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The UN has acknowledged its role in the cholera epidemic that began in Haiti in 2010. Through scientific evidence, the case was made that the particular strain of cholera present now in Haiti came from Nepal, presumably with Nepalese peacekeepers. The question remains: what could have been done to prevent this outbreak, and how can it be remedied now?
Part of the article is below. Click HERE for the full text.
The UN's Role in Haiti's Cholera Crisis
Sim Shuzhen, Asian Scientist Magazine
September 19, 2016
Together, the epidemiological and DNA sequence evidence made a solid case that the outbreak was imported from Nepal. Besides the moral and legal implications this conclusion may have for the UN, it also drives home the importance of taking precautionary measures to prevent future outbreaks.
Another study found that conventional measures such as diagnostic testing of personnel from cholera-endemic areas, vaccination, and chemoprophylaxis—the preemptive use of drugs to prevent disease—would have dramatically reduced the chances of introducing cholera to Haiti. In particular, chemoprophylaxis would have cut the probability of the outbreak by 91 percent—at the cost of less than US$1 per peacekeeper.
Will things change?
Now that the UN has admitted to a degree of culpability, will things change?
Click HERE for the full article.


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Quick Links
Sitar - Devabrata Chaudhuri, (6, 1-8)
The Artist
Pandit Debu Chaudhuri, Sitar
Founding Chairman of the Delhi University Culture Council
Retired Dean and Head of the Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, University of Delhi
Visiting Faculty at Maharishi University of Management
Pandit Debu Chaudhuri, one of the world's leading sitar maestros, has given concert tours all over the world, published over 40 papers, authored 3 books, lectured at more than 130 colleges and universities, and released numerous recordings. His most prestigious awards include Padma Bhushan, the highest musical award given by the government of India, and Sangeet Chudamani "One who has reached Perfection in Music", awarded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
Sitar - Devabrata Chaudhuri (6, 1-8)
Sitar - Pandit Devabrata Chaudhuri - 10pm - 1am
Raga Darbari-Kanhra: For Restful Quality of Sleep | MORE
Sitar - Pandit Devabrata Chaudhuri - 1am - 4am
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Sitar - Pandit Devabrata Chaudhuri - 4pm - 7pm
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subset: commoncrawl


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Three weeks after graduating from Parsons School of Design, Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai threw a backyard BBQ to show off the clothes they created from their Brooklyn apartments. Two years later they were in Vogue.
Taking their name from the vein that carries blood from the body to the heart, the California-born designers behind Vena Cava use their eye for aesthetics to create clothes inspired by family heirlooms, found objects and a wide range of personal tastes. With inspiration boards that have explored everything from the bold Italian designs associated with Ettore Sotsass' Memphis Design Movement to hieroglyphic and zodiac motifs of ancient Egypt, the label embodies a cultural awareness for haute design movements and thrift store treasures that trickle down to arty clothes girls look cute in.
Since their 2003 launch, Vena Cava have expanded from a small line, largely supported by family and friends, to a versatile and consistent brand that has dressed everyone from Brittany Spears to Natalie Portman. As two-time CFDA /Vogue Fashion Fund finalists, the designers have collaborated on collections for a handful of mass-market brands that include the Gap, Bloomindales and Via Spiga. They recently launched their more affordable Viva Vena line and plan to incorporate non-garment based products like books and films into their burgeoning lifestyle empire.
MARC SANTO: When did you start Vena Cava?
LISA: We went to Parsons together. At the time, Parsons would pick ten people to show their senior collections and we didn't get picked. We were frustrated because we worked so hard and didn't have a forum to show our work, so we decided to make a collection anyways and have our own fashion show. Our line technically started two weeks after graduation in 2003. We chose the name Vena Cava because we didn't want to use our own names in case we failed. It's also an enigmatic word that looks good on paper.
MARC: What drew you to fashion?
SOPHIE: In high school I was a theater dork, but generally artsy and always loved fashion and made my own clothes. When I went to art school, fashion seemed like a way to do something creative that I could actually turn into a profession. You can always make art on the side, but this seemed like a way to get the most from my education. I find it gratifying because clothes have the amazing power to change the way a woman feels. They can completely change her mood and how she feels about herself, which is such a cool thing to be able to design for someone.
MARC: What are you doing differently with your aesthetic?
SOPHIE: Our aesthetic is basically us. It's the way we dress and the way our friends dress. It's a mixture of vintage, hand-me-downs, designer pieces and grandma's jewelry. We really design things that our friends would buy.
LISA: Most of the designers on our level who are receiving attention are male designers, and I think men design completely differently for a woman. We're less trend-driven and a lot less age-specific. It's boring to design clothes for women with the body of an 18-year-old.
SOPHIE: We spend a lot of time at the library looking at art history, design and textile books. Last season we developed an aesthetic inspired by Memphis Design, Art Deco and things like Bauhaus. We mix our interests with the inspiration we get from our friends and people in general.
MARC: A lot of celebrities have worn your clothes. Does that matter to you?
SOPHIE: We've had a range of people from Woody Allen's wife to Brittany Spears and Maggie Gyllenhaal. It's cool to see, but it's most satisfying to me when our friends like something we make.
LISA: Personally I don't think it's that important if Paris Hilton wears our clothes, but it's important to consumers, which makes it important to stores. They use it as a tool to promote sales because some people need that as directive of what to buy.
MARC: What are some of the more innovative things happening in fashion today?
SOPHIE: The idea that brands are becoming less about just making clothes and more about making products that are extensions of their brand is really cool. Exciting brands like Opening Ceremony and Acne are constantly creating different products that aren't garment-based. It's really creative and makes people want to be in on the story and participate in the lifestyle they're creating.
LISA: Our last show was '90s inspired, so we did a zine called Zina Cava and got a lot of contributions from very talented and creative people. We've done small projects like these and are always looking to do more. There's been a trend over the last couple of years with designers our size designing for places like Target and Gap, but I think it would be really cool to collaborate with designers like Alexander Wang or Philip Lim, who are at the same price point as us.
SOPHIE: Collaboration would be a really cool thing because it would help develop a community. It doesn't happen in fashion the way it does in mediums like film or music, where artists work independently and then collaborate on a project together. The New York fashion scene is cutthroat and most people just stick to their own path, but it would be fun to bring groups of designers together and create a movement.


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"If the Earth gets hit by an asteroid, it's game over. It's control-alt-delete for civilization."
Nye, who is best known for his public television show "Bill Nye, The Science Guy," has some deep ties to the space community, including being taught by Carl Sagan while studying mechanical engineering at Cornell. He is also one of the founders of The Planetary Society.
And, as chief executive of the Society, Nye is taking on none other than the Obama administration over proposed cuts to NASA's budget.
In an extensive interview with CNN published June 2, Nye outlines myriad reasons why NASA's budget should not be cut, not least of them being that "investment in space stimulates society."
Nye is not alone when it comes to pushing lawmakers and the administration to increase, rather than slash, funding for space exploration. In a speech that took the Internet meme machine by storm, astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson made an empassioned plea to congressional lawmakers, advocating for greater NASA funding and asking, simply: "How much would you pay for the universe?"
For Nye, space exploration speaks to two of mankind's most basic questions: "Where did we come from?" And "Are we alone?"
To quit that exploration, says Nye, is to potentially miss an opportunity to "change the way you think about your place in space."


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Earl Grey tea has its roots in British history a tea named after the generous British Prime Minister who received bergamot-oil spiked tea from the Far East. Today the tea is commonly found alongside the classic English breakfast and other assortments and can be served either with or without milk and cream. Still Earl Grey tea isn't only found at the tea table; it's commonly used medicinally as to cure a number of illnesses including the cold and flu and has many health benefits that may just encourage you to add it to your tea basket. If you're often depressed anxious or seem to run a fever more often than not here are a few reasons to reach for a cup of Earl Grey tea:
Earl Grey Tea is an antidepressant bergamot the key ingredient in Earl Grey tea is often used to treat depression. The Crystal Garden in Florida reports on the aromatherapy benefits of bergamot. It is used to treat depression stress tension and fear and consuming it in tea form may offer some soothing and relaxation during troubled times.
Earl Grey Tea as an Antioxidant black tea has long been consumed for its antioxidant properties and Earl Grey is just one of black tea that works well in complementary medicine. Antioxidants are important for reducing the amount of damaging free radicals in the body so consuming just one cup per day could ward off infection disease and illness.
Earl Grey Tea as a Fever Reducer the American Botanical Council reports on the history of bergamot in Italian folk medicine and the plant itself is grown exclusively along the coast of Calabria Italy. Bergamot is widely used to reduce fever and intestinal problems and may even improve digestion for a weak immune system. If you're suffering from a fever a cup of Earl Grey tea can provide instant relief with its soothing fever-reducing properties.


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Pleiades: The Seven Sisters (Messier 45)
The Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters or Messier 45, is a famous open star cluster located in Taurus constellation. The brightest stars in the cluster represent the Pleiades, the Seven Sisters in Greek mythology, and their parents, the nymph Pleione and the Titan Atlas. Messier 45 is one of the nearest star clusters … [Read more…]


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BAC KAN (VNS) — Thuan Mang Junior High School in Bac Kan Province has opened a boarding house, for disadvantaged students who live far from the school in Ngan Son District.
The boarding house and its auxiliary facilities in the northern mountainous province cover more than 400sq.m. There are 10 bedrooms, four bathrooms, a yard and a common kitchen and dining room, among other facilities. The project can cater to more than 80 students.
The boarding house was built in about two months at a cost of VND2.3 billion (US$103,500), funded by the PetroVietnam Gas Joint Stock Corporation. The construction was completely quickly to allow the house to be opened at the beginning of the new school year on Saturday.
At the inauguration ceremony on Monday, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan, who is also Chairwoman of the National Fund for Vietnamese Children, said the boarding house would allow local students to pursue their studies, and expressed the hope that they would continue to study and take self-improvement efforts.
Thuan Mang is a particularly disadvantaged commune of Ngan Son District, with its population comprising ethnic minority people. Most of the local families are poor and live in remote areas.
Prior to the house's inauguration, 33 students of Thuan Mang School lived in rented rooms in nearby houses, while 33 others lived in makeshift tents. — VNS


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Local News: Asheville and HendersonvillePete Zamplas
Evans, Ager playfully joust in state house debate
The Agers run fifth-generation Hickory Nut Gap Farm. Bearded UNCA alumnus John co-manages Sherrill's Inn event venue. His wife Annie Clarke Ager is daughter of his "political hero," the late former U.S. Rep. Jamie McClure Clarke. Clarke represented the 11th U.S. District in 1983-85 and '87-91, preceding Charles Taylor.
Republican Kris Alan Lindstam, a UNCA student, challenges incumbent Democrat Susan Carscaddon Fisher in the leftward District 114 dominated by Asheville. Those two were not in the forum Sept. 20. The general election is Nov. 6.
Evans, who lives in Black Mountain, touts herself as a fiscal, social and constitutional conservative. She vowed that if elected she would support ongoing GOP legislative policies, such as for lower taxes and less regulation. "I want to keep on keeping on." She said in North Carolina, for the last year and a half the economy has sizzled in an "amazing turnaround. Small businesses create the jobs, and keep our economy moving upwards."
She is experienced in the corporate world. She was attache to the CEO and president of DuPont subsidiary Berg Electronics, Inc. She worked abroad in such cities as Paris, France, and speaks fluent French and German. She calls that chief of staff job the "most senior administrative position within the company."
She held five similar jobs as right hand to corporate presidents in Illinois, such as for Baxter Healthcare International. She was Discover Financial Service's assistant to the president in Chicago, earlier in this decade. Locally, she managed Tanner LLC in Black Mountain for the past four years.
Evans was among the first women to get appointed into the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. She worked as a Coast Guard oboist, after playing the obo with the Boston Symphony. She rose to become executive administrator of the academy foundation's board that included 12 admirals, and was led by then-Treasury Sec. G. William Miller. She and her family were stationed in Germany, Japan and Hawaii while her husband was an "ambassador" of sorts for the Coast Guard.
Evans lauded state job skill training that pairs companies with community college students, to plan jobs available to them after graduation. This is as long as the students train specifically in areas of the firm's biggest needs. They earn "technical certificates." In this way, "we invest in the future of our young people."
She said state policies have somewhat offset how during Barack Obama's eight-year presidency of costly business regulations, young adults economically had "less and less opportunities" and drifted farther from realizing the "American dream" of job stability and prosperity.
On her website, Evans said she wants a "better business climate — especially for those struggling rural regions that need it the most. I will stand with our law enforcement, veterans and blue-collar workers to ensure less government regulation…"
She also stated online she is running to "fire" Ager and ensure "our mountain values have a voice in Raleigh" and one who will "fight for them, and stand up to those who oppose free capitalistic markets and fiscally-conservative business practices." She also wants the state to help crack down on illegal immigration. She told The Tribune she declined offers of PAC donations and influence.
Another area of debate is over the state's portion of the tax on gasoline. Evans is leery of rising taxes. She called the onslaught of regulations "fundamentally unAmerican."
Many Democrats hope high gas taxes prompts people to switch from gasoline to electric or hybrid motors, for less emissions. Ager is for incentives for electric vehicles as part of "multi-modal transportation, especially in urban areas. He noted a legislative idea to "charge by the mile," to afford to "maintain our large road network. We have the second most maintained roads of any state." He supports I-26 expansion, among infrastructure upgrades.
While pro business/jobs was Evans' mantra, Ager espoused state assistance such as in health care in the debate. Ager strongly backs expanding Medicaid from the poor to many more residents in the state. He called it "unbelievable that we haven't done it." He reasons that "you don't really save money in the health care system, by not extending coverage" to more people.
But Evans was just as diligent in her opposition to "failed" government-handled insurance, at any level. She links wider Medicaid via the state with the federal Affordable Care Act that the GOP tabs as Obamacare, and chastised for resulting in higher premiums for healthier patients. "I think the Affordable Care Act is a failed policy of the previous administration" in D.C., Evans told the debate crowd. "I don't think expanding a failed program is the answer."
Ager pointed to need for such wider health care, also fairer districting and more "transparent" legislative activity as main needs. "We need to really conduct our business down there (Raleigh) more openly," he said. "When the government is not trusted, you really have a hard time leading the state."
He later explained to The Tribune that the California system he suggested for N.C. districting fills a special commission that the public applies to get on. Similar to jury selection, each political parties in the Golden State can toss out applicant finalists to lessen the panel's partisanship.
On teacher pay, Ager ripped the state for "shortchanging our teachers and our education system." He said, "We built the prosperity of this state on education," which he called the "great engine" to drive careers.
He said "we've got to do better" for teacher pay and benefits, closer to the national average. The National Education Association last year ranked N.C. 35th in teacher pay for 2016-17, up from 41st a mere year earlier. The Tar Heel State rose from ninth to fifth among 12 Southeastern states. On his campaign website, Ager also calls for "fully funding our schools" for textbooks and other supplies.
Evans said teacher salaries have soared 19 percent in the last eight years, under mostly unified GOP state rule. When asked about allocating some of the nearly $2 billion fund balance, Evans said she is against a request of retired teachers for greater pensions. "I said 'no.' That's not (an ongoing new expense what the 'rainy day fund' is for." Ager said "we just had the 'rainy day,'" with "expensive hurricane recovery."
Regarding spending to ease class size, Evans teased Ager: "Did you vote against that, naughty boy?" She said "I'm definitely for smaller class size, if we can do that without destroying the budget" with the added expense.
Ager suggested funding a teacher aide per classroom. He said he introduced a bill requiring all private schools be "accredited, to receive a voucher. There are some pretty sketchy schools getting state money."
Environment is among Ager's trigger issues. "John has stood up to polluters, and opposed fracking to protect our water and air," his website states. It describes him as a "strong, honest, thoughtful voice," and someone "fighting for everyday people and common sense."
When candidates could grill the opponent with a question, Ager chose the climate change which is among debates separating the two main parties. He said the Atlantic Ocean has warmed, linked that to hurricane formations and greater rain, and asked what the General Assembly should "do to mitigate the long-term consequences of climate change?" Evans sharply replied Hurricane Florence and other storms had nothing to do with global warming. She called for "preventative maintenance" spending, to help the coast better withstand hurricanes.
In turn, Evans made a comical inquiry and got Ager to grin and affirm that he indeed changed into more formal attire in a parking lot when on the go and rushing to legislative sessions.
In talking to The Tribune after the forum, Ager distinguished himself from fellow Democrat Turner on one issue. Ager noted he voted for the HB2 bill that passed, with Turner voting no. Ager called it Gov. Cooper's compromise on the issue of gender rights.
Rep. Ager told The Tribune that Democrat leaders pushed for those in his party to fall in line for votes merely about five times in the last two years. "The pressure within the caucus is not as bad as I expected. It's very unusual for them to say 'we need to have a (unified) caucus position."
The two District 115 candidates' websites are amyevansnc.com, and electjohnager.org. For more on activities of the two main parties in Buncombe County, check buncombedems.org and buncombegop.org.


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In Nature Oren Harman has a review up of Nature's Oracle: The Life and Work of W. D. Hamilton. It seems as if he gives it a B. Not enough science? Too much biography? For those who want more science and depth, Hamilton's collected papers are where you should start: Narrow Roads of Gene Land: Evolution of Social Behaviour, Narrow Roads of Gene Land: Evolution of Sex, and Narrow Roads of Gene Land: Last Words. These books consist of an alternating series of (auto)biographical sketches and scientific papers. Unfortunately Hamilton died before much work went into the last volume, so we don't get to hear him in his own voice. This is a shame, because the first two volumes place much of the science in fascinating, if not necessary, social context. The equivalent chapters for the last volume were written by colleagues and collaborators, but the outcome is not surprisingly more pedestrian. The second volume in particular is worth picking up because it is basically unedited Hamilton (his untimely death meant that the normal back and forth which would have slimmed down the verbosity and softened the candor was simply not possible).
But Hamilton is a man of enough stature that he makes more than cameo appearances in other works of scientific biography and narrative. He looms large in Defenders of the Truth: The Sociobiology Debate. You can find less sympathetic portraits of him in The Darwin Wars: The Scientific Battle for the Soul of Man and A Reason for Everything (the latter focuses on the Oxford School of evolutionary biology; you've heard of them). Robert Trivers remembers him fondly in Natural Selection and Social Theory, which has a format similar to Hamilton's own first two collections of short papers. Finally, he has a large role to play in Harman's biography, The Price of Altruism: George Price and the Search for the Origins of Kindness.
W. D. Hamilton is controversial because he had naked eugenicist sympathies. This was the norm among British evolutionary biologists before World War II, and continued to be expressed by some after, down to the present day. Richard Dawkins, who early on in his career in the 1970s could arguably be termed "Hamilton's bulldog," continues to carry that torch to some extent, though far less stridently. Part of the issue here is probably cultural, insofar as "positive eugenics" was much more prominent in Britain than it was in the United States or Germany, where "negative eugenics" was practiced (positive in the promotion of "good traits," negative in the selection against "bad traits"). From what I know Britain simply has a less traumatic history with state sponsored eugenics than other developed nations, so it is held in less bad odor.
But there's no point in diminishing the fact that Hamilton was a full-spectrum eugenicist. This is why Michael Ruse has used him as a foil in the past, as the sort of evolutionist who oversteps his bounds. And the reality is those who worry about "genetic determinism" will be horrified by some of the threads laced through Hamilton's ouvre (see the discussion of the "fascist paper" in the first volume of his Narrow Roads of Gene Land: Evolution of Social Behaviour). I believe this is why there is so much biographical coverage of Hamilton's life, as opposed to his peer John Maynard Smith. Unlike Hamilton, or E. O. Wilson, Maynard Smith was careful to equivocate or avoid delicate issues of social consequence, even if scientifically his own work may have supported explosive inferences. This is probably a reflection of his sophistication in non-scientific matters (he being an ex-Communist). In any case, both John Maynard Smith and W. D. Hamilton made important contributions to evolutionary genetics (in various ways both were responsible for the modern formal framework of inclusive fitness). The fact that the former did not encroach on the territory of the human sciences (something he expressively admitted being a conscious choice), while the latter did so without self-consciousness, does not impact their scientific contributions in the least.
Both these stances have their utility. Speculating or engaging in matters outside narrow disciplinary domains is not always beneficial to one's career (ask Robert Trivers), or to the subject matter at hand. And yet I believe that W. D. Hamilton's forays, if often misguided and naive, were important because he asked hard and unpleasant questions. At some fundamental level life is a unity. I do not want to leave bioethics to ethicists. Rather, it should be a joint project between biologists and ethicists, and to a great extent society as a whole. If so, then there needs to be a level of candor and frankness which is unrestrained by normal conventions of politeness or fear of controversy. Because of Hamilton's guileless nature he stepped into minefields constantly when he expanded beyond pure theoretical evolutionary genetic domains. And I think the world is better for it, because past experience tells us that hard questions are often the best, and at some point needful.
As an example of this Richard Dawkins is now broaching the issue of extensive cousin marriage among Pakistani Britons as a public health matter. Obviously there are social and political dimension to this question, but there are also genetic ones, and it is fitting that Dawkins should address those. As it is I suspect most scientists would rather not confront these issues, and be accused of "Islamophobia." But in inbred populations eugenics always comes into play, one way or another.


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Trading house Mitsubishi Corp. said Tuesday it has agreed with Dutch energy company Eneco to jointly build and run a wind turbine-based power generation facility off the coast of the Netherlands.
Mitsubishi will acquire a 50 percent stake in the Luchterduinen wind farm, located 23 km off the city of Noordwijk. It will have a generating capacity of 130 megawatts from more than 40 wind turbines. The wind farm will start generating power in 2015.
The turbines will be installed in a 25-sq.-km offshore area, an area five times the size of Tokyo Disneyland.


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This is my biggest painting so far. 80 x 58 inches. 203 x 147 cm.
In practical terms it meant some new approaches to my work with a new and bigger lightbox among other things. It was fun and just the size gives a nice impression.
Now this painting – which actually is my second self portrait – and the two latest before this one is going to be shipped to Arcadia Contemporary in Los Angeles and hopefully be shown in their booth at Art Market San Francisco april 27 – may 1


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The team provides both contentious and non-contentious advice to clients on all aspects of Licensing Law. The services on offer range from obtaining restaurant, hotel and pub liquor licences to securing the grant of protection orders and transfer orders for pubs and hotels. The team also acts on behalf of established pubs, restaurateurs, hoteliers, retailers and retail groups in the grant and renewal of licences. In addition to applying for provisional and final grant licences, the team also advises in respect of transfers, sales and purchases, objections, occasional licences and club licences. The team is responsible for advising clients on a regular basis on developments in licensing legislation and case law, in particular, to include the recent and continued proposals to reform liquor licensing in Northern Ireland.
What we do - Licensing
- Obtaining restaurant, hotel and pub liquor licences
- Dealing with liquor licence matters arising from the administration sale of companies that own pubs, hotels and restaurants
- Advising on the application for protection orders and transfers orders in relation to pubs, hotels, off-sales and other licensed premises
- Obtaining provisional and final grant of new licences
- Advising in respect of transfers, sales and purchases, objections, occasional licences and club licences
- Advising on licensing legislation
- Obtaining court orders for alterations
- Renewal of licences
- Applications for ancillary additions to licences
- Provision of regular updates to clients regarding proposed changes to the law regulating the sale and supply of alcohol in Northern Ireland
Gaming and Betting
We provide advice to clients from multiple jurisdictions on all aspects of Gaming and Betting Law in Northern Ireland. The team advises on the operation of lotteries and competitions in Northern Ireland under the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 and regularly advises how the Northern Irish legislation differs from that applicable in other jurisdictions. The team also drafts terms and conditions for lotteries and competitions conducted in Northern Ireland, including those which are conducted either fully or partially online.
What we do – Gaming and Betting
- Advising in relation to the compatibility of terms and conditions under the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 for lotteries and competitions which are to be run in multiple jurisdictions (for example, competitions run throughout the whole of the UK)
- Drafting bespoke terms and conditions for lotteries and competitions being run in Northern Ireland
- Advising on gaming and betting legislation, including what constitutes an unlawful lottery in Northern Ireland, general lottery offences, and what constitutes an unlawful competition
- Advising on how to operate lotteries and competitions legally in Northern Ireland, including advice on small lotteries, private lotteries and societies' lotteries
- Advising on advertisements used to promote betting and lotteries in Northern Ireland
- Advising in relation to the legality of on-line gambling in the Northern Ireland jurisdiction
- Providing updates to clients relating to the proposed reform of the laws on gaming and betting in Northern Ireland
What Others Say About Us
Chambers and Partners UK 2020
What the team is known for
Recognised practice group acting on a wide range of licensing mandates spanning the hospitality, casual dining and gaming sectors. Called upon for both contentious and non-contentious proceedings with notable expertise in regulatory matters.
Work highlights
Advised Belfast Harbour Commissioners on a liquor licence application for Marriott's first hotel in Northern Ireland.
Notable practitioners
Cathy Colton advises clients within the hotel and casual dining sectors on liquor and premises licence applications and renewals. She is also regularly instructed for her skill in the gaming field.


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Inaugural SMB Memphis
March 5, 2008
We hosted the inaugural Social Media Breakfast (SMB) Memphis this morning. A group of 14 professionals (plus 1 participating via ooVoo.com!) met to discuss ideas, ask questions and offer advice to one another—all focusing on the social media realm of communications.
This morning's networking "un-conference" used an idea inspired by Social Media Breakfast New York, which brought online communities to life in Memphis. Participants used their social media "tool kits," which included Post-It Notes, white stickers, two name badges and a pen, to create profiles along the wall of the dining room. On one nametag, people simply wrote their name—boring, huh? That's where nametag #2 came in! On the second badge, people wrote their "personal taglines."
Some included Twitter handles or blog titles, while some got more creative:
· "Sidekick #2"
· "My wife calls me…Einstein"
· "Social Media Diva"
· "Small business is BIG business!"
Just as online networking communities allow users to create a profile, the SMB Memphis networking community asked participants to create their profiles on oversized sheets of paper hung around the room. On those profiles, attendees could post messages and tags, just as in an online community.
***View photos of the profile fun***
SMB Memphis included professionals from LunaWeb, Inc., FedEX, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Southwest Tennessee Community College, the Small Business Chamber and entrepreneurs. All of these great minds came together and spoke freely about the various topics brought to the table, including the benefits of Twitter, a micro-blogging site, the dynamics of Facebook and the segmentation of professional and personal networking online.
Our first SMB was great, with a solid turnout and wonderful conversations. Fortunately, many attendees were eager to participate in sharing ideas and useful advice, which left little room for any awkward lulls in conversation! We're looking forward to next month's SMB Memphis, currently scheduled for April 2.
One Response to "Inaugural SMB Memphis"
March 10, 2008 at 2:32 am
[…] the very same thing when they threw LunaWeb's hat into the wring to host the inaugural SMB Memphis at the University of Memphis Holiday Inn last Wednesday. But I have a hunch that much like our […]


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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The widow of a district attorney who was believed stomped to death by his cattle 16 years ago surrendered to authorities Thursday on a murder charge.
The indictment charges Raynella Dossett Leath, 59, with first-degree murder in the 1992 death of William Edward Dossett.
Dossett Leath also faces a murder charge in the 2003 death of her second husband.
She was released on $25,000 bail. Her attorney, James Bell, said she will plead not guilty to Dossett's death, just as she as did to her second husband's death.
At the time of the district attorney's death, officials ruled he was knocked down and trampled by cattle in his pasture.
Morphine overdose?
But questions about whether he was drugged emerged in January during hearings about whether to exhume his body. A medical examiner testified that toxicology reports completed after the district attorney's autopsy in 1992 indicated he may have died instead from an overdose of morphine.
Dossett Leath is a former nurse.
Dossett had a surgically installed a morphine pump to treat pain caused by his terminal cancer, but prosecutors have said the amount of morphine found in his system was so high the district attorney likely would not have been able to walk.
"I hate it has taken so long a period of time to move toward resolution of Ed Dossett's death," said special prosecutor Richard Fisher. "Justice doesn't always move this slow, but at least it is moving forward."
Exhumation possible
Fisher said he expected to make another request to exhume the body, though he suggested other evidence has been uncovered by cold case investigators at the Knox County Sheriff's Office.
Dossett Leath is accused of fatally shooting her second husband, David Leath, a barber and lifelong friend of her first husband. She claims the retired barber committed suicide.
Prosecutors have said there are similarities between the deaths. Leath was found to have painkillers and antidepressants that were not prescribed for him in his system at the time of his death.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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The Whitest White Paint Color is . . .
What is the whitest white paint color? It's one of the questions I'm asked most often.
Here's the problem
I can tell you what white is the whitest out of all the major paint brands, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, Behr, etc. but it would take less than a minute.
With the exception of those who have taken my color training course, I do what nobody else in the color expert, architectural coatings and color consultant-designer realm knows how to do. I apply a color science called colorimetry to specifying color for the built environment.
If I were to show and tell you how I do it, we'd be done by now which means this blog post would be really short. The process is THAT simple, fast, and easy. No joke.
But Google and its SEO algorithms do not like short posts. Which means I have to milk this burning question, "What is the whitest white paint color?" for all it's worth.
So, I'm going to explain in detail the #1 thing NOT to do when trying to find the whitest white paint color and why.
Not my dog.
Am I right?
Need a reason to stick with me until the end besides how to find the whitest white paint color? Ok, let me ask you a question. Do you know what LRV is?
If you can answer yes, it's very likely because I'm the one who taught you what LRV is as well as how to practically apply your knowledge of LRV to specifying architectural color. After searching all of the interwebs, and maybe even skimming a couple color books or training manuals, you finally found my article and watched the video. Both explained LRV simply and clearly. Am I right?
You trusted me to teach you about light reflectance value and show you practical applications. Further, you have used what you learned. You have tapped into that well of knowledge about LRV for one reason or another or maybe you were able to teach someone else about LRV.
Now, I'm asking you to trust me again. We'll tackle how to find the whitest white paint color together. Knowing what not to do is as important as knowing what to do so maybe it's serendipitous that I need to write a longer post for Google and SEO.
The #1 Thing Not to do When Looking for the Whitest White Paint Color
Do not look at the list of colorants to try to determine anything about a paint color's characteristics. This is especially true when trying to find the whitest white. Using paint color formulas to determine how a color will behave is like trying to smell the color 9.
The chemistry involved, the consideration of the color of the paint base, the make-up of each colorant and how they all mix and interact is not only boring as hell, it's also an exercise in futility. It's futile because of what Bruce MacEvoy over at handprint.com calls substance uncertainty.
"Unfortunately, the color mixture "predictions" made by subtractive color theory are often inaccurate, because the light absorbing properties of a colorant are affected by its physical state — its particle size, transparency, density, dispersion or medium, the color of the substrate, the other colorants it is mixed with, the thickness of the color layer, and so on. I call these problems substance uncertainty: because of them, the color of ingredient substances does not determine the color of their mixtures. Often, colorants must be physically mixed in order to find out what their mixture color will be."
Chemistry Doesn't Discriminate
What Bruce said applies to artist's paints and architectural bases and colorants. Chemistry does not discriminate whether the mixture is for a can of architectural paint or an artist's palette.
I learned a long time ago that characteristics of architectural colorants are not uniform and neither are cans of base paint. Whiteness of paint bases varies brand to brand. Particle sizes within colorants also vary and some are more transparent than others. Some colorants are simply stronger than others and will dominate in the mix.
There's no way to predict which colorant – or what part of which colorant – will end up dominant or what will be completely overpowered and neutralized until you mix the color, let it dry, and look at it (or measure it).
Didn't take me long to realize that the only thing that matters in architectural color is what the color *is* when it's dry.
Time is Money
Repeat the paint color mixing process with the SAME substances eleventy-million times, and -sure- you might get to a point where you can predict what's going to happen with the SAME set of bases and colorants you've been working with.
Anything is possible but it's going to be long, drawn out, messy, and extremely fussy and for me, it was impossibly boring. Which is yet another reason why I love colorimetry, it's clean and simple. I don't even break out paint chips until the end of my color workflow process. There is zero fuss, zero mess and it's fast which means I have more time to spend on my business. My clients, marketing, networking, social media, admin work.
To be honest, I'm just not the crafty type. Going to Home Goods, Michael's or Hobby Lobby makes my teeth itch, the massive visual chaos of cheap shit is not my thing.
Delegating color mixing tasks to professionals who do it every day works better for me and my bottom line. In order to stay profitable as an architectural color consultant, I think it's smarter to leverage the tens of thousands of paint colors already mixed, measured for spectral data, tested for lightfastness, and weather.
No Jedi Mind Tricks
With all that said (you're welcome Google algorithms), I will never tell you that you don't need to learn something or tell you it's not necessary to know when it comes to color mixing theories, architectural color specification theories, color relationship theories, science or anything else about color.
Because that's not what a teacher you can trust does.
Maybe it's because I'm a Mom to two boys, I dunno, but influencing you to remain ignorant of something just because it's not "my thing" is disrespectful to your intelligence and fundamentally wrong in my book. The Mom in me says your horizons are limitless! No boundaries! Go for it, baby!
Or maybe it's because I am confident in my color expertise and so secure with what I have to share that I don't see different approaches to color as a threat to what I teach. I don't agree with most of them anyway and can articulate exactly why; they're just so disconnected from my color point of view I don't care.
I say if mixing your own colors and learning about paint color formulas makes you happy, then you should do it. My advice is read as many books and take as many courses about color from as many different trainers as you as you can.
Time to Find the Whitest White
Of all the color training courses available to you, we know none of them would approach finding the whitest white paint color – or color in general – the way I'm about to show you.
Color science, colorimetry, scares a lot of people because it looks super intimidating. It's not.
Like LRV is easy to understand and use, other points of colorimetric data are easy to understand and use too because the data is just a color's DNA or fingerprint – if you've read previous blog posts, you know this already.
The color data values we need to search for the whitest white paint color are called CIE L*a*b.
CIE L*a*b is a color space that includes all the colors we can see plus colors that can't be seen or made. It includes a lot of colors.
Next, we need a massive color library of paint brands to search for the whitest white paint color. My favorite is EasyRGB. No affiliation, they are simply a free online color resource that I trust and teach you how to use in Camp Chroma Online Training.
All I had to do on EasyRGB was enter the following CIE L*a*b* values to look for a color with a maximum L (lightness) value of 100 and no color. You can see the value entries in the screen capture below.
The result of my search for the whitest white paint color in easy-to-acquire paint brands is Behr's Ultra Pure White #PP100.
That's all there is to it. Told ya it was quick. Only thing left to do is summarize what we've discussed.
- Behr's Ultra Pure White is the whitest white paint color out of all the brands included in the EasyRGB library. (D65 Illuminant, 2° observer)
- Color science, colorimetry, color data whatever you want to call it is no more difficult to understand and apply than LRV, light reflectance value.
- Google's SEO algorithms can be a pain but are perhaps serendipitous after all. Suppose that depends on what you think of this post. (FYI, I have never once typed the word, "algorithms" without misspelling it.)
Your Turn
Why do you want to know what the whitest white paint color is? I'm curious, so do share.
Have you ever asked your paint store what the whitest white paint color is? What'd they tell ya?
What about reading paint color formulas to assess a color when it's wet, not dry – brilliant strategy or am I totally out of line saying that it's a tragic waste of time?
Looking for The Best White paint color for walls, trim and cabinets?
I designed one because I couldn't find *the* perfect white paint color already made in any of the brands.
Click here to get The Best White paint color.


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An Amish Winter By Amy Clipston, Kelly Irvin & Barbara Cameron. Normally, this book will cost you $4.99, Here you can download thousands of books in PDF file format for free without needing the extra spent money. Click the download button above or alternative link below to download thousands of books in PDF file format.
Home Sweet Home by Amy Clipston
(Previously published in An Amish Home)
Down on their luck and desperate after being evicted from their small apartment, Chace and Mia O'Conner reluctantly take Chace's Amish boss up on his offer to rent them the daadi haus located on his property. They are certain they will never feel at home in the rustic cabin without any modern conveniences, and they start to blame each other for their seemingly hopeless situation. But with the help of their new Amish friends, Chace and Mia begin to enjoy their cozy cabin and realize that home really is where the heart is.
A Christmas Visitor by Kelly Irvin
(Previously published in An Amish Christmas Gift)
Frannie Mast knows her parents have good intentions when they send her back to Bee County, Texas, to live with her aunt and her aunt's new husband Mordecai. After all, Frannie knows nothing can come of a relationship with Rocky, the handsome Englisch farm boy back in Missouri. But all bets are off when Rocky follows Frannie to Texas to plead his case.
When Winter Comes by Barbara Cameron
(Previously published in An Amish Gathering)
It's been too long since Rebecca put on her skates and flew across the ice. Five years have passed since a winter accident took her twin Lizzie and left Rebecca heartbroken. Ben has waited for her all that time, and at last she's starting to heal. But has too much time passed for their hearts to reconnect?


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After Hakone, Kyoto and Hiroshima, Osaka was a lot more… hectic. We went out to the old Expo area on the outskirts of Osaka to visit a Pokemon gym for Alex's birthday. I live in an old expo area back at home, so it was interesting to see what it was like in another city. Let's just say I'm glad where I live in Brisbane is nothing like this (except for the cool monorail system).
We spent ages just roaming the streets of the Dotonbori area, being overwhelmed by the lights, the sounds, the crowds, and all the food options.
On Alex's birthday I think we had the best ramen of the entire trip. It's hard to tell though, as I had so many damn good noodles the entire time.
While we were lost looking for food, we did see some awesome boats though. Obviously put on for us tourists.
Osaka castle was a definite highlight and not just because it was the only ancient structure we visited that had air conditioning (but goddamn it helped).
Tennoji was a great area to go walk around just for the colours, the obvious tourist traps, and the really dodgy porn areas in the side streets.
I was half asleep on the last Shinkansen back to Tokyo when I got a friendly tap on my shoulder from Alex in the seat behind. I FINALLY GOT TO SEE FUCKING MT FUJI. Even if we were zooming by at a few hundred kilometres an hour, I was stoked to grab a photo of the elusive mountain. In 2 trips to Japan now, I had yet to see it due to clouds.
It's funny though, as a few seconds later it was fully behind clouds again. We just somehow lucked out.
Back in Tokyo, Alex and I treated ourselves to cocktails from the top floor of the Park Hyatt Hotel, best known as the bar from the movie Lost in Translation.
We only had a day left and we had yet to murder each other, so of course we went our separate ways. I ended up out at Kamakura, a beach town near Tokyo. Rather unsurprisingly, it was full of hikes and shrines, so I was right in my element. It also included one giant Buddha statue, which I had a very hot walk through the inside of.
It was such a quick trip and we squeezed so much in. Yet there's so much more I want to see. Due to the ridiculous heat and humidity during our trip (I should have guessed summer was warm. Duh) I did a lot less wandering around and took a lot less photos than I would have liked. A lot of the photos I did take were just hazy due to the constant humidity mist. But hey, it was still an amazing trip with a friend I really don't see enough of.
I'm not waiting 9 years to go back.
Gallery of my last few days:


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Understanding to budget plan your money could be instead challenging, especially if you are just one of those obsessive customers, that appreciates purchasing and getting products that are impressive and new. Realizing that you should establish a spending plan is one of the initial steps in making a change for the better. One of the initial and a lot of difficult actions in budgeting your cash is to really set up the spending plan. Draw up every expense that you have for each month. Do not forget to consist of an amusement or assorted classification. If you do not specified apart cash for these sorts of items, you will discover on your own reducing on other regions in your budget to include the fun things that you want to do. When you have a checklist of all of the things that you will certainly need to pay for, you will should decide how much cash will certainly be set aside for each and every group and where income each of these will certainly be deducted from.
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Budgeting is a task of self control. Know that you are only damaging yourself if you do not stay with your budget, as you might not have money for all the expenses that you have for each month. By just spending what you initially intended to invest, you will feel much better and have pride in your capacity to spend just what is a need.
Understanding to spending plan your money can be rather difficult, especially if you are one of those obsessive buyers, that enjoys purchasing and picking up products that are brand-new and exciting. One of the very first and many challenging actions in budgeting your cash is to in fact specify up the spending plan. If you do not set apart cash for these kinds of products, you will discover on your own reducing back on other regions in your budget to make area for the enjoyable things that you desire to do. Purchasing for a week or 2 at a time could be a large aid, as opposed to shopping for a day or two, when it does not show up that you are investing a great deal of money, so you choose up extra added products.


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It might not have been the couth way to get his point across, but that's why we love Rex Ryan.
He's had his fair share of controversy and misfortune, including flipping off a heckler in Miami two years ago during a UFC event leading up to the Pro Bowl, but it seems that the Jets head coach makes a headline every week for some bold, preposterous statement or outlandish comment. This time around he's issuing an apology, but at his core, it's a non-issue.
And deep down inside, there's a little piece of us rooting for Rex.
While walking into the tunnel for halftime of Sunday night's blowout loss to the Patriots, the Jets head coach was seething. His team was only down 13-9 but had just displayed poor clock management late in the second quarter, leading him to tell NBC's Michelle Tafoya that the team burning their second-to-last timeout was "the stupidest thing in football history." So it wasn't the best time for a heckling fan to lean over the railing and tell Ryan that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick "is better than you."
Ryan's response of "Shut the [bleep] up" left little to the imagination and has already drawn criticism from the media and, most likely, will garner a fine from the NFL. But Ryan's ability to call it like it is, to look squarely into the face of an obnoxious fan clearly trying to get under his skin and to answer back, is him at his very core.
At no point did Ryan's brain tell his mouth to hesitate for a moment. As that four-letter word rolled off his lips, Ryan was doing what we all want to do everyday to the bullies we face — look them dead on and tell them exactly what we think of them.
The message may have been anything but G-rated, but it's the type of response we all have inside of us in a moment like that one. Rex embodies a raw emotion that endears him to his players and Jets fans. You may not have agreed with what he said, the words he chose or even how he said them, but chances are you love the fact that he did say it.
In his apology, Ryan seemed contrite and understood that his response was not appropriate for someone who is an ambassador of the game.
"I know I represent the Jets and I know it was a mistake. I apologize for it, Ryan said. "It's who I am sometimes. I made a mistake. I'm about as big a competitor as there is and at that time I was in no mood to hear anything, but I also understand that I have to handle that better."
Handle it better, yes, but change who he is? Not a chance.
This is, after all, the ball coach who openly cried before his team in 2009 when he thought their chance at the playoffs was gone. The same man who a year later in Foxboro was flagged for excessive celebration when he raced into the end zone to celebrate a touchdown with his team. The coach who, two weeks ago in Buffalo, lifted his hefty frame into the air to give wide receiver Santonio Holmes a chest bump along the sidelines after a touchdown is just acting on pure, unadulterated emotion.
Ryan is either a buffoon to those who hate him or an inspiration to his adoring, green-clad fan.
Either way, he's just being Rex Ryan.
Follow Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.


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Warm-ups commence at 8.15am, ready for a 8:30am start each Saturday morning of competition (09:15am for older children).
It is expected that most age groups will complete their 5 programmed events within the scheduled hour. This will depend upon age group size, events participated in, and level of parental assistance.
It is essential that athletes arrive on time to ensure they have an adequate warm up to prevent injury, and also to get through the program before it becomes too hot.


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Reports coming out of the Far East would suggest that CCTV (China Central TV) is regularly using footage from Western films and TV shows without paying any royalties.
Back in 2004, the then European Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson, made the same allegations but nothing was ever proved, largely due to the difficulties obtaining evidence from a state that still maintains such strict control over all forms of media.
In these times of social networking and mobile phones with cameras, however, it is much more difficult for government agencies to achieve a 100% lock down.
Now a few observers have commented online that some footage from a story about a People's Liberation Army training exercise featured an explosion from the 1986 blockbuster, Top Gun.
In a report shown on BBC's newsnight, an editor on the CCTV news programme that broadcast the "Top Gun" footage vehemently denied all charges of plagiarism - before speeding away with his best friends Goose, Maverick, Cougar and Merlin.


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Contact Us
Need assistance from our team?
We are always available at your service.
Feel free to contact us with any enquiries, questions or even suggestions you may have for us. We would love to answer them and assist you in all possible ways, as soon as we can.
We value our customers above everything else, and ensure that we would do everything we can to help you improve your business and take it to the top.
1250 Broadway, Suite 3600, New York City,
New York 10001, United States
Tel: +1 (646) 883 3408
Social Media


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CURRENT STATUS: Pre-CD Labor, Postpartum & Infant Care
BUSINESS NAME/AFFILIATION: Blessed Births & Babies LLC
SERVICES PROVIDED: Labor, Postpartum & Infant Care Doula
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What thoughts come to mind when you see a pregnant woman or brand new mom?: *
What is the best gift you can give a new mom (as a Doula)?: *
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Dogs can be extremely funny, and it's very good when people decide to share such moments with everyone on the Internet.
Here is a list of photos depicting dogs when they're happy, sad (or pretending to be so!), playing and doing things that seem to be weird: get ready to see dogs trying to put their friend into a toilet, a dog-the-seal, a dog standing in a queue and much more! These pics are really worth looking at!


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No comment about the current state of the United Church of God, Felix??? Don't worry, I'll try to work on something with more detail but I think J of Shadows of WCG has some good stuff and has done a great job. The blog Ambassador Reports has also pulled it's weight too and there a whole host of others that are not giving the protectors of Armstrongism an even brake and I salute them all to keep up the good work.I don't want to dwell too much on it but this means I do not care the people in them. I do. This is the "light side of the force" in me that I can be humanitarian. My heart is very concerned and it is my hope and prayer that in 2011, the people in the UCG whether they are lay or clergy will finally have their patience run out and have the testicular fortitude to come out of this spiritual Babylon. As I have mentioned before, alternatives do exist and they should be examined.
This leads me where I really want to speak about. On this blog I have spoken a little bit about a scholar who specializes in the Hebraic roots of the Christian faith by the name of Dwight Pryor who leads the Centre of Judaic Christian Studies. I have advertised his Feast of Tabernacles celebrations on this blog a few times and have linked to some insightful articles from his ministry. Doug Ward of Grace and Knowledge fame had these kind things to say about Dr.Pryor: "I highly recommend the Center for Judaic-Christian Studies, the teaching ministry of Dwight A. Pryor. I think of Dwight's congregation, the Church of the Messiah in Dayton, Ohio, as a model for what WCG could have become (Editor's note, sadly that ship has sailed both for the WCG/GCI and the UCG). Dwight teaches about Jesus and Paul in their first-century Jewish context. He upholds the teachings of historic Christianity and at same time brings out the value of Hebraic traditions like the Sabbath and biblical festivals. He's a balanced, inspiring Christian teacher."
Yes, I want to link you up to his site again and be inspired. He has an audio presentation discussing The Book of Hebrews. I hope all will enjoy it and be furtherly enriched by it.


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Home Decor Stories Week of Aug. 12-16, 2013
Find Out Why the Roosevelt Hotel Is Hollywood's Favorite Spot
- Take a peek inside LA's famous Roosevelt Hotel
- No green thumb? No problem.
- We never knew drawer liners could be so much fun (but actually . . . )
- How to keep neutral away from snooze-ville
- Take your office from stuffy to stylish
- Try shopping the surreal with MoMA's new Fall collection
- We're currently coveting this coffee table (who doesn't love glass and gold, right?)
- Pools we currently wish we were diving into, or maybe just floating on


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5 ways to encourage your attendees to use the cashless payment system
When you plan your first cashless event, it is essential to let your attendees know about it ahead of time. You will have to repeat explanations about how the system works in order to ensure that the entire audience knows. Otherwise, you are facing potential disputes and discontent - all easily avoided with a bit of preparation.


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Toddlers (Ages 1-3)
Little Owl Lost
by Chris Haughton
While his mother is away finding food, a newborn owl falls out of his nest and anxiously tries to find her, receiving help from various forest animals.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
by Jamie Swenson, illustrated by David Walker
On a stormy night, a child snuggles into bed with a book and a teddy bear but is soon joined by one dog, one cat, and more, until the child and the bed reach their limit.
Hooray Parade
by Barbara Joosse, Illustrated by Hyewon Yum
In this wonderful read-aloud for very young children, Gramma comes to visit and uses the things in her basket to create a wonderful parade of shadow animals.
Picture Books (Pre K-K)
The Day the Crayons Quit
by Drew Daywalt, pictures by Oliver Jeffers
Poor Duncan just wants to color, but he finds out that crayons have feelings, too. When he arrives at school one morning, he finds a stack of letters, one from each of his crayons, complaining about how he uses them.
No Fits, Nilson!
by Zachariah Ohora
Nilson and Amelia do everything together. But if one little thing goes wrong, Nilson throws the biggest, most house-shaking-est fit ever! Amelia helps Nilson control his gorilla-sized temper, but sometimes, Amelia needs to be calmed down, too.
The Green Bath
by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Steven Kellogg
Sammy's mother tells him to forget about adventures and get cleaned up for his grandmother's visit, but the new bathtub Sammy's father brought home seems determined to have an adventure of its own.
Early Readers (Grades 1-3)
Coco: My Delicious Life
by Kyla May Horsfall
Coco LOVES hanging out with her friends, baking delicious cupcakes, and rescuing animals… like snails? The Lotus Lane Girls organize a cupcake sale to raise money for a veggie garden to help save the snails. Part of a new independent reader series called Branches.
The Show Must Go On!
by Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise
This new early reader series introduces a cast of talking animals and their human caregivers in the friendliest and funniest family circus in the world.
Blue Ribbon Day
by Catherine Hapka, illustrated by Anne Kennedy
Going to the county fair to help Jill's mom prepare the ponies for a driving class competition, Jill, Meg, and Annie enjoy the displays and festivities before running into rival Ben, who makes them doubt their skills.
Children's Fiction and Nonfiction (Grades 4-6)
by John David Anderson
Middle school is a drag even with superpowers. But this is all before a supervillain long thought dead returns to the city of Justicia, superheroes begin disappearing at an alarming rate, and Drew's two identities threaten to crash head-on into each other. Drew has always found it pretty easy to separate right from wrong and good from evil. It's what a superhero does. But what happens when that line starts to disappear?
The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp
by Kathi Appelt
Raccoon brothers Bingo and J'miah are the newest recruits of the Official Sugar Man Swamp Scouts. Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn is not a member of any such organization. But he loves the swamp something fierce and he'll do anything to protect it from world-class alligator wrestler Jaeger Stitch, who wants to turn Sugar Man Swamp into an Alligator World Wrestling Arena and Theme Park.
One White Dolphin
by Gill Lewis, illustrated by Raquel Aparicio
When a baby albino dolphin caught in old fishing netting washes ashore, Paralympics sailing hopeful Felix and English schoolgirl Kara work with veterinarians and specialists to save and reunite the dolphin with her mother, setting off a chain of events that might just save the reef from the environmental effects of proposed dredging.
Teen Fiction and Nonfiction (Ages 12 & up)
Don't Turn Around
by Michelle Gagnon
Sixteen-year-old Noa has been a victim of the system ever since her parents died. Now living off the grid and trusting no one, she uses her computer hacking skills to stay safely anonymous and alone. But when she wakes up on a table in an empty warehouse with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there, Noa starts to wish she had someone on her side. Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa's talents on his team.
The Lost Sun
by Tessa Gratton
In an alternate U.S.A. (the United States of Asgard), Soren Bearskin, the son of an infamous berserker, and Astrid Glyn, daughter of a renowned seer, embark on a road trip to find Baldur, the missing god whose absence has caused panic throughout the country.
Belle Epoque
by Elizabeth Ross
Sixteen-year-old Maude Pichon, a plain, impoverished girl in Belle Epoque Paris, is hired by Countess Dubern to make her headstrong daughter, Isabelle, look more beautiful by comparison. But Isabelle has no idea her new "friend" is the hired help, and Maude's very existence among the aristocracy hinges on her keeping the truth a secret.


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The rise of cyber and data breach cases
On the same day that BA announced that 380,000 of its customers had potentially been affected by a breach involving website and app customer data, SPG Law, announced the launch of a group compensation claim against the airline based on Article 82 of the GDPR.
The website www.badatabreach.com was created within hours of the breach being announced to help advertise its services.
A 'no win, no fee' claim will be brought by way of a Group Litigation Order action with an estimated £1250 available for each claimant. Whether or not regulators decide to fine BA, the company is one of the first to face the prospect of co-ordinated compensation claims since the GDPR took effect in the EU in May 2018.
On 30th November 2018 the Marriott chain announced it had been the victim of a large cyber breach dating back to 2014 showing the Hotel & Leisure sector is also exposed to these risks. The French data protection regulator, CNIL, published a report in October 2018 showing 742 data breaches that had been notified to it since GDPR went live in May 2018 the sector most frequently affected was the hotel sector (185 notifications made were from the sector).
Some businesses may also need to be aware of laws around the Network & Information Systems (NIS) Directive's Digital Service Provider's definition, for instance, because they act as an online market place. They will need to consider the incident notification requirements and large maximum fines (£17m in the UK) applicable under those laws.
The BA and Marriott breaches highlight the potential risks posed by group litigation and by GDPR and NIS Directive fines, and the need for those in the Travel and Hotel & Leisure sectors to ensure that their compliance programs are set broadly enough to cope with all three.


text: Piotr Roszatycki <firstname.lastname@example.com> writes: > FreeBSD-3.3 have master.passwd with additional fields befor GECOS field. > This file have to be compiled to binary form /etc/pwd.db by pwd_db command, > AFAIR. #include "clueless-disclaimer" No PAM in FreeBSD, wouldn't that solve it in some way? > More interesting is sysvinit package. FreeBSD have different init style > and haven't got /etc/inittab file. We could adaptade Linux /sbin/init Would it be posibble to have a bsdinit package and let update-rc.d do the needed work? -- I congratulate you. Happy goldfish bowl to you, to me, to everyone, and may each of you fry in hell forever. -- Isaac Asimov, "The Dead Past"


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Home › Forums › Hardware › Processors › AMD Athlon II X2 250 › AMD Phenom II X2 550 BE and Athlon II X2 250
[FONT=Times New Roman]AMD has made a successful transition to the 45nm fabrication process, giving the Phenom II series the necessary breathing room to prove it has what it takes to go head to head with the Intel Core 2 range. However, as of today it will be possible to get your hands around the Phenom II architecture for even less as we present you with the Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition processor.
The Phenom II X2 550 is based on the same specifications as the rest of the Phenom II family, but featuring half as many cores being a dual-core processor. The new processor operates at 3.10GHz, so about 100MHz slower (per core) than the flagship X4 955, and is expected to sell for a compelling $102.
AMD is also breathing new life into the Athlon brand with today's launch of the Athlon II X2 250. This new dual-core Athlon is the first of four models scheduled for release, of which the X2 250 should be the fastest part clocked at 3.0GHz.[/FONT]


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- BurlapnLace
- 6 years ago
- Wedding: November 2014
So we got hit with some major storms last night and today which got me thinking about "what if" as far as weather. I hadn't given it much thought b/c it's totally out of my control, there's not need to harbor on it.
However we have outdoor photos scheduled (our venue is on beautiful farmland) and obviously bad weather is a very real possibility.
So bees, for those of you who had not-so-great weather on your big day, I'd love to see your rainy photos! Obviously I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but there's beauty in a good rain shower as well. Do share!


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Martin Luther was complicated. Imperfect. Awesome. Transformational. Immovable. Inspirational. Difficult. Convicting. Human. Born in 1483, Luther died in 1546 at age sixty-two. He was a 16th century Esther; "For such a time as this."
On the far side of 2017's 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, Luther clearly deserves his singular place in history. He changed the landscape of Christianity and the world. This book describes the enormity of his role and contribution to personal freedoms we take for granted today.
The heart of Luther is accessibility to God, without intermediary or apologist. No priest. No saint. No holy mother. God's Word clearly establishes a direct line between God's Spirit in man and Himself. Luther's world split apart when he realized what God's Word taught, and how different it was from church teaching.
"Do not suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused. Men can go wrong with wine and women. Shall we then prohibit wine and abolish women?" – Luther
Metaxas's Bonhoeffer was a masterpiece, not so his Luther.
Metaxas's Luther isn't like his Bonhoeffer
I don't regret reading Eric Metaxas's Martin Luther, but wouldn't read it again. If his Bonhoeffer accelerated his career as biographer into overdrive, his Luther is a speed bump. I loved Bonhoeffer, sending copies to several friends.
The author obviously ties his two works together through his choice of titles:
- The Bonhoeffer subtitle is, Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.
- The Luther Introduction is titled, Pastor, Rebel, Prophet, Monk.
Permit me to handle my issues with the author first, then move on to the heart of the matter – the content and value of the book.
Metaxas intrudes on the narrative with personal asides and commentary. Color and personality should come from the subject of the book, not the author. Whether you love or hate them, Luther is as colorful as Donald Trump. The author's narrative voice wanders from ponderous scholar to vocabulary snob to skilled biographer.
From Biographer to Humorist
Elsewhere he plays the humorist, trusting the reader so little, he sinks to explaining the joke by footnote.
I expected to finish all 451 pages in a couple of days, but couldn't. The book put me to sleep. Thankfully, the pace quickened as both the end of the book and library due date neared.
Metaxas includes a massive amount of detail about related events and people. Readers will disagree about it's value.
In my opinion, the book is somewhat spoiled by arcane or esoteric vocabulary. That is, outdated or known to only a few. It stops the action. Instead of consistent immersion in Luther, the author interrupts to say, "look at me."
Now for the meat –
Martin Luther – a Confessing Fanatic
Luther believed church teachings, that forgiveness and absolution are given by priests to those who catalogue and confess every sin, no matter how small. Or possible sin. Luther was a fanatical confessor.
Any forgotten sin remained unforgiven and heaven was lost. When Luther finished each day's meticulously prepared transgression list, he feared he was committing the sin of thinking he was out of sins for the day. And what if he sinned before his next confession?
Either way he lost. He was depressed. As a young monk, Luther was a brilliant, pious wreck.
Sola Scriptura – the Bible alone
Apparently Luther often remarked that no one read the Bible. Considering the Bible the inspired word of God set Luther and his superior, Johannes von Staupitz, apart from both peers and the church.
Monks, theologians, and even priests were kept at arm's length from the Bible as a complete work. They studied commentaries and works by church fathers. Not the Word of our heavenly Father.
Staupitz lured Luther into studying for a doctorate with the carrot of teaching the Bible. The offer Luther couldn't refuse was teaching the Bible exclusively. Nothing else. No logic. No philosophy. No commentary. God's Word alone.
As do we, Luther considered every verse in God's Word true. But every verse is not equally substantive. In a note following his New Testament he wrote,
John's Gospel and St. Paul's epistles, especially that to the Romans, and St. Peter's first epistle are the true kernel and marrow of all the books. They ought properly to be the foremost books, and it would be advisable for every Christian to read them first and most, and by daily reading to make them as much his own as his daily bread. For in them you do not find many works and miracles of Christ described, but you do find depicted in masterly fashion how faith in Christ overcomes sin, death, and hell, and gives life, righteousness, and salvation.
After years of angst, Luther finally discovered the answer to his dilemma regarding sin and confession.
Jesus Christ.
Luther's Rebellion
God's Word clearly teaches that Jesus saves the imperfect, including sinners unable to list every sin and beg forgiveness. Salvation wasn't Luther's to earn, but to receive as the finished work of Christ.
The catalyst of Luther's rebellion was indulgences and the churches willingness to release souls from Purgatory by transaction. You pay. They spring the dead. It was ecclesiastical blackmail. And a lie.
The church held Luther in its vise. The reformation released other souls from the same trap – church control of access to both God and eternity. Luther accused the Roman church of keeping people from Christ, not paving the way to Him.
Luther's Goal was Truth
Luther wanted the truth to be known so others wouldn't be caught as he had been; desperate for salvation but with no guarantee. There is a guarantee. In the Bible it's the Holy Spirit. Luther learned about faith, salvation, and God's truth from the Bible. And realized the church charted a course to a different destination.
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. – Ephesians 1:13-14
Luther translated the meaning of the gospel as Good News. For all. Equally available to peasant as priest.
Luther never accepted a penny for any of his books or pamphlets, but his printer made a mint.
Luther considered the separation of ordained and lay unbiblical. Preaching did not require ordination. In fact, ordination is anti-scriptural. There are offices but not hierarchies in the body.
"The priesthood of all believers."
"Here I stand"
Luther's most famous words come from his response to the question, "Will you recant?"
Since your most serene majesty and your high mightinesses require of me a simple, clear and direct answer, I will give one, and it is this: I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the council, because it is as clear as noonday that they have fallen into error and even into glaring inconsistency with themselves. If, then, I am not convinced by proof from Holy Scripture, or by cogent reasons, if I am not satisfied by the very text I have cited, and if my judgment is not in this way brought into subjection to God's word, I neither can nor will retract anything; for it cannot be either safe or honest for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise; God help me! Amen.
"Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise; God help me! Amen."
Luther was convicted of heresy. Before anyone could lay hold of him he escaped to Wartburg. For almost a year he grew out his hair and beard, and wore the garb of a knight on sabbatical.
Luther Established One Unifying German Language
While confined at Wartburg following the Worms Diet, Luther translated the New Testament from the original Greek. It took him only eleven weeks to translate the 1511 text into a new form of German, effectively establishing a single German national language.
Luther left the security of his retreat to address unrest in the reformed body. Sects and disturbing actions threatened everything Luther fought to achieve. Violence and intolerance of nonconformists rose just as it had in the Roman church.
Luther preached patience, faith, love, humility, and God's Word. Disagreements regarding communion, baptism, works of art, and music lit fuses in the reformed body in much the same way circumcision separated the body of the earliest church. The Apostle Paul's epistle to the Galatians addressed that issue.
Faith or works?
Law or grace?
Luther said,
I took three years of constant study, reflection, and discussion to arrive where I now am, and can the common man, untutored in such matters, be expected to move the same distance in three months? Do not suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused. Men can go wrong with wine and women. Shall we then prohibit wine and abolish women?
The sun, the moon, and stars have been worshipped. Shall we then pluck them out of the sky? Such haste and violence betray a lack of confidence in God. See how much he has been able to accomplish through me, thought I did not more than pray and preach.
The Word did it all. Had I wished I might have started a conflagrations at Worms. But while i sat still and drank beer with Philip and Amsdorf, God death the papacy a mighty blow.
Many divisions in protestant ranks were left unhealed. Luther remarked,
"Formerly the devil made us too papist, and now he wants to make us too evangelical."
Somewhere after age forty, Luther fell into the same error as most men. Rigid. Legalistic. Intolerant. Rude. Causing division rather than fomenting repair, even with previous friends.
Personal Notes on Luther
Most of the following scribbles and thoughts about faith and relationship to Christ are shared as originally noted. Sometimes my first thought is the most profound. Or not.
I hope they make some sense to you. Simply reviewing Martin Luther seems poor stuff when the whole of the message is considered.
How we do is nearly as important as what we do.
To His glory.
As His agent.
Fearlessly speaking God's truth.
Knowing what it is.
Not by opinion.
By faith.
Being gracious.
Speaking into rather than at.
It's difficult to explain relationship with Christ to anyone who hasn't met Him. Sometimes it's difficult enough explaining it to myself. We can, however, share a sense of being homesick for a place we have yet to visit.
The nuances of Luther enhance my sense of longing. To be in the presence of Christ. To give full voice to what is now a melody of only two or three notes.
To see fully, not in a dark mirror.
To discover the place where my spirit and God's connect.
To understand the depth of Christian freedom.
How I long to express something my spirit only imperfectly understands.
How the intent and truth of heart, spirit, and otherness works in the world. To be as I long to be and do what I long to do. And not discover in hindsight that I've done precisely what I would not.
Christian Freedom
Christian liberty is available to all as part of the free gift every New Creation receives. Yet liberty and freedom isn't as simple as most believe.
Luther summarized Christian freedom is his book, On Christian Liberty:
"A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject of all, subject to all."
Whether to serve or not is Christian freedom.
Whether or not to revere items or traditions is liberty.
Forcing nonconformity is as bad as forcing conformity.
Liberty in Christ permits me everything.
Yet Christ restrains me in most.
Not my will, but Thine.
Not my good, but my neighbor's.
Would that were true.
With good will in every instance.
To fully love my enemy.
To pray deeply and sincerely.
Even for those who berate me.
To offer all.
Every time.
To recognize the divide between making disciples and protecting holy pearls.
To always feel the great faith I've received.
To hold palpable grace in my hand.
To know how to love my neighbor as myself.
Every Christian will benefit from studying Martin Luther. The path of Christianity from the apostolic age till now is messy. People rationalize, divide, register preferences as doctrine, and the line muddies. Every now and again God sends rivers of living water to clear away the sludge and reveal His vision.
Luther was a cleansing flood.
Perhaps we need another today.


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Emigrant's story featured in NY Times
A County Longford great grandmother's personal battle to come to the aid of her granddaughter's youngest child is the happy-go-lucky story for New Yorkers over the festive season.
Kathy Mallon's crusade has attracted much publicity after it featured in a recent edition of the 'New York Times'.
Originally from Molly Hill, Co Longford, Mrs Mallon, like many of her generation left Ireland in 1964 at the age of 17 as economic pressures took hold.
She made the decision after managing to escape from a convent in Co Monaghan where she worked as a cleaner.
"There was nothing to do in Ireland," she said. "America was beautiful."
Despite her best laid plans, Mrs Mallon soon experienced personal hardship of her own when she split with her husband, resulting in her having to raise a son and two daughters while working in a local bar.
To read this story in full, see this week's Longford Leader.


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Keep up to date with the latest and greatest
Going out into solo practice and running a business is not something most architects and designers get taught at university. Creating a brains trust during the Design Entrepreneur seminar session at FRONT Sydney, these are the key takeaways for anyone looking to go out on their own.
'Community' was the dominant theme at the INDE.Awards 2018 Gala in Singapore. It was a celebration of outstanding design, architecture, material and culture as well as an opportunity to knit together a stronger fabric for our regional industry.


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This limited edition Disk, designed by Gilberto José Alexander Moreno, comes with a numbered and signed certificate of authenticity. Printed on a .045" thick aluminum sheet, this print is crisp, high gloss, lightweight, and water resistant. It comes with a proprietary 1/2" aluminum shadow mount allowing for easy installation.
Abstract Expressionist Techno New Media Digital Print Painting
Houston, United States


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St Gabriel's School
St Gabriel's is a forward thinking independent day school with traditional values and excellent pastoral care as well as strong academic results. Our year-round Sandleford Nursery offers full day care from 07.30 - 18.30 for babies and children aged 6 months and upwards. Children move seamlessly into our Reception class. In Years 1 to 6, boys and girls are taught in our Junior School with girls progressing to the Senior School for Year 7, thus offering a seamless journey from Nursery through to Sixth Form.
About the school
The school enjoys enviable grounds and facilities, specialist teaching staff delivering a rich and challenging curriculum, outstanding pastoral care and a broad range of extra-curricular activities. We work closely with parents to ensure that all individual needs are being met or exceeded through each stage of their child's education which helps to foster a love of learning. iPads are provided to pupils whilst in our Junior School as an important learning tool to help prepare them for life in the 21st century.
Teacher-pupil ratios are small and academic results are excellent. The range of courses available at both GCSE and A Level provides both breadth and depth of choice.
Before and after school care is available along with an extensive range of extra-curricular activities which cater for every interest from Climbing to Chess to Cookery to Mandarin Chinese.
A fleet of 9 modern minibuses provide transport for our pupils from across West Berkshire as well as from Overton, Andover and Basingstoke in Hampshire; this service also helps reduce our carbon footprint.
Please visit our website www.stgabriels.co.uk or contact the Registrar on 01635 555680 to arrange a visit or for more information.
Key Facts
- Day Fees: £3320 to £5420/term
Open Days
Scholarships, Bursaries & Fees
For Bursary details please visit http://www.stgabriels.co.uk/bursaries
For Scholarships please visit http://www.stgabriels.co.uk/scholarships
Fees Information
Please visit http://www.stgabriels.co.uk/fees for full information
Admissions Process
From Year 1, St Gabriel's is selective, but not fiercely so. Whilst our examination results and university entrances are the bedrock of our existence, our strength lies in the provision of an excellent all-round education. It is possible for St Gabriel's pupils to enjoy success and gain the respect of others in a large number of ways.
Our pupils are not judged by the same narrow criterion of academic achievement. Confidence gained in one skill spreads to others so that our pupils grow to feel capable and successful.
Consequently, Junior Assessments and Senior School entrance examinations identify children of good average ability and above and places are offered to those who are able to thrive in our environment.
Further details on http://www.stgabriels.co.uk/admissions
Finding out more
Key Facts
- Day Fees: £3320 to £5420/term
- ISI Inspection Report


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Sang made the comments at a meeting with the public security sector's former generals, leaders and staff in Ha Noi yesterday to mark the 70th anniversary of Viet Nam's Public Security force and the 10th anniversary of the Public Day for National Security and Defence.
"In the last 70 years, the public security force has developed ceaselessly with generations of generals, staff and soldiers completely loyal to the nation and the people and always fulfill their missions with their best," he said.
He added that the process of doi moi (renewal), industrialisation, modernisation, international integration, building and defending the country needed a strong force.
"The sector's tasks are even more difficult to accomplish amid complicated developments in the world and increasing hostile activities to ruin the Party, State, and national unity," the President said, adding that it was necessary to build a transparent, strong, and elite force.
Formed in the August uprising in 1945, the public security sector received lots of instructions from President Ho Chi Minh, the Party and the State. The force now has 541 high-ranking officials with general levels who are in charge of important task in Viet Nam. — VNS


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There is so much to learn from Scandinavian interior design trends. Simply put, this design trend increased in popularity over the years, and we can certainly understand why. It's simple, modern with a twist of traditional, and beautiful overall. The colour palette also seems to impress by its simplicity and you can always personalise it in order to bring some colour into your life as well. Below we have some simple pieces of advice that stay at the root of decorating your home in a Scandinavian manner.
Many Scandinavian homes have a fireplace as a centrepiece. Of course, not many of us afford to have such pieces, but there is always a better, more affordable alternative to those: contemporary wood burning stoves. These stoves can be easily installed, and they successfully replace traditional heating means. They also are a lot more economical than traditional HVAC systems, which makes them a perfect alternative for those who look forward to always save some money. These stoves are perfect because they come in a variety of designs, being appropriate in all houses, especially in Scandinavian homes. Also, you can opt for fireplace inserts as a great alternative. Consider this your first step to an amazing design and you will certainly end up having a great interior style, starting from a simple piece like a stove.
A characteristic of all Scandinavian homes is the muted palette which you will find in all homes with such design. When decorating your home in such a manner, make sure to include greys, pale blue, white, ivory and so on. The greatest advantage offered by a muted colour palette is that it offers the opportunity of playing with bright colours for accents. For instance, include bright yellow pillows, bright blue curtains and so on. You don't have to keep it all neutral. Play with colours and see what works best for you.
A big trend in terms of flooring is the light, neutral flooring trend. In other parts of the world, carpets are a regular when it comes to flooring. Well, Scandinavians live their floors wooden, because such floors make the space appear larger, more open and seem to bring more light. You can opt for in-floor heating, if you fear that during the cold winter months it may become a bit too chilly, or you could place come rugs or sheep skins, even fake ones, like the ones from Ikea.
Obviously, you will have to invest in some furniture pieces that are designed and built like Scandinavians love to. Sharp lines and corners, light colours and a mix of different textures. Search for such pieces at Scandinavian manufacturers and retailers.
These are some simple rules to follow if you want to design a highly functional and beautiful Scandinavian home design. Keep in mind that you can always adapt this style to your personal preferences.


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What Are the Limitations on Terminating an Employee?
If your business has employees, you'll eventually need consider whether to terminate a worker. Regardless of the circumstances around firing an employee, many employers feel threatened by the potential for wrongful-termination lawsuits or other actions taken because of the termination. There are few legal hurdles to clear if you decide it's time to let an employee go. Although restrictions may prevent an immediate termination, in most cases, the law allows small business owners to manage their workforces as they decide.
At Will Employment
States recognize the common-law doctrine of at-will employment, which allows employers to terminate the working relationship with their employees at any time for any reason. The doctrine doesn't require you to provide advance notice of a layoff or engage in any disciplinary procedure before laying off an employee. Employment contracts or hiring procedures may change an employee's status as an at-will employee, though including information in training documents that workers are at-will employees strengthens your claim to protection through the at will doctrine.
Company Policies
Your company's disciplinary policies may limit your ability to fire an employee without risking a wrongful-termination lawsuit. If your company has a policy of progressive discipline – using verbal and written warnings and suspensions in response to transgressions – and no record of employees' acknowledgement of their at-will status, you must enforce policies evenly with all employees or risk a wrongful-termination lawsuit. In many cases, publishing a written disciplinary policy may protect your business if you terminate an employee, as long as you adhere to policy and apply it evenly among all workers.
Retalitory Termination
Federal, and in many cases, state law prevents employers from firing employees in retaliation for making a report or filing a complaint with a regulatory agency. Firing a worker in retaliation for making any of the following types of complaints violates federal law: of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which includes minimum wage, overtime and payment complaints; Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules such as workplace safety issues; and Equal Opportunity Commission regulations about race, sex, disability and age discrimination. If you're considering terminating an employee who recently filed a complaint of this nature for cause, you might wish to consult with a labor attorney to determine the legal limitations placed on this employee.
Labor Contracts
Labor contracts you enter into alongside your employees may also limit your ability to terminate problem workers. As a legally binding document, a labor contract must be honored, be it for the term of service, the disciplinary process or other specifics between you and your employee. Violating terms of an employment contract when you terminate a worker may result in an wrongful-termination lawsuit.
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images


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Product Description
Deluxe Guest Check Presenters
These deluxe guest check presenters are available in black only, with gold foil "Thank You" in the lower right hand corner. The credit card holder is firm and prevents the credit card from falling out. This product is a soft vinyl and easy to clean.
Things to Reckon:
These check presenters will give an impression of professionalism to your establishment.
Minimum order is 12.
On a Side Note:
For inquires call us at 866-653-2777.