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South African wheelchair tennis quad ace Lucas Sithole is out of the French Open, following a straight-sets defeat by American world number two David Wagner in Friday's semi-final round.
The third seed fought, but struggled throughout against the powerful-hitting American top seed, 6-0 6-4 in Paris.
Wagner took charge in the opening set and made it a quick and clean work to win the set. In the second set the world No 4, Sithole, seemed to have gained his momentum, which saw the match swing one way, then the other and finally back again.
The 30-year-old fought back to level the score in the sixth game at 3-3 and looked like he would run with it, but the 2014 French Open champion retaliated and won the next three games, to clinch the match in 68 minutes.
'I struggled a bit with my focus and energy in the beginning of the match,' commented Sithole. 'I had to get my focus back in the second set, I started playing well, but I made too many errors and handed Wagner an opportunity to win games,' added Sithole.
'I am very disappointed with my performance as this was far from the best I can give, but I will return home to work on the basics,' added Sithole.
Sithole's coach, Holger Losch, said: 'Lucas battled to get his energy and fighting spirit going and made a lot of unforced errors in the first set and a half. The last few games were much better and it looked like he nearly managed to turn the match over, but he had left it a bit too late'.
This is the third time the Kwazulu-Natal player has lost in the semi-final round of the French Open and the second time falling to the American world number two.
Sithole and doubles partner Sam Schroder from the Netherlands lost their doubles semi-final match on Thursday to the American duo of Wagner and Bryan Barten 6-1 6-1.
Picture of Sithole courtesy of Reg Caldecott
Sithole slips up in French Open semi-final
South African wheelchair tennis quad ace Lucas Sithole is out of the French Open, following a straight-sets defeat by American world number two David Wagner in Friday's semi-final round.


text: TC writes: Washington Monthly ranks Texas State University at number 14 on its list of 2014 Best Bang for the Buck rankings for Master's Universities. The publication indicates the rankings are "based on the economic value students receive per dollar". It is the only Texas institution listed in the top 100.

subset: commoncrawl


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Post #45: The Great Lake Swimmers came out of Wainfleet, Ontario, which is just North of Lake Erie.
This last year they won Favorite Folk/Roots Artist at the Canadian Indie Awards.
This is my favorite tune from their self titled debut that came out in 2003.
Great Lake Swimmers, "Moving Pictures, Silent Films"
34,279 views on Youtube


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Peugeot e-2008 Contract Hire Offers
Here you will find a selection of our current business contract hire offers available on Peugeot vehicles. All are available on personal contract hire (rates may vary). All vehicles are available on other finance schemes. Please contact us for alternative terms/mileages or any other vehicles you may be considering.
No offers found; please check back, select another manufacturer or contact us to discuss your requirements
We hope you'll find your ideal package on this site. However, if you can't find what you're looking for
please contact us with your requirements - we are able to quote on almost any make or model.


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Global Matters with Solange Warner Television Show (GMSW), creates awareness of international matters
The television show that creates awareness of international matters having a positive influence on the economy, such as business, cultural and humanitarian exchange worldwide. Global Matters is produced and hosted by Solange Warner, World Chamber of Commerce Founder and Board member.
Global Matter with Solange Warner television shows:
GMSW Interviewing Mayor Kasim Reed and presenting him with the Global Matters Inspirational Hero Award. Additional guests Dean of the Consular Corps of Georgia/Consuls General of Germany, Lutz Gorgens and and Vice Dean of Consular Corps of Georgia/Consul General of Mexico, Salvador DeLara. (photo top of the page of the show)
|Daily 6:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 6:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
on Comcast Channel 25


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For whatever inexplicable reason, I started watching Gossip Girl a few weeks ago. Tonight's episode featured Tyra Banks as an actress playing Josephine Baker in a movie. At some point during the episode, it was brought up that Baker was part of the underground Nazi resistance movement during WWII in France, which I did not know about (you can learn something from Gossip Girl, who knew?). Ergo, I give you this week's Adventures In Feministory: Josephine Baker.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Baker rose to fame in the US and France with her music. She was apparently more popular in France, attributed by some to the racism in America. It is said that by the late '20s she was the wealthiest performer in Europe. In the '30s she starred in two French films, Zou-Zou and Princess Tam-Tam. She returned to the US to star in the Ziefield Follies and was called a "Negro wench" by the New York Times, so understandably, she went back to France.
By then, the Nazis were trapsing their hate across France and Baker joined the Women's Auxillary Air Force. Additionally, she worked for the Resistance movement by spreading news via secret messages hidden in her sheet music and driving ambulances. She was awarded the Medal of Resistance and named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor for her work in the movement.
I love a woman in uniform.
In the 1950s she toured the US and refused to play to segregated crowds or in segregated clubs. She was deemed the NAACP's Most Outstanding Woman of The Year in 1951. That same year, she was refused service at the Stork Club in New York City, putting her up against anti-Civil Rights journalist Walter Winchell who was at the club that night and called her a communist. She threw an NAACP benefit concert at Carnegie Hall and spoke at the March On Washington in 1963 with Martin Luther King Jr. May 20 is now Josephine Baker Day, honoring her work for the Civil Rights Movement.
After outsmarting the racists of the world, and fighting the good fight literally on the front lines, Baker began adopting children into her family which would become known as "The Rainbow Tribe". With twelve children of different ethnicities, Baker scoffed once more at the Nazis and segregationists of the world with a family who proved skin color really did not matter.
Baker passed away in 1975 from a stroke. She was the first American woman buried in France with a 21 gun salute. She was clearly a remarkable woman, and though her music was perhaps not the grandest of her gifts (I'll take anti-racist activism over that any day), here is a video of her performing "Cha Cha Cha".
1 Comment Has Been Posted
Rainbow legacy
Turbopixie replied on
Ah, Josephine! Interestingly, the Spiegel newspaper in Germany recently did a piece on what became of the children that Josephine Baker adopted. Unfortunately they don't appear to have had the happiest childhood, at least from the account that was given. Anyone who wants to read the article (it's in English) can find it here:


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I've recently added WordPress SEO to a few of my sites for testing. I noticed the other day a change in what was happening to my permalinks to posts and pages.
Normally, I give a post a title and save the draft. Then I write the post and often tweak the title. Wordpress will change the permalink structure as long as the post is a draft. Once the post is saved the permalink has to be edited by hand if you want to make a change.
However, when you have WordPress SEO active on your site. The permalink is "SET" from the first draft save. Change the title and publish and the permalink will not update. You can change it manually, but if you are used to tweaking your titles and expect them to be saved automatically, you better start checking if you are using WordPress SEO plugin.
Check it out. Can you verify this is happening if you are using WordPress SEO by Yoast?


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Engineer 2 -- Process
Date: Oct 17, 2020
Location: Erwin, TN, US
Company: BWX Technologies
Headquartered in Lynchburg, VA., BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) is a leading supplier of nuclear components and fuel to the U.S. government; provides technical, management and site services to support governments in the operation of complex facilities and environmental remediation activities; and supplies precision manufactured components and services for the commercial nuclear power industry. BWXT has more than 5,200 employees and significant operations in Lynchburg, VA.; Erwin, TN.; Mount Vernon, IN.; Euclid, OH; Barberton, OH; and Cambridge, Ontario, as well as more than a dozen U.S. Department of Energy sites around the country. Follow us on Twitter @BWXTech and learn more at www.bwxt.com.
Engineer 2 -- Process - Nuclear Fuel Services - Erwin, TN
Summary Description of Job:
Evaluates situations, selects and applies standard engineering techniques, procedures and criteria, using judgment in making minor modifications. Assignments have a clear objective and require planning and investigation of limited number of possibilities. Work is reviewed for application of sound judgement and compliance with contract technical requirements and meeting of Division policies and procedures. Receives instructions on specific assignment objectives, complex features and possible solutions. Assistance is furnished on unusual problems and work is reviewed for application of sound professional judgment.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Performs work which involves conventional types of plans investigations, structures or equipment with relatively few complex features for which there are precedents.
2. Performs equipment design and development test of materials, preparation of specifications, process study, research investigations, report preparation, and other activities of limited scope requiring knowledge of principles and techniques commonly employed in the specific narrow area of assignments.
3. Prepare written reports, drawings/sketches, technical documents (Approval Requests, Requests for Engineering Change, etc.), compliance reviews, monitor contract performance to quality and schedules, develop computer systems, technical requirements and review hardware for product release of manufacturing.
4. Designs and conducts tests or experiments, adjust and correlate data, organize and plan own work.
5. Applies understanding of manufacturing technology, technical process specifications, Engineering policies and procedures, QC procedures, department goals and other department and customer needs and roles.
6. Develops ability to interpret technical specifications, conduct meetings, deal with customer, vendor, and other department representative, prepare time and cost estimates.
Educational Requirements of Job:
B.S. Degree -- Engineering.
Experience Requirements of Job (Beyond educational or equivalent):
Two (2) years' engineering experience since B.S. (1 year with MS).
Preferred Requirements:
A minimum of two (2) years design or project engineering experience in a highly regulated industry such as the nuclear, chemical or pharmaceutical industries preferred. Proficient with PowerPoint, Primavera & SAP.
Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information or matter. Position requires U.S. Citizenship (with no dual citizenship) and ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance which involves an extensive criminal and financial background investigation and previous employment reference verifications.
BWXT supports diversity and is committed to the concept of Equal Employment Opportunity. We have established procedures to ensure that all personnel actions such as recruitment, compensation, career development, benefits, company-sponsored training and social recreational programs are administered without regard to race, color religion, gender, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or veteran status.
Nearest Major Market: Asheville
Nearest Secondary Market: Knoxville
Job Segment: Process Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Engineer, ERP, Nuclear Engineering, Engineering, Technology


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MAXXDRIVE® Industrial gear units
Ideal for heavy duty applications
Extremely high output torques, quiet running and a long service life: These are the excellent features of industrial gear units from NORD DRIVESYSTEMS.
MAXXDRIVE® Helical Bevel Industrial Gear Unit
MAXXDRIVE® Helical Parallel Industrial Gear Unit
Industrial gear units for high torque applications
NORD MAXXDRIVE industrial gear units provide high output torques from 132,000 lb-in to 2,200,000 lb-in and are perfect for use in heavy duty applications such as bucket elevators, agitators, conveyor belt drives, mixers, mills, drums or crushers.
Industrial gear units are available as parallel helical gear units or bevel gear units. They are constructed according to the UNICASE design principle which was developed by NORD. NORD is the industrial gear unit manufacturer with the world's largest UNICASE gear product.
Facts about our industrial gear units
- Powerful
NORD industrial gear units offer very high output torques up to 2,200,000 lb-in.
- Long service life
Optimized geometries ensure excellent load capacity, long service life and quiet operation.
- Rugged
Our industrial gear units are equipped with high quality, low friction bearings and an especially torsionally rigid one-piece UNICASE housing.
- Flexible
Extensive input options and mounting designs ensure optimal application versatility.
MAXXDRIVE helical gear units
NORD helical gear units provide powers from 50HP to 2000HP and are available in eleven sizes. We supply MAXXDRIVE helical gear units with various output shaft bearings to ensure optimum load capacities. In addition, we supply these gear units with a wide range of flange designs for both the input and the output.
MAXXDRIVE helical gear units can be combined with all of our electric motors.
Select your motor now!
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MAXXDRIVE helical bevel gear units
These gear units can be used in extreme environments and easily withstand highly fluctuating ambient conditions due to their temperature management system. Various cooling and heating options are available for our MAXXDRIVE helical bevel gear units to facilitate use in many applications.
For maximum flexibility, the gear units are fitted with easily accessible backstops, which enable the quick and simple change of the direction of rotation.
Discover NORD helical bevel gear industrial gear units in the world's largest plant for batch production of toothpaste.
Read more


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To listen to a song clip, click on a song title below. This will take you to a list of links to CD and/or MP3 product pages from one or more online merchants that have sound samples. To find other songs by a band or artist listed on this page, click on a name.
- Stay Maurice Williams And The Zodiacs 1960
(This oldies classic topped the charts and later also became a hit for the 4 Seasons (1964) and Jackson Browne (1978).)
- Stay The 4 Seasons 1964
(Same song as the above)
- Stay Away Elvis Presley 1968
(This song is a breezy remake of "Greensleeves" with different words.)
- Stay Awhile The Bells 1971
- Stay Awhile Dusty Springfield 1964
(This song later also became a hit for the Continental Miniatures (1978).)
- Stay In My Corner The Dells 1968
- Stay With Me The Faces (Rod Stewart) 1972
- Stayin' In Bobby Vee 1961
- Steal Away Jimmy Hughes 1964
(This song later also became a hit for Johnnie Taylor (1970).)
- Steamroller Blues Elvis Presley 1973
- A Steel Guitar And A Glass Of Wine Paul Anka 1962
- Step Out Of Your Mind The American Breed 1967
- (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone The Monkees 1966
- Stewball Peter, Paul And Mary 1963
- Stick Shift Duals 1961
- Stick-Up The Honey Cone 1971
- Sticks And Stones Ray Charles 1960
- Still Bill Anderson 1963
(This song also became a hit for Ben Colder (1963) and the Sunrays (1966).)
- Stir It Up Johnny Nash 1973
- Stir It Up And Serve It Tommy Roe 1970
- Stoned Love The Supremes 1970
- Stoned Out Of My Mind The Chi-Lites 1973
- Stoned Soul Picnic The 5th Dimension 1968
- Stones Neil Diamond 1971
- Stoney End Barbra Streisand 1970


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If you zoom in far enough it ends in pixels
Fractal Explorer
A downloadable game for Windows, macOS, and Linux
A Java, GPU accelerated fractal explorer.
Supports Mandlebrot, Burning Ship, Tricorn, and Nova fractals.
Invert the fractal, turn on orbit traps, or enable the buddha to create mind blowing fractals.
Export images up to 16K PNGs, perfect for printing.
- You can zoom into and investigate any fractal that is visible on your screen either with your mouse or with keyboard shortcuts
- To save a fractal for later, click either of the favourite buttons to add it to your favourites.
- To load it left click on it, to delete it right click. Any changes you make will be saved for when you next use the program.
- You can export your current fractals as an image, click the Export button. You will be prompted to pick a size and a file to save too. Current settings will be used, if you have enough RAM allocated to Java, nearly any size should work.
- To show/hide the settings dialog, simply click the Settings button. Alternatively, click the X in the top right of the settings dialog.
|Windows, macOS, Linux
|Release date
|May 11, 2017
|matt consto
|Abstract, artgame, fractal, Generator
|Average session
|A few minutes
|Keyboard, Mouse, Touchscreen
|Subtitles, High-contrast
|Homepage, Support, Twitter, Blog
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Fractal Explorer.jar 595 kB
Development log
- Fractal Explorer is now live on itch.io!May 11, 2017
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
Unfortunately it's a hard problem with no easy, performant solutions.


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Marañon World of Hammocks is a hammock company based in Dundalk, Co.Louth, Ireland. If you are looking for a top quality hammock, chances are that Marañon World of Hammocks has the right Hammock tailored to your needs. We pay great attention to the quality of our South American Hammocks, Hanging chairs, Hammock stands and related products.
We currently ship products from Monday until Friday (excluding bank holidays). We use Fastway couriers for our parcels. Next day delivery within the ROI and Northern Ireland, 2 to 3 days delivery time for any orders to the UK. All our shipping rates are based on actual prices we pay.
All Credit card transactions are handled on Secure Payment Servers by our payment partner "Paypal"
Beautiful hammock stand made of anodized aluminium. The Alu Arc hammock stand is skillfully made and is beautifully detailed. The advantage of this aluminium hammock support over a wooden hammock support makes it much easier to disassemble and assemble. There is no chance of deformation caused by heat or moisture. The bolts are stainless steel. The hammock stand is extremely sturdy and yet very graceful. Ideally suited for professional use (hotels, etc.) or for large gardens, terraces, pool or beach. The carrying capacity is 250 kg and the hammock support is suitable for all L (double) and for almost all of our XL hammocks, excluding our Soft Touch collection.
Extra large item. Delivery can take up to 5 working days.
Product 1/4


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Part of South Dakota State University's five-year master plan, the Lohr Architecture, Math and Engineering Building was planned to serve as a gateway to campus and expand the institution's capacity for "quality research, scholarship and creative activities" in the STEM fields.
RATIO led the design effort for this 64,000 sq. ft. cutting-edge facility that fosters collaboration among the disciplines noted as well as construction engineering.
The first floor is the collaborative heart of the building and features a high-bay fabrication area for large-scale interdisciplinary projects. This space is directly adjacent to an exterior work yard with a loading dock that facilitates the easy movement of oversized materials in and out of the fabrication shop.
Supporting the high-bay space are more specialized labs such as an Engineering Capstone Lab, a design studio, an engines lab, wood shop, metals shops and tool crib.


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The following questionnaire was sent to all New Westminster candidates for mayor and council a little over a week ago. A separate questionnaire was sent to trustees (their responses are also being published this week). Questions were selected based primarily on comments from readers of Tenth to the Fraser collected via Twitter and Facebook, with a few of my own questions added in. Responses are published in the order they were received. Spelling/grammar are not corrected and candidates' responses are published unedited.
1. First, let's hear a little about you:
- What's your name? – bill harper
- How long have you lived in New Westminster? – 32 years
- What do you love most about our city? – its inclusiveness of all peoples
- What do you think most needs improvement? – our industrial and commercial tax base
- What is the civic issue that is the most personally meaningful to you? – making a place for my grandchildren
2. What are the top three initiatives you believe would improve economic development?
- Small business incubation and support
- creating an environment where businesses feel welcome and can be successful.
- Changind our OCP to allow for development that is mixed use and neighbourhood compatable
3. How would you like to see city council improve engagement with younger citizens?
Better use of technology to allow for those who want to, to be able the see the discussion and debate in council as to why diecisions are made like they are. For citizens to have better access to information. To make city hall more citizent friendly and create a position at city hall where by citizens can have help getting through the different departments and getting the answers they need, like and Ombudsperson.
4. What should New Westminster do to improve access to recreational programming and indoor public spaces in neighbourhoods that lack amenities like rec centres and libraries such as the West End, Connaught Heights and Sapperton?
In the past New Westminster has tended to centralize services for citizens such as Canada Games pool. one Library, one seniors centre, etc., because it was economical to do and the size of the city would allow it to do so. There is now a citizenry that want services within walking distants of their homes. Given the access to capital to do it would be nice to have a recreation centre in each area of the city. Centenial Community Centre now serves Sapperton, Massey Hieghts, Glenbrook and Queens Park. It would seem that a similiar centre should be placed in the west end with Moody Park being the place for an uptown development for more services. The Civic Centre down town while not having all the services of a Recreation Centre does provide services of a specific type that are in their neighbourhood.
5. Which approach best describes your philosophy towards City budgeting and spending?
New West should take advantage of funding offered from other sources (federal, provincial, developers, etc.) in order to fund important community & infrastructure improvements – even if it means having to borrow to pay for our share of a project
non of these are either or questions. Some times you cannot get public input on purchase of property for public use such as the Pier Park purchase because the city is in a set of negotiations to purchase at the best price possible. These are incamera decision sometimes because the city wants it that way and sometimes because the seller wants it that way and some times from a third party representing the city because is prevents the price from rising because the seller will want a bigger dollar if it understands the city wants it and the public proccess now demands it.
6. Which of the following most closely reflects your views on taxation?
Taxes are about right. New Westminster's level of taxation is appropriate for its size and the level of services provided to citizens. Current revenues are adequate and we don't need to raise taxes.
7. Beyond voting, serving on City committees and appearing at council meetings, what do you think citizens can do to become more involved in civic life?
Become active in a community organization. Contribute to your city is a way that is rewarding, creative and helps others.
8. What should be done about truck traffic through our city?
This is a very difficult and complex question where stock answer may seem right but you quickly find out there are many factors outside the ability of the city to fix. Truck are traveling through our city because the are on their way to eastern canada or the us and are taking a direct route to get to the freeway. Others are going to destuffing terminals to have their goods reorganized and shipped out of the city or delivered to places in the GVRD. I am of the opinion that we need to convince the provincial government and the GVRD/TranLink that front street should no longer be a truck route and that as much truck traffic as possible to transfered to the South Fraser Road when it is open. This will allow us to revitalize Front Street as a secondary artial route, with new stores and businesses and easier access the to water front and the new Pier Park. Most importantly we need to continue to insist that trucks stay off of all remaining streets in the city that are not designated truck routes and continue to protect our neighbourhoods.
9. What should be done to improve our recreation facilities? Specifically, what would you like to see done with Canada Games Pool, which is in need of repair/upgrades?
We are currently putting 11 million dollars into dramatic improvements to Queensbourgh Rec Centre. We understand what improvements need to be made and have put those in our 5 year capital plan. We currently have a new all weather field being built at queens park. Last year we completley rehabilitated the track at the high school, we built an new all wheel park in Queensbourgh, a new park in Queensbourgh that has ball fields and fun areas for children and families, a new pool at moody park. With Canada Games Pool people must understand this is a very large capital program that will have to be faced in the not to distant future. It is estimated it will be a 52 million dollar project so federal and provincial help will probably be neccessary. We have just begun the initial planning at this stage and is very general in nature. Real dollar figures and options need to be put on the table before it goes to the public. My personal view at this time is we need a state of the art facility like other cities have, whether that is a renovated or new facility I will have to see the options before I can make up my mind.
10. Let's conclude with some 'blue sky' thinking. What is one big-idea project or improvement that you would propose for New Westminster if cost was no object?
The best possible thing we could do for citizens of the future is to have our infrastructure completly overhaulded. We are the oldest city in western Canada and as such our sewer, grey water, electrical, roads, etc., need a heck of alot of money to bring them up to a standard of excellence. That would allow us to then focus on the detail of improved livability in the city such as new types of parks in our urban core, bring our aging building such as city hall, QueensPark Arena and other up to a standard we all can be proud of.


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Woodspriestess: Exploring the intersection between Nature, the Goddess, art, and poetry.
Listening to the woods, to the stones, to Gaia, and to women...
In the woods behind my house rest a collection of nine large flat rocks. Daily, I walk down to these "priestess rocks" for some sacred time alone to pray, meditate, consider, and be. Often, while in this space, I open my mouth and poetry comes out. I've come to see this experience as "theapoetics"—experiencing the Goddess through direct "revelation," framed in language. As Stanley Hopper originally described in the 1970's, it is possible to "…replace theology, the rationalistic interpretation of belief, with theopoetics, finding God[dess] through poetry and fiction, which neither wither before modern science nor conflict with the complexity of what we know now to be the self." Theapoetics might also be described, "as a means of engaging language and perception in such a way that one enters into a radical relation with the divine, the other, and the creation in which all occurs."
Sustenance and Magic
"Eating the first corn, cutting the first ripe tomato, grilling fresh fish in the open air: if done consciously, these can become rituals of love and thanksgiving to the earth that sustains us."
–Patricia Monaghan, The Goddess Companion
What is sustaining you lately?
We went to the river over the weekend and I laid on my back and immersed myself in the healing waters of the aptly named Cold Spring. We went kayaking and looked for rocks and watched a heron swoop overhead and watched little fish gather around our toes. It was just what I've been missing and needing and I am thankful.
"It's about opening yourself to magic and surrendering yourself to the ancient, magical powers–the basic natural laws of the universe–and letting them work within and through you. Although it requires your full attention, life continues, and you quickly learn to live in multiple dimensions simultaneously."
–Nicki Scully
I recently received the new book Sekhmet, Transformation in the Belly of the Goddess, quoted above, to review for SageWoman magazine. I was utterly captivated by it. It was an immediately intense read. While I'm very interested in the goddess temple of Sekhmet in Nevada and I loved Anne Key's Desert Priestess memoir, I've never been specifically interested in Sekhmet or her history before, but I was instantly compelled by the book. The intensity of the personal, embodied experiences with the goddess is what is drew me in.
In the book Journal of a Solitude by May Sarton, she quotes Simone Weil as saying: "absolute attention is prayer." Sarton goes on to suggest:
"…if one looks long enough at almost anything, looks with absolute attention at a flower, a stone, the bark of a tree, grass, snow, a cloud, something like revelation takes place. Something is 'given,' and perhaps that something is always a reality outside the self. We are aware of [divinity] only when we cease to be aware of ourselves, not in the negative sense of denying the self, but in the sense of losing self in admiration and joy."
She goes on to describe looking at a daffodil and asking herself, "what do you want of your life" and then realizing, "with a start of recognition and terror, 'exactly what I have—but to be commensurate, to handle it all better.'"
What do you want of your life? To what are you paying absolute attention? What is the "current" of your life asking of you?
My heart overflows with abundance
and gratitude.
I know the magic
of golden kernel
plump berry
rich ground.
The symphony of wheat and corn
And what it feels like to dance sunlight into wine.
We'll be having a free Lammas ritual for the Creative Spirit Circle. It will come out as a recording in the Creative Spirit Circle Journal at the end of this week and be posted in the Facebook Circle and in the free companion classroom on Monday.
May your heart be rich with gratitude!
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Qorvo is a Sell After the Recent Upsurgerecent long call on Qorvo (QRVO) has yielded double-digit returns in just a few days. The chip maker has had a torrid time in 2015 as the stock has been beaten down for cutting guidance due to concerns in China. I believed the stock was too undervalued going into earnings as all the bad news had already been baked in the shares. Henceforth, I was bullish on Qorvo going into earnings and the stock has jumped more than 20% since my recommendation.
The chip maker recently launched a $1 billion buyback spanning over 12 months.
Although buybacks indicate that the company has confidence in its undervaluation, I think Qorvo is overspending on them. The semiconductor industry is in dire need of widespread consolidation, which is why I think the buyback money could have been put to better use. The recent merger of Broadcom and Avago, along with the acquisition of PMC Sierra by Skyworks show the entire industry is looking for consolidation.
I am not a big fan of buybacks as they do not result in new revenue streams. Mergers and acquisitions on the other hand can open up many opportunities and can result in tremendous cost-savings due to synergies.
I was extremely bullish when TriQuint and RF Micro merged into Qorvo. But I think the companies should have been extensively looking for more acquisition candidates instead of spending over $1.5 billion on share repurchases. There have been many M&A in the semiconductor industry over the last 18 months and Qorvo should have respected that trend by looking for more M&A opportunities.
Despite the fact that Qorvo's shares look undervalued, I think the stock price may stagnate or move downward in the near future due to unavailability of growth opportunities. While peers like Skyworks and Avago continue to expand their horizons, Qorvo will struggle as it doesn't have a highly diversified revenue stream.
I am disappointed in Qorvo's management decision to pay billions in buybacks instead of focusing on growth opportunities. The entire semiconductor industry is looking for consolidation prospects and I believe Qorvo should have done the same. The stock may appear undervalued but I think the company's growth will stagnate due to lack of growth opportunities. Thus, I think it'd be wise for investors to cash in on the recent upsurge and sell the stock.
Published on Nov 12, 2015By Akshansh Gandhi
Posted in ...Market Commentary Investing Stocks and ETFs Stocks


text:
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Now is one of the best times to buy Alibaba stock.
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE: BABA) stock has fallen 25% in 2015. Today, BABA hit its lowest value to date at $77.77. The company will announce quarterly and fiscal-year earnings on Thursday, May 7.
But this year's Alibaba stock price slump is not a bad sign for the long-term value of BABA.
"For investors, an error of omission with Alibaba stock would be worrying about the short-term and missing the stock's long-term potential," Money Morning's Executive Editor Bill Patalon said.
Money Morning experts are extremely bullish on BABA stock now. In fact, Money Morning's Defense and Tech Specialist Michael Robinson recently said Alibaba "could be the single-greatest wealth opportunity of our lifetime."
Here are the five biggest reasons to buy Alibaba stock today…
Reasons to Buy Alibaba Stock No. 1: Chinese E-Commerce Growth
Alibaba is China's largest e-commerce company. In 2014, Alibaba's network of sites handled roughly 80% of all online transactions in the country.
In 2013, online shopping in China was a $298 billion industry. That surpassed the United States as the largest e-commerce market in the world.
And the market is growing at an incredible rate.
New research from AT Kearny estimates Chinese e-commerce will total $718 billion by 2017.
"Alibaba is gaining traction in its home market in China just as that country's people are truly joining the Internet revolution," Robinson said. "And the development of easy-to-use mobile commerce is giving Alibaba a strong tailwind."
A recent study by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) determined the number of Internet users in the country will hit 800 million by 2016 or sooner.
Reasons to Buy Alibaba Stock No. 2: Mobile Growth
Alibaba has invested heavily in its mobile development.
In February, it spent $590 million on a minority stake in the Chinese smartphone maker Meizu. Before that, Alibaba spent $1.9 billion on the mobile web developer UCWeb. It also dropped $215 million for a minority stake in the messaging app Tango.
Those purchases have been paying off.
Last quarter, Alibaba reported 265 million mobile monthly active users. That was a yearly increase of 95%. Gross merchandise volume (GMV) from mobile platforms increased 213%.
Those numbers should continue to grow this quarter and for the next several years. Because more and more consumers are switching to mobile.
According to the research firm Gartner, mobile payment transactions will grow by 35% annually through 2017. The global market for mobile payments will reach $721 billion by the end of 2017.
This next reason to buy Alibaba stock will be reflected in this week's BABA earnings report…
Reasons to Buy Alibaba Stock No. 3: A Solid Financial Base
In this week's quarterly earnings report, analysts predict revenue will grow 44% year over year. That's incredible growth for a company bringing in $2.8 billion per quarter.
Earnings per share are expected to be $0.43 for the quarter and $2.19 for the year.
The company had an operating margin of 37% in last quarter's report. The company has more than $6 billion in operating cash flow, which gives it great flexibility for acquisitions.
Alibaba's user base has been growing too. Last quarter it hit 334 million people. That compares to the entire U.S. population, which is just 319 million.
That growing user base has lifted the company's gross merchandise volume (GMV). Last quarter, the company reported GMV growth of 49%.
Reasons to Buy Alibaba Stock No. 4: Chairman Jack Ma
Alibaba's Chairman and Founder Jack Ma has plans to create a global juggernaut.
"We want to be bigger than Wal-Mart," Ma told CNBC the day of the IPO. "We hope in 15 years people say this is a company like Microsoft, IBM, Wal-Mart; they changed, shaped the world."
Ma quit his job as an English teacher to create Alibaba in 1999. Now the company is worth more than $200 billion.
"This company has market power, a visionary leader, and it's making smart decisions," Money Morning's Patalon explained. "They're trying to build something special: a paradigm-shifting, rule-breaking company. They're trying to create new ways of doing things."
Reasons to Buy Alibaba Stock No. 5: Our Triple-Digit Profit Forecast
Because of Alibaba's visionary leader and growth trajectory, Patalon thinks that Alibaba could become a $1 trillion company by 2020.
That means investors who buy in now could see gains of 400% in the next five years.
"What you have to look at is the long-term potential, which is still huge," Patalon said. "They still haven't even maxed out their own market. They're bringing in entertainment companies and new business-to-business ventures. They're going to keep expanding their offerings."
The stock could remain volatile in the short term, but Patalon urges investors to look farther down the road with BABA stock.
"This isn't just a stock to buy for 2015," he explained. "This is a great investment for years to come. If you invest money that you can afford to lose and hold on to the stock for several years, you'll end up being very surprised by how much you've made."
The Apple Profits Keep Coming: Apple stock has been on a tear in the last year, gaining more than 48%. But now is not the time to take profits on AAPL. In fact, our Chief Investing Strategist says the gains have just begun for Apple stock. Here's his bullish price prediction for the tech giant…
$BABA #Alibaba shares dip to their lowest value to date at $77.77. We're still bullish @moneymorning This is the best buy-in point yet.
— Kyle Anderson (@KyleAndersonMM) May 5, 2015


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Published: August 1st 2013
Pages: 384
Book: For Review*
Format: Paperback, Finished Copy
Genre: Young Adult (YA), Historical Fiction.
Brussels, 1940. Fifteen-year-old Nicole watches as the Nazis invade Belgium. Determined not to stand by as her country is brought to its knees, Nicole vows to fight back and joins the Belgian Resistance. Under her new alias - Coco - Nicole embarks on a dangerous new life as a spy, where the only question is not if you'll be caught, but when...
I loved Nicole as a character and as a person. She was so brave and strong-willed and i loved the relationship she had with her family, her father especially. I also loved who she didn't care what other people thought of her but she did what she thought was right.
All the other characters were equally well portrayed and developed and i especially loved Anton 'The Poet': The main male character and 'romantic interest'. Their relationship softened the edge of all the suffering and 'dark' sides of the book and gave a lighter break for the reader to enjoy. However, their relationship wasn't the main thread of the book and for that i am really grateful. I wanted a book that was gritty and real, about the problems children on the brink of adult hood had to face during the war and that's exactly what i got. Their relationship was a very important part of the story-line, but it didn't take my attention away from the main plot which is what i hate to happen in books.
As you can imagine, the subject of this book wasn't all light and fluffy and I had initial thoughts that i wouldn't be able to picture everything that was happening to her as well as if i had been there and experience it myself (no thanks!). However the book was so well written that her experiences jumped off the page at me and i loved how well researched everything was too. I even read the afterword (*cough* which i don't normally do!..) because the story intrigued me so much. It was worth it. :)
And the ending. Well. It broke my heart.


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Batman Brawl
By Y8 on January 8, 2018 17:17
You must help partners Batman and Green Arrow as they box against the greatest fighters in the Multiverse!!! Their trainer Wildcat and the Green Lantern G'nort are in your corner with tips and tricks. Put your hands up and come out fighting!!! Use a combination of attacks and defense and win by knocking your opponent down three times.


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Administrative Rules
|Student Stipends for Participation in Student Government Association and Shared Governance
|Based on Board Policy:
|C-5, Open Communication and Shared Governance
|Recommended by Council/President:
|Academic and Campus Affairs Council
|Date Approved/Amended:
|08/21/2000; amended 12/01/06
Value Statement
The Austin Community College District values the participation of students in the shared governance process, and will pay a stipend to the officers of the Student Government Association (SGA) in recognition of their contributions. Students who participate on official college committees or departmental governance committees will be compensated for their time and contributions.
Administrative Rule
General guidelines include:
Stipends will be paid to active executive officers of the Student Government Association at the end of the Fall and Spring Semesters. Executive officers are elected by the student body, or appointed by the SGA president and approved by the Student Senate. Stipends are paid from the Student Activity Fee budget in the amount recommended by SGA, and approved by the Student Services Council.
SGA executive officers are eligible to receive stipends upon the successful completion of the stipend criteria as agreed upon by the SGA and the Office of Student Life. Stipends will be paid to students who serve on official college committees or departmental governance committees, subject to prior approval of appointment from the President. Student committee members are interviewed, approved, and placed on committees by the SGA and the Office of Student Life. Stipends are paid from the Office of the President in the amount approved by the President.
Students must attend at least two-thirds of the meetings in order to receive payment. It is the responsibility of the committee chair to monitor this (documented through the official Minutes of the committee).
|Stephen B. Kinslow


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Cybersecurity stocks heat up on Cisco-Sourcefire dealJuly 23, 2013: 1:14 PM ET
While the broader market was largely quiet Tuesday, one sector was on fire: cybersecurity.
Shares of Sourcefire (FIRE) jumped nearly 28% after networking giant Cisco (CSCO) said it agreed to buy cybersecurity firm for $2.7 billion.
The deal, which was priced at a 29% premium over Sourcefire's closing price Monday, will help Cisco bolster its network security services.
"Today's sophisticated threats are able to circumvent traditional, disparate security products," said Christopher Young, senior vice president in Cisco's security group. "With the acquisition of Sourcefire, we believe our customers will benefit from one of the industry's most comprehensive, integrated security solutions – one that is simpler to deploy, and offers better security intelligence."
The deal might just be the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to mergers and acquisitions in the cybersecurity space, according to FBR analyst Daniel Ives. He expects a rush of deals, with big players like IBM (IBM), Juniper (JNPR), Symantec (SYMC) and EMC (EMC) buying up smaller firms.
Traders on StockTwits had mostly positive reviews of the deal.
just seeing that $CSCO took out $FIRE today, nice, one of my favorite names for several years, cyber security theme on fire again
Sourcefire $FIRE away to $CSCO as I watched knowing 7/29 earnings report was coming. This is an important and needed company for Cisco.
Cisco had a pretty stellar first quarter, and analysts are hoping to see some of the same this time around. They expect Cisco to report a 6% jump in earnings and a 9% bump in revenue.
$CSCO buying Source Fire is a good direction for the company.
Speculation about which firms could be the next takeover targets was also a hot topic, pushing shares of several other cybersecurity companies higher Tuesday.
Smaller security plays acting well on $CSCO for $FIRE deal: $PFPT $IMPV$QLYS
Fortinet (FTNT) and Proofpoint (PFPT) shares climbed more than 4%, while Qualys (QLYS) and CACI International (CACI) shares rose more than 1%.
$FIRE sale good for $PANW $FTNT $ININ
Though some analysts expect the Cisco-Sourefire deal to be a catalyst for more M&A activity, traders point out that there have already been some big deals in recent years: Intel (INTC) bought McAfee for nearly $7.7 billion in 2010, while Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) acquired ArcSight for $1.5 billion the same year.
Game changing consolidation?Hold your horses.Covering space $FTNT$FIRE since $INTC/MFE@60% premium in'10,later $HPQ-ARST. #SteadyM&Activity


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TRITEL Telescope Dosimeter
The TRITEL team consists of two PhD students and three MSc Students. They are developing a 3D-dosimeter for ESEO to measure the dynamic radiation above the Earth's atmosphere.
Looking to the future of Europe's manned space missions to explore the Near-Earth Region
One of the many risks of long duration spacefight (e.g. International Space Station expeditions, satellite flights, future lunar or Mars missions, etc.) is the excessive exposure to cosmic radiation. The dose in orbit may be hundreds of times higher than at Earth's surface. Due to significant spatial and temporal changes in the cosmic radiation field, measurements with advanced instruments on space vehicles and satellites are extremely important to study the special, anomalous regions (such us the South Atlantic Anomaly) and describe in more detail the effects of solar activity. For this reason the Centre for Energy Research at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences started developing a three dimensional silicon detector telescope (TRITEL) with uniform sensitivity. The instrument, which comprises three mutually orthogonal, fully depleted PIPS detector pairs, is capable of providing directional dependent measurement of the radiation environment. The ESEO TRITEL Team is working on an adapted version. It will be able to perform onboard operations for a minimum of 6 months. In order to reach this development level, several technological aspects have had to be reviewed and changed based on simulations and testing results. At the moment the development is at qualification level with the engineering qualification model undergoing testing. The main objective of the ESEO-TRITEL payload is to study the cosmic radiation environment from a dosimetric point of view during the ESEO satellite's orbit. It will look for the effects of solar activity and give more detailed information on special cosmic radiation regions (such as the Polar Region and the South Atlantic Anomaly).
All the students involved in this project are doing their mandatory university laboratory lessons with the ESEO-TRITEL project and gaining academic credits for it. There is an official ESEO-TRITEL website.
TriTel team page.
Prof. Balázs Zábori, MTA Centre for Energy Research


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The Pupil Premium is additional funding allocated to children who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years (known as 'Ever 6 FSM'). Schools also receive funding for children who have been looked after continuously for more than six months, and children of service personnel. This funding is used to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers.
It is for schools to decide how the Pupil Premium, allocated to schools per FSM pupil, is spent, since they are best placed to assess what additional provision should be made for the individual pupils within their responsibility. For general information about the Pupil Premium, see the link below.
At Ryhope Junior School 36% (80 pupils) of pupils are eligible for Pupil Premium. We follow these principles when deciding how best to use our Pupil Premium funding:


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Project Description
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the causal agent of hepatitis C. HCV infects over 170 million people worldwide and chronic infection can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. The standard therapy is a combination of peginterferon and ribavirin, with either boceprevir or telaprevir added in some cases. Currently no vaccine against hepatitis C is available.
1. Romano, K. P. et al. The molecular basis of drug resistance against hepatitis C virus NS3/4A protease inhibitors. PLoS pathogens 8, e1002832, doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1002832 (2012).


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In the book we mention that portfolio careers are an option for doctors too and give one example. I posted recently showing an advertisement for doctors who might want to consider a portfolio career so you can imagine my delight in seeing a posting from Fiona Pathiraja and Marie-Claire Wilson recently who argue in the most recent edition of the British Medical Journal that portfolio careers are the future of the medical profession. Consequently I asked them if they would guest post for us on this topic. And here it is:
"Portfolio careers have been known in medicine since at least the 19th century, when Anton Chekhov combined his medical practice with writing plays. Medicine no longer has to be a doctor's sole occupation or a job for life, and today it is common for consultants and general practitioners to diversify into other areas.
Within medicine, the portfolio career was pioneered by general practitioners and is gaining popularity among hospital doctors. Common portfolio careers include management, medical education, medicolegal work, or research, but a growing number of doctors are developing portfolios in less traditional areas such as business, media, humanitarian aid, and health policy.
What are the pluses of a portfolio career for medics?
Medical students soon find their various interests squeezed out by the pressures of burgeoning careers, demanding training schemes, and subspecialisation. A portfolio career can help to redress the balance, bringing enormous personal satisfaction by enriching a doctor's skill base, presenting new challenges, and reducing the risk of burnout. It has also been suggested that portfolio careers could help to reduce unhappiness in the medical profession. A happier workforce is less likely to take sick leave and is more likely to be productive. Furthermore, the new skills gained in a portfolio career mean higher quality employees for the NHS.
The disadvantages of a portfolio career include overcommitment, exhaustion, and loss of interest in the main employment. Importantly, a considerable amount of time will need to be spent in the areas of special interest before these become paid jobs. Junior doctors may face longer training if trying to create a portfolio career while progressing up the career ladder. Anyone pursuing a non-traditional career path risks criticism from their peers and seniors. However, one consultant who was berated as a junior for pursuing other interests now leads his field, and quotes Robert Frost to explain that it was all worthwhile: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled, and that has made all the difference."
The first step
Start by working out what your interests are and which ones could realistically be pursued as employment. Then think critically about your career. What does ultimate job satisfaction look like to you, and where do you see yourself in 10 years' time? Answer these questions honestly—you may surprise yourself.
If you have a well cultivated interest, try to find a sponsor or role model in this area. A good sponsor can be instrumental in providing useful contacts and advocating your skills; they can also help you to define clear goals for your portfolio career.
Most importantly, remember that a medical career is a long journey. Think beyond your certificate of completion of training or even your first few years as a consultant; you don't want to be wondering "is this it?" a few years from now.
Anyone doubting the power of a portfolio career should look to Atul Gawande. Arguably the doctor with the most high profile portfolio career, his resumé lists his work as a practising surgeon, Harvard professor, bestselling author, World Health Organization patient safety lead, New Yorker magazine staff writer, and former health policy adviser to President Bill Clinton. Gawande is included in the current TIME 100 list of the most influential people in the world and provides a powerful endorsement for the portfolio career through his realisation that "in turns you can be a doctor and be almost anything else."
Doctors, lawyers, accountants, vets – is there any profession now left where it is impossible to find some people developing a portfolio career? Please let us know if you can think of one in which you believe that this career pattern could not exist. Police? Armed services? …….


text: I have this old Mossberg bolt-action 16 gauge that my dad gave me. I used it two years ago when I went hunting but I didn't get to shoot it. I'm confident of it's hunting capabilites because my dad got his best 10 point with it. I was considering getting a new shotgun to hunt with but I wanted to know if anybody still used a 16 gauge? If not, what type of shotgun should I get to hunt deer in Western PA?


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Social Studies
|View Social Studies Department Directory
American History*
The study of American History is designed to acquaint the students with those individuals, events, and ideas which have shaped our American character. The course will cover the Colonial Period, the American Revolution, the New Nation Period, Sectionalism, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Industrialization, Reforms, Imperialism, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, and the Post-war Period. Students will develop a critical understanding of American history.
*AP U.S. History is a challenging course that is designed to be the equivalent of a survey college course and to earn college credit for the student. Its purpose is to develop student understanding and appreciation of U.S. history and the ability to perform well on the AP exam.
Western Civilization
This course will survey the history of Western Civilization from its roots in the ancient Near East through its development in medieval and modern Europe. Through lecture, readings, and discussion, students will gain a greater understanding of the major political, military, economic, social, cultural and intellectual figures, events, and movements that helped shape our world today.
World Geography
This course will focus on the geographic, historical, cultural and economic characteristics of the various regions of the world. The basics of the world's physical geography, such as weather, climate, natural resources, bodies of water, and major land forms will also be analyzed. Additionally, students will develop important map skills that are necessary in any examination of world geography.
Louisiana History
This course is designed to explore Louisiana's rich history and to educate students about the challenges facing the state today. Students will be able to explain the basics of the state's current political, physical and cultural geography and to develop important study skills.
Civics/American Government and Politics*
This course will analyze the American system of government–how it is structured, how it operates, and how various influences act upon it. Students will develop a critical understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of our political system as well the issues that face us in the 21st century.
*American Government and Politics AP (Civics AP) is a challenging course that is designed to be the equivalent of a survey college course and to earn college credit for the student. Its purpose is to develop student understanding and appreciation of American government and the ability to perform well on the AP exam.
Comparative Government*
This course addresses the basic underlying concepts in political science and applies them to a careful study (and comparisons) of various governments via their political history and (the development of) political culture.
*Comparative Government AP is a challenging course that is designed to be the equivalent of a survey college course and to earn college credit for the student. Its purpose is to develop student understanding and appreciation of the world governments and the ability to perform well on the AP exam.
This course is designed to provide the graduating senior an overview of macroeconomic concepts. The primary focus of the course is to present the student with a practical understanding of capitalism and the modern characteristics of the American economic system. Topics considered include investments, financial planning, insurance, taxation, supply and demand factor, economic downturns and cures, monetary systems, international trade, and domestic policy.
Law Studies
The course introduces students to the American legal system in three areas: criminal law, torts, and constitutional law. Real and hypothetical cases are used to teach basic legal terms and concepts and to illustrate how law applies in practice. Socratic method is employed to stimulate critical thinking and communication about the course content and law-related current events.
American Military History (Elective)
This class addresses the development and influence of America's military on the history of the United States. From the very first days of Colonial settlement to the Global War on Terror, the story of our military has been the story of the country. Central topics or themes include the rise of the citizen-soldier, the fight for independence, facilitating Manifest Destiny, the Civil War and Reconstruction, empire-building and great power status, the Great War, the Interwar Period, WWII, the Cold War, and the 21st century world. The goal of the course is to instill in the students an understanding and appreciation of the role and contribution the military has played in America's history.
Presidential Conspiracies (Elective)
This course will analyze the Lincoln, Garfield, and Kennedy presidential assassinations and will explore the social, political, and military events at the time of each incident. We will also examine the actual circumstances surrounding each assassination in an attempt to evaluate the possibility of a conspiracy in any of them.
Psychology (Elective)
This course is a senior level elective designed as an introduction to the field of psychology. The central theme of this course is psychology as the science of mental processes and behavior. The various topics covered include: the history of psychology, statistics, biological foundations of behavior, sensation and perception, cognition, learning and memory, developmental psychology, motivation and emotion, gender and sexuality, personality theories and assessment, abnormal behavior, and social psychology.
Sociology (Elective)
This course is designed to provide students with a heightened awareness of society and its cultural differences. Topics include deviant behavior, group and organizational dynamics, the life cycle and adolescence, and social conformity.
Military History of the Western Tradition (Elective)
This course traces the history of the development of the Western Way of War from Sumeria and the Age of Chariotry to the Global War on Terror. Such a study will demonstrate how peoples of the Western Tradition harnessed the elements of their day which allowed them to come to influence heavily, and then to dominate thoroughly, world affairs beginning in the 15th century and leading into today.


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If you want to travel to Olbia, Volotea offers you the best last-minute deals. Your affordable flights from Bordeaux to Olbia are with Volotea.
Olbia is a few clicks from you. Choose your flight Bordeaux to Olbia starting from only €102.79 Fly with Volotea in May 2021!
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Nottingham Forest have completed the signing of a Dutch midfielder.FC Twente's Kyle Ebecilio has arrived at The City Ground on a season-long loan.
The 21-year-old has experience of playing in England after spending three years in Arsenal's academy.
He arrived at the Emirates after progressing through the youth ranks of his hometown club, Feyenoord, and returned to the Netherlands in May 2013 to sign for Twente.
Ebecilio has made more than 60 appearances for the Dutch top-flight side and has several Under 21s caps to his name.
The Dutchman becomes Dougie Freedman's fourth signing of the summer following the arrival of Matt Mills, Jamie Ward and Daniel Pinillos.
Ebecilio's player sponsorship is now available to purchase at £745 + VAT. For more information please contact the commercial team on 0115 982 4450 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Disappearance of Newport Beach doctor 'complete mystery'
Friends and family of a Newport Beach doctor said his disappearance in Arizona is a mystery.
Dr. Kenneth Litwack, 71, an infectious disease physician, checked into the Sierra Tucson treatment center about 3 p.m. Aug. 12, and went missing from the facility Tuesday afternoon, said Litwack's wife, Louise Litwack.
His disappearance is a "complete mystery. That's why everyone is so concerned," family friend Ben Sheffner told the Daily Pilot.
Louise Litwack said a search for her husband using dogs began about 6 a.m. Friday.
Clinic personnel called Louise Litwack on Tuesday afternoon to say that her husband hadn't been seen for at least an hour. Workers informed her that Litwack had left behind all his personal possessions, including his wallet and watch, but noted that an American Express card was missing.
Litwack was being treated for chronic pain he had as a result of foot neuropathy, although it did not affect his ability to walk, Louise Litwack said.
Fullerton police sued over wrongful 2010 arrest
Retailer's 'Graffiti Starter Kit' raises councilman's ire
Driver who killed pedestrian while texting pleads no contest
-- Lauren Williams, Times Community News
Photo: Dr. Kenneth Litwack. Credit: Times Community News


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As part of National Consumer Protection Week, The State Bar of California is issuing a series of consumer protection guidelines to help ensure that Californians have access to qualified, ethical attorneys.
Protecting the public is a central plank of the State Bar's mission, and that mission includes making sure the public has access to legal representation without fear of fraud or incompetence. If you are in need of a lawyer for any reason, following the guidelines below can help ensure that your legal representation is adequate, ethical and fair.
What to do before you hire a lawyer:
How to make sure your representation is fair:
Firing your attorney:
What to do if you think a lawyer has wronged you:
How to find a lawyer and what to look out for:


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Prevention of Human Papillomavirus-Related Malignancies of the Female Genital TractView this Special Issue
Research Article | Open Access
Aris Spathis, Evaggelia Aga, Maria Alepaki, Aikaterini Chranioti, Christos Meristoudis, Ioannis Panayiotides, Dimitrios Kassanos, Petros Karakitsos, "Promoter Methylation of p16INK4A, hMLH1, and MGMT in Liquid-Based Cervical Cytology Samples Compared with Clinicopathological Findings and HPV Presence", Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology, vol. 2011, Article ID 927861, 5 pages, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/927861
Promoter Methylation of p16INK4A, hMLH1, and MGMT in Liquid-Based Cervical Cytology Samples Compared with Clinicopathological Findings and HPV Presence
Cervical cancer is a common cancer inflicting women worldwide. Even though, persistent infection with oncogenic Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types is considered the most important risk factor for cervical cancer development, less than 5% of women with HPV will eventually develop cervical cancer supporting that other molecular events, like methylation-dependent inactivation of tumor suppressor genes, may cocontribute in cervical carcinogenesis. We analyzed promoter methylation of three candidate genes (p16, MGMT, and hMLH1) in 403 liquid-based cytology samples. Methylation was commonly identified in both benign and pathologic samples and correlated with higher lesion grade determined by cytological, colposcopical, or histological findings, with HPV DNA and mRNA positivity of specific HPV types and p16INK4A protein expression. Overall accuracy of methylation is much lower than traditional diagnostic tests ranking it as an ancillary technique with more data needed to identify the exact value of methylation status in cervical carcinogenesis.
1. Introduction
Cervical cancer still remains the third most commonly diagnosed cancer type in women worldwide, particularly in developing countries, with over 500,000 estimated new cases and over 250,000 estimated deaths [1]. The main cause of cervical cancer development is infection with Human Papilloma Viruses (HPVs) [2], that are small DNA viruses with oncogenic properties [3–5]. There are over 100 different HPV types, but only around 40 have been found in cervical epithelium and about 20 have been considered as high-risk factors for cancer development [6, 7]. Even though, persistent infection with oncogenic Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types is considered the most important risk factor for cervical cancer development, less than 5% of women with HPV will eventually develop cervical cancer [8], supporting the notion that other molecular events cocontribute in cervical carcinogenesis.
Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes has been shown to be a critical step in tumor development [9]. Apart from well-monitored suppression mechanisms as mutational inactivation, chromosome deletions, and loss of heterozygosity, epigenetic inactivation of tumor suppressor genes is a more recent discovery, where promoter methylation of a tumor suppressor gene abolishes its expression [10]. A significant amount of studies have provided evidence that promoter methylation of tumor suppressor genes is linked with cervical carcinogenesis [11–13] and even with specific severity of lesions [14].
Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) is a sensitive technique widely used to identify promoter methylation, mainly due to its low cost [15]. With MSP, promoter methylation has been discovered in various tumor suppressor genes connected with cell cycle regulation as p16INK4A and DNA repair mechanisms as human MutL Homolog 1 (hMLH1) and O6-Methylguanine DNA Methyl Transferase (MGMT) [11, 13, 16, 17]. p16INK4A is a protein shown to be overexpressed in high-grade lesions as a result of HPV oncoprotein over-expression, while inhibition of DNA repair mechanisms has been shown to occur in many types of carcinomas [4, 5, 9, 13].
In this study we used MSP to identify promoter methylation of the three above referred tumor suppressor genes in normal and pathological cervical liquid-based cytology samples, in order to evaluate their use in identifying lesions. Next we assessed the relation of promoter methylation to HPV presence, mRNA expression, p16INK4A protein expression, and clinicopathological features, in order to clarify whether methylation is correlated with HPV presence and lesion progression.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Specimens
Samples were part of a larger pool of samples from primary screening for cervical cancer in Greece. A total of 403 liquid-based cytological (LBC) smears from women that underwent colposcopy were included in the present study. These consisted of 340 histologically confirmed samples and 63 samples with normal cytology that were added in order to increase the number of cytologically negative samples and have a better baseline of promoter methylation in "normal" samples. The study population consisted of women with a mean of 36.8 years of age (min–max: 18–81), a start of sexual intercourse at 18.9 years of age (13–30), and with a mean of 3.9 sexual partners (1–16). Cytology smears were collected in liquid-based media (ThinPrep, Hologic, Marlborough, USA), a single-layer smear was prepared by automated means (TP2000 processor), stained according to Papanikolaou, and diagnosis was set according to the Bethesda system by a skilled cytopathologist [18]. All molecular tests were performed on residual LBC specimens. Histology diagnosis was set by a skilled histopathologist and for statistical purposes CIN-I were classified as LSIL, while CINII and CINIII were classified as HSILs.
2.2. Bisulfite Conversion MSP
A commercially available kit for bisulfate conversion and PCR amplification was used (Amplicolon, Bird Srl, Siena, Italy) to identify promoter methylation of p16INK4A, hMLH1, and MGMT. PCR products were analyzed in a 2% agarose gel, stained with ethidium bromide and visualized under UV light. If a PCR product was detected only in the unmethylated reaction, sample was characterized as unmethylated, while presence of a PCR product in the methylated reaction characterized the sample as methylated, regardless of the result of the unmethylated reaction. Absence of a product from both reactions characterized the sample as invalid. An unmethylated DNA control is included in the kit, while a methylated DNA control was created after treatment of the unmethylated control with SssI methyltransferase (NEB, Massachusetts, USA) (see Figure 1).
2.3. HPV Typing and E6/E7 mRNA Expression
DNA HPV typing was performed using a commercially available kit (CLART HPV2, Genomica, Madrid, Spain), according to manufacturer's instructions. The kit can identify 35 different HPV types, that are categorized as low risk (HPVs 6, 11, 40, 42, 43, 44, 54, 61, 62, 71, 72, 81, 83, 84, and 89) and high risk (HPVs 16, 18, 26, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, 70, 73, 82, and 85) based on their epidemiology in specific grade of lesions [6]. E6/E7 mRNA expression was identified using the commercially available Nuclisens EasyQ HPV kit (Biomerieux SA, Marcy l'Etoile, France), that is, able to detect mRNA of five high-risk HPV types (HPV16, HPV18, HPV31, HPV33, and HPV45). Positive and no template controls were included in all experiments.
2.4. p16INK4A Protein Expression
Protein expression of p16INK4A was identified by immunocytochemistry using a commercial kit according to the manufacturer's instructions (CINtec Cytology, mtm Laboratories AG, Heidelberg, Germany). Evaluation of positive staining was performed by an experienced cytopathologist.
2.5. Statistical Analysis
All statistic tests were performed using IBM Statistics SPSS 19 (IBM Corporation, NY, USA) using χ2 analysis, two-paired t-test and bivariate correlation analysis. All analysis tests were two tailed with significance at 95%. Overall accuracy was estimated by ROC analysis using histology (HSIL+) as the golden standard.
3. Results and Discussion
Promoter methylation status was successfully analyzed for 403 samples for MGMT, 372 samples for hMLH1 and 290 samples for p16INK4A. p16INK4A protein expression was available for 358 samples, HPV DNA typing for 398 samples and mRNA expression for 355 samples. Cytological, colposcopical, and histological findings were well correlated as indicated by the area under the curve (AUC) values of both cytology (0.863) and colposcopy (0.861) compared to histology.
3.1. Promoter Methylation and Clinicopathological Findings
Results of promoter methylation status are summarized in Table 1. MGMT methylation was the most aberrant methylated gene, followed by p16INK4A and finally by hMLH1. MGMT methylation increased statistically significant with lesion severity as determined by either cytological (), colposcopical (), or histological () findings. hMLH1 methylation, on the other hand, displayed a significant increase with lesion severity only with cytological () and colposcopical () findings, while p16INK4A methylation showed no significant difference. Any of the three genes was statistically more often methylated in more severe lesions, as determined by either cytological (), colposcopical (), or histological () findings.
|M: Methylated, N: Number of cases, NSF: Nonsatisfactory, χ 2 for trend : *, **, ***.
3.2. Promoter Methylation and Molecular/Immunocytochemical Findings
Positivity of p16INK4A protein expression increased with MGMT and p16INK4A methylation ( and ). Methylation of MGMT increased with HPV DNA positivity (), overall mRNA positivity (), expression of HPV16 mRNA (), and DNA positivity for HPV16, HPV18, and HPV68 (). hMLH1 methylation increased with positivity for low-risk HPV DNA (), HPV16 mRNA () and DNA positivity for HPV40, HPV51, and HPV61 (). Methylation of p16INK4A increased with overall mRNA positivity (), expression of HPV16 mRNA (), HPV33 mRNA () HPV16, HPV43, and HPV85 DNA positivity. Presence of either HPV16, HPV45, HPV53, HPV61, HPV68 DNA positivity or HPV16 and HPV45 mRNA positivity was correlated with an increase of the number of methylated genes ().
3.3. HPV Status, p16INK4A Protein Expression and Clinicopathological Findings
Severity of the lesion, whether determined by cytology, colposcopy, or histology, was statistically higher with p16INK4A protein expression, mRNA expression, and presence of HPV DNA of high-risk types (). HPV DNA positivity could either be only from high-risk types or mixed with low-risk types. Presence of low-risk HPV DNA was only correlated with low grade lesions (). HPV DNA positivity was more common in younger women (35.5 versus 39.3, ) with more sex partners (4.3 versus 2.8, ), while p16INK4A protein expression was more common in older women (39.6 versus 36.8, ) with earlier sex life initiation (17.8 versus 19.5, ).
3.4. Discussion
Promoter methylation has been proposed to be a significant cofactor in carcinogenesis, especially in nonhereditary carcinomas. Its role in epigenetic inactivation of tumor suppressor genes has been shown to be common in many types of carcinomas, while recent evidence supports its contribution in cancer development in the cervix [10–14].
Findings of this study, as far as promoter methylation increase during lesion progression is concerned, are partially consistent with previous studies [11, 12, 14, 19]. The main difference with the present study is the significantly larger amount of samples that are included in our study and the significantly higher positivity rate of methylation in our study. As far as diagnostic or screening utility of promoter methylation, none of the genes displayed an AUC of over 0.6 when plotted against histology, with HSIL as the cutoff, ranking it as an ancillary technique with more data needed to identify the exact value of methylation status in cervical carcinogenesis.
As expected HPV DNA testing displayed high sensitivity with low specificity depicted in the ROC curve (Figure 2, AUC 0.641), while mRNA higher specificity with lower sensitivity (AUC 0.767). p16INK4A protein expression showed displayed better specificity than mRNA testing, but worse sensitivity (AUC 0.694). The above findings are consistent with previous studies, that have shown the use of these techniques in triaging women [6, 7, 20–23].
Presence of both p16INK4A protein expression and promoter methylation was identified in both HSILs and carcinomas. Due to the heterogeneity of cytological samples this could reflect different pathways that are activated in specific types of cells or could be due to the partial methylation that can be identified with MSP but is not enough to abolish protein expression [24]. MGMT methylation was correlated with previously reported risk factors for severe lesions [7, 20, 21, 25], while interestingly enough hMLH1 methylation was correlated with low-risk HPV types especially when co-infection of a low-risk with a high-risk was identified.
4. Conclusion
Aberrant DNA promoter methylation of MGMT, hMLH1, and p16INK4A is a common finding in liquid-based cytology samples of the cervix. Even though, there is a statistically significant increase of DNA methylation as the severity of the lesion increases, either for a single gene, or for the total number of methylated genes, the accuracy of promoter DNA methylation in identifying severe lesions is low. As a result wide use in screening programs is not recommended, since more studies with larger methylation panels should be performed before the exact significance of methylation in cervical carcinogenesis is elucidated.
This research project was funded by research Grant from the Greek Ministry of Development-GSRT, Project AKAKOS (code ATT.95).
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JERUSALEM (JTA) — The city of Tel Aviv is set to offer free Wi-Fi to its residents and guests.
The $1.6 million project will provide a free high-speed Internet connection throughout the city as well as technical support all day, every day, Haaretz reported.
The connection will be installed in about 80 stations throughout Tel Aviv in stages during 2013, including public parks and the Promenade.


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I had a favorite ritual when I lived in New York City, reserved for lazy Saturdays and long breaks between classes. Basically, it was just wandering—usually in the East Village, where small community gardens lie hidden between old tenement buildings and modern high-rises. I'd take a few minutes to explore each one I stumbled upon, marveling at the little oasis of greenery tucked away from the bustle beyond its gates. It was one of my favorite ways to clear my head; to find peace when I couldn't separate my thoughts from the constant noise and sirens. At the time, I didn't realize that this was my first introduction to meditation.
If it's ironic that I love living in high-energy, urban environments, it's only because I spent my formative years getting my hands dirty in nature. To be clear, I hardly grew up in the wilderness—more like suburban New Jersey—but I spent as much time as possible outside, exploring the woods that bordered my home, catching newts in my neighbor's creek, and building forts from branches with my little brother. Summers were spent barefoot at my grandparents' lake house, where we picked wild blueberries and played hide-and-seek, lodging ourselves in the giant rock formations that make up the small island. These are my happiest memories, but they're also so much more than that—they're at the core of who I am. Finding pleasure and solace outside might as well be coded into my DNA.
These days, I'm surrounded by more buildings than trees, and most of the time, I thrive off of the unflagging energy of the city—Los Angeles, these days. But when I take the time to travel past the concrete and into the soil and grass, it's like breathing the deepest, most satisfying sigh. Someone else lives in my childhood home now; soon I'll visit that beloved lake house for the last time, too. But through all the impermanence of growing up, I've learned that aside from the company of my immediate family, returning to nature—no matter where I am—offers the most comforting semblance of home.
I've also learned that it's the easiest way to maintain my sanity.
I struggle to meditate just by sitting still. I've tried every trick in the book and read countless articles about hacks for beginners. Nada. If I'm sitting at home, my mind will wander to the point that I feel more stressed when I finally call it quits than I did when I sat down.
Now, I understand that "traditional" meditation is just one technique in a vast world of mindfulness strategies. But about a year ago, it was an amazing revelation and relief to learn about shirin-yoku, or forest bathing—a Japanese approach to meditation and wellness that was developed in the '80s, which simply involves walking around in nature and absorbing the peace and fresh air. Research shows that it even boosts immune function, and can significantly lower cortisol levels—the stress hormone that drives our flight or flight response. Suddenly, it all clicked: I had been wasting my time sitting still in my apartment when I already knew how much being outside cleared my mind, gave me perspective, and boosted my general well-being.
I'm lucky to have an expanse of hiking trails virtually in my backyard—I live about five minutes from L.A.'s Griffith Park. With its dusty paths and brush-dotted hills, the landscape is a far cry from the lush greenery I grew up with, but it doesn't matter. Sometimes I bring a friend along to traverse the steep climbs with me, but most of the time, I set aside a couple of hours and allow myself to get lost, alone.
It's my first stop after a stressful day of work; I make a beeline for it if I find myself spiraling into a toxic mess of thoughts. As soon as I breathe in the cedar and take in the sweeping views of the city sprawl, I realize without fail that most of the crap I've been shouldering simply doesn't matter, and it all melts away—giving me the space and perspective to properly negotiate what does. That wisdom and levity leaves the park with me. It makes me a better person.
Of course, it's not all mental. As I've made this ritual more of a habit, I've found it easier to hold my breath steady over the steepest hills; I've challenged my body to sprint the gentle slopes and climb pathways I wouldn't have braved at first. To be perfectly frank, this is the first time in my life I've not only stuck with but actually enjoyed any form of cardio—and I don't think it's a coincidence that I'm prioritizing my mental fitness over physical. I'm motivated to return to Griffith several times a week chiefly because of the solace it offers me. The fact that my legs have never been so strong is just a sweet bonus.
And anyway, isn't that how our priorities should lie? Isn't it kind of backward to torture our bodies on the treadmill in the hope that it'll make us feel better about ourselves? True wellness is about nurturing the body and mind, so why not engage in something that allows us to do both? I almost have to laugh at myself for being so blind to this—or really, for the fact that unbeknownst to me, forest bathing has been a ritual in my life since I danced barefoot with my cousins on those warm summer evenings by the lake, grasping for fireflies with my tiny hands.
Check out some of my hiking essentials below.
Aside from the obvious curb appeal, S'well's bottles are lightweight and insulated to keep water colder for longer—a godsend on a long hike.
I adore this backpack for its weightless feel and surprisingly impressive storage capacity—plus it's water-resistant, FWIW.
I prefer sneakers to hiking boots, but I still need sturdy soles to traverse the rugged terrain. These are up to the task but still feel light.


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Phew!!! It's hard to believe that well over a year has passed since my last post here. Granted, it is not my focal blog at this point in my life (that would be my vintage fashion and lifestyle blog, Chronically Vintage), but I do want folks from around the world to know that it's still active and that I am continuing, as always, to collect, trade, and purchase Girl Guide and Girl Scout patches, crests, silks, badges, pins, and various other related items.
A great deal has transpired in my life since I last penned a post for this blog, and telling you all about it could fill many, many entries - if not a whole book, but again, I'll defer you to Chronically Vintage, if you want to learn more about my daily going ones in recent months. :)
One extremely exciting thing, and great new undertaking, in my life that I will mention here is that in May of this year (2014), I launched an Etsy shop dedicated to antique and vintage fashions, jewelry, hats, accessories, books, sewing and knitting related items, ephemera, and various other delightful old school items.
Chronically Vintage was already a full-time job (I'm very fortunate to have been able to turn my vintage blog into my career in recent years), and now with my shop, which I put many (many!) hours into each week, I have two jobs, on top of running a household, tending to our pets, and making time to spend with my husband and family (as well as the occasional day of R&R for myself!).
{Click on any of the listings above to learn more about it and visit my Etsy vintage shop, which shares the same name as my popular vintage blog, Chronically Vintage.}
While I do not currently have any Girl Guide, Girl Scout, Scouts Canada or Boy Scout related items in the shop, given my unending passion for this field of collecting, it's highly conceivable that some will land there in the future. You'll definitely want to favourite my shop now so that you can catch wind of it right away when such listings come to fruition (and to see all the other super cool antique and vintage items I sell there).
Though the patch trading front in Canada continues to be exceedingly slow and I can often go months or more between trades, again, as always, I remain very committed to this fabulous hobby (obsession! :)) and sincerely welcome you to zip me an email anytime if you'd like to set up a trade or simply chat about any aspect of patch collecting or Girl Guiding/Scouting in general.
We're in the midst of my favourite season, autumn, right now and though not terribly warm here in Penticton any longer, the sun is still poking out most days and we're having a beautiful (is somewhat windy at the moment!) season. I hope that the same rings true for all of you, wherever you live and that you have a joyful, awesome remainder of 2014.


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Tom Andrews
If Tom Andrews looks familiar, it's because he's been lending his craftsmanship to Edmonton's homebuilding industry for over 30 years. Known for his charismatic leadership, Tom guides the Avanti team by nurturing trade partner relationships and championing community involvement. His customers praise him for his innate passion, along with his consummate professionalism and expertise. Tom's success is evident through his impressive track record at the New Home Warranty Awards and his longstanding work with Big Brother Big Sisters Dream Homes.
VP Operations
Charla Lantz
To Charla, foresight is everything. Her perceptive approach brings sound design principles into every home's floor plan and construction. From guiding you through the selection process to coordinating with trades and suppliers, nothing brings her more satisfaction than transforming your unique vision into a truly custom home. With 20 years of experience in construction, new home sales and interior design, Charla can advise on all facets of the homebuilding journey.
Financial Operations Manager
Michelle Aberant
Michelle brings over 30 years of experience in finance and operations to Avanti. While she has a talent for crunching numbers, she also plays a major role in steering the company's strategic direction. Her resourceful nature allows her to adapt to whatever the day holds—from maximizing the budget to streamlining service processes. With a keen eye for the details, Michelle keeps Avanti's finances and controls performing at their best.