, CBC Television, BBC Radio and The New York Times.


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Main Street, the social hub for Miami Lakes and the surrounding community, is comprised of restaurants, retail shops, apartments, offices, Shula's Hotel, 17 screen Cobb Theater, Main Street Playhouse, and civic facilities, including the Town of Miami Lakes' Government Center. Developed by The Graham Companies, Main Street has been recognized in many national publications, including both academic writings and business articles for being in the forefront of mix-use development.
Main Street lies at the heart of the Miami Lakes Community. The social hub for Miami Lakes and the surrounding community, Main Street is comprised of restaurants, retail shops, apartments, offices, Shula's Hotel, movie and live theaters, as well as civic facilities, including the Town of Miami Lakes' Government Center.
With quant brick paved sidewalks, Mediterranean architecture, oak trees and bubbling fountains, visitors are given an urban atmosphere within a suburban community.
Opening in 1983, Main Street was in the forefront of urban design. As part of the master plan of Miami Lakes, The Graham Companies (developers of Miami Lakes) mark the opening of Main Street as a major milestone in the history of Miami Lakes as it was the beginning of the development of Town Center. Lester Collins, who was the land planner for Miami Lakes, designed Miami Lakes so that all roads would lead to Main Street. He stressed that a good design should be like nature with free flowing lines—never falling into a set pattern—and Miami Lakes mimics nature all the way down to the nautilus shell road system that starts at the Palmetto Expressway and winds its way to Town Center and Main Street.
Main Streets mix-use development incorporating specialty retail and entertainment uses; residential and office uses above the street level retail space; an integrated hotel with street front entrance; and the overall design theme have all made the center of the Miami Lakes master planned community a success. Main Street has been recognized in many national publications, including both academic writings and business articles.
Today, Main Street is comprised of over 225,000 square feet which includes 17 screen Cobb Theater as well as the Main Street Playhouse, a professional theater. The stores mix of name brands such as Victoria's Secret to boutiques like Miami Lakes Jewelers, BLACC, Moda by Pasarela, Drop Boutique, and Snow's Jewelers, will let you find that perfect item for yourself or someone special. Visitors can awaken their taste buds through dining at a variety of restaurants on Main Street which include Spanish, Italian, Thai, Japanese, American and Mexican cuisines.
Main Street is a great place for all ages to enjoy a day or evening out – shop, catch a movie or play, dine, or soak in a cultural experience at one of its many weekend events or festivals. An annual event that occurs on Main Street is the Festival of Lights held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The Main Street Festival of Lights is Miami Lakes' best-known holiday tradition and official kick off to the holiday season; it has become a historical, community tradition in South Florida.
Main Street offers the convenience of over 1,600 FREE parking spots within a short walking distance to the entrance of any shop, restaurant or business. For visitors with a more active lifestyle, secure bike racks are located conveniently along the street for use. 24-hour security ensures that Main Street maintains itself as a safe place for families to visit.


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Big Chill Relay Teams are set! You can check them out below. Be sure to bring clothing, props, face paint, etc that will show off your team color and spirit!
Also, if you haven't received the Packing List you can get that by clicking here. You can get the Medical Release form be clicking here. See you on the bus Friday at 3:59pm.


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Underneath each node of the PMBOK Dashboard lies the ITTO
(as you see
in the example below):
When registered with PMWay you have access to each of the 49 ITTO dashboards as seen for process 4.1 below.
If signed up with PMWay (which is optional) you will have access Level 2: This contains all the PMBOK processes, their ITTOs, the flows between processes, the PMBOK ver 6 guide drilldown detail, and ability to create tailoring notes per process / process ITTO's. This will facilitate you running your projects better!
Students wanting to write the PMI exams can use the PMWay Dashboard to help them with preparation. My assistance is also bundled in as well if required. Note: PMWay offers similar dashboards for other disciplines including PRINCE2 and PRINCE2 Agile, DSDM(AgilePM), SCRUM, ITIL, CMII etc., (zeroing into the Standards and Solutions Framework) as well as consulting advice on the best way to implement and use these for success.
NOTE: The PMBOK is often disregarded as "Traditional
Project Management" utilizing the "Waterfall" approach; yet this is
simply not correct!
An excellent 40 minute video on the PMWay home page when you register explains exactly why this notion is totally untrue and misunderstood. In fact, the latest version of the PMBOK embraces Traditional, Agile, Iterative and Adaptive environments. And, while the PMBOK is primarily a Body of Knowledge, it is also a method that can accommodate full project lifecycles or project phases as its "Close Project or Phase" (process #4.7) clearly elucidates!


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3 Hot Drinks to Warm You Up This Winter, After Spending Time Outdoors Filling Your Bird Feeders
In New England, the sun has been setting around 4 PM. Even on sunny days, the temperatures are around 30 degrees Fahrenheit. And at night, the temperatures drop to below freezing. Now is the perfect time to turn toward popular recipes and the comforts of home to warm you up. There's nothing like a hot drink in your hand, as coffee lovers know!
We've gathered a list of three favorite comfort drinks, besides coffee, for your enjoyment this season. Each recipe is rated five-stars, so you know the recipe is worth trying. Whether you make each drink during the day or night, you're in for a treat. Each recipe is handpicked for you.
Find links to the recipes for Hot Apple Cider, Hot Buttered Rum and Hot Toddy, below. Enjoy watching the birds, while you're warm and cozy indoors! The first recipe for cider is great for the whole family, while the other two recipes are for adult enjoyment only. Here are the recipes:
Here's a recipe for the best hot apple cider available. Ready within 15 minutes, this will become your new favorite go-to drink all season long. Serves six.
This hot buttered rum cocktail warms you right up on a crisp New England evening. Indulge in this 5-star cocktail from Emeril Lagasse himself.
Hot Toddies are often suggested to help adults get over off a cold. If you're out of cough syrup and not feeling well, you know what to do. Enjoy sipping your hot drink on this cold winter's night. Take care and feel better soon. Happy Birding!


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« Technology: Teacher Enhancement, NOT Replacement | Main | Great Teachers: Perfectly Imperfect »
Classroom Management First, Technology Second
Graduates of University of Virgina's math teacher education program have had more success teaching with technology after a couple of years on their own than they had when UVa staff was helping them with it. This according to Joe Garofalo, Co-Director of the University of Virginia Center for Technology and Teacher Education, during a session he co-facilitated at the recent International Society for Technology in Education Conference (ISTE) called Preparing Mathematics Teachers to Use Technology.
Dr. Garofolo also speculated that the reason for this is that it takes time for teachers to get a handle on classroom management. And based on my experience, he's right. In fact, I've known many new teachers who've entered the classroom thinking their tech savviness would guarantee teaching success. But within a few weeks they learned the hard way that it's the teacher that makes the technology. And, as much as anything, it's classroom management that makes the teacher.
The message, then, for all teachers but especially newcomers is simple: of course you should use technology to help maximize student engagement and learning. But you must also use classroom management practices that allow students to benefit most from that technology.
So before you spend the summer planning lessons for the fall, develop a classroom management plan needed for those lessons to be effective. And if you're looking for a resource to help you do this, there's a reason Harry and Rosemary Wong's book, The First Days of School, has been so popular for so long: it's practical. The Wongs also provide lots of great--and free--tips and resources in their Effective Teaching column on Teachers.Net.
Of course there are many other resources with classroom management pointers, including this blog. It's also a good idea to reach out to experienced colleagues for suggestions. But regardless how you do it, what matters most is that you set yourself and students up for success when using technology in class. After all, as 2010 Washington Teacher of the Year Jamie Yoos said during a session he co-facilitated at ISTE called Improving Student Results in STEM Subjects, "Simply putting technology into a classroom, hoping that it will engage students is not the answer."
Image by .shock, provided by Dreamstime license
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Glaciers: The Beautiful and Terrifying Power of Nature
Watching BBC Four's, "The Secret Life of Ice" recently bought back memories of my trip to the Nigardsbreen Glacier in Norway.
Nigardsbreen is an arm of the Jostedalsbreen glacier, the largest glacier in continental Europe. I was startled when the presenter Gabrielle Walker climbed into a temporary chamber in the ice to talk about glaciers and meltwater, especially as I had had a lesson in the unpredictability and power of glaciers some years before
Having photographed the Nigardsbreen from the other side of the lake we drove round and walked over the very fast river…
and up to the face of the glacier, near enough to get some good shots, but far enough away to avoid any danger. Many people were walking much closer and having their photos, taken ignoring possible danger.
I started photographing and moving around looking for good combinations of pattern and colour. I decided to switch to my tripod when a loud rumble and crash gave everyone the fright of their lives. In a moment the glacier had moved forward and the front had fallen into water. With only enough time to grab my camera and turn a torrent of water soaked us to the skin like a airborne tsunami. The fierce wind that was blowing constantly dried me in minutes and I was very happy to find my companions were safe too. Looking back at the glacier I realised that the formations of ice that I had captured moments before had now gone.
Fortunately no one was killed at that moment but people have been. The BBC have safety experts and I'm sure Gabrielle Walker was in little danger but my experience was a lesson in the need to take one's safety into account as a photographer and as a sightseer, even when the subject holds such a fascinating blend of power and beauty.


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How to See How Many Posts You Have on Tumblr Per Month
Your Tumblr dashboard provides a fair amount of useful information and statistics about your blog, including the total number of posts you've made and an activity graph. What it does not include, however, is a month-by-month count of your posts. To find that information, you'll need to look elsewhere on Tumblr.
Finding the Information
Open your blog's main page and click the "Archive" link, or simply type "http://yourblog.tumblr.com/archive" in your browser's address bar. Provided you're logged in to your Tumblr account, the archive page will display the total post count for that month by each monthly header. To see the information in a year-by-year view, unfold the month selector drop-down menu at the top of the page.
Photo Credits
- Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images