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Scrimshaw, the art of etching bone and ivory, is alive today because of a handful of artisans who cling to the old fashioned medium for all the right reasons. It's a tedious, painstaking procedure that produces works of beauty that transport you back to a time when men hunted whales from sailing ships.
One of the finest, most talented scrimshanders, Michael Strzalkowski, calls the islands of the Caribbean his home. Scrim, as he's affectionately known, came to the art along a serendipitous path while messing about in boats.
Fascinated by the sailors' art in his homeland, England, he spent time sketching and learning to make nets such as safety nets and bow nets. When not engaged in tying knots he wielded a brush, painting names and decorative adornments for yachts.
In 1975, Strzalkowski caught a ride on a Swedish ketch sailing from England to the Mediterranean, then boat hopped his way to Malta, Spain, the Canaries, Barbados and, fortuitously, Bequia. Reminiscing about that landfall he remarked: "It was the first real Caribbean island for me. I'd been reading about it on the crossing; the whaling peaked my interest."
In Bequia's legendary Frangipani Bar, Strzalkowski was approached by sailor Mike Bailey. "He came up to me in the Frangi, asked if I did scrimshaw. I told him I understood it so we went round the harbor to a shack. The guy took out a whale bone, some sandpaper, a needle and showed me the basics while we drank rum."
Inspired, Scrim bought a small bag of pilot whale teeth and set to work engraving one with a leaping dolphin.
On the next chance encounter, a fellow asked him what he did for a living so he answered, I do scrimshaw. "I actually said it," marveled Strzalkowski. He pulled the piece out of his pocket and sold it, launching a successful, convoluted career.
The 1970s were a time of adventurous opportunity so Scrim sailed on with the bag of teeth, collecting more along the way.
He stitched a leather pouch, filled it with carved work and set about marketing it. "By the time I got to Antigua I was getting more confident," says Scrim "I could go into the Admirals Inn, socialize, and sell a couple pieces. I could pay the rent."
The art medium grew in scope and size from small slices to large, entire teeth; black coral came into play. "It's taken me on a path; it's become more sculptural."
Using a limited, obscure substance turned Strzalkowski into a collector who, for 30 years, has been gathering teeth, bones and tusks. He described how he purchased 400 pounds of whale teeth when it was legal, adding: "I still have the receipt."
At a workbench in a tiny shop in Falmouth Harbor, he pulled samples of raw materials from drawers: boars tusks, mastodon bones and explained, "Scrimshaw as an art … it's so obscure. It's not like an industry that threatens the earth like the ivory trade in Africa. It's an out of the mainstream craft that recycles pieces from the Victorian era."
The shop, which doubles as a studio, brims with finished work. Pendants, earrings, brooches, paperweights and cane and knife handles are scattered amidst tools and raw material. Each finished piece tells a story written by Scrim's hand.
One pendant bore the names of a loving couple. "They ordered it but never came back," he chuckled. "I use it now as a sample." According to Strzalkowski, The classic commission is to carve the image of a beloved boat emblazoned with the name. That kind of obsession, a love for a vessel, he knows all
too well.
In 1989 the 53-foot Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter, Marguerite T, became his home and love. "I thought I could just live on the boat and sail around, do my art."
Scrim took that tack for a few years, racking up a logbook full of incredible voyages but the old gal, with 90 years and numerous miles under her keel, needed currency and courage, so he sailed her from the Caribbean to Nova Scotia, Canada. With the help of like minded sailors, the vessel began a rebuild that lasted three years. Prideful, he notes, "She was 100 years old when we finished."
After ten years of dedication, the boat passed to new hands allowing Strzalkowski time and energy to focus on his art. "Here, with a bench, or in my house, it's focused; it works." Gold, bronze and silver, jewels and gems are used in many jewelry designs, some of which are designed for Ralph Lauren.
Maintaining the scrimshander tradition, each spring Scrim packs a bag of tools and catches a ride across the Atlantic. "I still work onboard, on watch, which is how it all began."
For more information visit Scrim's store in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, or go to: www.scrimbones.com
Jan Hein and her husband, artist Bruce Smith, divide their time between the Caribbean the Pacific Northwest with a boat and a life at each end. Visit: www.brucesmithsart.com


text: 31.08.16 Christie to preview Pandoras Box 6.0 at IBC 2016 AUTHOR: Charlotte Ashley PROJECTIONINDUSTRY EVENTS Christie has announced that it will be showcasing the latest updates to Christie Pandoras Box and Widget Designer at the upcoming IBC 2016. Christie will offer a preview of Pandoras Box and Widget Designer version 6 in three specially designed meeting room spaces at the show, alongside the Spyder X20 and a series of LCD flat panels. Christie's range of Velvet LED tiles, Mirage, Boxer and MicroTiles will also be on display at IBC (as technical partner) and via other partners and distributors. Christie will demonstrate its newest processing and flat panel offering in MS71, MS72 and MS73 in Hall 9 at IBC. This year's event takes place from September 9 to 13, 2016 at the RAI in Amsterdam. Click below for more on: Christie PROJECTIONINDUSTRY EVENTS

subset: commoncrawl


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Google updated their Chrome browser to version 59 in mid-June of 2017. Since this update, some web players are having trouble logging in: players go to playpackrat.com, enter in their password, and are told to re-enter it despite it being correct. If this is happening to you, please try the following:
1.) Clear your cache/cookies in Chrome: click three vertical dots to the top right of the screen-->click more tools-->clear browsing data. Make sure you have 'cached images and files' and 'cookies and other site data' selected.
2.) Open a new tab in chrome and type in www.facebook.com. If you are brought to any other screen than the main login screen (i.e., if you are brought to your personal profile upon going to Facebook), then you're still logged into Facebook, so you'll need to log out. Do so by clicking the inverted arrow in the top right of the screen on Facebook, and then clicking 'Log Out.'
3.) Open a new tab, and go to www.playpackat.com. You should be brought to the landing page with the big blue button. Click the button and type in your username and password, and then log on.
4.) If you are still having trouble logging in, then right click on the Chrome icon on your computer, and select 'new incognito window,' or, use the keyboard shortcut ctrl + shift +n to launch a new Chrome Incognito window (Chrome will already have to be open for this shortcut to work). Confirm you're not logged into Facebook. Go to playpackrat.com, and sign in.
5.) If none of this works, then we suggest trying a different browser, such as Opera, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Apple Safari


text:
New Hobby Supplies
Micro-Mark is always coming out with new and innovative tools and items for the maker and hobby enthusiast. Whether a professional or novice, we have what you need!
38 Products
Learn to Carve Gnomes, Trolls, and Mythical Creatures Book by Sara Barraclough
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Leather Pyrography: A Beginner's Guide to Burning Decorative Designs on Leather Book by Michele Y. Parsons
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Online Price $17.95


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The Drowned World was the first story of the fourth series in The Companion Chronicles audio range. It was produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Simon Guerrier and featured Sara Kingdom.
Publisher's summary Edit
Space Security Agent Sara Kingdom is dead, her ashes strewn on the planet Kembel. But, in an old house in Ely, Sara Kingdom lives on...
To the Elders of this ruined world, Sara is a ghost, a phantom that must be excised. She must prove her right to exist, and she does so with stories. Stories of a time when she travelled the universe with an ancient Doctor and his heroic companion Steven inside a magical space/time ship called the TARDIS.
And one story in particular could make a difference. The one about their trip to a world covered in water, where a human expedition is being wiped out. It's a battle to survive, as the travellers face the horrors of the drowned world...
Plot Edit
The Rising Tide (1) Edit
to be added
The Drowned World (2) Edit
to be added
Cast Edit
References Edit
to be added
Notes Edit
- "The Drowned World" is the name of a 1962 science fiction novel by J.G. Ballard.
- Unusually, the frame story takes place over the course of approximately twelve years.
- This audio drama was recorded on 26 March 2009.
- This story is set between episodes seven and eight of The Daleks' Master Plan.
- This story was originally released on CD and download.
- This story is told from Sara's perspective.
Continuity Edit
- Robert once again relates the story of the Doctor, Steven and Sara's first visit to the intelligent house in Ely a thousand years earlier. (AUDIO: Home Truths)
- Sara once again mentions to Robert that during her travels with the Doctor and Steven, she visited Hollywood in 1921 (TV: The Daleks' Master Plan), that a small boy, who was also named Robert, died in her arms on Mars (PROSE: The Little Drummer Boy) and that she encountered a withered old man who was trapped in the workings of a clock (AUDIO: The Guardian of the Solar System).
- Sara and Robert discuss her visit to the intelligent house in Ely a thousand years earlier. (AUDIO: Home Truths)
- Robert's daughter remained with him in the house for ten years before deciding to leave to explore the outside world. (AUDIO: The Guardian of the Solar System)
External links Edit
- Official The Drowned World page at bigfinish.com
- The Drowned World at the Doctor Who Reference Guide


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watch 02:19
The Loop (Games)
Do you like this video?
|The Lucanic Knights (Shattered Lands)
|The followers of the Paladin Overlord Lucan D'Lere, these Shadowknights have failed to grasp his core philosophy; that there is no easy path to both power and honor.
|No known allies
|No known enemies
|This is a base page. See also: Category:The Lucanic Knights (Faction)
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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We're still early enough into 2013 for it to feel "new," and before the days slip away from me, I want to introduce you to a new member of the Alliance staff and a new service that makes membership in the organization even more valuable to member societies – particularly small and mid-sized organizations.
Jeff Mitchell is the Alliance's new Director of Public Affairs and he's hit the ground running. Jeff is spearheading the overhaul of the Alliance's website (we're going to spruce up the overall appearance of the site and make it easier for all our audiences – member society executives and employees, public policymakers, members of the news media, and consumers – to find what they're looking for); coordinating the next round of consumer research on the "under-35 demographic"; and, along Andrea Litewski (another relative newcomer to the staff), expanding the value of and participation in the online Member Community on the Alliance's website. Jeff's extensive experience in trade association communications, expertise in website management, unbridled enthusiasm, (and love for chocolate), make him a perfect fit for us and we're happy to have him on the team. Please introduce yourself to Jeff via his email address or the Alliance Facebook page.
Compliance PLUS is the new Alliance benefit that's going to immediately make membership in the organization more valuable to you and your society. We've been testing this program for 18 months now ("firing bullets" in Jim Collins-speak) and thanks to a handful of members (I will acknowledge them in a separate post) who have invested a considerable amount of time, energy, and money to the effort, we were able to make the service available to every society without charging an additional fee or assessment.
Compliance PLUS is an information service that allows you access to a regulatory compliance expert, provides you with compliance alerts on legislative and regulatory issues in the states in which your society operates, and puts you in touch with a network of compliance professionals from other member societies to share knowledge, information, and best practices about how to comply with an increasingly complex web of regulatory requirements. This Compliance PLUS Online Member Community is a great arena in which to discuss compliance issues in an informal way. (Please note that comments from members are just that, not legal opinions but they may help direct you to appropriate resources.) Frankly, I think this new service may prove to be the most valuable benefit of membership for many societies.
Melanie Hinds, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy, is responsible for oversight of the program. And the best way to see how this new service can work for your society is to go to the Alliance Membership Community, located on the Alliance website home page under the blog, click on "GO" and sign up. There are many interest groups, one of which is Compliance PLUS. Join the almost 50 other members who have joined, today.
For me, it's all about getting better – delivering more value for your dues dollar. And the addition of Jeff Mitchell and Compliance PLUS help us accomplish that. I'd like to know what you think – about what you're getting from the Alliance and about where we're headed. Post your comments here or send me an email at email@example.com.
Filed under: Uncategorized |


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Waxed Canvas Hat | NaturalSmall Lot Co.
Made with durable Waxed Canvas and fully lined with Cotton Canvas. This coated fabric is breathable and water resistant. A timeless hat to wear throughout the seasons for protection from the sun and the rain.
Hat size around 23"/ 57cm, brim length 2.75"/ 7cm and crown 4"/11cm
- Water resistant
- Environmentally friendly wax
- Ethically and sustainably made in Vancouver


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Nowadays there are plenty of soccer cleats you can choose from. Today's world, brands and ads convince us to buy new & upcoming soccer cleats. In their opinion, old soccer cleats are something that we should throw away and not use anymore. Well, I think different about old soccer cleats. Today I want to talk about some good old soccer cleats, why they are good and what I think about new soccer cleats.
Review contents
Good old soccer cleats
Here I listed some really good soccer cleats. They have been used in the past and they will be used in the future.
Old or new, what to choose?
What are better new or old soccer cleats? Well, I think the new & upcoming soccer cleats have a different design and are made of some new materials. Nowadays some of the soccer cleats are designed & named and made just for individual famous soccer players. There are players like Messi and Ronaldo. The new cleats are also more costly, so you will have to dig deep into your pocket if you want to get the best new upcoming cleats.
It is different from soccer cleats. I think some of the soccer cleats may not have the latest design, but they are still great and most importantly comfort and quality. You can get old soccer cleats for an affordable price. By getting them you will have some high-quality cleats which you could use for a longer time.
Looking for cheap old soccer cleats? Well here is another good thing. I have written before that brands, ads, television, etc. convince as to buy new soccer cleats and because of that there are a lot of times old soccer cleats on sale. That is very good because you can get a top soccer cleat at a low price.
What is the top old soccer cleats pair?
Well, there is for sure one cleat that has been sold and reviewed so many times, so I have to mention this pair of cleats in this article. These soccer cleats have been reviewed so many times by different people and a lot of them say they are good. I looked also on Amazon the biggest online store and I have found a great rating, which you can also check below.
Old vs new soccer cleats – The biggest difference?
What is the biggest difference between the soccer cleats and the new ones? Well, I think the biggest difference is the materials which these cleats are made of. Old soccer cleats are mostly made of leather (you can also check for kangaroo leather soccer cleats). On the other hand, new pairs are made of synthetic, rubber, plastic, carbon and a few also of leather.
They are made of leather, so I kindly recommend this cleats to people with wide feet. Leather cleats stretch well, so after time they adjust to your feet.
Another interesting thing that I have also discovered at old soccer cleats is that there are quite a few white soccer cleats and black soccer cleats. That is very interesting, so I was wondering why they didn't more create other colors of cleats, like yellow cleats, pink cleats, purple, cleats, green cleats, etc.
I hope this article was helpful to you and you have found some useful and interesting things. If you are thinking to get your old soccer cleats and because of them are made of leather, I suggest you take a look at how to care for leather soccer cleats.


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Here is the full British Airways and Iberia peak and off peak Avios calendar for 2020 flights
Links on Head for Points may pay us an affiliate commission. A list of partners is here.
What are the peak and off-peak dates for redeeming Avios points in 2020?
British Airways still hasn't officially released the peak and off peak dates for reward flights in 2020 but we now have some clarity on what the calendar will look like next year.
EDIT: If you are planning further ahead, the 2021 Avios peak and off-peak calendar is in this HFP article – click.
We have managed to get our hands on what we believe is the full 2020 timetable via BA contacts. We have turned this into a neat little table, below, which gives a better overview of the entire year's peak and off peak availability.
British Airways normally releases the calendar in June, and some people have been speculating that the lack of an announcement might mean that it is moving to revenue-based redemptions next year. Now that we have the calendar, however, we can be fairly confident that redemptions will remain on a peak and off peak basis for 2020.
There are two things to remember:
This calendar only applies to BA. We have added the Iberia dates at the bottom. Iberia and Aer Lingus have their own peak and off-peak dates, which can often be helpful. October half-term is off-peak for Iberia, for example, so New York in Business Class from Madrid is 68,000 Avios vs 120,000 Avios for a peak-date BA flight from London.
The BA calendar applies wherever you book a BA redemption, whether it is on ba.com, iberia.com or avios.com. Similarly, if you try to book an Iberia redemption on ba.com it will NOT follow the dates below.
All redemptions on partner airlines such as Qatar Airways are charged at peak rates, 100% of the time
Note that peak dates are in yellow whilst off peak is in white. Click to enlarge:
Don't ask why Tuesday 11th and Tuesday 18th August are off-peak! It is also isn't clear why Wednesday 15th April (Easter Wednesday) is a solo off-peak day. This is not an error – you can check yourself on ba.com as 15th April is already bookable.
As you would expect, peak dates cover all the school breaks as well as the majority of bank holidays. The only bank holiday weekend during an off-peak time is the first May bank holiday, which was moved from its usual Monday slot to Friday 8th May to coincide with VE Day. It is still possible that BA flips this to a peak date!
As a reminder, here is the peak and off-peak Avios pricing chart for British Airways flights:
The zones relate to the distance flown:
- Zone 1: 1 – 650 miles
- Zone 2: 651 – 1,150 miles
- Zone 3: 1,151 – 2,000 miles
- Zone 4: 2,001 – 3,000 miles
- Zone 5: 3,001 – 4,000 miles
- Zone 6: 4,001 – 5,500 miles
- Zone 7: 5,501 – 6,500 miles
- Zone 8: 6,501 – 7,000 miles
- Zone 9: 7,000+ miles
Iberia Avios peak and off-peak dates for 2020
For comparison, here are the Iberia dates for next year, with peak dates in red:
and here is the Avios redemption pricing for Iberia, which applies whether you book at ba.com or iberia.com:
This chart is NOT the same as the British Airways chart. The charts are nearly the same, but not quite.
Let's take New York as an example. Both British Airways and Iberia price New York as a Zone 5 redemption. However:
British Airways charges 100,000 Avios off-peak and 120,000 Avios peak for a Club World flight to New York
Iberia, as you can see above, charges 68,000 Avios off-peak and 100,000 Avios peak for a Business Class flight to New York
There are not many destinations which are served by both BA and Iberia, of course, so the opportunities for arbitrage are limited. You also need to factor in the cost and time of getting to Madrid, although if you live outside London it is not massively more complex than changing planes at Heathrow.
If you want to learn more about how to redeem Avios points via Iberia Plus, to save a fortune on taxes and charges, take a look at this article in our 'Avios Redemption University' series.
(Want to earn more Avios? Click here to visit our home page for the latest articles on earning and spending your Avios points and click here to see how to earn more Avios from current offers and promotions.)


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Adventure Medical Heatsheets Survival Blanket For Two People
Item #:
Adventure Medical
Model #:
Packaged Weight:
0.35 Lbs.
Our Price:
Status: In Stock
Heatsheets Emergency Blanket for 1 or 2 People -The most advanced emergency blanket on the market - meticulously designed never to fail when you're counting on it with your life.
- It all starts with the material - vacuum-metalized polyethylene reflects 90% of your body heat
- Opens easily
- Will not shred if nicked or punctured
- Rips and tears can be repaired
- Unlike Mylar blankets Heatsheets are quiet and won't crinkle in high winds
- High-visibility orange exterior makes it easy for rescuers to find you
- Survival tips and techniques are printed directly on the blanket so you have them when you need them
- Sized to fit two people


text:
There is a popular new trend in amateur photography right now: High Dynamic Range, or HDR. The technique uses software to combine a number of images of the same scene made at different exposures, then extracting highlights from the frame exposed for the highlights, shadows from the frame exposed for the shadows, and so on. It can even be used to combined different renderings of the same frame edited to two or more different exposure settings. The result has the potential to be quite amazing, but like of lot of "amazing" tricks in the world of digital photography, it can be misused, and often is overused. I know at least one blogger who, lately, renders pretty much all of his photos using this technique.
The truth about HDR is that it is a gimmick that might be useful a couple of times a year. It can't take the place of good imaging, and in some cases can ruin some otherwise excellent photos. It should definitely be used with restraint.


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- 25
- 28
- 32
- 40
- Trimarans
- Experience
- Dealers
Jørn Olesen is experienced boat builder with a commercial education within the marine industry in Germany.
Since 1976 Jørn has been employed in the yachting business with boat building, sales and after sales service – the last 12 years in a major Danish yard, dealing with both sales and after sales.
Jørn is handling our Dragonfly after sales service and is assisting our dealers and clients worldwide.
Jørn is a keen sailor and spends most of his leisure time with his wife onboard his Commander 31 cruising the Danish and German waters.
Dragonfly uses cookies for the purpose of gathering statistics, which can be used to enhance the user experience on the site.
You can read more about our cookie policy here.


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By Étienne Garbugli | July 27, 2012 | 0 Comment
When you stop failing you stop being a startup (Fred Lalonde).
Etienne works at the intersection of Technology, Product Design and Marketing. He's a three-time Startup Founder, a five-time entrepreneur, and a UX research expert. Etienne is also the Author of Lean B2B: Build Products Businesses Want. Lean B2B is a framework used by thousands of entrepreneurs & innovators to reduce the risk of their B2B ventures.
Needs don't always lead to demand (Seth Godin)


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The Beginner's Guide to Services
January 14, 2018 | Business Products & Services | No Comments
Get that Business Up and Running
Doubtlessly, most of us have found ourselves yearning to be the next Steve jobs or Michael Zuckerberg. There is no point in wishing we could never be them. The good news however is that we can become even better. Months on end the thought has never left you. From the deepest part of your soul you know you are cut out to be the next big thing. Apparently it doesn't help much to be a farmer without the right tools, Business resources and knowledge in farming. You might be surprised to discover that most of your idols were in your shoes years ago. Time is of essence if you can learn fast take it. Sit tight and enjoy the session.
Heard of SCORE ? Good , because right there is your answer. SCORE is what you need to be on and scoring should be your purpose in life. We are talking numbers of about eleven thousand business people both retired and working offering you their two cents about business If you like to have it straight from the Pro's, then you couldn't have found a better platform You are working for yourself of course but no one said you had to do everything for yourself. That's right they are offering you support for free. Don't break into dance yet , you still have to pay for workshops.
All roads lead to the internet in this times we are in and you can even access the Legal information . Customers are indeed expecting you to be in every social media platforms. You may find it utterly depressing trying to juggle all of them at once. Finally , Someone thought about you and created Hootsuite. It gets your information across all avenues or rather gets the sites into one platform. it's all fine and good but without LivePlan you'll be out of business soon. You can check out the different business plans and buy one that suits your business. Plans are the doors leading to the Sesame of loans and investments. Why buy it when you can get it for free by going for the BPlans.
Those books gathering dust in your home could be a rich source of information. If you can lay your hands on Seven habits of Highly Effective People, Lean In, The Networking Survival Guide and the E- myth demystified you are good to go. The big brains behind this books are Steven Covey, Sheryl Sanderberg, Diane Darling and Michael Gerber in that order. That said you absolutely want to HARO(Help A reporter out You might just get an interview with Richard Quest or any other journalist you prefer if you go the Help out a reporter way. Those GoToMeetings might not seem motivating but the reward are worth your time.
Quotes: Related Site


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We hardly ever publish our sources and we don't link to sites that do bother to plagiarise other people's work. We do try supply enough Keywords and searchable phrases for those who want to do proper research. Please accept our word on having done proper research ourselves, preferably from paper books and occasional attempts at feigning harmless friendliness around those who think they are winning the Game of Life. We know we are doing what we set out to do, because we frequently get to write article such as these, bragging about our own cleverness. In particular we have an update on our somewhat blasé presumption that all our readers agree wholeheartedly with our assessment that very organ in our body has a nervous system, interconnected with other systems, very often in the head. After all, the human existence is wholly fractal, self-similar, holographic. This requires each cell to live a life of its own, in harmony with other cells, but only directly concerned with those it shares neuro-hormonal connections with. Each cell, therefor, has its own neuron/s, which, in any given organ, must surely aggregate into enough awareness to be self-aware, and then it is connected to the community of organs that makes up you. Where is the research? We..ee..ell,
There are people growing living tissues as a goal in itself. Some lab recently produced a lump of growth in the shape of a chicken's aorta. Now surgeons have real, live flesh to practice surgery on! The have grown heart muscles, kidneys, livers, ears and one day some common sense. One of these teams "ran into some trouble" recently. They were growing kidney tissue for some lab, when these nerve cells started sprouting from every cell, making the tissue less attractive as test material. The problem soon got solved, and a spokesperson was quoted to say "we are perfectly capable of growing uncontaminated tissue samples".
They found nerve cells growing from kidney tissue. They actually just proved a basic assumption in holistic existentialism, and they treated it as an industrial accident, they fixed the 'problem', instead of falling on their knees and thanking whatever god they hold holy for this marvellous revelation on the structure of Life. They rearranged their test tubes, to cut the godhead out of living tissue, they called it a contaminant. Oh, well, that's commercial Sciencery* for you:
Hocus Pocus, vaccines and global warming,
Truth belongs to those who pay for it.
*Sciencery. (v/n) It looks like science, it talks like science, it will magic up any truth you pay for, and it magically makes any profitable idea walk on a cloud of scienciness.


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I am in a bad place. I hate everything about my life's situation.
- I want to quit teaching...but I don't know what I'd do instead. (This may be a temporary feeling, but god, it's been a tough start at a new school.)
- I want to buy a house...but am many years away from saving for a down payment.
- I want to move to the PNW...but see the above two points.
- I want to buy a dog...but live in a pet-free apartment and want to wrap up pet-ownership into house-ownership.
- I want to be in a loving and committed relationship...but am single as fuck. And have the least control over this one.
Basically, I want to uproot and change everything about my life right now, but don't have the money to do so and realize that I should probably give the new give a full year or two before deciding that I really hate it. My family and friends are in CA, but I only have a few close friends and they're all coupled and have little time for me, so I don't feel like this would be an issue in the long run. I guess if I'm going to be alone and sometimes lonely with fam/friends around, no reason why I shouldn't go somewhere new and be actually alone. And have a new job that doesn't require me to take home work every night and have no life so I can go out and go through the painful process of making new friends.


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In order to make fully use of locations, you need to know how URLs are structured:
| | host | path | query | anchor |
The protocol is currently not considered when creating a note and is not discussed here.
You can imagine URLs working the following way:
For the following description, consider the choices you have for a note:
The host part of the URL is commonly referred to as the address of the whole website. If you selected for a note to appear on This website, the note will appear on all pages of that website.
If you select a note to appear on This page, it will be shown (of course for the host) for the specific path in the URL. The query and the anchors are ignored. That means, even if the query is different, the note will still show up for that URL. This is the default behaviour, as the query most often only contains temporary data.
You can make the note show up only for a specific query by selecting ...including query (?) (same for anchor and both, query and anchor).
You can also make a note appear on every website you browse by selecting All websites.
Now regarding Websites starting with:
Think about websites organized in a hierarchy, like your filesystem. Every step denoted by a slash (/) indicates another level in this hierarchy. You have the possibility to select each level and with that make the note appear on this and each subsequent level.
You will only see those options that are available to you. I.e. if the current URL does not contain a query, this option won't be shown in the list.
Special Properties of the Anchor
Normally, the anchor specifies a specific location in the current page. But as it is still the same page, it does not particular useful to store a note for an anchor. By default, the anchor is ignored, event if it is present in the URL. You have to explicitly enable it by selecting Update notes when anchor changes in the preferences.
Why would you want to do that?
A lot of popular websites use Ajax to load new content. With Ajax it is possible to load new content to some part of the page, without reloading the whole page, which makes the website much more usable. Prominent examples are Google Search, Google Mail and Facebook. For certain reasons, these sites use the anchor to specify which content was loaded via Ajax. If you use Google Mail, you can see that the URL ends with #inbox if your are in your inbox and with #sent if you are in your sent folder.
So these are cases where the anchor actually marks another page (inbox folder, sent folder). Having the possibility to save notes for certain anchors is even necessary here.
Documentation >


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Time: November 29, 2017 from 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Location: "online—times listed are us PST"
Event Type: free webinar
Organized By: The Shift Network
Latest Activity: Nov 29, 2017
Export to Outlook or iCal (.ics)
Free Virtual Event with Transpersonal Psychologist Stanislav Grof, MD and Philosopher-Astrologer Richard Tarnas, PhD
Are you called to adventure beyond your ordinary mind to pioneer a new understanding of life — one more deeply connected to the cosmos?
If so, you are very much an explorer of the frontiers of consciousness.
According to Stanislav Grof, founder of transpersonal psychology and researcher into non-ordinary states, and noted philosopher Richard Tarnas, archetypal astrology is the single most useful tool to ensure the safe exploration of non-ordinary states.
On Wednesday, November 29, these two renowned intellects will show you how to harness the power of planetary transits for your growth and liberation while exploring the frontiers of consciousness during their FREE online event, The Healing Potential of Archetypal Astrology: Optimize Your Timing for Exploring Non-ordinary States.
Their work goes beyond "sun-sign" pop astrology to address the larger tectonic forces at the depths of the psyche, a subject that Carl Jung also explored in depth.
During this fascinating hour, Stan and Rick will share:
You'll begin to see how astrology can provide you with the most trusted calendar of auspicious times to do your deepest work.
Join these two celebrated intellectuals as they lead you into a deeper understanding of life, new awareness of the underlying forces at work in our depths, and a healing recognition that we live in an "ensouled" universe.
Stan Grof and Rick Tarnas will help you discover how the wisdom of archetypal astrology can help you navigate your times of greatest challenge and direct you to powerful hidden resources.
Can't join live? A downloadable recording will be provided later to all registrants a few days after the event.
This event is hosted by The Shift Network. Please direct all questions to them.


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Nike shares pop on strong salesDecember 21, 2012: 11:56 AM ET
On your mark, get set. Go!
Shares of Nike (NKE) jumped 5% Friday morning, after the company's second quarter results topped analysts' expectations.
Nike said late Thursday that earnings rose 11% on sales of $6 billion in the quarter, driven by surprisingly strong demand in North America.
The company also said future orders for Nike footwear and apparel were up 14% in North America. These orders would be delivered in the December to April period.
Investors cheered Nike's performance in the United States and Canada -- two markets that are considered mature and usually have less potential for growth.
Related: Research in Motion shares plunge 17%
The rebound in North America could help Nike offset continued weakness in China, where sales fell 11% in the quarter, according to traders on StockTwits.
Impressive that Nike can beat #s by a big margin despite China issues - shows how strong its franchise is worldwide, and indeed in US $NKE
Assuming China avoids a hard landing, Nike should be able to cash in on robust growth in the world's second largest economy.
$NKE china is just beginning its turn around, if nike can produce this with weak china, next quarter will be huge!
Nike announced a two-for-one stock split in November, the sixth in its history. The stock now trades above $100 a share.
Don't forget, $NKE has that stock split coming up on Dec 24. If you owned b/4 Dec 10, you'll get two-for-one.
Other traders pointed to Nike's global footprint, saying the stock is relatively cheap for such a well known brand.
Love that $NKE is doing what I thought without a peep about data and lifestyle mechanics ....cheapest great brand in world.
Amazes me that a company like $NKE with a monster global brand only has a $44bn mkt cap - # looks good, shame on me


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As Panasonic's top MiniDV camcorder, and the company's only tape-based standard-definition 3CCD model, you'd be right to expect a lot from the PV-GS320. You'd also most likely be happy with this camcorder, as long as you're not expecting prosumer-level controls. Advanced consumers, who tinker with manual controls, such as shutter speed and iris, should appreciate the image-quality perks that come along with this camera's three CCD chips. Nitpickers will note that Panasonic doesn't include a built-in video light or a flash for photos, though most built-in video lights aren't powerful enough anyway.
Panasonic kept the PV-GS320's design very similar to last year's PV-GS300, though thankfully they moved the manual focus selector as well as the USB and FireWire jacks out from behind the 2.7-inch LCD screen. However, Panasonic moved that manual focus selector to the right side of the body, to a spot that is difficult to access while shooting. Since there aren't any buttons below the LCD, that might have been a better spot. While Panasonic does a nice job of partitioning its menus, and you can access most manual functions with a few quick button presses, advanced shooters who are used to having dedicated buttons for functions such as white balance won't find any here. Instead, you access most of these types of functions by pressing the joystick, which brings up a menu that's separate from the main menu. In many cases this worked well, but some videographers prefer dedicated buttons, especially for oft-used functions such as backlight compensation. Our biggest gripe is that there's no focusing ring, even though the specs on Panasonic's Web site say there is. Instead, you need to use the joystick to focus; an annoying exercise, to say the least.
We were impressed by the PV-GS320's optical image stabilization. In our field tests, it did an admirable job of taming shake in our handheld footage, even with the lens zoomed to its 10x maximum. Autofocus wasn't the fastest we've seen, but it was certainly plenty quick for a consumer camcorder and did a nice job of keeping our subjects in focus when panning. As always, it's a bit slower when shooting in dimmer environs, but overall, we were pleased.
While the camera does include an unpowered accessory shoe, there is no microphone input--a notable omission compared to the PV-GS300. There's also no headphone output. Panasonic does include a useful built-in wind filter and the built-in stereo mic does have an audio-zoom feature, but we would have expected to find an external mic input. You really know MiniDV is approaching the end of its life as a format when manufacturers start pulling out useful features such as this.


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Please telephone to make an appointment. Any member of the reception team can assist you.
We accept self referrals, however, where other agencies are involved (for example Social Care) we ask them complete a referral form so we have full details of any other support that is in place for the client, this helps us to provide a better service for them. Referrers can email or telephone reception to request a form.

A confidential counselling service for Young people aged 10 – 18 with problems that are affecting them emotionally.


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Objective: Limit risks associated with the use of antibiotic treatments.
Soaring Eagle Dairy is always willing to have a new set of eyes come and walk our dairy. Having done the Residue Risk Assessment now has made us change a few things on our dairy that will be beneficial to us, as well as the safety of our animals and the products we produce. In today's world, we can never be too careful or cautious in what we do. We are all about producing an excellent quality product for our consumers!
Kelly Goehring
Is Your Dairy at Risk?
Many dairy producers are unknowingly at risk for a residue violation in both meat or milk shipped from their farm. If any of these sound familiar, you may want to consider having a residue risk assessment.
Click here to read about Dairy Risk Factors
What Happens If My Dairy Has A Residue Violation?
The consequences of having a drug residue violation in either milk or meat are severe and long lasting.
Offender List:
If your dairy has a repeat drug residue violation in meat or milk your dairy will be part of the national database of residue offenders. That list is available to anyone on the web and can be used negatively by the media.
Inspection & Investigation:
The FDA may initiate an investigation after a residue violation and you are more likely to be under continuous monitoring.
Financial Impact:
If your dairy has a milk drug residue violation, you will be financially responsible for the tanker load of milk.
If you have a repeat meat violation, your dairy will go on a ban list to sales barns.
Avoiding drug residues is important for consumer confidence. We have a responsibility to produce and provide a safe, wholesome product with no residues.


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Get acquainted with the science behind molecular gastronomy, the art of manipulating the chemical composition of food. Also referred to as modernist cuisine or culinary physics, this genre of techie cooking uses such approaches as immersion blenders, soy lecithin and iSi canisters to make foams and infused liquors. Or, use tapioca maltodextrin to make powders, and agar agar to turn liquids into pearls. Meet at Tracker's Lounge in the Lodge at Mountaineer Square. Instructor: CBMR Resort Executive Chef Chris Park.
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $85


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About Us
DataLogic launched Vesta® Software for Homecare in 1996. Since that time, our goal has been to make it easy for Provider Agencies to remain compliant with rules and regulations and incorporate best-practices so that they can concentrate on what they do best: providing care to Medicaid clients.
Over the years, DataLogic has helped Provider Agencies incorporate major mandates, including HIPAA, EDS-NHIC, TMHP, MNLOC, STAR+PLUS and the EVV Pilot. With every implementation, we ensured that our customers' transition was successful through effective software updates, user training and support.
In 2007, the Vesta® Cloud Service was introduced to provide secure, scalable, HIPAA-compliant data hosting and disaster recovery for our customers.
Today, Vesta® is 100% cloud-based and comprises the most widely-used compliance management system in Texas Medicaid Community Care.


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In Piedmont
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Ellen Driscoll Playhouse
6:30 PM: Reception w/light refreshments
7 – 8:00 PM: Screening, followed by community discussion.
In Oakland
Saturday, January 23, 2016
The New Parkway Theater
3:00 – 4:00 PM: Screening, followed by community discussion
2 FREE Screenings
The Appreciating Diversity Film Series offers two free screenings of At the River I Stand, produced and directed by David Appleby, Alison Graham and Steven Ross. This poignant documentary set in Memphis, Tennessee during the 1960s, is a narrative about mobilization, determination and tragedy during the civil rights movement. It covers two very eventful months in 1968 that culminate with the success of the unionization of sanitation workers and the tragic death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis.
Leave a Reply.
Our Mission
To promote and practice inclusiveness, foster an appreciation of differences, and raise global awareness within Piedmont and surrounding communities.
October 2020


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Organizations are finding an increased need to protect themselves from cyber attacks. These threats come in many forms and according to Symantec internet security, small to medium sized organizations are targeted 65 percent of the time. Cyber insurance is becoming increasingly important to organizations that are vulnerable to data breaches and ransom situations by hackers.
Target Corporation's data breach was disclosed in November 2013 and it was the beginning of a cyber newsworthy 2014 and 2015. Since then, well publicized cyber breaches at Yahoo, Democratic National Convention, National Security Agency, JP Morgan Chase, Home Depot, Michael's Stores, the US Postal Service, Sony Pictures, and Anthem were only some of the hundreds of breaches of cyber security to make headlines that have changed how all organizations view cyber risk.
Protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is extremely challenging in an environment of technological advancements, rapid adoption rate of technology by consumers and the desire by users for more convenience. PPI, as we will see in the bullets below, is being expanded to include more than names, dates of birth, social security numbers, mother's maiden name, biometric records; and any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information. Some states are now including user names and email addresses, in combination with passwords and security questions.
Cyber security and data privacy are top priorities. With this priority comes the knowledge of ramifications and consequences: costly breach expenses, drafting notifications to those impacted, potential litigation, operational disruptions, and reputational damage. Proactive risk management is important.
Regulators are making it clear that enforcement will continue, including:
- Under the Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have become more active in reviewing disclosures of material cyber risk for publicly traded companies.
- Amendments to laws in CA and FL, and additional state of NY, is under consideration, have changed to define personally identifiable information (user names and email addresses, in combination with passwords and security questions.)
These fact patterns mean organizations of any size, but in particular high risk classes, (i.e. healthcare, financial firms, schools and higher education, government, retail, and technology) need to consider Cyber Liability coverage. The reasons are because of the breadth of coverage including:
- Incident response planning (spells out steps to take in the event of a breach.)
- A qualified breach response attorney immediately to begin the process of investigating the incident and assisting with the notification process and requirements.
- Retain a forensic investigator for the breach.
- Best practices including policies, white papers and webinars on the topic.
- Proprietary benchmarking and third-party benchmarking
Photo taken from: inhomelandsecurity.com


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Oerlikon, a global producer of innovative surface solutions, had a powerful story to tell. Its materials engineers drew inspiration from nature's own vast array of ever-evolving biological surfaces. Telling the story of how biomimicry influences Oerlikon's product development, the company knew, would impact public opinion in a positive way.
To do this, it needed a partner to help spread the word so its message would have the greatest possible impact on its target audience. The goal was to drive visits to the "nature" story and Oerlikon's website, and to increase reach and engagement across all major social media channels.
Oerlikon hired Idea Grove to devise a social media strategy to deliver the story to target audiences while driving traffic to the company's website. First, Idea Grove created a series of nature-based visuals to accompany Oerlikon's article. It then analyzed the target audiences and determined the optimum number of posts for each social media site.
Idea Grove created 30 tweets and 15 posts for Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+, each paired with appropriate visuals and delivered over a four-week period. It actively reached out to key influencers via Twitter to motivate additional sharing, receiving likes and retweets from many of them. Finally, because audiences responded so well to the content paired with media, it recommended Oerlikon continue using visuals and audiovisuals with its future content to heighten long-term engagement.
Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. But when you pair powerful stories with the right visuals, the result is far greater. For Oerlikon, that's the X we solved for: an explosion of social engagement.
The posts of Oerlikon's nature story with accompanying visuals resulted in significant increases in reader engagement across major social media channels. Compared to other content over the same period, they saw 43% more Facebook referrals... 58% more Twitter referrals… 62% more votes... And a whopping 4.77 average star rating. Proving that the right visual can amplify the message of stellar content to reach even wider audiences.


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Steam Sales and iOS Game Developers
For the past week or so developers on Steam have been drastically cutting the prices on their games to just a few measly dollars. Once every 24 hours the new sales are revealed for people to peruse. Today two iOS game developers have cut down their prices to the lowest they have ever been. Those developers are Vlambeer and Trendy Entertainment. Vlambeer recently submitted Super Crate Box to the Appstore and it is due out on January 5th of 2012. Trendy Entertainment ported Dungeon Defenders onto mobile devices like iOS and Android.
In case you are out of the loop, Steam is a storefront for computer games that you can download onto your computer. Once you have Steam downloaded you can buy a variety of games, granted that you have the proper computing requirements. It's free and you can get it here: http://store.steampowered.com/
The two games that are on sale are Dungeon Defenders for PC and Serious Sam: The Random Encounter.
Dungeon Defenders by Trendy Entertainment
Dungeon Defenders is a tower defense/ action roleplaying game. Your goal is to protect the Eternia crystals from the swarms of monsters that arrive in each of the areas. Towers are a main focal point of the game and you place them strategically around the area in order to best defend your crystal. You can choose from 4 characters all of which have different skills and towers available. The game is multiplayer enabled so you can play with people around the world. Though the iOS version cant sync back and forth to the PC version but in my opinion the game plays smoother on the PC.
Price: $3.74 http://store.steampowered.com/app/65800/
Serious Sam: The Random Encounter by Vlambeer
Serious Sam: The Random Encounter is a turn-based RPG that lives up to its name, it's extremely random. From aliens to insanely crazy weapons this is definitely a interesting game. It is definitely worth a shot for a dollar and you would have to be insane to pass up this offer.
Price: $1.24 http://store.steampowered.com/app/201480/
Total for both games: 4.98 or 5 dollars after tax


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rhet450 | undergraduate
Advanced Linguistics
- Overview
- Topics
- Costs
This undergraduate-level course is 5 To enroll, speak with an Enrollment Representative.
Course details:
topic title goes here
Semantics and Pragmatics
- Recognize what constitutes a discourse.
- Name and define three maxims of the cooperation principle.
- Detect a speech act and utterance.
- Describe idiolect and generate a definition of lexicon.
Morphological Typology and Word Formation
- Interpret the functions of word formation.
- Explain the structure of words and their meanings.
- Interpret the meaning of idiomatic expressions.
- Identify morphological differences between languages.
Phonetics: Describing Sounds
- Formulate an explanation of the speech signal.
- Discuss the process of hearing and understanding language.
- Recognize the different speech sounds.
- Analyze sound systems and the phonological processes.
Languages and Communities
- Exemplify differences and similarities between languages.
- Restate what is language.
- Discuss how languages change through time.
- Analyze language variation and social meaning, and determine how language and linguistics play a role in human dispersal theories.
Language and the Language Faculty
- Identify the universal properties of language.
- Recognize the different kinds of grammar.
- Formulate a description of language comprehension.
- Exemplify language acquisition.
Please ask about these special rates:
Teacher Rate: For some courses, special tuition rates are available for current, certified P-12 teachers and administrators. Please speak with an Enrollment Representative today for more details.
Military Rate: For some courses, special tuition rates are available for active duty military members and their spouses. Please speak with an Enrollment Representative today for more details.
The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses.
While widely available, not all programs are available in all locations or in both online and on-campus formats. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.
Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student's responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student's choice.


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CL Lthr Retro Suede — Grey/Brass/Blue
Really really liking some of these 2013 CL treatments – especially the Brass and Blue midsole tweaks to this design (possibly the reason why these aren't titled CL Vintage). I've only yet spotted these on Danish site FOZZ, but will keep my eyes on the many many Reebok stockists and update accordingly. FOZZ —BokOne
Posted on March 12, 2013, in Newsfeed, Re-issues and tagged CL brass blue, CL Lthr, CL Lthr Retro Suede, CL Retro, CL suede, fozz, Retrobok. Bookmark the permalink. Comments Off on CL Lthr Retro Suede — Grey/Brass/Blue.


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There is a high value $10/2 Enfagrow products you can use to get the following deal at Walmart:
Buy (2) Enfagrow Older Toddler Ready to Drink Milk 4 ct – $6.47 each
Use $10/2 Enfagrow products
Pay $1.47 each after coupon
That works out to just 37 cents per container! Please note that prices may vary by region so always verify before you purchase.
Check out all the best Walmart deals here.
Photo Credit: I heart the Mart


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"Abraham and Isaac," John August Swanson. Used by permission from the artist.
Image © by John August Swanson. Artwork held in the Luther Seminary Fine Arts Collection, St. Paul, Minn.
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First Sunday of Advent
Matthew 24:36-44 Commentary
by Ben Witherington
Matthew 24:36-44 is part of a much larger passage, usually called the Olivet discourse, which discusses both events that transpired in the first century A.D. and those which as of yet have not come to pass. ...
| Bible Text
Isaiah 2:1-5 Commentary
by Anathea Portier-Young
Isaiah's vision begins with "the mountain of the Lord's house" (2:2).
Psalm 122 Commentary
by Paul S. Berge
Psalm 122 is a perfect psalm for the beginning of a new church year on this First Sunday of Advent.
Romans 13:11-14 Commentary
by Dirk G. Lange
The readings for the first and second Sundays in Advent are taken from the later chapters of Paul's letter to the Romans.
The Undomesticated God
by David Lose
November 28, 2010
Dear Working Preacher,
Here we are again, looking at the first Sunday in Advent, the beginning of a new church year, and...another apocalyptic text. Which means that we now have ...
Brainwave 147: Lectionary Texts for the 28th of November 2010
Join Profs. Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis, David Lose, and Matt Skinner,for a conversation around preaching the lectionary texts for Advent 1: Isa 2:1-5, Ps 122, Rom 13:11-14, Matt 24:36-44.


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Emily Perper | Staff Writer
The facts speak for themselves. HIV/AIDS is an equal opportunity killer.
Thirty million people are currently infected. Instead of targeting the young and elderly, the disease most frequently kills those between the ages of 15 and 40.
"If we don't act on this, it's a lack of faith, hope and love," Ambassador Mark Dybul said.
On Monday, Dybul presented "Faith and Global Health: Opportunities and Challenges to Create a More Perfect World." Chautauquans arrived at Hall of Philosophy more than an hour early for the first Interfaith Lecture of the 2011 Season.
Dybul was the United States Global AIDS Coordinator from 2006 to 2009. He currently serves as the co-director of the O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University, where he is a Distinguished Visiting Scholar.
To give context for his passion, Dybul briefly traced the growth of global health.
"The history of development isn't particularly attractive," Dybul said as he explained that development began with colonialism and imperialism, adding that the positive aspects of missionary zeal ran counter to the political and exploitative tendencies.
Dybul called the Cold War the worst period in the history of global health. Helping other countries prevent disease was a way to expand the United States' sphere of influence. Aid did not come from a place of altruism but from a desire to form alliances. "Post-colonial guilt" was more about subliminating feelings of responsibility than finding permanent solutions.
A new era emerged with the drafting of the Monterrey Consensus on Financing for Development, published in 2002 by the United Nations, which altered the way the world approached global health, Dybul said.
"It moved from the paternalism of the past," he said. "Development was actually about a partnership."
Under the George W. Bush administration, Dybul helped to lead the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, "the largest international health initiative in history for a single disease," according to its website.
Dybul mentioned several other successful development initiatives: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; the President's Malaria Initiative; and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation.
"The American people are the largest contributors to all of these," Dybul said.
The initiatives Bush supported may have seemed contradictory to his socially and fiscally conservative political stance, but Bush's personal faith influenced his decision to support funding for global health development, Dybul said.
He added that when asked, Bush referenced his personal faith and quoted part of Luke 12:48: "When someone has been given much, much will be required in return."
After years in government, Dybul understood that bureaucracy tended to distort originally well-intentioned movements and exacerbate human fallibility.
"Development and health were not about government-to-government relationship; they're about people-to-people relationships," he said. "And that meant faith-based organizations, the private sector, everyone needed to be engaged."
Faith-based organizations are positioned uniquely in the global health arena. The World Health Organization reported faith-based organizations provide 90 percent of orphan care and 50 to 75 percent of healthcare in Africa.
On a continent where there are 12 million orphans, orphan-dominated villages have emerged in which the oldest person in a village is between 15 and 20 years old. Although they were recently children themselves, they cared for the other village children. In such situations, faith-based orphan care is a significant help, Dybul said.
Philosophically faith-based organizations differ from other institutions, he added.
"At its best, faith is a profound openness to otherness," Dybul said. "People of faith see the image of their creator in others, and therefore see the others as deserving of love and respect and are hopeful they will receive it."
Dybul made note of two important factors that set faith-based organizations apart from other groups.
First is the reclamation of the original purpose of the missionary zeal of colonial times, balanced with a continued rejection of paternalism.
"Faith and faith communities see the dignity and worth of every human life, and that means every human life has the ability to own its future … that person doesn't need to be told what to do," Dybul said, reiterating the importance of the shift from paternalism to equality.
The second factor is the recognition of the value of the whole person, not fixating on his or her disease — "caring for the mind, body and soul." And while faith-based organizations are not the only organizations to do this, it tends to be emphasized within them.
The link between maternal mortality and the well-being of children is significant. Children whose mothers perish in childbirth are 10 times more likely to die themselves within two years, according to the UNICEF website.
At the time of the United States' founding, maternal death was as common in the U.S. as it is in Africa today. This fact, Dybul said, shows that mortality rates can change.
There are both cultural and economic obstacles to combating HIV/AIDS.
"Stigma against HIV has been a very significant problem in faith communities, in part because of … some of the people who are involved — men who have sex with men, drug users, sex workers — and in part because it's about sex. And sex is not a comfortable conversation for a lot of faith-based organizations," Dybul said.
He explained that a "culture of life," a central and valued part of many faiths, has come into conflict with the concept of contraception.
"There is always opportunity in challenge, and we have the opportunity to grow in wisdom together," he said.
He acknowledged the difficulty of such an initiative in economically challenging times but also stressed that these solutions were "simple (and) inexpensive."
Such measures include procedures like male circumcision, which reduces the spread of HIV/AIDS by 60 percent. Giving HIV/AIDS medication to the uninfected prevents them from getting the disease.
"(Treating the disease directly) drives down the amount of virus in the body so it reduces the ability of a person to transmit the virus by 96 percent," Dybul said. "By putting these things together, what we call combination prevention … we have the science to drive HIV into the ground — to make it virtually go away."
Dybul believes it is possible to continue to heal HIV/AIDS patients and to remain economically responsible.
"We surely can get our fiscal house in order while at the same time saving and lifting up lives and ensuring we're using the money we have wisely, being stewards of this world, of our resources," he said. "We know when we act out of faith and love, anything is possible."


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Creator/s: Matt Summers, A. Chow
Run: ?-9/12
Schedule: On hiatus
Update: I've been informed that this webcomic was originally written several years ago. To view the creators' more current work, you can check out their other webcomic, Let the Hunt Begin!, which can be read here. Also, note that Crux is a spin-off of Tales of Pylea, which currently updates and can be read here.
Website: It's about as plain as could be, although the site at least has a custom background and a fantasy-style font for its navigation buttons. One thing in particular I would've liked to see is a way to skip ahead to certain parts of the story, which is a standard feature of practically every webcomic. Instead, Crux only offers a basic First, Previous, Next, and Last setup.
The neatest part of the site's not actually on the site. I did a Google search for the comic's title, and I found out that there's a Flash game where players have to try to quickly spot the differences between two versions of the artwork. I imagine that this game has encouraged at least a few people to check out the webcomic it's based on.
Writing: One of the great things about webcomics in comparison to the mainstream print industry is that creators can publish their wildest ideas without any resistance. There aren't any meddling editors or business executives around to shoot down concepts or force creators to conform. On the Web, all it takes to be a publisher is to make a comic and upload it. This dynamic doesn't benefit a webcomic like Crux, though, because I don't think it'd have any problem pleasing a group of publishing executives. However, this isn't necessarily a desirable trait.
From the comic's first action scene featuring its spunky young protagonist to the second action scene that's currently interrupted by a hiatus, nothing in the story stands out as being particularly creative or noteworthy. We meet some thugs, a feisty elven chick, and an old trickster, and it all feels very safe and cookie-cutter to me. Characters fire off a series of clever, cocky lines like, I guess, they're supposed to in a fantasy story. Crux isn't a webcomic that anyone would dislike, but at the same time, it fails to be fun and exciting. It's the suit-and-tie version of a webcomic -- well-groomed, reasonable, and respectable, but not someone you'd really want to hang out with.
Most importantly, though, Crux lacks the energy of a passionate personal project. The characters, setting, and story don't seem special to me, and I don't feel like this is a comic I'm particularly supposed to care about. The effective plot structure, careful timing, and smooth dialogue reflect the creator's wealth of skill and experience when it comes to writing comics, but I'd rather read the work of someone half as capable who's enthusiastic about a story that they feel is uniquely theirs. This comic's well-written, but I was bored with it by the time I finished the first chapter.
The story's formality starts showing through in the first scene. The apparent goals here are to introduce the hero and make him likable, introduce the villains and make them dastardly, and then introduce the elf chick and make her likable. The comic accomplishes these objectives, but it feels like the creator's just checking off boxes so he can move on to the next part of the story. An in medias res action scene like this should hook readers, but I wouldn't use any adjectives like "cool," "creative," "fun," "exciting," "awesome," or "different" to describe it. Instead, I'd use the words "functional" or "efficient."
Later, after the protagonist and old man smirk at each other and say clever lines, the protagonist and thug smirk at each other and say clever lines while fighting. All of the main characters are cocky, with the protagonist saying, during the fight scene, "If you want a dance, you should have said so in the first place. I didn't even have time to put on my best dress," while the thug rattles off bad-guy lines like, "End of the line, punk," "Sharky here is mine," and "You can't hide from me, punk!" The creator can check off "introduce the old man and make him likable" and "fight scene with the hero and the thug," but there's still no "wow" factor. Instead, it's just a well-paced, well-choreographed fight scene between a big guy with an axe and a smaller guy with a sword. It works, but it isn't going to make many people think, "This is such a great fantasy comic. I'm glad I found out about it, and I can't wait to see what happens next."
Art: Fortunately for the webcomic, this part makes up for the lackluster writing in a big way, as the creator has established herself as one of the best webcomic illustrators out there. Crux features page after page of gorgeous fantasy artwork, and while some of the pages in Chapter 2 are in unfinished stages, they're still a step up from almost anything you're going to find from other creators. Towards the end of the section, the creator switches from conventional coloring to digital painting, and I don't have a preference since both styles look excellent. Normally, if I wanted to see illustrations of such a high standard, I'd expect to have pay something for it.
Besides just offering solid anatomy, varied perspectives, and detailed backgrounds, though, the comic goes above and beyond with its creative page layouts (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Figures and panels often overlap other parts of the artwork for a dynamic effect, and the creator tends to use panel shapes other than the standard squares and rectangles for the comic's more dramatic moments. And on this page, jagged and curvy panel borders are cleverly incorporated with the artwork to reflect the protagonist's disorientation and desperation.
Overall: Crux joins Daqueran, Gaia, Guild Adventure, Katran, and The Prime of Ambition on the list of fantasy webcomics I've reviewed that have attractive, creative, and exciting artwork but are held back by uninspired, underwhelming writing. And, like those other webcomics, it's possibly worth checking out just to see the kick-ass illustrations, but there's nothing noteworthy enough about the characters or story to hold readers' attention for long.


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Byron Society of America and Scottish Literature Discussion Group Session: 'Four O'Clock Friends: John Murray and His Circle' 29 December 2009 Modern Language Association Conference Philadelphia
Wilson, Fiona, The Byron Journal
The circle of writers nurtured by the so-called 'prince of all booksellers and publishers', John Murray II, was the subject of an experimental panel co-sponsored by the Byron Society of America and the Scottish Literature Discussion Group at the 2009 Modern Language Association conference in Philadelphia. On 29 December, members of both groups met in the Philadelphia Marriott to hear three stimulating papers from David McClay (John Murray Archive), Hermione de Almeida (Tulsa) and Susan Oliver (Salford). Though the atmosphere of a large academic conference might seem to have little in common with Murray's famously convivial drawing room, all of the speakers graciously rose to the occasion to offer fascinating, thoughtful papers on the inner workings of the Murray circle.
The proceedings were opened with some words from Tim Webb, dedicating the panel to the memory of Andrew Nicholson. As Professor Webb noted, Nicholson's contributions to Byron scholarship, particularly The Letters of John Murray to Lord Byron, have crucially shaped our understanding of the poet's relationship with his publisher. We are all indebted to Nicholson's scrupulous work as an editor and to his extraordinary generosity towards other scholars.
David McClay, Curator of the John Murray Archive at the National Library of Scotland, delivered the first paper, 'John Murray II', and began by describing how Murray effectively transformed a 'fledging family business into one of the most successful and prestigious of publishing dynasties'. Importantly, Murray modelled the concept of the publisher as respectable, gentlemanly professional, a shift marked by his own withdrawal from a bookseller's shop to the more polite surroundings of the drawing room at 50 Albemarle Street where, by 1812, he conducted most of his business. Here he gathered the circle soon nicknamed 'the four o'clock friends', a loose coterie of Murray authors and visitors that included such figures as George Canning, William Gifford, Madame de Staël, Walter Scott and Lord Byron. Murray's library, convivial style and sizable payments to authors were all elements in his fashioning of publishing as an activity above 'mere' pecuniary demands. At the same time, however, the very real business of pounds and pence continued. As McClay concluded, Murray can be described as creating not only the professional publisher, but also the professional author. …


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MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - Adidas
Germany's manager magazin reported last September that hedge funds were considering taking a stake in the world's second-largest sportswear company to push for sweeping changes, including the removal of Chief Executive Herbert Hainer and the possible spin off of fitness brand Reebok and golf business TaylorMade.
"Nobody has approached us because they want to buy the company or buy a large number of shares," Hainer told journalists at an event at an Adidas showroom in Munich.
Adidas shares tumbled 38 percent last year as the company was hit by falling golf sales and its heavy exposure to Russia. But they have rebounded this year, helped by a big share buyback and early signs of better performance.
Hainer defended the decision to appoint advisers Perella Weinberg Partners as justified by market conditions.
"When cheap money is available in the market, it looks for investment opportunities," Hainer said. "We just want to make sure that anybody who invests has the right intentions."
Hainer faced a rocky ride last week at the Adidas annual general meeting as shareholders expressed doubts that a new strategy launched in March would be enough to challenge the dominance of rival Nike
The Adidas board has said it is looking for a successor to Hainer, although he seems in no hurry to leave as his contract runs until 2017. Hainer, CEO since 2001, said he could not say how long the recruitment process would take.
Hainer said Adidas was committed to the golf business, which he noted had been a major contributor to group profit in the past, although it would closely watch the market to see if growth returns in a sport whose popularity has waned.
He was also optimistic for the group's Russia business, saying he expected it to be profitable this year, helped by a strengthening rouble and price increases.
(Reporting by Emma Thomasson; Editing by Keith Weir)


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Is Cloud Communications the Right Place for Talented Women?
Oct 14, 2016
There is a general perception that IT is mostly a male-centric industry. In fact, the entire business world is still largely male-dominated. However, women are increasingly empowered to take leadership roles, including in IT companies. Many start as programmers and then climb up the corporate ladder to become C-level executives with a powerful vision and strong leadership skills. Regardless of their background, women always bring a different perspective to the IT world, and often—valuable insights that push the industry forward.
We continue our conversation with Michelle Accardi, Chief Operating Officer at Star2Star, Kira Makagon, EVP of Innovation at RingCentral, and Jan Sarro, EVP Marketing and Business Development at Fusion.
Michelle Accardi-Petersen is a world-renowned technical thought leader on next-generation marketing and communications strategies and author of Agile Marketing. In 2009 she was named to the Gulf Coast Business Review's 40 under 40, and in 2008 she was recognized by South Florida Business Journal as Woman Who Means Business for South Florida. Michelle holds an MBA from American Intercontinental University and earned a bachelor's degree from University of South Florida.
Kira Makagon is a successful serial entrepreneur and technology industry leader. A graduate of UC Berkeley in computer science and Haas School of Business, she enjoys working with entrepreneurs and serves as an advisor to early-stage companies, including Illuminate Ventures, Yozio, Qubell, News360, 1 World Online and Airframe, where she is also a member of the Board of Directors. Kira's recent awards include 2015 YWCA Silicon Valley Tribute to Women Award and2015 Golden Bridge Business and Innovation Awards.
Jan Sarro has held senior executive marketing and sales management positions at Argo Communications, FTC Communications, TRT Communications, Viatel and WorldCom. She and her team are proud sponsors of Women in the Channel and are very active in promoting industry programs that encourage (and mentor) young women in technology.
Here follow Michelle, Kira and Jan's perspectives on the role of women in technology and their choice to work for leading cloud communications providers.
What do you enjoy most about the organization you work for and why do you consider it a good place for women in technology to seek professional realization?
Michelle: The best part about Star2Star is the team that we have assembled. Everyone here is truly dedicated to our mission. We want to change the world, and we want to change it by empowering businesses to communicate efficiently and cost-effectively. When you work with the best, it's easier to be the best. Star2Star makes sure that the best and brightest advance and any woman (or any employee) who's willing to put in the effort to excel will have plenty of opportunities to grow with our constantly expanding company.
Kira: RingCentral is a leader in the cloud communications space, which can be very exciting and challenging at the same time. RingCentral's strength lies on its ability to be hyper-focused on innovation and execution. Many departments across RingCentral, from engineering to marketing, have strong gender diversity, which I believe yields more creative and well-rounded products. By making diversity a high priority, RingCentral has created a work environment in which all employees can thrive
Jan: I have been growing along with Fusion for over fourteen years now, and throughout that time, I have watched the company reinvent itself in powerful ways through periods of challenge and change. Not to overuse tag lines, but Fusion truly is forward-thinking, flexible and fast, employing advanced yet proven cloud technology to deliver the kinds of productivity-enhancing solutions that the cloud makes possible. I have stayed through all these years because Fusion never loses sight of its mission to serve the customer first, solving problems with the right solution at the right time at the right cost. We are a technology company that knows from deep experience that while technology changes fast and sometimes furiously, the basic needs of our customers remain essentially the same. Their simple, straightforward request: deliver what I need to succeed, when I need it, and solve the problems that keep me up at night.
Fusion is a collaboration of experienced, talented team members who care passionately about their work and each other. We are committed to advance not only the best and the brightest, but the most passionate and committed as well, understanding that the will to succeed is often the best predictor of success. Fusion encourages each and every employee, whether here since the beginning 19 years ago, or a recent hire through one of our six acquisitions in less than four years, to seize the opportunity to master today with a clear eye to what's up next tomorrow. It's an exciting, dynamic environment, and our CEO, Matt Rosen, lives his belief that frequent, direct communication, the consistent sharing of information, and encouraging the open exchange of ideas that might drive efficiency or create something new are essential to realizing each team member's full potential. It is a personal joy for me to have the opportunity to mentor many outstanding young women as they build their careers and future with Fusion.
What is your vision for the role of women in an increasingly technology-centric world?
Michelle: The role of women will be exactly the same as the role of men, as leaders at every stage of the industry, from developers to marketers to CEOs. We're already seeing more and more women enter the technology industry, numbers that are only going to explode as young adults who have been plugged in their entire lives continue to join the workforce. Women are already making tremendous strides in technology, and that is only going to continue.
Kira: I believe that women and men are equals in the technology space. Women have always been in technology—the first programmers in history were women and it was seen as a less prestigious occupation than being an engineer. Regarding IoT specifically, I think that women by nature have a different perspective on technology—a higher level of sensitivity and emotion are often reflected in the technology they design.
Jan: Women have important contributions to make as the human family struggles with the challenges, as well as the benefits, of technology "advances". Enamored by the "wow factor", and the increasingly addictive nature of the always-on, always-ready, always-available way we communicate today, we sometimes lose sight of the fact that technology employed in service to humanity is its best use. We need to engage in strategies that maximize benefits to more and more people in more and more places and circumstances, while mitigating the sometimes numbing effects of life lived through the machine. Throughout history, women have frequently said no to excess and yes to a considered, clear-eyed assessment of how best to ennoble as well as enable humanity. Fusion is a proud and active sponsor of Women in the Channel, which is devoted to engaging women in technology to address just this sort of important issue. We fully encourage and embrace the contributions of women to summon their collective histories and experiences to bring closer the day that we truly recognize that machine-to-machine communication is really about bringing each of us closer to each other as members of one human family.
I'd like to thank our distinguished guests for sharing their unique perspectives and to wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.
Elka Popova
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text: Honors Nursing Curriculum The Honors College offers a specialized Honors upper-level curriculum for College of Nursing students. Honors students in Nursing have the option of completing the full 24 hour Honors Diploma or a 12 hour Honors Certificate. The specialized Honors Nursing courses are: NUR 307 prepares you to select a research topic, develop a research question, and secure a relationship with a nurse researcher who will serve as a research adviser. This course is taught in a seminar format. NUR 415 develops your research methodology, helps you collect data, and leads you to engage in preliminary data analysis. You will have close access to expert researchers in the field. NUR 407 guides you through data collection, data analysis, development or results, and thesis completion. Dissemination of results in a public setting is a priority goal for students taking this course. More information on Honors Nursing. Honors Capstone in Nursing Information Early Promotion into UAH Nursing Program (EPNP) The Early Promotion into UAH Nursing Program (EPNP) is an exciting new Nursing Program being offered by The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) College of Nursing. Highly qualified students who enter UAH as freshmen, declare Nursing as their major, take all lower division Nursing coursework as listed in the BSN lower division program of study on the UAH campus, and meet the requirements listed below will be guaranteed a slot in the upper division Nursing courses. Since students will also be eligible to enroll in the UAH Honors College, it is an expectation that students enrolling in the EPNP will also apply and enroll in the UAH Honor's College. See the College of Nursing website for more information.


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The Book Doctor Is In: Torn Paper Book Repair
Not long ago I was talking with a class of library science students and someone asked why we should repair books rather than discard damaged books and replace them. After discussion, the students generally agreed that, due to the cost of new books and how quickly publishers seem to take them out of print, repair is often the best alternative.
Our experience at Demco bears this out as we continue to see a strong interest in learning about the techniques and tools of book repair. And so we move on to continue our discussion of ways to repair torn paper.
In the latter part of The Book Doctor is In: Book Repair ASAP, we talked about reattaching pages that have been torn out of books and why attempting this with a pressure sensitive tape almost invariably results in a poor repair job. Using Norbond® Liquid Plastic Adhesive to reattach a page works well when the page has a flat, smooth edge that can be reinserted deep into the gutter of the book.
However, when pages have been physically torn from a book such that a neat edge no longer exists, the repair will be somewhat more complicated. Usually a portion of the page remains in the book and you may be tempted to simply use an ordinary pressure-sensitive tape to reattach the torn-out page to the remnant of the page still in the book. Don't do it!
It is very difficult when using a sticky tape to accurately fit the two sides of the tear together perfectly and the taped area will be much less flexible than the rest of the page so a new tear will quickly develop along the edge of the tape.
The best way to reattach a page that has been completely torn out of a book and has a ragged edge is to "rebuild" that edge using a transparent tissue, such as Book Repair Tissue, and Norbond® Liquid Plastic Adhesive. As shown in the photo below (Step 1), the tissue can be torn to fit along the edge of the page and attached by brushing the Norbond onto the tissue. Cover that with waxed paper, place some weight on it, and allow it to dry overnight.
After the adhesive in the first step has dried, simply apply fresh adhesive along the edge of the tissue and insert it deeply into the gutter of the book. Be sure to place a sheet of waxed paper on each side of the repair before closing the book and allowing it to dry overnight under some weight or wrapped with rubber bands.
Repairing Extensive Paper Tears
As we mentioned in The Book Doctor is In: Introduction to Book Repair, a great many decisions in book repair are based on judgment calls. It's a judgment call as to whether or not the book should be repaired and returned to use and it's a judgment call about the amount of time and materials you can devote to a repair.
When it comes to "extensive tears" and what that means to you, that's also a judgment call. If you're confident that you can mend a torn page and get a professional quality repair, then go for it. If the tear is very long, or ragged or zig-zaggy, then you'll be better off taking more time to follow the procedures outlined here.
Filmoplast® P Paper Mending Tape provides the quickest and easiest repair that I have found for badly torn paper. (I don't recommend Filmoplast® P-90 Tape for page repairs because it is opaque white and covers the print.) Filmoplast P is a very strong transparent tape that is flexible so the book paper will not fatigue and tear again. Additionally, the adhesive is not so aggressive that you can't lift the tape a bit to make adjustments if necessary.
We said it before, but it bears repeating, make certain that the two sides of the tear are aligned and overlap correctly. Apply the tape starting at the base of the tear and carefully smooth it to the edge of the page. Wrapping 1/2″ or so of tape over to the reverse side is a good idea.
If the tear extends the full length of the page, make the repair in two steps:
- Start at the center of the tear and work out to one edge and repeat for the remainder of the tear.
- Use a plastic folder to smooth the repair and ensure the tape is secure.
Don't have access to Filmoplast P tape? A satisfactory alternative to repair an extensive tear is to use Book Repair Tissue and Norbond® Liquid Plastic Adhesive.
- Tear a section of the tissue wide enough and long enough to cover the tear.
- Brush Norbond on one side of the tissue, make certain the two sides of the tear are aligned correctly, and gently apply the tissue over the tear.
- Place a clean piece of waxed paper over the tissue and then use a plastic folder to firmly smooth the repair.
- Place some weight on the repaired area and allow it to dry overnight.
Next up: Parts of a Book
You're about to graduate to the next level of book repair! From this point forward in this series, we'll be dealing with more difficult repairs. To help you get ready to level up, next month we will review the physical parts of a book and how they all work together. After that we'll move on to more difficult repairs.
Throughout this series, we'll be referring to two resources from Demco. The pamphlet Demco Collection Care Guide and the Demco Collection Care DVD are both available to help you through your book repair challenges.
What are your book repair questions and concerns? Post your comments below and I'll respond. I may use your input in future posts to help you take the best care of your collection.


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The following is an unedited post created on our Tumblr page. You may find the original here.
Just to complete the set in elementary Japanese, let's talk about "sen," which is the number turned suffix for 1000.
For this set, in order to create a rule that's even worth mentioning, I will be using a version of 1000 pronounced "issen," which is used when counting really big numbers in big denominations. However, if one just wants to say 1000, my understanding is that "sen" in its standalone form (like hyaku) is the only acceptable way of saying it.
Let's look at the set:
1000 Issen
2000 Nisen
3000 Sanzen
4000 Yonsen
5000 Gosen
6000 Rokusen
7000 Nanasen
8000 Hassen
9000 Kyuusen
Here we have 3 variations of the one suffix "sen."
"ssen" (1, 8)
"zen" (3)
"sen" (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9)
This is really easy. So let's just have at it.
The Thousand Rule
Let's get our main lexemes lined up (as always)
1) If the main lexeme ends in /chi/, then drop /chi/ and add the "sssen" variation.
Ichi (ends in /chi/; /chi/ drops) —> Issen (DONE)
Hachi (ends in /chi/; /chi/ drops) —> Hassen (DONE)
2) If the main lexeme ends in an unrounded vowel + a nasal, then it takes the "zen" variation.
Issen (DONE) [Step 1]
Ni (does not end in a nasal, n/a, ×)
San (ends in an unrounded vowel + a nasal) —> Sanzen (DONE)
Yon (does not end in a unrounded vowel + a nasal, n/a, ×)
Go (does not end in a nasal, n/a, ×)
Roku (does not end in a nasal, n/a, ×)
Nana (does not end in a nasal, n/a, ×)
Hassen (DONE) [Step 1]
Kyuu (does not end in a nasal, n/a, ×)
3) Everything else takes the "sen" variation.
Issen (DONE) [Step 1]
Ni —> Nisen (DONE)
Sanzen (DONE) [Step 2]
Yon —> Yonsen (DONE)
Go —> Gosen (DONE)
Roku —> Rokusen (DONE)
Nana —> Nanasen (DONE)
Hassen (DONE) [Step 1]
Kyuu —> Kyuusen (DONE)
Without "Issen," I have only two very different exceptions to an otherwise very regular "sen" rule. With "Issen," I can at least give a reason for "Hassen" to be the way it is. In the case of "sanzen," you see a similar case of voicing as with "sanbyaku" and with "yon" remaining one of the numbers to change in the 3rd step. I suspect that counters have a small number of patterns that they follow. The three patterns I showed today may correspond to some of those.


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Social services and staff from 21 other agencies were cleared of blame over the Shannon Matthews case today by an independent serious case review which nonetheless called for national action over families who "bump along", just about managing to provide adequate childcare.
The inquiry described the fake abduction of the nine-year-old in February 2008 by her mother and another man as "unusual, unexpected and impossible to foresee", but warned that households such as the schoolgirl's, which more-or-less cope between repeated crises, are not uncommon.
It highlighted the "low level neglect" which blighted the early years of Shannon and her four brothers and sisters, and involved three referrals to the child protection register in West Yorkshire, one of an infant before it had been born. The report's summary – the only document so far made public – commends attempts to provide a decent home by Shannon's mother Karen but reveals that they always collapsed.
Karen Matthews was described as "pure evil" by West Yorkshire police after she was jailed for eight years last year for kidnapping, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.
Dr Carole Smith, an independent child protection specialist who wrote the report, said Matthews, 35, had refused to co-operate with the review but "was attached to her children and her children were attached to her – there was a bond of affection between them". But it was not enough, and support by social services was never able to get the mother and her children, who had three different fathers, onto a long-term even keel.
"Matthews failed to prioritise the children's need for a secure and consistent relationship over her own need for relationships with a number of male partners," said Smith, referring to a typical crisis in 2002 when Shannon and another child were placed briefly on the protection register. Two years later the same problems recurred when Matthews' "emotional vulnerability meant that her choice of male partners and relatively short-lived relationships with men interfered with her ability to concentrate on meeting her children's needs and prioritising them over her own."
Although the protection register was used, the children's treatment never reached the statutory threshold that triggers care orders, and Kirklees council was was exonerated for its decisions. The review's main criticism of the huge apparatus of care provided for over a decade to the family, by groups including Barnardo's and two NHS health trusts as well as a dozen council departments, was the failure to respond "proactively" when Karen Matthews asked on one occasion for a child to be taken into care to help her cope.
Shannon was at the centre of a national search in February 2008 when she disappeared on her way home from school after a swimming lesson. She was found 24 days later at the flat of Michael Donovan, 40, the step-uncle of Karen Matthews' partner at the time, who was also given eight years' jail for co-organising the scam with Karen to get a £50,000 reward from the Sun.
Alison O'Sullivan, director for children and young people at Kirklees, said: "We accept there are areas of criticism in the report and we agree with them." No one has been disciplined in connection with the case, although some staff have been given advice about dealing with complex and long-term cases.
The case, the report added, "raises issues regarding national policy implementation as well as local action in relation to neglectful parents whose willingness and ability to improve their parenting is compromised by their own family history, low aspirations, relative poverty and a lack of social and economic opportunities".
But it acknowledged that no existing systems failed in the Matthews case and made no specific suggestions at a time of pending public spending cuts.
The review also raised questions about the government's insistence that serious case reviews such as this one, and the inquiry into two boys who viciously attacked two other boys in Doncaster last year, must be made public in full. O'Sullivan said Kirklees council would do its "utmost" to comply with this but faced serious problems over child protection law.
Two court orders are already in place relating to disclosure of information about the Matthews children, and the review held back from re-interviewing Shannon in case the "disturbance and trauma" she suffered through the kidnap recurred. This meant that the presence of prescription-only drugs in the child's blood, among other issues, could not be fully explained.
The council has published practice recommendations for all 22 agencies that helped the family – housing staff in Kirklees, for instance, will in future be trained to watch for possible child protection issues. Sheila Dilks, director of patient care for NHS Kirklees, said: "There won't be a person involved with this family who hasn't had many a sleepless night."
Smith said that for all the bizarre culmination of Shannon's upbringing, the family pattern behind it was not rare. "We see the kind of parenting Karen provided fairly commonly. We are looking at a fairly common problem."