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The advice to eat a healthy diet is not new. Back around 400 B.C., Hippocrates, the Greek doctor, had this missive: Let food be thy medicine.
But as a society, we've got a long way to go. About 1 out of every 2 deaths from heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes in the U.S. is linked to a poor diet. That's about 1,000 deaths a day.
There are lots of places to lay the blame. Calories are cheap, and indulgent foods full of salt, sugar and fat are usually within our reach 24/7.
So, how best to turn this around? Consider Tom Shicowich's story. It begins with a toe. His left pinky toe.
"One day I looked down and it was a different color ... kind of blue," Shicowich says. And he began to feel sick. "I thought I was coming down with the flu."
The next day he was on the operating table. A surgeon amputated his toe, and it took two weeks of intravenous antibiotics to fend off the infection.
All told, he spent a month in the hospital and a rehab facility. "Oh, I tell you, it was a bad year," Shicowich recalls.
But this wasn't just bad luck. His toe emergency was somewhat predictable. Foot infections are a common complication of Type 2 diabetes — often due to nerve damage and poor blood flow, especially when the disease isn't well-controlled.
He racked up about $200,000 in medical charges from his toe emergency. The portion he had to pay out of pocket drained his savings account. "I did shell out $23,000 to the hospital, so that was a kick in the head," Shicowich tells us.
It was also a wake-up call.
Shicowich was more than 100 pounds overweight. He was was fighting nerve damage, high blood pressure and kidney problems — all complications of diabetes.
"So I knew it was time for a change," he told me. And last year, he found the help — and the motivation — he was looking for: a new food pharmacy program that has helped him overhaul how he eats.
Welcome to the food pharmacy
"Folks, good morning, and welcome to the ribbon-cutting and opening of the Fresh Food Pharmacy," intoned Sam Balukoff, the master of ceremonies at Geisinger Health System's recent debut of a new food pharmacy located on the grounds of a hospital in central Pennsylvania.
At this event, Shicowich was one of the stars of the show. Over the past year, he and about 180 patients with Type 2 diabetes have been participating in a pilot program aimed at getting them to change their diets and lose weight. They receive free groceries of healthy foods every week.
Shicowich has lost about 45 pounds, and he is now much more active.
Each week, Shicowich and the other participants come to the food pharmacy. In its new incarnation, it looks more like a grocery, with neatly stocked shelves filled with healthy staples such as whole grain pasta and beans. The refrigerators are full of fresh produce, greens, low-fat dairy, lean meats and fish.
The participants meet one-on-one with a registered dietitian. They're given recipes and hands-on instruction on how to prepare healthy meals. Then, they go home with a very different kind of prescription: five days' worth of free, fresh food.
Shicowich says it's a huge change from his old habit. "I would stop at a Burger King or a McDonald's or buy a frozen Hungry-Man dinner, basic bachelor food — you know, heat and eat."
But those days are over. Now, he and his girlfriend cook meals at home. He says now it's much easier to climb a flight of stairs or take a walk with his girlfriend.
"It's life-changing"
Shicowich's health has improved. His blood sugar and blood pressure have dropped so much that if he keeps on track, his doctors say they will reduce his medications.
"It's life-changing," David Feinberg, the president and CEO of Geisinger Health System, says of the results Geisinger has seen.
He says, so far, all the patients in the pilot program have made similar improvements. "It's mind-blowing," he says. And he says the range of support patients are offered — everything from dietary counseling to wellness classes and workshops — can help them succeed.
Take, for instance, the significant declines in patients' hemoglobin A1C levels. This is a blood test used to track how well patients with diabetes are controlling their blood sugar.
A year ago, Shicowich's A1C was close to 11. Now it's down in the high-6 range. Anything under 6.5 is considered below the threshold of Type 2 diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. Feinberg says this means that Shicowich — and other participants in the program — have a much better chance of avoiding many complications of Type 2 diabetes if they can maintain their A1C levels down in this range.
"[They] won't go blind; [they] won't have kidney disease, amputations," Feinberg says. "The list goes on and on."
Cheaper than paying for complications
When this program started, some questioned the premise of giving away free, fresh food to patients with diabetes. But keep in mind, the costs associated with diabetes in the U.S. now exceed $240 billion a year.
Once you consider that price tag, Geisinger's program can look like a bargain. Over the course of a year, the company will spend about $1,000 on each Fresh Food Pharmacy patient. All of the participants in the program are low-income, so the gift of the food eliminated a key obstacle to eating well.
But would this lead to a reduction in health care costs?
Feinberg says as his team tracks hemoglobin A1C levels in the pilot participants, it is also assessing the number of medical visits and sicknesses along with the overall cost of caring for these patients.
It's still early days, and the team plans to fully analyze its first year of data. But here's what it estimates so far: "A decrease in hemoglobin A1C of 1 point saves us [about] $8,000," Feinberg says.
And many of the participants have seen a decline in hemoglobin A1C of about 3 points. "So that's [about] $24,000 we're saving in health care costs," Feinberg says. "It's a really good value." Geisinger is now in the process of expanding the program to new locations within Pennsylvania.
Is prevention medicine the future?
This program is an example of the booming interest in prevention-oriented medicine.
The current health care system in the U.S. is often more aptly described as a disease-care system. "It's reactive," says Mitesh Patel, a physician and assistant professor of health care management at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. "We wait until people get sick and then spend lot of resources helping them get better."
But Patel says there are signs this is beginning to change. "I think the paradigm shift has already begun," he told us. Patel's take on Geisinger's new Fresh Food Pharmacy program: It includes the kind of financial and social incentives that can help motivate people to make changes.
For instance, the Fresh Food Pharmacy gives free, fresh food not just to the patients enrolled but to everyone in their household as well.
"The way we behave is really influenced by others around us," says Patel. So promoting a group effort could "make the program a lot more sticky and more likely to succeed."
It's always a challenge to get people to maintain lifestyle changes over the long term. But, Patel says, "If you get the entire family to change the way they eat, you're much more likely to improve health."
The evidence that lifestyle-modification programs can reduce health care costs is starting to accumulate.
Earlier this year, researchers published findings in the journal Health Affairs that evaluated the medical expenses of Medicare patients with prediabetes. The patients had completed a one-year diabetes prevention program focused on healthy eating and increased physical activity. The researchers found, overall, the average health care savings was about $300 per person, per quarter — compared with patients who hadn't been through the program.
A previous version of this story misspelled a reference to Tom Shicowich's last name as Shicovich.
And when we go to the doctor, often we leave with a prescription for medicine. But with the skyrocketing costs of treating lifestyle diseases, like Type 2 diabetes, some health care providers are rethinking how they use that prescription pad. Today in Your Health, NPR's Allison Aubrey is going to tell us about a large health care company in Pennsylvania called Geisinger Health System. They've started prescribing fresh food.
ALLISON AUBREY, BYLINE: This is a story that begins with a toe, a left pinky toe to be specific. It belonged to 56-year-old Tom Shicowich.
TOM SHICOWICH: One day, I looked down. It's a different color, and it started getting infected and felt really bad and septic. I thought I was coming down with the flu.
AUBREY: Twenty-four hours later, he was on an operating table. A surgeon amputated his toe, and it took two weeks of IV antibiotics to treat the infection. He spent a full month in the hospital and in a rehab facility. He says the whole ordeal was frustrating and terrible.
SHICOWICH: Oh, I tell you - it was a bad year.
AUBREY: But the reality is, this was somewhat predictable. Shicowich has Type 2 diabetes, and he wasn't managing it well. Toe infections due to a loss of blood flow are a common complication, and they can be incredibly expensive. He racked up more than $200,000 in medical charges from his toe emergency. And the portion he had to pay out of pocket completely emptied his savings account.
SHICOWICH: I did shell out to the hospital, like, $23,000 of my savings, and that was a big kick in the head.
AUBREY: It was also a wake-up call. Shicowich knew his health was failing. In addition to the toe, he was more than a hundred pounds overweight. He was fighting nerve damage, high blood pressure and kidney problems - all complications of diabetes. And he was feeling rotten.
SHICOWICH: So, you know, I knew it was a time for a change.
AUBREY: But he really didn't know what to do - until a year ago.
SAM BALUKOFF: Folks, good morning, and welcome. I'm excited to be able to welcome you here to the ribbon cutting and opening of the Fresh Food Pharmacy.
AUBREY: Shicowich is one of about a 180 Type 2 diabetes patients who are participating in an intensive program aimed at getting them to change their diets and lose weight. Every week, he shows up at this pharmacy-turned-grocery-store located at a Geisinger hospital in central Pennsylvania. Here, he picks up a very different kind of prescription. He goes home with a week's worth of free, fresh food, everything from fruits and vegetables to whole grains, lean meats and fish. Shicowich says it's a huge change compared to the way he used to eat.
SHICOWICH: I'd stop at a Burger King or a McDonald's or buy a frozen Hungry-Man dinner, you know, basic quick bachelor food, you know, heat and eat.
AUBREY: But those days are over. He and his girlfriend now cook meals at home, and he's lost about 45 pounds. His blood sugar and blood pressure have dropped so much he's on course to reduce his medications. Now he can climb a flight of stairs or take a walk with his girlfriend, which would have been really difficult a year ago.
DAVID FEINBERG: Oh, my God. It's life-changing.
AUBREY: That's David Feinberg, a physician who is CEO of Geisinger Health System. He says, as he looks at Shicowich's progress, one thing stands out, a dramatic drop in his hemoglobin A1C. This is a widely used blood test to track how well patients with diabetes are controlling their blood sugar. A year ago, Shicowich's A1C was close to 11. Now it's down to 6.7. And this means, going forward, he has a much better chance of avoiding many diabetes complications if he can stick with the healthy diet.
FEINBERG: He won't go blind. He won't have kidney disease. He won't be impotent. He won't have neuropathies. The list goes on and on.
AUBREY: Shicowich's A1C level is important for another reason, too. When this program first started, some people questioned the whole premise, giving away free fresh food, a thousand dollars' worth per person? But Feinberg says as his team has tracked the hemoglobin A1C levels of the patients in the pilot program, they're also assessing medical visits, sicknesses and the cost of caring for these patients. It's still early days, but here's what they estimate so far.
FEINBERG: A decrease in hemoglobin AlC of 1 point saves us 8,000. As you heard this morning, almost every patient has gone from double-digits hemoglobin A1C down to 6 or 7, so 3 or 4-point decrease. That's $24,000 that we're saving in health care costs. And it's costing us about a thousand dollars. It's a really good value.
GREENE: Listening to that story there from NPR's Allison Aubrey who is with us to talk a little more about this.
Hey, Allison.
AUBREY: Hey, David.
GREENE: So I just want to make it clear here. I mean, doctors who treat diabetes - they have always tried to get patients to diet better and lose weight. And it's so hard. I mean, so is this just emphasizing that more? Or what is the difference here?
AUBREY: The difference is that what they've realized here is that you've got to support people in so many ways to help them make this change of eating better. So in this program, they're meeting one on one with registered dietitians. They're getting help on how to prepare food. They have support classes to help motivate them, phone calls to check in, you know, all kinds of social support and financial support. I mean, remember, they're getting all this free, fresh food, and these folks are all low income. So until now, the cost of the food had been a real obstacle.
GREENE: Well, if doctors are getting behind this - if the health care industry sees a way to save money, are we going to see more programs like this popping up?
AUBREY: I'd say there is a ton of interest in scaling up programs like this one. I mean, we're living in a time when about one out of every two deaths - from heart disease, from stroke, from Type 2 diabetes - is linked directly back to a poor diet. I mean, that's about a thousand deaths a day. And we spend $240 billion on diabetes-related costs. A lot of folks look at this and say, look, we have a health care system that really is more of a disease care system. We wait until people get sick, and then we try to fix them.
Our system pays for amputations, for scans, for ER visits, for dialysis. But we don't do very well at addressing the very root of the problem, which in so many cases, as we've just heard, is poor diet and lack of physical activity. So I'd say that's what Geisinger and lots of other folks are trying to change. At this moment in time, as our nation grapples with, you know - how do we insure people; how do we pay for health care? - pilot programs like this are very important because they start to put evidence behind the idea that prevention can pay. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Historical Kanshi (OOC)
A specialized form of seppuku in feudal times was known as kanshi ("death of understanding"), in which a retainer would commit suicide in protest of a lord's decision. The retainer would make one deep, horizontal cut into his stomach, then quickly bandage the wound. After this, the person would then appear before his lord, give a speech in which he announced the protest of the lord's action, then reveal his mortal wound.
Retrieved from wiki seppuku page
page revision: 0, last edited: 30 Oct 2008 02:49

subset: commoncrawl


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Westchester County Republicans are expecting to choose from a pool of two candidates to run in a special election to fill County Executive George Latimer's recently vacated state Senate seat.
Sarmad Khojasteh, a commercial litigation attorney from the town of Bedford, is bidding for the Republican nomination to face-off against Democratic nominee Shelley Mayer, an incumbent state assemblywoman from Yonkers.
An emigrate who was born in Iran 1981, Khojasteh relocated to the United States in 1982 after the Islamic Revolution and during the Iran-Iraq War.
"Unfortunately, many of our elected officials seem intent on proposing legislation as a form of protest, or to win political points in a game of partisan ping pong, rather than listening to their constituents and coming up with ideas that would help to solve real problems for the people they serve," Khojasteh said. "I believe that by replacing career politicians with independent-minded, practical problem solvers in Albany we can put the American dream back within reach of all New Yorkers."
Khojasteh joins Dan Schorr, who has also announced his plans to seek the Senate's 37th District seat. Schorr unsuccessfully ran for county District Attorney nine years ago, losing to then-District Attorney Janet DiFiore, a Democrat.
Schorr is well known around the county, previously serving as a prosecutor in Westchester and New York City and as the Yonkers inspector general.
The Senate's 37th District covers Rye, White Plains, Harrison, Mamaroneck, Yonkers, North Castle, Bedford, and Eastchester.
As of press time, the Westchester County Republican Party has not announced a date for when it will nominate its candidate, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, has not yet called for a special election.
The governor is not necessarily required to call for a special election. Cuomo has the option to let the seat remain unfilled until the November 2018 election. Latimer, a Democrat, vacated the seat on Jan. 1 after being sworn in as county executive.
The election may be crucial for Republicans to prevent Democrats from regaining more ground in the Senate, as Republicans currently hold a slim 31-30 majority, as of press time. The 37th District seat is one of two vacated positions in the state Senate this year. The Senate's 32nd District seat, which covers an area in the Bronx, has also been vacated.
Doug Colety, the chairman of the county Republican Committee, could not be reached for comment.


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The Québec City area in 3 days
Take a historical tour through foundational sites of North American history. Discover the city's blend of European and colonial architecture and endless activities. This tour will thrill history lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike!
Suggested itinerary
Day 1: Urban historyQuébec City
Visit the city's iconic sights, including the Château Frontenac, Terrasse Dufferin, Fortifications, Citadelle, Parliament Building, Fontaine de Tourny and Plains of Abraham. Discover restaurants and the stunning Lumière sur l'art exhibition on rue Cartier.
Day 2: Following in Champlain's footstepsQuébec City
Stroll through the Quartier Petit Champlain to discover a wealth of North American history and handicrafts. Pay a visit to the Place Royale, where the city was officially founded in 1608. Admire the view of Québec City from aboard a river cruise. At night, explore events around town.
Day 3: Nature and spiritualityÎle d'Orléans and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré
Take a scenic cable car ride at the Parc de la Chute-Montmorency then hop across to île d'Orléans. Go zip lining at Canyon Sainte-Anne then stop in at the Shrine Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, one of the oldest pilgrimage sites on the continent. Finally get a taste of the Québécois way of life!


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Text to Speech (TTS) in Office 2013: How to Access and Use
Getting Started
The Text to Speech features or 'TTS' for short can be used within Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote. The TTS engine is installed by default when Microsoft Office is installed so we just need to make it easier to find within each tool.
For Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and OneNote, we can add the Speak command to the Quick Access Toolbar. Next to the Quick Access Toolbar, click the down arrow and select More Commands (Figure 1). In the dropdown box labeled Choose commands from select All Commands.
Scroll through the list on the left and click Speak. Click the Add button so it appears in the right hand list (Figure 2). Click OK and now you should see the Speak button in your Quick Access Toolbar.
Excel offers five different buttons to control speech. In addition to the basic Speak Cells button four additional buttons exist. Excel lets you specify if you want to read cells by row or column and whether or not it should read cells back to you after you hit ENTER.
To add the speech functionality buttons to Excel follow the same procedure that we followed for the other Office applications. This time, you can add any or all five of the Speech buttons to the Excel Quick Access Toolbar (Figure 3).
Using Text to Speech
The base Office applications of Word, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook all work the same when it comes to TTS. Once you have the text to speech button on your toolbar, you can easily have your programs read to you by selecting the text you want read and then press the Speech button. The easiest way to select all text in a document is to place your cursor in the document you want to highlight and then press the CTRL+A button. This will also work for emails in Outlook.
As mentioned earlier, using text to speech in Excel is a bit different. Selecting the first cell in a table and pressing the Speak cells button will automatically highlight all cells in that table and will read across each row before moving to the next row. You can read down each column instead by pressing the Speak cells by column button.
The Speak cells on Enter does just that – with the button toggled it will speak the contents of each cell as you type and press Enter.
Modifying Reading Speed
As natural speech is a complicated thing, it is difficult and costly to replace the built in voice with a different voice. One thing you can easily do however is change the speed at which text is read.
Click on the Start button and type speech. Click on the Change text to speech settings option. The Speech Properties window will open (Figure 4). To change the speed, simply drag the slider towards 'slow' or 'fast' under the Voice speed heading. Click OK.
Although the text to speech feature is extremely easy and useful to use, it is an often overlooked feature in Microsoft Office. Take a look and try to free up your hands and eyes to be more productive!


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Supply Chain Inventory Optimization – Beyond the Analytics
While analytics offer remarkable insights into supply chain inventory optimization, warehouse managers must still understand how the use of slotting optimization technology impacts other processes. With 7 percent of America's gross domestic product (GDP) tied up in inventory, reports the 21 st Century Supply Chain Blog , your organization must go beyond the analytics and understand the broad impact of analytics in your company. Better Inventory Management Needs Complete Control.


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What Top Employers say about themselves
NN Belgium is a dependable insurance company that is part of a strong international group with operations in 18 countries worldwide. NN Belgium aims to achieve sustainable growth as a specialist in providing insurance cover (death, disability) and pensions (Branch 23). We offer our customers innovative solutions through a strong network of brokers and also via the banks. As an insurance protection specialist, we also share our insights for enjoying a health and happy life.
It's our ambitious and committed staff who make the company shine. We encourage entrepreneurship in our employees and give them all the space they need to develop their talents further. That way we are able to work together and find the best way to use their skills in a changing world.
We are strongly driven by our values: Care, Clear and Commit.
Our ambition is to keep our brand promise 'YOU MATTER' not only towards our external stakeholders, but firstly towards our own employees. We care about them.
Number of employees:
Number of active countries: 18
The research
Our comprehensive independent research revealed that NN Belgium provides exceptional employee conditions, nurtures and develops talent throughout all levels of the organisation and has demonstrated its leadership status in the HR environment, always striving to optimise its employment practices and to develop its employees.
We help your organisation adapt to the rapidly changing HR environmentHow we certify


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We have just scheduled an extra run for a major manufacturer travelling north for next week. As such, we have some additional spots available for next week as follows:
Brisbane to Melbourne: Pickup 10-11/4/18 and delivery 13 or 16/4/18 - 1 SPOT LEFT!
Sydney to Melbourne: Pickup 10-11/4/18 and delivery 13 or 16/4/18 - SOLD OUT!
Brisbane to Sydney: Pickup 10-11/4/18 and delivery 12-13/4/18 - 1 SPOT LEFT!
The above includes any locations in between on the Pacific Hwy or on the Hume - Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Newcastle, Albury, Wodonga and many other locations in between! But get in quick and please call us on 1300 45 54 64 to confirm availability before booking!


text: Formerly a model, but enjoying a second career as a singer with jazzy inflections to both mass and critical acclaim, chanteuse Julie London seemingly arrived from nowhere and laid down some of the most enduring late night music of the 1950s and beyond. This CD pairs two of her albums with contrasting accompaniment that serve as an ideal illustration of how gifted a performer London was in both intimate and larger-scale musical surroundings. The second of the two albums, from 1960, is the strongest with a distinctive west coast jazz vibe and captures to perfection London in late evening jazz mood with a stellar line-up of Al Viola on guitar, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Emil Richards on vibes and Don Bagley on bass, not forgetting the trombone of Bob Flanagan. The album is full of classily interpreted romantic standards from the great American songbook of the calibre of 'You'd be so nice to come home to', a sumptuous 'Round Midnight' and 'You stepped out of a dream', which might just be the most apt way to describe London from a strictly male perspective.A gently carousing take on 'The thrill is gone' is a million miles from the blues drenched B.B. King version, but one imagines he might have approved of this. Viewed as a whole this album has become something of a favourite among London cognoscenti. The second album, features a large band arranged and conducted by André Previn, with an iconic photo of the singer. It builds on the reputation Julie London immediately established with the 1955 hit single, 'Cry me a river', and once again a deeply romantic repertoire that were imbued with London's utterly personal approach. A fine re-issue and everyone should own at least one Julie London album in their collection, but this value for money set enables you to own two.


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Gabrielle Haslauer:
Mentally emotionally healing and Merkaba-treatment
Mentally emotionally healing reminds you in the healing power in yourself. It´s a great "tool" on the way to self-empowerment. As well as to feel the connection with your true self again, which is after Gabrielle's understanding the cause of many troubles, if we don´t feel the connection with our source from everything that is.
We work with intentions: what you want to create in your life and to discover blockades, which prevent you to be fully in the flow of life.
In a safe space, we discover together the blockades and I teach you the "method of mentally emotionally healing" which enables you to dive deeper and deeper in your holy space of love. In the Merkaba-treatment, I let myself lead intuitively through your aura and gain more information, which we use for new intentions.
This two "methods" in combination cause deep relaxation, feeling "new born" and connected with yourself. In a loving space, you are warmly welcome to dive deeper in the wonder you are.
Gabrielle works as a social worker more than a decade and parallel to this, she is curious about her own spiritual development. She covered her curiosity in many seminars and self-exploration like "prana-nutrition", non-duality, kinesiology, mentally-emotionally healing, Merkaba-treatment and many more. In her offer, these two path flow together: the knowledge and the experience she gained in social work as well as her self-studies on the spiritual path. Languages: German, English, French


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In August 2011 I was approached by David Berg from Berg Physiotherapy. Unbeknownst to me, David had arranged for three patients he had been working with to undertake an abdominoplasty with me.
Aside from the obvious cosmetic improvements of an abdominoplasty, I have always been aware of the 'added benefits' being improvement in lower back and neck pain, stronger core for exercising and an improved sexlife. But I was not aware of the issue of incontinence.
Post pregnancy over 40% of women experience some 'light bladder leakage' or incontinence, usually on stress like coughing or sneezing. This gets worse with time. Encouraged by the success of his first three patients we have decided to take this further and in conjunction with David are currently running a clinical trial of this theory.
If we can demonstrate that repair of the rectus diastasis can lead to an improvement in pelvic floor function and relief of incontinence we could have a new indication for abdominoplasty. We will be sure to keep you abreast of this exciting development.
Dr Alastair Taylor


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Following the great turnout for our first contractor outreach event, we have posted some important follow up information and resources here on the blog. Please see the new tab above called "Construction Opportunities".
As it becomes available, more information and resources will be posted there. Additionally, materials will be made available at the TCB Avondale Choice Neighborhoods office at 3494 Reading Road.


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On November 9 2014, Catalonia will hold a referendum on independence. More than five million Catalans are called on to take part in this vote to decide their political future. Yet the Spanish government has vowed to stop this democratic expression of the will of the people of Catalonia.
On September 11 millions of Catalans will again show their determination to build a new state in Europe peacefully and democratically by forming a giant V along the two main avenues of Barcelona, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes and Diagonal. This initiative will be the third big event organized by the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) after last year's Catalan Way, when 2 million people made a 400-km human chain from north to south of Catalonia, and the 1.5-million-strong demonstration "Catalonia, New State in Europe" in Barcelona in 2012. This year hundreds of thousands of Catalans and friends of Catalonia will form a V showing that we want and we will Vote to express our Will (Voluntat) for a democratic Way (Via) towards independence.
Like last year with the International Catalan Way, when we organized 126 human chains with over 10,000 participants, we want to go beyond our borders and multiply the V around the world, to reach out to everyone who is a friend of Catalonia and supports the right to decide our future freely and democratically. Between August 1 and September 11, more than 30 Catalan Foreign Assemblies of the ANC organize the campaign#votecatalonia, to form the V in many cities and towns around the world. The images recorded of these events will be edited in a video to build international support and sympathy for the Catalan cause, and encourage people to take part in the V in Barcelona.
Join us to make our wish come true. You can participate in one of these events, organize a V in your town orpromote it to make it a success.
We are ready for independence!
Mehr wissen in Vote Catalonia


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After parting away with the Ericsson brand ,Sony Mobile communication has rebranded their smartphones line up and thankfully we were lucky enough to get a review unit up for grabs. The first Sony branded smartphone "Xperia S" seems to have done just enough to keep up the Sony brand .
Form Factor:
Sony Xperia S have come up with an angular edges with a curved back that makes the phone easy to hold in your hands The body is a matt finish allowing your phone to be free of daily scratches and stains .The screen is pitch black in color while it's in sleep mode and the translucent LED lit element at the base gives the sharp contrast and is the unique design of this new Xperia S smartphone.
This is the best display you will ever see on a smart phone and easily the best competitor to Apple's retina display. The 16 million colours and 1280 x 720 pixels is really a treat for your eyes and best suited for watching videos .The display would remind you of the flat screen television I bet. Sony's Mobile BRAVIA engine just make the display crystal clear. Watching HD video or viewing photos on the Xperia S, you can really tell what a high-quality display this is, as the picture is sharp and bright
The 12.1 megapixel camera is very impressive, close-ups and macro photography and dim light photography seems to be the best performers on this phone and to mention the lag among two subsequent is less allowing you to take snaps very fast. The camera also has the capability to shoot in panorama 3D which can be viewed on a 3D TV There is also a 3D camera app, but we couldn't test it out properly as we don't have access to a 3D TV.The only thing I felt lacking is the snaps taken using the 16x digital zoom were a bit grainy. The video recording gives you full HD recording 1080p.
Snap taken from Sony Xperia S
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Check out our Facebook page for more snaps taken from Xperia S HERE.
CPU speed:
The phone is fast and 1.5 GHz Qualcomm MSM8260 Dual Core does justice to its display and camera.
After running many android apps simultaneously and multitasking there wasn't any lag in the performance.
Sound :
Sound Quality on calls, watching videos and listening music both on the Sony speakers and the provided headphones were of good clarity doesnt have any issues with the sound clarity or reception .
Battery life:
Since we had a serious of test being did on the new Sony Xperia S on a full battery charge,the battery lasted 7 hours under heavy usage of rigorous testing which is very impressive under normal usage it lasted 18 hours.
The Xperia S comes with 32 Gb of internal storage with no external cards slots (come on 32 Gb is big…but still have to mention it folks)
The Xperia S is loaded with Android 2.3 (oh no Android 4.0 Ice cream sandwich ) but the phone will be upgradable to Android 4.0 when there is an update and its expected during May-June period.One note worthy feature of Xperia S is accessibility of apps is very easy compared to other smartphones in the market accessing any app is only few steps away and you wouldn't be confused with the geeky Android environment .
This Xperia S is cheaper than I thought as it comes in 2399AED and bundled with headset and charger and the USB data cable.
Things I have missed !
• New smart accessories including the Smart Watch which syncs with the phone.
• Smart tags : The smartphone is also near field communication (NFC) enabled allowing users to share content with each other and enjoy an increasing number of NFC applications and services as well as Xperia SmartTags, The smart tags can be tuned to perform many perform various function.check video below.
• HDMI slot: Connect your high-definition TV sets with an HDMI cable also its DLNA Certified®.
• This phone is PlayStation certified phone, gamers can have access to PlayStation games refer the blog for more details.
• Sony is offering all Xperia S owners 50GB of free cloud-based storage, which you can access through the Box app on the Android Market( needs confirmation in Middle east market.)
Final Verdict:
Go for the unique looks and a brilliant and crystal clear display and a very good camera. Must for Gamers and movie watchers .
Cons :Badly needs an upgrade to Android Ice Cream Sandwich and snaps taken from digital zoom were grainy.
Download the complete specification of Sony Xperia S here.
Update correction :Xperia S comes with Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread not 3.2, and there is no optical zoom but digital.


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Red Dwarf zoomed back on TV screens last week, collecting bumper ratings for Dave and proving a hit with its hardcore fanbase, who had waited over a decade for a full series of action from Rimmer, Lister, Cat and Kryten.
Bizarrely snubbed by the BBC after series eight, creator Doug Naylor spent the early part of the '00s attempting to realise his ambition of getting the Dwarf gang on the big screen. After endless false starts and difficulties with funding, the chances of a smeg-tastic movie seemed to have been extinguished a few years back.
But with series 10 causing quite a stir among its loyal fanbase, talk of a movie has resurfaced again.
Craig Charles told Digital Spy that he wouldn't want to stop making Red Dwarf on TV again to make a film, arguing that the cast had "wasted 10 years of our life doing that" previously. Meanwhile, Robert Llewellyn suggested that the show's "soul" and "core" was as a TV sitcom.
However, for those longing to munch on popcorn at a multiplex with Rimmer and co, Chris Barrie offered a slight glimmer of hope. "Never say never," he teased.
Do you think they should still try to make a Red Dwarf movie? Or is it best left alone on TV? Voice your verdict below:
The Red Dwarf cast talk about a potential movie:


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Frankford Youth Centre
Frankford Youth Centre Gives!
Frank Meiboom see's value in in giving our youth a place to feel wanted, valued and cared for. As a member of the Rotary Club of Trenton (and incoming president for the Rotary year 2018/2019) Frank is obviously dedicated to helping his community. Frank is not only an active member of Trenton Rotary, but he's served on the board of directors of the Frankford Youth centre for five years. His passion for ensuring the young people in the community have a solid foundation to strengthen their resilience and life learning skills was evident as he provided members of our club with an opportunity to see and learn about the achievements and successes of this community organization.
Evidence of value based caring is everywhere at the Frankford Youth Centre
This faith based youth centre gives young people in grades 6 through 12 a place to gather and call their own. The youth centre has forged relationships with the Frankford school and other community organizations to provide a safe and value driven experience where impressionable young people can hang out after school. Driven by principals of positivity, responsibility and giving, the Frankford Youth Centre nurtures and guides young personalities in directions that serve to build confidence, self esteem and future opportunities. Free services include, an after school bite to eat, tutoring, homework help and space, life skills mentoring, fellowship and friendship building.
The Frankford Youth Center is possible because of the dedicated volunteers and the highly respected and skilled director, Mathew Reily. Mathew sees what many can't in kids. Along with regular volunteers, he's there for them. Many students come to the youth center as a transition between school and home. Rather then being home alone or getting involved in less desirable activities, young people are welcomed here. Many young people, between 8 and 20 youth per afternoon use the centre to recharge, refuel and be recognized for their daily accomplishments or come to get help with what ever school or life issue they may have. Their sense of belonging is what keeps them coming back to this safe and helpful place.
With an entire building dedicated to the youth center and one full time employee, the Frankford Youth Centre relies completely on the generosity of the community and service clubs to keep it open and available for flourishing young minds. Keeping our youth safe and guiding them in the right direction is not only good for them but it's good for the community at large.
The Rotary Club of Trenton is proud to support the Frankford Youth centre with a donation each year. On Monday June 12th, 2017 members of the Rotary Club of Trenton had the pleasure of visiting the centre and hearing from many members of the board about how our donations, coupled with those from the community and other service clubs, has benefitted the young people whom the centre serves.
For more information about the Frankford Youth Centre, click here.


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Vinod Khosla, founder of Sun Microsystems, sparked public resentment earlier this month in San Francisco when he asked for $30 million from the State of California for allowing public access to Martins Beach, he had bought eight years ago.
The prime 53-acre parcel of Martins Beach, a haven for the beach-going public that Khosla had bought for US $37.5 million eight years ago, has become contentious in recent days. Initially, the Silicon Valley venture capitalist had let people use the beach, but in 2010 locked the gates on Martins Beach Road and posted guards, according to a New York Times report. But now Khosla is demanding $30 million from the state for re-opening the gates of the beach for public and also give access to another 39.5-acre parcel that includes coastal cliffs.
For nearly a century, the beach was a "popular destination for fishing, picnicking, and surfing and other recreational uses", according to the California state lands commission. The previous owners provided a general store and public restroom and allowed the public to visit the beach, charging a fee for parking.
After purchasing the property, Khosla, who does not live on the property, initially continued to allow public access. But in 2010, he closed the gate and put up signs warning against trespass, prompting multiple lawsuits as well as legislation that required the commission to negotiate with Khosla about restoring public access.
In a letter to the State Lands Commission Khosla's lawyer said that an "easement leading over his property" in San Mateo County to the beach would cost California about $30 million, not including the enormous additional costs for road repairs, annual operations and maintenance.
According to reports,. Khosla's lawyer Dori Yob offered the estimate in a February 3 letter to the state Court of Appeal, which is handling one of several lawsuits over the property. The report said quoting Jennifer Lucchesi, the executive officer of the State Lands Commission, as saying that she was equally taken aback when she received the letter, which she submitted as evidence in the case. The commission contends the tidelands Khosla claims are actually owned by the state. "We have not seen any documentation or analysis supporting that $30 million value," Lucchesi said.
Gary Redenbacher, a lawyer for Friends of Martins Beach that sued Khosla in San Mateo Superior Court said that the $30 million figure is rather amusing and that the state Constitution makes all beaches public property.
The report said that Friends of Martins Beach sued in San Mateo Superior Court, and Judge Gerald Buchwald ruled in Khosla's favor in 2013, saying the beach was subject to the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War and required the United States to recognize Mexican land grants. In essence, Buchwald said, the beach had been in private hands long before laws were passed requiring public access to the coast, the SFGate report said.
But whatever be the outcome of the battle in the court that is expected to give its decision in summer this year, the issue has become the latest "class-charged standoff" involving a wealthy entrepreneur.
"People are saying, 'Talk about entitlement: Rich people think they can get away with anything,'" the New York Times quoted Rob Caughlan, the former president of the non-profit Surfrider Foundation, as saying. "All we want is to get Khosla to follow the same law as everyone else does," the report said. Beah goers had been staging protest outside the locked gates, demanding reopening of the beach.
The state commission's executive officer, Jennifer Lucchesi, said on Tuesday that the state did not agree that the "value of the public access" was $30m. She wrote in an email: "We believe the fair market value is significantly less than that. As of today, we have not seen any documentation or analysis supporting the $30 million value."


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Truck show turns on charm
ALEXANDRA strikes again!
Bigger, better and a record number of entries (145) for the various awards on offer made this one heck of an event.
Coupled with a kids fairground that rivalled Luna Park, the annual woodchop and of course, the utes that make up the other half of the show, the sunny Sunday in June was a resounding success yet again.
Wayne Hebbard arrived from Pakenham driving a Western Star with a 530 Cummins for John Maloney Transport out of Traralgon, hauling cement, lime and dry product in tankers - both local and interstate.
He has been with Maloney for some two years and loves the job.
This was his third year at Alexandra. Given that Pakenham is some way from Traralgon, Wayne takes the truck home with him.
"It's my truck - well I treat it like it's mine anyway.
"If something goes wrong it's down to me," he said.
Wayne Martin, 25, is from Barnawartha and bought his first rig early this year.
That's a fair investment for a young bloke.
With $210,000 to pay back, it's in Wayne's interest to keep the truck working, which he does by subbing for Border Express.
"I bought the truck off the old man," Wayne said.
So the interest rates would be pretty good then?
"Ahhhh - no, not really. I think he ripped me off a bit actually.
"He did a rebuild on it and I bought it for what it owed him - or so he tells me," he said.
At this point in time the truck is painted white on white.
"I've got some ideas for decoration but it's not a priority, as I'm sure my old man would tell you."
The truck in question is a 2010 model Kenworth with just over one million clicks on the clock.
Wayne has been on the road for eight years, starting out when he was 18.
At 18-and-a-half he got his medium rigid licence on an exemption, following that up with an HR a year later and by 21 had his MC.
"I love the industry. It doesn't feel like a job," he said.
"I look forward to going to work every day. Kick back, turn the music up and it's all good."
It was a little too good for his ex-girlfriend who realised that he loved his truck more than her.
Gona owns Gateway Logistics and sub-contracts to Broadway and Frame, part of the Wholesome Group of companies (concrete).
Gona has just purchased a Kenworth T359A, fresh off the factory floor.
"We bought it up to Alexandra," said Gona laughingly, "In the hope of winning cleanest agitator."
Gona was at Alexandra with his son, Renaldo who is pretty keen to follow his dad into the business.
He has been driving for some 40 years. Given he is now just 50, that is an early start.
"It's not that young. I've had Renaldo behind the wheel since he was eight," he said.
Based at Laverton, Gona, originally from South Africa, came to Australia 13 years ago. Trained as an engineer he first worked for Telecom, but the money wasn't up to expectations.
The family had been in trucking back in South Africa so that seemed a logical next step, although many truckies may disagree with this as a way to make your fortune.
The move did work for Gona however, and he now runs a fleet of nine agitators subbing for both G&F and ACM.
"Many of our drivers are fresh from getting a licence," Gona said.
"I actually don't mind that as I can train them to drive as I want. I put a fair amount of time into that area and it pays dividends."
Brothers Chase and Justin Jones run Jones Farm Services at Moorooduc and turned up at Alexandra with a 1992 T450 with C12 Cat power.
The business encompasses farm contracting, silage, spraying, fertilising, carting cattle or hay, or anything else the industry requires.
They have owned the truck for seven years and only recently pulled it apart and gave it a good clean up just in time to come to Alexandra.
Mike Bransgrove has graced the pages of Big Rigs before, with his distinctive aerofoiled, blue and white Freightliner Argossy.
Well the Argossy has gone, to be replaced with a new Freightliner Coronado.
The Coronado bears similarities in design to the Argossy, right down to the aerofoil atop the cab (which we thought may have been transplanted).
"No, I built everything new on this one," he said.
"I painted it at home and had the handpainted pin striping done by Total Fleet Imaging.
"We made new steps, moved the tanks forward to be level with the back of the cab, extended all the guards, built drop-down panels along the bottom, fitted different exhaust and shields and a different sun visor, as well as different wings at the back.
"We've been going flat out on it for six months."
Mike states his reasons for buying the Freighliner product as being: "Nice and comfortable, reasonably priced, good tare weight, good wide cabin with plenty of room inside - especially with the high roof. Plus I know the product inside out as I drove my dad's for years. There hasn't been much that I haven't pulled apart and put back together."
A one truck businessman, Mike reckons it's enough to support the family and hopefully put his three kids through University.
The winner of Best Truck of the Show was a 2013 Kenworth K200 owned by Anthony Latorre from Hoppers Crossing.
Darrell from TransArt in Bendigo did the spectacular paintwork from an idea of Anthonys.
At 23, Anthony has been driving nearly four years, since age 19.
Starting out in heavy rigid, then driving with signs on with dad, he headed straight into a B-double.
This was the first time Anthony had been at the show with one of his trucks and he didn't expect to walk away with the major prize.
"I'm a bit blown away by it," he said.
Not half as much as the admiring onlookers of his artwork on wheels were.


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While our team members may have taken different paths to joining us, they all share in a depth of expertise and a devotion to helping you, and your family, achieve your long-term objectives.
Richard A. Gartelmann Jr. currently manages the Bank's Wealth Management Division. With over 20 years of trust and investment experience, Rich co-manages the Equity Common Trust Fund and the Fixed Income Common Trust Fund, co-manages major institutional accounts, and manages individual accounts.
Rich is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) professional. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Governor's State University, a master's of business administration from St. Xavier University, and has attended Cannon Trust School.
Rich lives in Frankfort with his wife Kathleen and his two sons. He is an avid golfer and loves to travel with his family and attend sporting events. He is also currently a board member of the Lincoln-Way High School District 210 Foundation Board.
Mike is a Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager with Old Second Bank's Wealth Management Group. With over 30 years of investment experience, Mike co-manages the Fixed Income Common Trust Fund and manages major institutional accounts as well as individual accounts.
Mike earned a B.A. in Economics from Marquette University and a M.A. in Economics from DePaul University. Mike was also an Economics instructor at Moraine Valley Community College. He has the designations Charted Financial Analyst and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.
Andrew R. Crouch is Senior Vice President, Head of Trust and Fiduciary Services, Trust Counsel at Old Second Bank. Andrew provides guidance to individuals and families regarding the preservation and transfer of their wealth over multiple generations. He focuses his practice on the development and implementation of trust, estate, wealth transfer, tax planning, guardianship, real property transactions, charitable planning, and fiduciary planning for high-net-worth individuals and families. He advises on several aspects of the fiduciary practice, including business growth, risk management, trust counsel, and account acceptance.
Andrew received his Bachelor of Science degree in History and American Studies from the University of Kansas. He also has a Juris Doctor degree from Valparaiso University School of Law. Andrew has been selected as an Emerging Lawyer in the practice categories of Trust, Will, & Estate Planning Law and Closely & Privately Held Business Law. Each year, fewer than two percent of lawyers under 40 years of age in Illinois receive this honor. In addition to his time practicing as an attorney, Andrew taught the course "The Laws of Property" as an Adjunct Professor. Andrew is admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois.
Mike Demski is responsible for development and management of client accounts, management of stock and asset allocation models, portfolio analysis, evaluation of mutual fund managers, and quantitative and qualitative security analysis.
Mike earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Northern Illinois University, has a FINRA License Series 65, and is a CFA Level III Candidate.
Edward J. Gorenz is a Vice President and Trust Officer with Old Second Bank's Wealth Management Group. With over 32 years of trust and investment experience, Ed manages personal trust and estate administration relationships, and is a member of several Wealth Management committees including Real Estate, Trust Administration, Discretionary Distribution, and Trust Investment.
Ed earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science in Finance degree from Northern Illinois University. He also attended Northwestern University's National Trust School and Southern Illinois University's Illinois Banking School.
Brad Johnson serves as a Vice President and Senior Investment Officer with Old Second Bank's Wealth Management Group. With over 10 years of financial industry experience, Brad co-manages the Equity Common Trust Fund, co-manages major institutional accounts and manages individual accounts.
Brad earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as well as a Master of Science in Finance degree also from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is a holder of the FINRA 65 license and has the designations Chartered Financial Analyst® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.
Brad serves his community as a member of the Board of Directors for the Sunnymere Senior Living Community.
Steve has over 20 years of investment experience managing investments for trust clients, high-net-worth individuals and institutional relationships. He manages the Investment Team that is responsible for our investment strategy, market research, security analysis, and portfolio management. He also manages client portfolios and co-manages the Equity and Fixed Income Common Trust funds.
Steve has a B.B.A. in Finance, Investments & Banking and a B.A. in Economics from University of Wisconsin – Madison. He also has a M.B.A. from University of Chicago Booth School of Business and is a Chartered Financial Analyst®.
Steve is a member of the CFA Society of Chicago and of the CFA Society of Milwaukee.
Michele A. Morgan brings over 25 years of trust experience to Old Second. From simple to complex Estate and Trust administration, clients can trust that their financial matters will be handled in an efficient and expert manner. Michele also possesses expertise in the administration of Guardianships, OBRAs and Third Party Funded Special Needs Trusts.
Michele has achieved the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation from the Institute of Certified Bankers. She earned a B.A. in Management, with honors, from Benedictine University.
Michele is a past president and member of the Fox Valley Estate Planning Council and a member of the DuPage Estate Planning Council. Michele resides in Plano with her husband Chuck. She is an avid equestrian and loves to travel with her husband and friends.
Sandra Nies brings over 20 years of banking industry experience to Old Second National Bank. Ms. Nies serves as an advisor to high net worth individuals, families, and business owners. She is responsible for coordinating the efforts of a relationship based team that includes investment professionals, financial planners, trust services, and estate specialists. This approach ensures our clients receive relevant and professional advice in our delivery of a comprehensive Wealth Management strategy.
Sandra is a holder of the FINRA 65 license. She is in the process of earning a Bachelor of Science in Marketing Degree at Northern Illinois University. She is also a member of the Fox Valley Estate Planning Council.
Sandra lives in Crystal Lake with her husband and daughter. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and participating in various sports. She also enjoys traveling.
Sean O'Connor began his career with Old Second National Bank in 2008 as Trust Officer in the Retirement Plan Services Group and became a manager of the department where he's spent 13 years managing and developing the Client Management Team. He is responsible for the sales, marketing support and client relationship for the Old Second National Bank's Retirement Plans.
Sean is a graduate of Benedictine University with a bachelor's degree in business economics. He has over 30 years as a financial plan professional specializing in the analysis, design and implementation of innovative retirement plan solutions for clients ranging from 250K to 250MM in assets. Sean has held FINRA Series 6 and 63 designations.
Mary Randel currently serves as Retirement Services Trust Officer at Old Second National Bank. She is responsible for the delivery of exceptional customer service to bank clients utilizing the Bank's retirement plan product options. She possesses exceptional working knowledge of the Qualified Plan market. She has also worked on projects relating to non-qualified deferred compensation plans, stock purchase option plans, and 403(b) plans for the non-profit sector. Mary's specialties include: (1) Retirement Services: Multiple Employer Plans, Profit Sharing Plans, Compliance, and Pension Consulting; (2) SPARK Accredited Retirement Plan Consultant (ARPC) designation; (3) Client retention; (4) Asset management; (5) Employee communications; (6) Has held both Series 6 and 63 designations; (7) Over twenty years of retirement plan administration experience.
Andy Roche brings over 25 years of trust experience to Old Second. In addition to his role as Senior Vice President- Trust Officer, he also oversees taxes, trust operations and is the department's IRA expert.
Roche earned a bachelor of science in accounting with a business minor from St. Joseph's College and a master of business administration in finance from Benedictine University. He is also a graduate of National Graduate Trust School at Northwestern University, a graduate of DePaul Financial Planning Certificate, is a CPA, CFP®, and holds a FINRA Series 65 License.
Drawing on over 24 years of Trust and Investment experience, Jacqueline serves as a trusted advisor and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. She advises and guides high net worth individuals, families and business owners in the planning and management of their wealth. Utilizing our distinct and comprehensive approach she brings an integrated team of credentialed specialists to clients to provide advanced financial planning, investment and money management, tax planning, estate planning and administration, charitable giving and wealth transfer. This collaborative approach ensures our clients receive relevant and professional advice in our delivery of a comprehensive Wealth Management Strategy.
Jacqueline is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) professional. She earned a BA from Michigan State University and completed the Certificate Program in Financial Planning from DePaul University.
She is a member of the Financial Planning Association and the Fox Valley Estate Planning Council.
Yamilet offers over nineteen years of experience in the Financial Services Industry. Ms. Suarez serves as an Assistant Vice President and Wealth Advisor. For the first twelve years of her career, she formed part of Old Second Bank's Retail Banking Division. She has worked in trust and investments for the last seven years. As a Wealth Advisor, Yamilet provides high net worth individuals, families, and business owner's investment management guidance and advice. In conjunction with a team that includes various investment professionals, Yamilet helps you sift through the many options available to create a unique strategy that is tailored to your wealth needs.
Yamilet earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance degree, a Master's in Business Administration, and a Certificate in Finance from Northern Illinois University. Additionally, she holds the following FINRA registration: Series 65. She is in the process of earning her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. Finally, Yamilet is an active member of the Fox Valley Estate Planning Council.
Carolyn S. Swafford brings over 26 years of trust experience to Old Second National Bank. She handles a wide variety of personal trust accounts, including Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts, Guardianships, Estates, Special Needs Trusts, and Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts. In addition, Carolyn is the Land Trust and 1031 Exchange Trust administrator.
Carolyn is a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA). She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Illinois University in Human Resource Management. Carolyn is a past president and treasurer of the DeKalb Rotary Club and is the treasurer and Board Member of the Ellwood House Association.
Jacquelyn Volkert, CTFA brings 30 years of trust experience to Old Second. As a relationship manager and senior trust officer, she secures and manages personal and business relationships. She has overseen the Irrevocable Trust, Land Trust, IRA, and departmental trust operations.
Volkert is a graduate of Rockfort Business College, attended Bradley University, is a graduate of the Trust School from the University of Wisconsin and National Graduate Trust School at Northwestern University where she received her Certified Trust Financial Advisor (CTFA).
Old Second National Bank is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring your private information is secure. For your protection, do not send sensitive information such as account numbers, Social Security Numbers or private information through email.
Investment advisory and financial planning services may be offered through River Street Advisors, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Old Second National Bank. River Street Advisors, LLC is a registered investment adviser and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that any specific investment or strategy will be suitable or profitable for a client's investment portfolio. There are no assurances that an investor's portfolio will match or exceed any particular benchmark.
Not insured by the FDIC nor any govt agency; Not a deposit or other obligation of, or guaranteed by, the depository financial institution; Subject to investment risks, including possible loss of principal amount invested.


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H3Uni in Action
Building Global Capacity for Transformation
Participants mapped out what actions needs to be taken – with respect to capacity building – to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Global Transformations Conference
See this interactive map for the results of 350 global thought leaders who collectively explored the transformation of knowledge production and use.
Facilitating Biodiversity Futures
How can biodiversity conservation accelerate at the pace needed to bring human society into balance with the natural world? What is the shared vision for what we want to achieve and what will help us achieve it?
Transforming U.S. Governance
Participants worked in a number of online formats to gain better understanding of how to transform the governance in the United States.
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Visit our resource library for introductions to powerful thinking techniques, tutorials on H3Uni methods, and facilitation guides to supplement courses.
Join a conversation that matters held in small groups.


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|In stock:
|Item code:
Colour: Bright pink
Tasting Notes: Intense nose of rose petals, flowery rose aroma
Application: Teas, cocktails, sparklings, still wines and flavoured milks
The mystic, elegant rose has been named the "Queen of Flowers".
Throughout human history, it has stirred us with its beauty, filled our senses with its perfume, inspired our literature and art, expressed our love and sparked our imagination. In addition to the rich symbolism of the rose, the flower is appreciated as a fragrant ingredient in perfumes and a popular contemporary trend in cuisine.
MONIN Rose features all the fragrance and the elegant subtlety of the rose flower to accent your cocktails and desserts.


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Posts tagged chemical x
The Publisher/Game Studio Relationship
May 26th
Since the blog is called "Inside the Game Developer Studio," I should talk a little bit about what a game studio is.
A game studio is where the eternal dance between the money, the monkey, and marketroids takes place (that would be publisher, developer and marketing in layman's terms). Given those things and add an extra ingredient of Chemical X to the concoction and you will have a hit game on your hands.
More >


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Thursday, August 05, 2010
Chicken and Cheese Turnovers
I came across this recipe on Wanna Be Balanced Mom's website and thought it looked absolutely delicious! It was right up my ally. I absolutely love any dinner that calls for chicken, veggies and cheese all wrapped up into a baked pie crust. I absolutely had to try it. I had all of the ingredients in the house so it was easy to whip up. I did end up swapping out the corn for broccoli because I just love broccoli and cheese anything. Having a recipe that doesn't require an extra trip to the grocery store is also a bonus! I ended up using Velveeta since I had that in the fridge, however, any type of shredded cheese will do.
Chicken and Cheese Turnovers
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 11-ounce can corn, drained or small bag of frozen broccoli
1 10.75-ounce can cream of chicken soup
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 15-ounce package refrigerated Pillsbury pie dough
1 large egg , beaten
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
[1] Place the chicken breasts on a small, rimmed baking sheet or pie pan and drizzle with olive oil. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool and cut into small cubes. You can also use a cooked rotisserie chicken or canned chicken if that makes life easier for you! I chose to cut up the raw chicken breasts into cubes and cooked them in a pan on the stove top. Saute until no longer pink on the inside.
[2] In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, your veggie of choice, soup and cheese. Unfold the pie crusts, according to package instructions.
[3] On a lightly floured surface, roll each pie crust into a 13 inch circle and cut into quarters.
[4]Spoon about ½ cup of the chicken mixture along one straight side of each quarter, about 1/2 inch from the edge.
[5] Brush the edges with egg and fold other straight side of the quarter over the filling.
[6] Seal the edges with a fork. Prick turnover several times with a fork. Brush egg over top of crusts and sprinkle with poppy seeds. I didn't have any poppy seeds so I went without.
[7] Place each pocket on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pockets are golden brown. Serve immediately.
As you can see below, mine did not turn out as pretty as the picture above but you get the idea!!!
Another great feature about this meal is that you can freeze it and save it for another time. To do so, just wrap each pocket with plastic wrap and place them all inside a large ziptop freezer bag. Seal the bag and affix the cooking label. Lay flat in the freezer. When you are ready to enjoy them:
[1] Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
[2] Unwrap each frozen pocket and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pockets are golden brown. Serve immediately.
12 comments :
ooh, how cool!!! I love that you added broccoli instead, that sounds yummy!ReplyDelete
here's another recipe you would totally love... this is from my friend Gia at fatcontrolfreak.blogspot.com. It is so good!!!ReplyDelete
Chicken Puffs- aka the Love Muffin
Makes 4 Puffs
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package light cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp melted butter, optional (I always melt a few tablespoons to help with mixing)
1 tube reduced-fat crescent rolls
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
-Preheat oven according to crescent roll package directions (usually 375)
-Cook and shred chicken (I just boil it)
-In a small bowl, combine shredded chicken, cream cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder and melted butter and mix throughly.
-Open the tube of crescents and assemble into 4 rectangles. Pinch seams to
gether like this:
-Spoon the filling equally onto the middle of the four rectangles. Bring
the corners of the rectangles together to form little packages. Pinch the corner
s and the seams together so none of the yummy filling oozes out
while baking.
-Pop in the oven and bake until golden brown. Be careful not to burn the bottom, because then it becomes a tragic loss of a batch of Love Muffins.
-Serve with your favorite sides!
Ummm those look delish! (even at 9:30 in the morning!) I may have to make those soon!!ReplyDelete
These looks so great! I love all things cheese and broccoli too. Once Asher's allergy clears up or I stop BFing him and am back on dairy I'm totally making these!ReplyDelete
Your chicken and cheese turnovers look so yummy! I can't wait to try out your recipe.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous11:19 PM
This sounds so good!! I always forget to take pictures of my meals for my blog.ReplyDelete
Karen these look divine! :)ReplyDelete
Looks yummy! We will have to try these. Looks kid friendly and is everything they like...expect maybe the broccoli! Littliest and I do butnot The Hubster or Oldest.ReplyDelete
Hi Karen! I just found your blog from my blog and I love the recipe you posted! My 14 month old will only eat things covered in cheese so this is perfect! I love to cook but I'm starting to have to really branch out to get creative with cheese! :) Love your blog!ReplyDelete


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Morning glories,
Writing to you from our king-sized bed this beautiful Sunday morning. The balcony door is open to the world beyond and there is a tickly little breeze blowing in. Just enough to keep our room cool and to have the tops of the trees I can see from this vantage point bouncing about ever so slightly. I can see the reflection of the Franklin Mountain peaks in the glass panes of my French door. And the sky is cloudless and blue. It is going to be a glorious day.
For Spiritual Sunday, 09.2018, I am going to share the writing I did on another of the meaningful prompts from my Bible study workbook 101 Prayers and Affirmations for Spiritual Wellness by my friend Mary Clewley. I did this same thing last month in my Spiritual Sunday post, writing then about a prompt on negativity. It was therapeutic for me to write about negativity vs positivity and pessimism vs optimism. Hope somehow it gave you something to think about, too. You can get to know Mary through her webpage and blog at Hope Filled Living, and follow the SHOP tab at the top to have a look at her wonderful books.
Spiritual Sunday, 09.2018
Prayer and Affirmation
For my quiet time on 09.21.2018, Mary asked that we reflect on how bitterness and rage are toxic to the soul. This is the prayer she began with:
Dear God, please remind me that while expressing my anger, bitterness, rage and hate may temporarily make me feel better; this does not mean that i no longer carry them with me. Lord, I realize that those feelings and emotions re toxic to my soul. Please help me put them into proper perspective. Help me to work through the things within myself that would cause my eye to hurt my soul. Amen.
The affirmation for the day: I forgive others and myself.
My Bible study from Jesus Calling had me read 1 Kings 19:12 NKJV and Psalm 5:3.
Psalm 5:3 reads:
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Funny, I always look up when I pray. Even in church…the pastor will ask us to bow our heads and I raise mine!
Letter to God
Then we were asked to write a letter to God about forgiveness. Here's what I wrote:
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are quite amazing in Your infinite wisdom. The way You work all things to come together. When I saw the direction above to write You a letter about forgiveness, I thought…who do I need to forgive? I have forgiven – or let go of many of my big, life-changing hurts and wounds.
But then I realized one person still needs to be forgiven and loved. Matthew (my step-son who lived with us for several years before moving to Iowa where his mother lives) Paul needs and wants him in his life. And we need to work on making that happen more often.
Today, as I dusted, Matt's photo fell over. And the other day Paul mentioned he would like Matt to come for a visit (when I asked PC what he would like to put on our autumn bucket list). This morning, I had a message from my friend Martha saying her son didn't get accepted in to the Air Force…he had childhood asthma…we have been waiting to hear if they would accept him. Matt applied, too, and had asthma as a child. Maybe he didn't get accepted either (we don't hear from Matt very often so really don't know where he is in life).
God help me forgive Matt (for troubles in our past) and forgive myself and to reopen a space for him in my heart.
Morning Pages
Along with my workbook, and my Bible reading, I am writing "Morning Pages" – thoughts on life, during my quiet time. The idea for the Morning Pages comes from Julia Cameron's book It's Never Too Late To Begin Again. I like to write so doing so each morning is right up my alley (pun accidentally intended!). And on 09.21.2018, my Morning Pages were about Matthew and me.
Without going into too much detail right now, let me give you a little bit of background. When PC and I met in 2003, my daughters, ages 18 and 16, were living at home and his daughter, 14, and son, 9, were living with him. His daughter really struggled after her parents' divorce and wound up in some pretty serious trouble. Eventually, she moved to Iowa to live with her mother. My Prince retained custody of Matt. In 2008 when we married, Lauren was still living with me and Matt with Paul. We tried to blend out families but it was difficult. Several years into our marriage, Lauren moved to Houston to live with her boyfriend-now-husband and to finish graduate school. Matt graduated from high school without a plan from there going forward. That rubbed me the wrong way. I expected him to start school – PC was willing to pay – and get a part-time job. And being a tougher disciplinarian, I also wanted his room picked up, dishes in the dishwasher, laundry done promptly. After 2 tough years, my step-son moved out. First with friends locally, then to Iowa to be near his sister and mom. He hasn't been back to visit and he and his dad don't communicate much. We have seen Matt several times when we have all gone to Ohio to visit my in-laws, though, and our relationship is still rocky.
That day for my morning pages I wrote that my Bible study said I should listen for a small still voice from God. And I think I heard it.
The first of September, Matt wrote a post on Facebook saying he was thinking of making a trip to El Paso. Paul asked his plans but Matt wasn't very forthcoming and we haven't heard anything more.
Earlier in the week last week, I had asked PC for suggestions of activities on my autumn bucket list and he mentioned having Matt come for a 3-day visit. Then when I dusted our bedroom furniture, Matt's photo kept falling down. Later that same day, I received the message I mentioned above from my friend Martha. And realized Matt may not have been accepted in the military.
On 09.21.2018, when I read the assignment to write a letter to God about forgiveness, Matt came to mind. I wrote:
I need to forgive him and myself for the troubles in our relationship in the past. And if Matt wants to visit and Paul wants him to, then that needs to happen. And I will be open to that.
Here are a few photos of Matt when he was still living with us.
When I checked Instagram yesterday, the app listed several people I might know as potential connections. One of them turned out to be Matt but under an abbreviated form of his name. There were some videos on his account that are concerning. I showed it to PC and then we were both concerned. We talked today and have decided to invite Matt to visit for Thanksgiving. Hoping that having time with his dad will help Matt find some direction for his future and will repair their relationship. Will update you when I know more.
This Month's Little Miracles and Gratitude
Bringing this list to you straight out of The Simple Abundance Journal of Gratitude gifted me by my sweet, sweet friend Carrie at Curly, Crafty Mom. Some of things I was grateful for in September:
- Swimming in our pool
- Quiet Sunday together
- Traveling mercies for PC on his trip to North Carolina
- Putting myself first by signing up for some activities while my Prince is gone
- The foundation my parents gave me growing up
- Beautiful night sky and falling stars
- Good phone conversations with PC
- Permission for Paul to evacuate North Carolina before the impending hurricane
- My brother calling BINGO for the seniors at my mom's apartment complex
- Clean kitchen cabinets
- My mom called me for entertainment when her TV was out
- Reading with Cady and giving Lucia a bath using Skype
- Paul is HOME
- The 10th anniversary of our marriage and home blessing
- A fun night listening in our hot tub listening to music and playing "Name that Tune"
Your Turn
Have you ever listened for God's still small voice? I think we get so caught up in praying and asking for what we want or think we need, that we forget to listen. I am trying to use my quiet time to do more listening.
What were you grateful for in September? Won't you share in a comment below?
I am grateful for your friendship. Thankful that you stop by and say hi when you do. Wishing you peace in this first week of October.
Hugs and kisses,


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Maide Gamaschen, Manschetten und Schmuck Unikate Maide Spats, Gaiters, Guetres and Unique Fashion Jewelry Art, Fashion, Edwardian, Victorian, Gothic, Modern, Classic and much more .....
24. August 2009
New Mucha Art Spats :-)
...but sorry...these are sold ;-)))
I made them for my very best customer and she also Mucha adiccted...like me ;-)
These spats are realy very special and create with lot of antique laces and
embroidery work.
I love them !
21. August 2009
19. August 2009
13. August 2009
New Project with great artists :-)
Collaboration with Fashion Stylist Lisa Pfasch and Photographer Kurt Salhofer and
....bid of me ;-)))
Thank you for feature my work at this way !!!
Past Project with great artists :-)
Maide, Maria Mann and Lilya Corneli collaborated!
With the highly exclusive handmade spats of Maide (Munich, Germany), Maria Mann did several selfportraits and series with Lilya Corneli.
10. August 2009
Mucha Love Spats
This creation is one of my first Mucha spats i made.
There are lot of lovely lace, trims and pearl-embroidery work on it.
I sell them now in my Dawanda Shop ...enjoy :-)
My Shop....MUCHA SPATS
9. August 2009
Fridas Kleider
There is a book about Frida Kahlo and her stunning clothings i realy want to buy.
Two years ago i made some spats... inspired by Frida Kahlo and i think i want create more spats like this.
This fall i will create some unique Frida spats...yes :-))))
Abonnieren Posts (Atom)


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Whether you're a new business owner or a seasoned corporate distributor, Ecommerce can have its rewards — and its obstacles. While manufacturing, retail and tech companies may differ in industry, each encounters a problem that can easily be solved with Omnicommerce.
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© BirdDog Software Corporation Oct 2016


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Hey guys and welcome back to another hacking video on Roblox. Today I'm going to hack my good friend Lizzie. Her Roblox character is already pretty cute, but I feel like it could be made a little better… So let's try get into her account!
Lizzie's Channel: http://www.youtube.com/LDShadowLady
Make sure to hit the subscribe button if you're new to my channel, leave a like if you enjoyed the video and click the bell to become a part of the NOTIFICATION SQUAD! If you're already in the SQUAD let me know in the comments!
Roblox (stylized as RŌBLOX) is a MMOG created and marketed toward children and teenagers aged 8–18. In the game, players are able to create their own virtual world, in which they or other members may enter and socialize within the blocks of varying shapes, sizes, and colors. Games on Roblox can be scripted using a sandboxed edition of Lua 5.1 to affect events that occur in-game and create different scenarios.
Vlog Channel: http://www.youtube.com/missyammyx
Merch: http://www.redbubble.com/people/yammyxoxmerch/shop
Amazon Wishlist: http://www.amazon.co.uk/registry/wishlist/18LBMM9R0NCEQ/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_ws_UQ8ztb1MC4P8A
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/yammy_xox
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Like me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/yammyxox
Video Rating: / 5


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bank term loan
Use bank term loan in a sentence
" The bank term loan was used by the company who needed the extra funds to ensure they would push their app to the market. "
" You should always make sure that you will be able to pay off a bank term loan on time so you don't ruin your credit score. "
" The next step in order to get her new product off of the ground was to request a bank term loan, allowing her to build rapport until she could find investors. "


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Trinity Maths has been developed within Trinity C of E High School, Manchester a DfES 'Leading Edge' School
Contains a vast range of Starters, Main and Plenary activities for use with all types of interactive whiteboards
Develops pupils' calculator free, calculator friendly and calculator focused maths skills and boosts performance in SATs and GCSEs
About the Product
Trinity Maths has been developed within Trinity C of E High School, Manchester a DfES 'Leading Edge' School
"Maximizes the power and potential of the ICT, the successful teacher and the pupil."
After 15 years of research & development, Version 3 of this BETT Award nominated programme now addresses the broader, deeper, increased demands of the new National Curriculum and new GCSE (9-1). It contains a vast array of versatile teaching content which can be used within all phases of the mathematics lesson. The activities engage and enthuse pupils and empower teachers with an intuitive and highly effective resource which is a delight to teach with and inspiring for pupils to learn from.
"...multiple clue buttons provide differentiation to include lower ability pupils."
Activities support differentiation through annotations and methods and are adaptable for extension and enrichment work. Trinity Maths incorporates classic traditional and new innovative approaches to teaching all topics at all levels of ability. It greatly complements algebraic graph plotting and dynamic geometry software most schools already successfully utilise.
"...extension and enrichment activities address the needs of gifted and talented pupils."
With Trinity Maths, the potential for teachers to skillfully interact with content embedded with true mathematical integrity is fulfilled enabling them to teach in a dynamic, investigative and explorative style. The diverse learning experience encountering multiple perspectives, processes and activities this provides represents a secure path to mastery and beyond for students of mathematics.


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November 15, 2010
Posted by Danny
Sweary Heaven…
WARNING: Contains Profanity. Good, eh?
Nearly everyone can remember in their youth being told by some self-righteous authority figure that "swearing is neither big nor clever". While that may be true, the combination of age, experience and a healthy dose of liberal open-mindedness does bring the happy realisation that swearing is generally fucking funny and whomever told you otherwise was more than likely a humourless cunt (unless it was either of your parents, in which case, they're lovely!). To prove this point, there are two humour books out this month – both published by Faber & Faber – which will find great favour with those of us who have an appreciation of creative profanity.
Now best known as The Guardian's amusingly-scathing TV columnist and as host of the similarly TV culture-mocking Screenwipe for the BBC, TVGoHome (Faber, £12.99) captures the earliest days of Charlie Brooker's venom-fuelled tirades against the mind-bending banality of modern TV. Originally a website which ran from 1999 to 2001, TVGoHome was a bi-weekly parody of Radio Times TV lisitings that was marked with an utterly brutal and very cruel streak of black humour. This, of course, made it all the more hilarious. Free of the various uncompromising content filters that come with working in very high-profile media outlets – as Brooker notes in his introduction to this new edition, "Back in 1999, things were different: it was just me and the internet." – TVGoHome is an opportunity to see what is essentially pure and undiluted Charlie Brooker as, frankly, there's no way in Hell that he'd ever be able to put out this kind of material now.
I was an avid reader of TVGoHome in its original online incarnation and revisiting it in print, you're struck by just how impressively fearless it was (although, on the other hand, it does give a good indicator of how much Brooker had to subsequently water himself down to achieve a mainstream audience). Yes, it's puerile and yes, it's frequently disgusting – notably on the Ralph Fiennes-starring film series "Widdleplop Farm" where Fiennes' beleaguered farmer Harold Walsh habitually finds himself embroiled in a shit-related disasters of apocalyptic proportions – but that doesn't lessen the razor-sharp satire on display.
On that front, a particular highlight was "Daily Mail Island", in which 100 men and women are placed on a deserted island with access to no media except The Daily Mail and where Brooker expertly lampoons the barely-concealed racism, sexism, elitism, overwhelming prudishness and sneering "Little Englander" attitudes that defines the paper. The books' ten pages of the islander's self-published newspaper is masterful stuff, replete with such headline gems as "Dark-skinned islanders "refuse to turn white"" ("Their respect for authority is non-existent.") and, reporting on a 15 year-old girl caught masturbating, "DEPRAVED BEYOND BELIEF!", followed one page later with the more abstract "Filth: awful, nefarious."
Far and away my favourite element of was his utterly-merciless attack on Soho media types thriving amidst the dot-com boom of the late 90's. With the hilariously-direct title of "Cunt", Brooker skewered the rampantly-narcissistic, tech-obssessed culture of prescribed cool – via the odious, empty-headed Trustafarian Nathan Barley, a classic comedy creation – with extreme precision and it's where Brooker's signature anger is white-hot. What made Cuntsuch a particularly-hilarious read for me was that I started working in Media right in the middle of Soho in late-1999, so I knew that Brooker wasn't exaggerating: these eminently-punchable fuckers really did exist… and they were everywhere, trundling along on their scooters clad in disgustingly-expensive "engineered" jeans. Unlike Daily Mail Island, time has dimmed Cunt somewhat and that was a problem that afflicted Nathan Barley, the 2005 TV series in which Brooker collaborated with Chris Morris: aside from the fact that it didn't quite convey Brooker's volcanic contempt and violent hatred of these "self-facilitating media nodes", it was simply five years too late. Even so, it still possesses tremendous bite and is one of Brooker's finest moments.
As much as I enjoy Brooker's current output – he's an incredibly astute commentator and a fine writer – I've always hoped that he'd produce more satire of this intensity. He was absolutely right to endTVGoHome when he did – when TV started producing startlingly-dumb shit like Touch The Truck, as he notes, "I realised that reality had trumped satire for good." However, TVGoHome's online content is preserved and easily available and this book gives a highly enjoyable dose of Brooker the young gun 'off the leash', as it were.
More recently, a new gold-standard of swearing has come courtesy of Armando Iannucci's wonderful and alarmingly-plausible political satire, The Thick of It. (There remains something startling about a BBC series that actually used the word "cunt".) While we impatiently wait for the fourth series, currently in development and doubtless being reconfigured following the departure of Labour at the last election, The Missing DoSAC Files (Faber, £12.99) serves as a supremely-amusing interlude as well as a primer for the forthcoming episodes. The Thick of It script book, published a few years back and which covered the first two series and the pair of specials, featured a hilarious addendum in the form of various e-mails from Malcolm Tucker's inbox, providing an added taste of "Platoon Daddy's" almost-poetic form of vitriolic abuse and manipulation. The Missing DoSAC Files essentially expands on that, the conceit being that the file is mostly Malcolm's personal collection of accumulated dirt on his colleagues and enemies, along with some odd miscellany, like a magazine profile on Malcolm, titled "Bad Motherfucker".
Crafted by the series writing team of Iannucci, Peep Show co-creator Jesse Armstrong, "swearing consultant" Ian Martin, Simon Blackwell and Tony Roche, the book offers up a glorious array of quotable lines and laugh-out-loud material. I especially liked Press Officer Jamie's observation of the prescription drug-addicted PM: "he's necked so many fucking pills, it's like someone let fucking Mama Cass loose in the back of Boots and shouted "Supermarket Sweep!""; and Lord Julius Nicholson's assertion to a potential post-election employer that "I know where the bodies are buried, I know who buried them, what they used, how they cleared up after, where they buried those implements in turn and what are the long-term consequences for the soil in that area…"
Of course, the prime attraction here is Malcolm's rhetoric and the book delivers some crackers from the man known variously as The Gorbals Goebbels, Malkiavelli, The Lying Scotsman, The Sassenach Assassin, The Great White Motherfucker, The Destroyer of Dreams, The Widow Maker and, er, Davina (?). There's some knowing plausibility in Malcolm's guide to Focus Groups ("The purpose of a focus group is TO GIVE THE ILLUSION THAT WE ARE LISTENING. It is NOT TO FORM POLICY") and some suitably blunt advice on Public/Private Behaviour ("There appears to be only limited acceptability in the South West for Felching"). Above all, aficionados of the c-bomb will find generous usage here (indeed, they've probably taken advantage of the book format for just that cause, as British TV is not yet at the point where you can have it in abundance…).
Intriguingly, a BBC proposal for a talk show hosted by Malcolm – rejected outright by Tucker in a letter strewn with "cunts" and a sign off I am definitely going to appropriate: "Enormous retards" – perhaps offers a glimpse of what Iannucci and co are planning to do with Malcolm now that he's out of a job and the centre of power. Malc's diary entry for April 4th shows him fully anticipating electoral defeat ("All we can do now is hope for a hung Parliament. And shit on the furniture…"). Would Malcolm stay around in Opposition? It'll be interesting to see how they forge Malc's future – in the meantime, The Missing DoSAC Files shows a man who can still handle a Fuckastrophe…


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If you open the live edit view in the Mevo app and the image appears to be pixelated or choppy, we have a few tips on how to resolve this.
- Check your network speed. If you are connecting the Mevo to the app using your local Wi-Fi or Ethernet, a slow speed or interrupted connection can cause this behavior. Be sure to use the Mevo Network Diagnostic Tool.
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- Move devices closer together. If your Mevo, mobile device, and any network equipment you are using (e.g. router) are more than 30 feet apart from each other, there is a higher potential for interference or slow communication. Keep them as close to each other as possible.
- Remove other devices from the network. If you are in an environment where the network you are using with your Mevo is shared among other devices and computers, there is limited bandwidth for your Mevo's connectivity to both your iPhone and its stream. Keeping your network limited to just the streaming equipment is a best practice for streaming in general.