text:
Decisions on where to house Ontario's transgender inmates won't be based on their physical sexual characteristics but rather how they self-identify, a revised provincial policy says.
The changes, which impact the admission, placement and classification of transgender inmates, were announced at a community centre in Toronto by Ontario's Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Yasir Naqvi, who told reporters one of his key priorities is protecting the human rights of these inmates.
The changes say inmates must be placed in an institution "appropriate to their self-identified gender or housing preference'' unless there are overriding health or safety risks.
The revised policy is "the most comprehensive policy in Canada for respecting the human rights-related needs of trans individuals in correctional institutions,'' Naqvi said in his announcement.
"We imposed our stereotypes as to the person's identity or gender. We've (now) changed that completely'' Naqvi told reporters later.
The change comes after a series of high-profile cases involving transgender accused, including the launching of a human rights complaint by Avery Edison, of the British citizen, who was born a man but identifies as a woman, and who was detained at Pearson airport last year for overstaying a student visa during a previous visit to Canada.
She was detained by border services and held for 20 hours in a correctional facility for men.
The Ontario Correctional Service changes also affect frisk searches. Now the option for transgender inmates to be searched by a male or female guard, or both, extends to frisks. Before, the option for these inmates pertained only to strip searches.
Regarding integration with other prisoners, "wherever possible and subject to inmate preferences" inmates will be integrated into the general population, and not isolated. Previous policy resulted in inmates often being kept in segregation.
Prisoners will also be referred to by their preferred names and gender pronouns both in verbal communication with them and written documents. Before the change, records were kept in the inmate's legal name, with no formal consideration of their gender identity or how to address them verbally.
Inmates will be also able to retain personal items, including prosthetics necessary to express their gender, whereas before the policy changes there was no consistency in how correctional staff searched and returned these items.
Training of correctional workers and ministry staff across the province on the new policy is set to being in March, and an online course is being developed.
Guards in the province have said the rules governing how they should manage transgender inmates are confusing.
The new policy is consistent Ontario Human Rights Commission policy released in April.
Ontario Human Rights Commission chief Barbara Hall told Monday's news conference that Human Rights Watch has found that transgender inmates face a higher degree of harassment and violence from other inmates, and at times corrections staff.


text:
The creamy avocado tastes fabulous. It is easy to fall in love with it, given its belly fat combating benefits. But as the saying goes, too much of anything is good for nothing. It comes true for avocados, especially when you look at the calories. One avocado exceeds the thumb rule of one serving of fruit. So what would be the ideal quantity of avocado you can eat a day? Before we look into that aspect, let us take a look at some of the interesting facts about this rich fruit.
Nutritional Facts
A super food by nature, avocados are rich sources of a wide array of nutrients, including monounsaturated fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins. Plus, they have relatively low level of natural sugars. They are also good sources of dietary fiber for one serving of avocados meeting 40% of the recommended daily serving of fiber. Avocados are loaded generously with minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, and phosphorous. These fruits also contain vitamins including B6, B12, C, D, A, K, and E. They are also the sources of various powerful antioxidants including carotenoids, flavonoids, and phytosterols.
Why Should You Eat Avocados?
There are countless reasons for including this fruit in your diet. Read on to know what those are.
1. Good For Your Digestive System
Avocados are packed densely with soluble and insoluble fibers, both that help in ensuring that digestive system functions smoothly. They stimulate the gastric juices that are essential for proper digestion. The inclusion of fibers in the diet also helps in easing conditions such as diarrhea and constipation.
2. For Healthy Skin
Avocados are the treasure troves of various nutrients that do wonders in maintaining and enhancing the skin health. The various healthy fats present in this fruit helps in trapping the moisture, thereby healing dry and chapped skin. The multitude of vitamins, including vitamin A and vitamin E helps in eliminating the free radicals. Thus, these fruits help in delaying premature aging of skin while rendering them a healthy glow.
[ Read: How To Slow Down Aging And Look Young All The Time ]
3. Good For Your Hair
Avocados can be used externally and consumed internally to nourish dry, damaged hair. The beta-carotene and lycopene present in this fruit ensures that the natural oils are restored, thereby revitalizing and rejuvenating the hair.
4. Good For The Heart
Beta-sitosterol of avocados helps in lowering and regulating the levels of cholesterol. According to studies, regular inclusion of avocados improves the antiatherogenic nature of HDL, thereby shielding you from the risk of atherosclerosis. These fruits are good sources of potassium, a mineral that plays a vital role in maintaining the blood pressure, and saving your heart.
5. Good For Oral System
The various antioxidants and antibacterial ingredients help in alleviating and preventing bad breath triggered by an upset tummy. The antioxidants also eliminate the free radical-induced oxidative stress, thereby lowering the risk of oral cancer.
[ Read: What is The Cause of Bad Breath? ]
6. Reduces Liver Damages
Avocados are known to tone up the liver and shield it from various conditions.
[ Read: How To Protect The Liver From Prescription Drug Damage ]
7. For Better Eye Care
Zeaxanthin and lutein of avocados protect the eyes from age-related vision disorders, macular degeneration, and cataracts by neutralizing the free radical activities.
[ Read: How To Keep Eyes Healthy ]
8. Good For The Kidneys
Avocado is a good source of potassium that helps in maintaining the fluid balance in the body. A change in the balance could impact the kidneys.
[ Read: How To Detoxify Your Kidneys Naturally ]
9. Eases Morning Sickness
The vitamin B6 present in these fruits are effective antidotes for morning sickness experienced due to pregnancy.
[ Read: How Can Vitamin B6 Help With Morning Sickness ]
10. Combats And Eases Arthritis
Regular consumption of avocados helps in giving the body an essential dose of omega three fatty acids, flavonoids, phytosterols, phytochemicals, and carotenoids. All these ingredients work harmoniously, thereby easing and lowering the inflammation experienced due to arthritis.
11. Could Help In Preventing Cancers
The rich amount of monounsaturated fats and carotenoids present in avocados help in lowering the risk of cancers. The fruit also contains the antioxidant Glutathione that has the potential to eradicate free radical damages and prevent cancer.
12. Good For Weight Management
Avocado can be easily included as a part of healthy diet and exercise to keep off the excess flab.
Consuming Avocados Daily
The above-mentioned benefits and nutrient facts make avocados a tempting delight. But overdoing would actually harm you. According to the RDA, a person on a 2000 calorie diet plan needs only 65 grams of monounsaturated fatty acids. One medium sized or a five-ounce avocado yields roughly 23 grams of fat, making it to 33% of your recommended fat intake. Plus, it gives about 250 calories which are almost 1/8th the daily recommended calorie requirement.
The key is to eat in moderate quantities. To be precise, the ideal daily intake of avocado should be restricted to just one ounce, which is roughly 2 to 3 slices. The inclusion of avocados daily in your diet is acceptable, provided you are using it as a substitute for other fats like cheese and butter. Make it into guacamole and use it as your spread.
How To Eat Avocado Daily
Even though avocados can be consumed raw, you might feel that it is boring. In that case, you could mix a couple of slices into your favorite salad and spice it up with a little salt and pepper. Mix it with tomatoes, lettuces, and onions and toss it in a mixture of lemon juice, pepper, and salt. You could use avocados as a garnishing for your favorite soup too. Guacamole is one the tasty ways you could consume this fruit.
Have you ever tried avocados? How much do you eat daily? Share with us!

subset: commoncrawl


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Uganda the pearl of Africa, home of the mountain gorillas, chimpanzee and the rare shoebill stork.
Parks visited include:
per personGet quote
|Safari tour package:
|A custom, tailor-made, private safari
|$3610 - $5456
|Includes internal flights:
|Length of safari:
|9 days
|Best months:
|All year
|Countries visited:
|Rwanda , Uganda
|Parks visited:
|Activity level:
|Moderate - Game walks, Cultural visits
|Safari type:
Nine Days Uganda – Rwanda.
09 days trip of photography in one of the world's top locations, the 'Pearl of Africa' and the Virunga volcanoes.
Two treks one in Uganda and the second one in Rwanda to meet the world's last remaining Mountain Gorillas as well as chimpanzees face to face.
Landscapes ranging from afromontane forests, equatorial savannahs, to papyrus swamps.
Day 1: Arrival in Uganda. Fast night Accommodation at The Boma Guest house in Entebbe
Day 2: Fly from Entebbe to Kibale forest national park. Pick-up from Kasese airfield to Kibale (2 hours drive). Lunch and Overnight at Primate lodge.
Day 3: Kibale National Park: An exclusively day in Kibale forest national park which supports 13 species of primates. The 795km2 Kibale National Park contains one of the loveliest and most varied tracts of tropical forest in Uganda. This is home to a host of forest wildlife, most famously 13 species of primate including chimpanzee. Forest cover predominates in the northern and central parts of the park on the elevated Fort Portal plateau. Kibale is highest at the park's northern tip which stands 1590m above sea level. Northern Kibale is also the wettest area, receiving a mean annual rainfall of up to 1700mm, mostly during March-May and September-November. The climate is generally pleasant with a mean annual temperature range of 14-27oC. Temperatures are highest (and rainfall lower) in the south where the terrain drops down onto the hot rift valley floor and forest gives way to open grassland.
Southern Kibale adjoins Queen Elizabeth National Park and together these protected areas maintain a 180km long migration corridor for-wildlife which extends from Ishasha, the remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth NP, to the Sebitoli forest in the north of Kibale.
The Kibale-Fort Portal area is one of Uganda's most rewarding areas to explore. The park lies close to the tranquil Ndali-Kasenda crater area.
One day chimpanzee habituation Experience
The Chimpanzee Habituation Experience (CHEX) allows you to search for a community of chimpanzee which is under-going habituation. Habituation is a process whereby wild animals get used to human presence without altering their natural behaviour. This takes a whole day and early visitors may be able to see the spectacular scene of chimps de-nesting between 6:00 -6:30 am, feeding, copulating, hunting, breast feeding, resting, patrolling and displaying until they build new nests and retire for the night around 7.00 pm. The Habituation experience runs throughout the year. To enjoy this activity, you will need packed lunch, enough water and raingear. This activity is guided by the park ranger guide and where necessary one may ask for a porter who may help carry your rucksack during the experience. Overnight at Primate Lodge FB.
Day 4: Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP). QENP has a number of mammal species and a remarkable 612 species of birds. Residents of the park include elephants, cape buffalo, Uganda kob, waterbuck, warthog, giant forest hog, lion, leopard and hyena. Lunch at Mweya Safari lodge. Afternoon boat trip along the famous Kazinga Channel for two hours and late drives to photograph the stunning crater lakes. Overnight at the fabulous Mweya Safari Lodge.
Day 5: Queen Elizabeth NP– Bwindi Impenetrable NP:
After an early breakfast, travel to Bwindi impenetrable National park via Ishasha sector, the home to the famous Ishasha Tree Climbing Lions. Ishasha lies 100Km south of the northern sector of QENP and provides a true wilderness experience. Pic-nic lunch at the Ishasha riverside campsite. Afternoon drive to Bwindi, for an overnight stay at the exclusive Engagi lodge.
Day 6: Day six will be spent tracking the Mountain Gorillas. As time spent with the gorillas is restricted to only one hour per visit, each primate lover will have one opportunity to visit the mountain gorillas getting breath-taking photographs with these majestic animals. Overnight at Engagi Lodge.
Day 7: Bwindi – Rwanda (Parc National de Volcans).
After an earlier Breakfast, drive to Rwanda via the rolling hills of Kisoro, cross to Rwanda via Cyanika border. Arrive Ruhengere-Kinigi town in the afternoon hours. Pic-nic lunch en route. Overnight stay at the famous Mountain Gorilla View Hotel F/B.
Day 8: Parc National de Volcans. After Breakfast drive to the park offices for registration to track the Gorilla in their natural habitat. Walk the ragged hills of mountain gorillas, a walking stick will be provided at park offices when you need one. No flash cameras while watching gorillas. Sick persons will not be allowed to view the gorillas especially those with flue related illness. Arrive at your lodge for late lunch and overnight stay Fullboard.
Day 9 Drive to Kigali.
The journey South from the awesome volcanoes, sometimes with as many as five peaks visible goes through the beautiful terraced hillsides that characterise much of Rwanda's landscape, gradually descending to the base of the capital city Kigali. Afternoon visit to the Memorial genocide in Kisozi-Kigali ONLY if time permits. Evening transfer to the airport for your flight back home. End of your tour.
The price below is categorised with inclusion of the costs of one chimpanzee tracking, domestic flight Entebbe-Kasese/kibale and all way driving Kibale – Queen Elizabeth NP – Bwindi – Parc nationale des volcanoes in Rwanda and transfer to Kigali for international flight back home.
Single supplement USD 800 per person.
High class lodge: Engangi lodge, Mweya Safari Lodge, Primate lodge, Boma Entebbe, Mountain gorilla view hotel.
Price includes
· All entry fees to national parks including activities mentioned in the itinerary.
· All transport and transfers, full board accommodation, and meals for the duration of the safari.
· Two Gorilla permits per guest; one/one in Uganda/Rwanda.
· And one chimpanzee habituation experience permit per guest.
· Gorilla permit will be obtained a cost of USD 600 and USD 750 in Uganda and Rwanda respectively.
Price excludes
· Return airfares to and from Entebbe/Kigali (Uganda/Rwanda).
· All gratuities and tips for guides, rangers, drivers, and park and hotel staff.
· All drinks, visa fees, laundry services, items of a personal nature.
· All costs of insurance, passports, immunizations.
PAX – another word for a guest/client
PP – Per person
UG-RW – Uganda and Rwanda
Uganda the pearl of Africa, home of the mountain gorillas, chimpanzee and the rare shoebill stork.
Parks visited include:
per personGet quote
Experience the mighty Murchison falls, chimpanzees and gorilla tracking. The boat ride on Kazinga channel in Que...
Parks visited include:
per personGet quote


text:
The pandemic has changed how we live and work. Virtual meetings have become the norm and could permanently change how ad professionals work. The current work environment is business on… read more →
Today's consumers want to buy from businesses they trust. So it's important for companies to build trust with customers through their marketing and advertising. Members of the Ad Age Collective… read more →
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It may be the most anticipated election in our lifetime. Many are looking forward to November 3, 2020. There is plenty at stake. Therefore, lawmakers are doing all they can… read more →
What will help get your online campaign to the right target? It's pretty basic. You just need to understand your consumers along with their likes, dislikes and what motivates them.… read more →
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Instagram is drawing interest in TikTok, the Chinese app that is in trouble in the U.S. and wants to create the next hot social media craze with Reels. Could Reels… read more →
Google will eliminate third-party cookies from Chrome by 2022. What will replace the cookie? Last year, third-party cookies helped fuel nearly 30 percent, or $38 billion, of all U.S. digital… read more →
Is Google going directly after Amazon? Watch out Amazon. Google is eliminating the fees it charges retailers to let people buy directly through the Google Shopping service. This is the latest… read more →
It's been about four months since every major professional sports league shut down due to Covid-19, hitting pause on billions in ad revenue. As of now, the return of live sports is… read more →


text:
Type: Improvement
Status: Resolved (View Workflow)
Priority: Critical
Resolution: Fixed
Component/s: git-parameter-plugin
Environment:Jenkins version 2.3, all Plugins up to date. Debian 8 64 Bits x86.
Similar Issues:
I try to setup a pipeline project to build tags using a Jenkinsfile from SCM (Git). Therefore I want to be be able to set the tag I wish to build via the Git Parameter Plugin. If I setup the project like this and hit the "Build with Parameters" button the git parameter plugin tells me "!No Git repository configured in SCM configuration".
- duplicates
JENKINS-28447 CpsScmFlowDefinition does not resolve variables
- Resolved
Me as well. You can't pass a parameter into the `Branch specifier` field of the pipeline SCM section, can you? I tried, unsuccessfully.
Not a duplicate. Rather missing Pipeline integration with this plugin.
I observed the same behavior, but I came up with a hacky workaround...
I wrote a shell script that will dump git tags into a sorted list that can be ingested as a property file when using the the Extended Choice Parameter plugin.
1) Run this script in the root of your git checkout dir:
git tag -l --sort=version:refname | sort -r | xargs echo -n | sed 's/ /,/g' | sed '1s/^/key=/' > /tmp/versions.properties
2) Install the Extended Choice Parameter plugin and add it to your job
3) Point the config to the property file you generated and set the key. See my attached example:
Mark Austin With your script, does this assume that the Git repo has already been checked out? I'm just wondering how to run the script before the Pipeline starts. It seems you need to run the script before the pipeline actually starts so that you can populate some variable with your desired tag. The question would be, where would the one line BASH command be executed?
Hi Guys,
I working on resolving this issue. I have prototype solution.
Which supports Pipline job.
I hope to resolved this in release 0.7.0 Releases schedule
Hey Scott,
Yes that is correct. I'd have the git repo poll and then ensure that the script is executed after each poll. I know it's not ideal, but it works for now until Boguslaw Klimas gets things patched up.
Can you be a bit more detailed about your job setup? I get that the BASH command you have above will grab the list of tags, and that it will put that in a file, and that the Extended Choice parameter will read that file at build time. What I don't get is when that BASH command is executed? In Jenkins pipeline, there's no option to run a BASH script before the Extended Choice plugin grabs the list of tags.
Hey Scott,
I guess we could just run a script like this as an alternative on the Jenkins master so that the main workspace has access to the properties file:
git ls-remote -t https://github.com/jenkinsci/github-plugin | awk '{print $2}' | cut -d '/' -f 3 | cut -d '^' -f 1 | sort -b -t . -k 1,1nr -k 2,2nr -k 3,3r -k 4,4r -k 5,5r | uniq | xargs echo -n | sed 's/ /,/g' | sed '1s/^/key=/' > /tmp/versions.properties
That way we don't have to force Jenkins to double checkout the git repo per my older example.
There are a number of ways you could do this. The end goal is to make sure that the script runs on a regular basis or immediately after the jenkins workspace has polled the git repo.
For instance, you could have the script execute on the jenkins master directly through something as simple as a cron job.
Or, you could also try running it with a post-merge git hook in the workspace, that way it runs each time after a "git pull" occurs. Here is a basic example that you could modify for your needs:
If you're familiar with incron (http://inotify.aiken.cz/?section=incron&page=why&lang=en), you could have that daemon execute the script each time it notices a file change in the git checkout folder on the workspace.
... or just wait for this bug to get patched.
Hope this helps...
Mark Austin We currently "solve" the problem by doing essentially what you suggested at build time using a pipeline stage:
parallel ( getRepo1Tags: { sh("git ls-remote --quiet --tags --heads ${repo1GitUrl} | awk '{print \$2}' | grep -vi '{}' | cut -d/ -f1,2 --complement > ${repo1TmpTags}") }, getRepo2Tags: { sh("git ls-remote --quiet --tags --heads ${repo2GitUrl} | awk '{print \$2}' | grep -vi '{}' | cut -d/ -f1,2 --complement > ${repo2TmpTags}") } )
After that we use the "input" command in pipeline to pause the build and wait for user input.
def listofRepo1TagsBranches = readFile(repo1TmpTags).trim() def repo1TagBranch = input([message: 'Select a Git branch / tag', parameters: [[$class: 'ChoiceParameterDefinition', choices: listofRepo1TagsBranches, description: '', name: 'Repo 1 branch / tag to build']]]) def listofRepo2TagsBranches = readFile(repo2TmpTags).trim() def repo2TagBranch = input([message: 'Select a Git branch / tag', parameters: [[$class: 'ChoiceParameterDefinition', choices: listofRepo2TagsBranches, description: '', name: 'Repo 2 branch / tag to build']]])
This works if you're not using automated deployments. However, for our staging environments, we rely on a webhook to be called so that code is automatically pushed to staging. I'm not sure how you would parameterize this without this plugin getting updated for pipeline support. Anyway, I'll figure out another solution in the meantime.
Code changed in jenkins
User: Boguslaw Klimas
JENKINS-34876 Git Parameters not working for Pipeline projects and Jenkinsfile from SCM
I was created branch feature/JENKINS-34876 where I added support to pipeline job.
I was left to implement one method - perhaps is not necessary I must check it. If you want, you can build plugin from source and check it
I plan to release plugin about 10 sep
Code changed in jenkins
User: Boguslaw Klimas
JENKINS-34876 Git Parameters not working for Pipeline projects and Jenkinsfile from SCM
Code changed in jenkins
User: klimas7
JENKINS-34876 Git Parameters not working for Pipeline projects and Jenkinsfile from SCM
Code changed in jenkins
User: Boguslaw Klimas
Merge pull request #36 from jenkinsci/feature/
Feature/jenkins 34876
Compare: https://github.com/jenkinsci/git-parameter-plugin/compare/f047198dda1e...9b1243d06a5a
When can we expect the release of Git Parameter Plugin latest version i.e. 0.7.0
I didn't have enough time in weekend, I'll do it today.
Sorry, for that
Hi Boguslaw Klimas,
Thanks for the prompt response..
Hi, Yan Wang
I have configured a simple job:
Could you get me something more information? About your configuration.
Oh, I just tried String Parameters and it does not work neither.
So I guess the problem is not with Git Parameter plugin but SCM plugin.
Related issue is: https://issues.jenkins-ci.org/browse/JENKINS-34540
Boguslaw Klimas Thank you for working on this ticket. I apologize for bringing it back up but I was wondering would it be possible to parametize git branches from the checkouts done in the Jenkinsfile pipeline? I was able to get this this to work in the Pipeline for the primary git source but my Jenkinsfile has additional git sources I also need to check out and would like to parametize those git source branches for selection.
it looks like is a problem in scripted pipeline. When i changed the script to declarative it worked
Julian Mosquera, were you able to get it fixed. I'm experiencing a similar issue.
Hi! I am using Jenkins LTS 2.190.2 via Docker container and I'm experiencing this issue using a SCM declarative pipeline. I have an Extensible Choice param in the job that is letting me pick a branch, and then I am referring to the branch variable selection as
in the pipeline settings for the Jenkinsfile in SCM (specifically GIT). Based on my reading of this issue, it seems as if folks think this is fixed? I am definitely able to repo consistently across a number of declarative pipeline jobs on my server. I have config extremely similar to Yan Wang's screenshots from 2016. Boguslaw Klimas Any insight here?
Error from build:
hudson.plugins.git.GitException: Command "git fetch --tags --progress --prune -- origin +refs/heads/${webapp_branch}:refs/remotes/origin/${webapp_branch}" returned status code 128:
stderr: fatal: Couldn't find remote ref refs/heads/${webapp_branch} at org.jenkinsci.plugins.gitclient.CliGitAPIImpl.launchCommandIn(CliGitAPIImpl.java:2174)
at org.jenkinsci.plugins.gitclient.CliGitAPIImpl.launchCommandWithCredentials(CliGitAPIImpl.java:1866)
at org.jenkinsci.plugins.gitclient.CliGitAPIImpl.access$500(CliGitAPIImpl.java:78)
at org.jenkinsci.plugins.gitclient.CliGitAPIImpl$1.execute(CliGitAPIImpl.java:547)
at jenkins.plugins.git.GitSCMFileSystem$BuilderImpl.build(GitSCMFileSystem.java:358)
at jenkins.scm.api.SCMFileSystem.of(SCMFileSystem.java:197)
at jenkins.scm.api.SCMFileSystem.of(SCMFileSystem.java:173)
at org.jenkinsci.plugins.workflow.cps.CpsScmFlowDefinition.create(CpsScmFlowDefinition.java:113)
at org.jenkinsci.plugins.workflow.cps.CpsScmFlowDefinition.create(CpsScmFlowDefinition.java:67)
at org.jenkinsci.plugins.workflow.job.WorkflowRun.run(WorkflowRun.java:299)
at hudson.model.ResourceController.execute(ResourceController.java:97)
at hudson.model.Executor.run(Executor.java:429)
Finished: FAILURE


text:
It's easy to see the impact of record-high crude oil prices at the gas pump.
But what about other areas of the economy?
Anywhere you turn in Hawaii, it's hard to not notice the rising cost of everything from gasoline to groceries.
"You see it at the gas pump, and that's the wake-up call, but it also shows up in the processing costs for food and other manufactured items that are produced elsewhere, but that we then import," said Paul Brewbaker, chief economist for Bank of Hawaii.
Some increases are easily seen, such as fuel surcharges on airfares or shipping rates.
Other costs are less measurable, such as how meat prices are driven up due to higher feed prices as a result of ethanol demand, Brewbaker says.
"The inflation has been much higher than we thought in a particular commodity, petroleum, on which Hawaii is very much more dependent than the rest of the U.S. energy consumption complex," Brewbaker added. "That vulnerability weighs increasingly heavy on prospects for economic growth in the islands."
Preparing a St. Patrick's Day party?
A spread featuring four pounds of corned beef brisket, an equal amount of cabbage and ahi poke, rice and -- for good measure -- two pounds of short ribs, will cost about $48.85. That same meal was $3.48 cheaper last year.
Or maybe you're planning a trip to Las Vegas for Easter.
The average price among five airlines for a round-trip ticket to the "Ninth Hawaiian Island" is $504, compared with $445 a year ago.
And suppose you're moving and have to ship your car to the mainland. That will cost you $1,055, compared with $975 at this time last year.
The common denominator: Crude oil.
More specifically, record-high crude oil costs that continue to drive up inflation in the islands and across the country with each step into newer, higher territory.
Crude oil futures have gained more than $8 this month, settling at $110.21 a barrel Friday, 12 cents below the record set a day earlier.
"What's happened in the last 12 months is that oil prices, which we thought might be about $70, ended up at the end of last year more like $90 and now, two to three months into the new year, are at $110 a barrel already," said Paul Brewbaker, chief economist for Bank of Hawaii.
"The inflation has been much higher than we thought in a particular commodity, petroleum, on which Hawaii is very much more dependent than the rest of the U.S. energy consumption complex."
It's easy to see the impact of high oil prices at the gas pump, where island motorists are paying $3.61 a gallon these days, compared with $2.92 a year ago, according to AAA's Fuel Gauge report.
But in a state so reliant on fossil fuels -- elected officials repeatedly state how more than 90 percent of the state's energy needs are fueled by imported crude -- the impact of record-high national prices reaches well beyond the gas station.
"You see it at the gas pump, and that's the wake-up call," said Brewbaker, "but it also shows up in the processing costs for food and other manufactured items that are produced elsewhere, but that we then import."
Most homeowners feel the impact of higher crude oil costs in the form of higher electric bills.
For one Manoa family, the cost to power a three-bedroom, three-bathroom house was $217.69 this month, up about 43 percent from $151.32 a year ago, at a slightly higher amount of usage.
Such increases typically result from electric utilities being able to pass 100 percent of their increased fuel costs along to consumers.
That aspect of the utilities' operations has been scrutinized recently. Lawmakers two years ago passed legislation requiring the Public Utilities Commission to study and determine whether an energy-cost adjustment clause should be enacted to regulate how much of an electric companies' fuel costs can be passed on to consumers.
The PUC continues to study the matter and has not yet made a recommendation.
Airlines and shipping companies, key components of island life, also are able to pass a portion of their fuel costs onto consumers.
Hawaiian and Aloha airlines recently announced plans to increase round-trip airfares between Hawaii and the mainland by $30 to offset escalating fuel costs. Mainland-based airlines have made similar moves, raising round-trip prices for most domestic markets by as much as $50 due to the soaring price of jet fuel.
Hawaiian said every penny increase in the price of a gallon of jet fuel costs the company $1.3 million annually, adding that the average price per gallon has risen 41 cents, or 15.1 percent, since the beginning of the year.
The islands' two major shippers, Matson Navigation Co. and Horizon Lines, have had to increase rates, as well. Both recently announced increases of 2.25 percentage points to their fuel surcharge, placing it at a record high 33.75 percent.
Cost increases such as these are the measurable impacts that can be attributed to the high cost of oil. It is sometimes harder to see the secondary effects.
"Another example," says Brewbaker, "is that the increase in the price for oil increases the demand for ethanol, which raises grain prices, which makes feed more expensive, which means meat prices are more expensive.
"So meat's more expensive because petroleum's more expensive? Weird, but that's partly how that chain works."
The question many are asking now is: How long can this surge in oil prices continue?
High fuel prices are sure to cut demand at some point, analysts say. Demand for gasoline has fallen nationwide every week since late January. Analysts say gas and diesel prices will eventually fall, but the decline may come only after high prices have pushed the economy into a severe slowdown.
"This is a bubble, and everyone is waiting for it to pop," said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Alaron Trading Corp., in Chicago.
Another analyst says to get used to it.
Matthew Simmons, a Houston-based investment banker, industry analyst and former energy adviser to President Bush's 2000 campaign, argues that dwindling supplies of oil, the aging of refineries and the lack of new ones being built are unlikely to keep costs down in the face of future demand.
"I think basically we need to get used to the fact that the days of cheap oil ended," Simmons said in a telephone interview. "I think we're basically in for some very dramatically different energy costs."


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Meaning : Woman of Magdala, Woman Of Magdala, Woman from Magdala, Of Hebrew origin meaning 'of Magdala', a variant form of Magdalena.,
Origin : Occitan, Spanish, Slovene, Finnish, Serbian, English, Norwegian, Dutch, Macedonian, Croatian, Czech, Polish, Romanian, German, Swedish, Hebrew, Bulgarian,
Pronunciation : (MAD-el-ine), mag dah LAY nah, mahk-dah-LE-nah (German), mahg-dah-LE-nah (Polish), mag-da-LAY-na (English) ,
If you have information about this name, share it in the comments area below!
Magdalena Expression, Magdalena Soul Urge, Magdalena Inner Dream
Numerology information Magdalena:
Name Number: 4 Meaning: Stability, Sameness, Regular, Rules, Condition, Responsibility, Routine, Frame, Detail, Order
Additional information Magdalena:
Magdalena is a feminine name that comes from Hebrew origin. along with the name Madeline, which is the more common variant in Britain, Magdalena come from the original Hebrew name Magdalene which means 'Woman from Magdala'. Magdala was the birthplace of Saint Mary Magdalene, an important Saint in Christianity because she is said to have been the first disciple to see Jesus rise from the dead. The form Magdalena is a continental variant and is mostly used in mainland Europe.
Czechoslovakian Meaning: The name Magdalena is a Czechoslovakian baby name. In Czechoslovakian the meaning of the name Magdalena is: Woman from Magdala. The biblical Mary Magdalene came from Magdala area near the sea of Galilee.
Latinate form of MAGDALENE
Definition funny of Magdalena:
Mag-duh-lay-nuh - (noun). Origin: Magnanimus Pius (Polish, meaning "thieving magpie"). 1. A girl who either steals your heart away like a thieving magpie would a shiny object or who resembles the small black-and-white bird in appearance. 2. Often used to describe the most beautiful girl you've ever seen. Can also be used to describe the most beautiful black-and-white bird you've ever seen. 3. "Rare beauty"... in bird-watchers' terms. Synonyms: Magpie, Pie, foxy-lady, stone-fox
"Why are you drooling?" "I've just seen a Magdalena."
Is a girl who is sophisticated, gorgeous and down to earth. A Magdalena is a person who is a modern hippie, loves the beach and hitting bongs. You can find her dancing in the rain.
"wow did you see that sunset!?" "yeah thats a Magdalena."
She is the one thing that everyone always misses no matter what. She can be a crazy rapest and a stalker at times but you know you will want it. A Magdalena is by most the more beautiful one in the group, enjoys fivesomes, and is the last one to leave. Doing the dew isn't her thing but the coke way of the cuming and the burst of bubbles is her favourite.
Dude....I want a Magdalena to rape me like she thinks im fucking coke.
a very crazy and clumsy person who acts like a five year old but is much older... around their fifteens....
Expression information Magdalena:
People with this name tend to be orderly and dedicated to building their lives on a solid foundation of order and service. They value truth, justice, and discipline, and may be quick-tempered with those who do not. Their practical nature makes them good at managing and saving money, and at building things in the material world. Because of their focus on order and practicality, they may seem overly cautious and conservative at times.
Soul information Magdalena:
People with this name have a deep inner desire to lead, organize, supervise, and to achieve status, power and wealth.
Songs about Magdalena:
Magdalena - A Perfect Circle
Magdalena - David Gray
Magdalena - Frank Zappa
Maria Magdalena - Sandra
Magdalena by A Perfect Circle from the Album Mer De Noms [Explicit]
Magdalena (Live) by A Perfect Circle from the Album Mer De Noms - Live
Magdalena by David Gray from the Album Sell, Sell, Sell
Magdalena by Freddie Aguilar from the Album The Legends Series: Freddie Aguilar
Asilos Magdalena (Album Version) by The Mars Volta from the Album Amputechture
Magdalena, Mi Amor (Quimbara) (Album Version) by DLG (Dark Latin Groove) from the Album 10 De Colección
Cancion Para La Magdalena (En El Luna Park - Argentina) by Serrat & Sabina from the Album Serrat & Sabina (En El Luna Park - Argentina)
Books about Magdalena:
Magdalena and Balthasar : An Intimate Portrait of Life in 16th Century Europe Revealed in the Letters of a Nuremberg... by Steven Ozment (Sep 10, 1989)
Magdalena Volume 2 TP by Ron Marz, David Marquez, Nelson Blakell and Keu Cha (Jul 10, 2012)
Magdalena Origins Volume 2 TP by Marcia Chen, Brian Holguin, Eric Basaldua and Brian Ching (Jul 5, 2011)
Magdalena Volume 1 TP by Ron Marz, Phil Smith, Filip Sablik and Ryan Sook (Aug 23, 2011)
Magdalena Origins Volume 1 TP by Malachy Coney, Marcia Chen and Joe Benitez (Jan 11, 2011)
Magdalena Volume 1 by Malachy Coney and Joe Benitez (Jan 2, 2007)
J.S. Bach: Selections from Anna Magdalena's Notebook (Book & CD) (Alfred Masterwork Edition) by J. S. Bach and Willard A. Palmer (Dec 2004)
Movies about Magdalena:
Magdalena, the Sinful Saint 2012 NR CC - Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins Starring: Angelica Panganiban, Jericho Rosales, et al. Directed by: Laurice Guillen
Anna Magdalena (English Subtitled) 2014 NR - Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins Starring: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Kelly Chen, et al. Directed by: Chung Man Yee
MAGDALENA VIRAGA 2013 NR - Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins Starring: Tinka Menkes Directed by: Nina Menkes
Bridezillas: Season 1 2006 NR - Runtime: 6 hrs 15 mins Starring: Ryan Murray, Tom Hollander, et al.
Abby/Magdalena - Demonic Double Feature -
Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach 2005 NR - Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins Starring: Gustav Leonhardt, Christiane Lang, et al. Directed by: Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet
MAGDALENA VIRAGA 2009 NR - Runtime: 23 mins Directed by: Daniel Reeves
Wiki information Magdalena:
Magdalena is a department of Colombia, located to the north of the country by the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Magdalena Department is Santa Marta and was named after the Magdalena River. It inherited the name of one of the original nine states...
The Magdalena River is the principal river of Colombia, flowing northward about 1,528 kilometres through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, in...


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Trailer For 'Arjun,' A Disney Animated Movie Produced In India
Posted on Friday, May 4th, 2012 by Germain Lussier
Disney sure loves to buy companies. They own Pixar, they own Marvel and earlier this year they bought UTV, one of the largest media companies in India. A trailer for the first film under this new regime, Arjun: The Warrior Prince, has just been released. The film will be released May 25 in India and is "the untold story of India's greatest warrior." While the animation isn't quite up to Disney standards, it's interesting to see what the Mouse has their finger on in different countries. Check out the trailer after the jump.
Thanks to Cartoon Brew (via Bleeding Cool) for the heads up on this trailer. It's in Hindi, but there are some rough translations below.
While I don't exactly have an idea what's going on specifically, Arjun certainly seems to have a ton of action and beautiful visuals. In some cases, they could be mistaken for classic Disney stuff. In others, such as the hunting scene early on, it looks a layer or two less detailed from the kind of animation we're used to seeing. The blend of CG elements with animation also isn't as clean as we usually see in Disney films, which makes sense as the film has been in production for four years, well before Disney took control of UTV. Still, slap some English subtitles on this thing and I'd check it out.
The Cartoon Brew article offers the following translations to what's being said if you're wondering:
"Have the mothers of earth stopped giving birth to brave men?"
"Is there an archer (who can accomplish this)? Is there?!"
Drona: "Yudhishtira, what do you see?"
Yudhishtira: "Ten mango trees, three Bo-trees and one Audumbar tree."
Drona: "Move aside! Arjun…?"
Arjun: "My eye sees only the eye of the bird, teacher."
Drona: "Then release the arrow!"
"If you have to break the Pandavas, then first attack… Arjun!"
Draupadi: "Give me your word – that you will take vengeance for my humiliation from all the Kauravas!"
"Create the chakravyuha (circular formation)!"
Drona: "Get ready for battle!"
"Forget about victory and defeat – focus on action and you will fear nothing."
What do you think about Arjun?
Image: www.animationsfilme.ch


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About Us
For over 35 years we have operated as a specialist aluminium glazing and fenestration design, manufacturing and installation company, trusted to provide blue chip clients across Scotland with a diverse range of products to include; shopfronts, curtain wall screens, entrance screens, automatic entrance doors, heritage windows, bi-folding and patio doors, residential doors, windows of all types, glazed roof structures and patent glazing. Although we largely focus on our commercial clients, we also manufacture and install for residential customers too. After all, if we can successfully design and re-fit an office block, hotel, school or University building, a domestic property is well within our scope. Our Technical Team are possibly the most experienced in Scotland, as many of us have worked at Stag for over 25 years. We have design, estimating and installation teams in both Kilmarnock and Leven, to provide truly excellent coverage across the Central belt and beyond. Stag Aluminium is an amalgamation of two successful aluminium businesses, Ayrshire Shopfronts and Gardiner Windows. The former Managing Directors; Ken McKenzie and Ian Gardiner, with over 60 years combined experience both still work at Stag. As part of the privately owned Kaliber Group, we also benefit from the backing and support of our other group manufacturing companies; KAT, Spitfire Doors and Universal Arches. If you have a commercial or domestic project please email: [email protected] or call 01563 542 991.


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With the rise of right wing extremists, including neo-Nazis, I see it often said on social media that the German people of the 1920s and 1930s did little if anything to oppose Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist Party's rise to power. This is untrue. There was a lot of opposition to the Nazis rise to power, opposition that the Nazis spent much time and effort to overcome. Ideally you should read this history to see this, whether you read works by AJP Taylor, Ian Kershaw, John Toland, Joachim Fest, or others (but not David Irving). For a start, you can read this: Adolf Hitler's rise to power, beginning with the Beer Hall Putsch. As you read along, you can see many opposed to the rise of the Nazi party. You can argue that they were ineffective: you cannot argue that they did not exist. Many of the opponents were killed (members of the Red Front) and many others, like Ernst Thälmann, were sent to concentration camps. Some fled, others became silent, and still others become supporters. Many died in the war to come.
The Nazis were supported, of course: that is how they managed to be in a position to take over power in the first place. But the idea that they met with little or no opposition is wrong.
For more reading, you can find a link to


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Books I Read in 2011
In addition to keeping up with about 25 ongoing comic series, I managed to read 24 books in 2011.
I finished my project of reading all of Ian Fleming's James Bond books, with:
- Doctor No
- Goldfinger
- For Your Eyes Only
- Thunderball
- The Spy Who Loved Me
- On Her Majesty's Secret Service
- You Only Live Twice
- The Man with the Golden Gun
- Octopussy and the Living Daylights
If you plan to read any, definitely start with Casino Royale. It's the first and probably best of the series. After that, read From Russia with Love (John F. Kennedy's favorite!). Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and You Only Live Twice make up a kind of "Blofeld" trilogy if you're looking for some deeper cuts.
(As for the movies, I like all of the Connery movies, especially Doctor No, From Russia with Love, and Goldfinger. Daniel Craig's Casino Royale is superb, and I like Pierce Brosnan a lot, especially in GoldenEye. Timothy Dalton was much better than the movies he was given, and I've never felt that the 70s/early 80s lent themselves to Bond's character, so consequently never much cared for Roger Moore's stuff. The Spy Who Loved Me has that cool underwater Lotus. I kept notes on all of the films as I watched them but don't feel like going back to them right now. I think I liked about three of Moore's. I know I very much don't like Live and Let Die and Moonraker.)
I also read:
- The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay, all by Suzanne Collins and soon to be major motion pictures. I recommend them highly.
- Stanley Kubrick Interviews, a great companion piece of sorts to the A Life in Pictures documentary.
- Zero History by William Gibson, sort of the third part of Gibson's "Blue Ant" books, though I liked Pattern Recognition, the first, best.
- A few essays from What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
- The Magicians by Lev Grossman, which was uneven but I think I'll probably read the sequel at some point.
- Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre, a collection of stories by H.P. Lovecraft.
- A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin
- Kraken by China Miéville
- Embassytown by China Miéville
- Supergods by Grant Morrison
As 2012 begins I'm part way into Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by Neal Gabler and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon.


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Paying the lowest amount for energy involves switching suppliers regularly – and ensuring you pay the correct amount means providing accurate meter readings.
Most energy customers build up credit from April to October when heating is turned down and use this during the winter when our homes need more heat.
But energy firms are taking more from customers than required. Research from uSwitch in May 2018 found 11 million households were owed a total of £1.3 billion. 40% were owed an average of £121 and 8% more than £200.
Automatic refunds are still not standard, even when you switch suppliers. The research discovered 54% of consumers had to chase their supplier for a refund instead of receiving one automatically.
By providing accurate meter readings at the start and end of your contract you should pay the right amount for your gas and electricity in the end.
The way you're billed by energy suppliers can be confusing because you usually pay a regular monthly direct debit, which often has little direct link to actual usage which varies throughout the year.
But paying this way means you have a fixed outgoing that helps with household budgeting. When you provide meter readings, your supplier generates accurate bills based on actual usage, allowing you to see the real state of your account and if you're paying too much or not enough.
You should try to provide accurate meter readings at least four times a year and ensure that your energy supplier (or suppliers) use them. Then your monthly direct debit will be adjusted closer to the amount of energy you actually use.
If you never provide meter readings, which according to uSwitch, 1.4 million households don't, then you'll be paying estimated bills. This means you could be in for a nasty shock when your actual bill is issued if you are underpaying – or if you've been overpaying you are allowing your utility supplier to hold your money you don't really owe.
Two houses on the same road using the same amount of electricity and/or gas can pay a significantly different amount of money for their energy. Your supplier, tariff, and whether you've switched recently can all have a major impact on your energy bill.
If you've never switched suppliers you will likely be on a standard variable rate (SVR) tariff, paying hundreds of pounds more than the cheapest tariff available. If you have switched but the promotional period has ended (usually after 12 or 24 months) you'll be automatically moved to a SVR tariff where your rates are regularly increased.
For instance, British Gas increased its SVR tariff by 5.5% on May 29 – an increase of about £60 for most homes. EDF, Scottish Power and Npower all have similar increases planned for June.
Suppliers rely on the apathy of consumers staying on the same SVR tariffs to make large profits. But, you don't have to be at the mercy of these suppliers. Take action, compare tariff costs across the whole market and switch to the best deal in your area. It doesn't matter which company logo is on the bill: the gas or electric that arrives at your house is always the same.
The Energy Switch Guarantee means you can expect a safe, reliable switch to a new provider in 21 days. If you have never switched suppliers you could save up to £300 a year.
You can save money by being on the right tariff. The cheapest deals are available if you manage your account online and opt for paperless billing. Here's a list of the different energy tariffs available in the UK.
These are usually the most expensive option, but they're flexible: your bill could go up or down in line with supplier price increases/decreases, and you can leave at any time without paying an exit fee.
The price of the standing charge and rate per kilowatt hour (kWh) for your gas and electricity doesn't change for the length of the deal. You are protected from price rises – but if prices are cut you won't benefit. If you leave before the end of the fixed rate deal, you will usually have to pay an exit fee.
This is when you get gas and electricity from the same supplier. The cheapest deals are often reserved for dual fuel customers and it can be easier to deal with just one supplier.
The cheapest deals are reserved for online tariffs where you receive bills and correspondence via email, and submit meter readings and manage your account online.
There are other tariffs, including pre-payment tariffs which are an expensive option but make it easier to manage your finances because you 'pay as you go'. Green energy tariffs are rarely the cheapest, but they're not always the most expensive either. If you opt for a green energy tariff, the supplier will usually promise to buy renewable energy generation from the National Grid equal to your energy usage.
Energy bills are complicated and despite efforts from the regulator, Ofgem, to force utility providers to simplify bills as well as reduce the bewildering array of tariffs, bills remain difficult to understand.
In essence, like most bills, you have an opening balance, then add the charges for the period, subtract the payment you've made in the billing period, and end up with a closing balance.
The charges are made up of the amount of kWh used in the period multiplied by the rate. For instance, 540.4 kWh x 11p = £59.44. You then add on the daily standing charge for the period, for instance 31 days at 18.01p per day = £5.58. On top of this VAT is charged at 5% on energy costs, so this bill total is £65.02 + 5% VAT (£3.25) = £68.27.
The main charge, the usage, may be estimated if you haven't provided a meter reading. When you provide one, the next bill will be calculated based on accurate usage and will show the correct charges and bring your account up to date.
Energy companies regularly make mistakes. Ofgem has launched 76 investigations into the practices of energy firms since 2009 into issues ranging from pricing errors to tariff irregularities, covering all the major suppliers and most of the minor ones too.
Common billing errors include bills not matching accurate meter readings, bills not added up correctly, suppliers refusing to refund credit balances, suppliers applying the wrong tariff details to accounts, and duplicate charges where suppliers apply their own estimated meter readings and the ones customers have actually supplied.
If you think your energy supplier has made a mistake, investigate, get your facts straight, contact them and try and get it resolved. If they don't rectify the mistake to your satisfaction then complain to the Energy Ombudsman.


text: On June 3, 1965, astronaut Ed White became the first American to walk in space. Upon the conclusion of his spacewalk, he said, "I'm coming back in… and it's the saddest moment of my life." He later died with fellow astronauts Virgil Grissom and Roger Chaffee during prelaunch testing for the first planned Apollo mission at Cape Canaveral. He posthumously received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.


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We've been in business for over 25 years in the Joliet area, and over that time, we've learned that you like to celebrate as much as we do. So, we've integrated this into the way we build because a house is not a home until it's set up in the way that complements your life and the way you live it.
Check out our latest video on how working with Core means building with your very own, personal style. Our open floor plans give sufficient space to the cozy couch cuddlers and social butterflies, alike. With a spacious kitchen, or what we call the "heartbeat of the home," copious amount of storage and serving space, and a sunroom that serves as a perfect extension of the kitchen, you have everything you need to treat the ones you love most to an event as wonderful as they are.
Call us today at 815-467-1155 or visit our website at homesbycore.com to build a house that supports your celebration style.
Connect with Us!
Website: homesbycore.com
Blog: http://homesbycore.com/news/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoreHomes
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HomesByCore
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/CoreHomes/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu1iun8oD5cFbYv2jc9zNXg


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Chair Massage with Jenn Browning
One of the many benefits to coworking at Perch is having your own massage therapist come to you. We are thrilled that Jenn Browning is offering her services to our members. Browning comes to Perch every few months. She sets up in our conference room with her own chair, and all her essential oils. Once you seat down, she begins working her magic on your target areas. Once she is finished you return to work rejuvenated and ready to conquer your work day.
"I offer Swedish, myofascial, deep-tissue, and Thai yoga massage – as well as trigger point work and facilitated stretching. In an single session I may utilize multiple techniques based on your needs."


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This latest report from OECD uses data from the 2012 PISA mathematics section to examine factors associated with the performance gap between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Differences in exposure to "pure mathematics concepts," such as equations and functions, as opposed to "procedural" or "applied" concepts, is highlighted as a driver of the gap. The report includes OECD's policy recommendations to improve the achievement of low performers.
- Equations and Inequalities: Making Mathematics Accessible to All – Read OECD's report about educational equity issues specifically related to mathematics.
- PISA in Focus 63: Are Disadvantaged Students Given Equal Opportunities to Learn Mathematics? – Read OECD's summary of the Equations and Inequalities.
- Making All Students Count – Read OECD's blog post about the Equations and Inequalities.


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Stay on Top of Enterprise Technology Trends
Get updates impacting your industry from our GigaOm Research Community
Initially called "Apex" then "AMP," Yahoo's (NSDQ: YHOO) long-awaited ad sales and targeting system got its unveiling finally in the middle of New York's Advertising Week. Held on the lower level of the NYTCo's (NYSE: NYT) Times Center building, the company opened things up saying that this announcement was "a seminal event" and a "tranformative development" in online advertising.
Seeking to tie the new product to the time when TV went from black and white to color, Jon Hamm, who plays "Don Draper" on AMC's Mad Men, was picked to emcee the event. Noting the contrasts between the 1960s where his character lives — a time when there were three major TV networks that had a hold on an unfragmented 87 percent of the audience and a city could support several daily newspapers — and today, Hamm said, that while times have certainly changed, "If Don Draper were standing before you today, he would still be smoking and drinking. But he'd recognize that what my friend Jerry Yang is about to share with you will rock the media world in the way that radio and TV did."
— The world of tomorrow, today: Yang: "Jon Hamm took you back 40 years. I'm going to take you back to about 18 months ago." He reviewed the launch of Panama — which was also much heralded at the time as a potential big revenue booster. A few months later erstwhile CEO Terry Semel was pleading for shareholders to give the system more time. Today, Yang positioned Panama only as a step: "Panama led us to the next platform, code named 'Nirvana.' We pulled together Yahoo's best and brightest in 2007. We put ourselves in the shoes of the people we were designing for: advertisers, designers, publishers. One of the key moves we made was the investment in ad exchange Right Media. The subsequent acquisition of Right Media is a core part of the new system we're launching today. We asked partners in the Yahoo Newspaper Consortium. They said it was taking too long to find advertisers and connect them to their audience. Initially called Apex, them AMP, we promised to deliver in the Q3. The Yahoo Newspaper Consortium will receive it first, then early next year, it will be widely available to advertisers, ad agencies and ad networks."
— No more faxing: Sue Decker, Yahoo's president, was next up to describe why "APT is apt." Decker: The current ad delivery system is broken. Even for online advertising, it takes 30 steps — including still having to fax invoices — and multiple requests for proposals that can take up to six weeks. APT offers a simplified workflow process. This new platform will deliver business results and provide a whole new level of control. More after the jump.
— Saving newspapers?: Dean Singleton, CEO of MediaNews Group, whose paper the San Jose Mercury News, has been one of the first testers, offered his early take on how APT has been working. "APT presents a sea change in how newspapers make money online — which is part of a market that is expected to reach $23 billion over the next four years. When we conceived if the idea of the newspaper consortium on a yellow pad several years ago, it took Yahoo to make it a reality. In addition to having built the advertising infrastructure, Yahoo will help us improve how we sell and what we sell. As part of APT, we can bundle our inventory nationally and in a more targeted way. Today, newspapers are focused on selling sites and sections generally. With APT, we can be more specific. We expect to 22 percent from online newspapers, in five years, we expect it to be 50 percent. The newspaper industry's future is at stake. But I am extremely excited about the future of our industry, with much credit to what Yahoo has done."
— Better targeting, higher prices: During the Q&A, Singleton added: "We sell a lot of advertising at low rates. We can charge higher rates if we can target better. If we could charge normal rates for our advertising, you wouldn't be hearing about the woes of the newspaper industry. The reason that online newspaper revenues don't make up the losses on the print side is because we're selling cheaper remnant ad space."


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Developer Community
Choose a layout and drag widgets onto your Overview Page to customize it. Widgets placed on the page below can be configured by selecting the symbol.
The Community Information Area is for you to learn about community related tips, best practices, and meet some of our experts.
Recommended Reading
Cypress Community Usage Guidelines
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Centers of Excellence
Featured Services
A-Z Index
See full list of Medical Services
We appreciate your interest in the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Maimonides Medical Center. Graduate medical education is part of the rich heritage and mission of Maimonides. Our program strives to provide the best educational experience in an environment that assures a balance between academic and clinical activities. We take great pride in our success in preparing residents to become the next generation of expert practitioners.
Our Internal Medicine Residency Program offers an outstanding opportunity to train in a dynamic, tertiary care referral center. Maimonides is the Brooklyn campus for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. This affiliation enriches the training of our residents and help to create an academic milieu superior to other community teaching hospitals. In addition, the exposure to a unique, highly diverse patient population, enables our residents to become expert internal medicine physicians, well-prepared to handle any and all patients upon graduation.
4802 Tenth Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11219
Appointments: 718-283-2665
General: 718-283-6000


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Are agencies feeling the heat? Hear it from the expertTuesday, September 23, 2008
Inflation, escalating talent and rental costs, increased investments in tools and research, declining client fees and commissions—all these are playing their part in squeezing the profits of ad agencies. Revenue growth of most of the big agencies is hovering at 15%. For big networks, profit margins have dipped from 30% a decade ago to 15-20%. For small agencies, the margins range between 10% and 50%, say the CEOs of some ad agencies.
Mint spoke to M.G. Parameswaran, Executive director and CEO, DraftFCB+Ulka on whether agencies are facing pressure on profits.


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One of the messages that you may see on the screen on your iPhone 4 is that the storage is almost full. We'll share some tips and workarounds with you that will help you to free up some space, so you can use your device normally. Take a look at 5 ways to fix iPhone 4 storage almost full which are listed further down, and just follow some simple steps. Here are the solutions.
See also: 5 ways to fix iPhone 4 won't connect to the App Store
5 ways to fix iPhone 4 storage almost full
Solution No.1: Delete the apps you don't use
In order to free up some space, you may start by deleting some unwanted apps. Here is how:
- Go to the Home screen and find the app you want to delete from your device
- Tap and hold the icon, until you see an X in the corner of the icon
- Click on it, and the app will be deleted from your iPhone.
Solution No.2: Clear the music
Most of us have the same problem. We tend to keep a lot of music on our devices, and in reality, we may listen about ten favorite songs, or the radio. I am not suggesting to leave ten songs only, what I'm suggesting is to clear up and remove the ones you don't listen to at all. This tip will help you fix iPhone 4 storage almost full issue, along with other tips you will find here.
Solution No.3: Delete photos and videos
Same story as the one with music. We tend to keep all kinds of videos and photos on our devices. What you need to do is to give your iPhone 4. to breathe, so transfer the photos and videos to your computer, and remove them from your device.
Solution No.4: Clear Safari cache
To clear Safari cache, follow these steps:
- Navigate to Settings
- Tap on Safari
- Tap on Clear Cookies and Data
Solution No.5: iCloud
Some users complained that even if they deleted videos, photos, Safari cache and music, they still had the storage almost full problem. If you did the same, deleted the things mentioned above, and still experiencing the issue, do this: go to Settings, iCloud. Then, turn off iCloud storage backup. The next step is to sync your device with iTunes. After you do that, turn the iCloud backup back on.
We hope that 5 ways to fix iPhone 4 storage almost full solved the problem. To avoid this in the future, clear up your device every once in a while. It will have enough space, and it will also work much better.


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The Ground Is Level at the Foot of the Cross
However, I'm glad men and different, aren't you? I say, "Vive la difference!" Maybe you've seen this list of five ways men and women think differently:
• A man will pay $10 for a $5 item he needs. A woman will pay $5 for a $10 item she doesn't need because it's on sale.
• A man has five items in his bathroom: a toothbrush, razor, shaving cream, soap and a comb. A woman has an average of 328 items in her bathroom—most of which a man can't identify.
• Women always have the last word in an argument. Anything a man adds after that is the beginning of a new argument.
• When three men eat out and the bill is $44.95, each tosses a $20 bill on the table. When three women eat out and the bill is $44.95, out come the calculators.
• A woman knows everything about her children—their best friends; their hopes, dreams, and fears; and their dentist appointments. A man is vaguely aware of short people living in the house.


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1. This fun announcement is a great way to let your family and friends know you are expecting, whether it is your first, second or third baby you can change the digits to match your families latest addition.
2. A great surprise for a loved one, you can either write at the bottom of a mug to who ever you are surprising or even buy one with it already printed on.
3. A funny take on the film Juno
4. Such a cute way to announce your pregnancy by lining up all of your shoes and a tiny pair for new baby along with your dates of birth and the expected year of arrival.
5. Another lovely photo, perhaps you could have a pregnancy announcement photoshoot and have a few different photos to keep.
6. For further along in your pregnancy but a funny way to announce that you are expecting!
7. What a genius idea!
8. Having a sibling announce the pregnancy is a favourite of a lot of expecting mums. It's such a cute way to announce to family and friends online and your older child will be excited too.
9. A cute way to tell your parents they are going to be grandparents.
10. Another fun way to announce a pregnancy with balloons. You could also use bubble gum but without the writing of course.
How did you announce your pregnancy?


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- California
- Sun City
H&M Self Storage
- Office Closed
- |
- Gate Open
Online Renting available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for your convenience!
Whether you're moving to a new home in Sun City, CA or just need some extra space, look no further than H&M Storage to meet your needs! Our facility is located at 26850 Encanto Dr in Romoland, just a stone's throw from Sun City. You'll find us right off US-215 and near R&R Auto Group. We're just a quick drive from Menifee, Perris, and Mead Valley. We're confident that we have the perfect storage unit to suit your needs. Contact us today!
At H&M Self Storage, all of our garage-type storage units have their own individual light inside, making evening visits a breeze. Our wide aisles make drive-up access hassle free, and the RV parking area has its own separate gate for your convenience. We are a fully gated facility with security cameras and an onsite resident manager. We also carry boxes and moving supplies, so you won't have to go anywhere but here for your entire move!
Our experienced and friendly staff take pride in their customer service. We are always happy and willing to answer any questions you may have. We are open seven days a week. Our office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and our gate hours are from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Come visit us!
Join us at H & M Self Storage on Saturday, October 21st, from 8am to 2pm. We'll be serving up food and beverages for visitors, and many of our residents will have goods for sale. We'll also be selling raffle tickets leading up to and during the event, drawing winners at 2pm when we pack it in..
If you're a current tenant and would like to participate in the yard sale, contact the front office at (951) 679 – 4541. or email@example.com.
H & M Self Storage Yard Sale and Barbecue
Saturday, October 21st
8:00am to 2:00pm
26850 Encanto Dr
Menifee, California
Here at StaxUp Storage, we know our success is due to our wonderful team. The care they give our self storage renters is unparalleled and we want to highlight their milestones along the way. Below is an interview with Sun City, CA team member Forrest Allen, who is celebrating his 4-year anniversary with StaxUP Storage this week.
You can find Forrest managing the property at H&M Self Storage.
Peter: Is this one year with H&M Self Storage?
Forrest: As a manager, yes, but I was an assistant manager for three years before that.
Peter: Four years is a long time at any job these days. Congratulations!
Forrest: Haha, yeah, thanks.
Peter: How did you get started working in self storage?
Forrest: I kind of grew up around it. My parents were doing it. My grandparents were doing it, so I thought it would be a good idea, since I already knew a lot about it.
Peter: That's an interesting, sort of almost, family business to grow up in.
Forrest: Oh, yeah, it was interesting. Still is, haha!
Peter: Do you think you've learned anything working in self storage that you wouldn't have learned other places?
Forrest: Definitely people skills, learning the right way to talk with different people and learning how to handle different situations.
Peter: After four years in the business, I bet you have a lot of stories. Do you have any go-to stories when someone asks you what it's like to work in self storage?
Forrest: Haha, I've got some interesting ones, but I'm not sure there are any I want to talk about.
Peter: No stories that are appropriate for the website?
Forrest: No, hahaha!
Peter: Hahaha, right on. I understand completely. So, you're at H&M. Is there anything distinctive about that self storage facility? Anything that sets it apart?
Forrest: It looks a little bit homier than others, if that makes sense.
Peter: Like it's not so corporate looking or sterile?
Forrest: Yeah, exactly.
Peter: What's your clientele like? Is it mostly residential or do you have a good number of commercial clients too?
Forrest: I'd say it's about half and half.
Peter: That's a good mix! So, you're not always at work. Do you have any hobbies outside of work that you like to do?
Forrest: I go hiking a lot. Up at Humboldt Park there's Devil's Pass and that's my favorite one.
Peter: That sounds fun. Do you go by yourself?
Forrest: No, my girlfriend and I go a lot.
Peter: That is a good couple's activity for sure, a fun way to stay in shape.
Forrest: Yeah, definitely.
Peter: Any other hobbies?
Forrest: I like to cook.
Peter: Any specific kind of cuisine?
Forrest: I kind of make my own, if that makes sense.
Peter: Ah, so you're an original chef.
Forrest: Oh, yeah. That's me.
Peter: Do you have any go-to recipes.
Forrest: You know what, cooking top ramen in the pan with soy sauce and green onions.
Peter: Really?
Forrest: Oh, yeah.
Peter: So you boil it first to soften it up and then you throw it in the pan with soy sauce and green onions and fry it up?
Forrest: Oh, yeah, with some eggs.
Peter: Oh, dang. I am going to try that when I get home. That is an awesome go-to recipe: cheap, easy, and delicious.
Forrest: It's definitely cheap and really good.
Peter: Cool, cool. Are there any restaurants near where you work that you eat at regularly?
Forrest: Coco's in Sun City. They've got a bit of everything: burgers, salads, steaks. I've been going there since I was a little kid.
Peter: So you grew up in that area?
Forrest: Yeah, in Menifee.
Peter: Do you think you'll stay there for the long haul or do you ever feel like getting out and moving somewhere else in the world?
Forrest: I'm kind of seeing where the flow takes me.
Peter: That is a great way to go about it. That's what I'm doing. At the end of these interviews, I like to ask if there is anyone on the team who has helped you out in the past. Is there anyone on the team who deserves a shout out?
Forrest: Other than my parents, Tommy helped me a lot, but he isn't with the company anymore.
Peter: That's alright, we'll give old Tommy a shout out.
Forrest: Then Tommy definitely.
It's the right time of year to get rid of the clutter and find some hidden treasures. Of course, we are talking about getting in on some great deals at our H&M Self Storage Facility Garage Sale happening this Saturday, April 21st from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM!
Rebecca Avila, H&M facility manager, explained how the event is intended to accommodate the customers, "This is going to be my first event, because I am a new manager. It's something we do for the tenants. Sometimes they have a lot of stuff! It's spring time, so spring cleaning, and you're making money and getting rid of things you don't need."
It sounds like shoppers will have plenty of units to look through, "We did have a sign up sheet, and it was for non-tenants as well. We have a couple of those that signed up. I have 15, and of 15, 11 payed," Rebecca said.
Apparently one of H&M's tenants will not only be selling items from their unit, but also their house according to Rebecca, "I have a tenant who rented a 26 foot truck because she had so much furniture she wants to get rid of. She has tons of stuff from home and tons of stuff from her storage that she just wants to get rid of. She's like 'I've got beds and tables and this,' and I'm like 'Oh my goodness' she's just going on about what she has."
When it comes to the size of units that will be opening their doors, there will be a pretty good mix, "We have a few that have the larger units and then some of the tenants are like 'Oh I have so much stuff at home I need to get rid of' chances are they are probably going to sell items from their storage unit and bring things from home that they no longer use. But it's really a mixture. Some are large and some are small," Rebecca said.
This event is open to the public, so call your friends and family! Everyone is invited to peruse the units and get in on the fun. Make sure you go early to get first dibs on the things you need, and snag a few things that you may not have realised you needed!
At H&M Self Storage in Sun City, California we had a garage sale event on Saturday, April 21st. We love being able to help our tenants and customers spring clean their units, and give the public a chance to get in on some fantastic deals while having a relaxed look at our facility.
H&M Facility Manager Rebecca Avila said that she had six tenants that opened their units to shoppers on Saturday. While she was expecting more of her customers to participate in the event, Rebecca said that a couple of them had enough items to fill four storage units.
Rebecca made sure that the tenants participating in the garage sale were well taken care of. Starting off in the morning she provided them with donuts, water, bananas, coffee, and tea. Then in the afternoon her husband, Hector Avila, cooked up some hot dogs, and Rebecca had condiments, chips and lemonade for the tenants.
When Rebecca realized they had more than enough food for the tenants that were participating, she decided to feed the shoppers as well.
"I don't believe in wasting, so we shared," Rebecca said. "Before we opened we had a couple of people waiting to come in. There was another community in the area with newer homes that was having a huge community garage sale so I think a lot of the customers were there."
Despite competing with another garage sale event happening at the same time, Rebecca says that the tenants still did alright, "I think each of them made a couple hundred dollars."
Of the units that had items for sale, one in particular held some potentially valuable treasures, including collectable Disney, Baseball, and general sports memorabilia.
"I guess his brother in law recently passed, he worked at Disneyland so he had stuff for years and years and years. Like the original Tigger Teddy that was in its original box. A lot of stuff," Rebecca said.
It was the perfect time for shoppers to also get a good look at the layout of the facility since the garage sale was not confined to one area.
"It was kind of throughout the property, even though it was six units. We had two tenants right by the office, and then in the middle section it was one tenant who rented a 26 foot moving truck with all furniture. Down that aisle was tons of furniture. And then the very last aisle she had all kinds of clothes and bicycles and tools," Rebecca said.
The success of the day was made possible by not only Rebecca, but also Self Storage Professional Marc Romo and Rebecca's husband Hector, who helped by manning the barbecue."
It's amazing to see our facilities going above and beyond the call for their customers. Events like these help the self storage community grow closer. It also encourages those who may be curious about self storage to come meet the community and see the facility in a relaxed and fun environment. We can't thank the H&M team and it's tenants enough for helping us put on this great event, and if you weren't able to make it to this one we hope that you'll be excited as we are to participate in the next one!
H&M Self Storage to host Customer Appreciation Day June 22nd
Pablo Picasso once said "In drawing, nothing is better than the first attempt." With that in mind, we are pumped to announce that Becky Avila, facility manager at H&M Self Storage on Encanto Drive will be hosting her first ever customer appreciation event on the 22nd. We spoke with Becky about the event and what she anticipated for her first foray into leading a customer appreciation event.
"I'm not nervous at all," said Becky. "I'm sure it will go over really well. We're beginning the event at noon and it will last until about 4 p.m."
There should be plenty of incentive to swing by and say "Hello!" to Becky. The H&M storage team will be grilling up hotdogs for anyone that comes in to enjoy. There will also be snacks and beverages as well as a free raffle for a chance to win prizes. Whether you are a current renter at H&M or if you are considering becoming one, there isn't a better time this month to drop by. Enjoy a free lunch, perhaps take a tour of the facility, and maybe even win a prize in the raffle.
"We plan on taking plenty of pictures," said Becky. "I'm looking forward to it."
We're sure that this event will be a success, not to mention fun for anyone who wants to attend. While this may be Becky's first attempt at hosting a customer appreciation day, it surely won't be her last. Remember Picasso, nothing is better than that first attempt!
Rate and Review
Thomas Hays
Delvin English
Kelley Kushner
"The whole process was very simple, thank you!."
froyo guys
"Been renting a 15x40 for the last 5 years. Started with 3 of them and eventually went down to one. Never had any issues. Great location and great staff. Tony the last manager was always so friendly and helpful. He was always around keeping things clean and keeping an eye out. If I could I would still be there but unfortunately rent started to go up which I understand because of competitive rates.."
Nicole Carrel
"Tony at H&M Storage is great. He is helpful and friendly and accommodating. Grateful for the great service. If youre looking for storage this is the place. Good pricing and availability. Super customer service.."
george pilgerrim
"very nice and help full to find me a good location. THANKS AGAIN."
Rhonda R.
"Tony did me several solids during my uhaul dolly pick up. He went the extra EXTRA mile. Very kind, efficient and knowledgeable with a health dose of...."
Lea N.
"This place is kept really clean and secure, staff is helpful. You need your personalized code to enter and exit. They check the locks each day and our...."
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Storage Units in Sun City, CA
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Unit sizes advertised for rent are approximate only and units at the self-storage facility may differ slightly in shape and/or size. Customers should inspect the actual unit to be rented before signing a rental agreement and should base the decision to rent on the inspection of the unit and not on the advertised unit size. Rental amounts for a particular unit are not based on square footage measurements.


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A major new study published by Scope last week revealed that many parents of disabled children are suffering from extreme stress and isolation. As many as 80 per cent said they felt frustrated, stressed and exhausted.
Talking to other parents in the same position, can not only provide much-needed emotional support, it can be a really useful way of picking up practical advice and ideas, which is why we have created the tips feature in our new online community.
Below are a selection of stress-busting ideas we've picked out from the tips. We'd love to hear yours too, so please add them to the comments box below!
It's ok to ask for help
Friends and family are often very happy to help, but don't know unless you tell them. Draw up a list of suggestions you can use to ask friends and family for help, for example school runs, baking birthday cakes, mowing the lawn, helping siblings with homework, being on an emergency rota for overnight hospital stays.
Choose your battles
I have learned the hard way to choose my battles carefully. I have to decide which battles really are important for me to win and which I can leave. The important ones involve safety and health. Some others you have to let slip for your own sanity!
Keep your sense of humour
My husband and I play a game where we place bets with each other which of our three disabled children will wake/ kick off etc. at what times. The 'winner' gets a treat from the other partner. Sounds silly, but making light of intensely stressful situations really does help us cope.
Do a happiness audit
Think about what gives you happy feelings and do it as often as possible – whether it's singing, dancing, laughing, sex or chocolate. Create a 'Prescription for change' for yourself, listing the things you need twice a day and twice a week. Then stick it on your fridge.
A positive note
When you have a disabled child, filling in forms can be very depressing as you focus entirely on the negative. So I write on a separate sheet of paper one good point for every negative. I laminate this and put on the fridge so that when things are tough I can read it and remind myself of the fab things about my three disabled children.
Get all the help you can
I would suggest parents try every bit of help on offer – Portage, Child Development Centres, local libraries, health visitor, support groups, etc. It's much easier to opt out than to try and opt in later, when your child is older. Referral for specialist services (e.g. portage) can take ages and is worth getting sorted out as early as possible.
Be honest about your limits
Therapists mean well when they give you lots of exercises to do with your child, but sometimes, it's impossible to keep up with them and still have time to do stuff like eat, sleep and breathe. Be open with the therapists if you feel overwhelmed, or need more ideas for exercises that can be an organic part of your day (say, bicycling a tot's legs as you change her nappy).
Share the load
Let your partner help when they can. Yes, they may do things differently, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Face to face
Talking to other parents who are going through the same thing as you is always helpful. Face 2 Face is a one to one parent befriending service, run by Scope, for parents and family of disabled children.
Get plenty of exercise
Exercise is great for your overall mood. I've taken up weights, because my son is large and I worry that one day I won't be able to manage him. Being fit has given me huge confidence in how I manage my son, which in turn has improved his behaviour.
Schedule time for yourself
Try to make a little quality time for yourself each day even if this means leaving the person you care for in front of their favourite DVD or TV program for half an hour. It won't do them any harm! If you can, try and take half a day a week off – book a babysitter, book your child into a crèche/playscheme, play date, or family – give yourself that time to re-charge.
Organise your home life
Buy two of non-perishable items like washing up liquid, so you always have one in reserve. Have a whiteboard in the kitchen to write on when things run out. Plan your meals for the week – even think about having Tuesday as curry night, Wednesday pasta, Friday fish, etc. to save time thinking. If you can afford to, get a cleaner.
Get a good night's sleep
Sleep is very important. If you are tired, you will feel even more stressed. Try taking it in turns to get up at night so one person always has a full night's sleep.
Yoga for you
Take up Yoga to stop muscle injuries especially if you have to do lots of lifting and carrying.
Friends and hobbies
Friends and hobbies are enormously important because they take you out of your role as a carer for a short while. I try and mix with people who aren't carers too, so I get to focus on something else for a bit.
Time out
I started running after the birth of my disabled daughter eight years ago. It's my time out – time for me to de-stress, clear my head & take out my frustration on the streets. I come back a happier and calmer person, ready to deal with the real world again. I think we all need time out for ourselves.
Have you got a stress-busting tip to share? If so, let us know in the comments below.
Explore our other tips.


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For almost two years, I had been working with civic associations, local groups, and public unions to educate residents of Atlantic City about the threats of water privatization— higher rates, diminished service, and the loss of local control and jobs. There was a real fear that the cash-strapped City Council might sell off their system, but we did the work to convince them that this was a bad idea.
But everything changed in January of 2016, when Senator Steve Sweeney, the most powerful Democrat in the state, introduced a bill to take over the city. That's when I knew we had to stand with Atlantic City residents to protect local sovereignty, public water, and workers' rights until the very end.
The deceptively titled "Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act" removed almost any ability for the people to leverage their power and influence decision makers. It was written behind closed doors with Sweeney, county officials and politically-connected insiders [1], with no representation by Atlantic City government. The bill gave power to a Christie appointee to veto meeting minutes, re-write union contracts, and sell city assets like the Municipal Utility Authority (MUA).
Shortly after the takeover powers were enacted, I received a call from Charles Goodman, a member of the Atlantic City branch of the NAACP. "We're at a loss," he told me. They had reached out to lawyers all over the state, but so many of them had conflicts of interest with water companies or connections to Norcross. "Can you help?"
Fighting this takeover was a no-brainer for Food & Water Watch. Public control of water is a key value, and fighting for a democracy that puts people over profits is written into our mission statement. We have seen how takeover laws in places like Detroit and Flint have been exploited by private water companies to undermine access to clean, affordable water, and pose a serious threat to local democracy.
I quickly mobilized Food & Water Watch staffers to begin dialogues with a team of lawyers from the NAACP, ACLU of New Jersey, and NJ Appleseed. We needed to develop an organizing strategy backed up by a solid legal framework. The plan was straightforward: We would gather petition signatures on a citizen's initiative, and introduce an ordinance to City Council demanding the right to full public participation in any sale of the water utility. State law gives this right to referendum (a citizen's vote) to all New Jersey voters. The Christie-Sweeney takeover law violates that right, so we would have to confront that directly by enacting a city law giving Atlantic City residents a right we believe they already have.
I worked with Goodman and civic leaders like Carol Ruffu of Chelsea Heights Neighborhood Association, Libbie Wills from the First Ward Civic Association, and Augusta Garrett from the Venice Park Civic Association to organize the on-the-ground campaign [3]. We knew we'd need a lot of people to help gather the petition signatures necessary to present the initiative to city council and, if necessary, go to the ballot box.
We went to all five civic associations to make presentations and recruit volunteers. We visited with local pastors and groups across the city, like Black Lives Matter Atlantic City, National Action Network of Atlantic City, and the Green Party of Atlantic County. We came up with a name for our campaign—AC Citizens Against the State Takeover—and a slogan: Our Water, Our Voice.
Once the lawyers gave us a green light on the language for the initiative, we were ready to hit the ground running. We started with a kickoff meeting in the basement of Second Baptist Church, training residents how to talk with their neighbors about the initiative and gather petition signatures. We set up a headquarters in an old pizza joint just down the street from City Hall, where people could stop by to sign the petition or pick up petitions for their family and neighbors to sign.
Even though it was just getting started, our organizing was already causing Christie to change his tune. When asked by reporters about the plans to take over the water system, the governor said: "When the city stands up and says there's something that they're very, very protective of, which they are of the MUA, then that deserves, in response, a very thoughtful conversation with them about anything you may do concerning the MUA."
But we weren't going to take Christie at his word. Folks went out into Atlantic City neighborhoods [4] and talked with residents about their right to decide the future of their water, gathering petition signatures as they went. Many were unaware of the takeover law and what it would mean for their water, but most were more than willing to lend their support. We held city-wide canvass days with local volunteers and allies from around the region almost every Saturday from March until June.
Petitions began to trickle back in, and by June we knew we had the number of signatures necessary to go all the way to a special ballot. We submitted our over 2,400 signatures to the city alongside community leaders, city officials and Mayor Don Guardian. The clerks counted the signatures, and at the July 11 meeting, the City Council unanimously passed the ordinance 8-0 [5].
Game over? Not quite, thanks to the takeover law. Next came the waiting game. Under the terms of the takeover, the state reviews and approves all Council meeting minutes, vetoing the ones they don't like. So, while we celebrated the success of the ordinance passing the City Council, Christie's overseer could simply veto that vote. But then came the news that the state had not taken action, so the ordinance was approved. That's when we were able to truly feel victorious. The ordinance to ensure public participation in the sale of the water system became law.
[1] http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic/governor-s-mansion-meeting-charted-a-c-future/article_5b5e0864-cc58-11e5-bd4f-97ac37b6de6d.html
[2] http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/norcross-and-sweeney-staffer-attended-state-takeover-meeting/article_eb130958-2c05-11e5-95db-2b0445f97970.html
[3] http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/shore/atlantic-city-mua-christie-water-sale-20170615.html
[4] http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/nj/revel-atlantic-city-takeover-christie-flint-20170526.html
[5] http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/shore/atlantic-city-revel-straub-bader-20170711.html
[6] https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/insight/water-privatization-facts-and-figures


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Does it pay to own a small bookstore?
A student asked this question. My answer:
…it's a bit like asking if it pays to be a poet. The answer is, "it depends."
It certainly doesn't pay to be a poet who only makes money from a few journals who pay a few dollars a poem.
But it might pay to be Bob Dylan.
All an elliptical way of saying, in my opinion, at the scale you're at, you can't make a profit in the way you hope.
But that doesn't mean you can't sell books. You might need to sell baskets of books (for gifts) and memberships in book clubs (for connection) and coffee to go with the book (because–caffeine and community).
The books are an excuse to have a business, but they're not a business.
Of course there are exceptions, but they tend to be real estate dependent and at a much larger scale.
I think the same thing is true for "does it pay to write a book."
Not like it used to. Not like it should.
But writing a book might be the seed that you can grow into reputation and influence and connection. It might be the chance you need to discover the challenges that others need your help with. And it might merely be joyful.
Commercializing the thing that doesn't lend itself to making a profit merely makes you sad.


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Cultural exchanges offer diverse, multicultural, and meaningful educational experiences. Participants will live in a different region of the world, be exposed to diverse cultural settings, and learn to explore their surroundings while also developing greater self-awareness and group negotiation skills. There are vast changes seen in student attitudes, understanding of diverse cultures, and increased awareness of global issues, personal maturity, risk-taking, and decision-making. All these characteristics help to foster a group of responsible, aware global citizens, with the necessary skills for success in our modern society.
Welcome To Crossing the Waters Institute for Cultural Exchange!