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OAKLAND (BCN) — Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf issued an executive order today to address the political climate after the Ghost Ship fire last month, when 36 people were killed during an unpermitted party at a warehouse illegally converted to a living and event space.
The order is designed to help bring warehouse spaces where people are illegally living into compliance with safety standards while avoiding evictions. Following the fire, reports have surfaced throughout the Bay Area and even around the country of artists living in unpermitted live-work spaces being suddenly evicted by landlords newly concerned about liability for safety hazards there.
When city inspectors find such a space, Schaaf has directed them to give the landlords and master tenants 60 days to come up with a plan to bring the space into compliance, as long as there is no immediate threat to the tenants' lives.
If the space is not zoned for residential use, city staff are directed to assist the property owner to secure any zoning approvals necessary.
In the case that evictions are necessary to bring the spaces up to code, tenants must be informed of their rights according to city law, including their right to relocation assistance from the landlord and their right to return.
Schaaf also today called on the City Council to hold a special meeting next week to consider upping the relocation assistance to tenants displaced due to city code violations.
City law already provides some assistance to tenants, but a proposed ordinance by Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan would increase it to $6,500 for a one-bedroom unit, $8,000 for a two-bedroom and $9,875 for a three- or more bedroom unit, a substantial increase that would make assistance for code enforcement evictions the same as for evictions under the state's Ellis Act.
Schaaf is urging the passage of Kaplan's amendments as an emergency ordinance to take effect as soon as possible.
"Buildings in Oakland should be safe places to live, work and play," Schaaf said in a statement. "In the wake of the Ghost Ship tragedy, unpermitted living, assembly and work spaces are under heightened scrutiny We must unite as a City to improve the safety of non-permitted spaces while also working to avoid displacing vulnerable community members."
In addition to the new inspection procedures, Schaaf is urging an overhaul of the special events permitting procedures in an effort to bring performances and parties in warehouse spaces into greater compliance with fire safety codes.
She also ordered a review of existing tenants rights law to determine if any changes would strengthen protections for warehouse spaces.
The city is still working on a community risk assessment and reduction plan, taking a census of structures, determining their fire safety risk, and coming up with a plan to improve safety while minimizing displacement.
The mayor's fire safety task force, announced shortly after the fire, is also working on creating a shared database to improve communication between departments.
The Ghost Ship, a sprawling warehouse on 31st Avenue near International Boulevard, was in many ways an exceptionally dangerous case: it has been described as a maze of art, furniture, instruments and collectibles, with wood everywhere and a second floor accessible only by a rickety staircase.
Those who died had been attending an electronic music show on the second floor and were already trapped by the time they were alerted to the fire.
But as one of the most deadly fires in the history of the county, it drew intense reactions as landlords reportedly ordered tenants in similar living situations out and flaws were exposed in the city's inspection process
as different agencies didn't know if the other had ever been there.
No fire inspectors had been there in over a decade.
"We will never forget those lost in the Ghost Ship Warehouse Fire and we will learn all we can from this horrific tragedy to make Oakland a safer and more resilient community," Schaaf said.


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In a bizarre comment during a BBC Radio panel discussion, the conservative British Secretary of State for the Environment, Owen Paterson, suggested that climate change is neither real, nor significantly affected by man.
What's worse, Paterson seemed not to understand the crucial difference between "weather" and "climate," which is a common mistake made by climate-change denialists. And in so doing, he suggested that the average temperature hasn't changed in 17 years, and thus, apparently, this is proof that climate change is neither real, nor significantly influenced by man:
[The] Cabinet Minister for the Environment – not Welfare, Education or Defence – clearly stated "The real question is: is climate change influenced by man made climate change? The climate, the temperature has not changed in the last 17 years."
Q: Are those concerned about climate change talking anti-scientific green ideological nonsense? What is your answer to that question?
Environment Minster Paterson: I have to take practical decisions. The climate's always been changing. Peter mentioned the Arctic. I think in the [unintelligible] you can see there were beaches there. [Audience begins to murmur] When Greenland was occupied, you had people growing crops. We then had a little ice age, then we have middle age warming. The climate's been going up and down.
The real question, which I think everyone's trying to address, is 'is this influenced by man-made activity in recent years.' And James is actually correct, the climate has not changed, the temperature hasn't changed in the last 17 years. What I think we ought to be careful of is that there is almost certainly, bound to be, some influence by man-made activity, but I think we just got to be rational [laughter from audience] and make sure the measures that we take to counter it don't actually cause more damage.
Other panelist: This man is our Secretary of State for the Environment, for goodness sake.
Did you catch all of that? The climate's always been changing. The climate's been going up and down. The temperature hasn't changed in the last 17 years.
This is the face of climate change denialism, and it's occupying the most important seat in Britain on the matter.
(First, a quick correction to Paterson: 97% of studies looking at whether science change is man-made say "yes.")
To fully appreciate Paterson's folly, here's a quick primer on the difference between weather and climate, and why that difference matters.
Weather is what happens each day, or perhaps even each year. Climate is the overall trend over a long period of time. For example, here's a photo of the path taken by a man walking his dog.
If you look at the dog (he's "weather"), at any one time, he's traveling north, then south, then north, then south. The dog is all over the place. If you just look at the dog at any one time, or even over a short period of time, you'd say "he's moving south" or "he's moving north." But if you look at the man – and if you look at the long-distance path of the man and the dog (i.e., the "climate") – you'd say "aha, regardless of the dog's erratic movements, they're both clearly heading northeast."
That's the difference between weather and climate.
To take a more "real" example, check out the graph below, showing average temperatures over the past 40 years. You can say with perfect honesty that over the past eight years the weather has cooled off, and it may have. But that's just a momentary blip – over the past 100 years it's gotten decidedly warmer, and the long-term chart proves it. Note how at any one smaller period of time (shown in blue) the trend might be up or down, but over 40 years (in red) it's clear that the long-term trend is always towards warmer and warmer weather, regardless of the circuitous path the weather "dog" takes.
Scientists look at the actual trend over the long-term. Denialists look at only a portion of the trend in order to fool you.
So the UK Minister for the Environment, Owen Paterson, just confused weather and climate. Lovely.

subset: commoncrawl


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At Octane Ultimate Travel we know that our customers have very high expectations when hiring a Prestige car, and we are therefore able to respond to these demands by offering a full "meet and greet" service at the following UK airports:
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Click a thumbnail above to view full-size slide show.
Cast On: January 2015
Cast Off: March 12, 2015
Pattern: Improvised by Hooker Leo of A Hooker's World
Yarn A: Red Heart Super Saver (Fiber Content: 100% Acrylic; Yarn Color: 0722 Pretty 'n Pink; Yarn Weight: 4, Worsted)
Yarn B: Red Heart Super Saver (Fiber Content: 100% Acrylic: Yarn Color: 0319 Cherry Red; Yarn Weight: 4, Worsted)
Needle Size: US 8
Finished Size: approximately 72-inch circumference x 6.5-inch width
I can't believe I finished in time for the Basic Two-Color Brioche Workshop I am teaching this Saturday at the Sand and Sea Knitting Guild. This project started out of It's My Life Shawl (Stephen West Mystery Knit-A-Long: Exploration Station), which called for two-color brioche knitting; a skill I had never attempted. It seemed easy enough when I began, but then I dropped a stitch and went into a complete panic, as I had not inserted a life line. Fortunately, I was able to frog it back to the previous section and maintain the correct stitch count.
After that traumatic experience, I figured I better practice two-color brioche knitting, so I grabbed some acrylic from my stash and set out to learn by repetition. I'll admit that I had to restart this project at least five times, but one I became focused I discovered that I had about a foot. I decided to continue practicing until it was long enough (my preferred length: 6 feet) for a scarf or a cowl; obviously deciding on a cowl. It wasn't until it came to the seaming that I decided against giving it a twist. Actually, I am quite impressed with the neatness of the seam, as I was worried about how to bind off the brioche knitting.
Red Heart can sometimes be scratchy, but as I continued to work with these two skeins the scratchiness dissipated and I began to experience more softness. When I launder this cowl, I will use extra fabric softener for increased softness. The name of this project – My Funny Valentine by Sarah Vaughan – hints to the fact that I was hoping to finish by Valentine's Day, but after a while of knitting, I began to get bored, quickly crocheting Circle In The Sand Mobius Cowl as a diversion.
With this project I finally learned how beneficial repetition is when it comes to learning a new technique. I can put the project down, pick it up and know exactly where I am in the pattern repeat; I began to notice how little mistakes were created by knitting the wrong strands; and most importantly, I could identify and fix mistakes before I got to far along.


text: Musical processionals, literal toasting, and a long-ass horah #Wedding Porn#fluevogs#guestbook#multi-colored dress#pink dress#pink shoes#pinwheel#processional#short hair Updated Oct 12 2015 (Posted Aug 22 2011) Catherine Clark bijouxandbits You guys gave us some seriously eclectic and fabulous shots this week in the Offbeat Flickr Pool. Let's see: we've got some faux vintage, a lovely gray wedding dress, some Fluevogs, and more. Happy times! Photo by One Love Photography A processional with guitars, drums, tambourines, and sparklers is one I want to see. This Alabama wedding seriously channels the '60s in the best way possible. Photo by Jessica Watson Photography Becca and Cort style up the trees (and with a gray dress!!) Photo by Jessica Watson Photography And here they are in their self-described "longest horah ever." I totally believe it from the look on their faces. Photo by One Love Photography Vintage postcards serving as the guest book at Natalie and Jordan's wedding is super stylin'. And get a load of the vintage film action. It ain't dead, kids. Photo by Spectacle Photo Alex and her girls get a scare at Universal Studios. I'm too distracted by the shoes in this shot to be scared, though. Related Post Crystal & Mika's rooftop dance-fest DIY wedding DIY cocktail-style food, drinks, and reception made this colorful rooftop celebration personalized and kick-ass. All of their crew got busy making dresses, jewelry, and mix... Read more Photo by VeloDramatic Speaking of shoes, there's been some chatter about Fluevogs on this post, and what do I come across in the Flickr pool, but a prime example from Gnat and Chris' wedding. Check out the pink accent on the groom's shoes too! Photo by VeloDramatic I also had to share this other shot from the same wedding. This time we're witnessing the grand tradition of the toast… with actual toast. Photo by Whitney Lee Photography Amanda and Dustin know a little John Lennon never hurts to get guests in the spirit of love in their wedding photographed by Whitney Lee. Let's not forget: love is a many splendored thing, love lifts us up where we belong, all you need is love. This week's Clicky Links: What we've pinned this week: wine Jell-o shots, pinwheel flowers, and an EPIC comic cake. Offbeat Home talks about brightening up red hair and foolproof food platters (in case you're DIYing any of your wedding events). Yeah, yeah, we've seen flash mobs before, but this one has a pretty good choir involved. Worth a watch from StreetsofGold007. I heart this story from The Daily Mail of a 127-year-old dress getting passed along through the family. It still looks amazing! Offbeat Mama fixes slippy bra straps foreva! Instructables tells us how to make a musical wedding announcement. Redditor jwc1138 created this stellar Amazing Spider-Man Save-the-Date. (Via Technabob) Aw, what a sweet couple… wait, what is that? Braaaaains. (Via WeddingJoJo) Hey, photographers! I love you and do my best to attribute all Monday Montage photos, but sometimes brides don't include your info when they submit photos. If I've featured your work but it isn't properly credited, email me! This post features Offbeat Vendors! Check out their vendor listing to see how they cater to Offbeat Brides: Whitney Lee Photography Catherine Clark Catherine Clark loiters at her local library, makes art, watches movies en masse, plays video and tabletop games, poorly cooks healthy things, cuddles with her feline fur babies, and blogs at BijouxandBits.com. @enidjcoleslaw @bijouxandbits @bijouxandbits PREVIOUS Kristen & Mike's Alice in Wonderland wedding NEXT The Cheap Bastardette's guide to self-catering your wedding Show/Hide comments [ 6 ] Love love love the gray dress and those pink shoes! Reply I love this montage! I also love Fluevogs (which I may wear at my own wedding) Ooh! There should be a shoe post specifically for Fluevogs!! 😉 Reply "•Aw, what a sweet couple… wait, what is that? Braaaaains." That link is requring a password =( Was anyone able to get in there?? Reply Gah! They must have closed it off since it was public before. Maybe a ton of traffic? 😉 I found the photos on Geekologie as well: http://www.geekologie.com/2011/08/couples-zombie-attackthemed-engagement.php Reply Regretsy also posted them. It's generally agreed upon that they might be the best engagement pics ever. Such an adorable, geeky couple! Reply Moulin Rouge! I give people links to that video soo often. I'll also have Nicole Kidman/Ewan McGregor duets in my brain while I'm doing the dishes, or thinking, or going pee, or doing practically anything anywhere at any time, and I like it. Ehem. Reply Join the conversation Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Sign me up for your offbeat awesomeness newsletter! No-drama comment policy Part of what makes the Offbeat Empire different is our commitment to civil, constructive commenting. Make sure you're familiar with our no-drama comment policy. Biz owners & wedding bloggers Please just use your real name in your comment, not your business name or blog title. Our comments are not the place to pimp your website. If you want to promote your stuff on Offbeat Bride, join us as an advertiser instead.


text:
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text: Coulometry, in analytical chemistry, method for determining the quantity of a substance, based on the strict proportionality between the extent of a chemical change and the quantity of electricity involved (Faraday's law). The quantity of the material to be analyzed can be determined directly by depositing the substance on an electrode or by generating electrolytically in the solution a known amount of a substance that will react with the test material. The latter method is analogous to volumetric titration.


text:
How do you see Jesus? Just a simple galilean leader with a group of followers or as GodMan – God in human flesh? Peter, James and John get a glimpse of the glory of Jesus as seen in heaven.
John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Reading: Mark 9:1-13
Sermon Points:
A: Jesus glory revealed
B: Jesus glory revealed in his death
C: Jesus glory revealed from heaven
Series: Gospel of Mark
Preacher: Rev Calum MacMillan
Preached: Evening Service, 17 February 2013
Download File:
Right click to download mp3


text:
CovetED Magazine
International, influential and trendy, CovetED is the world's top collectors source for interior design and luxury lifestyle news. We attract a sophisticated global audience of both professionals and design lovers by presenting a unique, curated selection of interiordesign projects, exclusive interviews with the world's best and collectable travel guides. Every two months we distribute 20.000 copies directly to professionals and in the major design events around the world – Milan, Paris, London, Singapore, New York, Miami. CovetED Magazine is also available in newsstands worldwide, including Barnes&Noble bookstores in the US and WHSmith bookstores in the UK


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text:
What you need to know about Shrek: The Musical: Children will absolutely love it—and adults, there are plenty of jokes for you, too. At one point, Pinocchio bemoans, "This is worse than the time I caught Dutch Elm Disease in Tijuana." Another song lyric rhymes "grotesque" with "Kafkaesque." There are references to Scientology, Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, The Stepford Wives, the Budweiser Clydesdales and many other pop culture staples. The tongue-in-cheek nature of the musical, combined with the exuberance of this production's cast, makes for a fun and entertaining performance.
The house was packed on the opening night of the show. The energy was vibrant and when the stage lights went up and the live—yes, live music!—started, it was apparent the audience was in for a treat.
For those who haven't seen the 2001 animated Dreamworks version, or read the original children's book (by William Steig) upon which both the movie and the musical are based, the plot of Shrek is about an outcast ogre (the titular character) whose swamp is invaded by a host of fairytale characters: Peter Pan, the Mad Hatter, the three bears from Goldilocks and the Big Bad Wolf, among others. The evil Lord Farquaad has banished all the "freaks" from the city of Duloc, where he rules. A furious Shrek, who just wants to be left alone, journeys to Duloc and, along the way, meets a talking donkey that travels with him. Lord Farquaad informs Shrek he can have his swamp back, but first he must free Princess Fiona from a dragon-guarded castle. Without spoiling anything, Fiona has more in common with Shrek than he knows, and in the end he realizes having friends isn't so bad, after all.
The costumes, sets and props are fantastically well done, giving the production texture and a sense of being real. Pinocchio's nose extends every time he lies. The gingerbread man is cleverly adhered to a baking sheet and the actor who voices him moves his mouth, through some magic of puppetry, when he shouts, "Not my gumdrop buttons!" Speaking of puppets, the dragon guarding the castle is magnificent—huge, with eyes that move, giant spikes protruding from its head and long, glittering eyelashes. There's something delightfully kooky about a full-grown man dressed in a donkey costume belting out "I like a big, big girl!" to a dragon puppet.
And that's what makes this show so successful: The cast has thrown themselves into their roles and are clearly having so much fun. And their voices—how can they sing for more than two hours and not get hoarse? Fiona sounds just as clear and on-key in the last song as she does in the first. Lord Farquaad chews up the scenery, in a good way, every time he's on stage. One of the best songs in the production is the "Ballad of Farquaad," in which Lord Farquaad sings about his difficult relationship with his father, Grumpy. Yes, that Grumpy of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. "Me and my old man / A tale as old as dirt / A bitter distant father / In a tiny undershirt."
This is a musical adaptation that makes sense. Even if musical theater isn't your thing, the silliness inherent in the story of Shrek removes the heavy sentimentality from lyrics like "We'd share a kiss, I'd find my destiny / I'd have a hero's ending, a perfect happy ending." When they're sung by a man in green facepaint with green horns protruding from his head and a large, fake belly, you smile instead of squirm.
For the finale, the cast empties off the stage and into the aisles to sing Neil Diamond's (not, ahem, Smash Mouth's) "I'm a Believer," which was chosen specifically for the lyric, "I thought love was only true in fairytales." It's a fitting ending to an irreverent, totally weird and wonderful show.
Shrek: The Musical is onstage at Theatre Three through June 25. For show times, visit theatrethree.com or call the box office at 631-928-9100. Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson.


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- Home
- Продукция
- Taewoong Medical Co.
- Niti-S™ Esophageal Stent
- Through the scope (TTS) S Esophageal Stent
Through the scope (TTS) S Esophageal Stent
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– It allows easy and simple deployment through the scope, and particularly the best solution for very tight and narrow esophageal strictures
- The Practical solution for tight, narrow or tortuous anatomy
Procedure Video
Released Articles
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- Hybrid percutaneous-endoscopic drainage of cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis
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- Benign distal jejunal stricture treated by a partially covered esophageal stent with the use of spiral enteroscopy
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by Rajeev Attam, MD et al [Gastrointest Endosc. 2014 Aug;80(2):312-8]


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Free Customer Development Process PowerPoint Template is a simple presentation design with an editable diagram of Customer Development Process by Steve Blank. It is based on the diagram introduced in The Startups Owner Manual and it can be very useful for presentations on academic research, MBA and thesis where you need to present a Business PowerPoint presentation with Lean Startup concepts or show a simple Customer Development process.
License: cc by 2.0
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Asset Management
Babcock is the UK's leading engineering support services organisation with revenue of over £3bn. The company delivers critical support to sectors such as defence, transport and education. Claromentis worked in close partnership with Babcock, to provide a highly secure asset management system that assisted them in managing the British Army's assets in foreign countries.


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Best of
the Twin Cities
Kyatchi's menu of sustainable sushi and hot dogs seems like a head-scratcher. But the Japanese love hot dogs, and so the combo makes perfect sense. The mashups continue from there. The Yakisoba Dog is a locally made Limousin beef hot dog resting beneath a tangle of stir-fried soba noodles and topped with onion, red ginger, and Japanese mayo. The noodles are the real star of this circus: Messy, slippery, umami-rich, they turn an ordinary hot dog into the object of beatific odes. Of course, the dog wouldn't be anything at all without Kyatchi's strict adherence to quality meat, an all-beef, snaps-when-you-bite craftsman product. It's as luxe as tube meat has any business being.


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Academic Programs
Program Information:
Learn about scholarships and awards for Option I Modern Languages majors at MSU Denver.
Program Options
- Modern Languages Option I: a major in either Spanish or French. Option I in the Modern Languages bachelor's degree program at MSU Denver focuses on building proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, listening comprehension and cultural understanding. 42 semester hours and a minor are required.
- Modern Languages Option II: a major in a primary and a secondary language that include the choice of French, Spanish, German, Italian and Japanese. This is a 60-credit program and a minor is not required.
- K–12 Option I or II: for teaching licensure with a content area in a foreign language.
Alternatively, MSU Denver's Individualized Degree Program allows you to work with a faculty mentor in the Department of Modern Languages and degree specialists in the Individualized Degree Program to create your own degree program.
Benefits of Earning Your Degree at MSU Denver
Immerse yourself in a different culture and sharpen your foreign language skills. The Department of Modern Languages offers study abroad programs in Spain, Mexico and France and awards scholarships to select participants. Also, MSU Denver's Office of International Studies helps Modern Languages majors find opportunities to explore study abroad programs offered at other institutions.
Stay on track to earn your bachelor's degree in Modern Languages from MSU Denver. Academic and faculty advisors make sure Modern Languages majors are placed in appropriate undergraduate classes based on their individual skills, interests and goals.
Get involved on campus. MSU Denver offers dozens of student clubs and organizations related to academic majors and interests, including the National Foreign Language Honor Society, Phi Sigma Iota. Depending on your concentration, Modern Languages majors can also participate in French Club or Spanish Club.
Be an active member in the diverse MSU Denver and surrounding communities. The Department of Modern Languages hosts special events throughout the year, including the Translation Colloquium, National Language Week and research conferences.
Career Opportunities for Our Graduates
Modern Languages majors who choose Option I find career success in diverse fields that contribute to local communities and the global economy, from education, law enforcement, government and foreign relations to social services, health care, international business and tourism. These are some examples of Modern Language jobs that could use your fluency skills in French or Spanish:
- Ambassador
- Anthropologist
- Book editor
- Customs inspector
- Foreign service officer
- Immigration inspector
- Interpreter
- Journalist or foreign news correspondent
- Linguist
- Translator
- Travel agent
- Teacher
- Tour guide
- Travel writer
Learn more about career opportunities in Modern Languages.
Hear from our students:
"My language courses at MSU Denver provided me with a solid foundation of theoretical knowledge and cultural awareness. Classes were always well organized, interesting and challenging. Furthermore, the faculty's knowledge and guidance helped me pursue my studies successfully and helped me achieve my goal of becoming a French-to-English translator."
—Dawn O'Connor (MSU Denver '10), MA, BS, RN
Ann Williams
Professor of French Ann Williams was recently inducted into the Ordre des Palmes Academiques — the French Order of Academic Palms — for her contributions to French education and culture. Also a recipient of the U.S. Professor of the Year Award from Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Williams shares her love for France and French-speaking countries through courses in French language, literature and culture.
Ibon Izurieta
Read more about MSU Denver Modern Languages faculty.
Alumni at Work
With a Bachelor of Arts degree in French or Spanish from MSU Denver, Modern Languages majors work in a wide variety of industries and roles including:
- Elementary school teacher
- Immigration services personnel
- Overseas English teacher
Sample Classes
In the Option I program for Modern Languages, MSU Denver students cover a variety of topics including language, culture, history, literature, cinema and social issues. Depending on whether you choose French or Spanish as your concentration area, these are some of the classes you may take as a Modern Languages major:
- International French/Spanish
- French/Spanish Reading and Conversation
- Cinema in French for Advanced Conversation
- French Historical Perspectives
- Contemporary Socio-Cultural Issues
- Literature, Culture and Translation
- Conversational Spanish for Travel/Medical Professions
- Folklore and Culture of the Mexican Southwest
- Latin American Cinema
- Contemporary Spanish Literature
- Spanish-American Essay: 19th and 20th Centuries
- Introduction to Spanish Translation I and II


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Human resource Management
When human civilization was in the necessent stage, people were used to consume natural resources surrounding them. With demographic changes and development of human society, human need grown and to meet this growing need trade became a prominent mean. Initially, people used to do trading among groups and in unstructured ways. Later, with distinction among groups and geographical boundaries commercial procedures evolved to satisfy growing human need. The people associated with these, became business people and gradually their organization evolved as companies.
Previously these companies were confined among their own regional and national boundaries. But growing competition among themselves, they were forced to expand their businesses in other countries – they become international.
These international companies entered host countries, in many ways and most recently Joint Venture became very popular because of its many benefits. In Joint Venture, two or more companies with complementarily in operation and thinking come together to satisfy their business needs and in most of the cases international joint ventures faces a lot of human resource constraints because of different cultural and social backgrounds of their parents.
We are now in the service economy and day by day importance of people is becoming more prominent in managing business operation and these are particularly more critical in operating an international Joint Ventures. In an International Joint Venture the following picture is prominent:
Human resource Management is about managing human relations in individual and group level and human relation in the interrelationship among people as they work together to achieve organizational goal and attain satisfaction in terms of achieving their objectives. It integrates knowledge from the disciplines of psychology, sociology, and anthropology. Psychology, the study of why people behave in certain ways, facilitates understanding of learning, thinking, and developmental processes.
Sociology is an inquiry into how people behave in-groups and focuses on the impact that groups have on their behavior. By examining symbols and articrafts, anthropology studies culture of the past and are concerned with discovering how past occurrences influence their behavior. Human relations' draws on knowledge of the behavior science, unify this information, and apply it to the study of human interrelationships.
While assessing the Human Resource Management principles in international companies, cultural issues are considered with care, as they are the most crucial to the companies' image and define its identity.
Culture is acquired the knowledge that people use to interpret experience and to generate social behavior. This knowledge forms values, creates attitudes and influences behavior. Culture has following characteristics:
Learned: Culture is not inherited or biologically based. It is acquired by learning and experience
Shared: People as members of a group, organization, or society share culture: it is not specific to single individuals.
Transgenerational: Because culture is shared and passed along from generation to generation, it is cumulative, relatively stable and somewhat permanent. Old habits are hard to break, and people tend to maintain its own heritage in spite of continuously changing world
Symbolic: Culture is based on the human capacity to symbolize or to use one thing to represent another
Patterned: Culture has structure and is integrated. A change in one part will bring changes in another
Adaptive: Culture is based on the human capacity to change or adapt, as opposed to the more genetically driven adaptive process of animals. Culture is passed along from generation to generation, but one should not assume that culture is static and immune to change. Far from being the case, culture is constantly changing – it adapts itself to new sources of knowledge.
Importance of culture
Today's managers operate in a world, where culture changes than any other period in human history. To survive and develop managers need new skills to cope with these changes in their life styles.
Every manager should consider the constraints imposed by the cultural context, because it is impossible to coordinate the actions of people without a deep understanding of their values, belief and expressions.
There are many ways of examining cultural differences and their importance on management. Culture can affect managerial attitudes, managerial ideology, and even business government relations.
There are four major dimensions of culture:
Power distance: is the extent to which less powerful members of institutions or organization accept that power is distributed unequally. A greater power distance indicates an accepted hierarchy in organizational relationship, a smaller power distance relates to greater participation in decision-making, and greater equality in the organization.
Uncertainty avoidance: is the extent to which people feel threatened by ambiguous situations, and have created belief and institution that try to avoid these. People with high uncertainty avoidance try to limit conflict and risk taking.
Individualism – Collectivism: This dimension relates to whether participants are concerned about their own needs, goals and achievements or whether the social group norms and benefit take precedence. Individualism is the tendency of people to look after themselves and their immediate families. The collectivism is the tendency of people to belong to groups or collectives and to look after each other in exchange for loyalty.
Masculinity – Femininity: there is basic dichotomy between the rational achievement orientation and the emotional affiliation orientation. Masculinity is defined as a situation in which the dominant factors in society are success and money. In contrary, femininity is the term used to describe a situation in which the dominant values in society are caring for others and the quality of life.
Human resource Management in International Joint Ventures
While assessing HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT principles of overseas companies, we could consider the company culture in three aspects:
Bureaucratic culture, technical culture and managerial culture
Normally human resource management has the following dimensions – and each of them has to be considered on those three cultural aspects. The dimensions are:
Organization structure
Job Design
Delegating decision making authority
Control and assessment of performance
External competition
Internal Equity
Intensive components
Benefits and rewards
Job security
Career development
Table 1. Managing Human resource in different culture
In the Bureaucratic In the Technical In the Managerial
Culture Culture Culture
Structuring the Establish rational and Develop, organize and Keep organization
Organization detailed organization chart obtain consensus or structure minimal and to be communicated interrelationships adaptive to changes throughout the organization among functions
Designing jobs Formalize and standardize Formalize Be flexible and job descriptions. Put relationships as formalize emphasis tasks to be accountabilities. Put accountabilities. performed emphasis on processes Put emphasis on end to be adapted results to be accomplished
Delegating Extremely limited Decision-making must High degree of Decision delegation and freedom be mostly controlled delegation and making are required freedom is
Authority supported
Controlling and Need for a heavy system Effective cost Sophisticated
Assessing administrative checks and accounting system control system
Performance balances to measure how is required to measure is required to tasks are performed. efficiency. Emphasis measure end Emphasis is on compliance is on qualitative results.
With standards and norms criteria Emphasis is on quantitative criteria
External Usually minimal Moderate High competitiveness
Intensive None Limited High components
Internal equity Must be absolute and Limited. Must reflect Fair. Must reflect normative. Must integrate balance of power job value and seniority and diplomas among functions performance
Benefits Highly formalized and Formalized and Informal and Common throughout personalized personalized the organization
Providing job Must be absolute Fair Minimal security
Career Strict and objective Develop bridges Reward high Development rules and procedures between functions to performers through must be established for improve organizational rapid promotions
promotions and integration
career developments
A joint venture involves two or more legally distinct organization, each of which shares in the decision making process of the jointly owned entity. Joint venture is considered international when one of partner in headquartered outside the venture's country of operation or the joint venture has significant level of operation in more than one country.
Human resource management in Joint Venture encounters many problems because the presence of two parties – two cultures simultaneously. Since different cultures exist in the partnership, an understanding of the impact of culture on managing is critical to the study of joint venture management. If international managers do not know something about the culture of the local country they deal with, the results can be quite disastrous.
Motivation also contributes to the success of International human resource management. Abraham Maslow proposed five levels of human needs. The essence of this theory is the satisfaction of human needs, which occur in hierarchical order ranging from the lowest level of survival to selfactualization at the top of the hierarchy. Before people are motivated to attain higher level needs, their lower-level needs must be fulfilled.
While considering the motivation level of employees of the joint venture, the human resource manager has to take into account the following issues:
Current living standards
Cultural characteristics of the country
Relationship among people in group and individual level
Sentiment and emotional aspect of the people
And redefine the elements of hierarchy of needs to meet the country's environment.
In most of the cases we follow reactive attitude in addressing a problem. And sometimes it is also different to perceive the problem well before it occurs, hence human resource manager has to follow a flexible procedure continuously identifying and developing the system to upkeep the organizational tempo. Very recently, a lot of Western investors invested in Asian countries and some of them are facing problems in keeping up the organizational tempo and balancing cultural gap and meeting the needs of both local employees and headquarter.
To become successful in any organization communication process is also very important. The process does not consider only the verbal aspect of the communication; it covers the tone of the communication also, which depress the local language of the organization as a whole. All human relations depend on the ability of the human resource manager how he/she communicates while being seen or being behind the veil. Sometimes language barrier and hesitation of people and lack of competence in expression creates a lot of problem. Hence a clear collaborative and caring culture is necessary to any international ventures to be successful.
As competition among companies grew companies became more concerned about loyalty of the stakeholders. This loyalty gets translated in terms of protection of patents, technology etc. Employees are the users of information and different facilities of the company and human resource manager has to ensure a culture of self-reliance and a feeling as if the company is her/his family. Thus this issue also the important aspect of human resource management in multinational joint ventures.
The most important dimension of human resource management is managing cultural differences. When an organizational entity enters into a new country, it gets exposed to a new culture, new setup, new people etc. The human resource manager must balance the things, has to be the charge agent while considering the following things:
Intellectual communication
Cultural sensitivity
Effective intercultural performance
Concept of cultural management
Concept of changing international business
Cultural synergy
Work culture
These, combined with intellectuality, make the manager truly global.
Each of individuals is faced with the problem of integration into unfamiliar culture. They must learn the accepted cultural behavior in a unique organizational environment that will ensure their entry, acceptance, and effectiveness in that setting. Whether one is a recruit in the organization, transferred within the company domestically or internationally, or an employee of a subsidiary owned by a larger entity, each must learn to cope with a unique subculture.
Culture gives people a sense of who they are, of belonging, of how they should behave, and of what they should be doing. Culture has a great effect on HRM. If managers are to be effective leaders, they need not only to understand the influence of culture upon organization, but also utilize that culture to improve performance and productivity. Organization creates culture. The organizational culture is a set of coping skills, adaptive strategies used by members in and out of the system. The organization's culture has a powerful impact on the worker's or member's morale and productivity. It even influences the organization's image of itself which, in turn, is communicated to its public. The different cultures of managers in Joint ventures represented by differences in languages, interactions, perceptions and mentalities leads to problems in communication, working together, problems solving and team sense. The tendency of people within a certain culture to perceive the others as belonging to a single class or category is different to that in the other cultures, which is called stereotype. Stereotypes can affect the actions, coordinations, and corporation of people from different cultures. Values within a culture are the basic convictions that people have regarding what is right or wrong, good or bad, important or unimportant. They help direct the person's behavior. And differences in cultural values often result in varying management practices.
Different cultures will affect differently the thinking and doing of people, therefore, they could be the source of conflicts in HRM operation of joint ventures, between managers having different cultural backgrounds.
The figure in the next page illustrates many aspects of organizational culture. There are aspects of an organization's culture that are formal, explicit, and overt, just as there are dimensions that are informal, implicit and covert. In attempting to achieve its goals and missions, the organizational culture is further influenced by leadership practices, norms and standards, rules and regulations, attitudes and principles, ethics and values, polices and practices, structures and technologies, products and services, roles and relationships.
In summary, the following factors affect Human Resource management in international joint venture:
Organization structure
Communication process and


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In the January 25, 2013 online edition of The New York Times I found a highly significant article titled "F.D.A. Likely to Add Limits on Painkillers." An advisory panel to the Food and Drug administration wants to strengthen the current rules about such drugs as Vicodin, a frequently prescribed powerful pain pill.
Similar recommendations failed to make it through Congress last year; they were lobbied against by business interests with considerable heft behind them.
Now Vicodin and other drugs made from hydrocodone aren't the worst problem, but, as you'll see, they are a way to call attention to medications that for the past four years have caused more deaths in the United States than traffic accidents, or those from illegal drugs including heroin and cocaine.
I went back to an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, AKA JAMA. It was published on Dec 14, 2011 in the section called "Vital Signs," and was a CDC look at overdoses of prescription opioid pain relievers (OPRs) in the US, especially during the 1999-2008 time frame. The news was stark; in 2007 nearly 100 people died from these drugs every day, with death rates that have tripled since 1991.
Between 1999 and 2010 the sales of OPRs quadrupled with enough prescribed to give every single one of us US adults a standard dose of these medications every 4 hours for a month. The health-care cost of abuse of these drugs is staggering, estimated at $72.5 billion a year.
Of the total number of US 2008 deaths from drug overdoses (36,450), OPRs were involved in 14,800 and the years of potential life lost before age 65 was comparable to the figure from motor vehicle accidents. I was startled, but in retrospect not entirely surprised that a study showed 3% of American physicians accounting for 62% of the OPRs prescribed.
Some of those doctors are anesthesiologists, oncologists or other physicians fully trained in pain control and working in highly specialized hospital-associated units. Their use of these medications is appropriately aimed at patients with cancer, those with severe acute injuries and perhaps some others whom almost all of us would agree should have whatever it takes to minimize agonizing pain.
Others in the group of "mega-prescribers," however, may not be pain specialists; they could be working for "pill mills." That has happened in a number of states with some of those doctors being accused at this stage and several others being convicted and facing jail sentences.
But the new rules, which have to be approved by the FDA and then by the Department of Health and Human Services before they actually take effect, make enormous sense to me: refills forbidden without a new prescription; no fax or phone prescriptions, only written ones; and drug distributors being forced to store OPRs in special vaults.
The Times article today notes the panel was not monolithic in their voting (19 to 10) with some highly skeptical that the suggested changes would do much to alter the current surge of inappropriate or illicit drug use in America. One commented that oxycodone-containing products already are in a more restrictive category.
One of the subject matter experts quoted was Dr. Nathaniel Katz, an anesthesia assistant professor at Tufts University medical school. Katz served as Chair of the FDA's Advisory Committee, Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Addiction Products Division, from 2000 to 2004 and thinks the recommended rule was largely symbolic, giving a message both to doctors and patients. He commented that the OPRs the panel was voting on are a relatively minor player. Katz now devotes much of his time to a clinical research company that's attemting to develop new treatments for pain.
Vicodin and like drugs containing hydrocodone are the most widely prescribed OPRs, but are responsible for a minority of deaths with medications containing oxycodone or methadone, although less commonly given to patients, accounting for two-thirds of the drug overdose deaths.
So the question now is whether the proposed new rules make it over the remaining hurdles.
I hope they do.


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Ah, a church... for a second, I thought you'd swapped out Clinton with Huckabee. :)
If you've seen the news, you'll know that there are lots of words flying around nowadays -- political speeches, debates, ads, etc. If you're trying to understand the words and decide how to vote, it can be overwhelming. However, if you look at the words as data, you can suddenly get interesting new insights.
Here's an interesting packaged workbook that shows a text analysis of recent stump speeches by the four major remaining presidential candidates (Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Barack Obama, and Mitt Romney). To give you a flavor of the kind of analysis I've done here, I've developed a packaged workbook showing the most common 2-word phrases uttered in each candidate's speech:
You can adjust the quick filter under the dashboard to limit yourself to phrases of a certain length of characters (the space between the words counts as one character). I want to keep this post politically neutral, so I'll let you dig in with Tableau (or the free Tableau Reader) and make your own discoveries. I'm sure you'll be surprised by some of the results, as I was.
The speeches were pulled from candidate websites; each was in a different forum -- for instance, Hillary Clinton was speaking in a church and Mitt Romney was speaking to auto workers in Michigan, which accounts for some of the unusual phrases you see.
To get the texts into a form that Tableau could understand, I used a quick Perl script to eliminate non-word characters (except whitespace, apostrophes, and hyphens), then split the text on whitespace and output the result as a CSV. To get 2-word analysis, I left-joined the resulting CSV against itself, with a one-off ON condition ("[current].[Position]+1=[next].[Position]", where [current] and [next] are table aliases). I used context filters and dashboards liberally to generate what you see.
I encourage you to play around with the workbook in Tableau and see what patterns you can find. Enjoy!
Corporate...blog.... Must...remain...neutral.... :^)
In all seriousness, James raises a good point. As the campaign goes on I'd like to add additional speeches to the data set to get a more representative sample over time.
On the other hand, phrase variations as a function of time, audience, and location are interesting in themselves and I hope to capture the extent of that variability too.
How does the data set look like for this analysis? I mean the raw data file that we import to tableau. Can anyone please share the data file? It will be of great help.


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The Past Year: Bridget
Taps mic] Is this thing on? It's been awhile since you last heard from us, so we thought we'd give you some context on what's been going on, and where we're going from here. Fill you in on our little… Continue Reading
Taps mic] Is this thing on? It's been awhile since you last heard from us, so we thought we'd give you some context on what's been going on, and where we're going from here. Fill you in on our little… Continue Reading
What happened? I think I blacked out. A year has whipped by and all I've got to show for it is a new baby, a new home in a new state, a new website and 20 extra pounds. It's been… Continue Reading
This post has taken me the better part of a month to write, ironically. And even still, I'm not quite sure if I know what to say so bear with me. For starters, I certainly don't know the answer to… Continue Reading
Why does decluttering feel so good? I remember when I first adopted minimalism. In the tiniest of my New York apartments on the upper East side, I wound up with the largest closet I've had to date. But somehow that… Continue Reading
Could you use a little kaizen in your life? When we want to improve our lives, our tendency is to look for grandiose solutions. We want radical change, and we want it quickly, so we seek radical programs or advice… Continue Reading
You definitely do. You're probably suffering from it ever day, actually. Sadly, decision fatigue has infected us all. Hmmm, this sounds serious…. Wait, do you know what decision fatigue is? In decision making and psychology, decision fatigue refers to the deteriorating… Continue Reading
Do you ever listen to someone speaking and think, man they just really get me. This happened to me in the car yesterday, nodding my head incessantly while listening to a podcast. The subject? The Danish philosophy that's taking the… Continue Reading
A few months ago I opened up about my struggle with unexpected weight gain and work-related stress. I outlined what I was planning to do in order to feel better and regain control over my health and happiness. I promptly… Continue Reading
I've been a shitty blogger over the past couple of months. We've also been a bit quieter on social media than usual. And today, I wanted to just put it out there and fill you in on why. Lately I… Continue Reading
Since leaving New York, life's been a whirlwind, in mostly good ways. Business is moving right along and I'm learning a whole buncha lessons. Things are great. Busy, but great. And yet lately something keeps coming up that I've never… Continue Reading


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by Calculated Risk on 10/27/2016 11:00:00 AM
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Kansas City Fed: Regional Manufacturing Activity "Expanded Moderately" in October
From the Kansas City Fed: Tenth District Manufacturing Activity Expanded Moderately
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City released the October Manufacturing Survey today. According to Chad Wilkerson, vice president and economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, the survey revealed that Tenth District manufacturing activity expanded again at a moderate pace.The Kansas City region was hit hard by the decline in oil prices, and it appears activity is starting to expand again.
"This was the second consecutive month of rising factory activity in the Tenth District, the first time that has happened in nearly two years," said Wilkerson. "Much of the improvement recently has been in machinery and fabricated metals manufacturing."
The month-over-month composite index was 6 in October, equal to 6 in September and up from -4 in August ... Most month-over-month indexes improved further in October. The production index edged higher from 15 to 18, and the shipments, new orders, and order backlog also rose moderately. The employment index climbed from -3 to 7, its highest level in almost two years. ...
emphasis added
Posted by Calculated Risk on 10/27/2016 11:00:00 AM


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Oahu VA Loan Seminar
You're Invited!
Are you a Veteran, Active Duty Personnel Reservist or National Guard member in Hawaii? Join us for a free Hawaii VA Loans Seminar and learn more about your VA Loan benefits!
In this free seminar you will learn all about the VA Loans program from Hawaii's foremost expert on VA mortgages.
Date: Saturday, September 26th
Time: 10 AM – 12 PM
Location: Online.Instructions on how to log on to the seminar will be sent upon registration to the email provided.
About the Speaker:
Tony Dias (NMLS #222836) is a Hawaii native, originally from Waianae. His father joined the Marine Corps when he was two years old and served 25 years before retiring. Tony joined the Marine Corps after graduating from Kalaheo High School. He joined the mortgage industry in 2003 and has been giving highly popular VA classes for many years.
Bonus for Attending: Free Book "The Book on VA Loans"
Participants who attend the workshop will receive a free copy of "The Book on VA Loans," which takes service members and their families on an insider's journey into VA loans, from credit scores and interest rates to the unique opportunities and challenges of the long-cherished program.
This book sells on Amazon for over $20. It's yours for free if you attend this workshop.


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Amphibious hovercraft HIVUS-10 is intended for year-round operation as a cruising, rescue, tourist, ambulance or patrol vehicle as well as for passenger transportation.
Operation range of the hovercraft – water basisns with max wave height up to 1,2 m.
Distinctive features:
- Ability to move in shallow waters, over swamps, deep snow, broken ice and to overcome slightly sloping river banks, washouts and sand ridges;
- Original design of air cushion (Russian patent RF No 2097231), providing a high level of safety due to increased stability and maneuverability;
- Safe emergency braking on firm ground;
- Air cushion parts non-freezing to icy surfaces;
- Low noise propeller.
Main characteristics
|Payload, kg
|Passenger capacity, prs.
|9 (without driver)
|Length, m
|Beam (transportation width), m
|3,08 (2,52)
|Max height, m
|2,65 м
|Engine type
|petrol or diesel engine
|Engine power, hp
|Speed on water, km/h
|Speed on snow, km/h
|Max overpassable incline, degrees
|Clearance, m
|Max overpasseble obstacle height, m
|Fuel consumption, litres/hour
|Fuel stock, litres
|Range, km
|up to 250 (with additional tanks – 400)
|Propulsion system
|6-blade propeller in a ring
|Air cushion composition
|Inflatable balloons (skegs),
front and rear skirt
|Min operational temperature, degrees C
|– 35 (below zero)
|Max wind speed, m/sec
Detailed description
Hull and cabin. The hull and cabin are made of aluminum-magnesium alloy. The basic method of joining the construction parts is riveting. The hull is divided by two bulkheads into 3 compartments: front compartment, passenger compartment and engine compartment.
This construction provides corrosion resistance, lightness, durability and high maintainability.
Air-cushion. The air-cushion consists of three inflatable balloons (2 side ones and 1 central), bow and stern flexible skirts. Each balloon has a two-level structure. The upper side balloons are divided into 3 compartments, the upper central balloon has one compartment. Lower balloons have all single compartments. The skirt is made of five-layer cloth on the basis of PVC with the addition of polyurethane and reinforced with polyester. To protect against damage the outer sides of the upper balloons are protected with two layers of polyester cloth and nylon with PVC coating; the lower balloons are covered with polyurethane film.
Engine. The following engines can be installed on the hovercraft: petrol engine ZMZ 409, 143 HP; diesel engine IVECO S30ENTC29, 198 HP; diesel engine Cummins ISF 2.8, 150 HP.
Main propeller. In order to increase the efficiency of the propeller and improve safety we use a 6-blade low-noise propeller which is installed in a ring. The blades are made of fiberglass. The outer layer of the blades is reinforced with abrasion-resistant material. The inlet part of the ring is covered by a protective grid. The propeller is driven by means of a toothed belt.
Supercharging fans. The boat is equipped with two axial fans. Fan blades are made of fiberglass. The reduction gears of the supercharging fans are driven by the engine drive shaft via toothed belts and cardan shafts.
Control system. Yaw control is carried out by three vertical air rudders driven by the steering wheel and by pressure change in the air cushion chambers by means of drive pedals.
Habitability. The spacious cabin of the boat has the following dimensions: length 3.50 m, width 1.85 m, height 1.34 m Glazing of the entire cabin perimeter and rear view mirrors provide all-round visibility. An adjustable driver's seat is mounted in the nose, on the left side and the passenger seat is mounted on the starboard side. Behind the seats along the sides of the cabin there installed either two 4-seater sofa-lockers or four folding 2-seater benches. Seat backs inserted between the seats can form a bed. The salon is finished with vinyl artificial leather. It is also possible to install a folding table.
Cabin heating. The cabin is heated by two bus heaters. At the request of the Customer a self-contained Webasto heater can also be installed.
The cabin ceiling is equipped with two hatches.
Equipment list. The boat is equipped with a control and instrument panel, the switches of the control system, the battery capacity of 75 Ah, three wipers, navigation lights, two search lights, two fog lights, two interior lights, cigarette lighter socket 12V, bow railing, 4 mooring cleats, two fuel tanks, a horn, an electrical system inflating lower balloons, handrails on the cabin's roof. On customer's request, the boat can be equipped with an anchor with anchor rope, the moorings, lifting beam with harnesses, life jackets, radio, stereo, heater for engine preheating and heating of the cabin when the engine is idle, electric windlass, trailer, air conditioner, satellite navigation system, etc.
Modification of the boat. At the request of the buyer the boat can be modified according to the buyer's specifications and the equipment can also be installed that will help to perform the necessary tasks with the utmost efficiency.


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Upcoming Events Update!
I've got a couple of exciting live events happening in the next few weeks! Check out all the info below: THURSDAY, 12/6, 7PM: Doctor's Orders: Real Doctors Debate Your Toughest Questions What happens when a biologist, physician, neuroscientist and sex researcher join together to answer questions you may have never felt comfortable asking your own doctor? Join us at The Assemblage (in NoMad) to find out in the new game-show like panel as we incite audience participation, ask hard, silly or downright strange questions and hear top experts in their respective fields discuss topics that feel taboo even in the privacyRead more


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LONDON, United Kingdom — The majority of luxury brands have spent the past fifteen years investing in retail networks in both established and emerging luxury markets. Flagship stores, one more extravagant than the last, were built in Tokyo, New York, Paris, and Beijing. The design directive for these spaces was singular and focused, showcasing exclusive products in an environment which communicated a carefully crafted image to the consumer.
Earlier this year, Net-a-Porter announced a trebling in profits. The success of the online retailer contrasted sharply with poor performances in brick and mortar retail elsewhere. This was just one signal that helped to (finally) drive home the importance of the Internet as a distribution channel for luxury fashion. Business models are quickly being updated to reflect this change, but while fashion plays catch up with consumers' online buying habits, transformations in consumer expectations of the traditional retail channel have also been swift and pronounced.
Having already invested in hundreds of thousands of square footage of retail space in recent years, it is more important than ever for luxury brands to protect their return on investment. Retail spaces must provide shoppers a compelling reason to leave the house, enter a store, and spend money. So, what is it exactly that will lure customers back to bricks and mortar?
Last month, American retailer Anthropologie opened a store on Regent Street in London — their first in the European market. In its opening week, consumers were invited in with a window display of colourful tea bags strung together like garlands of flowers, quirky chandeliers made from recycled plastics, life-size model sheep draped in heavy yarn and a 20-metre high vertical garden.
Having built its reputation on this unique shopping experience, luxury brands can learn a great deal from Anthropologie. By studying customer behaviour and movement patterns, retailers like Anthropologie know that when shoppers enter a new or unfamiliar store, they make a quick, decisive assessment of the merchandise and the surroundings. If something doesn't catch their eye or give them a reason to stay within the first thirty sconds, more often than not, would-be buyers leave empty-handed.
According to Ron Pompei, Founder and Creative Director of Pompei A.D. which advises companies like Anthropologie on experiential design concepts, what consumers are looking for today is inextricably linked to the paradigm shift from brand image to brand culture.
The days in which a brand's meaning consisted of a carefully crafted image communicated to the consumer are over. Today, consumers are the most active voices in creating brand meaning. They do this by sharing experiences and perceptions via the plethora of wide-reaching communication tools available to them. What is important today is not so much a constructed brand image, but the brand culture that results from this consumer-led exchange.
According to Pompei, "brand culture will effect the design of the retail spaces because brand environments will have to reflect these cultural transformations by moving beyond [commercial] transactions and expressing the evolving values of the brand community. The simplest way to describe this transition is that retail environments will become places for people and the emerging brand culture rather than only places for product."
Anthropologie is a perfect case-study for this kind of approach. With revenues above $140 million, the brand has enjoyed sustained growth due to its emphasis on store layout and lifestyle merchandising, resulting in an astounding average customer dwell time of eighty-eight minutes.
In an Anthropologie store, emphasis is placed on creating an individual, transformative journey. "Personal discovery and exploration are also important. We respond to this complex value by creating a retail landscape with 'paths of exploration' rather than isles with straight lines and right angles… [the] retail environment is to be explored at the individual direction and pace of each visitor," says Pompei. "In this way when customers select an item it is their own discovery. They have just co-authored the brand and created their own 'Ah' moment." This is what will distinguish a bricks-and-mortar experience from an online purchase and ultimately make the cash register ring.
For luxury brands, this shift in function of the retail environment will require a new approach to design and visual merchandising. Walking into luxury stores today, consumer interaction with the environment is rigidly regulated and sometimes even intimidating. Straight lines often dictate shoppers' movements and products are stored behind glass counters or on high shelves. Visual merchandising has been focused on the product, not on the experience of the person in the store. All of these experiential dimensions will have to be rethought.
Luxury retail spaces around the world are uniquely positioned to embrace this new mandate. Having already invested in premium property, existing retail spaces can be designed to evoke emotional responses. Coming out from behind glass counters and inviting consumers to explore and create their own journey should not be a far stretch for those that are ready and willing to leave the one-way communication of brand image behind, enabling shoppers to participate in a creating a new brand culture.
Meeta Roy is a London-based luxury brand consultant.


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These amazing little guys were born at 35 weeks, which is considered full-term for twins!
Congratulations to Scott and Janine for bringing such darling little babes into this World. They are so in love with Guillermo and Gregory that they are already talking about giving them a sister — or at least Scott is! 🙂
The Best Gift Basket Ever
At 20-days old, Gil and Greg look ever-so-cute in a little basket.
We did the shoot at Tessie's house (Tessie is Janine's sister) and her livingroom wall happened to be yellow… as was the basket lining.
Together with the tan and brown bears, you'd think we had planned out all the details of this set.
Here are the fun-loving parents, Scott and Janine, who are enjoying their two gift baskets. 😉
Here's Looking At Me!
I must've taken 20 shots to get this one of them with their eyes open and looking directly at me. SCORE!!!
The parents are looking at the babies and the babies are looking at the camera. I couldn't have dreamt up a better composition.
A "High Key" Family Portrait
High Key refers to a high contrast, bright (from behind the subjects) portrait.
This is simple to create in a studio, but we were in a house with very little natural light because it was raining and overcast outside.
To get this shot, I put the family in front of a patio door (the brightest area of the house) and I did the rest in post-processing. I looooooove the result!
The straight-out-of-the-camera image looks more like a silhouette of the family with blinds as their backdrop. Most people would discard this image from their gallery, but not I!
Even when I took the shot, I had a high key portrait in mind. And unless I lugged a lot of heavy lighting equipment to Tessie's house, the only way to achieve this shot was in post-processing. Ahhhh, the power of Photoshop! 😉
I'll post a "Before and After" blog in the near future to show everyone some pretty cool transformations!
Guillermo & Gregory in the Buff
I love that the twins are completely awake, so you can see their gorgeous eye color.
Little did we know, they were looking all-innocent and sweet, but in actuality, they were peeing on my velvet cloth!
The Proud Parents
How peaceful it is to watch your babies sleep…
When I was going through my photos from today's shoot and saw this one, I cheered aloud… all alone in the room… like a crazy photographer!
The babies are SMILING!!!!
At this age, they smile as a reflex, not socially, so to have both babies smiling simultaneously for a photo is like hitting the jackpot!
Doesn't Janine looks fantastic? Who'd know she was carrying twins just 20 days ago?!!
WOW Annie, I love the photos of the twins. I'm so happy you were able to take meet Janine and Scott too.
Annie.. what a fantastic job you did with us!! I am teary eyed just looking at your work.. looking forward to seeing the rest of the shoot.. it was such a pleasure working with you!!
Annie, AMAZING photos of the AXE family! You are a fantastic photographer. Can't wait to have a Poster Size photo of my gorgeous nephews!
It warms my heart and soul looking at these gorgeous handsome boys who came from wonderful parents. My favorites are the boys in the basket and in the buff. Fantastic photos Annie!
My eyes teared up looking at my new nephews. They are gorgeous and I hope their eyes stay blue. You can see the love that Janine and Scott have for each other and now for their new sons. God blesses everyone is such miraculous ways. The pictures were amazing and you did a wonderful job.
The boys are so adorable I really love the pictures of them in the baskets!! Oh also tell uncle Scott… I forgot how great his tattoos are!!
Beautiful lil nuggets =) The pictures turned out great! I love receiving all the pic texts from you guys. Your family is gorgeous!!! <3 Luv u guys
wow…i'm happy for the proud Mom and Dad…the kambal are soooo cute…hope to see them in person soon…they are so adorable….
These pictures are beautiful! Fitting for a beautiful family.
Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! These are just so CUTE! Excellent job Annie. My twinkies are not only Handsome and cute but they are such good babies too. Thanks for a great job!
What a beautiful album. I have never seen anything so unique. Annie, you captured the feeling and the beautiful nature of the family!
A picture is worth a thousand words. Annie, you've captured the essence of the newly expanded family. There's a quiet dignity throughout. Good job! Janine & Scott, you're truly blessed to have not one, but two beautiful babies.
awww these are all too cute!=) i love them!
Fabulous work, Annie! You're giving Anne Geddes a run for the money – and you're winning. Just can't stop looking at these pictures. Brilliant photography!


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The old adage says that the eyes are the window to the soul but a pair of new studies suggest that the eyes may also provide with a window to predicting cognitive decline. More specifically, these studies reveal that small blood vessels at the back of the eye could assist in the diagnosis of brain degeneration. Most importantly, anyone (with training) would be able to spot these changes, even before they have done any damage.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology reported that these two studies suggest a special type of imaging—called optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA)—that could aid medical professionals in more consistently identifying abnormalities in these small rear ocular veins. And this consistent identification could help identify early signs of Alzheimer's Disease.
Of course, a neurologist could use brain scans to spot the damage by the development of Alzheimer's but lead researcher Ygal Rotenstreich MD advises that by the time a machine identifies the damage, it is already too late to treat the disease. The Sheba Medical Center of Israel Goldschleger Eye Institute ophthalmologist goes on to comment that the goal of the research was to identify an accurate and—more importantly—inexpensive test to spot Alzheimer's disease before irreparable damage can occur.
In a separate but somewhat related study, it turns out that we can program artificial intelligence to spot Alzheimer's disease up to six years before doctors can typically diagnose it. Essentially, they say that doctors have been able to use self-learning with computers to monitor brain scans looking for subtle changes that the human eye simply cannot detect.
While the sample size was very small (only 40 patients), the researchers agree that the results are quite promising. More importantly, if we consider the success of the other studies, as previously mentioned, we have many new ways to not only diagnose Alzheimer's disease but perhaps be able to actually prevent it from developing in the first place. Since we still have no cure for Alzheimer's disease, better early detection methods are currently our best strategy for combating a common neurodegenerative condition that afflicts 44 million people around the world every year.


text: The Page Pioneer range has graced the entrances of period style homes all over Melbourne. Our signature door the Pioneer 4 (in particular) has proven to be extremely popular with clients who own period style homes of various vintages. Commonly used on Victorian, Edwardian, Californian Bungalows and other homes of a period nature. Normally sold with the stainless steel security mesh the Pioneer range offers beauty, elegance and security in a complete package.


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Jay StrongwaterBird Cage Egg Objet
Earn a $50-$500 gift card with regular-price purchase & code OCTGC. Includes beauty & fragrances! Details
- Item Information
- About The Designer
- Shipping & Returns
- Ratings & Reviews
- Online Inquiries: NMS20_HBYC3
- Store Inquiries:#401102507846
- Handcrafted floral woven egg objet encasing a blue hummingbird figurine from our "Easter" collection.
- 14-karat gold light brown antiqued.
- Hand-painted details.
- Overall: 4.75"Dia. x 9.75"T.
- Made in the USA.
Jay Strongwater's love of the elegant but vividly bejeweled objetwhether it's meant to rest on a tabletop or the graceful curve of a woman's neckhas led him on a journey through the worlds of fashion and home furnishings. He began his career while a student at the Rhode Island School of Design. After garnering raves for a necklace he'd made his mother, he took jewelry samples to open buyer days at some of New York's finest department stores, and soon a burgeoning business was born. At the age of 23, Strongwater met designer Oscar de la Renta, with whom he began to collaborate on jewelry designs for runway shows. The move to home accessories was delightfully serendipitous & organic. For the 1994 holiday season, Strongwater sent gifts of jewel-encrusted filigree picture frames to friends, fashion editors, and buyers, who immediately fell in love with the design. By 1998, his Jewels for the Home collection had supplanted his fashion business. In essence, Strongwater created his own niche: the jeweler turning his meticulous eye and art toward a world beyond a woman's wrists, neck, and ears.
We want you to be completely happy with every purchase. If you are not satisfied you have 30 days to return most Neiman Marcus purchases. Altered apparel, special orders, cloth face mask coverings, perishable or personalized/monogrammed items, and items identified as "final sale" cannot be returned.
Our stores are now open for either in-store or by-appointment shopping! If you need to return an item purchased between 2/15/20 and 7/15/20, please make arrangements to bring it to your store or send it back to us by 8/15/20 so we can process the return. Beginning 7/15/20, all returns will be accepted within 30 days of receiving your order.
For complete details, see our Shipping and Returns policies.


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Queen Elizabeth has tweeted for the first time to mark the opening of the London Science Museum's Information Age exhibition.
The tweet read: "It is a pleasure to open the Information Age exhibition today at the @ScienceMuseum and I hope people will enjoy visiting. Elizabeth R."
The Queen used the @BritishMonarchy Twitter account which has 728,000 followers and has already tweeted 19 thousand times,
The account is mostly used as a platform to provide updates on news from Buckingham Palace and the "work and activities of The Royal Family and the institution of Monarchy".
The Information Age exhibition features 800 objects that explore the technological breakthroughs from the last 200 years that have transformed the way people communicate.
It includes the first transatlantic telegraph cable and a computer belonging to Tim Berners-Lee that was the first to host a website.
Ian Blatchford, the director of the Science Museum, commented on how the Queen has embraced the advancement of technology throughout her reign.
"I mentioned earlier that Queen Victoria took a great interest in the invention of the telephone, and Your Majesty has followed in this tradition of embracing new technology," Blatchford said.
"You made the first live Christmas broadcast in 1957 and an event relished by historians took place on 26 March 1976, when you became the first monarch to send an email, during a visit to the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment. May I now invite you to join me so that you may send your first tweet."
The Queen sent the tweet in front of an audience of around 600 guests at the Science Museum, removing a glove to post it.
The Queen's tweet has sparked a lot of reaction on Twitter, with over 3,000 retweets in the first 45 minutes of being posted.


text: Beautiful Zoey Monroe looses her dress in a card game, and has to pay off the rest of her debt in sexual favors. Right from the start Zoey exposes herself as a serial squirter when she leaves puddles in every scene. Her tiny pussy gets vibrated and fucked in all the positions, and she just keeps on squirming and squirting all over the place.


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Brand New Luxury Villa Aili (opened on May 2019) is the mirror villa of Villa Ilia that is located a few meters away and has been successfully hosting guests since 2016. An idyllic and luxurious retreat for couples or small families.
Chic, modern and opulent throughout, the air conditioned villa features top of the range furnishings in every room. The large open plan lounge and kitchen is a great place to relax together, and features huge glass doors allowing sunlight to flood in and the incredible views to be admired.
The master bedroom also has strategically placed large glass doors to make the most of the views, and benefits from a vast 'state of the art' ensuite bathroom complete with bath, twin basins, and walk in shower.
On the second floor there is an open study room with a single bed that can easily and comfortably sleep an extra guest. There is also an en suite bathroom.
A full length window overlooks the private rear garden drawing plenty of natural light into the bathroom, and complimentary toiletries are provided, as well as robes and slippers for your comfort.
Both the lounge and master bedroom lead out to a stunning infinity swimming pool standing proudly on the decked terrace, and from here uninterrupted sea views can be best enjoyed. A barbecue, covered dining area, sumptuous sunloungers and a double day bed complete the terrace, making it perfect for outdoor living.


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Commercial Real Estate Questions Tenants often Ask Regarding Their Occupancy
Written by Bob Johnston | Vice President Sales & Leasing
QUESTION #1: What if the Landlord is not finished building out my space by the time I want to move in?
ANSWER: If the Landlord is actually responsible for the completed work, much depends on how the lease is written and the commencement date defined. For example, a commencement date can be tied to the substantial completion of the space, so the lease will not commence until the Landlord completes the work. Sometimes, the date is even contingent upon occupancy and the commencement of business in the space. On the other hand, there might be a specific commencement date defined. If the Landlord is late, the lease language will generally state that there is no culpability on the Landlord's part, but the commencement date becomes the date on which the space is completed and the initial term extended from that date. In short, these issues are negotiable and dependent on each tenant's situation.
QUESTION #2: Toward the end of each calendar year, the Landlord sends us a note informing us of the new Common Area Maintenance (CAM) & Real Estate Tax estimate for the following year. However, we never get a breakdown of the actual expenses. Is that available?
ANSWER: Most landlords will provide that information if requested. It always helps to have language in the lease that allows for a tenant's review of the costs; and with larger tenants, audit rights are always helpful.
QUESTION #3: What do I need to do to get the tenant improvement allowance provided by the Landlord?
ANSWER: Typically, for smaller tenants with smaller budgets, all that is required is a formal letter requesting Landlord reimbursement of the allowance and proof of completion accompanied by all subcontractor lien waivers. For larger jobs, sometimes a title company gets involved and administers "construction draws" and monitors the construction progress.
QUESTION #4: Do I need to hire a disinterested third party architect to confirm the size of my space?
ANSWER: Typically not. This can be warranted in certain circumstances. Individual spaces/bays are already pre-measured by the building's architect and floor plans are drawn based on those measurements. Therefore, the space computation is generally accurate. RU factors can vary by building, and are often much higher in smaller buildings. It helps to check the accuracy of the actual useable space and clarify the respective RU factor to calculate the rentable area (the number that determines the annual rent).
Get answers to all your commercial real estate questions.
Call (952) 854-8290