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(DALLAS) March 23, 2012 — Locke Lord Dallas Partner Michael V. Powell has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in America. He is one of six Locke Lord attorneys selected to this prestigious 62-year-old organization, which is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada.
Membership is by invitation only and cannot exceed 1 percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province. Powell was inducted at the 2012 Spring Meeting of the College in Scottsdale, Arizona, and joins Locke Lord Firm Chair Jerry K. Clements, Dallas Partner George E. Bowles, Houston Partner James Leahy and retired Partner Stanley McMurry as Fellows.
Powell has more than three decades of experience as a trial and appellate lawyer and works on a wide variety of matters, including defense of alleged accounting malpractice, oil and gas and other energy industry matters, as well as constitutional, statutory and other public law questions. He has experience in products liability and other personal injury matters, aviation, indemnity and insurance issues, land boundary disputes and other types of complex general contract and tort litigation. Powell is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law.
Fellowship in the American College of Trial Lawyers is extended to those who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by "the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality." Lawyers must have a minimum of 15 years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship. The College currently lists just 5,700 lawyers as Fellows throughout the United States and Canada.
Locke Lord LLP consistently ranks among American Lawyer's top 100 U.S. law firms. The Firm's full range of practice and industry areas serve national and international clients from offices in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Sacramento, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. It has an excellent reputation in complex litigation, regulatory and transactional work, with its 650-plus lawyers building collaborative relationships and crafting creative solutions – all designed and executed to meet clients' long-term strategic goals.


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Australian shoots to World Title in Banagher
Esker Shooting Grounds in Banagher recently played host to the prestigious 12th International Clay Target Shooting Federation World Down The Line Championships.
After two days of intense action, five points covered the top 15 in the closely matched field with Australian Matthew Schiller edging out Philip Morgan by just one point. Jnr Peter Denis was in third just one point further adrift.
The successful event was hosted by the Irish Clay Pigeon Shooting Association.
(Picture caption) President of the ICTSF Robert Nugent presenting the trophy to the 12th ICTSF World DTL Champion Matthew Schiller (Australia) at Esker Shooting Grounds. On his left; Conor Mooney Hon Treasurer ICPSA, on his right Pat Donaghy, owner of Esker Shooting Grounds and host of the 12th World DTL World Championships and Peter Hanifin, Chairman of ICPSA

subset: commoncrawl


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Privacy rights of employees are a common topic. But privacy rights of executives is a less frequent employment-law issue. The recent demand for presumptive Republic party candidate John McCain's medical records, as well as the small flurry of excitement about Apple CEO Steve Jobs' cancer diagnosis has put the topic in the headlines.
There has been much talk in the news about Senator McCain's health. The talk centers around a melanoma McCain had removed in 2000. So much attention has been devoted to the topic that the Senator has agreed to release his medical records.
The push for disclosure seems to be based on the argument that the electorate has a right to know the condition of a candidate's health. On one hand, the demand seems like a crude request to inspect the goods prior to purchase. But, on the other hand, maybe inspection of health care records is the best we can get short of a warranty.
Employers are permitted to require a fitness-for-duty certification before allowing an employee to return to work following leave for medical reasons. I can't say I'm convinced but I can see the parallel.
The public demand for McCain's health records raises interesting questions for employers. Should CEOs and other top executives at large companies disclose to their organization that they have a serious illness?
A Human Resources Executive Online discussed this question in the context of Apple CEO Steve Jobs' recently disclosed condition of pancreatic cancer. Jobs told the board of directors and top leadership soon after being diagnosed in 2004. After consulting with attorneys, the company decided against further release of the diagnosis.
Jobs tried a variety of dietary and alternative medicine treatment options for nine months before turning to surgery. It was only after he had undergone surgery successfully that he told employees about his illness.
CNN Money.com criticized Jobs' decision not to disclose his condition, claiming that it put his company and his investors at risk. And the story made the cover of the April 2008 edition of Fortune Magazine (pictured above). But during the mid-1990's, Intel CEO Andy Grove did not disclose his cancer diagnosis for a year without controversy.
It raises an interesting question about the privacy rights of senior executives. It also makes me wonder whether the news about Steve Jobs will trigger companies to include medical-condition disclosure provisions in executive employment agreements.


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Normally your heart beats in a regular and rhythmic way
Normally the heart will beat between 60 - 80 times per minute. This regular rhythmic beating is dependent upon electrical signals being conducted throughout the whole heart.
If the electrical signals within the heart are interrupted or disturbed then the heart can beat too quickly (tachycardia), too slowly (bradycardia) and / or in an irregular way. This is called an arrhythmia. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of arrhythmia.
Common causes of arrhythmias include:
There are many different types of arrhythmias some of which are normal and harmless. Some arrhythmias are more serious and will need to be corrected.
Occasional tachycardia or irregular arrhythmias can often be the result of taking everyday stimulants, such as caffeine found in fizzy drinks and coffee. Cigarettes, alcohol, stress and illegal drugs (e.g. cocaine) can also be responsible for arrhythmias. Making changes to your lifestyle to eliminate these factors can often be the solution.
Depending on your symptoms, and the type of arrhythmia you have, your heart specialist may suggest fitting an artificial pacemaker device. There are two different types:


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The call for copyright reform in America has grown so loud that Congress has finally heard it. Lawmakers have ordered a slate of studies to look into how to fix what has become a broken system, and activists are cautiously optimistic that this could be the first step toward reform. The source of the fracture? The Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
The DMCA was passed in 1998 as an anti-piracy statute effectively making it illegal to circumvent copy protections designed to prevent pirates from duplicating digital copyrighted works and selling or freely distributing them. It also makes it illegal to manufacture or distribute tools or techniques for circumventing copy controls.
But in reality the controversial law's effects have been much broader by allowing game developers, music and film companies and others to keep a tight control on how consumers use their copyrighted works, preventing them in some cases from making copies of their purchased products for their own use or from jailbreaking smartphones and other devices to use them in ways the manufacturers dislike.
The DMCA has two problematic sections: section 1201, which deals with the circumvention of copy-protections, and section 512, which allows a copyright holder to send a so-called takedown notice to web sites and others believed to be infringing a copyright. Both have been abused by companies for purposes unrelated to copyright protection, which has led civil liberties groups and others to call for reform of the law to clarify its scope. For example, companies have used it to thwart competitors and to stifle free speech and security research.
How It's Been Used to Hurt You
Lexmark, the maker of laser printers, used the DMCA in 2002 to prevent third-party companies from selling refilled toner cartridges for its printers. Lexmark cartridges use authentication so that non-authenticated cartridges won't work with its printers. But a company named Static Control Components figured out how the verification worked and produced chips to approve refilled cartridges sold by third-party companies. Lexmark sued but lost.
Apple used the DMCA in 2009 to stifle the speech of members of the online forum BluWiki. When forum members engaged in a speculative discussion about ways they might unlock their iPods to sync music playlists between iPods and iPhones without having to use iTunes, Apple used the DMCA to strong-arm BluWiki into taking down the discussion. But the site pushed back, and Apple eventually backed down.
A study released this year by researchers at UC Berkeley and Columbia University found that about a third of DMCA takedown notices are on shaky legal ground, based on a sampling of some 108 million takedown notices issued over a six-month period. Bogus takedown notices fall into many categories, but one example involves a San Francisco news station that once used the DMCA to try to erase a reporting blunder. When one of its broadcasters was duped by a trickster into reading fake names of pilots allegedly involved in an air collision, the station sent YouTube DMCA takedown notices to remove videos of the blunder.
But bogus takedown notices aren't the only problem. Companies have also tried to use the DMCA as an anti-hacking law to sue for unauthorized computer access. In 2007, for example, Ticketmaster sued RMG Technologies under the DMCA for creating scripts that bypassed CAPTCHAS and ticket limits to rapidly purchase event tickets in bulk from Ticketmaster's site and re-sell them. Ticketmaster used the DMCA instead of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act because the latter required the company to show that the computer access resulted in $5,000 or more in system damages to Ticketmaster.
Companies have also used the DMCA to keep vehicle owners beholden to authorized dealers for service and repairs. The John Deere company, for example, has refused to unlock its proprietary tractor software to let farm owners repair their own vehicles, leaving tractor owners in fear of DMCA lawsuits if they try to crack the software protections themselves.
DMCA restrictions like this, however, don't just make customers beholden to companies, they can also help hide wrongdoing. Last year, university researchers uncovered something fishy going on with Volkswagen emissions but couldn't determine what exactly was causing it. Eventually, regulators learned that Volkswagen had embedded secret code in its software to help its vehicles cheat emissions tests. Critics pointed out that had these researchers or others had the freedom to explore Volkswagen's software without the threat of a DMCA violation, the chat code might have been uncovered sooner.
How It Hurts Legitimate Research
The issue with Volkswagen points to a core problem with the DMCA and its stifling of legitimate research. The security community and the software industry has long been at odds over companies threatening legal action under the DMCA to prevent researchers from publicly disclosing software vulnerabilities found in their programs, particularly when those flaws are in the copy-protection mechanisms the companies craft.
One of the first controversial uses of the DMCA occurred in 2001 when the FBI arrested Russian programmer Dmitry Sklyarov at the Def Con hacker conference in Las Vegas after he gave a presentation about bypassing the encryption code Adobe used for electronic books produced with Adobe Acrobat. The encryption prevented customers from making copies of their books to read on multiple systems, so Sklyarov produced a tool that bypassed this restriction and handed out a trial version at the conference with information about how to purchase the full tool. Adobe urged the FBI to act but had to withdraw its complaint after the security community rose up in protest.
That same year the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI), a consortium of recording companies, consumer electronics firms and others, went after a group of researchers who discovered flaws in a digital watermarking technology the consortium developed to thwart piracy. The SDMI had actually invited hackers and researchers to try to defeat its technology, and a group of researchers led by Princeton University computer science professor Ed Felten succeeded in uncovering flaws. But when they sought to present their findings at a conference, the SDMIT threatened them with legal action under the DMCA. The researchers were eventually able to present some of their findings publicly but not until they filed a lawsuit asserting their First Amendment rights.
Something similar to Sklyarov's case occurred in 2010 when George Hotz, aka Geohot, devised and disclosed a hack that allowed him to play homemade games on his Sony PlayStation 3. The hack, unfortunately, also allowed anyone to play pirated games on the system, so Sony issued a forced firmware update to eliminate the flaw Hotz exploited. Hotz responded by releasing his own firmware for the system and disclosing the system's root keys, allowing others to subvert PlayStation 3 systems in the ways he had hacked his own. Sony sued him under the DMCA and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, though it eventually backed down after Hotz agreed not to hack any Sony products in the future or publicly discuss ways to do so.
DMCA threats have also been made against researchers who discovered more serious security flaws in software.
In 2002, Hewlett-Packard went after researchers with SnoSoft who found 22 vulnerabilities in Tru64, its Unix operating system. HP initially accused the researchers of violating the DMCA when exploit code for one of the vulnerabilities they discovered appeared online. But the company backed down after HP employees and others warned then-CEO Carly Fiorina that the company's aggressive stance would curb future vulnerability research that could help HP create more secure software.
Exemptions to the Law
It's because of cases like this one—any many others targeting researchers—that the security community has long sought exemptions to the DMCA that would allow them to reverse-engineer software and disclose vulnerabilities found in systems, without facing legal threats. This is a particularly critical issue with regard to devices and systems with life-threatening and public safety implications, such as the software used in vehicles and medical devices. Car owners and patients have been fighting for the right to get access to the proprietary software embedded in their vehicles and devices, as well as the data these devices collect about them, in order to gauge the security of the systems, without having to fear a DMCA threat in the process.
The Librarian of Congress, along with the Copyright Office, is responsible for approving exemptions and over the years have done exactly this for various purposes. But the process of submitting exemptions is long and arduous and requires that those submitting requests provide extensive evidence of a need. And even when exemptions are granted, they are generally very narrow in scope and only last for three years, after which they have to be renewed or they expire. In 2006, for example, the Librarian approved a long-sought exemption to allow smartphone owners to jailbreak their devices in order to switch carriers. That exemption got expanded in 2009 to include jailbreaking for any purpose. But in 2013, the jailbreaking exemption for smartphones expired and wasn't renewed.
Last year, in the wake of several disclosures about security problems in vehicle software, the Library of Congress approved an exemption for hacking car software for the purpose of doing good-faith security research, and another exemption for the authorized owners of vehicles to bypass protections on vehicle software for diagnosis, repair or lawful modification purposes. Similarly, a new exemption for medical devices approved last year also allows patients to access data generated by an implanted device they own. But without reform of the DMCA, these and other exemptions will remain narrowly focused and have to go through the renewal process in three years.
Luckily, researchers now have three years to uncover serious problems with these systems in order to gather evidence that such exemptions are needed and should be renewed.


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Douwe Egberts Filter Coffee
by Douwe Egberts
Douwe Egberts Filter Coffee. Packed 45 x 50g.£46.50
This is a coffee product, using only top quality, branded ingredients.
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text: 'Howl' is based on the character of Howl from Howl's Moving Castle, a wizard who can transform into a giant reptilian bird. On his face and around his claws are scales, which then gradually change into feathers. Howl's alter ego is quite violent, and the piece is designed to reflect that – it looks like it has been thrown at the head. The stingray leather gives way to small sequins, then larger sequins, and then feathers and plastic spikes; this also helps to enhance the sense of movement as well. The sequins and the stingray are shiny and glittery to add that aura of magic that surround Miyazaki's works.


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Childrens Darlings font contains 224 defined characters and 109 unique glyphs. The font contains characters from the following unicode character ranges: Basic Latin (92), Latin-1 Supplement (91), Latin Extended-A (5), Latin Extended-B (1), Spacing Modifier Letters (2), General Punctuation (16), Mathematical Operators (1).
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This year brought about BYOD in our classrooms, and so I decided to embrace this new opportunity. I will admit that I was a little nervous, and still am about the potential risks, but I have just completed my lesson on the FISHBOWL and am excited at the results. So you should be asking, what is the FISHBOWL, well before the year began I was looking for music for my classroom, and I have blogged about that already, so to the point, I stumbled upon the song, Welcome to the Fishbowl, by Kenny Chesney. I had never heard it before, but after listening to it, I realized there was a ready made lesson to begin my year.
This week I attempted something new with the students. We collaborated on a policy to implement BYOD into the classroom. My hook that really grabbed their attention occurred on the second day of the discussion when I took away all of their devices and told them this will be a no technology zone. It was interesting to observe the varied reactions. I told them that there were too many problems associated with the use of the technology in class to be worth the few opportunities to use them in a positive manner. I did give them the final chance to change my mind. They worked on creating a list of potential uses, and the ideas were amazing. They thought about using it to set up homework or important reminders. They could use it to collaborate on projects, look up information to help them complete tasks. They thought about the potential for contact, and even suggested using skype for students who were sick or absent a day to keep caught up with the class.
As the discussion continued over the next couple of days, I did have a few instances that happened in class that were used as great examples of reasons why we need to have a policy of expectations. Some students' behaviors exemplified the potential misuse of the technology, now no serious issues of concern happened, but they were great demonstrations of behaviors that we needed to address.
The students took this process very seriously, and were engaged in earning their devices in the classroom. I am very happy to say that we created a policy for use.
The basic principles of the policy are as follows:
The use of the device is at the discretion of the instructor who should be asked for permission to use the device during class. In this, the students should explain exactly how they will use the device during class time unless directed to use it in a particular way by the instructor.
Taking pictures may be allowed if the following conditions are followed:
Ask the person(s) in the photo for their permission, explain the purpose of the image, show them the end result, and do not alter the picture from what has been agreed upon by those in the image.
Students thought using images to take notes, for their portfolio, or of activities and tasks would be appropriate use of taking pictures, and the use of sharing them for their educational portfolios would be acceptable use.
Texting is strongly discouraged as it creates a distraction to the student and potentially other students and classrooms. The exception was if contacting a parent or an absent classmate were necessary for school related purposed as decided by the instructor.
I plan on using the devices as part of the class. There are multiple ways students can utilize these devices from taking notes, looking up information sharing answers and ideas, communication, and increasing engagement that I think the benefits from using these in a sound educational manner is too great to pass up.
The final aspect of the policy is the enforcement. Students have agreed to first abide by the rules, second help support others in following the rules by encouraging those who are not following the rules to stop those practices, and they are willing to accept losing the privilege of using the device if they refuse to follow the policy they created.
Ben Brazeau
April 2018


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About Multi-Gyms
The Benefits of Multi Gyms
Multi Gyms keep improving in quality, sophistication and the options that are available. While still not as popular as lifting Free Weights, home gym use has grown by 80 percent since 1987, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association. This increase in multi gym use has attracted new manufacturers to the market, giving the consumer more opportunities than ever before to find a system that perfectly fits his or her needs. Unfortunately, it also makes the search for the perfect multi gym that much more difficult.
A little research before venturing out to the fitness equipment stores could save you a lot of time in the long run.
The Multi Stack Multi-Gyms are the old standbys of the home gym industry and consist of blocks or disks of weights attached to a lever or pulley system. Changing the amount you lift is easy - you just move a pin in the weight stack or add another plate in plate-loading models.
Using a weight-stack gym machine has several advantages. It looks and feels more like models you find in gyms, a definite plus for those who have lifted in the health-club setting. Weight stacks give you a point of reference; non-weight-stack models may turn them off because of their different feel. They also let you know exactly how much you are lifting. Many non-weight-stack multi gyms make you guess at the amount, making it difficult to track progress. Be advised though that lifting 100lbs on one multigym machine may not feel the same as lifting the same amount on another.
The different pulley systems on the various models often cause the actual amount you are lifting to vary slightly. Many of the manufacturers have transformed their multi gyms in the past few years to address this. Changes include protective shrouds over the weight, ergonomically sound seats, the ability to accommodate large differences in body size and easier changes from one weight to another.
Manufacturers have also refined the pulley and cable systems to reduce noise and improve smoothness. They have tried to reduce the floor space multi gyms occupy without compromising the number of features as well.
The Right Multi Gym Features For You
Buying the right home multi gym for your needs and within your price range can be very difficult. A wide range of products of varying quality confronts you. Two seemingly similar multi gyms can be very different from one another when you begin looking at them closely. You need to appreciate your wants and test the machine to ensure it meets them before making your final decision.
First, make sure you can use it. Some machines literally do not fit their users. Many gyms are designed for people between 5' 8" and 6' 2" in height; shorter or taller people could be in trouble, unless it has adjustable seats. Other machines are too narrow for larger individuals to fit between the bars. Still others don't fit the human body at all. Look for a multi gym with people-friendly angles rather than boxy, straight lines. Cast iron weight stacks offer a smoother range of motion.
The resistance should fit too. Its settings should include weights light enough for the beginner user to train on and heavy enough to challenge the strongest lifter. We recommend at least a 200lb stack with a 10lb starting weight.
Features vary greatly and you need to make sure they fit you as well. A good multi gym should allow you to do 12 or more different exercises without having to change the configuration. All these features should come with good instructional support. While every company provides a basic owner's manual, some companies such as Body-Solid and Vectra include printed workout charts with their machines.
Safety Considerations
Physically shake any multi gym you are thinking about purchasing. If it moves or wobbles easily, then choose another one. You don't want to worry about the multi gym moving in the middle of a workout. Look for heavy gauge steel tubing to eliminate flexing and improve movement quality.
If you've decided on a weight-stack multi gym, be aware that open stacks pose the safety hazard of weights crushing someone's (especially children's) hands. If you have children, keep them away from the multi gym while you are using it and buy a shroud for the weight stack (available with most multi gyms). If a shroud is not available and you have small children at home, look for a different model. You do not want to jeopardise your children's safety.
Finally, examine the cables. They should be strong enough that they won't break when you lift heavy weights and have a quiet and smooth motion rather than a dragging, noisy one. Buy models with covered cables as this will prolong the life by up to 5 times.


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Monthly Archives: January 2017
What to do this week
What to Do This Week of Jan 22, 2017
Action Checklist for Americans of Conscience
There are 21 months to mid-term elections. Let's get cracking!
The intention of this weekly document is to make clear suggestions for action backed by well-considered research. If an issue doesn't affect you, consider whether you would support this issue on behalf of other Americans and act accordingly. Although these topics have been well researched and are intended to be helpful, they are still subject to human error. Please do your own research!
If you'd like get this checklist weekly, sign up here:
I believe I can make a difference.
Gear up for the next 652 days to the midterm elections.
Print out this worksheet for the steps below:
- Put your representative's name, local phone, DC phone, address, and email on the worksheet or your phone. Get them here.
- Put your two senators' names, local phones, DC phones, addresses, and email addresses there too. Get them here.
- Get a pile of postcards (or sheets of 110lb cardstock to make your own) and 34-cent postcard stamps. Snail mail is the new response to full voice mailboxes.
- Decide on your "Top Three" most-important issues. Focusing on just a few issues will prevent overwhelm. Consider choosing at least one issue that doesn't affect you personally.
- Have a conversation with yourself and/or beloved others about how you want to give time and/or treasure to your Top Three.
- Set aside time each week to be active. 20-60 minutes is a good range. Add this to your calendar. You might consider doing your actions with others for support and community.
I believe in a free, quality education for America's youth.
Oppose the appointment of Betsy DeVos to Secretary of Education ASAP.
Even if you've already called and/or left a message, call again. If you get voicemail, leave a message. (Instructions on the next page.)
Call: Senate HELP Committee Chair, Lamar Alexander (R-TN) 202-224-4944
Call: HELP Committee Ranking Member, Patty Murray (D-WA) 202-224-2621
Call: Your two senators. (lookup)
Script: Hi! I am calling to oppose Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. (Really, that's all you need to say.)
I believe in equal rights for all Americans.
Oppose Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions
Call: Senate Judiciary Committee Chair, Chuck Grassley (R-IA) 202-224-3744
Call: SJJC Ranking Member, Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) 202-224-3841
Call: Your two senators local office (look up)
Script: Hi! I am calling to oppose Jeff Sessions for Attorney General.
Read the ACLU's 7-point action plan
Choose what action you will take based on what you read.
I believe in integrity and reject corruption.
Sign the first two petitions on the new White House website. (Incidentally, I'm happy to see the petition page–which Obama started–still on the site.)
- Release tax returns: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/immediately-release-donald-trumps-full-tax-returns-all-information-needed-verify-emoluments-clause-compliance
- Divest: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/divest-or-put-blind-trust-all-presidents-business-and-financial-assets
I believe in creating a healthy environment for future generations.
Since the new potus* and crew don't believe the climate crisis is real, we must ask our state governors to uphold Obama's climate goals.
Click this link for an easy call with complete script. (Weekly Resistance rocks!)
I believe in my Constitutional right to free speech.
Call your governor if you live in Michigan, Washington (state), Minnesota, North Dakota, or Iowa. These five states are proposing legislation that criminalizes peaceful protest. (source)
Also call your state representative if you live in the states above.
Share: If you know anyone in the states above, ask them to call.
Script: I am a constituent calling to oppose new legislation that threatens my constitutional right to peacefully protest.
I believe in the value of social welfare.
Protest the potus'* wide-ranging, unamerican budget cuts.
Full instructions on The 65
I believe in affordable, accessible healthcare for all Americans.
Read this thorough, timely action plan to prevent dismantling the ACA.
Choose what action you will take based on what you read.
I believe in the power of my voice.
Get coffee: Ask a few friends to meet up and discuss how you'll proceed over the next four years. This website offers fantastic step-by-step instructions on how to take meaningful action.
Send an email to friends.
Use this guide: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/group-toolkit
Recommended Reading
Prepare mentally: The next four years will be rough if you don't understand how psychological manipulation works. Using precise examples, this article shows you how to avoid falling prey to fear-based mind games. Moyers is a little intense for my taste, but his information stellar.
Read: http://billmoyers.com/story/the-trump-resistance-plan-step-one/
ACA Executive Order: This article explains what the potus'* executive order means for the Affordable Care Act, signed the day of the inauguration.
Read: http://www.vox.com/2017/1/20/14343332/trump-obamacare-executive-order
This is #NotNormal
It is not normal for a inaugural address to include words like carnage, trapped, robbed, decay, and ravage. (source) A normal president doesn't use language of fear and escalation, but hope and vision.
It is not normal for a democratic president to have military parades in major cities. (source) A normal president respects the military by supporting veterans and pursuing peace.
It is not normal for a president to threaten citizens for using their First Amendment right. (source) A normal president seeks to understand complex issues and takes a just and nuanced approach to solving them.
It is not normal for a president to promise to eliminate business conflicts of interest, fail to do so, and then lie about it. (source) A normal president enters his or her term free of conflicts of interest and even the impression of corruption.
Good news
Fair voting: Gerrymandering took another huge hit in Georgia where a judge found twelve congressional districts to be racially discriminatory and subject to redistricting. (happy dance for justice!) (source)
Republican leadership: Once again, Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is calling for deeper investigation into Russia's influence in the American election process. His willingness to speak out is courageous and commendable. (source)
NoDAPL progress: Water Protectors in North Dakota have two pieces of good news. First, out-of-state lawyers may now assist with the glut of arrest cases, and, second, the full environmental DAPL study will proceed. (source)
Stronger together: The Women's March in DC to protest the new potus* was a rousing success. Women and allies marched in more than 500 US cities (source) and more than 70 countries in sister marches (source). The DC march alone surpassed inauguration attendance!
Commence Impeachment: The ACLU is taking the first step to analyze potus'* business conflicts of interest as an impeachable offense. Expect calls to action on this in the future. (source)
- If you'd like to receive this message weekly, sign up here.
- To see archives of past Action Checklists, click here and scroll to the bottom.
- If you'd like to contribute, click here.
Final action
If you found this useful, spread the word!
Tweet: If you're feeling anxious, you're not doing enough. Take action! https://goo.gl/JRf2u2
Facebook: Banish anxiety: Use this awesome checklist to take action and make a positive difference today. https://goo.gl/JRf2u2
We're stronger together!
How Confirmations Work
Here is a link to a Washington Post Article –
There is a very clear graphic showing the process.
Since people will be calling senators in opposition to nominees it might be helpful.
Things to do week of January 8
Blogger Jen Hofmann's list of nation-wide action items for this week
What to Do This Week of Jan 8, 2017
Actions for Democrats, Independents, and Republicans of conscience
The intention of this weekly document is to make clear suggestions for action backed with well-considered research. Although these actions are intended to be helpful, they are still subject to human error. Please do your own research!
If you'd like to subscribe to this weekly action list, please go here:
The most important thing this week: Senate confirmation hearings
This is a second dense action list in a row, but I promise you a ton of good news at the end as your reward.
In yet another unprecidented action, most of djt's cabinet appointment hearings are stacked together starting Tuesday this week. Some will have hearings without a completed ethics review from the Office of Government Ethics. Even if you don't think this is evasive and creepy, this schedule will make it hard for the OGE, the press, and the American public to understand who the new cabinet leaders are and assess their conflicts of interest.
What you can do is put pressure on the senate committees so they know we're paying attention.Yes, making calls can be stressful, but it's working. Staffers are telling us they're hearing from lots of people. Never underestimate the power of your voice.
Your voice matters
For each cabinet appointee you feel is unfit to serve, take two specific actions:
- Tell the Senate committee chair (Republican) you oppose the nominee.
- Tell the Senate ranking member (Democrat) you oppose the nominee.
- Optional: Call your own two senators to oppose–especially if you are a Republican.
Note: Do leave a message if you get voicemail or call after hours/weekend.
Make the calls
- Oppose Housing and Urban Development Secretary appointee, Ben Carson.
Committee: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Call: Chair Richard Shelby 202-224-5744
Call: Ranking member Sherrod Brown 202-224-2315 (mb full?)
Script: I am calling Sen ____ in his role as the Chair/ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. I would like him to know I oppose Ben Carson for HUD Secretary. I'm concerned about Carson's lack of experience and opposition to this department. (source)
- Oppose Homeland Security Secretary appointee, Gen. John Kelly.
Committee: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Call: Chair Ron Johnson 202-224-5323
Call: Incoming ranking member Claire McKaskill 202-224-6154
Script: I am calling Sen ____ in his/her role as the Chair/ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee. I would like him/her to know I oppose General John Kelly for Secretary of Homeland Security. Not because he is unqualified, but I oppose militarizing the US cabinet. (source source)
- Oppose Environmental Protection Agency appointee, Scott Pruitt.
Committee: Senate Environment and Public Works
Call: Chair John Barrasso 202-224-6441
Call: Incoming ranking member Tom Carper 202-224-2441
Script: I am calling Sen ____ in his role as the Chair/ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. I would like him to know I oppose Scott Pruitt for EPA Administrator. I'm concerned about his climate denial, anti-EPA lawsuit, and ties to energy industry. (source)
- Oppose Energy Secretary appointee, Rick Perry.
Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Call: Chair Lisa Murkowski 202-224-6665
Call: Ranking member Maria Cantwell 202-224-3441
Script: I am calling Sen ____ in her role as the Chair/ranking member of the Senate Energy Committee. I would like her to know I oppose Rick Perry for Energy Secretary. I'm concerned about his ties to oil, climate denial, and history of opposition to this agency. (source)
Only three more! You can do it!
- Oppose Commerce Secretary appointee, Wilbur Ross.
Committee: Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation
Call: Chair John Thune 202-224-2321
Call: Ranking member Bill Nelson 202-224-5274
Script: I am calling Sen ____ in his role as the Chair/ranking member of the Senate Energy Committee. I would like him to know I oppose Wilbur Ross for Commerce Secretary. I'm concerned about his deep financial ties to Russia. (source)
- Oppose Defense Secretary nominee, Gen. James Mattis.
Committee: Senate Armed Services
Call: Chair John McCain 202-224-2235
Call: Ranking member Jack Reed 202-224-4642
Script: I am calling Sen ____ in his role as the Chair/ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. I would like him to know I oppose General James Mattis for Secretary of Homeland Security. He may be qualified, but we et a dangerous precident when militarizing civilian cabinet posts. (source source)
- Oppose CIA Director appointment, Mike Pompeo.
Committee: Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Call: Chair Richard Burr 202-224-3154
Call: Vice chair Mark Warner 202-224-2023
Script: I am calling Sen ____ in his role as the chair/vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. I would like him to know I oppose Mike Pompeo for CIA director. I'm concerned about someone who supports government surveilance, torture, and religious oppression leading this vital agency. (source)
Still have time?
Last week's email had seven additional cabinet appointees to oppose–some of whom will have a hearing this week. If you haven't yet called to oppose them, here's the link to last week's document.
Good news
You did it! Here's your reward: news of actual humans being kind, supporting each other, and standing up for what's right. We are still a fantastic, diverse country (in case you needed a reminder).
- Some Rockettes choose to sit out on inauguration (story from Rolling Stone)
- Vermont governor pardons 192 non-violent marijuana convictions (story from NYT)
- A&E cancels plans for Escaping the KKK documentary (story from WaPo)
- Obama vaporizes anti-Muslim NSEERS program (story from Vox)
- A bunch of awesome senators introduce legislation blocking discriminatory registries (press release)
- Obama bans drilling in Arctic and Atlantic oceans (story from The Guardian)
- Adorable reaction of bystander to lesbian wedding proposal (from HuffPo)
- Billionnaire donates the last of his fortune to charity (story from NYT)
- This will make you tear up. There are GOOD people in the world. (from newsner)
TOLD you there was good news!
Final action
Please share any or all content in this message today (no attribution needed).
Tweet: Oppose djt's cabinet appointments before hearings start Tues! Deets:
Facebook: Cabinet hearings start on Tuesday and this list makes it easy to oppose them. Take action today!
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- To see archives of What To Do checklists, click here (and scroll to the bottom)
- If you'd like to contribute, click here.
We're stronger together!
Things to do Week of Jan 1 – Jen Hofmann's list
What to Do This Week of Jan 1, 2017
Actions for Democrats, Independents, and Republicans of conscience
There are two weeks until DJT takes office
The intention of this weekly document is to make clear suggestions for action backed with well-considered research. You don't need to do them all–just the ones that align with your values and abilities. If an issue doesn't affect you, consider whether you would support this issue on behalf of other Americans and act accordingly.
Although these topics have been well researched and are intended to be helpful, they are still subject to human error. Please do your own research!
If you'd like to subscribe to this weekly action list, please go here:
Happy New Year
This is a long one. But we'll start with good news and end with a whole slew of more good news, okay?
The power of our voices
First of all, with less than 24 hours notice, the people opposed an effort to gut the independent congressional ethics committee in favor of self-policing and–get this–it WORKED. Although most news sources are crediting djt's statement with the abrupt change of course, insiders are saying it was public outrage that did it, specifically phone calls.
Congresswo/men want to be reelected. When you speak up, they listen.
The risks ahead of us
On Jan 20, we will have a president who doesn't respect the constitution, whose advisers deal in conspiracy theories and fear mongering, and whose incoming cabinet has deep ties to foreign leaders, big oil, and racist ideology. For anyone who isn't white, straight, male, and worth more than a million dollars our, incoming leadership appears to care little about you.
But this is not who we are. We still have a voice. "If you feel hopeless, it's because you're not doing enough." When I wake up filled with dread, these words remind me– don't fret, just do more.
Do something.
How to act strategically
Which brings us to this week's action checklist. As Americans of conscience, the most important issue for action is the senate's cabinet confirmation hearings.
We must oppose djt's many nominees who have unprecedented conflicts of interest that risk the integrity of our democracy. The good news? Speaking up might effect change since the senate needs 51 votes to confirm, and Republicans hold only 52 spots. Don't assume your senators will make the right choice for our country. Be clear and unyielding.
Make calls. It works. Based on the advice of my own senator's staff, make these calls before hearings begin on Jan 10. This means right now, for each cabinet appointee you feel is unfit to serve, there are two specific actions to take:
- Tell the Senate committee chair (Republican) you oppose the nominee.
- Tell the Senate ranking member (Democrat) you oppose the nominee.
- Optional: You can also call your own two senators to let them know.
Note: Do leave a message if you get voicemail or call after hours.
The following seven people are the Senate Democrats' official "oppose" list. I'll be suggesting more in next week's email. Appointments with an asterisk* were major donors to djt campaign and/or PACs.
- Oppose Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson for ties to Exxon and Russia (source)
Committee: Foreign Relations Committee (more deets)
Call: Chair Bob Corker (R-TN) 202-224-3344
Call: Ranking member Ben Cardin (D-MD) 202-224-4524
Script: I am calling to oppose Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State. His ties to Russia and Exxon are a risk to our nation's integrity and security.
- Oppose Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions for racial bias and opposition to LGBT rights (source)
Committee: Senate Judiciary Committee (deets) hearings on Jan 10 and 11
Call: Chair Chuck Grassley 202-224-3744
Call: Incoming ranking member Dianne Feinstein 202-224-3841
Script: I am calling to oppose Jeff Sessions for Attorney General because I believe in the rights of gays and lesbians and people of color.
- Oppose Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Tom Price for his opposition to the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare"). (source)
Committee: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (deets)
**Note: this is the same committee as for Betsy DeVos and Andy Puzder (below), so combine these calls if you wish.
Call: Chairman Lamar Alexander 202-224-4944
Call: Ranking member Patty Murray 202-224-2621
Script: I am calling to oppose Tom Price for Secretary of Health and Human services. I believe we should be expanding health care coverage for Americans, not making it more difficult to access and afford.
- Oppose Education Secretary nominee Betsy DeVos* for her support of diverting tax dollars to private schools. (source)
Committee: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (deets)
Call: Chairman Lamar Alexander 202-224-4944
Call: Ranking member Patty Murray 202-224-2621
Script: I am calling to oppose Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. I believe my tax dollars should fund a robust and free primary education to all Americans. Her plans would leave public schools even more underfunded.
- Oppose Labor Secretary nominee Andy Puzder* for his opposition to workers rights and fair wages (source) (implications)
Committee: Hearing on Jan 12 (deets) Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Call: Chairman Lamar Alexander 202-224-4944
Call: Ranking member Patty Murray 202-224-2621
Script: I am calling to oppose Andy Puzder for Labor Secretary. I value fair wages and worker's rights, and Mr. Puzder seeks to weaken both.
Committee 1: Senate Budget Committee (deets)
Call: Chairman Mike Enzi 202-224-3424
Call: Ranking member Bernie Sanders 202-224-5141
Committee 2: Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (deets)
Call: Chairman Ron Johnson 202-224-5323
Call: Incoming ranking member Claire McCaskill 202-224-6154
Script: I am calling to oppose Mick Mulvaney's appointment. I believe in honoring our country's financial obligations and supporting affordable healthcare.
- Oppose Treasury Secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin for his history of predatory business practices (source)
Committee: Senate Finance Committee (deets)
Call: Chairman Orrin Hatch 202-224-5251
Call: Ranking member Ron Wyden 202-224-5244
Script: I am calling to oppose Steven Mnuchin (m'NOO-chin) for Treasury Secretary. I believe someone in this role needs to have a history of solid ethics and integrity.
Edit: I got an email from someone asking for clarification. Normally senators don't want to hear from non-constituents. Here's my reply:
Yes, that is absolutely 100% normally the case. However, we're contacting them specifically in their role as leaders of the senate committee that will be vetting a cabinet member. Because of this, they absolutely need to hear from all constituents. It is also useful to contact one's own senators about who you're opposing, but for cabinet positions, we've got to tell the committee leaders how we feel and what we value.
Recommended reading
What we know so far about the Russian cyber attacks
- http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-russian-cyberattacks-intelligence-233045
- https://apnews.com/43d40a64b0244f729ac91544396c1743/US-releases-detailed-look-at-Russia's-election-hacking
Why Russian ties are bad for the West (prophetic article from July 2016)
First reports on increased hate crimes since the election
The limits of the press with a president who tweets his policy
How to prevent normalizing djt & co. (opinion)
Priebus' relationship with djt
A 20-year-old waiter from Appalachia said it best
From the Department of #NotNormal
It is NOT NORMAL for a president-elect to raise money by charging people to see him. A normal president isn't for sale.
It is NOT NORMAL for a president-elect and his staff to disregard the importance of free press. A normal president tolerates scrutiny and values many forms of communication.
It is NOT NORMAL for a Secretary of State nominee to have an offshore tax haven for his Russia-connected business. A normal SoS avoids any and all conflicts of interest for the good of the country's security and integrity.
It is NOT NORMAL for a president-elect to assume the cause of an attack. A normal president is deliberate in their communication and avoids making unfounded accusations.
It is NOT NORMAL for a House Speaker to willingly violate constitutional rights. A normal Speaker prefers open sharing of the democratic process.
It is NOT NORMAL. No words.
It is NOT NORMAL for a president-elect to pass off foreign aggression. A normal president handles foreign aggression in a deliberate and considered manner.
Good news
At last! I promised a whole slew of good news, so here is your reward for making all those phone calls. You did make those calls, right? 😉
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) is fighting back with a plan against djt's rigged cabinet appointments
President Obama commutes sentences for nonviolent federal inmates
Generous Israelis help Syrians
Making peace with enemies
Djt's press criticism is helping the journalism industry
New ebola vaccine at 100% effectiveness
NYPD allows sikhs to wear turbans on duty
China bans ivory trade
Washington Post is adding 5 dozen reporters (even if they won't use the word 'lies')
- If you'd like to subscribe for this weekly message, please visit this link.
- To see archives of What To Do checklists, click here (and scroll to the bottom)
- If you'd like to contribute, click here.
Final action
Spread the word! Please share any or all content in this message today (no attribution needed).
Tweet: Seriously awesome action checklist for this week! https://goo.gl/UTwsEH
Facebook: This is a seriously awesome way to take action! Sign up for the What To Do action checklist and make positive change today! https://goo.gl/UTwsEH
We're stronger together!


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Ez received a Ballerina and Me doll for review
Why not bring joy and imagination to a little girl's world?
So awesomely, we received a Ballerina and Me doll to dance with, get to know, and review.
Ballerina & Me doll is a child life-size dancing doll. Fasten her elastic dancing straps to any little girl's hands and feet and watch the magic happen. She'll pirouette and prance all day long. With music, love and a sprinkle of imagination, she danced her way straight into our hearts! The Ballerina dolls come with a range of hair styles and skin tones, and pink, fushia or red tutus, leotards and hair bows.
Each has a name, the name that Ez's came with was Scarlet, but I'm more than certain she will be re-Christened at some stage.
Reading Seuss Together
Ez fell for her immediately.
Tucked up
Taking her for a dance lesson, doing the daily reader, tucking into bed.
Selfies time!
This life-sized doll is much more than a dancing partner, she is a BFF, and I'm sure will get a haircut or makeover in the not-too-distant future. And at $49.95 (+postage), it's an affordable gift for your little dancer ;)
"Waiting for Dance class"
So, here's your chance to win one of these tiny dancers for your little boy or girl. No promises they'll be BFFs, but they weill be BFs for some time!
Simply answer the question in the comments below and record it in the widget – "Why Does you Little one NEED this Ballerina and Me doll?". The most awesome answer will win as judged by me and Miss Ez. Judge's decision is final.
Sharing is awesome, but will bring you bloggy karma but not extra entries. xx
Aussie addresses only. Closes Sept 7 2015.
Hold me closer, tiny dancer…
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text:
Hello everyone. Today I am showing you ways on earning money on linkbucks. These are the methods I use for linkbucks money making. If you follow these methods in the correct ways, you will start earning money in a daily basis.
First Method: The Smart Blogger
If you are a smart blogger, you would use this method. It automatically takes user to Paid Link and returns him back. You just add the code it generates to every page in the <head> tag and you will start making money.
How to use this method properly?
1. Get a decent blog/website with a decent amount of visitors.
2. Go to linkbucks.com>create links> visit script.
3. Fill in all the forms.
3. Put the html code in top of the <head> tab.
4. Watch your money grow.
Second Method: Links Method
This method changes all your links in your blog to a linkbucks link.
Link: https://www.linkbucks.com/CreateLinks/FullPage/
After you fill the forms, change the frequency to around 1-4. No more then 4, your visitors can get annoyed.
Third Method: Thumbnails and Galleries!
This method is kind of fun. Make money with images, sounds interesting eh? Well, here are the steps.
1. Upload your image to http://imagevenue.com
2. Copy the hotlink clickable thumbnail website code.
3. Paste the code into the create link>multiple links tab, select options.
4. Go to manage links and copy your new converted Linkbucks link.
5. Post your thumbnails in your website, blog or maybe forums.
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This method is the fastest method to earn money. How to do it:
1. Find a funny video at youtube or maybe an adult website.
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This method involves yourself and your browser.
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If you want to suggest a method, comment it.
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Private Events
Book an Event
Whether you are looking for an event for 10 or 400 we have the perfect space for you.
Downtown Denver
Our Downtown 5280 Burger Bar is designed to allow a private dining space for smaller groups and corporate buy-outs of the whole space. Looking to host an office outing or Happy Hour? A holiday party? We can do that too!
Capacity: 10-350
Our second 5280 Burger Bar location in Westminster is the perfect spot for an Office Happy Hour, Holiday Party or Restaurant Buy-Out. We also have our Food Truck available for catering and private events.
Capacity: 10-200


text: Marta de Andrés has a love for all artistic disciplines but after completing her Fine Arts degree she discovered her passion: matte painting and concept art. Digital art has enabled Marta to be self-employed and embark herself in a variety of projects from musical album covers to background illustrations amongst many others. Her mastery of different techniques allows her to create content for almost any kind of multimedia applications and gives her the opportunity to work as a freelancer or under the wing of a big studio.


text:
Back in 1992 under George H.W. Bush and Lamar Alexander's AMERICA 2000 restructuring of public education, a national system to track individual students, including their infant vaccine records, grades, teacher evaluations, test scores, etc. was specified, probably based on the Florida model that was initiated in 1988. It was called the Speede Express. It has continued to grow over the years. This new story clarifies just how much information the Feds now require schools to provide.
The administration wants this data to include much more than name, address and test scores. According to the National Data Collection Model, the government should collect information on health-care history, family income and family voting status. In its view, public schools offer a golden opportunity to mine reams of data from a captive audience.
The department's eagerness to get control of all this information is almost palpable. But current federal law prohibits a nationwide student database and strictly limits disclosure of a student's personal information. So the department has determined that it can overcome the legal obstacles by simply bypassing Congress and essentially rewriting the federal privacy statute.
Read more:


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There are no Upcoming Shows listed for this comedian.
Roxana Ward
Roxana Ward is a multi talented cabaret-comic extraordinaire from Laguna Beach, California. A pianist, musical arranger, producer, and conductor (Milwaukee Symphony), Ward has worked with legends Dolly Parton, Laura Nyro, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and Bea Arthur. Plus, she's also an accomplished songwriter having penned the R&B single "Remember Who You Are," recorded by the late Phyllis Hyman, which reached # 16 on Billboard's jazz chart.
Her engaging blend of piano-bar comedy caused one reviewer to observe, "It's as if Bette Midler and Steve Allen had a love child." Ward is currently teaching and directing at Laguna Beach High School and she's a favorite on Olivia Cruises. This is her third time being a Queen and there's a good chance you'll leave the show humming her silly songs.
Roxana Ward's Upcoming Shows
Roxana Ward is Known For


text:
When: Sun., Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m. 2013
Since 2004, Americana trio Red Molly has been bringing audiences to their feet with gorgeous three-part harmonies, crisp musicianship, and their warm, engaging stage presence. The band consists of Laurie MacAllister (bass, banjo), Abbie Gardner (dobro, banjo) and Molly Venter (guitar).
Price: $18-$23


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What are in the world are peppermint pigs, you ask?
To the festive residents of upstate New York they are a delightfully quirky part of a holiday tradition that started way back in the 1800s. A smashing part, one might say.
According to The Associated Press, festive holiday goers in Saratoga Springs have a long standing relationship with the amusing candy. Typically weighing around 8 ounces and shaped like a pig, these treats are made of peppermint and are considered to be good luck charms.
Are you ready for the best part? Each little piggy comes with it's very own metal hammer. The hammer is used to smash the candy into edible and shareable bits.
You might be curious as to how this tradition got started.
Saratoga.com writes that Victorian culture viewed the pig to be a token of good health, fortune, prosperity, and happiness. Similar to the taste and texture of a traditional candy cane and sporting a bright pink color, they were offered by candy makers during the holiday season.
That tradition is being continued to this day by Saratoga Springs candy merchants and residents alike. Don't worry — you don't have to live in New York to enjoy a little pig smashing of your very own. You can grace your holiday table with one of theses little guys by ordering one online. Those of you who might like a smaller peppermint intake can also choose the option of the smaller, or piglet, size version.
Would your family get a kick out of the peppermint pig tradition?


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Red, Scale of Elements, Book 1 (2nd Edition)
Magic and elemental power have returned, and something ancient and angry has awakened in a small town.
Art student Emma Vanora isn't the most popular girl in school. She has talent, a small circle of friends, and a secret crush on the star football player. But everything changes when her waking dreams reveal the mysterious, clandestine world lurking just out of sight. She draws images of things she's never seen and detects inscrutable, hidden messages in the red birds that keep appearing all around her. A homecoming football game sends mystic shock waves through the town, and soon Emma's school is ablaze with rivalries and simmering tensions. Together with her geeky friend Rai—who swears he has supernatural powers—Emma must dig through the ashes of the past to uncover the secrets hidden by people she thought she could trust. Now, if only she can figure out what the red birds are trying to tell her in time to save her town--and a friend--from destruction.
Red is the first novel in the Scale of Elements series, a character driven epic story of struggle and conflict in a changing world. Fans of emerging adult fiction will be spellbound by the thoughtful and often humorous ways in which Emma and her friends deal with an elemental conflagration. Start reading today to discover the secrets of this modern supernatural saga!
Often humorous and character-driven, "Red" delivers through to a fiery epic-level climax with an unexpected and poignant conclusion. The emerging adult characters thoughtfully manage the impact of mayhem and supernatural power in their changing world and struggle to maintain their ideals and friendships under the watchful eye of a hidden society of magic.More info →
Unmovable, Scale of Elements, Book 2
Magic and elemental power have returned, striking a small, Texas town like a force of nature.
Amber Walker has always been a country girl, never happier than with the feel of fresh earth between her toes and the smell of a passing rain shower across the prairie. But the loss of her family's farmland threatens to take all that away. Her friend Rai insists she has immense supernatural powers, though he has a habit of letting his imagination run wild. Amber has always been down to earth.
Still, certain people have a strange glow about them. At times, she displays an incredible strength that can't be explained by mere adrenaline—and toxic oil-spills don't simply disappear overnight. Whether she likes it or not, some enigmatic power has Amber in its grip. With Rai's help, she must unravel the secret of her untapped elemental potential, before a terrifying and mysterious entity can drag them, along with their entire town, to a watery grave.
Unmovable is the second book in the Scale of Elements, a contemporary fantasy series. Richard Rigoli and Suzanna Reeves forge a magical world from everyday life, full of deep, appealing characters, evocative mysteries, and legendary threats. Pick up Unmovable today to join in the adventure!More info →


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I hear "Auto Inflate" life jackets inflate by themselves in hot weather or while in a hot storage compartment. "Manual Inflate" units solve that problem but if I am going to spend the bucks and I am wearing it for "Safety" I feel I should get one with all available "Safety" features.
Anybody using either of these ? Can anyone recommend a good one?


text:
Back to all reports
Street light out
Reported in the Street lighting category anonymously at 19:35, Sun 25 November 2018
Not reported to council
The light is out - no number on the post that I can see. Light closest to the entrance of Sandford Close - between Chillerton Way and Sandford Close on their side of the street.
Provide an update
Please note that updates are not sent to the council. Your information will only be used in accordance with our privacy policy


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As a sole practitioner in a state where cows outnumber people, I'm constantly reminded of how fortunate I am to live and practice law in Montana. Our office building in Montana City—don't be misled by the "city" part—is cradled between the Elk Horn and the Big Belt Mountain ranges that merge in a dramatic defining point in the Missouri River Valley just east of our continental divide.
On any given day, I can expect to see big game species such as elk, deer, and antelope with their noses to the ground maximizing their caloric intake. Coyotes and foxes dart across fields and between the other humble businesses in a search for the next field mouse, vole, or shrew that isn't paying attention. A small pack of grey wolves trotted over a nearby wooded knoll recently. Bald eagles glide by from time to time, and Canada geese honk as they head for ancient breeding grounds on the Big Mo. Songbirds of all sorts land in the quaking aspens that stand tall near the windows of my upper-floor perch. The panorama of snow-draped mountains offset by the amber foreground of stubble wheat fields is a collage of color and light that at times defies reality. Change is constant.
Those of us who live and practice in Big Sky Country insist on a slower, more deliberate lifestyle. We choose to endure brief summer seasons where growing plump red tomatoes requires a greenhouse, and winter can give us the back of its hand with a swat that stings at 40 degrees below zero. We enjoy greeting our colleagues by their first names, and we take comfort in the relaxed atmosphere of our courtrooms where it's okay to wear sports jackets, khakis, and Western boots. We drive pickup trucks to court where our judges frequently use our first names—on the record. We have no metal detectors to pass through. Law and motion takes only an hour or so. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Yet even country lawyers are not immune to the technological sea change that has engulfed the profession and demands us to change, to hurry, to do more. The streaming deluge of new electronic gadgets continues to cascade down on us like Yellowstone Falls during spring runoff. The market demands that we buy the latest and greatest, urging us to stare at another screen, tap another keyboard, or even tap a screen. We have cell phones, iPhones, iPads, BlackBerries, Droids. Already we have iPad 2. We e-mail, text, and tweet. It's instant communication, with volumes of information at our fingertips. We pride ourselves on our ability to multitask at the highest level, the circus equivalent of juggling a bowling ball, a chainsaw, and a feather while hopping on one foot. Researchers claim that today's high school students send and receive an average of 17,000 text messages per month on their cell phones. That's more than 500 per day. The time we spend staring at LED screens, from the miniscule to the magnum, has increased exponentially. As a result, we tend to expect more and more of ourselves—to do things faster and to manage several tasks at once, and then to move on as quickly as possible.
But are we forgetting what it's like to take our time and to think, process, and create? To do one thing at a time? To do it well? And to actually enjoy it? Studies show that the frenetic techno-wave to which we've been subjected—and to which we eagerly overindulge—is changing the way our brains function. Our attention spans have shortened. Our creativity has diminished. Our patience has thinned. Are we less civil toward each other as a result?
The lack of civility in our modern legal profession—an issue that many have raised recently—might be traced to our dependence on all the gizmos we use. We rely on symbols, snippets, and phrases that breed virtual relationships, rather than face-to-face meetings, letters, or even phone calls that remind us that our colleagues are flesh and blood. It may be easy for some lawyers to be short and even rude to their adversaries in an e-mail, text, or tweet. But it's not so easy when we have to write a message by hand, or sit down, look each other in the eye, and first ask, "How are you?" And mean it. The veteran lawyers I know and for whom I have the deepest respect all seem to agree: Lawyers were nicer to each other in the old days. Because we can process more work with the help of our gadgets, we've increased our caseloads—but at our own peril. For we know an ever-increasing caseload is inversely proportional to the quality of our work and our professional well-being. More is less.
A decline in mutual respect between colleagues is not relegated to the legal profession. After the tragedy in Arizona, politicians and pundits alike professed the need to improve our public discourse, virtually blaming the tragedy on our electronic trash talking and the nasty atmosphere in Congress. Yet who can deny the raw power of the electronic social media to bring about dynamic change on an unprecedented scale? The breathtaking revolution that's sweeping the Middle East is due in part to the Internet, where thousands of young protesters stand in awe of the privileges available to citizens of distant democracies. Authoritarian regimes across the globe are reportedly realizing that to maintain their tyrannies they must control the Internet with propaganda rather than make a futile attempt to snuff it out. Even they know it's too late for that. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter pose a tremendous threat to dictators who have always relied on keeping their subjects—especially the younger ones—unplugged and unaware.
Next to my computer sits a matte black Underwood Standard typewriter circa 1943. It's an impressive 20-pound behemoth with a high-rise carriage that reminds me of simpler times. Thankfully, I never had to practice law back then because I can't imagine pecking away—it'd be more like pounding away—on those stiff, steel keys when I have a big brief due. I envision tearing erasable bond from the black roller with a rrrrrrripppp and throwing another crumpled page into an overflowing green metal trash can while the clock ticks away. The onetime metal marvel reminds me that the pace of things was slower once. And in some ways, maybe better.
A new client came to my office recently after being charged with several felonies that threatened huge fines and life in prison. He was distressed and racked with worry. He sat down and we began an honest dialogue about the various directions his case could go and what I might be able to do to help. I was in the middle of explaining a critical point of law pertaining to his case when his cell phone rang. Without hesitating, he answered. Hello? Hey . . . Yeah I know . . . Does she know? Really? Would you tell her for me? I'm not really sure . . . Okay . . . I'm in the lawyer's office right now . . . I gotta go . . . I'll call you later though . . . Okay . . . Yep . . . Bye. He looked up with an expression that said, Okay, you may continue now. By answering his phone at that moment, my client may have attained some measure of comfort in the face of an enormous personal crisis. But isn't that why he came to see me in the first place? Do I need a cell phone symbol with a red line through it hanging on my door? Our reflexes have been so conditioned to respond to myriad electronic stimuli that we jump at any ring, beep, or buzz, like the subject in a contemporary Pavlovian lab experiment.
I'm no different, though. I check e-mail when I'm away from the office. But I don't really need to. I answer my cell phone when I'm away from the office. But I don't really need to. I talk when I'm driving. But I don't really need to. I've dropped my phone and spilled my coffee and swerved all over the road like I had just thrown back three Irish Car Bombs at Riley's Pub—all in an effort to stay plugged-in and connected. And even worse, my cell phone has rung in court.
But I worry. What if I miss an important call? What if I miss a new case? What if they go somewhere else? What if? What if? What if? I'm fretting that I won't keep up. That I won't stay in touch. That I'll miss something. Miss what? Uh, I don't know, maybe . . . life? Oh, yeah. I'm missing something alright. I'm missing life. And yet by today's standards, I'm stuck in the early Paleolithic Age. I still use a black academic calendar and a mechanical pencil. I'm shivering in my cave and chipping away at a stone club while my colleagues huddle around something bright and warm, and tear into the roast beast they just killed with their shiny steel spears.
So I did an experiment of my own. I took a deep breath and left my cell phone home one day. When I got to the office, I turned my desk phone off. I even ignored my messages. I refused to turn on my computer and check e-mail. I unplugged. I disconnected. I waited. Nothing happened. I worried. I took a sip of coffee. Still nothing. I fretted. I opened a case file. Nothing. And then, I started to relax a bit. I looked out the window just in time to see a young mule deer buck bound across the road. I took another satisfying breath and stretched. I relaxed a bit more. I grabbed a good old-fashioned Number 2 Ticonderoga—no modern mechanical pencils for me. I was going cold turkey.
I started taking notes on a yellow pad for a brief I needed to prepare. I wrote, read, thought, and wrote some more. I chewed lightly on the end of my pencil and studied the icy peaks of the Elk Horns as the morning sun drenched the ridges in a prism of fresh light. I pulled case law from real books. My thought patterns slowed and the finer points of legal arguments had time to steep in the pool of my consciousness. Thorny legal issues practically sorted themselves out. The law, I rediscovered, can be captivating. By five o'clock I was relaxed and satisfied with the notion that I'm not really all that important. I hadn't spoken with anyone, checked any devices, or stared at any screens. And I was more productive than I had been for some time. I knew I'd ease out of my time warp and rejoin the Connected Age—to a degree anyway—but I vowed to downshift and enjoy the privilege of practicing law and the pleasure of living life. On my way out, before turning off the light, I glanced at the old Underwood. Less is more.


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75 T-Poly students sacked for falsifying grades
Seventy-five students of the Takoradi Polytechnic have been sacked for allegedly using falsified West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) grades to gain admission to the institution.
Some of the affected students claimed they either had sex with or paid money to some "lecturers" and middlemen before being offered admission.
Others also claimed it was their friends and seniors in the school who introduced them to the middlemen.
The affected students are said to have had their D7, E8 and F9 grades falsified to A1 to C6 to be admitted.
The situation has created an uneasy calm on the campus and the students are discussing the issue.
When contacted, the Registrar of the polytechnic, Mrs Silvia Oppong-Mensah, said the affected students were Higher National Diploma (HND) students who were admitted a year ago.
She said after the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) had certified the results, the names of the affected students were posted on the school's notice board and the students were asked to defend it, using their original slips.
"Only two of the affected students came with certified results from WAEC and were allowed to continue their programmes," she said.
Mrs Oppong-Mensah said the polytechnic was currently left with no option but to show the students the exit, since they did not qualify for admission.
Some of the students, she said, had been in the school for a year but were not aware that the polytechnic had taken their slips to the examining body for verification.
Parents must show concern
Mrs Oppong-Mensah said if parents were concerned about their children's admission needs, they would have realised that their children were not qualified.
They even paid admission and hostel facility fees, only to be told that the middlemen had falsified their results, she said.
"It was wrong to pay money to middlemen who are walking around the campus and post offices claiming they are lecturers and have links to the school authorities. Let me say that there is no such thing like connection to compromise the hard-earned reputation of the school," she warned.
Source: Daily Graphic


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Hotel Marketing Trend – Video Rules!
When the Buggles presented their music video hit "Video Killed the Radio Star" in 1979, there was somewhat of a premonition for what role video would play in our lives going forward. The internet became accessible to everyone and opened a pathway to social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Periscope and Instagram – all providing visuals that capture everyone's attention and endless opportunities for hotels.
It's a known fact that people will remember 80% of what they see versus only 20% of what they read. With video, being present in the moment without actually being at the hotel will resonate with the potential guest who makes purchasing decisions based on the emotional connection to your hotel visuals.
So it's not a far stretch to see why this trend toward video presents all kinds of possibilities for the hotel digital marketer to build guest loyalty, raise brand awareness, increase engagements and leverage a hotel's place in this medium.
Hotel Marketing with Video
A recent Cisco Systems study shows that, by 2019, video will account for 80% of all internet traffic. Instagram has at least one photo or video posted 73% of the time each week. YouTube has become the #2 search engine right after Google. Facebook has been vying for a piece of the action by introducing its video platform, Facebook Live earlier this year that promises to rival YouTube. Then Facebook upped the ante in August by starting to test live stream ads.
The growing interest in video has sparked a consideration of budgeting dollars toward video marketing and advertising. If you haven't already, hotel digital marketers should consider video as part of their overall marketing strategy & make video spending a part of their budget.
Hotels can drive home a powerful response, increase chances for conversions and create a more personal relationship with guests and potential guests through the best storytelling medium there is – video! So be heard. What's your hotel's story?


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Alexander Grothendieck died in November this year. He wasn't exactly a household name – for some reason, our culture considers our greatest mathematical geniuses to be unworthy of fame (not that this deeply private man would have welcomed it).
Still, he deserves to be remembered – and not just by his fellow mathematicians. In a post for 3 Quarks Daily, Jonathan Kujawa provides a brief biography:
"Grothendieck's life was as interesting as his mathematics. It's bound to be turned into one of those movies made to win Oscars. His parents were anarchist political activists and artists, he moved to France as a refugee of Germany in 1938, and for most of his life was legally stateless and traveled with a Nansen passport. Grothendieck was at the peak of his public mathematical life during the 50's and 60's, receiving the Fields medal in 1966. Starting in the 70's he withdrew from the mathematical community and, ultimately, his family and friends as well."
The significance of his work is profound:
"With the help of others he rebuilt vast amounts of mathematics from the ground up. He had a vision that still seems futuristic many decades later. I compare it to Braque, Picasso, and company blowing up the art world with their entirely new vision of what art could be. In Grothendieck's case you'll have it about right if you imagine him as a visiting scholar from an alien civilization whose mathematics is to ours as ours is to one of those Amazonian tribes who can only count to three."
For non-mathematicians, Grothendieck's work is all the more inaccessible, but there's something in Kujawa's post that strikes me as hugely applicable to politics and government:
"…the high value Grothendieck put on understanding. For him it was completely unsatisfactory to answer a question by brute force or clever tricks. Rather, he took the view that if you truly and deeply understood, then the solution came without effort. The real goal was the understanding and, in the end, successfully answering the question should be viewed as the confirmation of your understanding. If you struggle with a question, then perhaps the real problem is that you don't understand the question well enough yet! You should expand and deepen your understanding like a rising sea until it engulfs the problem."
Reading this paragraph helped me to understand something fundamental about the contemporary process of policy development – which is that almost all politicians, and most of their advisors and officials, aren't interested in understanding problems, they just want to solve them.
What 'solve' means in this context is achieving a degree of short-term control over the related political and news agendas. This doesn't require that the issue be understood, but merely that something be done. As a result, that 'something' often goes wrong. For instance, the US and UK response to 9/11 betrayed a deep misunderstanding of the consequences of military action in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Other examples include 'safeguarding' democracy by resorting to torture; the reckless deregulation of the financial sector; the European single currency; various top-down reorganisations of the NHS; and the idea that people can be 'lifted out of poverty' just by giving them a bit more money.
It's not that this approach to policy-making is necessarily insubstantial – the end-product could be anything from a short-lived gimmick to a full-scale military invasion. Rather, what condemns it to failure is a basic lack of curiosity as to the nature and origins of the problem itself.
It be might argued that this is what policy experts are for – and that politicians should concern themselves with operating the levers of power. In reality, the 'wonks' are probably also focused on issues of process, only at a more technical level of detail. As for the politicians, the bigger the decisions they make, the deeper their understanding ought to be.
There are those who do still demonstrate a genuine curiosity about the great policy challenges of our time. It's not that they're always right, but at least they try to see the wood for the trees. In this country, notable examples include Phillip Blond, Douglas Carswell, Jesse Norman and Dominic Cummings. Such individuals tend to have a rough time of it – dismissed as mavericks or, if they're really unlucky, temporarily co-opted as purveyors of the latest 'big idea'.
Ultimately, the only big ideas are the deep ones – and thus poorly understood by our shallow politicians.


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Harvest Christian Center in Shelton will put on performance
The Harvest Christian Center in Shelton is holding a dance and acting week that will end with a performance, with activities 9 a.m.-noon from Monday to Friday, Aug. 4 to 8.
A performance is set for 6 p.m. Aug. 8.
The students will work on "Escape from Idolville," a story about a dream a girl has that takes her to a land where she learns about putting God first in her life. The focus for the week will be on the 10 Commandments.
Held at the Harvest Christian Center, 302 Soundview Ave., Shelton.
There is no cost for the practice, but donations will be accepted during Friday's performance.
Registration forms can be submitted online or mailed to 298 Soundview Avenue.


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Home | Pages
Posted by snowzstexzy2018-09-15
Veteran Nollywood actress, Patience Ozokwor, turns a year older today September 14th.
She has shared these new photos on her Instagram page with the caption below to celebrate herself.
"So grateful! ?????? I live everyday grateful for another opportunity to make an impact in this world. Mediocrity is not in my dictionary. I am a living miracle, a walking testimony, the apple of God's eye. I am a planted seed that has grown deep roots. I cannot be uprooted. My life is mapped out by The Lord. Just when I thought I gave up all for Him He gave it all back multiplied a hundred fold. I am absolutely nothing without Christ?? Happy birthday to me!! ???"she wrote on her IG as she shared the photos
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Post Date:
Monday, November 21, 2016
big think
Artificial Intelligence hasn't taken over the labor market, yet. It's in unstructured workspaces where human laborers will continue to thrive, explained Dr. Homayoon Karerooni, founder and CEO of suiX. His company isn't in the business of replacing humans with robot workers, rather his team wants to enhance and augment our abilities with MAX, a flexible exoskeleton. Read more.


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I decided to create a new blog and I've imported the posts from the old one so nothing is lost. I decided to do this because the old blog started out as a way to cover technology topics and hopefully enhance my status at work. I was hoping I could be viewed as a writer in addition to being seen as the podcast and video person.
But I soon realized that I don't want to write about technology. There's just no passion in it for me.
Then, because the blog's url involved the word technology I decided to look at alternate meanings for the word. It made sense and I called it Laura's Technologies for Living, but the title didn't resonate.
Today I found out that something I wrote for work was totally re-written before it was posted on the web so I have this feeling that I'll never be taken seriously as a writer by my team. So now I write for me. I'll write about the meaning my life has outside of my job. I'll grow, I'll learn, I'll succeed, I'll emerge.
This current blog will be about anything and everything that interests me. I'm a complex creature and I like to share and I hope to attract a few readers.
I tweeted today that I just don't fit in anywhere and that I should stop trying. This is part of that.


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In this interview from Code Conference, Marc explains how the idea of automation stealing jobs is a fallacy (specifically citing the lump of labor fallacy and the luddite fallacy).
"It's a recurring panic. This happens every 25 or 50 years, people get all amped up about 'machines are going to take all the jobs' and it never happens."
"I think the self-driving car has the opportunity to not only improve productivity for the people in the car, which will be a huge economic boost for those people; Not only has the opportunity to save lives — over a million people die worldwide in road deaths today caused by human drivers, and I think we can take that very close to zero, which is very good for both human welfare and for economic productivity — it's a very serious dent in productivity when people get killed"
Published on May 30, 2017:


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Who made this product? Lucuma Designs collaborates with artists in the highlands of Peru to design and produce gorgeous crafts that range from finger puppets to gourd ornaments. There are over 300 Peruvian artisans that have opportunities to express their expertise in craftsmanship with Lucuma Designs.
Why is it ethical? Lucuma Designs creates long term partnerships with their artisans to ensure positive personal and community development. The artisans are also able to celebrate their cultural heritage by harnessing traditional techniques to create their products.
Create an account with us and you'll be able to:
Fill in your email below to request a new password. An email will be sent to the address below containing a link to verify your email address.


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The Basin campground NSW
The Basin campground in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is a lovely campground with lots of space. Barbeque facilities are cleaned daily and the rangers are SO helpful – especially when you're camping in a downpour and your tent gets flooded and they let you sleep in the cottage! (Which is haunted, but that's another story),
Would have liked more campfire spots – the ones they do have are lovely for big parties or for sharing with other friendly campers.
The wildlife is insane – you will be tormented by bush turkeys and the wallabies will go inside your tent if you leave it open! They also like to poop just outside the tent opening!
Pack light cos it's an effort to get there either by ferry or walking! Great place for families as the beach and lagoon are very calm. Will go back when it's sunny!
The Basin campground in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is one of Sydney's most popular beach camping spots.
|Camping type
|Tent, Remote/backpack camping
|Amenities block, picnic tables, barbecue facilities, drinking water, public phone, showers, toilets
|Please note
|Entry fees
|Park entry fees for this park are not included in your camping fees.
The Basin campground is the only place you can camp in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. This large, grassy area overlooks Pittwater, offering lovely surroundings and views.
It's easy to see why this waterfront campground is so popular. At The Basin, you'll find great facilities along with a picnic area, sheltered beach and an inland lagoon. The campground accommodates up to 400 campers.
Pitch your tent in a shady spot, enjoy a bike ride or a swim and see if you can spot the local swamp wallabies or kookaburras.
There's no car access to The Basin campground. You can park at West Head Road but it's a steep 2.8km walk to the campground from there. If you're not up for the hike, arrive by water taxi, boat or a ferry which leaves from Palm Beach Wharf.
Take a virtual tour of The Basin campground captured with Google Street View Trekker.
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
The Basin campground is on the western foreshores of Pittwater in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. To get there:
- It's best to Take the ferry which leaves from Palm Beach Wharf
- If you're camping at The Basin and arriving by ferry from Palm Beach, please drop your camping gear at the ferry wharf. Leave your car in the seasonal carpark at the Careel Bay Sporting Fields, then catch the 199 bus back to the wharf. The 199 bus comes every 15 minutes, and it's just a short 5 minute ride.
- If you choose to arrive by car, please note that getting to and from the campground involves a steep 2.8km walk from the West Head Road carpark (West Head Road gates are locked between 8.30pm – 6am during daylight savings and 6pm – 6am at other times)
- If you own a boat, anchor in the sheltered bay opposite the picnic and campground.
- Drive or ride through the park along West Head Road, then walk or cycle along the steep 2.8km Basin walking track to The Basin campground.
Park entry points
- Palm Beach ferry wharf carpark See on map
Road quality
There is no vehicle access.
If driving to the track entry of the campground, limited parking is available in West Head Road carpark, 2.8km from the campground.


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The library received 81 submissions for the 2012 art award contest. The responses were varied and included multimedia, videos, photographs, poems, essays, paintings, prints and musical compositions. Judges looked for works that were not only inventive but also reflected a thoughtful interpretation of a work of art in the library.
Andrew Baer's multimedia submission was inspired by John Arruda's Nicotine Man. Baer's sculptured cigarette box and very clever use of social media is exceptional for its originality and multiple connections to the figure in the painting. Using cigarettes, Baer created highly inventive and challenging photographs and burn drawings. The "fake cigarettes" contain the following text:
"Nicotine Man is a personality realized through digital media. He has an email address (email@example.com), and communicates with others through a Facebook account (www.facebook.com/nicotineman). Nicotine Man is also an artist, posting nicotine related drawings, sculpture, photography, music, gifs and video on his Tumblr account http://nicotineman.tumblr.com/ which he forwards to his Twitter account http://twitter.com/#!/NicotineMan1987. He blogs about art that inspires him on another Tumblr account http://inhalationinspiration.tumblr.com/ and blogs about his life on Blogger http://nicotineman.blogspot.com/. Nicotine Man grows and changes as he both embraces his habits and struggles to quit them. You are welcome to get to know and interact with him through evolving records of digital media. Please read this blog, view his art, and become friends with him."
Emily Kenselaar's superbly executed drawing is in response to photographic portraits Myra and Poppo by Doug Schwab.
Christina Squitieri skillfully blends events of the twentieth and twenty-first century in a exquisitely composed and uniquely structured poem. Ms. Squitieri was inspired by Georges Braque's Bird of the Woods.
Alex Renner composed and performed music for marimba and piano entitled "Press." The music is in response to William Kentridge's Typewriter. Renner's dynamic composition and choice of instruments beautifully reflects the rhythms and frustrations of typing on an old typewriter.
Briggan Krauss and Sophia Remolde created a highly original, thoughtful and sophisticated computer-sound interactive work based upon David Deutsch's painting Rotunda.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide a link to the submission.


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The Devil's Tower fortifications are located on the northeast corner of the rock. The Devil's Tower itself was demolished in 1940 during WWII, but the remaining fortifications face Spain and the Alboran Sea covering those points of access.
Direct link below (goo.gl)
Devil's Tower fortifications of Gibraltar
By tallturtle82 @ 2015-09-16 08:16:50
Links: en.wikipedia.org, www.google.com
Nearby Maps (50 km): 148