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Volume 8
Issue 1
- Life with Bats, Books, and Caves
- THE B.A.T Club
- Photo Exhibit on Bats Opens in Israel
- Join Us in The Founder's Circle
- A New Look for BATS
- Success with "Active Members Package"
- Thank you! We can't do it without you!
- BCI Participates in Pan American Conservation Education Conference
- A last look. 1990
- On The Cover
- The Changing Face of Bat Conservation in the Pacific
- THE FLYING FOX: Becoming a Rare Commodity
New flying fox surveys in Micronesia contribute to protection …
PICTURE THE frozen food display case in your local supermarket. Among the packaged fish sticks and chicken are less mundane items, possibly jumbo shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico. Even though they're expensive, you might buy some for special occasions, without too much thought about how they got to the store.
Things are much the same in the big, mainland-style supermarkets on Guam, except that among the luxury items, you can sometimes find imported, frozen flying foxes-individually shrink-wrapped in white Styrofoam trays. For the Chamorro people of Guam and the adjacent Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI), flying foxes are a traditional delicacy, served at birthdays and other personal and community social gatherings. The bats are expensive and can be hard to find. When news of a shipment circulates, people buy the bats quickly, probably also without giving much thought to the consequences of consuming them.
Unfortunately, when you perturb ecological systems, ignorance is hardly ever bliss. We've realized belatedly that the usual shrimp trawling technology is a major cause of serious, virtually global, declines in sea turtle populations. But commercial trade in Pacific flying foxes threatens not only the survival of the bats themselves, but also the island forest communities that depend on them for seed dispersal and pollination.
The flying fox trade has grown steadily since the 1960s when over hunting depleted Guam's flying fox population, and residents began to import them from surrounding islands. Like the disturbance generated by dropping a stone in a quiet pool, a wave of unregulated wildlife exploitation moved out from Guam in many directions, along jet air travel routes.
Reports by Samoan hunters of increasing scarcity of flying foxes first alerted our colleague, Dr. Paul Cox, to the impact of commercial hunting on those islands' flying foxes. Since 1987, access to Samoan bats has become limited for a number of reasons, including Samoan restrictions on export of its declining flying foxes.
As a result, trade intensified in Micronesia, particularly Palau, Pohnpei, and Chuuk (formerly known as Truk)-the closest potential suppliers. (The islands nearest Guam, Yap, and the CNMI already had legislation prohibiting commercial har vest.) Trade from these areas has escalated dramatically in the past four years.
The islands of the Pacific are home to many localized species of the flying fox genus Pteropus. In many cases, they are an island's only native mammal. The geographic ranges of these bat species are typically small — many less than 200 square miles and, in a few instances, less than 10 square miles. Limited distributions mean that, even under optimum conditions, population sizes are small. On islands, there may be little refuge from habitat disturbance or human exploitation, leading to the possibility of rapid population declines.
EXCEPT DURING A BRIEF INTERLUDE when the islands of Micronesia played a key role in World War 11 Pacific campaigns, they have not often been in the public view, and most people outside the region know little about these places. There is a similar, remarkable lack of basic biological data on these islands' forests and other natural communities. Concern for the status of flying foxes and their habitat, and the need to evaluate the impact of trade, prompted BCI to sponsor a preliminary survey of several island groups.
Thus, BCI member and bat biologist Dr. Elizabeth Pierson and I spent August 1989 in Guam, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae. We went to Guam first, where we met with Guam customs officials and members of the Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources. Thanks to their staff, particularly Gary Wiles (also a BCI member), over ten years of valuable bat trade statistics are available. And thanks to monitoring by Guam customs, export restrictions by areas such as Yap and Samoa have been implemented. On Guam, we were able to review import records and gather valuable biological data from flying foxes retained from illegal shipments.
Chunk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae are members of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM); each has at least one species or subspecies of flying fox which occurs only there. These islands differ from both Polynesia and the Marianas in that virtually no bats are consumed locally for food. Residents owning guns reported using flying bats for target practice, but intensive exploitation of flying foxes began only recently with the arrival of hunters and buyers from Guam and ,the CNMI.
CONDUCTING FLYING FOX SURVEYS on island archipelagoes presents several problems. A major one is getting from island to island. Moen Island, the seat of government in Chuuk State, has a jet airport, but the other 15 main islands, and perhaps 80 islets in Chuuk lagoon, are accessible only by boat. In addition, there are more than 100 other islands on atolls in Chuuk State. A round trip to the outer Mortlock Islands, where Pteropus phaeocephalus occurs, might take from ten days to six weeks.
In Chuuk, with the assistance of government personnel, we visited several of the main islands and two islets on the outer reef. Residents, including one exporter, commented that bat numbers were way down. We observed much lower numbers than colleagues had reported in surveys conducted before the recent surge in exports. We were particularly concerned to learn that a buyer had distributed air rifles to prospective hunters in at least part of the Mortlocks and was periodically picking up shipments of bats, along with fishery products, from recently established local refrigeration plants. The total land area of the Mortlocks consists of only a few square miles of low-lying coral island, so regardless of initial flying fox densities, rapid extinction is a real possibility.
Although the island of Pohnpei is larger, the story there was similar. An American Museum expedition to Pohnpei in the 1930s had documented large colonies of its endemic flying fox in coastal mangrove forests. At the best-known site, where a member of the Pohnpei marine resources staff regularly had counted over 1,000 exiting at dusk in the 1960s, we counted only 15 bats. At another mangrove site recommended independently by two hunters we found no bats. A nearby resident told us, with tears in his eyes, that he used to listen to the bats every night, but people had come from Guam and killed them all. He asked us pleadingly, why his government could not do something.
We originally viewed Kosrae, the easternmost state in the Federated States of Micronesia, as a possible "control" site. Guam customs records indicated virtually no trade from Kosrae, and we had hoped that bat populations there would provide a valuable comparison with heavily exploited populations elsewhere in the FSM. But we learned that, despite the absence of appropriate documents, significant numbers of animals were shot and exported to Guam and Saipan. With invaluable assistance from government staff, we were able to observe two colonies, but bats did not appear common. Of the two primary timber trees cut by the local sawmill, one was bat-pollinated and the seeds of the other were most likely bat-dispersed, indicating probable economic consequences of flying fox decline or extinction.
Results of our research on these islands aided CITES delegates in making informed decisions about proposals to restrict international trade in the most heavily exploited flying fox species [BATS, Winter 1989-90]. The new CITES amend ments should help to halt the rapid decimation of flying fox populations on the islands of FSM, allowing time for implementation of longer-term conservation strategies.
ONE OBJECTIVE OF OUR TRIP was to talk with local government officials about their policies regarding flying foxes. Discussions were timely because the FSM, as a recently independent country, is currently formulating natural resource laws. On every island, we found serious interest in more effective wildlife and other natural resource management as well as concern about the depletion of flying fox populations. We were also fortunate to meet with con servation educators on several of these islands. Education is particularly pivotal in the central and eastern FSM, where many people find bats unappealing. Conservation educators and their institutions will be crucial to the development of bat educational projects which will promote the long-term survival of flying foxes and their rain forest habitats.
Our surveys produced results useful in determining the status and conservation needs of the islands' bats. We also learned that island officials are eager for assistance with the conservation of their flying foxes. Our visit alerted them to the impact of the flying fox trade, but follow-up will be important. Along with additional surveys of flying fox populations and studies on their ecological role, aid with legislation and environmental education are also needed. We look forward to helping meet these needs.
Patagonia Becomes a Conservation Partner
PATAGONIA, INC. has a reputation for quality outdoor products and a commitment to conservation. Thus, it seemed natural for BCI to seek their support for our own efforts. Fortunately, they agreed to help.
In 1989, Patagonia funds contributed to BCI were used to document flying fox population declines and the threats to ecosystems on the Pacific islands of Guam, Truk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Fiji. This information has been used successfully to obtain greater protection for flying fox populations and their habitats. Patagonia's contribution has also helped establish working relationships with natural resource managers and educators in the Pacific.
BCI likes the fit of this partnership and looks forward to it lasting for many years, just like Patagonia clothing.
William E. Rainey, who is an evolutionary biologist at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California at Berkeley, is particularly interested in the systematics and conservation of island fauna. He thanks the many people in Micronesia who contributed their time, knowledge, and other resources or offered access to their lands for this survey.
Much of the dense tropical vegetation on many Pacific islands depends on flying foxes for pollination or seed dispersal
Samoan flying foxes (Pteropus samoensis) were hunted for commercial export until local legislation protected them in 1986
Dixie Pierson emerges from a clump of red mangroves on an island near Pohnpei. Hunters had said a major colony of flying foxes lived in the mangroves, but she and Bill Rainey found only five bats
Scanning the forest canopy below, a survey team searches for flying foxes.
Throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia mangrove flowers(Sonneratia alba) are pollinated by bats. Mangroves are valued for their timber, and they also are vital to seafood industries; numerous fish and crustaceans spawn in the protected waters amidst the roots of mangroves.


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A transnational cooperation project to promote DIY solutions for renewable energy production in rural communities.
Projects & Practice
A transnational cooperation project to promote DIY solutions for renewable energy production in rural communities.
The project made an Ekso Bionics Exoskeleton available to patients in rural areas. This enables community rehabilitation of patients recovering from spinal injuries, strokes and brain injuries.
Helping a new type of rural enterprise that can support a transition towards a green, diversified rural economy. Coillte Sláintiúil provides services to protect, rejuvenate and replace native woodlands.
An investment project that allowed a company to fill the gap in the local supply chain for wood chips in the north-west of Ireland.
Development of an online platform and an app that allows beekeepers to more efficiently maintain their intervention records and exchange know-how.
A start-up company specialising in outdoor sports activities used RDP support to purchase equipment and respond to increasing demand for adventure tourism.
A LEADER measure grant helped purchase film and photography equipment and training for a rural arts festival community project.
LEADER funding enabled the purchase of specialist equipment for training students in the use of modern and sophisticated archaeological surveying techniques.
A cultural association in remote rural Latvia used LEADER support to foster co-creation in the local community, resulting in a museum exhibition that is unique in the Baltic States.
An association working in a remote village in rural Latvia, used RDP support to set up a wood and glass workshop thus creating new employment and income opportunities for the local people.

subset: commoncrawl


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Alhambra Outdoor Lighting brought to you by the Internet Chamber of Commerce. Choose a company to see comprehensive business information.
Ontrack USA
235 S Raymond Ave
More information about Ontrack USA
Note: If you are aware of any errors or ommissions on this page, there is a link on each business record's page where it can be reported.


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The suspect, 17-year-old Austin Reed Sigg, appeared in court on Thursday in the death of Jessica Ridgeway and an assault on a 22-year-old female runner in May. Authorities say they have "overwhelming" DNA evidence against Sigg.
Sigg lived about a mile from Ridgeway, who disappeared Oct. 5 while walking to school. Her remains were found five days later in a field at a park. Sigg is being prosecuted as an adult, but District Attorney Scott Storey said the law prevents prosecutors from seeking the death penalty because Sigg is a juvenile.
He was taken into custody on Tuesday night after a phone call from his mother led authorities to Sigg. His mother told The Associated Press that he turned himself in.
"I made the phone call, and he turned himself in. That's all I have to say," said Mindy Sigg, before she broke down in tears and hung up.
Authorities said Sigg will also face charges in the May attempted kidnapping of the 22-year-old runner at the Ketner Lake Open Space. Police have said the two crimes are connected, but they haven't given further details.
In that case, a woman fought off a stranger who grabbed her from behind and put a rag that smelled of chemicals over her mouth, authorities said. Police have not determined if the substance on the rag was meant to subdue the woman.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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Lodges Metsäpirtti and Metsäkämppä
The comfortable Forest lodge Metsäpirtti (176 m2) which has 22 beds in six rooms. There is an attractive main room with log fire, a kitchen with all appliances, an electric sauna and two toilets. The distance to the main building is 400 metres and to the beach 50 metres.
A real hide-away is the authentic restored Lumberjack's cottage Metsäkämppä (160 m2) rich in atmosphere and direct on the beach. It is a 26 person charming lumberjack housing in 4 bed rooms and in a big living room with log fire and a well-equipped kitchen. An excellent sauna – the best for miles around, a lavatory/ecofriendly outdoor facility. The whole lumberjack milieu is 1 ½ kilometres from the main building along a forest path.


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It focuses on 5 main trends:
#1 Think Local
"Growth markets will increasingly shape the evolution social media and online services around the world."
#2 China v Everyone
"Sina Weibo has twice as many active micro-bloggers than Twitter. This is a staggering example of how China will increasingly sit alongside the rest of the world."
#3 To Mobile Parity
"Within the next 5 years, mobile device activity will outstrip fixed PC usage in emerging markets."
#4 Death of Digital
"The fashion in which Internet and technology have evolved has created a world in which the internet is infused with much of our daily lives."
#5 Googopoly
"Never before has one company controlled the distribution of so much information."
#6 Facebook Fatigue
"Facebook fatigue is something that could derail even the best made plans and will be a key trend to watch throughout 2012."
For more information on web design or online marketing, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Here's the full presentation:
"Weibo has twice as many users as Twitter in China" If you have a b2b business in South West London, you're probably not so interested how the kids in Beijing are updating their social profiles.
But the social media landscape is changing on a global scale. For example, the "Googlisation" of everything. So here are Our Key Takeaways for the small business with an online presence:
1. The rise of mobile
- from the beginning to the end of the survey, mobile internet use increased by 100% in Europe from 20% to 40%
- mobile use is not just for travelling or when out - but also increasingly, at home, rather than using a PC
- visitors are becoming harder to track (e.g. using cookies) as they are often accessing the internet using multiple device
2. "Googopoly"
- users who visit Google still increasing - 85% users on a worldwide basis use it
- Google+ is the number 2 social network, behind Facebook
- Google is becoming a larger and larger part of our internet experience
3. Facebook Fatigue
- Facebook fatigue is spreading further than early adopters
- Mobile access to Facebook is growing and fast
4. Social Brands
- consumers are interacting with brands on unprecedented levels, but websites are still key, as the first point of interaction with many consumers
- social is an extension of the business, but customers want something in return
For more information on web design or online marketing, please do not hesitate to contact us.


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There are no reviews yet.
African Night Crawlers are one of the most voracious worms. They are tolerant of higher temperatures than standard composting worms. They can grow to 8 inches or longer. African Night Crawlers reproduce at an alarmingly fast rate and can give you lots of gorgeous compost in a short amount of time.
Orders can be placed at anytime, however worms ship out on Mondays and Tuesdays and for this reason, orders placed after 12pm on Friday will be applied to the next weeks order and have to wait until the following week to ship. Any orders placed before 12pm on Friday will ship out first thing after the weekend.
What People Are Saying:
"The worms came today!!! I was so excited, they really looked good to be traveling. : ) The box was heavy, with a nice pile of worms. I also received the card, that was sweet, I'll definitely be buying from you again. Thanks again for taking such good care of me. Your the Best!!!"
**Please note that live delivery cannot be guaranteed if temperatures are above 90 degrees during the time of shipping and delivery. Please consider the weather when ordering your worms. Please track your package and be available to get it out of the mailbox or off the porch as quickly as possible. Worms are very resilient but in even relatively milder temperatures, the inside of a mailbox could potentially cook your worms. Please contact me if there is a problem with your delivery and I will do everything I can to make it right.**
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Tricia serves as a central cog to keep the wedu machine turning smoothly. Managing communications between account service, creative, and outside vendors, she believes her primary role is "to be constantly interrupted so that others don't have to be." She previously worked at a west coast marketing agency with high-level government security clearance, where she [REDACTED] for [REDACTED] and even [REDACTED], believe it or not. However, even THAT experience could not compare to the stress-management skills she developed wrangling 60 kids while driving a 40-foot school bus in New England winters.
What's in the headphones?
Kings of Leon or Slipknot or Amy Winehouse. I like...a lot of things.
Where can you be found when you're away from your desk?
I'm not usually away from my desk. I have too much to do!
Most interesting place you've ever lived before?
I was born in Scotland. We left when I was two, but I still love bagpipes and have an obsession with the Loch Ness Monster.


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New York University
About the NYU
This institution was originally founded in 1865. It trains annually to over 1,600 students from all over the U.S. and nearly 50 countries having a great impact on the health of society.
Dr.Obando & the NYU
The university is also making progress in areas like engineering artificial muscle, designing and testing dental implants, reducing oral health disparities, among others. Dr.Obando obtained his grade of Specialist in Oral Implantology in this University.


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Cute Holiday Photo Card Sites
Saturday November 17, 2012see more by jen
I am obsessed with holiday photo cards. Love getting them. Love shopping for them. Love sending them. So I wanted to share my picks for super cute holiday photo card sites for the 2012 season!
Start your shopping NOW mamas! Lots of these companies have special deals and coupons going on now before the December craziness starts…
Lovely designs by multiple independent designers with a ton of customizing options.
Their unique minibook cards and yearline cards also allow you to tell your family story for the year. Love this.
Tiny Oranges pick: Sweet & Simple.
<— That's my card this year! LOVE the shape and simplicity of this design. Squeal! Photo credit: Kristin Eldridge
Huge selection and lots of price ranges.
Cute designs, easy to narrow your search to find the perfect card.
Can customize shapes, paper, backing, lots of options.
Tiny Oranges pick: Frosted Filigree.
Modern and eco-friendly. For every order, they plant a tree in your honor.
Free rounded edges, free addressing + mailing service for only the cost of the stamp (what?!), all cards printed on 130lb recycled paper. Love.
Tiny Oranges pick: Gift Tag Card.
Unique and affordable. Quick turnaround.
Different paper options to fit your budget, some designs as low as $.73/each.
Tiny Oranges pick: Coral Adorable.
Their holiday cards had lots of designs in fun round shapes that look like little ornaments.
Tiny Oranges pick: Merry Everything Photo.
How can Tiny Oranges not give a shout out to a fellow citrus company?
They also sell traditional cards where you can adhere your own photo.
Tiny Oranges pick: Chevron Green Holiday Photo Card.
Bright, happy, fun, quality card stock and delightfully unique. Been a big fan for years.
Every order comes with your choice of colored envelope and matching return address labels. We heart Erin big time.
Tiny Oranges Pick: Reflections.
Happy shopping! Have a great weekend everyone!
[Disclosure: Tiny Oranges is an affiliate for the companies above, but I have looked around all of their websites and given them the Tiny Oranges "cute holiday photo card site" seal of approval!]


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Friday, August 24, 2012
SFFS: Snippet from "Feeling Blue Today" in Hazard Yet Forward
"Feeling Blue Today" from HAZARD YET FORWARD
"Feeling Blue Today" is an excerpt from my current speculative thriller ATOMIC ZION. I decided not to use this piece in the novel, but it worked well as a short story.
And about the anthology...
Seventy-six writers connected to the Seton Hill University Writing Popular Fiction program have created a multi-genre charity anthology entitled Hazard Yet Forward. All proceeds from this project will benefit Donna Munro, a 2004 graduate of the program. Munro, a teacher living in St. Louis, Missouri, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.
Genres represented in the book range from horror to romance to mystery - and everything in between. Some of the notable writers in the anthology are World Fantasy Award winner Nalo Hopkinson, Bram Stoker winners Michael A. Arnzen and Michael Knost, Bram Stoker nominees Lawrence C. Connolly and John Edward Lawson, ALA/YALSA Best Book for Young Adults winner Jessica Warman, Rita finalist Dana Marton, Spur award winner Meg Mims, Asimov's Reader's Award winner Timons Esaias, Rhysling Award nominee K. Ceres Wright, Ronney Award winner Jason Jack Miller, and WV Arts and Humanities literary fellowships winner, Geoffrey Cameron Fuller.
"Now, tell me why you colored the entire page with the grey crayon first," Dr. Srockman said.
Evie had done this on every observable occasion, but had never explained why.
She squished her mouth up like she was debating on whether to answer. "Because," she finally said. "That's how everything starts out." She avoided the psychiatrist's gaze.
"What do you mean?" Dr. Srockman needed to be careful. Rule number one in sessions was no leading questions. Diagnosing synesthesia of any sort relied heavily on participant honesty.
Find more snippets from other wonderful authors at Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday.
13 comments:
Ooh well that sounds interesting - why does everything start out grey? Sounds like a Big Bang theory ;)ReplyDelete
Great lead-in...and can't wait to find out what the answer is.ReplyDelete
I'm really enjoying the book--and so pleased it's for a good cause!ReplyDelete
Thanks, T.M. and Chantal!ReplyDelete
So glad you're enjoying HYF, Babs. I'm amazed at some of the stories in there.
I'll be honest. I had to look up synesthesia to know what's going on. Fascinating! My interest is definitely piqued now. And, this isn't in the story?ReplyDelete
I'd like to know what she means, too. Intriguing snippet AND book cover. :)ReplyDelete
I know what synesthesia is,but everything starting out gray is a little different from anything I've heard about it.ReplyDelete
Interesting setup can't wait to see where you're going with this.ReplyDelete
Thanks for stopping by, Patrick, Gayle, Sue, and JC!ReplyDelete
Nice, Heidi! I look forward to reading your short in Hazard Yet Forward! =)ReplyDelete
Like everyone else, I'm very intrigued by this snippet. I love how this psychiatrist is very careful and thoughtful. Definitely want to know how she answers. And the anthology sounds very interesting, too!ReplyDelete
Thanks, Alexa and J.M. -- I've been loving the anthology stories!ReplyDelete
I liked this a lot, Heidi. It may have come from a speculative thriller but as a stand alone it reads as "literary" to me. Can't wait to see Atomic ZionReplyDelete


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APIs continue to proliferate, everywhere — both inside and outside enterprises. It may be time for organizations to get a handle on how and where they are being used.
Harold Madsen, API director at Ancestry.com, calls for training in API development and deployment as a way to achieve consistency. In a recent post in InformationWeek, he says the way APIs are being developed in many companies — as was the case in his own — is problematic. "As companies build their API programs using multiple teams, APIs tend to develop their own personalities and become radically different from one another. That's a problem," Madsen says.
There's a tangible business case to be made for API consistency, he says. Having one consistent set of APIs means faster time to market. As he explains it, developers wouldn't have to re-invent the wheel every time they develop or consume APIs. Plus, he adds, it will make developers or software engineers a lot happier.
To put all its API developers on the same page, Ancestry.com established a platform that includes tools and wikis that provide guidance to its developers regarding API development. The platform included a platform portal wiki, development standards, technical knowledgebase, documentation hub, newsletters, and API design training.
As with any software project, documentation is the key to ensuring consistency. The API design training also was an important component of Ancestry's API program, Madsen adds. And, along with the business benefits, it increased the overall job satisfaction of the company's software engineers.


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Overlooking NYC, A Lofted Studio Filled with History
One of the things I love most about older homes is the stories and history they hold from those who lived there prior. There's something feel-good — and somewhat thrilling — about knowing where a certain scratch in the floor came from, or discovering a stack of old newspapers under the stairs. Getting to peek into the past is a privilege I enjoy in my own home, and one that Emily and Kyle Barry share as well. Their lofted studio was originally built in 1864 and used to be a Governor's Mansion — and thereafter a community space for underprivileged urban residents — before it became the place Emily and Kyle call home.
Together with her mother, Emily runs Rehabitat, an interiors and styling business, and Kyle works in Brooklyn at West Elm's headquarters. When they were first looking for a new apartment, the large windows, open staircase, rooftop patio and view of the city that this home offered caught their eye. Located in the heart of booming Jersey City, the couple's lifestyle strikes a balance between quiet suburbia and the busy hustle-bustle of the city, and they relish in being central to local shops and restaurants — namely the countless flea markets and antique stores at arm's reach. Emily admits to being a bit of a thrift-store-o-holic, so the biggest challenge when it came to decorating their space was editing down and practicing restraint so as not to collect and stockpile too many things. She admits, "I've moved on from furniture pieces to accessories and artwork only because we're running out of space!" Like many, they think of their home as an ever-evolving space. "The second I think we are [done decorating], I get bored and want to switch something around, or redo the gallery wall, or repaint something," Emily says. "I'm always battling between what I love about our space versus what I wish was different." But no matter how many faults they find with their lofted studio space, they feel truly lucky every day to have found such a diamond in the rough. –Sabrina


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That saying about the legislative process being akin to sausage-making could apply to post-redistricting party primaries.
The decennial redrawing of congressional districts has forced members of the same party to square off during party primaries across the United States.
Soon after the U.S. Census released its population count and sent state officials scrambling to redraw lines, The Hill said the redrawn maps are forcing some longtime incumbents to run in unfamiliar and sometimes hostile territory.
While the member-on-member tilts won't determine control of the House of Representatives, they have disrupted friendships and undermined some alliances, The Washington Post reported recently.
And because the intraparty contests force voters to choose between representatives who could be polarizing or compromising -- in reconfigured districts where they don't have real relationships with their constituencies -- the direction of both the Democratic and Republican parties could be determined.
Witness what happened to Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, D-Ohio, the two-time presidential candidate and emblem of the anti-war left, was handed a bruising defeat in Ohio's Democratic Party primary on Super Tuesday (March 6) by fellow incumbent and one-time ally Rep. Marcy Kaptur thanks to a Republican-drawn congressional map.
In a battle that drew cries of foul when House Republican leaders expressed their preferences, freshman Rep. Adam Kinzinger tripped up veteran Rep. Don Manzullo in Illinois.
Other incumbent-on-incumbent contests found Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. ousting longtime friend, Rep. Steven R. Rothman in New Jersey, and Rep. Mark S. Critz besting Rep. Jason Altmire, a fellow conservative Democrat in Pennsylvania.
"These races tend to turn friends into enemies and bring out the worst in every political actor," said David Wasserman, an analyst with the non-partisan Cook Political Report. His research indicates the 2012 election cycle features more intraparty battles between incumbents than ever.
Thirteen House races this year pit incumbents against one another and of those contests 11 members of the same party are battling for their party nomination and the opportunity to return to the nation's capital.
In the coming weeks, at least four primary battles will match incumbents against each other, the Post noted.
In Arizona, one Aug. 28 contest features two freshmen who took office in 2010 as part of the Republican takeover of the House fueled by the Tea Party movement and anti-incumbency fever.
After a redistricting commission adopted a map favoring Democrats, GOP Rep. Ben Quayle, 35, had to choose between remaining in his now more politically balanced district -- and face potentially tough biennial re-election efforts -- or move into a more friendly district, setting up a primary challenge to fellow Republican freshman Rep. David Schweikert, 50.
Quayle calls the primary fight an "unfortunate situation," while Schweikert termed it it "a disastrous waste of resources," the Post said.
While some of the redistricting intraparty battles are the result of lines drawn by the controlling party in the statehouse or by non-partisan redistricting commission, others come to a matter of math -- legislative districts must be redrawn to accommodate shrinking, or growing, populations.
Michigan and Missouri had to redraw legislative maps to combine districts to accommodate smaller populations in Detroit and St. Louis metropolitan areas. Their primaries are on Aug. 7.
"I'd certainly rather be running against a Republican," Michigan Democratic Rep. Gary Peters said of his race against Rep. Hansen Clarke.
In the Show-Me State, Democratic Reps. William Lacy Clay and Russ Carnahan will face off in a realigned district that encompasses St. Louis and its northern suburbs.
In Florida, the philosophies of the Tea Party-influenced 2010 midterm elections also mark the Aug. 14 party primary race between Republican freshman Rep. Sandy Adams and House Transportation Committee Chairman John L. Mica, the Post said. Florida's population exploded, resulting in the creation of two seats.
"I think the question is: How do you expect someone who's been here and helped create the mess, to be the one to fix the mess that they helped create?" Adams said.
Mica has been taken to task by House conservatives -- Adams among them -- for helping to shepherd the long-term transportation bill that passed on a broad bipartisan vote. The 52 conservatives voted against it because it included too much spending.
"People want you to be advocates for the district, and I think I've been a strong advocate," he said.
The same anti-incumbent, pro-outsider attitude that fueled Republicans in 2010 was alive in several U.S. Senate party primaries, noted Larry Sabato, of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics in a recent column.
Tea Party-backed challengers have logged some memorable victories, notably Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock's defeat of veteran Sen. Richard Lugar, and state Sen. Deb Fischer, who battled from far back in the pack to knock off better-known opponents in Nebraska.
Mourdock's victory turned another typical re-election win by Lugar into a potentially hotly contested race in Indiana, Sabato said. Even though Indiana has moved back to the red after narrowly supporting President Obama in 2008, political observers aren't counting Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly out completely.
Fischer, on the other hand, is expected to defeat former governor and one-time Sen. Bob Kerrey in November.
States losing congressional representatives were Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Picking up additional representatives were Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Washington.


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So people are using Coca Cola to tan themselves now
- Publish Date
- Monday, 19 June 2017, 2:34PM
The saying goes that the best tan comes from a bottle... but that's NOT a Coca-Cola bottle.
Yup, some people have decided to pass up fake tan for slopping the soft drink all over their body.
The users of the 'Coca-Cola tan' believe that due to Coca-Cola having a caramel dye in it that, when applied to the skin, it will give you a bronzed tone.
But is getting revoltingly sticky even healthy?
Dermatologist Mona Gohara, M.D. says no.
"Soda is brown like good old iodine, so it may bring out that sun-kissed glow.
"And yes, its acidic nature may make getting a tan easier.
"But as a dermatologist, I can really only say one thing: BAG IT.
"Besides the fact that it is gross and sticky (do you want flies with that burn?), it's also a one-way ticket to developing cancer and wrinkles."
Yup, we're definitely agreeing with Dr Gohara on this one.


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Installing Therion on a Mac is like caving without lights. You will not get very far before you get lost, confused, and hurt yourself.
In addition to Compass you will need a vector graphics drawing program. Use Inkscape. It is supported open source (free) and has versions that run on both Mac and Windows. The Compass tutorials for Inkscape are very good. The tutorials for Compass are in general very good.
I am a Mac fan but rather than run Compass on a Mac you can buy a cheap laptop, like a netbook, and load it up with memory (RAM) or go by a pawn shop and pick up a cheap desktop (spray it for bugs before you bring it into your vehicle or house). Extra memory is cheap and widely available. It comes in really handy when you are using the Compass feature to join sketch segments together.
Finally you will need a drawing tablet so you can draw with a pen rather than clicking and dragging with a mouse. I just looked on EBay and found an acceptable used one in seconds: a Wacom CTE-430 (Sapphire) for $25. The bigger the better.
Mike Rogers recently took up survey with Compass and Inkscape and quickly turned out a really nice map. Search the Tag-Net archives for more information.


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Workforce Optimization Featured Article
Verint's New Workforce Optimization Tool Pursues the Middle
It's tough to be the middle anything. The middle child, a middle manager, in the middle of a long line...you name it, the middle is generally the place most likely overlooked. That's a point that Verint (News - Alert)'s about to capitalize on with the announcement of its new packaged workforce optimization tools geared toward the mid-sized contact center.
The new solutions are now available, and being brought out via Verint's channel partner network, a wide-reaching affair that covers no shortage of ground. Released either via the cloud or as part of on-premises operations, the Verint Workforce Optimization tools include a variety of powerful new pieces geared toward delivering value and getting the most out of a workforce.
Included in the package is, naturally, a complete workforce optimization system that's been fully unified for added value, along with a single user interface as well as a set of business process workflows that are ready to go right away. Plus, the new workforce optimization tools are designed to work smoothly with a slate of other Verint tools ranging from speech analytics to analytics-driven quality systems, resulting in a complete package that can get the most out of each part's various functions.
There are other packages involved as well beyond workforce optimization, including the Verint Quality Management and Workforce Management systems. With Quality Management, users can better take advantage of the potential actionable insights hidden in an operation. Workforce Management, meanwhile, focuses on simpler portions of the workforce, particularly scheduling and forecasting, to help provide value without depending on "thick-client" solutions.
Verint's strategic operations general manager and senior vice president Nancy Treaster noted "Verint continues to advance its commitment to organizations with contact centers of all sizes, and is uniquely positioned for the growth opportunity in the mid-market through our extensive partner network and cloud-based, ACD-neutral packaged solutions. Strong reseller relationships are an integral part of our strategy for growth, and we recognize that our partnerships are a critical path to key end users in both geographic and vertical markets."
Getting the most out of a workforce is a major point for just about any operation any more, and so putting workforce optimization tools to work is a great way to achieve just that. With several different options available, Verint will go a long way toward making the necessary connections and helping businesses achieve desirable outcomes. While workforce optimization tools alone won't be enough to achieve corporate goals, such tools will certainly be a help, and in the end, Verint has the variety and the background to deliver here.
Edited by Maurice Nagle


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Fairway is shamelessly in love with many Things Catalan. We have a great love affair going on with Things Catalan. It has been going on for years.
Our fine artisanal barrel-shipped vinegars made from sparkling cava, from Priorat red wines, from Catalan vermouth and moscatell wine. Timeless. Barcelona. Roman Tarragona. Penedes and the Priorat – their lovely vistas and smashing red wines. Vic and its pork products. Garrotxa and its cheese. Empuries and its Greek and Roman ruins. La Costa Brava. Gaudi and Dali. The anchovies of Escala. We could not care less about Ferran Adria, but that's us.
So imagine my trepidation when this container of our literally brand-new 'house' Fairway extra-virgin un-filtered Catalan arbequina olive oil arrived. Would it taste and smell as good as it did when I chose it? Would the great Pere Mateo of Olis De Catalunya manage to pull this off at the price I demanded? Am I going to be disappointed?
Imagine my elation upon having ripped open a case of the liter bottles, twisted off the cap, up-ended the bottle to my lips and allowed a rather huge glug to flood my palate. Without even bothering to take a hard sniff at the oil before tasting it, I began to taste it. It is a dream. It tastes far better than I even remember the best arbequina olive oil of my life tasting.
And now that I have taken its fragrance measure, I can also report that it smells like some kind of flower blossom I cannot attach a name to. Sort of like jasmine, but not. The first flavor sensation is a sweetness, a vanilla sensation. The second perception is an up-front bitterness that delights me like the smell of fine leather. The third articulable sensation is one of intense nuttiness – almonds, green almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts – and butter, and of course olives. This is definitive arbequina olive oil. A long, pepperless, gentle finish, an olive oil with that suave sophistication that is the hallmark of arbequina olive oil.
I am elated. Exuberant. I cannot WAIT for you to taste it. I should double the price on it right this minute. We are GIVING this stuff away.


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The rise in popularity of speciality tea at university cafes
Coffee has been in vogue for some time now – so many recipe variations, it can be hot, it can be cold, it's hipster and everyone who is anyone is walking around with a KeepCup full of it. But, did you know that tea is also growing in popularity amongst young consumers? National Tea Day, … Continued


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Welcome to the Justice for Immigrants Resource pages. In this group of pages, you will find archived webinars, press releases, testimonies, letters to Congress and the Administration and much more. If there is something that you are looking for and are having a hard time finding, reach out to us by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com and we can help you find it.
ResourcesJFI Admin2019-11-07T11:07:17-05:00


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CHAMPAGNE flowed at Allard Way as Marconi celebrated promotion from Warwickshire One with five games still to play.
Marconi chalked up their 13th straight win with a 21-3 verdict over neighbours Stoke Old Boys, and with second-placed Shipston romping to a 23-0 victory at Spartans it guarantees the league leaders a top two finish.
Skipper Simon Richards elected to play against the wind in the first half, and although Chris Williams kicked a penalty for Stoke soon after the kick-off, Marconi defended strongly to reach the break just 3-0 down.
The home side stormed in front midway through the third quarter with a try from winger Mal Boyd and two more followed from Brett Naylor.
The result leaves Marconi - who finished third last season - four points clear at the top of the table and already looking ahead to playing in Midlands Four West this autumn.
Manor Park climbed into fourth place with a 19-8 home win over Alcester.
Winger James Manwaring scored all Trinity Guild 's points as they avenged an earlier home defeat with a 16-10 win at Standard, and Rugby St Andrews had a 24-8 home victory over Old Wheatleyans.
Fly-half Barry Silvester could be out for the rest of the season after damaging cruceate knee ligaments in Barkers Butts' abandoned Midlands One game at Walsall.
Butts were 7-3 up - Silvester scoring their try - after 16 minutes when the injury occurred, leading to a 12-minute delay while the No.10 was treated.
The referee left it to the two captains to decide whether or not to restart the game, and with heavy rain continuing to fall, Barkers skipper Glenn Southwell backed the official's view that the pitch was becoming dangerous.
"The conditions were horrendous," said Barkers manager Mick Biggs. "The pitch was just about playable but as we kicked off the downpour began."
Colt Jordan Simpson enjoyed an excellent debut at scrum-half for Broadstreet, who stepped up their Midlands One title challenge with a 34-8 home win over Malvern.
Skipper and centre John Warne and second row Dean Lewis scored two tries apiece for Street with Malvern reduced to 13 men in the final quarter after two sendings off.
Fly-half James Cathcart contributed a try, penalty and three conversions as Kenilworth scored all their points in the first half and then kept bottom-markers Banbury in check to win the game at Glasshouse Lane 24-3.
Hinckley continued their relentless charge towards the Midlands Two East title with an impressive 31-11 win at title rivals South Leicester, full-back Neil Harbour scoring two of their four tries.
Stratford completed as Midlands Two West double over Newbold, winger Pete Jones and lock Richard Spencer both scoring two tries in a 26-11 win at Pearcecroft.
Old Laurentians' game at Shrewsbury was washed out.
Four John Richards penalties were enough to give Leamington a 12-7 home win over Bedworth - an exact repeat of the score from their first league meeting earlier in the season - and strengthen their spot at the top of the table.
Silhillians went three points clear of Bedworth in second place by beating Pershore 15-3, Richard Chapman and Jim Roper scoring tries.
Keresley held on to beat Old Coventrians 22-21 after going 22-7 up in the second half.
OCs scored first, but tries from Ant Collins, Dean Lloyd, Ian McCann and a penalty try put the Ks in charge before the visitors mounted a strong finish.
Warwickshire under-20 winger Richard Blower ran in four tries as Old Leamingtonians secured a welcome 31-10 home win over Evesham, and Nuneaton Old Edwardians claimed a useful 27-0 home win over Birmingham Exiles with promoted third-team captain Martin Perry going over for the first of their four tries.
Southam suffered a blow to their Midlands Four West (South) title hopes as they crashed 39-8 at home to Ledbury - the visitors taking over at the head of the table.
Earlsdon's home game against Coventry Welsh was postponed along with the matches involving Dunlop and Berkswell & Balsall. Harbury went to the top of Warwickshire Two with a hard-fought 10-8 win over promotion rivals Coventry Tech.
Steve Alford scored Harbury's try, Rich Mazurek adding the conversion to an earlier penalty, to lift them above Claverdon - whose home game against Atherstone was called off - on points difference.
Free-scoring winger Steve Thompson crossed twice for Pinley, 25-6 winners against Coventrians, and Coventry Saracens outscored Old Warwickians 10-3 with fullback Stuart Davey scoring the only try.


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A Statlife Company – Math for Medicine
Statlife is a rapidly-emerging company specializing in statistical data mining applied to predictive and preventive medicine.
MammoRisk was developed as a project funded by the ARC Foundation, in collaboration with the Gustave Roussy Cancer Center and is the subject of a patent application for the "Nearest Neighbors" methodology for the prediction of disease.
Stéphane Ragusa
CEO of Statlife
Valérie Hélin
Vice President, Medical and Regulatory affairs
Émilien Gauthier
Vice President, Research and Development, CTO


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Castle Season 1
This is the season finale of Castle. It's titled "A Death in the Family."
Here's an overview of the latest Castle episode. It's titled "Little Girl Lost."
We're well into the first season of Castle. Here's an overview of the latest episode.
Here's a recap of the April 13 episode of Castle. What did you think of it?
What happens throughout the episode titled "A Chill Goes Through Her Veins?" Let's find out!
Enjoy this mini-recap of Castle's fourth-ever episode. It's titled "Hell Hath No Fury."
Here's a summary of the third episode of Castle. It's titled "Hedge Fund Homeboys."
This is Castle's second-ever episode. Enjoy the overview of "Nanny McDead."
This is the series premiere of Castle. Enjoy the following summary of events from it.
Best selling mystery writer Rick Castle has it all. A mother who makes him crazy, a teenaged daughter he adores, and successful career...until he kills off the main character in his latest series of novels. Writer's block (and his ex-wife / publisher) plague him until Detective Kate Beckett hauls him in for questioning when someone begins committing the murders from his books in real life.
As Castle helps find the real killer, he becomes hooked on solving real life crimes, especially with Detective Beckett. After pulling strings with his friend, the mayor of New York City, he begins shadowing Detective Beckett on all of her cases.
Much to Beckett's dismay, Castle finds inspiration in her for a new character, Detective Nikki Heat and a new series of mystery novels.
The two begin to become friends as they solve unique homicides that include a body stuffed in a safe, a frozen corpse, and even find a missing child. But when Kate Beckett tells Castle the tragic story of her own mother's murder and how it's gone unsolved for a decade, she asks one thing. That he leave the case along. When Castle tries to help bring her closure, will it be the final straw in their tentative partnership?
- Show:
- Castle
- Season:
- 1
- Air Dates:
- to
- Total Episodes:
- 9


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It didn't take long for the Corzine campaign to come out swinging after the latest revelation concerning the Governor's opponent Chris Christie and his converations with Bush White House deputy chief of staff, Karl Rove.
Rove testified before the House Judiciary Committee on July 7, 2009 and acknowldged that he and Christie had conversations about a potential Christie run for the governorship of NJ while still acting an U.S Attorney.
Watch the video, then read the latest about this potential scandel from the Huffington Post:
"New documents about Karl Rove's involvement in the U.S. Attorney firing scandal have the potential to create ripples in the 2009 gubernatorial race in New Jersey.
In an on-the-record interview with the House Judiciary Committee on July 7, 2009, the former Bush strategist acknowledged that he had held several conversations with current GOP candidate Chris Christie over the course of several years regarding the possibility of running for the governor's chair.
Christie, Rove said, was interested in mounting a bid and "asked me questions about who — who were good people that knew about running for governor that he could talk to."
The admission ties the former New Jersey-based U.S. attorney even further to the Bush administration at a time when his election opponent, Gov. Jon Corzine, has attempted repeatedly to push that connection. It also raises questions as to how apolitical Christie was in his prior job.
Appointed by President Bush to the role of U.S. Attorney in January 2002, Christie earned a stellar reputation for busting white-collar criminals including crooked members of the political establishment. His success led to speculation that he would mount a bid for the governor's chair, first against then Gov. James McGreevey, then against Corzine during the '06 election. He dismissed the talk by positioning himself above the fray.
"I am just concentrating on this job and working on this job," he told The Star-Ledger in November 2003. "I have absolutely no idea what the future will bring, but I feel I was given a job by the president, and I owe it to him to spend full-time concentrating on that job. And that doesn't permit me to sit around and speculate about what I will do."
In that same article Christie said he was being "extra sensitive" to avoid politics, lest those critics who accused him of being a Bush patronage appointee be proved correct.
Four years later, when talk came up again, the line was much the same. "I think about that only because people bring it up to me all the time," Christie said about the election speculation in 2007. "But I don't focus on that. If I do my job the best I can… The future will take care of itself."
Around that time, it turns out, he was at least partially focused on a run at the governor's chair. And he was turning to one of the GOP's most prominent strategists for advice. As Rove told the House Judiciary Committee: "I talked to him twice in the last couple of years, perhaps one time while I was at the White House and once or twice since I left the White House, but — not regarding his duties as U.S. Attorney, but regarding his interest in running for governor." …


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Text Your Ex Back Review – Michael Fiore
Relationships are volatile. I am not generalizing things but from what I have experienced, most of the relationships I have come across don't last long.
Have you been in a relationship that has let you down?
I can totally relate to the feelings you get after breaking up with your partner. The feeling of despair and the need to be in touch with them again is a strong urge to resist.
Do you sometimes pick up your phone and type in a text but delete them because you're not sure whether to send the text or not?
I have been there and I have also struggled to make up my mind. While I was wondering,
I sought to search it on the internet and I come across a programme named Text Your Ex Back by Michael Fiore that teaches you to text your ex back.
I know this sounds stupid but after going through the programme, I realized that it is not a silly combination of text and baseless advises, instead it is a programme based on psychology and is very helpful.
The author has created the programme in a manner that most of the people that are going through the dilemma of texting back their ex.
If you have become curious about the program then keep reading this article as we will thoroughly review the programme so that you can learn how to text back your back without any hesitation. The programme offers you a details trajectory to follow and some simple yet handy tips that are based on psychology. What I liked most about this program is that the author has successfully tried to make the programme realistic and has backed each tip with an explanation.
In layman's terms, the end goal of the program makes you adopt a positive outlook towards your life and to help you establish a long-lasting connection between you and your ex.
Let's begin the review.
Who the Book is for?
- 1 Who the Book is for?
- 2 About the Author 'Michael Fiore'
- 3 How Does the System Work?
- 4 Text Your Ex Back – A Set of 11 Modules
- 4.1 Module 1: The Introduction
- 4.2 Module 2: The Dumper and the Dumped
- 4.3 Module 3: The Big Goal
- 4.4 Module 4: Flight Check – Ready for Take Off?
- 4.5 Module 5: Text Judo – The Use of Positive and Negative Emotional Intensity
- 4.6 Module 6: Across the Bow
- 4.7 Module 7: Prepping the Soil
- 4.8 Module 8: The Green-Eyed Monster
- 4.9 Module 9: Planting the Seeds
- 4.10 Module 10: Reaping the Harvest
- 4.11 Module 11: Texting Steady
- 5 Does It Really Work Or Is It A Scam?
- 6 What You Get Including Bonuses?
- 7 Conclusion:
Michael Fiore's Text Your Ex back programme has been designed by keeping in mind a person Buy Propecia Online propecia 5 mg Male Pattern Hair Loss also known as androgenic alopecia (man or woman) who wants to make way for themselves in their ex-s life. If you are someone who is stuck in the vicious cycle of breakup and talking to your ex after a few days then this is the book you must read.
We have compiled a list for all those who are confused about whether they should buy this programme or not. If you fall in any of the below-given categories or if the traits we have mentioned here suit you then you must purchase this programme without thinking twice.
- If you are someone who desperately wants his/her ex back in your life because you miss them or because you feel that there are things that can be sorted out between you and your ex.
- If you want to reinstate the relationship that you had with your fix and feel that there is a bond that can be strengthened again by talking to them.
- You are not able to forget your ex after the breakup and it is affecting your life to the extent that you are not able to focus on your professional as well as personal life. The program can provide your valuable tips to get reconcile with your ex in the perfect manner.
- As it is said that good things come to those who have patience, the Text Your Ex Back program has been designed by the author such that you need to be patient to see the results. If you are someone who does not have the patience and you are not the type to follow rules then the program might not work for you. We strongly recommend the program for those who are willing to do anything and everything in their capacity to get back their ex in their life.
- The programme is also beneficial for all those are suffering from a serious loss of self-esteem in their life after a painful breakup. The book comprising audio, text, and videos will not only help you get back your ex but will also help you in understanding the mistakes that happened in your relationship that caused the breakup. Once you understand the reasons behind your breakup, you will be at peace. Moreover, the author has also provided tips to boost your self-esteem in the process.
- The Text Your Ex Back programme by Michael Fiore is also perfect for those who are shy and need guidance on how to approach your ex back to reignite that romance and mend the broken relationship.
- The programme consists of customized text messages depending on the mood of your ex. For example, there are special messages that you send if your ex is in an angry mood, happy mood, sad mood or indifferent mood. So that makes for a program that is independent of situations. Whatever is the situation that led you to part ways with your ex, you can trust the programme for getting him/her back in your life.
The author did a wonderful job of making the programme applicable to men as well as women. All the tips provided in the videos, text, and audio are easy to follow for both the genders. Additionally, there are no restrictions related to age.
Men and women of all age groups can follow the programme to win over their ex again. Having said that, we would not recommend this program for someone who has had a mentally or physically abusive relationship and initiating the conversation again will not change things.
Also, the program will not be much of your help if your ex has strictly asked you not to contact him/her. Simply saying, the program is worth its price if you see a hope between you two.
If you are still wondering if the course is really genuine then you must keep reading the article as we have also provided the proofs that it is indeed a genuine program and not a scam. We are not saying that the course is a magical potion that can be applied to get your ex back in your life. It demands patience and hard work.
We have also provided the cons of the program highlighting the flaws of the programme so that you can choose whether the program will be worth it or not.
About the Author 'Michael Fiore'
After reading the heaps of praises about the program, you must be wondering about the author of it. Well, it is about time that we introduce you to Michael Fiore, the person who is behind the tips and tricks provided in this programme. Michael Fiore is not Brad Pitt but his words can woo any lady out there. He is a relationship adviser based out of Seattle, Washington who is into this industry since 2010. With ample experience and countless satisfied clients, he has made a name for himself in the industry.
After having his fair share of failure with girls, he realized that if you follow a certain formula then you can make girls fall for you. He let out his secret formula in open and let his family members and friends try out his secret formula. Michael Fiore's secret is texting. He believes that by texting your partner and using just the right words, you can invoke emotions in your ex. By using the right words, you can get back with your ex and make them realize the mistakes that you committed in the relationship.
He has buried his secret in his programme 'Text Your Ex Back'. Soon after its release, the programme became an instant hit and reached zenith's height in terms of success. His programme soon became one of the most popular and bestselling relationships all over the world. People from more than 50 countries have used his programme and have benefited from it. You will be surprised to know that Michael has also designed programs that are based on technology to help men and women in strengthening the relationship.
Micheal Fiore is famous amongst many celebrities and millionaires and has helped many of them to get back their ex in your life. In fact, he has been featured on many relationship-related shows on popular channels such as NBC, Fox, Yahoo and several others.
Find out more about Micheal Fiore here
How Does the System Work?
Now getting on the system and it's functioning. Michael Fiore's Text Your Ex Back program is a well-defined path you can walk on to get your ex back through messages. The course puts together a series of text messages and tips in the form of videos, audios and text files that can be used for impressing your ex and rekindling the romance with them.
Not only there are simple tips and tricks but the author has used many real-life examples that you can use in your scenarios. The programme has Michael's own experiences and the experiences of his previous clients to make the programme closer to real life. The tips provided in the program are relatable for men as well as women of all ages.
Through the tips and tricks provided in the programme, you would learn to time your message and frame those in a manner that your ex is forced to return back to your life. The reason why the relationship expert who has penned down the book has chosen text messages because in today's digital world texting is one of the most commonly used means of communication.
The course has 11 different modules that are available in MP3 format, PDF and videos so that you can listen to them on your smartphone anytime. The programme is supported on multiple platforms such as a computer, desktop, PC, tablet, smartphone or any other device that supports PDF files.
About different modules, we have provided the details of different modules so that you can get to learn about the content of the course if you are planning to purchase it.
Text Your Ex Back – A Set of 11 Modules
Module 1: The Introduction
The first module in the program is simply an introduction but that does not mean that you should skip it. The initial module has been designed to instil the idea in your mind that you need to do whatever possible to get back your ex. Michael introduces himself and provides a list of do's and don'ts that you must follow if you want the programme to succeed for you. He refrains you to stop contacting your ex for 30 days until you learn the proper strategy to initiate conversation in a manner that your ex returns.
This part is important as he does not want you to message your ex in a haste and ruin everything. The no-contact stipulation has its certain exceptions as well. For example, you can contact your ex if there are some emergency situations or due to legal reasons.
Module 2: The Dumper and the Dumped
In the second module that has been named The Dumper and the Dumped, the author wants you to memorize your relationship with your ex. The main motive of this module to help you identify the reasons behind your break up because until you get to the root of the problems there are no chances that you will do better in the second chance you are going to get after you are done with the programme.
The module consists of different scenarios that make it easy to understand and relatable. The second module also addresses the issue of break up due to cheating issues. It makes you understand that it is possible to get back your ex even if you have cheated. All in this, module is about changing your perception and making you understand yourself in a better manner.
Module 3: The Big Goal
The third module in the Text Your Ex Back programme has been titled as the Big Goal and it questions your intentions as to why do you want to get back your ex. You will get to know the reasons for wanting your back in your life. Michael has posed a series of exercises that you help to get the questions – What do you want from your new relationship? The exercises mentioned in this module will help you visualize the new relationship that you will have after your ex has returned to life and what are the changes that must be there to avoid the failure in the second time.
Module 4: Flight Check – Ready for Take Off?
As the name suggests, the fourth module prepares you for your journey ahead and you get to assess yourself emotionally as well as mentally for it. The author who has penned down the program has given a host of exercises that will prepare you for the coming future. This module also consists of real-life scenarios that Michael has come across in his decade-long career of being a relationship expert. Most of the exercises in this module are easy to follow provided you are ready to focus and you stick to the rules which is a pre-requisite for the program to be successful.
Module 5: Text Judo – The Use of Positive and Negative Emotional Intensity
This is an important module as it revolves around the right techniques of beginning the conversation with your ex again. Michael wants you to remember all the good as well as bad moments of your relationship.
The tips given in this module will act as the building blocks for the texts you will send to your ex so that he/she realizes that they have committed a mistake by breaking up with you. Like other modules in the programme, this also comes with plenty of examples that are relatable in real life which makes the module easy to follow and understand for men/women out there wanting their ex back in their life.
Module 6: Across the Bow
Now, this is where the real game begins. The sixth module titled as Across the Bow talks about the first contact. The first impression is the last impression and the same rules apply to your first contact with your ex as it can make or break the entire plan of getting back your ex. The module talks in detail about the detailed path that you must follow for it.
The carefully planned and easily understandable sample texts and formulas would come to your aid in this module. Not only the author provides you with sample texts but he has also curated the perfect replies for different scenarios.
Module 7: Prepping the Soil
The seventh module in this programme is called Prepping the Soil and rightly so because it lays the required groundwork to woo your ex emotionally. The sample text messages given in this module are specially composed text messages to make your ex emotionally vulnerable so that you can disarm them at the right moment. These emotional text messages are perfect for arousing the dead feelings in your ex.
Module 8: The Green-Eyed Monster
While most people consider jealousy as a negative emotion, Michael teaches you different ways to use the strong emotion of jealousy in your favor. This module involves introducing the factor of jealousy to instil sexual desires in your ex. As we have already told you that this programme is based on psychological facts. So, here, Michael helps you in converting jealousy into a positive emotion to make your ex want you back again in his/her life.
Module 9: Planting the Seeds
The ninth module is a rather easy one but an important part of the programme. For any relationship to work, it is important for the persons involved in the relationship to be available for each other during difficult times. You will make your ex believe that you have a good side and one of the benefits of being in a relationship with you again is that you will be there for them, always.
Module 10: Reaping the Harvest
This is the time to test your skills. Apply all that you have learned so far in the program. The text messages in this module will help you kindle the sexual attraction and the need for physical contact in your ex. Following this module carefully as in an important step towards the end goal of text your ex back so that they come back to you.
Module 11: Texting Steady
Texting Steady is the last module in Text Your Ex Back programme by Michael Fiore. In this last module, the author teaches you that patience is the key and you need to establish a steady communication channel with your ex to keep the romance going.
This course over-delivers with the step by step instructions and this is what give you the best chance at getting your ex back. You can't put a price on winning back the one you love.
Does It Really Work Or Is It A Scam?
This course is definitely not a scam. The way in which the course has been designed and illustrated with real-life example makes it the ideal course for the purpose. The course does not guarantee that you will get back your ex but if you are patient enough to follow all the steps as given in the programme, there is a very high probability that you will get your ex back.
Check out some of these testimonials:
"I got my ex to start talking to me again after 2 years "
"Very good reaction from my ex"
I bought the text your ex-back system about a month ago and have started implementing the system. I sent my first "Across the Bow" text last week. I got a very good positive reaction from my ex.
I have just become the proud owner of the Text Your Ex Back programme and can not wait to start creating a new and magical relationship with my ex.
"My ex was almost begging me to take him back"
I love your program! It's so much worth it !! My ex came to me yesterday and was almost begging me to take him back !!! Just as you said it !! Thank you, Michael !!!
"I just read the ebook and I must say, it's a goldmine."
"Because of your program, we got married!"
I just have to tell you some great news. I started using the text your ex back program in Feb. after a break up on New Year's Eve. Because of your program, WE GOT MARRIED last weekend on April 28th. Thank you! You saved my life! Let me know if you ever need a spokesperson! Haha!
What You Get Including Bonuses?
Apart from the psychological tricks, sample text messages that are available in the form of PDF, audio and video files, the programme also has four bonuses.
Bonuses included in this programme are:
- A package of 100 text messages that can be directly typed in your phone to send to your ex
- An infidelity Buster bonus that provides you with different ways to get back your ex if you broke up because you ended up cheating your partner. You can regain your relationship with this bonus even if you have cheated.
- Instant Forgiveness bonus is an eBook and audio file that teaches you to finally let go of the mistakes that your ex committed during your relationship so that you can begin your new relationship with a clean slate.
- Facebook Romance secret is an audio file with an interview with another expert on relationships that stresses using Facebook for fixing your relationship with your ex. This bonus will only work if you and ex both are an avid user of the popular social networking website Facebook.
Text Your Ex Back is not simply a programme but it is a collection of detailed steps that you must take to get back your ex in your life. If you are willing to stick to the rules then it is an excellent programme. In my opinion, this programme is a must-have for all the heartbroken people who their ex back in their life. With a 60 day money back guarantee it shows the seller really stands by his product.


text: The Panama Canal officially opened in 1914 to link maritime trade between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. During that time, annual traffic through the canal has grown from 1,000 ships when the canal first opened, to nearly 15,000 ships in 2014. In addition to this overwhelming growth, the Panama Canal could no longer accommodate large, modern ships. For these reasons, the Panama Canal Authority recently underwent the largest expansion project since its original construction. In June 2016, the Third Set of Locks project, as it is also known, completed construction of a new set of locks on the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the waterway, creating a third lane of traffic and doubling the cargo capacity of the waterway. The expanded canal provides the world's shippers, retailers, manufacturers and consumers with greater shipping options, better maritime service, enhanced logistics and supply-chain reliability. To support the expansion, GGB developed GGB-DB® cast bronze hemispherical bearings, a new type of pintle bearing for refurbishment of the miter gates in the Panama Canal's lock system. Among the requirements specified for the new hydro bearings were 25-year service life, abrasion-resistance, underwater operability and ease of assembly and operation. In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stipulated the use of self-lubricating bearings rather than greased bronze bearings to eliminate water contamination. GGB-DB® cast bronze bearings play a crucial role in delivering reliable performance while protecting the existing ecosystem. Their unique design provides trusted and consistent movement and they are grease free – eliminating unwanted contamination to the environment. Following the initial product development and installation, GGB was recently awarded a third contract to supply four additional pintle bearings for underwater miter gates. To date, GGB has provided a total of 10 pintle bearings, enough to refurbish five miter gates. Currently, there is no defined timeline to conclude the replacement of all greased bronze pintle bearings at the Panama Canal. However, it's expected to be a multi-year rollout, considering there are approximately 90 miter gates at the Panama Canal. Advanced polymer resin GGB had to submit certified, third-party test results to have its bearings considered for the project. After correlating the specified needs with the functional requirements of the bearings and extensive study of various materials, the company selected an advanced polymer resin with PTFE fibers. GGB developed a GGB-DB® cast bronze hemispherical bearing lined with the new material in the form of embedded, solid lubricant plugs protruding above and covering 70 percent of the surface area. This configuration not only allowed for efficient flushing of the bearing via integral cleaning grooves, but also enhanced its structural integrity and facilitated its production. Prototypes for testing Quarter-scale prototypes were submitted to powertech Labs for testing, which yielded excellent results in terms of static/dynamic friction, axial/horizontal direct wear and temperature resistance. Full-size bearings were then produced for finite element analysis, which confirmed that contact pressure and shear force were well within their mechanical properties with a sufficient margin of safety. In addition to hydropower applications, the new bearings are also suitable for use in bridges, telescopes and other applications involving pivoting movements and requiring high axial load resistance. External link : Wikipedia : Article related to the history of the Panama Canal


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Church: Yay or nay?
Let's backup a bit. I was raised Lutheran. Lutherans are Christian, meaning they believe Jesus is the Son of God and died for our sins on the cross. I like to say we are similar to Catholics only we get to wear jeans and sing shorter songs. I remember tracing the outline of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible with my finger over and over again. I could prolly do it right now on a piece of paper....which is kinda amazing because....
I haven't been to church in years.
I can't exactly pinpoint the moment I stopped going. I'm pretty sure I went every Sunday all the way through Jr. High and maybe a year or two into high school...but then, college years, nothing. I was married in the church and attended services at a little chapel in Germany while he was deployed. I remember feeling pretty religious for a while there...even picking up some Christian novels and daily quotes to read each morning. When we returned stateside, however, we didn't make church a priority. And then my marriage took a serious, serious turn for the worst...and I decided I didn't ever want to go back.
Now, almost four years later, the wounds of my past are healing. My marriage is renewing itself...very, very slowly, and with substantial setbacks......but it's getting better each day. My faith, however, has not yet healed - I hold grudges like a muther trucker. But I'm a mom....and if there's one thing I'm pretty decent at, it's considering my children when making decisions.
See, I have really good memories from church. We had this pie fest thing around Thanksgiving. Everyone would bring a pie, we'd do a short service, and then we'd stuff our faces with pie until we about died. I think my love of pie came from church. True story.
And then Advent....Christmastime decorations, crafts, the music, and a month-long message of grace and gifts and good things. I remember coloring pictures, making a bird-feeder pinecone with peanut butter, and decorating gingerbread ornaments with my baby sister.
There was this picture of Jesus in the church hallway. I would stare at it every Sunday. I thought he looked beautiful...dark-skinned, long-haired, peaceful. I loved that painting. No uber-creepy, bloody head of thorns I would see sometimes in other churches....no nails and crosses, sacrifice, or blood. Just peace.
My church had a kickass youth group. We'd camp and go on scavenger hunts and take trips to the Ozarks and cliff jump into bright blue water. I went to my first concert (Supertones) with my church youth group. The concert was, in all honesty, way more trippy than you'd think a stone-cold soberfest filled with Christian ska bands would be. I remember standing there, under a dusky sky, staring up at a brightly-lit stage, surrounded by hundreds of almost-adults, all screaming the lyrics to every song, and dancing like we were alone in our bedrooms, feeling completely accepted as we were, flawed, gawky, most of us never-been-kissed. We hummed with potential, like an untapped spring, filled with raw, crystal-clear faith. It felt joined to everyone else - completely included, like one collective spirit, hundreds of voices and bodies moving with youth and joy - and it was all our own, pure and untouched by drugs, alcohol, or fear. I was a foot off the ground, floating on the buzz of life. Coulda been dehydration, coulda been Jesus, but either way, it was a memory I'll never forget.
I loved singing. Man do I miss the singing. Did you know that about me? I love to sing. I had a few solos in church - botched them, for the most part. I am a very nervous, shy singer. I can belch like the best of 'em but ask me to sing by myself and I turn bright red and want to run. Singing in church was different. So many other voices. Sometimes my pastor would walk down the aisle and stand right next to me, loudly singing the hymn, bolstering my strength to sing louder, not be afraid.
My pastor was like a second father to me. He helped me through my parent's divorce. He taught me how to train a hunting dog. He took me ice fishing. He gave me my first sip of beer (that's the Lutheran way! haha!). He took care of me and my sister when my mom was sick. He was the only positive male influence in my life for many years. He officiated my wedding....and then retired. He did not baptize my kids. They'll never have the chance to hear one of his sermons. Makes me sad...but also a bit motivated.
I want my kids to have the opportunity to make memories like these. I want them to have a foundation of faith - something they can choose to build on, or not. I want to give them the option of knowing God, knowing a Higher Being is all about. I needed my faith quite a bit when Aaron was deployed. Regardless of how much I waver in my faith now, it was strong and held me up back then. Maybe it could do the same for my girls? Maybe they will one day need it like I did?
But then there's some stuff about the whole church-going thing that doesn't agree with me. Like the giving stuff. Church always made me feel this intense amount of pressure to give more....more money, more time, more than I can. It became more about doing for the church than doing for God, in some instances...and that bothers me intensely. I'm happy singing songs in a open field or wooden hut...why do we have to spend millions of dollars creating McChurchMansion? And why are those who give the most money considered the "Committee on High?" The only thing worse than governmental politics is church politics. Puke.
I also take issue with some of the Bible-bound laws and regulations. I believe in the ideas behind most of them....be good to your neighbor, don't cheat, don't lie....but the God I believe in doesn't send a sick, sick person who committed suicide to hell. And I know with ever fiber of my being that love is love. The God I know would never condemn a man for loving another. And I think respecting nature and celebrating the seasons of the moon and sun is good, not evil or "devil worship wiccan" stuff. The Harry Potter VS Narnia debate makes me shake my head. I do not believe in a Fire and Brimstone Lord. I think Jesus was a cool cat, but I have problems with the literal translations of the stories and miracles most Christians covet as 100% fact. Science fascinates me and I think all things, even humans, evolve.
So you see, putting me in church is like flicking water onto a frying pan. When the congregation is cool, I can hang out and enjoy myself. Turn up the fire and brimstone, however, and I evaporate real fast. My relationship with God is MY relationship with God. Man shouldn't be defining any part of it.
And then there's my husband. He was raised by the daughter of a Presbyterian Minister. He had a good foundation of faith growing up but lost most of his faith during his deployments. His disgust with the hypocrisy and extreme actions of "religious people" reaches so far, he wants nothing to do with a church. He, too, wants to do right by our kids, but he doesn't have the same memories I have.....and in his mind, doing right by the kids doesn't mean taking them to church. As a matter of fact, he suggested once maybe keeping them OUT of church might actually be more beneficial.
And can we please just talk for a minute about the early-morning Sunday thing. I am a selfish, selfish woman. I crave time with my family to the point of tears. I will never, ever be an every-Sunday type of gal. I kinda feel like God is smiling at me when I tickle my kids and eat muffins in bed instead of yelling at them to hurry up so we can get to church on time.. and then being crabby and resentful for the rest of the day. The early-morning Sunday commitment frightens me not because I'm worried about what God will think, but because I'm worried about the judgement of everyone else at the church.
I'm at a crossroads. Church or no church....teach Jesus at home or try something new. I think it would be best for my kiddos to at least try it out....but what about the united parental front? If mom goes and dad doesn't? What kind of message will that send to the kids?
Come at me, readers. Tell me about your experiences. Do you go to church? Do you not go to church? Why or why not? I realize religion is a very personal subject - but I can't help but feel somewhere out there, someone is sitting there asking the same questions I am. So let me have it, Bible-lovers! Tell me all about it, Amazing Agnostics! Lazy Sunday Morning People - I want to hear from you!
Full disclosure: I like having a globe full of Buddhist, Hindus, Jews, Atheists, Christians, and Islamic followers. I think diversity makes our world go 'round. All opinions are welcome here, assuming they are not outwardly offensive to others...which they obviously won't be because let's face it, I obviously have the best readers ever. Don't even know why I typed this. Stupid disclosure.
And as always, thank you so, so much for reading :) Have a happy weekend!


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Interstate 90 in northeast Wyoming offers several RV parks, including Indian Campground and RV Park, Peter D's RV Park and Mountain View Campground and RV Park, among others. With views of the mountains, national forests and other natural wonders, these campgrounds offer you prime location and short distances to a bounty of healthy activities.
The RV parks located off Interstate 90 in northeast Wyoming offer a variety of amenities for a comfortable stay. Amenities at the parks may include laundry facilities to wash your clothes after a long day of hiking, wireless Internet access to look up your next Wyoming adventure, 50/30/20-amp service, general stores to stock up on extra food and supplies for your stay and spacious bathroom facilities to wash up and refresh yourself.
Due to the location of Interstate 90, the RV parks along the route offer views of the Big Horn Mountains and other natural scenery. Some of the parks offer features such as running streams, grassy lawn areas at each site, picnic tables for preparing healthy meals, mature shade trees to block the sun and other features.
Park Activities
Besides the parks' amenities and features, they also provide activities for your Wyoming vacation. Among the activities these parks offer are heated swimming pools to relax or have fun in, game rooms, Trade-a-Book programs, gifts and souvenirs. If you're wanting to stay in the park for a day or during your entire stay, consider walking or biking around the parks' roads for a quick cardiovascular workout.
Nearby Cities and Towns
Northeast Wyoming is home to several attractions within close proximity to the RV parks along Interstate 90. In Buffalo, Wyo., you will find a quaint downtown with several National Historic Landmarks such as the Occidental Hotel and the Jim Gatchell Museum of the West. Walk up and down the streets of downtown looking for treasures and bargains during one of the sidewalk sales. Sheridan, Wyo., has miles of paths throughout the city to walk or run on. There is also a city park, complete with pool and water slides. Golf is also available with a city course, country club and the Powder Horn Golf Course nearby. Lakes are also in the area and are suited for catfish, crappie, walleye and trout fishing.
Area Outdoor Activities and Attractions
Other attractions in the area are Devil's Tower National Monument, which has more than eight miles of trails for hiking or walking. The Big Horn Mountains are also popular along with the Big Horn National Forest. Outdoor activities abound throughout this area, including hiking, mountain biking, fishing, wildlife viewing and others. Also in northeast Wyoming are miles of groomed snowmobile trails, while the Black Hills National Forest boasts miles of trails for hikers, bikers and horseback riders. The area is ideal for those wanting to get in touch with nature, providing plenty of outdoor exercise opportunities.
Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.
Photo Credits
- Northern Plains Wyoming Devils Tower image by Jennifer LaFleur from Fotolia.com


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New Total War: Shogun 2 – Fall Of The Samurai Reveal Trailer Showcases Modern Units
The Creative Assembly released today a new reveal trailer of Total War: Shogun 2 – Fall Of The Samurai, that will let us unleash our inner Nathan Algren on the 23rd.
The trailer expands on the modern units and weaponry included in this stand-alone expansion, raging from line infantry to an entire range of new ships.
The most hardcore Total War players always complained about the fact that the games of the series tend to get easy as campaigns progress. I'm quite sure that fighting against riflemen and gatling guns using spear, bows and Katana only (as I fully intend to do) will be challenging all right. You can check the trailer out after the cut.