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Business experience had taught him conservatism. He never was influenced by crazy theorists.
—Senator Thomas C. Platt
Like a hero from the pages of a Horatio Alger novel, Levi P. Morton worked his way up by pluck and luck to fame and fortune. From a boy toiling in a country store, he rose to become one of the nation's wealthiest and most influential bankers and vice president of the United States. Morton might have become president as well, had his political acumen matched his financial ability.
Born on May 16, 1824, in the little village of Shoreham, Vermont, Levi Parsons Morton was named for his uncle, the first American missionary to Palestine. He was the son of a Congregational preacher, who moved his family from church to church in New England, never accruing much wealth. Although young Morton wanted to attend college, his father was too poor to send him. An older brother advised him not to worry about further schooling since "a self-taught man is worth two of your college boys." Instead, Morton took a job in a country store. After getting his fill of heavy manual labor, he sought respite as a teacher in a country school. Then he took another clerkship in the general store of W.W. Estabrook, in Concord, New Hampshire, where he learned the bookkeeper's art of calculating profit and loss.
Estabrook dispatched Morton to run his store in Hanover, New Hampshire. There the young Morton lived with the family of a Dartmouth College professor and met Lucy Young Kimball, whom he would eventually marry thirteen years later. But first he had a fortune to earn. Morton later recalled that he was happiest "when I was learning how to accomplish things; when I was building up my business." When his employer went bankrupt, the chief creditor, James M. Beebe, came to New Hampshire to inspect the situation and was impressed enough with Morton's industriousness to invite him to join James M. Beebe & Co. in Boston—"the business Mecca for every Yankee boy." Beebe & Co., Boston's largest importing firm, soon took Junius Spencer Morgan as a partner, thus introducing Levi Morton to Morgan's son, J.P. Morgan, who would one day become his principal rival as a banker. In 1854, Beebe sent Morton to New York City to take charge of the company's operations there. A year later, Morton formed his own dry goods company in New York. Finally wealthy and secure enough to settle down, he married Lucy Kimball in 1856. The new Mrs. Morton disliked his Old Testament name of Levi and began calling her husband "L.P," as he became known among family and friends thereafter.
Banking and Politics
Morton's chief business was importing cotton from the South for New England's textile industry and exporting manufactured goods from the North to the agricultural South. When the Civil War broke out in the spring of 1861, his loss of southern clients forced him to suspend business. For the next decade, Morton worked to pay back his own creditors, dollar for dollar. Although the war soon stimulated the northern economy and rebuilt Morton's financial base, he saw a safer and more profitable future in banking. In 1863, he founded a Wall Street banking house, later named Morton, Bliss & Co., with a London firm called Morton, Rose. By the end of the war, Morton's bank could challenge the powerful Jay Cooke & Co. for the right to handle government transactions. In 1873 Cooke's bank failed, leaving Morton as one of the preeminent bankers in the nation.
Morton's gracious manners and generous campaign contributions made him many friends in Washington, among them President Ulysses S. Grant and Grant's strongest supporter in Congress, Senator Roscoe Conkling of New York. Morton and his British partner, Sir John Rose, expanded their financial and political fortunes by facilitating U.S. negotiations with Great Britain to settle the "Alabama Claims." During the war, Britain had violated its neutrality by allowing the construction of Confederate shipping on its soil. Senator Charles Sumner, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, pressed the administration to demand large-scale compensation from Britain, including the annexation of Canada, even if those claims led the two nations to war. Morton and Rose persuaded the British and Americans to accept international arbitration of their war claims; the U.S. to reduce its demands; and the British to pay $15 million in damages, for which the house of Morton, Rose acted as disbursing office. When advised that the government's position would be strengthened by using Morton, Rose as its agent, President Grant questioned whether Morton's firm was strong because of the government's patronage rather than the other way around.
After his wife Lucy died in 1871, L.P. Morton married Anna Livingston Reade Street in 1873. Anna's connections as a member of New York's old Knickerbocker society helped propel Morton into New York's political scene. From all accounts, Anna Morton combined great charm, wisdom and prudence, making her admirably suited to be the wife of a political man. In 1876, Morton became financial chairman of the Republican National Committee. Aware that success in this position might reward him with an attractive diplomatic post, he was also considering a race for Congress. Morton asked his friend Whitelaw Reid, editor of the New-York Tribune, "If elected, and I wanted a foreign mission, could I well resign and accept that, or if defeated, what then?" adding "I have never made a speech in my life." Reid encouraged him not to worry about speechmaking but advised that a resignation from a newly won office would create some bitterness. When Morton declared his candidacy for a House seat from New York's Eleventh District, a fashionable residential area around upper Fifth Avenue, he ran on a platform of sound currency based on the gold standard. That plank would remain consistent through his next quarter century in politics. His opponents pictured him as a plutocrat and "a tool of Wall Street," charges that would similarly follow him in every election. Morton lost by a narrow margin but won when he ran again for the seat in 1878.
The Conkling Machine
In politics, Morton identified himself with the New York political faction, the "stalwarts," headed by Republican Senator Roscoe Conkling. Opposing the stalwarts were the "half-breed" Republicans who rallied behind Senator James G. Blaine of Maine. Conkling and Blaine were bitter personal and political rivals, yet few substantive differences existed between their rival factions on the issues of the day. Conkling's machine was more identified with New York's financial interests and made sound currency its chief legislative aim, while the half-breeds placed more emphasis on railroads, industry, and the protective tariff. Both organizations, however, thrived on government patronage and opposed civil service reform. Morton's presence in the Conkling machine attested to its connections with Wall Street financiers.
Entering Congress in 1879, Morton acted as much as a representative of Morton, Bliss & Co. as he did as a representative of the Eleventh District, since he saw no difference between his own interests and those of his constituents. The newspaper reporter George Alfred Townsend described Morton as "not a loquacious man, and yet an interesting talker, and one of the pleasantest expressions of his face is that of the respectful, intelligent listener." He stood six feet tall, straight-limbed and erect, and walked with "flexible and quiet movements." With close-cropped hair and a square jaw, his face had a cosmopolitan appearance, "though the New England lines are decided." The "whole tone of his talk and character are toward tranquillity," Townsend observed. In the House, Morton was "a close listener, a silent critic, a genial answerer; neither intrusive nor obtrusive." Since Morton was wealthier than his colleagues, he was able to establish his family in a handsome house on Lafayette Square that became a popular meeting place for politicos and high society. Morton won a reputation for his urbanity and generous hospitality. Among the friends he made was Representative James Garfield of Ohio.
Declining the Vice-Presidency
In 1880, Morton went to the Republican convention as a Conkling lieutenant, dedicated to winning a third-term nomination for Ulysses S. Grant. Conkling's stalwarts were equally determined to stop the nomination of Blaine. When a deadlock developed, Blaine's half-breeds threw their support to Garfield, a darkhorse candidate. Once Garfield won the nomination, he realized that he would need a New Yorker on the ticket and immediately thought of his wealthy and well-positioned friend, L.P. Morton. Morton scurried to find Conkling, who objected. When Morton declined the offer, the vice-presidential nomination went instead to another Conkling man, Chester A. Arthur, who had fewer scruples about breaking with the boss.
Still trying to make peace with the Conkling faction, Garfield came to New York in August 1880 for a meeting in Morton's suite at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. There, Garfield promised to support the Conkling machine's patronage demands, which included the post of secretary of the treasury. The Treasury Department oversaw the New York customhouse, upon whose patronage the New York machine had been built. Morton agreed to chair Garfield's campaign finance committee, assuming that the treasury portfolio would be his. After winning the election, however, Garfield insisted that he had made no specific pledges. In December 1880, Garfield recorded in his diary that Morton was "under misapprehension" that he had been promised the Treasury Department. "This was not my understanding and seems wholly inadmissable. It would be a congestion of financial power at the money centre and would create jealousy at the West."
Blaine, who had been named secretary of state, pronounced Morton "unfit" for the treasury, while Senator Conkling traveled to Garfield's home in Mentor, Ohio, to lobby for Morton. Conkling wanted to balance Blaine in the cabinet, to protect his organization's control over the New York customhouse, and to remove Morton from a hotly contested race for the other Senate seat from New York, which Conkling wanted for Tom Platt. Haughtily, Conkling told the president-elect that New York would rather be passed over completely in the cabinet if it could not obtain the Treasury Department. Even Garfield's wife Lucretia joined the fray when she wrote from a New York shopping trip:
Mr. [Whitelaw] Reid told me this morning that Morton had been very ugly in his talk about you, using the expression that seems to be so gratifying to the Conkling clique, "That Ohio man cannot be relied upon to stand by his pledges."
Shortly before the inauguration, Garfield offered Morton the secretaryship of the navy, which he accepted. But Conkling and Arthur roused Morton from his bed in the middle of the night and persuaded him to decline the post. The next day Garfield recorded: "Morton broke down on my hands under the pressure of his N.Y. friends, who called him out of bed at 4 this morning to prevent his taking the Navy Dep't. . . . The N.Y. delegation are in a great row because I do not give the Treasury to that state." Despite his exasperation, Garfield still owed Morton something for his work as campaign finance chairman and settled on making him minister to France.
Collapse of the Conkling Machine
As president, Garfield confronted the Conkling machine by appointing the half-breed Republican William Robertson to be collector of the port of New York and head of the customhouse. His action triggered a series of events that culminated in the resignations of Senators Conkling and Platt, who expected to be reelected by the New York legislature as a show of support. Instead, both were defeated. In the midst of this monumental struggle, on July 2, 1881, President Garfield was shot by a deranged follower of Conkling's stalwarts. On July 20, when Morton sailed for France, Garfield was still lingering and recovery seemed possible. But on September 19, the president died, making Chester Arthur—and not L.P. Morton—president of the United States. Morton spent the next four years in the diplomatic service, attending largely to the ceremonies connected with France's gift of the Statue of Liberty to the United States. But he still harbored ambitions for a seat in the Senate.
By the time Morton returned to the United States, Roscoe Conkling had quit politics for a lucrative law practice and Tom Platt had picked up Conkling's leadership of the New York party. In 1884 Platt decided to support Blaine for president, on the grounds that Chet Arthur had deserted his former friends. Morton followed the Platt machine into the Blaine camp. He was one of the two hundred businessmen who attended the infamous "millionaires' dinner" given in Blaine's honor at Delmonico's restaurant on October 29, 1884. At that dinner, a Protestant minister rose to denounce the Democrats as the party of "rum, Romanism, and rebellion." Blaine ignored the remark, but Democrats seized upon it and publicized it widely among Irish voters. Blaine lost New York by a narrow margin and with it the presidency.
Platt put Morton forward unsuccessfully for senator in 1885 and 1887. In the former instance, Morton was perceived as the frontrunner, having greater resources and the full backing of Platt's machine. But Platt's men had made the mistake of taking all the key committee posts in the state assembly, causing the "soreheads" who had been left out to unite behind another candidate, who snatched away the coveted Senate seat. The 1887 election was a three-man race, in which another candidate appeared to have a better chance of winning for the stalwarts. Morton's withdrawal from the race, seen as an expression of his selfless sense of duty to his party (or faction of the party), raised his chances for the vice-presidential nomination in 1888.
A Strange Victory
When James G. Blaine, declining in health, made it clear he would not run again for president in 1888, Tom Platt threw New York's support to Indiana Senator Benjamin Harrison—the grandson of former President William Henry Harrison. Blaine recommended Harrison as the best candidate and suggested for vice president former Representative William Walter Phelps of New Jersey. However, Platt's support of Morton helped the banker defeat Phelps by a margin of five to one. The ticket of Harrison and Morton put together a strange victory in the presidential election. They lost the popular vote by 90,000 but still managed to beat the incumbent President Grover Cleveland in the electoral college, 233 to 168. The journalist Arthur Wallace Dunn attributed the Republican success in 1888 to the combined political shrewdness of Republican National Committee chairman and Pennsylvania Senator Matt Quay and New York party boss Tom Platt.
As president, however, Benjamin Harrison would not allow Platt and Quay to dictate his cabinet and other federal appointments. Although principled, his stand against the spoilsmen alienated him from those most responsible for his election. A thoughtful man, Harrison was cold in person but articulate and compelling as a public speaker. By contrast, Vice President Morton was no public speaker, but "a loveable personality," who "filled every position with grace, dignity, and ability." In an era of greed, corruption, and excess, Harrison and Morton both epitomized family life and puritanical religious values. Harrison's cabinet was conservative and business oriented, with the department store magnate John Wanamaker serving as postmaster general. The political officeseekers ridiculed the publicity received by Harrison's family, particularly his grandson, Benjamin Harrison McKee, nicknamed Baby McKee; they scoffed that the supposedly puritanical Morton owned Washington's Shoreham Hotel (which he named after his Vermont birthplace), where liquor was sold; and they belittled the attention given to Wanamaker's Sunday school teaching. As a spoilsmen's verse put it:
The baby rules the White House,
Levi runs the bar,
Wanny runs the Sunday school,
And dammit here we are!
Due to Mrs. Harrison's illnesses and death in 1892, Anna Morton often entertained on behalf of the administration at the vice president's mansion on Scott Circle. "Mrs. Morton became the leader of society in Washington, and there was never a more brilliant and popular leader than she," according to one account. "It was her innate graciousness, her innate tact, and her kindness of heart . . . which won her admiration and respect of all." Morton, whose only child by his first marriage had died in infancy, had five daughters by his second wife and boasted a lively home.
The Businessman's Cabinet and the Millionaires' Club
Just as Harrison's cabinet was called the "businessman's cabinet" for its inclusion of Wanamaker and the Vermont marble baron Redfield Proctor, the Senate over which Vice President Morton presided was dubbed a "millionaires' club." In the late nineteenth century, businessmen had steadily gained control over both the Republican and Democratic parties and used their political positions to advance their economic interests. Senators became identified as spokesmen for railroads, timber, mining, and other industries. As California Senator George Hearst, who had made his millions in mining, proclaimed: "the members of the Senate are the survivors of the fittest." It seemed appropriate, therefore, that the Senate's presiding officer should be one of the nation's most prominent bankers.
President Harrison considered the greatest failure of his administration to be its inability to pass the federal elections bill sponsored by Henry Cabot Lodge. Known as the "Force bill," it was intended to force the South to permit black men to vote and thereby protect their civil rights. After Republican losses in the congressional elections of 1890, the Senate had taken up the Lodge bill again, only to encounter a Democratic filibuster by those who believed it would restore a Reconstruction-like Republican rule in the South. Harrison summoned Republican senators to the White House and urged them to do everything possible to pass the bill. But western silver Republicans believed that the nation's most pressing need was an inflated currency to cure economic ills. These Republicans joined Democrats in passing a resolution to take up a new currency measure in place of the elections bill.
The elections bill reached the Senate floor only because of Vice President Morton's tie-breaking vote. But the bill immediately encountered another filibuster, and Morton did nothing to help Republican efforts to break it. Republican senators hoped to persuade Morton to vacate his chair, in order to allow a more sympathetic member to preside, but Morton insisted on being present throughout the debate. Because the vice president had announced that he planned to preside as a neutral figure and not follow the dictates of the Republican caucus, he was accused of doing little to maintain party discipline and compared unfavorably to Speaker of the House Thomas Brackett Reed, who presided with an iron fist. Massachusetts Senator George F. Hoar sneered at Morton as one of those vice presidents who "asserted their authority with as little show of force as if they were presiding over a company of guests at their own table." Finally on January 26, 1891, a resolution to replace the elections bill with another was passed 35 to 34, and the elections bill died.
Unceremoniously Dumped
As the Republican convention approached in 1892, Morton's supporters floated his name for the presidency, but he lacked the necessary delegate votes. Then Secretary of State Blaine resigned from Harrison's cabinet to become a candidate himself. The "Old Guard" bosses, notably Pennsylvania's Quay and New York's Platt, supported Blaine, but President Harrison held the majority of the delegates. Morton was unceremoniously dumped from the ticket in favor of another New Yorker, his supposed friend Whitelaw Reid. President Harrison apparently had never cared much for his vice president—or forgiven him for his neutrality over the Force bill—and did not demand his renomination. At the same time, the "Platt Contingent" at the convention determined that a Harrison ticket was doomed to defeat, and they had better plans for Morton.
In 1894, Platt ran Morton for governor of New York, a race that he won handily. Platt later memorialized Morton as "the safest Governor New York ever had. Business experience had taught him conservatism. He never was influenced by crazy theorists, but conducted his administration as he did his great private financial institutions." Senator Chauncey Depew similarly credited Morton as bringing to the governorship "business ability which had made him one of the great merchants and foremost bankers." In 1896, Platt put the seventy-two-year-old Governor Morton forward as New York's favorite son for the Republican presidential nomination, to stop the nomination of Ohio Governor William McKinley, whose past flirtation with free silver worried the gold standard men of the East. Platt organized banquets and planted newspaper editorials that encouraged Morton to envision himself in the White House. But these efforts were routed by the campaign strategies of the brilliant businessman-tactician Mark Hanna, who engineered McKinley's nomination.
Morton retired from politics and returned to his banking career, organizing the Morton Trust Company. In 1909, when Morton was in his eighties, an offer came from J.P. Morgan to merge the Morton bank into the Morgan Guaranty Trust Company. Morton deeply regretted that, as a result of the merger, the company bearing his name was retired from the business world. L.P. Morton died on his ninety-sixth birthday in 1920, already a long-forgotten name in both banking and politics.
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David Granner, Co-Founder of Bethania Kids
As I briskly walk through the train station in Chennai, a large burlap bundle of fresh fish smacks down on the concrete and four men anxiously hoist it onto a cart. Tamil-chatter, humidity, lungi, scents, blue, dirty whitewash, pink, Ganesh, screeching train, bustling crowd, jostling people, boy, face, eyes, trinkets —"Mister!! Look sah! You want to buy? Look sah!" Old woman lying in a corner, young child, runny nose, ragged clothes, dirty walls, wet floor, fishy smell, tea, coffee, spices, noise…. . . . . I just love India!
Taking in this scene, I notice a small boy. He can't be more than about six or seven years old. I wonder what this child is doing by himself. Why is he at a train station alone? Where are his parents? When my son was this age, he wasn't street-smart like this young boy. He wouldn't have been comfortable being at an airport or a train station without his mother or me. Oh, how many kids there are! Everywhere I look, children are peeking from around corners, from behind pillars, in villages, in cities, some on the way to school, some riding on a motorcycle with two siblings, two parents and all of the week's groceries. I have to concentrate because each scene is so natural and seems to fit into the Indian landscape so seamlessly that I hardly pay attention. Yet, when was the last time I saw five people on a motorcycle carrying all of their groceries?
I find myself asking the question, "Why are we here?" Having lived in India as child, I realize that the Indian street scene has changed little in my lifetime—has changed little in perhaps a couple hundred years. In another 50 years or so, I'll be with my loving Father in heaven. In about 100 years, the world will have a brand new set of people. All the current CEOs, Presidents, workers, mothers, fathers, and children will be gone. I can't help it. I just want to impact some of the children of my time. This is the only time we have and these innocent young-ones seem to be our special gift from the Lord- all several billion of them, all over the globe.
I remember arriving in New Delhi at 5 o'clock in the morning on May 8th, 1988 with my bride of exactly one year. Marilyn and I had $11,000 in our money-belts to build our first Bethania Kids home. This money was raised by friends and family. Dayavu Dhanapal, an Indian national, had been caring for poor children out of her back door for years. Her family had been brought to faith in Jesus by the Ida Scudder family about 100 years before. Good family friends of Dayavu and her daughter, Priscilla, were Al and Polly Hennig, along with their son Gene and his wife Kristie, and Bob Granner, with his son David and Marilyn. This group came together to build a bridge to help start the ministry of Bethania Kids. We envisioned a partnership in which financially blessed people around the world could share Christ's love and generously nurture and equip poor children—empowering them to change their own world through the love of Jesus Christ.
When Bethania Kids started in October 1987, less than a year before our May trip, we had just nine kids in a rented facility. I remember hearing how the first kids stood in a line, and not having a comb, were pressing their hands down on their hair to flatten it so that they would look better—hoping they would be chosen for this new group home. I remember crying at the thought of a child trying desperately to be neat enough, clean enough and good enough to be wanted. Perhaps we all experience a little of the pain of abandonment as we make our way out of our mother's wombs and into adulthood, eventually burying our own parents. Perhaps it is this ubiquitous human feeling that causes us to have compassion on children who appear largely unwanted. We want to say to them, "You're beautiful! I do want you in our home and I know a God who loves you more than you can imagine!" After 23 years, we have close to 1,000 children in our care and partners all over the United Stated and in many countries.
It's amazing what God can do through imperfect vessels like us; however, we feel a deep calling to reach many more children. Many of us have been born into the wealthiest country in the history of the world. One day, I'd like us to be able to cast some golden crowns at the feet of our Lord Jesus, because back then, while we were in that chaotic and frenzied life, we chose to serve, to care, to love and to nurture. We didn't have to! We were just experiencing a little bit of heaven at the time and couldn't help ourselves. "Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17: 20-21) The love of God overwhelmed us, the Spirit of God filled us, the kingdom of God was at hand and we were blessed enough to see it.
When our short time in this world is over, let's be taken up to heaven together, listening to the joyful music of the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant!" Let's show our Lord that the stewardship of wealth which has been entrusted to us is indeed a good and fruitful one. Let's be faithful in small things each day – by rescuing, nurturing, educating, and empowering each poor child and developing within them a vision of loving service to others, so that when we're gone, the many children we've touched will be like seeds on the wind, producing a great and lasting harvest.

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Police: Man stole thousands of dollars' worth of heating, A/C units
12 units stolen in 3 1/2 months, officials say
A thief was preying on the elderly, ripping off thousands of dollars' worth of heating and air-conditioning units in Colerain Township, police say.
There were 12 units stolen in 3 1/2 months and one victim was hit twice.
One victim even had to stay with somebody else for a while because it was so cold.
But police said the man responsible is now in custody and residents in what's largely a retiree condo complex are breathing a bit easier.
"I said 'Hallelujah.' It is about time," victim Kathryn Hinkle said.
The 70-year-old woman was thrilled to read the note on her door Wednesday morning announcing the air-conditioning and heating unit crook had been caught.
"He's an idiot," she said.
Hinkle has been without heat since Friday. Her 93-year-old mother had to move out.
"Her skin is very thin. She's always cold and I told her she couldn't stay in this condo until we get heat," Hinkle said.
Police said the mother-daughter pair is just one of 11 families victimized by Carmichael Hamilton.
"I had to laugh because I could not believe that much damage was done," Hinkle said.
Even with insurance, Hinkle's out $1,000 for her new unit, plus a cage to keep thieves out.
"They get maybe $35 for it and we're paying all this money," Hinkle said.
Police said Hamilton admitted to the thefts and residents said now that he is behind bars, a sense of security is back. Now residents are waiting for the heat to return.
"My mom called me a little while ago she says, 'I'm coming home tomorrow. We're going to have heat,'" Hinkle said.
Unfortunately, the new units aren't cheap. They're valued at $4,000 to $5,000 apiece, even with insurance after the deductible with a $700 protective cage.
Police said Hamilton sold some of the units to Vegas Metals in Cleves. Managers there said they're cooperating with the investigation.
Hamilton is facing 12 counts of theft and is being held on $120,000 bond.


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Why Shop Men's Boots at Shoes.comShoes.com has a huge selection of men's boots, including men's boots on sale, in a wide array of colors and sizes. Whether you need a popular boot in a common size and standard color, or are looking for unique, top quality but cheaply priced men's boots that are hard to find, we have your needs covered. From trendy boots like a pair of stylish Uggs for Sale to athletic men's boots for running, walking and exploring like rugged Timberland boots for men, to boots that simply provide maximum comfort, the options at Shoes.com are virtually endless.
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Browse our boots for men and find the perfect pair of casual, athletic, or dress shoes. With Shoes.com's huge assortment of men's boots at your fingertips, you are sure to find exactly what you're looking for. And for that special someone or family member, check out our amazing assortment of women's booties and women's boots on sale.


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As of some recent upgrades to my F24 VM (running under VirtualBox), my system would not boot properly any more, getting errors like
NMI watchdog: BUG: soft lockup - CPU#0 stuck
I couldn't find any details as to why this was, other than someone having similar issues with a bad GPU card (not under a VM). I checked my display settings for the VM, which had the minimum recommended setting of 21MB. This ought to have been plenty, since I run my Linux system in a head-less mode (no display etc.). However, Linux must have changed something, cause this no longer worked, but bumping the GPU memory to 32MB seems to have fixed it. Bizarre.


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Unsurprisingly, Kelly Slater's been the one to watch at the Surf Ranch Pro. That injured foot seems a distant memory and the champ's definitely in fine form.
There's also little doubt that the wave is a technical marvel. Sure, watching it on the webcast may seem a little dry – but that's something Kelly's aware of. After his run wrapped up earlier today, we tracked down the king to ask a few questions about his pool – along with the rest of the surf media. Here's what he had to say.
Do you think there's scope to make the pool a bit...bigger... to fit Jordy Smith in?
He just needs to lose some weight [laughs]. I got trolled by Zeke Lau, he said, 'hey, can you make this bigger?', he was just having fun with it and straight away some of his buddies were like, 'you need to lose some weight, Zeke', or whatever. He's skinny for how tall he is, all muscle, there's not much you can do when you're 6'2".
Jordy, in my opinion, is one of the best guys at it, if people say it's unfair, well, he's one of the top two guys on the wave, how unfair is it really? The barrel...I can understand. We really want to build in big ramp sections. Maybe multiple ones on the wave so you have to do something big – maybe just for the fun factor, would be good for people to say, yeah, I've done an 8 foot air. It'll take some work.
Does the novelty factor ever wear off?
Not really [laughs] every time that thing moves I get excited. Maybe I'm biased one way or the other. I don't know anyone who gets the chance to come up who doesn't enjoy it or have a good time. Some people come up and get four waves, nothing's gonna wear off after four waves.
Is there anything that you would change about the format, the judging, or the wave?
Yeah, the first thing that comes to mind is something I was trying to pitch, I wanted to have more variety of waves. Meaning we could do some different wave settings, or that we could, before each ride, you say, I want this one, this one, this one.
We're riding two waves, one each direction, the slower one going left with the onshore and the faster one going right is offshore, I was hoping we could make our own decision on that and have that air section too, something different for people to watch and it would allow people to specialise in what they are good at.
The tech's there but I think the commissioners were worried that it hadn't been tested enough. All in the pipeline.


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Quote of Note | Sarah Lucas
"What are my thoughts about Christmas cards? Maybe it's nice to receive a few from certain people, and send a few so they know you haven't forgotten them. That's about it. I don't send many. I usually make my own. William Blake said that Christ is the Imagination. Not that He exists only in the imagination, but that He literally is the Imagination. So that's a good argument for making your own. At least it's outside of the racket. As for this one? Well, it's for the turkeys, really!"
-Artist Sarah Lucas in The Guardian, for which she created this fowl-themed holiday greeting


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For the first time since its enactment 20 years ago, China's top legislature is reviewing a draft amendment to the country's consumer rights law, which will further protect consumers' rights, better protect their privacy and impose harsher punishments on commercial fraud.
"Since the establishment of the EU-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2003, EU-China relations have become closer and stronger than ever," said European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
Scientists will be able to better monitor haze and air pollution that chokes cities like Beijing after the launch of a high-resolution earth observation satellite.
With his irresponsible remarks and acts, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seems determined to challenge international law and force his country apart from its Asian neighbors.
The long-awaited law, which had been in embryo for about 30 years and undergone three readings by lawmakers in the past eight months, is designed to address industry woes, protect tourists' interests and foster the industry's sustainable growth.
But now that the aftershocks have mostly died down following Saturday's quake that killed nearly 200 people, it's time for the people to seriously reflect on a challenging question: is the country ready for the next seismic disaster?
With the fast development of e-books, cell phones and tablet computers, traditional books are confronted with great challenges.
According to a recent survey, Chinese people read 4.39 books, 77.20 newspapers, 6.56 magazines and 2.35 e-books on average last year. The latter increased by 65.5 percent year on year.
The number of people who read books has also increased, but fewer read newspapers and magazines last year, said the survey, conducted by the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication.
The first human H7N9 infection was reported in late March. A total of 102 cases have been reported to date, resulting in 20 deaths.
The poultry-raising industry, restaurants that sell poultry and even producers of shuttlecocks, which are made using bird feathers, have been impacted by the virus.
Figures from the China Animal Agriculture Association showed that direct economic losses for broiler chicken breeders have exceeded 3.7 billion (593 million U.S. dollars).
However, other sectors have been boosted by the virus's arrival. In addition to vegetable vendors, sellers of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have also profited.
A 7.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Lushan County of Ya'an City, Sichuan Province, on Saturday, leaving at least 188 people dead and 25 missing as of 2 p.m. Monday. It reminded people of an 8.0-magnitude quake that hit Wenchuan County, 85 km away from Lushan in southwest China, on May 12, 2008, killing nearly 70,000 people.
The principle of sparing no efforts to save lives cannot be more stressed. No minute or even second should be delayed during the "golden rescue period" in the first 72 hours after the quake.


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when thinking about what to write in this year's advent I had to bear in mind the fact that my hubby and I, together with several close friends and family are living in worrying times.
Is it perhaps, a sign of growing older, when so many people we know are ill or fighting illness? Can this be the beginning of a roller coaster ride, until, as my eldest relative is fond of saying 'everyone has gone, there is only me left'. Something I have listened to for years, and while understanding where she is coming from, not really paying any heed to how it must feel.
So we began this year knowing that hubby had a medical issue, his broken heart has been well documented here and elsewhere, as has the wonder of the medics who fixed it for him. It has been somewhat of a shock to discover that all is not as well as we had hoped. Never mind, we say, life goes on, and it does. Yet the life that is going on is one that is immeasurably different to the one we expected to be living. The same goes for several friends, who are also managing to live the life they have, rather than the one they thought they would have.
I am minded to think of others for whom life changes with the spin of a coin, the twist of a wrist, the decision of a politician or the change of the wind. The people who have run from all they know towards a hell on earth, still trying to live and love and make things work. I am thinking of my family members from childhood who lived through the blitz, at a time when medicine and doctors were for those who could pay. My Dad's sisters, one who lost a leg, and continued determined and strong to live a life not disabled by the lack of a limb, but enabled by true courage. Her sister, lost her life in childbirth, a family gone for the price of a nurse. Truly tough times.
Challenges, that is the lesson today, the side swiping, crazy, tipping the world upside down moments that come without warning and change everything forever. How do we cope, and what do we learn?
Following on from our very own year of change, we are coping, as we have always done, by holding on tight, looking for the good, finding and relishing the happy hours in dark days and by refusing to be beaten. We learn we are stronger than we could ever have believed, that the world isn't fair, and not everyone has a happy ending.
It seems to me it is not where we end up, but how we travel the road, that is what is important. At the end of our time we will take nothing away with us, but what will we be leaving behind? That is the lesson. For a struggle is just that, a tough time, they all will pass, as do all the good days, the sunshine and the glad to be alive moments. I think the lesson I have learned is to stay in the moment, not to overthink, and above all to not allow worry to diminish joy. For worry has never changed anything, but joy, well that changes everything.


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Learn how the World Bank Group is helping countries with COVID-19 (coronavirus).
Find Out
The e-kiosk in Orhei municipality allows citizens to contact local representatives like deputy mayor Alexandru Ivanov.
Through Orhei's e-kiosk, citizens can more easily access public services and information on requirements for licenses and other government documents.
Ina Negruta, Director of the NGO AsproAgro, bought Orhei's e-kiosk with support from a World Bank Civil Society grant.
Garbage in Straseni pollutes the city and surroundings.
Chemicals from highly polluted areas in Straseni seep into the river, which farmers use as a source of water and irrigation.
To encourage Straseni's local authorities to clean up their environment, an NGO used its World Bank grant to map pollution and develop an interactive website.
Produce at the Straseni market is grown in polluted areas. Pressure on local authorities to remedy the situation is weak.
Students in Chisinau use laptops to access resources like those offered by https://biblionline.md, an educational website developed by NGO Captes.
The online library is the first of its kind in Moldova, and is available to students, teachers and parents.
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Are you damaging your hair without knowing it!?!
Here's a list of the most common hair mistakes that are majorly messing with your manes!
Goody Ouchless hair elastics @ Target
Remington Comfortable Elastic hair bands @ Target
Clarifying Shampoo
Redken hair cleansing cream @ Ulta
One n Only Argan Oil hydrating mask @ Sally's Beauty Supply


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EUGENE -- Prior to Oregon's much-anticipated series against Cal State Fullerton, coach George Horton said the series would give a glimpse into just how good the No. 9 Ducks actually were.
The Ducks started the season with eight straight wins and the three-game set against the fifth-ranked Titans would test them against one of college baseball's premier teams. After Aaron Payne was caught stealing to end a 5-4 loss on Sunday and clinch the Fullerton series sweep, Horton wasn't ready to call the Ducks a bad team. Though, they certainly didn't play like a great one this weekend. Horton believes that can change.
"I think what real men do is they get up off the deck when they get knocked down," he said. "…I hate to be a prophet. I said we'll find out if we're a good baseball team. I don't think we're a crummy baseball team. I think they're ahead of us in some areas."
Throwing out Friday's 9-2 drubbing, the last two games of the weekend came down to a series of miscues that cost the Ducks. On Saturday, it was Matt Krook's early wildness that allowed Fullerton to score two runs in a one-run Oregon loss.
The Ducks grabbed their first lead of the series in the first inning Sunday before rain caused an hour-long delay. The Ducks increased the lead with a run in the second, but starting pitcher Porter Clayton's tendency to play with fire finally burned him in the fourth. Clayton allowed the leadoff batter to reach base in each of the first three innings, and it happened again in the fourth when Greg Velazquez singled through the right side. Two walks, a double and a single later found the Ducks trailing 3-2 by the end of the inning.
Payne, who finished 3 for 5 on the afternoon, tied the game up in the fifth with an RBI single before Fullerton countered in the seventh when J.D. Bryant launched a 1-1 Stephen Nogosek slider over the left field wall for a solo home run.
The Titans added an insurance run in the ninth on a Bryant sacrifice fly after Oregon closer Jake Reed walked the leadoff batter and advanced him to third on a passed ball.
That run proved crucial, as Payne slashed a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to pull the Ducks within a run. In the next at bat, Payne was gunned out trying to steal second to end the game.
With the way the Fullerton pitching staff handled Oregon over the weekend, Payne said trying to move up a base with the heart of the order coming up was a risk worth taking -- even if it backfired.
"We're trying to get in scoring position," Payne said. "We're going for it. You got to gamble and take chances if you want to win."
The Titans didn't need to play high-risk baseball over the weekend. They just played good baseball. The Ducks outhit Fullerton in two of the three games, but the Titans played clean. Fullerton pitchers walked four batters in the series to Oregon's 13 and made plays when they needed to.
Horton said the saving grace for the Ducks is that Saturday and Sunday's games were winnable. There were plenty of mistakes, but he views most of them as fixable.
"Had we got crushed 12 to 2 every single game and we were just totally outmanned I would be more concerned," he said. "Most of the stuff is very fixable…If we can fix some of those things, then yeah, we can compete with anyone in the Pac-12 and in the country."
Oregon won't have long to work on its problems. The Ducks host Seattle for a two-game series beginning on Tuesday before Ohio State comes to Eugene for a three-game set on Friday.
-- Tyson Alger | @tysonalger


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"It is a wonderful thought to think that something that you made is about to reach Mars," Joji Chaman, Group Head, Mechanical Design and Production, ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU), Thiruvanathapuram said after receiving the Shri Hari Om Ashram Prerit Dr Vikram Sarabhai Research Award 2013.
Recounting the journey, Chaman told The Indian Express that he had started developing the device called the Ceramic Servo Accelerometer in 2003, with a simple plastic mug and a Teflon wire "as the only investments".
The device that presently weighs only 50 grams, not only saves fuel, but also measures acceleration, velocity and position of the spacecraft. This device was part of the Chandrayaan-1, and an improved version is now part of the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) which is scheduled to reach Mars on September 24.
This Ceramic Servo Accelerometer will be performing a crucial function in the coming weeks when the MOM spacecraft or the Mangalyaan slows down and tries to enter the orbit of the red-planet, Chaman said.
The device will come in to play when the MOM spacecraft will be slowed down by reducing its velocity by one kilometer per second. The spacecraft currently has 290 kilograms of fuel left and about 240 kilograms will be burnt as the spacecraft enters the Martian orbit on September 24.
"This award is not only for me, but for the entire team (about ten members) who worked on this device," he added. The scientist was bestowed with the award in the Space Application category for his innovative and outstanding contributions in inertial navigation system for spacecrafts deployed for terrestrial and planetary missions.
Apart from Chaman, others who received the award on Tuesday include Dr Tarun Kumar Pant who was recognised for his work in Space sciences. He had obtained his PhD degree from Gujarat University and is currently at the Space Physics Laboratory, Thiruvananthapuram.
Souvik Mahapatra, a professor at department of Electrical and Engineering, IIT-Bombay and Ranjan Bose, a Microsoft chair professor at IIT-Delhi were among the awardees. Others who receive the award in other categories include, NV Chalapathi Rao, a faculty member at the Department of Geology, Centre of Advanced Study, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi and JS Ray, a PRL scientist. Each award carries a medal and a cash prize of Rs 50,000.


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Sleep Apnea Treatment Bay Area
At Spark Sleep Solutions, our mission is to help our patients get the healthy, restful sleep they deserve by providing comfortable, convenient, and effective sleep apnea treatment. As a leading dental sleep center serving Los Gatos, Santa Cruz, San Ramon and San Jose, CA, we're proud to provide a wide range of treatments for patients, including comfortable CPAP alternatives.
Sleep apnea and snoring can increase our risk of stroke (by roughly 76%), heart disease (by roughly 50%), diabetes, depression, cancer, sexual dysfunction, acid reflux (GERD), weight gain, immune deficiency, and many more physical and mental problems.
If you're wondering whether or not you may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), we're here to help – and our FREE sleep apnea seminars are a great place to start!
At our seminars, you will get to meet and listen to Dr. Srujal H. Shah, DDS, DABDSM. Dr. Shah is a national educator and speaker to other healthcare providers and is one of the few dentists in the world to be dual board certified in dental sleep medicine and focus his practice exclusively on treating snoring and sleep apnea. During the seminar, you will learn amazing facts on how to improve your mental focus and health by transforming your quality of sleep… and all with custom, adjustable Oral Devices that are approved by most medical insurances. In fact, Dr. Shah specializes in over 100 FDA approved Oral Devices.
At Spark Sleep Solutions, we're committed to helping our patients get the restful sleep they deserve, and often, the first step is education. That's why our San Jose sleep apnea specialist, Dr. Srujal H. Shah, who is board certified in sleep medicine is proud to offer free educational seminars on sleep apnea. During the seminar, you'll learn a variety of interesting and helpful information about sleep and OSA, including:
- What is sleep apnea?
- How do I know if I have sleep apnea?
- What problems does sleep apnea cause?
- Why is sleep apnea bad for my heart?
- Why is sleep apnea a risk factor for stroke?
- How is sleep apnea diagnosed?
- How can I treat sleep apnea?
- What are the alternatives to CPAP machines?
If you've been diagnosed with sleep apnea, are looking for CPAP-mask alternatives, want to treat snoring, or were ineffectively treated by another provider, our free sleep apnea seminar is the perfect place to get answers.
Register for Our FREE Sleep Apnea Treatment Seminar Now!
Better sleep means better health – so take the first step towards ensuring it. Use the calendar on the right to register for our free sleep apnea and snoring treatment seminars. We'll help you understand everything you need to know about OSA and set you on the path to getting a rewarding, restful night of sleep, every single night. Don't wait to reclaim healthy sleep – register for a seminar today!


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The Music Department is offering the following dynamic courses that will immerse you in the world of Music.
Registration is easy and you spend an unforgettable Janplan learning about Jazz Improvisation, African Music, Acoustic/Electric Grunge/Rock Songwriting, and Graphic Design in Music.
See the schedule below and learn a bit more about what each class is offering.
MU114J Jazz Improvisation
Eric Thomas MTW 10:00am-1:00pm&R 3:00-6:00pm Bixler Band Rm 219
Basic jazz theory and improvisation, including melody-, scalar-, modal-, and chord-based improvisation. Introduction to arranging for jazz groups and interactions between soloists and background musicians; jazz style and performance practices. Includes semiprivate instruction and performances in large groups and smaller combos. Listening assignments include jazz greats. Instrumentalists and vocalists welcome. Prerequisite: Ability to sing or play major scales. Three credit hours.
MU116J Acoustic/Electric Grunge/Rock Songwriting: A Composition Seminar
Philip Fournier TRF 1:00-4:00pm Bixler Rm TBA
Students will engage in intensive and sustained listening exercises in order to develop an understanding of form, melody, harmony rhythm and text in a wide range of contemporary and commercial musical genres: grunge, crossover, rock, trance, among others. Students will use their developing knowledge/musical skills to complete multiple small-scale composition projects in preparation for a a recording and public performance of one completed composition for multiple musicians. Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of music terminology and concepts. Three credit hours.
MU118J African Music
Jordan Benissan MTWR 12:25pm-3:15pm Bixler Given Aud. Rm 178
An introduction to the music of Africa, an integral and defining aspect of the culture of Africa. Hands-on experience with various instruments (e.g., drums, rattles, bells), as well as singing and dancing, to provide important insights into the cultures of Africa. Various African music themes will be explored through films and recordings. Culminates in a final performance by the class. Nongraded. Three credit hours.
MU218J Graphic Design Music
Gordon Jee TWF 1:00pm-4pm Bixler Library Computer Lab Rm 132
Seeing, Then Hearing: Graphic Design for the Music Industry While it may seem counterintuitive, visual attraction is a central concern in the business of music. Getting music to the attention of the widest possible audience demands an increasingly refined, international visual fluency. We will look at and listen to well-known releases with an eye to the differences in the visual publicity and packaging in the European, Asian, and American markets for albums by Katy Perry, the Rolling Stones, Kanye West, and Kiss. Students will use readings in world and art history, ethnomusicology, and cultural theory, and hands-on work with Adobe Photoshop to formulate and debate answers to a number of complex multicultural design problems. Previously listed as Music 297J.
MU223J Perception of Music
Patricia Helm MTWR 10:00-12:00pm Bixler Rm
An inter-disciplinary exploration of music and psychology. We will consider some of the predominant theories of how we perceive music, including ideas about memory and music. We will draw upon concepts central to cognitive psychology, including aspects of auditory memory, brain processes, melodic and rhythmic grouping, schematic frameworks, and hierarchical structures in music. Students will actively experience music and relate what they are hearing to the theoretical models. Central to the class is discussion of each student's individual responses to music and exploration and development of ways to map their experiences.
Music Lessons are also available during JanPlan. Please visit our music lessons page for more information.


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Obama nominates Garland to high court, challenging GOP
Posted March 16, 2016 12:08 p.m. EDT
Updated March 16, 2016 3:15 p.m. EDT
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama nominated appeals court judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, challenging Republicans to drop their adamant refusal to even consider his choice in an election year.
Obama called Garland, a long-time jurist and former prosecutor, "one of America's sharpest legal minds" and deserving of a full hearing and Senate confirmation vote. Republican leaders, however, have said the vacant high court seat should not be filled until a new president is elected, a stance Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell emphasized immediately after the White House announcement.
Garland, 63, is the chief judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, a court whose influence over federal policy and national security matters has made it a proving ground for potential Supreme Court justices.
He would replace conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, who died last month, leaving behind a bitter election-year fight over the future of the court.
Obama announced choice at a ceremony in the Rose Garden, with Democratic Senate leaders and allies looking on.
Garland, who had been passed over before, choked back tears, calling the nomination "the greatest honor of my life." He described his grandparents' flight from anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe and his modest upbringing.
He said he viewed a judge's job as a mandate to set aside personal preferences to "follow the law, not make it."
Obama held up Garland as diligent public servant, highlighting his work leading the investigation into the Oklahoma City bombing and prosecutions. He quoted past praise for Garland from Chief Justice John Roberts and Sen. Orrin Hatch. And he said Garland's talent for bringing together "odd couples" made him a consensus candidate best poised to become an immediate force on the nation's highest court.
The president urged the Republican-led Senate not to let the particularly fierce and partisan political climate quash the nomination of a "serious man."
"This is precisely the time when we should play it straight," Obama said.
According to a recent WRAL News poll, 51 percent of North Carolinians believe the Senate should hold a hearing and vote on Obama's nominee, while 38 percent prefer waiting for the next president to nominate someone.
North Carolina's two Republican senators said, however, that confirming someone to the Supreme Court should wait until after the November election.
"The American people deserve a voice in the nomination of the next Supreme Court justice. This appointment could easily tip the balance of the court in a direction not supported by the American people, as evidenced by 2014's election results giving Republicans both the Senate and House," Sen. Richard Burr said in a statement.
"This is about the principle, not the person," Sen. Thom Tillis said in a statement. "Rather than drag the nation into a bitter, partisan fight over a confirmation process that will never come to pass, I hope President Obama will use his final months in office to work across the aisle with Congress to produce meaningful solutions that create new opportunities for hard-working Americans."
Duke University law professor Neil Siegel called Garland a centrist who is "plausibly confirmable" by the Republican-controlled Senate, and he urged lawmakers not to delay a vote.
"Everyone has a stake in ensuring both that the court functions properly and that norms of Senate conduct do not unravel to the point where it becomes politically impossible to confirm any nominee unless the same party controls both the White House and the Senate," Siegel said.
Garland was confirmed to the D.C. Circuit in 1997 with backing from a majority in both parties, including seven current Republicans senators.
If confirmed, Garland would be expected to align with the more liberal members, but he is not viewed as down-the-line liberal. Particularly on criminal defense and national security cases, he's earned a reputation as centrist, and one of the few Democratic-appointed judges Republicans might have a fast-tracked to confirmation — under other circumstances.
In the current climate, Garland remains a tough sell. Republicans control the Senate, which must confirm any nominee, and GOP leaders want to leave the choice to the next president, denying Obama a chance to alter the ideological balance of the court before he leaves office next January. Republicans contend that a confirmation fight in an election year would be too politicized.
Republicans have set up a task force that will orchestrate attack ads, petitions and media outreach. On the other side, Obama allies are to run a Democratic effort targeting states where Republicans might feel political heat for opposing hearings.
Obama's choice risks deflating some of the energy among the Democratic base. Progressives and civil rights activists had pushed the president to name an African-American woman or to otherwise continue his efforts to expand the court's diversity.
Garland — a white, male jurist with an Ivy League pedigree and career spent largely in the upper echelon of Washington's legal elite — breaks no barriers. At 63 years old, he would be the oldest Supreme Court nominee since Lewis Powell, who was 64 when he was confirmed in 1971.
Presidents tend to appoint young judges with the hope they will shape the court's direction for as long as possible.
Those factors had, until now, made Garland something of a perpetual bridesmaid, repeatedly on Obama's Supreme Court lists but never chosen.
But he is finding his moment at a time when Democrats are seeking to apply maximum pressure on Republicans. A key part of their strategy is casting Republicans as obstructionists ready to shoot down a nominee that many in their own ranks once considered a consensus candidate. In 2010, Hatch called Garland "terrific" and said he could be confirmed "virtually unanimously."
A native of Chicago and graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, Garland clerked for two appointees of Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower — the liberal U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Brennan Jr. and Judge Henry J. Friendly, for whom Roberts also clerked.
In 1988, he gave up a partner's office in a powerhouse law firms to cut his teeth in criminal cases. As an assistant U.S. attorney, he joined the team prosecuting a Reagan White House aide charged with illegal lobbying and did early work on the drug case against then-D.C. Mayor Marion Barry. He held a top-ranking post in the Justice Department when he was dispatched to Oklahoma City the day after the bombing at the federal courthouse to supervise the investigation. The case made his reputation. He oversaw the convictions of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, and later supervised the investigation into Unabomber Ted Kaczynski.
President Bill Clinton first nominated him to the D.C. Circuit in 1995.
His prolonged confirmation process then may have prepared him for the one ahead. Garland waited 2½ years to win confirmation to the appeals court. Then, as now, one of the men blocking his path was Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, who argued he had no quarrel with Garland's credentials but a beef with the notion of a Democratic president trying to fill a court Grassley felt had too many seats.
Grassley ultimately relented, although he was not one of the 32 Republicans who voted in favor of Garland's confirmation. Nor was Sen. Mitch McConnell, the other major hurdle for Garland now. The Republicans who voted in favor of confirmation are Hatch, Sen. Dan Coats, Sen. Thad Cochran, Sen. Susan Collins, Sen. Jim Inhofe, Sen. John McCain, and Sen. Pat Roberts.


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Become a Gegeration.African
Would you like to be called a Generation.African in your country? Then sign up at the bottom of this page.
Become a Volunteer
Being a volunteer will help in the growth and development of the organization and of Africa, in the long run; through the different volunteer opportunities available at Generation.Africa.
Members can volunteer on committees that focus on events, seminars, workshops, outreach, exhibits, technology, communications, career development, and more–you can help by organizing behind the scenes or you can assume a leadership post as a committee director.
The volunteers will be in a position to increase their networks and grow their leadership skills through the trainings that will be available for volunteers.
Become a Sponsor
Becoming a Generation.Africa will not only show that you organization supports youths in technology, but also give you an opportunity to make your brand visible and get access to a pool of talented youth.
You and/or your organization could sponsor by:
- Provide funding for Generation.Africa's events and programs.
- Offering in-kind sponsorship of venues space, technology, equipment, learning material and career training
- Serving as a speaker at Generation.Africa's events.
- Donating products and services for Generation.Africa's events and programs.


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Cue the spotlight! This year, we're helping put students center stage at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) by sponsoring awards at KCACTF's eight regional festivals.
Topics: Entertainment, KCACTF, Planet Vectorworks, Rafael Jaen, Spotlight, Design Technology and Management, DTM, Frank Brault, Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, Vectorworks Design Scholarship
Environmental sustainability begins with individual designers using careful calculations to make informed decisions about their projects. And for the full-service landscape architecture team at Holcombe Norton Partners, achieving sustainability certifications for their sites centers around the use of data-rich models and intelligent worksheets.
Topics: site information modeling, Stephen Schrader, Success Story, sustainability, 3D Modeling, BIM, Case Study, Digital Terrain Model, DTM, Holcombe Norton Partners, inspiration, Landmark, Landscape, Landscape Architecture, LEED, SITES


text: Brexit & REACH: Potential Changes to UK Chemical Regulation By Aonghus Heatley on March 15, 2019 Posted in Brexit, Chemicals, Energy, Environment, GT Alert, no-deal Brexit, UK, UK REACH, United Kingdom 29 March 2019, the date currently fixed in United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) law as when the UK will leave the EU, is now just two weeks away. At this late stage, the terms of the UK's withdrawal from the EU remain unsettled. The Withdrawal Agreement agreed in draft with the EU at … Continue Reading


text: 'Babylon 5' Star Michael O'Hare Dies at 60 1:59 PM PDT 9/29/2012 by Mike Barnes FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME The actor cryptically exited the series after the first season but returned to wrap up his character's arc. Michael O'Hare, who starred as Commander Jeffrey Sinclair on the first season of the sci-fi series Babylon 5, died Friday after suffering a heart attack five days earlier. He was 60. "This is a terrible loss for all B5 fans, and everyone involved with the show wishes to convey their condolences to the O'Hare family," series creator J. Michael Straczynski wrote on his Facebook page. "He was an amazing man." O'Hare left the show after the first season (Straczynski at the time called it a "mutual, amicable and friendly separation," with the star being ostensibly replaced by Bruce Boxleitner), but the actor came back for an episode in season two and back-to-back installments in season three to wrap up his character's storyline. Babylon 5, from Warner Bros. Television, ran for four seasons on the short-lived Prime Time Entertainment Network and a final one on TNT from 1994-98. On Broadway, the Chicago native appeared in the original 1989-91 production of Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men as Col. Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholson earned an Oscar nomination for playing the role in the 1992 film). His résumé also includes the primetime series The Cosby Mysteries, Kate & Allie, Trapper John, M.D., The Equalizer, Law & Order, L.A. Law and Tales From the Darkside and the daytime soap One Life to Live. FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Mike Barnes firstname.lastname@example.com mikebarnes4


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I had a terrible episode this weekend. My Nikon lenses broke down!! Yeap!! Bad bad moment!! I feel really angry and too sad.
I was looking for an upgrade of my gear lately, making some research on best Nikon food photography and full frame camera and perhaps new macro lenses, but I didn`t want to destroy my previous equipment.
No words can describe the moment of the crash friends. It was an accident of course, but still…ahhh!!
Anyway, I posted on Instagram this Saturday an image of a Greek delicacy and you liked it. I am talking about "Greek Honey & Cinnamon Donuts" or otherwise called around here, Loukoumades.
Give it a try, it is an easy sweet to make and so tasty that you will add it to your breakfast list. Keeping the same dough recipe, you can have some fun with the toppings, adding dark or white chocolate, walnuts, sesame, almonds.
I made them with some sugar, cinnamon and honey which is the classic recipe.
You will need the following Ingredients:
- 200 gr. flour (all-purpose)
- 8 gr. active dry yeast
- 50 gr. cornstarch
- 1 tbs. honey
- 200 gr. lukewarm water
- 1 tbs. salt (flat filled)
- oil (to fry)
- sugar, cinnamon and honey (to serve)
- Add in a bowl all the ingredients apart from the oil and mix well with a spoon. The mixture must look like a porridge.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and let it aside to rise, in a warm spot for 45 minutes.
- Put the oil into a pot and prepare the heat to fry the donuts.
- Fill a glass with a water and take a spoon.
- With the spoon, grab a small quantity of the mixture and drop it into the pot with the heated oil. Repeat for the entire mixture. Remember to dip the spoon into the glass of water every time you make another donut, for the mixture not to stick into the spoon.
- Fry until the dumplings are golden and crispy.
- Lay a paper towel on a large plate and put the donuts to dry after frying.
- Let them cool for a few minutes and sprinkle some sugar, cinnamon and of course enough honey.
Thank you so much for being here!!
Have a great day!!


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"Do not be alarmed," he said, "You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. Go and tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him as He said to you" (Mark 16:6-7).
Really? Are you kidding me?
How bizarre must it have been for Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome to come to Jesus' tomb, expecting to anoint His body for burial, only to find that the body was gone and a "young man" was there telling them to not be afraid. You have got to be joking! Fear would most definitely have been the emotion that would I would have had were I with those women!
This biblical passage is a common one read at Easter and as I reflected on it recently, I was struck with what an odd setting this was. The women who came to Jesus' tomb saw something very, very different than what was expected once one died. His body would be there, right? It was supposed to be there. There weren't many stories of bodies coming out of the grave once they went in previous to this time, nor even now. Except for an occasional flood in the Midwest, bodies typically do not come out of the tombs they were originally put in. This story stands as a constant reminder that the God Jesus served was not One to be put into a box…literally!
Similarly, for you and I today, He does not want to be in a box any more than He did then. The resurrection is a clear sign of that—God cannot be and is not limited by the things by which we are limited. And while it is perplexing and a bit freaky, this also brings me great hope!
N.B.: Oftentimes, art depicting the empty tomb morning is a bit cheesy. Few images capture this scene as well as the art of Gustave Dore.


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Skin Cancer Detection
Early Treatment is Key
Skin cancer develops mainly on areas of skin exposed to a lot of sun, most commonly the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, legs, arms and hands. Some skin cancers appear as small growths or as sores which bleed, scab over, heal and reopen. With melanoma, an existing mole may change or a new, suspicious-looking mole may develop. Melanoma can form in areas not normally exposed to sunlight, such as the scalp, breasts, genitals, and the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet. Malignant melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer.
Early detection and treatment of skin cancer can save your life. Make an appointment to see your dermatologist if you notice a new skin growth, a change in the appearance or texture of a mole, or a sore that doesn't heal within two weeks.
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those doing it. ~ Anonymous
We watched a show on PBS last night called Ice Blink. It was about a couple that chooses to live on their sail boat while sailing around the world to adventurous locations. They sail from place to place picking up odd jobs along the way. Eventually, they have a family of three children, and they raise those children on the boat. Along the way they have amazing adventures. They live a life of self-sufficiency in an unconventional way. The show spoke to both the husband and me. It spoke to us in a deep and inspiring way.
It isn't so much that I want to sail around the world, though sailing around the Puget Sound sounds like fun. I'm attempting to live a simpler & less conventional life. I think that's what's missing from so many people's lives (at least in this society). We've become so focused on the things we have to do, on the errands, the to do list, and things in general, that we forget to simplify and just be. Be happy. Be ourselves. Be here. Let your thoughts go.
Dan and I have attempted to simplify for some time now, and we have been quite happy with the results. It works. It works for us.
We watched another show a while ago on PBS that spoke to us. The Story of Stuff is about how all the stuff in our lives affects us. It talks about environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. I highly recommend watching this fast paced 20 minute video.
One more place I have found inspiration to live a simpler and happier life is "be present be here"
And, finally, in this installment of inspiration, I read about one person's happiness project that inspired me. This is an account of the year she spent test-driving studies and theories about how to be happier. On her blog, she shares her insights to help you create your own happiness project.
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I have an Aqualisa Aquastream (1997 - 2003 model) which I am trying to demount from the wall in order to replace it with the newer model.
The unit is fed by hot and cold water pipes entering from the rear. The plastic pipe connectors into which they locate are push fit, but there are no collets to push in to release their grip. Consequently, I can't get the unit free of the pipes.
Does anyone have any idea as to how I can accomplish this?


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What is tea?
Tea is a drink made by infusing leaves of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis, or Thea sinensis) in hot water. The name 'tea' is also used to refer to the leaves themselves; and it is also the name of a mid- to late-afternoon meal in the British Isles and associated countries, at which tea (the drink) is served along with various foods.
Are there different types of Tea?
Black Tea
Fresh-picked tea leaves are withered, spread out on racks to dry then crushed by rollers to release the leaves' juices (fermented or oxidized). The leaves turn brown, and are then fired (or dried) by hot air and sorted into grades. Black tea has a fuller, richer flavor.
Green Tea
Unfermented tea that is immediately heated (or steamed) to kill the fermentation enzymes. It is then rolled and dried. Naturally low in caffeine, the brew is very light in color. Green teas range from a light, fragrant taste to a very bold vegetal flavor. Green tea is very rich in antioxidants.
Semi-oxidized tea from China or Formosa; a diplomatic tea in that oolong is a compromise between black tea and green tea. They are more delicate than black tea and stronger than green tea. The floral Ti Kuan Yin produces a clear mellow brew and is famous for its light fragrance.
White Tea
A rare tea produced from full-grown buds of "Big White" tea bush, not rolled or fermented; only steamed. White tea leaves are picked and harvested before the leaves are fully open.
Herbal Tea
Sometimes called "herbal tea" or "tisane", it is not a tea but an herbal mixture containing no caffeine. Roots, stems, flowers and parts of plants are used to make herbal teas.
How is tea produced?
The first step in tea production is the harvest. Most harvesting is still done by hand, which is very labor-intensive. Some growers have had success using a machine that acts much like a vacuum cleaner, sucking the leaves off the branch. The latter method is used for the cheaper varieties of tea, as it is not capable of discriminating between the high-quality tip leaves and the coarser leaves toward the bottom of the branch. The harvested leaves can be processed in two ways: CTC or orthodox.
CTC, which stands for "cut/crush, tear, curl," is used primarily for lower-quality leaves. CTC processing is done by machine; its name is actually fairly descriptive. The machines rapidly compress withered tea leaves, forcing out most of their sap; they then tear the leaves and curl them tightly into balls that look something like instant coffee crystals. The leaves are then "fired," or dehydrated.
Most tea connoisseurs are not very interested in CTC tea, since this process does not allow for the careful treatment that high-quality leaves merit. But CTC has an important and legitimate role in the tea industry: since it is a mechanized process, it allows for the rapid processing of a high volume of leaves which otherwise would go to waste. It is also good for producing a strong, robust flavour from leaves of middling quality; in fact, for many varieties of leaf CTC is the preferred processing method.
The orthodox method is a bit more complex, and is usually done mostly by hand. The process differs for black, green, and oolong teas. The basic steps in the production of black tea are withering, rolling, oxidation, and firing.
First, the leaves are spread out in the open (preferably in the shade) until they wither/moisture is taken out and become limp. Withering will help rolling the leaves without breaking.
Rolling is the next step. This is rarely done by hand anymore; it is more often done by machine. Rolling helps mix together a variety of chemicals found naturally within the leaves, enhancing oxidation. After rolling, the clumped leaves are broken up and set to oxidize. Oxidation, which starts during rolling, is allowed to proceed for an amount of time that depends on the variety of leaf. Longer oxidation usually produces a less flavorful but more pungent tea. Many texts refer to the oxidation process by the misleading term "fermentation." However traditional and evocative the term may be, I think it is best avoided. Oxidation of tea leaves is a purely chemical process and has nothing to do with the yeast-based fermentation that produces bread or beer.
Finally, the leaves are heated, or "fired," to end the oxidation process and dehydrate them so that they can be stored until brewed or consumed as a drink.
Oolong is produced just like black tea, except that the leaves are oxidized for less time.
Green tea is not oxidized at all. Some varieties are not even withered, but are simply harvested, fired, and shipped out.


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Perth Amboy, NJ, May 07, 2015 –(PR.com)– Torry Harris Business Solutions (THBS), a global leader in SOA/API strategy, cloud integration, mobility and application services, announced that it is positioned as a 'Challenger' in Gartner's 2015 Magic Quadrant for Application Services Governance. This Gartner Magic Quadrant evaluates parameters such as the vendor's ability to execute and the completeness of vision, including 15 perspectives such as overall viability, sales strategy, customer experience etc. and presents visual abstracts to its research findings.
Torry Harris believes that its API lifecycle governance suite 'API-o-Blocks' uniquely meets these requirements as it is a highly flexible and cost-effective API management solution that offers more than just an API Gateway and a Developer Portal. Moreover, THBS' experience in SOA governance has helped THBS to keep pace with the evolution through API management that matured with other THBS consulting offerings. Below are the three key blocks offered by the 'API-o-Blocks' suite:
· API Management Blocks – API Connect
· API Guidelines & Processes – API Govern
· API Creation Blocks – API Enable
*1According to the report, "The growth of the API economy, the pressing need for application rationalization and the disruptive needs of digital business applications will continue to deeply change the market for application services governance technology and cloud services."
Shuba Sridhar, Vice President – Strategic Initiatives at Torry Harris Business Solutions, says, "We believe that THBS' positioning of API-o-Blocks in the Magic Quadrant clearly speaks about the maturity of our product and the step-by-step approach in which we help our clients move into the API economy."
She notes, "The product is about monetizing your assets (legacy or off-the-shelf) through third-party and/or partner collaborations. Our customers have seen this as an essential tool towards digitalization."
About THBS: Torry Harris Business Solutions (THBS) is a New Jersey based multinational provider of business, technology and consulting services. It provides IT consulting and services in the areas of SOA/API, Mobility, Cloud Integration, Big Data and Digital Enablement. THBS provides software services to enterprise clients across different industry verticals through a combination of offshore and onsite services. THBS is a CMMI level 3 company and its security management system is ISO 27001 certified. In 2009, the company was identified as a leader in SOA integration by Forrester Research. Visit www.thbs.com to know more about the company and its services.
*1Gartner "Magic Quadrant for Application Services Governance" by Paolo Malinverno, 9 April 2015
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
Contact Information
Torry Harris Business Solutions
Diganta Barooah
For further information, write to us at email@example.com


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They say if the Irish had been offered the choice of oil or potatoes they would have chosen potatoes. The South Australians could have put a few tens of millions into an old coal-fired power station to maintain reliable energy for some years to come. They chose wind farms instead, and a big battery for publicity for Elon Musk.
They lost some industries but now the good news is they are reindstrialising with cheap renewable energy!
The first project in a US$1 billion nationwide renewable energy program has been launched near Whyalla, in South Australia, as part of a push to bring down Australia's electricity prices.
Key points:
• Sanjeev Gupta's SIMEC ZEN Energy has launched a $1 billion, one-gigawatt dispatchable renewable energy program
• It will comprise of many renewable energy projects, including co-generation at the Whyalla steel plant
•The first project, Cultana Solar Farm, could power almost 100,000 homes
The 280-megawatt Cultana Solar Farm will begin construction in early 2019, employing 350 workers during construction and providing greater energy security to the Whyalla Liberty OneSteel steelworks.
Billionaire Sanjeev Gupta said the investment by his company, SIMEC ZEN Energy, formed part of his firm belief there was a great future for energy-intensive industries through a transition to more renewable energy.
Buried in the hype is a warming from Mr Gupta that coal still has a role to play and the move to renewables "will have to be handled carefully." You can say that again.


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image source: https://www.pinterest.fr/pin/604467581207588420/
Sometimes to survive, or even thrive, you have to partner with someone you previously considered a competitor, or at least a contractor when you prefer to assign the work to an employee. How do you do that with the least amount of risk?
One approach can be explored by seeing Warner Brothers Pictures's latest film, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. based on the popular 1960s TV series. I have not yet seen the movie released last Friday, and of course it is more fun than factual, but here's an opportunity for a humor, violence, and intrigue-packed leadership lesson. Maybe your team could have a lively discussion on how to accelerate your company's growth after an evening showing!
It's the height of the Cold War. The story centers on CIA agent Solo and KGB agent Kuryakin who are forced to put aside longstanding hostilities to team up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organization, which of course, is bent on destabilizing the fragile balance of power through the proliferation of nuclear weapons and technology.
Sounds in your neighborhood, eh?
But back to leadership... How do you discern when working with a perceived competitor actually becomes a strategic advantage that has lower risk than going at it alone?
Do What You Do Best
When Tiger Woods went into a slump years ago, before his marital problems, he worked with his coach to build upon his strengths. What about his weaknesses? He worked with his coach to bring them up to a competitive level, but not try to make them strengths. Soon, he was back to winning tournament after tournament again.
In a similar way, I teach leaders to focus on their strengths. Delegate less important tasks and activities you do not enjoy and/or do poorly to competent people.
In The Man From U.N.C.L.E., the super spy networks of Russia and America conclude that their combined strengths are needed to stop the bad guys. Each side has a lot of strengths, and some weaknesses, but working together provides a strategic advantage.
Let me give you an example: What comes first, sales or the staff to deliver the services? Sell too fast and you cannot deliver. Hire too early and your profits evaporate. Each of these options are a costly "Fool's Choice" that should be avoided. There is an alternative…
Leveraging a service that absorbs custom project work is a low risk, proven opportunity to "put the pedal to the metal" on sales without worrying about risking your consistently positive client experience. You can confidently off-load desktop and server projects and services to a highly-staffed, highly-trained Network Operations Center (NOC), and it's even easier if this service is seamlessly integrated into your RMM platform.
Free from being tasked with common tech work, your people are more available to focus on high-value tasks and strategic growth, while owning your client relationships.
Team Up for Success
In the movie, Henry Cavill ("Man of Steel") stars as Napoleon Solo opposite Armie Hammer ("The Social Network") as Illya Kuryakin. Together they extend their strengths beyond what they can individually do on their own to hunt down a re-emergent Nazi group bent on world domination.
Alone, even as superstars, they would fail. Together, they have more expertise, less risk, higher reliability, more depth, and compounded skills to exceed expectations.
Great leaders understand how to achieve more with others, whether it be employees, vendors, or additional people who can be involved.
Are you better working alone? I doubt it.
How often are you frustrated when someone under your charge keeps repeating a mistake? This is not that employee's fault. It is yours. You tolerate it, so they repeat it. You hired, managed, developed and retained her/him, so it is your fault. Either you should not have hired the person, managed them more effectively, developed them to do the task reliably, or not retained them.
Stop blaming them. The primary problem is you. That brings us to my final point.
Focus on the Real T.A.R.G.E.T.
Leaders rally their resources to achieve significant results. The focus is on what is most important – the primary problem(s) or objectives, not what seems urgent and/or is emotionally appealing.
It is written that Jack Nicklaus, the championship golfer, could have someone shoot a gun near him when he was hitting a golf ball and not even flinch. He was so laser-focused on how he wanted to hit the golf ball that he paid no attention to the gunshot.
I believe in some parts of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. movie you will see similar calmness… but that's a movie!
How focused are you on the tasks and relationships that will make the BIG difference for your company?
In The Man From U.N.C.L.E. the czars of Russian and American spy networks combine two superstars to focus on one thing: Finding and destroying a mysterious criminal organization and its nuclear weapons.
The duo's only lead is the daughter of a vanished German scientist… who of course is gorgeous, but DOES NOT DISTRACT THEM?
There are lots of other bad guys in the movie. Many additional people who need help. Certainly there is more evil these two superstars could vanquish if they combined and applied their talents. However, they focus on one objective.
You should too.
We all have multiple war fronts that scream for our attention daily. We also have varying levels of weaknesses that threaten our prosperity, or even survival.
Take a moment to breathe. Remove yourself from battle. Find a place of Sanctuary and consider:
- Am I doing what I do best?
- Is our company focusing on what we do best, MUCH MORE than anything else?
- Are we productively combining the strengths of our people, partners, and resources? If not, then what coach, consultant, or other third party can help us?
- Are the TARGET goals we have really where we should be focusing, or are there better ways to grow faster and more profitably?
- There is so much money at risk. What companies, consultants and vendors are my BEST partners moving forward so I maximize my growth and profits while lowering my risks?
Maybe you need a team-bonding event. Watch the movie together! Then, confirm the one universally meaningful objective you can all work together toward meeting.
Contact me if you want my perspective on how to get there, and make sure you check out my last blog post, Are You a Minion or a Leader? Advice for the MSP Business Owner!
image sources:
3 Key Factors That Impact MSP Growth Margins
By Lily Teplow
How to Write an MSP Business Plan
By Lily Teplow
11 New Year's Resolutions All MSPs Need to Stick To
By Scott Wittstock


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Japan Tsunami
Sponsored By
West Coast Girds For More Tsunami Debris In WinterVolunteers who patrol California beaches for plastic, cigarette butts and other litter will be on the lookout this winter for flotsam from last year's monstrous tsunami off Japan's coast.
Magnitude-6.5 Quake Hits Off Japan Prompting Tsunami AlertA magnitude-6.5 earthquake shook eastern Japan off the quake-ravaged coast on Monday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey reported, prompting Japan to issue a tsunami alert.
Japanese-Americans Open Hearts, Wallets For Quake ReliefJapanese-Americans, expats and others in the United States opened their hearts and their wallets this week to the victims of Japan's earthquake and tsunami, finding touching and sometimes imaginative ways to donate or raise money for the Asian country's injured and displaced.


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This week, we're joined by the brilliant Daphne Olive of Fathoms Deep to discuss Voyager, chapters forty-eight to fifty-two!
Thanks to Karla for the introduction!
Download the mp3 here, or subscribe to the show on iTunes, on Stitcher, via RSS or on YouTube.
Listener Questions:
- How are sea voyages in Outlander representative of change and adaptation?
- Are we moved by Claire's moment of grace? Are there other, similar moments through the series?
- What is the significance of the names "Mother Claire" and "Fergus Fraser"?
- Excerpt your favorite single line from the reading, and share it!
Show notes:
- For Alastair's reading of Tam O'Shanter and to help us do more, stop by our Patreon page!
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If you have thoughts on this episode, we'd love to hear them! Visit the StoryWonk forum, come follow us on Twitter, call our voicemail line on ☏252-505-WONK(9665), or send email to email@example.com.
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The only Fully Dimmable, Full Spectrum HD-LED Light Therapy system on the market
- The highest Lux rating per square inch of any full spectrum light box on the market!
- 10,000 Lux at 16″ and 5,000 Lux at 26″.
- 93 CRI Light Engine brings true brilliant High Definition color like no other system.
- 5000 Kelvin matches the same color as the sunlight at noon.
- Patented Fully Dimmable LED's from 5% to 100% brightness
- Optically Enhanced Glare Free lens system removes eye strain. Other LED light therapy units leave your eyes stressed and strained and produce harmful after imaging.
- Made in the U.S.A. with industrial quality components. No other LED Light therapy device offers the quality of the Ultralux HD-LED system.
- Industrial Grade Construction
- 6ft power cord
- Unit Size: 9.38″L x 4.00″W x 8.27″H, 4.3lbs
The NEW — Ultralux® IV HD-LED Light Therapy Module
Technology is always changing and making life easier. We now have High Definition LED Light Therapy and The UltraLux HD-LED IV and V offer over 10,000 LUX. The most intense light system made to help overcome the changing of the seasons. The UltraLux HD-LED series offer a fully dimmable light with highest CRI available. Not only does it significantly reduce eye strain but it allows you to use your light therapy device how you want to. Giving you the purest HD full spectrum light and being able to see everything with much higher contrast.
SAD doesn't stand a chance!
LED's are 30% more efficient your standard CFL based models with up to three times more life. The smaller, concentrated light module is able to give you more light therapy at a longer range. It's fully dimmable and can be tilted. It can be adjusted to the right angle that you need, or dimmed down for every day tasks. Like in your dorm room for studying or at home in the morning with your coffee. In order to obtain 10,000 LUX you should be 18 inches away from the UltraLux Light Box LED IV and 25 inches away from the UltraLux Light Box LED V. Most people find 20-40 minutes in the morning at 5000 Lux rating to be the most effective for light therapy. You do not have to look or stare into the light but the light will have to enter your eyes for light therapy to be effective.
Conquer Seasonal Affective Disorder
"A way to treat seasonal affective disorder, depression and certain other conditions by exposure to bright artificial light. During light therapy, you sit or work near a device called a light therapy box or lamp. The light therapy device gives off bright light that mimics natural outdoor light. Exposure to bright light from a light therapy box or lamp is thought to alter your circadian rhythms and suppress your body's natural release of melatonin. Together, these cause biochemical changes in your brain that help reduce or control symptoms of seasonal affective disorder and other conditions. Light therapy is also known as bright light therapy or phototherapy." – Mayo Clinic


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By Phyllis C. Barone – It was an exciting finish at the Marathon Classic as Paula Creamer and Beatriz Recari approached the 18th hole, putting for a possible play off at Highland Meadows in Sylvania, Ohio.
Recari, from Spain, played without any family members present to watch her compete and cheer her on.
The 26 year old Spaniard humbly accepted her victory and when asked about her lack of notoriety on the LPGA Tour, she humbly responded: "I cannot control what others think about me. "All I can do is put a score out there, get these wins and the wins will speak for themselves."
Recari made 27 cuts in 27 events in 2012, and 13 out of 14 so far for 2013. Creamer who hasn't won since the Women's U.S.Open in 2010 continued to draw spectators at the Marathon Classic along with other American LPGA favorites ; Angela Stafford, Lexi Thompson and Stacey Lewis.
Recari's win greatly improved her chances of qualifying for Europe's Solheim Cup team. She finished with a 17-under 267, one stroke better than Creamer's 268.
Led by Paula Creamer's second-place finish, five Americans finished among the top 10 at the Marathon Classic. Creamer was joined at the top by Lexi Thompson (tie for third place), Angela Stanford (tie fifth), Stacy Lewis (tie seventh) and Jennifer Johnson (tie seventh). These LPGA players are probable U.S. picks for the Solheim Cup Team being held at the Colorado Golf Club, August 13-18th.
"Back and forth, back and forth," Recari said of their Sunday showdown. "It totally felt like the Solheim Cup."
Paula Creamer mentions the encouraging text messages she received from LPGA legends Nancy Lopez and Kathy Whitworth during the Marathon Classic in
Sylvania, Ohio.
For more information on the 2013 Marathon Classic and the Solheim Cup visit LPGA.com.


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Keyword: Paul Bettencourt
Texas Data Points from the Week in Texas Politics - April 22, 2016
Texas Data Points from the Week in Politics - January 29, 2016
When Comptroller Glenn Hegar assured the Senate Finance Committee that he would "much rather be in this state than the other 49 states in this nation," Dallas Senator Royce West captured the underlying tension in the Senate's engagement with the economy, budget prospects, and taxes when he cracked back, "I just don't want to be in a state of denial." The finance committee's worry about what the budget might look like was little in evidence the next day when the Select Committee on Property Tax Reform and Relief convened in San Antonio to wave a red flag on local taxation. The Senate State Affairs Committee explored how the state is muddling through implementation of the state's new gun laws, while over on the House side, Republicans flipped a seat in the HD118 special election, triggering Democratic dismay and some public self-loathing. A Houston grand jury propelled Texas into the national headlines after reviewing the case of the surreptitiously filmed attempt to buy fetal tissue from Planned Parenthood and indicting the fraudulent would-be tissue peddlers rather than anyone at Planned Parenthood. Way back at the beginning of the week, Rick Perry also got back in the national news for about half a news cycle after leaking to Politico (take that, state press corps) that he would be endorsing Ted Cruz. Perry revealed that he apparently doesn't know Cruz real well, but he former governor reported that the endorsement comes after they "spent some very appropriate time together."