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Use the MRC
As required by NIH guidelines, all research involving the use of vertebrate animals (mammal, bird, amphibian, reptile, fish and fertile vertebrate eggs) and their parasites must have a protocol approved by the MBL Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) before the research can begin.
MRC Access
Access to the facility is provided via the MBL ID Card system. This access is a special privilege for those using the facilities: it is not automatically provided to the general MBL community with the MBL Card. After-hours access may be granted to MBL card holders who have been assigned research or tank space in the MRC. Those will occasional access needs should contact the MBL watch staff at extension 7217.
The building is open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. during weekdays, and the Tank Room is open from 7:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Access after hours is provided through the MBL ID Card to authorized users only – please contact Dave Remsen for privileged access (508) 289-7477 or email@example.com.
When entering the front door or tank room door after hours, do not let anyone else in unless you are absolutely certain they work at and have authorization (via their MBL ID Card) to enter the Marine Resources Center. Course students will be let in by the course instructor for after hours classes. Do not compromise the security of the building, or your own safety, by letting "tailgaters" in.
To enhance personal security when you are working alone in your lab or office at night or on weekends, make a point of making yourself known to others who are also working in the building.
Those who require an interior key to an office or lab will be assigned a key by the Manager of the MRD. Do not lend this key to anyone or have it replicated. Each key is numbered and assigned on an individual basis and must be returned upon leaving for the summer or departing the MBL.
Kitchen Use
Two kitchens are available for the use by personnel in the building. These areas are for eating, drinking, and socializing. A fundamental principle of lab safety is to avoid the use of chemicals in any area where food is prepared or consumed. Please refrain from using the kitchens for ANY research activities, even activities that may seem harmless. Our kitchens are closely monitored to ensure compliance with this policy.
Using Aquatic Facilities
Both the first floor Tank Room and the second floor Mariculture Room have special lighting procedures for night-time use. If you will be utilizing these facilities during evening hours, please see the Marine Resources Department (MRD) Manager, Dave Remsen, in MRC-316 or x7477 for a briefing on night-lighting procedures.
Each user of the facility must provide for their own needs. Do not touch, alter, borrow or otherwise interfere with anything, including organisms, tools, equipment, supplies, or anything related to other areas within the facility.
Check your tank(s) and animals daily to ensure their good health, unless you have made specific arrangements with MRD staff to check them for you. Do not alter tank arrangements or water flow to any tank including your own if there is potential to affect other research areas in series with yours.


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Work life balance
Family Office
For AWI, the work life balance is very important. As an international research centre, we face the challenges of the 21st century.
Our idea of mutual success is to keep in mind professional interests as well as the families' needs at all times.
This family-friendly attitude is important to us.
In brief
Our self-conception
We understand ourselves as service providers in your interest. We take your wishes very seriously and offer our support in Bremerhaven as well as on Helgoland, in List on Sylt and in Potsdam.
You may contact us any time!
Our nurseries
We offer places in day care centres in Potsdam and Bremerhaven. The children's playing, laughter and individual development are matters close to our hearts!
The holiday programme
For our employees' children, we provide a multi-week in-house holiday programme, which combines education with fun and adventure.
Reconciliation of work and care
When persons close to use are seriously ill, or when our parents get old, help is sometimes needed. We will gladly give you advice and offer you a central point of contact in Bremerhaven
Flexible care
When people who are close to you are seriously ill or when your parents grow old, you sometimes need help. We will readily give advice and be your central contact partners in Bremerhaven.
Your contact persons
Winfried Hebold-Heitz
Leitung Familienbüro Bremerhaven
0471 4831-1354
Ines Föllscher
Familienbüro Bremerhaven
0471 4831-2410

subset: commoncrawl


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The professional team at NAI Norwood Group has extensive public, private and institutional experience in planning, finance, and asset management. We will provide consulting services in the course of evaluating real estate assets and liabilities through portfolio analysis, assessment of development and market potential, due diligence reviews and market assessments. Having been a trademark in the community for over 40 years, we can leverage our professional relationships to provide proficient site studies, feasibility studies and conceptual data. With our affiliation with NAI Global, we can be your advisor wherever in the nation or the world your real estate needs take you.
NAI Norwood Group's consulting services are tailored to the specific needs of our clients and are designed not only to identify problems but also to implement solutions. Each client has a different set of requirements; NAI Norwood Group's consulting services have both depth and breadth. Our experience with the multi-faceted business of commercial and industrial real estate, allows us to offer our expertise:
Choose NAI Norwood Group today to consult with you about your real estate needs in New Hampshire and the global market.
116 South River Road,
Bedford NH 03110
United States
Tel (603) 668 7000
28 Deer Street, Suite 301
Portsmouth, NH 03801
United States
Tel (603) 431 3001


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Spoke a bit with some people in the Brocade stand at HP Discover in Barcelona. The open source / core http://www.vyatta.org/download will be kept, but could not get any commitment to what will happen to it or if they will update it. The 5400 (VSE, 6.6) and 5600 (VR, 7.x) are however available for a free 60-day trial. With the 5600 having a new architecture and is interfacing more closely with the hardware (using Intel's DPDK to for example dedicate processes to cores) that improves performance "quite a bit".
// Update, I since found out about VyOS: http://vyos.net/wiki/Main_Page which is a community fork of the Vyatta Core OS


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Obama's Budget Puts Climate Change Front and Center
An adage of U.S. politics has it that there is no clearer statement of a President's priorities than his annual budget proposal. In unveiling the Fiscal Year 2015 budget proposal on Tuesday, President Obama made one thing abundantly clear: climate change is a high priority for the second year of his second term.
The $3.9 trillion budget, delivered to Congress Tuesday morning, would boost federal spending on programs that make the U.S. more resilient to climate change-related impacts, such as droughts, heat waves and floods. While the budget stands little chance of passing Congress in its current form, it serves as a starting point for congressional Democrats in their negotiations with Republicans.
The budget proposal would provide $2.5 billion for the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), which coordinates climate research across 13 federal agencies, from NASA to the Department of Agriculture. This would be $12 million more than the estimated spending level during Fiscal Year 2014, according to budget documents released by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
NASA, which oversees satellite observation platforms and computer modeling programs, would receive the largest share of USGCRP funding. As an example of NASA's climate-related work, last week, the first of five earth observation satellites scheduled to be launched this year blasted off from a launch pad in Japan.
The agency's Global Precipitation Measurement mission aims to provide scientists with an unparalleled view of the planet's water cycle, which will add to their understanding of climate change.
The budget proposal also includes a brand new $1 billion climate resilience fund meant to help communities across the country adapt to climate change impacts that are already occurring. Studies, including a major United Nations report released in 2014, have found that the 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit increase in global average surface temperatures to date has already increased the odds of heavy precipitation events, heat waves, and coastal flooding in many areas.
In a post on the White House website, three administration officials said the resilience fund is meant to make a difference in the near-term, while the country continues to work to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to manmade global warming.
"We are not just seeing global increases in air and ocean temperatures, we are seeing changes across the United States: extended periods of unusual heat, a greater number of heavier downpours, more severe regional drought and wildfires in parts of the American West, permafrost thawing in Alaska, ocean acidification, and sea level rise threatening coastal communities," wrote Michael Boots, who heads up the White House Council on Environmental Quality, along with White House Science advisor John Holdren and homeland security advisor Lisa Monaco.
According to the Obama administration officials, the fund will provide $400 million to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for "additional hazard mitigation and preparedness efforts." It will also help make America's infrastructure more resilient to severe storms; for example, microgrid projects could make electricity service more reliable during extreme weather events.
The fund would also help support new climate analysis efforts, including sea level rise mapping, the officials said.
The budget would fully fund the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) weather and climate satellite programs at $2 billion. Some of these satellite programs are years behind schedule and billions over budget.
According to several independent assessments, keeping the satellites on track for their projected launch dates is critical for ensuring the reliability of weather and climate forecasts, with a yearlong gap in polar satellite observations all but certain, according to the current timeline. This could temporarily diminish the accuracy of five-to-seven day weather forecasts.
On the energy side, the budget would provide $5.2 billion in funding for clean energy technologies at the Department of Energy (DOE), including $325 million for the DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency, also known as ARPA-E.
ARPA-E functions much like a private sector venture capital firm, investing in cutting edge, high-risk research endeavors that have the potential to transform the energy landscape.
Overall, DOE would see an 8% increase in research funding compared to its estimated Fiscal Year 2014 level.
The budget would also include a new tax credit to encourage investment in infrastructure that would support vehicles powered by natural gas, hydrogen gas, electric motors, or other fuels.
The big energy story during the Obama administration has been the sharp increase in American oil and natural gas production through the use of advanced drilling techniques such as hydraulic fracturing, also known as "fracking." Last year, domestic oil production exceeded crude oil imports for the first time since 1996, according to the White House.
The American oil and gas boom has had a dark side to it, with two major oil spills during the past three years, and an increase in rail-based oil shipments that have raised safety concerns. In addition, studies have shown that fracking may pose environmental health and safety problems.
The 2015 budget would provide $48 million to support interagency research to examine health and safety issues associated with fracking.


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It doesn't matter if you're producing the highest-quality components if they're not getting to the customer on time. Many machine shops invest in resources to improve quality requirements – such as new machine technology and improved process design – but unpredictable backlogs and bottlenecks can remain difficult to manage.
This was one area that BMW Engineering, located in Delville, Germiston, Gauteng, began reevaluating last year. Instead of looking at on-time delivery from a financial perspective, the company began breaking data down in terms of production hours.
The new Takumi VC 1052 CNC milling machine supplied by F&H Machine Tools
"It became a question of speed of delivery and our commitment to the customer. Once we started getting a handle on this, it really had a profound effect on efficiency and throughput on the shop floor," said Wesley Bellora, a Director of the company that operates from the same facility as sister company B.C.F. Precision Grinding Works.
"We had reached a stage where we knew that the throughput of our existing machine had reached its sell by date in terms of our operation. It's not that the CNC had lost its accuracy for the type of machining it was doing, but more a case of the time it was taking to machine components. As a result it was creating production bottlenecks."
"The machine had served us well over the years but advances in technology eventually catch up. Retrofitting older machine tools with modern CNC, DRO and linear scales is an option and is often cheaper than buying new machines but we did not think that would be the solution."
BMW Engineering has a new client that needs 50 different types of components that they need machined regularly
"However, it was not just about replacing an old machine with a new machine to shorten the machining time. The old Eumach had a relatively small working envelope and we needed to increase this to accommodate some of the recent orders that we had won. There are many factors to be considered before acquiring a new machine tool, and a lot of questions have to be asked and answered prior to selecting the right CNC machine."
"Once the reason for purchasing the machine has been established, but before machine type or model selection can begin, the technical aspects of the machine come into play, and the most basic but critical question that must be addressed is: What size are the components to be machined? This may sound odd but far too often we have heard of machine shop owners not doing their homework and purchasing the wrong machine."
Among the components are shafts
"Future shop capacity should also be considered in selecting the optimum machine size. Perhaps a shop could secure more business if it had a slightly larger machine. It's easier to step up to a larger model today, allowing for the possibility of bigger or longer parts to be machined tomorrow, rather than purchase a smaller machine and regret that decision six months later."
Takumi VC 1052 CNC milling machine
"We have recently acquired a new client and this did influence our decision. The company manufactures compacting machinery and they do have a big export order book. There are 50 different types of components that they need machined regularly. At this stage we have a small portion of their requirements but the prospects are looking good because we have gone from supplying 200 components a month late last year to 1 300 in April."
"Some of the components that we have machined for them include flanges, end plates, couplings, drive bearings, gaskets, shafts, drums and taper locks. As we prove that we are a reliable supplier I am sure we will be asked to machine more components for them."
Some of the components that BMW Engineering will machine for the new client include flanges, end plates, couplings, drive bearings, gaskets, shafts, drums and taper locks
"The machine we have purchased is a Takumi VC 1052 CNC milling machine with XYZ travels of 1 060 x 520 x 610mm, rapid traverse of 48m/min, a table size of 1 160 x 520mm and a work load of 650 kilograms. The machine was installed in February 2018 and was purchased from F&H Machine Tools. To compare the two machines is unfair because of the age difference but to give you a rough idea we are now able to machine a component 10 times faster on the Takumi. That is a big saving."
"We have also equipped the machine with a Renishaw probe to help reduce set-up times and improve our process control."
"This takes us to 15 CNC machines that BMW Engineering and B.C.F. Precision Grinding Works has joint access to and it includes lathes, machining/milling centers, grinders and a Chmer Wire EDM CW1060 HS."
"We have not gone the 5-axis route yet but that could be for the not too distant future. Our visit to EMO 2017 certainly inspired us to investigate new ways to look at our machining capabilities."
For further details contact BMW Engineering and B.C.F. Precision Grinding Works on TEL: 011 827 4823 or visit www.bcfengineering.co.za


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I don't think there's anything shocking or implausible about Canadian Olympic athletes Christine Sinclair and Melissa Tancredi suggesting the ref in their soccer semifinal was in the tank for the U.S. and would wear an American jersey to bed that night. She called what amounted to a non-existent foul at a crucial point. You have to go back to 2002 to find another instance. There's no good explanation for it, which amounts to a licence to speculate on why she really made the call.
I don't think the Canadians were saying the Norwegian ref is infatuated with Americans; but rather that there's a bias at upper levels in FIFA, the Olympics and the major broadcasters for having a U.S. team in the final — much as the NHL would doubtless prefer Stanley Cup finalists from major U.S. cities for similar commercial reasons. Officials know that and if they get a chance to bolster that bias, they may, consciously or by a more tortuous route. It's the way of the world; matters like money and audiences enter in. If you ignore those interests, you mightn't get as many choice games to officiate.
So it wasn't shocking or absurd to suggest that was the ref's motive. If it's true, her call would be wrong but at least make some sense. Yet as far as I can see there's been almost no support for the athletes' view, especially from journalists. At most they got sympathy for being upset and advice to move on for the bronze game, which they obviously did.
Let me take another case of misplaced shock: the widespread surprise and alarm over Barack Obama's recently revealed "kill list" for suspected terrorists, including U.S. citizens and, inevitably, innocent bystanders. Plus more dismay over the fact that Obama enthusiastically participates in the weekly cull about who his killer drones will target. Even a critic as acerbic, cynical and awesomely informed as Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi sounded scandalized: "These are moral absolutes. It's not right to assassinate innocent people."
Yet I'd say that was the advertised job description for U.S. president and Obama always knew it. You must be a warrior and display it (especially if you're seen as a risky liberal), you must kill even if that includes the innocent, you must "project" U.S. power, and you must be ready to lie about your real motive.
What motive? To get re-elected. The Obama people largely acknowledge this. They say if the shoe bomber had succeeded in 2009, it would have been disastrous for them; they can't let a single terrorist through or it will sink their re-election chances along with any agenda they still have. The drone killings aren't about saving American lives; many more may be endangered by the hostility in Muslim lands created by drone strikes. The point is to avoid electoral disaster and impress voters with Obama's martial zeal, which is why we've learned so much from his officials about these "secret" operations.
I'm not equating drone killings and bad soccer calls; but dubious behaviour in the public arena is generally hard to evaluate since high-level deliberations are conducted privately, forcing us to either speculate or take the word of secretive, powerful people with many reasons to lie.
That may make me cynical about motives but not jaded concerning action; there are still choices that can be made. For soccer officials who truly want to do the job, maybe they should stay at lower or even local levels of the game, where financial and other pressures don't exist — a bit as teachers often choose not to leave the classroom and rise into administrative ranks where they'd have to play a different game, cut off from kids and teaching.
For Obama? He said his presidency was all about change. But I think it's clear now that the position has more power over the man than the man does over the position. Real change in U.S. politics will probably have to come from the bottom up rather than the top down. So maybe he should have remained a community organizer in Chicago instead of entering electoral politics — if changing the nature of American politics was what he genuinely wanted to do.
Rick Salutin's column appears Friday.


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Actress Jiah Khan's alleged suicide has shocked Bollywood but it is not an isolated case in showbiz and brings back memories of the untimely death of film personalities like Guru Dutt, Divya Bharti and Silk Smitha.
Jiah, 25, committed suicide at her residence in suburban Juhu late last night. She made a dream debut opposite Amitabh Bachchan in Ram Gopal Varma's Nishabd in 2007.
Jiah then appeared alongside Aamir Khan in Ghajini (2008) and later in a supporting role in Sajid Khan's Housefull (2010), which was her last film.
Earlier also, B-town witnessed some shocking tragedies including the death of young and vivacious Divya Bharti at the age of 19 in 1993, after she allegedly fell off the fifth floor of a building.
Mystery still shrouds her death and it remains unclear whether she was pushed to death or she was inebriated and lost her balance.
Divya had made an impact in Bollywood in her brief career with films like Vishwatma, Shola Aur Shabnam and Deewana and others.
One of the most glamorous starlets of her time, Parveen Babi, died a lonely death in 2005 at her flat in Mumbai. Her death came to light only after her residential society secretary alerted the police that she had not picked up milk and newspapers from her doorstep for three days. In her case also, it was not clear whether she committed suicide or died a natural death.
The death of filmmaker Manmohan Desai, who made iconic films like Amar Akbar Anthony, Coolie, Parvarish and others, was received with shock after he fell off his building at Grant Road in Mumbai in 1994.
The real cause of his death is still a mystery. There were speculations that Desai committed suicide as his later films had not been successful while another story claims that his chronic back pain had abetted his fall.
Yesteryear filmmaker Guru Dutt was found dead after an overdose of alcohol and sleeping pills in 1964. It was reportedly Dutt's third attempt at suicide. Whether it was an accident or suicide is still a matter of debate.
His family claimed that it was an accident, even as the filmmaker was reportedly depressed over the 'distance' between him and wife Geeta.
Southern actress Vijayalakshmi, popularly known as Silk Smitha, committed suicide by consuming poison in 1996.
Smitha was trying to change her destiny by turning producer after a successful stint in front of the camera by acting in over 450 films for 17 years.
Things did not fall in place for her and she took the drastic step. Failed romance, depression and alcoholism were the other reasons cited for her premature death.
Actor Kunal Singh of Dil Hi Dil Mein fame was found hanging at his Mumbai apartment in 2008. His father had alleged that Kunal had been murdered and it was not a suicide.


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Take charge of email and reclaim your life
Here are the first two broad steps you will take to reclaim your life from dungeons of email noise.
Let's break it down even further:
Examples of decent subject lines:
Share your best practices in the comments section below! Let's work together to make a better tomorrow for h2h communications!
Free Bonus #1:
People have their preferred communication tool. Score some bonus points and fast-track efficient communications by asking a new contact what their favorite form of communication is: Email, phone, text, Facebook private message, WinWin private message, Skype, etc. Oh, yes, then use that preferred communication method with them.
Free Bonus #2:
Use the phone, text message, social media private message or voice mail to give someone a heads-up that you sent them an urgent email. Not everyone is a slave to e-mail (and soon neither will you!) Give them a heads-up if you sent them something that requires their immediate attention.
Since this article was first published, the author has been evaluating an email management system, SaneBox It is an app that learns what is important and what is not important. The more you use it, the better it learns how to manage your inbox. It's almost like a virtual executive assistant or gatekeeper. Rob reports, "So far, so amazing!"
This article was first published on LinkedIn Pulse by our head"Sherpa", Rob,
Former, Latter, What?
Between "Former" and "Latter", I usually go with the latter.
Admit it. You're out there. You don't remember what "former" or "latter" refers to in a sentence. Guess what? It's OK.
I was there, too, long after graduating. Then I got introduced to this English hack: "F" comes before "L", so the first noun is the"F"ormer and the second is the "L"atter.
Quiz Time! In the following sentence, which is the former and the latter from the 2 presented choices?
"If you could choose to come in First or Last, would you choose the Former or the Latter?"
And the answers:
"First" is the former. "Last" is the latter.
This article was first published by our head "Sherpa", Rob, on LinkedIn Pulse as part of the "Worlds First 5-Second Blog" series.
D-M-P Blog
Musings, thoughts and perspectives from the Digital Marketing Partner team
July 2020
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Does fear of appearing weak cause men to give up on peace? Ike Lasater's ideas can help break this cycle.
Place the attention of you mind on the present moment by focusing on your breathing. When you practice conscious breathing, you have no other choice than to be in your present experience. This takes you out of analysis, thought and judgment.
Research shows that if you identify what you're grateful for on a regular basis, you will improve both your mental and physical health- as well as your outlook on life. Thanks to the neurotransmitter dopamine,gratitude produces a cascade of good feelings. In turn, these good feelings encourage more harmonious relationships.
The great news is that a little gratitude goes a long way. Begin by creating a gratitude journal. Start each day by writing down at least one thing you are thankful for. You'll find that over time this awareness will become habitual and that communicating your gratitude will increase your personal peace.
We humans have only one way that our bodies respond to a perceived challenge, whether it is a threat to our life from a lion on the ancient savanna or a hostile word from a partner. This "Fight or Flight Response" triggers the release of adrenaline and cortisol into our blood streams. For our purposes, the key effect of these is to reduce our capacity to think clearly.
Each day, effort to identify the physical stress response in yourself at its very earliest stages (i.e. shoulder tension, tightening of the chest, racing heart). In those moments, try to shift into less stressful and more effective alternatives by connecting to your:
· Breathing (Deep inhale, extend the exhale to a count of 6)
· Body (Pay attention to your bodily sensations without language. Then start using language to name how you're physically feeling )
· Needs (Ask yourself, if I am feeling X, what needs are not being met?)
When you inhibit your stress response at its earliest stage, you can act not just out of primitive habit, but in alignment with your values, thus fostering more peaceful interactions.
We all have different voices within ourselves, and all too often these voices are in conflict. When our "selves" are in conflict, we feel stuck, muddled and unclear. We can begin to create peace between those voices by conducting an "internal mediation." Ask your two selves in conflict to (literally) speak aloud to each other. Set up two facing chairs facing each other, and switch seats as you voice each self. You will likely discover that both of these selves are working on behalf of the same person- albeit with conflicting needs and strategies. This understanding will promote collaboration between your selves, who will hopefully learn to connect at a need level and then together, find strategies to meet both needs. Once they can actually hear each other, they can talk about how they can resolve this. Because, just like a difficult conversation with another person, sometimes it's hard to hear the different parts of yourself.
"Grant that I may not so much seek . . . to be understood, as to understand."
–The Prayer of Saint Francis
Connection is the doorway to making peace with others. The first and most powerful tool for connection is empathy. The key aspect of empathy is understanding another person.
Of course, connecting is much more difficult when you are in conflict and do not trust the other person's motives. In these situations, you can create connection by seeking understand "the Need behind the No" Example: "No, I don't want to go out to dinner" Really means "I need to be home rested, prepare for tomorrow- need space and relief" The Bottom line? Ask questions about the other person's needs. Connect. Connect. Connect.
The Nonviolent Communication model is built upon four components of communication: Observations, Feelings, Needs, and Requests (OFNR). OFNR plus empathetic listening can produce an all-important "shift," or temporary lifting of tensions, between people who are at odds with each other. Here is an example of OFNR in action: When you leave the house without saying good-bye (Observation), I feel sad and lonely (Feelings) because I really like having companionship in the mornings. (Need) Would you be willing to give me a kiss before you leave the house each day? (Request) Here is an example of what that conversation might have been without the use of the OFNR model: When you blow me off each morning, (Ouch. Judgment) I feel rejected and abandoned ("Faux feeling," or feeling with an accusing story attached) because I shouldn't have to put up with your chilliness. (Judgment, with no need stated) When are you going to start being more loving? (Judgment, without a clear request) You see that if you alter the language you use to speak your truth, you can be true to your feelings and needs, while fostering peace at the same time.
In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a person humanized or de-humanized. —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Everyday, at the moment that things get edgy, we can just ask ourselves, 'Am I going to practice peace, or am I going to war?'" Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart
Often, we resist being the one who reaches out because of some idea that we are giving in or being weak. In our culture, the shame of being weak is deadly. Remember this. In all situations where there is conflict, it is your choice to "escalate or de-escalate." To "practice peace." Together, items 1-6 all help you to arrive at this most fundamental and simple truth. It is in your power to decide to Choose Peace every day.
Would you like to help us shatter stereotypes about men? Receive stories from The Good Men Project, delivered to your inbox daily or weekly.
Lead: Flickr/GollyGforce
Body: Flickr/AndYaDontStop


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Should You Be Using Jojoba Oil?
There are countless languages, dialects, traditions and belief systems throughout the world. So there is no doubt that in every corner of the globe there are beauty practices and must-have ingredients that the locals swear by. Jojoba oil is one of those beauty essentials. It has been used by Native Americans for generations and is gaining popularity as a key ingredient for beauty products. If you are not already familiar with the all the benefits of jojoba oil, you're in luck. We'll introduce you to this wonder oil — which by the way isn't actually an oil at all — its origins, and everyday uses. We will also breakdown why jojoba is so crucial in maintaining healthy hair.
Why Use Jojoba Oil?
Researchers have found jojoba oil resembles human sebum more closely than any other naturally occurring oil. Sebum is a thick waxy substance that is secreted by the sebaceous glands and is responsible for keeping your tresses and scalp moisturized naturally. This substance lubricates and waterproofs the fur, hair and skin of mammals. The similarities in the molecular structure of jojoba and sebum means that it's highly unlikely that a person would have any adverse reaction to using jojoba oil on skin or hair. One of the greatest benefits of the two oils being so similar is that the body registers the jojoba oil as sufficient enough moisture so it will slow down on the production of sebum — resulting in hair that is not heavily coated in oil.
The Benefits of Jojoba Oil
Many of you may be wary of applying oil to you hair and scalp because you want to avoid excessive oil buildup or clogged follicles. However, jojoba oil has both anti bacterial and anti fungal properties, which make it very beneficial as a cleansing agent. So in addition to providing optimal moisture to your hair you are maintaining a healthy scalp which is the foundation for strong healthy hair to grow. If you are looking for maximum growth and length retention you should try jojoba oil. It is naturally rich in vitamins A and B1 which are both essential to healthy hair growth. There are a variety of ways to use jojoba oil to improve the health of your hair, and the most essential ingredient to growth is health. When using natural oils to maintain and strengthen your hair you might find that there is a bit of trial and error involved, not all oils will pair with the structure and needs of your hair. The beauty of jojoba as compared to other oils is that your hair and skin are familiar with sebum like consistency and manage the absorption and distribution of the oil very well.
The Many Uses of Jojoba Oil
- Moisturizer – your hair will be thoroughly moisturized and left with a healthy shine. Since it so closely resembles your own sebum your body slows down the production of oil, and as a result prevents excessively oily hair.
- Scalp cleansing – you may have never considered using jojoba oil to cleanse your scalp but the antibacterial and antifungal properties of jojoba make it a great scalp cleanser. You can add it to your favorite shampoo or massage into your scalp. As a cleanser the jojoba oil will remove excess sebum that has become dried on your scalp and also prevent bacteria and fungus from forming.
- Scalp stimulation – massaging jojoba into your scalp will not only feel amazing, because who doesn't love a massage, but the increased blood circulation brought on by the massage will go along way to stimulate growth.
DIY Jojoba Oil Hair Treatments
Jojoba oil can be used in a variety of ways when it comes to treating and styling your hair. You don't have to make a huge commitment of time or finances to improve the health of you hair. Try working these quick tips into your hair care routine to reap the benefits of this amazing natural product.
Jojoba Hot Oil
Hot oil treatments are great and can be done as frequently or infrequently as your hair needs it. Try creating a hot oil treatment using on pure jojoba oil on dry hair prior to shampooing.
- Heat jojoba oil (enough to thoroughly coat your hair) in a small container or ziplock bag. *Avoid heating it in the microwave to prevent the oil from overheating and potentially burning you (test the oil on your hand to make sure it is not too hot).
- Apply oil to dry hair from root to tip. Massage oil into scalp.
- Cover your hair with a shower cap.
- Allow the oil to sit for 20 minutes with a warm towel wrapped around your head or sit under a hair dryer. Wash as usual.
If you have oily hair, consider putting jojoba oil on the ends of your hair only. Use it as a means of fighting split ends and preventing over moisturizing. The thick texture of jojoba will coat the strands of hair. This will seal the moisture of the shaft making it less prone to drying which can be the beginning of breakage and split ends.
Detangle with jojoba oil
You can buy detangling products or use that pricy conditioner you just bought to detangle your hair, but why? By using a few natural ingredients – some you may already have, you can create a quick and cost effect means of dealing with tangles.
- Add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of jojoba oil and a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil (lavender, grapefruit seed, peppermint or any oil you choose) to one cup of water.
- Shake well to thoroughly mix the three ingredients.
- Spray the mixture throughout your hair paying special attention to deeper tangles.
- Begin the process of detangling hair with fingers or a wide tooth comb.
Homemade jojoba oil serum
There aren't many things that take a hairstyle to the next level quite like a finishing shine serum. You can make an at home jojoba oil shine serum using a few easy to find ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry or have access to at your local grocery store.
- Jojoba oil – 3 tablespoons
- Coconut oil – 2 tablespoons
- Aloe vera juice – 4 table spoons
- Vitamin E – 5 drops
- Lavender essential oil – 4 drops
- Combine ingredients in a glass jar or bowl. Mix thoroughly. Once ingredients have been mixed together completely, transfer to a bottle with a pump for easy dispensing and long term storage.
Once you've mixed the ingredients your serum is ready to use. However, you should keep a few details in mind.
- You must shake the mixture well prior to each use – the oils will have a tendency to separate and if used unmixed your serum is not as effective.
- Apply only about a dime sized amount of serum to hair. You don't want to ruin your style by piling on oils.
- Don't skip on the vitamin E unless you have chosen to use another natural preservative. If you choose not to use a preservative, you will shorten the shelf life of your serum, make a smaller batch or use your serum quicker. You don't want to ruin your serum by introducing bacteria or fungus to your hair and scalp.
With "all natural" being the new trend in the health and beauty industry, it's easy to become overwhelmed by which natural products to choose. Do your research. There are tons of articles, tips, tricks and DIY recipes available on the internet. No one knows your hair texture and type better than you do, let trial and error guide you. There are no quick fixes and hair care is not a one size fits all strategy. Whether you try out one or all of the suggestions we listed or make a treatment that's best for you, just know that there are a number of natural beauty aids within reach that can take your hair from drab to fab.
Hairfinity hair vitamins are transforming the hair of women all over the world with a unique blend of vitamins, nutrients, and our exclusive Capilsana™ Complex.


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What's Sleep Got to Do with It?
Sleep is a topic that seems to come up at least 10 times a day in my office. Everyone wants to know if they are sleeping on the right pillow, the right mattress, in the right position, or whether or not they are getting the right amount of sleep. In this fast paced, fast food kind of world, sleep is the lifestyle and good health habit that is often most neglected; however, I would argue that it is one of the most essential, if not the most important piece of living a healthy life. The initial feedback I get from someone who has just started getting adjusted usually always includes that they are sleeping so much better. Having spinal misalignments, however, is only part of what can hinder our ability to get a good night of sleep
Life is so high-paced that our sleep is what we sacrifice in order to get everything done in a 24-hour period. We shortcut our sleep and use artificial methods to compensate for the deficit. The use of drugs, "energy" drinks, and coffee to "give ourselves a boost" has become all too common in today's society. A coffee shop on every corner should make that evident. We all start to feel like we are justified in using chemicals to make up for lost sleep and to beat feelings of fatigue, because "everyone is doing it". This mentality only perpetuates the idea that it is okay for us to stay up late, push ourselves beyond our natural limits and then just cover it all up by popping a pill or downing a latte.
Sleep is time for healing. It is our body's natural time to recharge, rejuvenate and replenish. We all need that time to recover from the "daily grind" and to make up for the stress we put on ourselves throughout the day. The average person needs between 6-8 hours of QUALITY sleep per night to function at their optimum level the next day. Missing even one night of good sleep can alter your well-being enough to lower your immune system and make it that much more difficult to fight off the stress of the day. You are also left with the feeling of always trying to "catch up with yourself."
There are three main factors that influence the quality of sleep, environment, diet and stress level. Stress is one of the most difficult things to manage. Setting and achieving goals, however small they may be, will not only eliminate stress, but will also leave you with a sense of accomplishment and pride in yourself. Make a checklist of all of the little things you need to accomplish today and physically check them off when you finish them. You will feel encouraged and enthusiastic about continuing your day. If you knock out some of the stress you are feeling throughout the day, you will be able to lay you head on your pillow at night and enjoy a peaceful, restful sleep.
Sleep is an important part of our health that we often take for granted. Our society rewards those of us who can push ourselves beyond our natural limits and be supremely productive. The truth is that we are more productive if we can slow down, focus on the few things that are in front of us, prioritize and get the necessary amount of rest that our bodies need to function at the optimum level the following day. The old adage "a good night of sleep fixes all" has a great deal of truth behind it.
As always, remember to stay well adjusted by visiting your chiropractor regularly and exercise, exercise, exercise!
Lori A. Pazzabon, DPT, CLT is the Director of Lymphedema Therapy at Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy Associates, Inc. (OSPTA). For more information, call (724)929-5774 or visit osptainc.com.
Western Pennsylvania Guide to Good Health. All rights reserved.


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Replace ASDWA FTP with simple cloud-based file share option
ASDWA can use its cloud-based file management system to provide direct download links for software currently accessible via the ASDWA's FTP site. This would eliminate the need to manage separate credentials for logging into the FTP site and should make for a more fluid user experience.
2 comments
Hey Kate - some things to consider, based on your comment. The only place on the ASDWA website [www.asdwa.org] that a user can access the ASDWA FTP site is via the SDWIS Software page for 3.0. I hard-code links to the FTP there, so some users can download the files via the site.
In my opinion, the best way to connect to the FTP site is to use an FTP client, like Filezilla. Once you configure the client, you're all set - any time you needed to grab files from the FTP site, you would launch the FTP client [local software that runs on your PC] and you would automatically connect. There are other benefits to using FTP Clients as well, but the simplicity in connecting, I think, is the most important.
Another option would be to bookmark ftp://ftp.asdwa.org/.
I think part of the confusion is that the website [www.ASDWA.org] is not the FTP site. The FTP site is really nothing more than a folder sitting on my PC that you log into to grab files.
My idea, with this cloud-based option, is that you would be able to have a sync'd version of that folder on my PC, on your PC [if that makes sense]. It would work like Dropbox, if you're familiar. This way, whenever new software was uploaded, everyone would have it on their PCs and would automatically get notifications that new files are there. You'd never have to "go get it", it would already be delivered to you - and I wouldn't need to send manual notifications...they would be automated by the system. :)
Kate Gilmore commented
My issue is that when I want to go directly to the FTP part of the ASDWA site, I cannot find it and I end up in places like this. If being cloud based would allow more direct access to the site, i.e. having a url or way to go there directly, then it would be an improvement.


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As part of the 2017 Diversity Symposium, former Mayor John Street and current Mayor Jim Kenney talk about issues surrounding diversity in local government and then open up the floor to questions from students. They discuss the best way to organize a governmental body that is diverse and represents all the people of the city, about the importance of surrounding yourself with different perspectives as a politician, and how to diversify the police force and improve community-police relations.
In the above video, ACCORD (Academic Center on Research in Diversity) presents a panel on social activism. Moderated by Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon, an associate professor in the Department of Theater, two activists––Malcolm Kenyatta and Carmen Guerrero––discuss why social activism has been an important part of their lives and why more should consider joining the fight.
Malcolm Kenyatta is a Philadelphia activist, third generation North Philadelphia resident, and Temple alum. He is involved in many local non-profit and political organizations. Additionally, he was a delegate for Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention in 2016. Carmen Guerrero, a Mexican immigrant, runs Mujeres Luchadoras (Women Working, Women Struggling), a Norristown-based organization providing support to immigrant women who are victims of violence. She organizes many events that bring attention to both immigrants and issues facing Mexico.


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This installation guide is based on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS 64-bit.
Dependency List:
• pcscd
• libacr38u
• opensc
Open a terminal and update the system:
$ sudo apt-get update
Install the packages:
$ sudo apt-get install pcscd libacr38u opensc
Confirm that the drivers are working by plugging in the card reader into a USB port.
Insert the "Bürgerkarte" and run the following command in the terminal:
$ opensc-tool -av
You should see the following output:
Using reader with a card: ACS ACR 38U-CCID 00 00
Connecting to card in reader ACS ACR 38U-CCID 00 00...
Using card driver Italian CNS...
If the card is not detected run:
$ sudo /etc/init.d/pcscd restart
If it is still not being detected restart the machine
1. Start Firefox.
2. Go to Edit → Preferences.
3. Click Advanced, then the Encryption tab.
4. Click the Security Devices tab.
5. On the right side of Device Manager Window click the Load button.
6. Enter a Module Name, for eg PCS
7. In the Module filename field, click the Browse button.
8. Navigate to /usr/lib.
9. Select opensc-pkcs11.so
10. Restart Firefox.
11. Navigate to https://account.egov.bz.it/auth/Login.aspx?b=https://myportal.egov.bz.it/&l=2&t=C
12. Plug in the card reader, insert the card and click the Anmelden button.
13. Enter your PIN number.
A new GUI version of OpenSC has been released, a basic tool for PIN mangement and to display info from smart cards:


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Facebook, YouTube, Twitter Blocked in Iraq Amid Crisis
This post was updated at 1:40 p.m. ET
As Iraq faces a growing insurgency in the north that is threatening to pull the country apart, the country's Ministry of Communications has blocked access to a number of social media sites on Friday.
Cyber Arabs, an organization based in Lebanon that monitors Internet freedom and provides cybersecurity training in the Middle-East and North Africa, confirmed to Mashable that Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are all blocked inside Iraq.
"We are disturbed by reports of access issues in Iraq and are investigating," a Facebook spokesperson tells Mashable. "Limiting access to Internet services — essential for communication and commerce for millions of people — is a matter of concern for the global community."
"We're seeing reports that some users are not able to access YouTube in Iraq," a YouTube spokesperson tells Mashable. "There is no technical issue on our side and we're looking into the situation."
A Twitter spokesperson says the company is looking into the reports as well.
This is what some users in Iraq are seeing when logging into Facebook and Twitter, according to screenshots provided by Cyber Arabs to Mashable.
Earlier on Friday, some Twitter users in Iraq, who have found ways to circumvent the restrictions, said that the sites were all inaccessible. When users attempt to visit these sites they apparently see a message from the Iraqi communications ministry.
Some users are getting this message when trying to access @Twitter & @Facebook. Govt fears it is being used by #ISIS pic.twitter.com/vnqdpDIsMl
— Ruwayda Mustafah (@RuwaydaMustafah) June 13, 2014
The BBC's Richard Galpin also reported that the sites appeared to be blocked in Baghdad.
The Kuwait News Agency says a source in the Iraqi Ministry of Communications confirmed the news, suggesting it is part of the government's attempt to stop the militants from using social media to spread propaganda. The source also says a number of pornographic websites were blocked as well.
The Iraqi federal government has decided to block a number of websites and social networking sites across the country, said source in Iraqi Ministry of Communications on Friday. The ministry of communications has been instructed by government to block access to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as well as a number of pornographic websites, a source told KUNA. The source did not reveal the motive for blocking these sites at the moment, although some see it as part of government measure to prevent militants of Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) from using media outlets. ISIL militants have released videos and pictures through websites to promote their actions in central and north of Iraq.
ISIL, the militant group now controlling large swaths of northern Iraq has praised Twitter as recently as Tuesday, with one Twitter account aligned with the group tweeting, "Praise be to Allah, who gave Twitter to the mujahideen so that they may share their joys and not have to listen to the BBC, al-Arabia and Al-Jazeera."
Ahmad Zoughbi, a member of the Cyber Arabs, told Mashable that the risk now is that Iraqi netizens might use unsafe versions of circumvention tools like Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) that are infected with malware and spyware — something that has happened before in Syria, for example.
Users should "stick to the basic digital security rules and trusted tools to stay safe," he said.
Some users also reported that messaging services like WhatsApp and Viber were down, too.
Whatsapp and Viber have blocked in #Iraq #insm_iq #Baghdad
— zahraa ∞▲. (@zahraa901) June 13, 2014
Iraq's Ministry of Communications had posted to Facebook on Friday announcing that Internet service would be taken down on June 15 "for maintenance of optical cable carriers across the Turkish border." It's not clear if the current downtime is related to the planned outages. We've reached out to the ministry for comment.
In the last few days, Internet monitoring firms like Akamai and Renesys had reported significant outages and issues with the Internet in Iraq. On Friday, Akamai reported another "unusual degradation" that occurred at 10 a.m. UTC (6.30 a.m. ET). It's unclear at this point what's the cause of these disruptions.
Second day of #Internet issues in #Iraq? @Akamai traffic levels to country showing unusual degradation at 10am UTC pic.twitter.com/txVqzKp0Ry
— StateOfTheInternet (@akamai_soti) June 13, 2014


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Please watch this video and answer the following questions. Your responses are anonymous. By answering these questions, you are participating in asthma research!
Research helps experts better understand asthma. It also helps them develop better treatments. This video explains what research is and its benefits.
Watch the next video in this series - Finding Accurate Research Information


text:
A live clock implemented by javascript.
Use the following java script code inside your head tag
Then add an on load event to the body tag
Finally add a <div> tag inside your body where you wish the clock to appear
You clock should now be ready to use.
Comments For This Page
hi there my name is haillie shaw
By haillie shaw on 4th January 2017
For some reason, it says that the year is 110.
By Your Name Here on 28th June 2010
Thank you. this is better than all the other clocks ive looked at.
By Danmw1 Ltd. on 11th January 2009
Add your own comment below and let others know what you think:


text:
A Manifesto for Philanthropy
The UK has a rich heritage of private philanthropy. It is scarcely possible to walk down any high street in our country without seeing the indelible mark of philanthropy in our hospitals, schools and universities, in libraries and community centres, theatres and museums, and in our religious and charitable institutions. Philanthropy is a force that has shaped our modern society.
More urgently, we are living in a time of great need, when inequality has led to deep divisions.
With social and environmental needs at crisis levels, we believe those who have benefited from the opportunities to create wealth in our society should accept the responsibility of giving back as a civic duty.
Therefore, as wealth holders, we are seeking to encourage our peers to increase our annual charitable giving collectively by £2 billion.
The Beacon Collaborative believes that:
- Wealth holders are the members of society with the greatest capacity to contribute our additional resources for public benefit.
- Civil society flourishes when it is recognised to be a shared responsibility between government, the voluntary sector and private individuals.
- The social contract must be reshaped; our economy offers the freedom to create great wealth, but with reward must come responsibility.
- Private philanthropic capital represents a precious resource that is not readily available in the public or private sectors.
- Where government must be prudent with public funds, the philanthropist can take risks and freely invest in social innovation or pilot initiatives to address intractable problems.
- Where government must meet the needs of the many, philanthropists can support small or specialist organisations, including those that help the most marginalised, partnering alongside or complementing public spending priorities.
- And, where the private sector must maximise financial value, philanthropy can champion social or environmental causes, funding work that might never be commercialised or taken to scale.
- Philanthropy should be free to challenge the status quo where the outcome is a better society for all.
- Philanthropy is a mechanism by which responsible citizens can deepen their engagement in society and it is additive to their contribution as tax-payers.
The barriers which hold many wealthy people back from giving more are surmountable. By working together, we can raise the confidence of those who may wish to give more, but who need to see their peers, the voluntary sector and policy makers taking the lead.
The Beacon Collaborative is a movement of philanthropists and organisations who are collectively committed to building on our nation's heritage of giving to increase the level of private assets available for public good in the UK today.
To achieve our goal will take many actions by many people. We will do more this year, in the causes we support and by encouraging others in their philanthropy. What will you do?
Philanthropists, donors or social investors who have signed up include:
- Ms Catherine Zennström
- Mr Matthew Bowcock
- Ms Katherine Lorenz
- Sir Harvey McGrath
- Mr Paul Barry-Walsh
- Mr Grant Gordon
- Sir Vernon Ellis
- Sir Thomas Hughes-Hallett
- Mr Alexander Scott
- Mrs Laura Montgomery
- Ms Gay Huey-Evans
- Mr Maurice Ostro OBE
- Mr Nicholas Ferguson
- Mr Michael Norton
- Mr Bill Holroyd
- Sir Richard Stilgoe
- Ms Shalni Arora
- Mr Stephen Cohen
- Mr Alexander S Hoare
- Mr Richard Ross
- Mr Jonathan Ruffer
- Mr Frederick Mulder
- Sir Peter Vardy
- Mr David Sheepshanks CBE
- Mr Peter Samuelson
- Ms Marcelle Speller
- Mr John Stone
- Sir Trevor Pears
- Lord Philip Harris
- Mr Angus Macdonald
- Ms Marjorie Neasham Glasgow
- Ms Ann Berger
- Mr Jonathan Straight
- Ms Lucy Blythe
- Mr Jonathan Norbury
- Ms Catherine Grum
- Mr Paul Knox
- Ms Rebecca Eastmond
- Mr Alberto Lidji
- Mr Alec Reed
- Dame Stephanie Shirley CH
- Ms Fran Perrin
- Mr William Perrin
- Mr John Stares
- Ms Catherine Dovey
- Mr Iraj Ispahani
- Mr James B. Broderick
- Mr Stephen Dawson
- Mr Henry Tinsley
- Sir Ian Wood
- Ms Darshita Gillies
- Mr Paul Donovan
- Mr Alexandre Tissot Demidoff
- Ms Alice Farrer
- Mr Benjamin Janes
- Mr Stewart Brown
- Mr Cliff Prior
- Dr Annalisa Jenkins
- Mr Barnaby Wiener
- Ms Anna Josse
- Plus five anonymous
Others supporters who have signed up include:
- Ms Jo Ensor, Global Director, The Philanthropy Workshop
- Ms Carol Mack, Chief Executive, Association of Charitable Foundations
- Mr Dan Corry, CEO New Philanthropy Capital
- Mr David Stead, Exec. Director, Philanthropy & Development, Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)
- Mr John Pepin, Chief Executive, Philanthropy Impact
- Mr Tris Lumley, Director of Innovation & Development, New Philanthropy Capital
- Mr Fabian French, CEO of UK Community Foundations
- Mr Peter Lewis, Chief Executive, Institute of Fundraising
- Mr Dan Fluskey, Head of Policy, Institute of Fundraising
- Mr Sebastian Dovey, Founder, Prospect Partnership
- Ms Juliet Valdinger
- Ms Marta Drummond
- Ms Gwyn Wansbrough
- Ms Jane Cabutti
- Ms Cressida Grant, Head of Philanthropy, The Princes Trust
- Ms Rachael Henshilwood
- Ms Lyn Tomlinson, Director of Philanthropy & Social Investment, Cazenove Capital
- Ms Claire Cosgrove
- Mr George King, Maesco Private Wealth
- Mr Keith MacDonald, Partner, EY
- Ms Maryanne Matthews, CEO, EY Foundation
- Mr James Maloney, Partner, Farrer & Co
- Ms Jayne Woodley, CEO, Oxfordshire Community Foundation
- Ms Julia Grant, Chief Economist, Pro Bono Economics
- Leah Jeffcott, The Open University
- Theresa Lloyd, The Philanthropy Advisory Service


text:
Little Hands Music
The smallest moment can have the biggest impact on a baby's life
Where and When
What makes our classes special
0 - 15 Months
15 Months - 4 Years
Happy Families
Just wanted to say a big thank you from Lily and I for a fab 18months of music. I know we have both enjoyed our weekly music sessions and I will miss not partaking for the next 6months but am really looking forward to introducing Daniel to your lessons.
It was brilliant watching Lily getting so much pleasure from her time with you and I think the best part was suddenly hearing her sing some of your tunes whilst we were driving away from the sessions – her favourite really was the one about the scarecrow!! Enjoy your summer and look forward to catching up again in September – I will be in touch. Cheers Helen – Grand mother
My son and I thoroughly enjoy music class with Joan. In our very first class we were made to feel very welcome and my son quickly settled and joined in; the atmosphere in the class is warm, friendly and fun, this reflects Joan's personality. The class's rich and diverse range of activities mean all the children are busy, stimulated and enjoying themselves. Indeed the lesson itself always seems to fly by.
Termly topics kept us engaged throughout the year with just the right amount of familiar tunes bringing comfort and providing a weekly routine. Beware, the songs are catchy, I often find myself singing 'What is the weather today?' only to find there are no children nearby!
Joan really knows and understands little ones and her class provided my son with many enjoyable experiences and good life skills. I am only sorry that my return to teaching prevents us from attending any further classes. I can whole-heartedly recommend these classes to any parents of a pre-school child.


text:
Endless Documents: a Publication as a Continual Function
Lumley, John; Gimson, Roger; Rees, Owen
Keyword(s): XML; XSLT; SVG; document construction; functional programming
Abstract: Variable data documents can be considered as functions of their bindings to values. The Document Description Framework (DDF) treats documents in this manner, using XSLT semantics to describe document functionality and a variety of related mechanisms to support layout, reference and so forth. But the result of evaluation of a function could itself be a function: can variable data documents behave likewise? We show that documents can be treated as simple continuations within that framework with minor modifications. We demonstrate this on a perpetual diary. Publication Info: ACM Symposium on Document Engineering 2007, 28-31 Aug.2007 Winnipeg, Canada
3 Pages
Back to Index


text:
Article content
WOODSTOCK, Ont. -- The Oxford Crown attorney's office dropped several charges against a 72-year-old Woodstock man accused of stalking two local men.
Instead, Gary Oxley, who had been scheduled for a three-day trial starting Monday, pleaded guilty to two counts of "beset or watching" in relation to two separate individuals who he admitted to following and harassing over a period of time.
The charges withdrawn by the Crown as part of the plea bargain included sexual assault, intimidation by following, committing an indecent act and criminal harassment.
Justice Donald Ebbs heard Monday that Oxley began to follow the first man in Southside Park, where the victim was involved in several baseball leagues.
In the park's washroom, Oxley offered to touch the man and sexually exposed himself through a door.
He would visit the man's workplace attempting to speak to him, expose himself and touch him inappropriately.
In July 2011, Oxley, driving a red pickup truck followed the man home, exposed himself and then asked him to get in the truck.
A second man, who also worked in a retail outlet, was harassed several times by Oxley, who touched him inappropriately and invaded his "personal space" at his place of work on Dundas Street.
After both men complained to police, Oxley was charged.
Oxley is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday morning.
tap here to see other videos from our team.


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Any baseball fan knows that Babe Ruth is perhaps the most legendary name in the history of that sport.
So, when Roger Maris made a run at Ruth's single-season home run record of 60 back in 1961, the news media coverage was intense not only in New York city but throughout the United States, and even Canada. Maybe it wouldn't seem like much compared with today, but for the time, the media focus was such that Maris experienced significant anxiety over the unwanted attention he was receiving.
Things were similarly intense when Hank Aaron (perhaps worse in Aaron's case, as he received hate mail in the time leading up to his breaking the record) approached and eventually surpassed Ruth's all-time home run record. Everyone knew the number to beat: 714. It was probably the most famous number in sport and still may be, though not only Aaron but also Barry Bonds have shattered Ruth's mark.
When I was a youngster, in the hockey world, there were two numbers that really mattered, both established by the greatest pure goal-scorer on his generation: Rocket Richard.
Richard owned the single-season goal mark of 50, established during the 1940s. By the time he retired during training camp in the fall of 1960, he had accumulated a total of 544 regular-season career goals in his splendid, record-shattering career. (If I'm not mistaken, the big name he passed on the way to 544 was Nels Stewart, who had held the all-time record at 324 goals.)
Detroit Red Wing great Gordie Howe never managed to hit the 50-goal mark, though he did score 49 one season (and had another goal that should have been his awarded to a teammate, though he never complained about the error). Howe was, however, very much on Richard's trail with regards to the all-time regular-season record when the Rocket retired.
At the outset of the 1963-'64 season, Howe was at 540 goals. It was big news where we lived, just across from Detroit. We had access to all the local Red Wing newspaper coverage and of course we listened to all their games on the radio. I so clearly remember following Howe's exploits early that season. Not too far into the season he tied Richard's mark with a goal against Montreal goaltender Gump Worsley at the Olympia in Detroit (the photo with this story shows Howe being checked by Montreal's Gilles Tremblay as he nets the record-tying goal. If you look closely you can also see the Rocket's brother, Henri Richard, standing at the bench gate. Further along the bench I think it's captain Jean Beliveau also on his feet following the action). He needed just one more to break the record.
However, when arch-rival Montreal returned to play the Wings again, Howe excited the home crowd and set off a major celebration after he shot from the wing to beat Charlie Hodge (Hodge and Worsley shared goaltending duties that season for the Habs) and set the new NHL record of 545 career regular-season goals.
Howe didn't stop there. He scored #600 against Worsley at the Forum in Montreal a couple of seasons later, then number 700 against the Penguins in Pittsburgh. (I believe it was during the 1968-'69 season, against Les Binkley. I remember watching the game on the Detroit UHF station, which showed Red Wing away games at the time in our area, but I could be wrong about who the goalie was.)
Of course, Wayne Gretzky shattered all the records in his remarkable career, surpassing Bobby Hull, Phil Esposito and Howe on the way to 894 regular-season NHL goals.
Interestingly, if you combine their NHL and WHA regular-season goal scoring totals, Hull finished with 913 goals (610 in the NHL), Gretzky with 940 and Howe with 974 (801 in the NHL).
While Howe's total is not officially recognized by the NHL, I still think of him as the all-time record-holder- and I'll always recall listening to the game on the radio the night he broke the Rocket's record in the fall of 1963.


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Handle-iT is a Dutch 'no-nonsense' organization that develops software tools for the IT professional. Through our years of experience in IT in both small and large organizations our mission is to develop software that really helps the quality and stability of the IT environment with less human effort.
A lot of the software on this site is free to download! Registration/Login is easy, just login with your google or facebook account.
Our proactive monitoring software HitWB Monitor powered by Waakhond allows you to continuously monitor your server environment, so that corrective action can be taken even before production disturbance.
You have in no-time complete visibility and control over your precious server environment!
We also offer software for creating documentation automatically like SnapInstall (automate documentation creation) and AutoDocument for creating detailed system documentation automatically in PDF format.
Besides the software support for our customers through HitWB Monitor, and other products Handle-iT offers totally free downloadable tools, like RemoteExec, DeleteUserProfile, ExpiredComputerAccountsCleanup and many more.
We try to make life easier for the IT department and your customerssatisfaction high.


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I don't care how young you are, I don't think there is anyone out there that has not seen at least one of the films of Laurel and Hardy or Our Gang (later changed to "The Little Rascals" for TV). Made mostly in the 1930s, the popularity of these films managed to survive well into the 1950s when television picked up the torch and introduced these characters to a whole new generation of "Boomers." As a group, the Boomers tend to be fairly nostalgic and, as a result, we insisted upon introducing these wonderful examples of seminal film comedy to the generations that have followed us.
So, Stan, Ollie, Spanky, Alfalfa and Stymie live on through DVDs.
All of their film shorts were produced by The Hal Roach Studios. Naturally, these early "fillers" for feature films were made on a tight budget. Roach, appropriately,invested the bulk of his money in the script and film production leaving very little for the music soundtrack.
Roach hired a prolific composer, Leroy Shield, to score his films and then promptly neglected to give him on screen credit. Roach used Shield's music in just about every film he produced, including both the Laurel and Hardy and Little Rascal shorts.
Over the years and through many viewings, this music neatly settled into our subconscious and will always be associated with Roach's comedy creations.
Even if your connection with these classics has only been on a very casual basis, almost everyone will recognize "Good Old Days," the Our Gang Theme.
Schield's numerous themes were used in 80 Our Gang Comedies filmed in the 1930s and over 100 Laurel and Hardy shorts and feature films. Sadly, the pristine recordings and the sheet music were lost to time.
Thankfully, in the mid-1980s, Piet Schreuders, a Dutch graphic designer and radio programmer, in a labor of love, mangaged to restore these works to their original form. Using VHS tapes of the films, he painstakingly spliced together the musical segments that were not covered up by dialog and/or sound effects. Schreuders worked closely with transcribers and arrangers Peter Stöve, Jan Robijns, Robert Veen, and Menno Daams to perfect written charts to accurately reflect the music heard in the films.
He formed the musical group, The Beau Hunks (named after the 1931 Laurel and Hardy classic), and performed the music all over the world.
The editing together of the musical snippets from each film was not an easy job. To give you an idea exactly how complex an effort it was to accomplish these restorations, take a look at an example of how it was done for the composition, "Look At Him Now", arguably, the second most recognized Shields song after "Good Old Days."…
The results of these efforts can be appreciated on any of the several CDs The Beau Hunks recorded.
Thank you, Mr.Schreuders, for your invaluable contribution to motion picture history.
For information on Jessica Atwater, the original Movielady and my mentor, and to read some of her classic film reviews :


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Airport Transfer
AJ Taxis Hampshire offer transfers to all UK airports, including London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City Airport, Southampton, Bournemouth and East Midlands Airport. You're guaranteed a reliable and efficient door to door service to and from your chosen destination and if you provide us with your booking number we will gladly check on arrival and departure times for you, to ensure we allow for any time changes when collecting, or dropping off, you or your guests.
We will also gladly organise professional looking signs for use when collecting from the airport, so you can recognise us on your arrival, taking some of the stress out of arriving back to the good old UK weather! Our vehicles are spacious and clean and are ready to transport you and your luggage in the upmost of comfort and safety at all times.
To make a booking, or request a quotation, please complete the booking form on the right hand side of this page.
We look forward to being of service to you very soon.


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On top of freshly designed apparel, we carry bath, beauty, and massage products along with premium CBD edibles, CBD-infused oils, and CBD tinctures. We also bring fresh, exciting and educational events to The Bishop Arts District!
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Is Beauty School Right for Me? Advice from All Beauty College
If you're the type of individual who is passionate about clothing, makeup, hair, and style in general, chances are you would be an excellent candidate for going to beauty school.
For the convenience of the many interested students who want to enroll at All Beauty College, we maintain facilities in Fort Mohave, Kingman and Lake Havasu, Arizona. Before pursing an academic program to prepare you for a career in beauty, you should first make sure whether beauty school is right for you.
What Makes Beauty School the Right Choice for a Person Like Me?
It's useful to begin by assessing your interests, skills and goals for your career. At All Beauty College, we are proud to offer coursework to help you become certified in cosmetology or to be an aesthetician, hairdresser or nail technician.
As you consider beauty school, here are the top reasons why it would be a suitable choice for you:
• Genuine interest in helping other people: Working in a cosmetology setting involves seeing people when they may be feeling lost or have low self confidence because of their appearance. Your job is to ease their concerns and help them become a better version of themselves.
• Happy to socialize with a wide range of clients: You have to be somewhat of a "people person" to do well in your career in beauty. You may be engaging in idle chitchat with one person while washing her hair first thing in the morning, for example. Later in the day, you'll be providing a sympathetic ear as you listen to a busy professional worrying about balancing her family and job while you take care of her nails.
• Excellent attention to detail: In order to do well in beauty school, you must have a keen eye and note even the smallest details. This ensures that you'll apply makeup evenly, for example, when a client is counting on your steady hand. Or, that you would determine the perfect shade of fingernail polish to complement a frazzled CEO's business suit for a meeting later in the day without her even needing to ask your opinion.
• Able to speak your mind: A career in beauty is not for the shy. You must feel confident about expressing yourself when explaining why a person's hairstyle or fashion choice isn't working. Honestly but tactfully presenting your case for making a change in appearance will help you succeed in helping your clients.
Contact All Beauty College, Your First Choice for Arizona Beauty Schools!
Attending beauty school and developing your skills as an aesthetician, cosmetology professional, hairdresser, or nail technician will open up the doors to the career of your dreams.
To make it easier for Arizona students to take our courses, we have schools in Fort Mohave, Kingman, and Lake Havasu and invite you to check out the one that's closest to you. To learn more about the benefits of going to All Beauty College, please call us today at (928) 692-8802 .


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Minister launches calendar of events for Discovery Park
ON a bright spring morning, Environment Minister Phil Hogan launched Castlecomer Discovery Park's calendar of events for spring, summer, autumn and winter 2011 which is bursting with activities.
Whether visitors want to get discover their creative side by trying their hand at blacksmithing, stonecarving, landscape painting or jewellery making, or if they prefer to learn about wine, living willow garden structures or herbal plants, there is something for everyone with experienced tutors including Gypsy Ray, Aileen Anne Brannigan, Susan Boland and Tia Vellani.
For the younger people the Young Irish Film Makers are running a film-making and production course over Easter and the Irish Canoe Union is providing canoeing courses throughout the year with local tutor Ross Harding.
The Discovery Park also offers family activities throughout the year with a "Cast Away" father-and-son fly fishing tutorial any Saturday in April and May as well as a visit to the park by the Gowran Reptile Zoo where visitors can learn about the earliest amphibians on Earth at the 'Footprints in Coal' exhibition and then see living reptiles including boa constrictors and Caiman crocodiles.
The calendar of events is included in this week's Kilkenny People.


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We got our hands on another Texas Hold'em game, but this one from Concrete Software. At first glance the game is not very polished, simple graphics, awkward UI, but when it comes to the actual game play, Aces Texas Hold'em shines with its great AI.
The game is not the prettiest game out there, they can make the game menu and in game graphics better. The user interface is where the game needs the most major work. I am not a fan of having to click the wheel to pop up the menu and then select what I want to do. To make a raise it takes a minimum of 5 clicks on the scroll wheel, there needs to be an easier solution. Also for the life of me I do not understand why the "enter" button is not mapped to make a selection. With the bad UI it does take awhile to complete a game, this could be a plus or a nuisance for some.
But when you can pass the bad UI, this game is great. The AI is better than Magmic's Hold'em game, in Concrete's version you can actually bluff the computer where as in Magmic's you will always get called when you go "All In". The game plays more like real life where players tend to fold rather than take a chance on the flop. Maybe the computer is too eager to fold, I played one hand where the computer in the "big blind" position folded before the flop. That was pretty funny, and I have to admit that I did only see that happened once. AI's are actually based on 5 levels from Dead Money to Grand Master, you can customize your opponents levels which is a useful feature. It's actually fairly accurate, if you have a table of mixed AI levels it's usually the Grand Masters who last longer.
Another area where the game shines is the customization of the game. You can set the blinds to whatever you want, you can determine the time it takes to increase the blinds, your starting pot, opponent's starting pot, your name, opponeant's name and skill level, tons more. What you can't do is play any World Series type of tournament play, which Magmic offers but Concrete lacks. There's also no networking play, where you can compete against others score. It's very unfortunate because the game would be that much better if it had those features.
Even though Ace's Texas Hold'em has a horrible user-interface, lacks any tournament play, and has no networking capabilities it still is a great buy. The game excels where it should, in game play. The AI is great, plays more human than Magmic's hold'em version. It still has its kinks but we will totally recommend the game. You can get it from NeonToad.com for $9.99
* AI is superb.
* High customization of the game.
* Great technical support.
* Horrible user interface.
* No networking play.
* No World Series tournament type of play.


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Software Development
Biology and other science have always been part of my software career in one way or another, whether creating biomedical applications, educational software, or doing computer simulations as part of my biological research. Below are some of the projects I've worked on, followed by some research papers and poster presentations. For more details, see my resume. (Download [industry style Resume] [academic style CV].)
Jump to:
Demos: JavaScript,
Evo-devo project
Most recently, I spent two years at the Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research (KLI), near Vienna, Austria, where I began a research project aimed ultimately (see my 2002 poster abstract) at achieving in silico evolution of simulated multicellular organisms, complete with embryonic development (hence, Evo-Devo). In the short term, it has been all about cell biomechanics and locomotion. Written in C on a Mac. See my 2005 paper.
The simulation is based on mechanical properties of cells – adhesion, viscoelasticity, and tension in the cell cortex (outer layer). Here, the green cells are stickier than the blue cells, and therefore sort to the interior of the cell aggregate, in agreement with the differential adhesion hypothesis. View a poster, complete with QuickTime movies of running simulations , that I presented at the 2005 conference, Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology.
I gave an informal and nearly-impromptu talk on this
research, at the
Grey Thumb Silicon Valley meeting, June 24, 2008, at the
Internet Archive, San Francisco.
Notochord simulation project
I got my start in biological simulations with this project at U.C. Berkeley. We were trying to understand the morphogenesis of the notochord (i.e., the changes in tissue shape that take place as this early embryonic organ develops). By simulating the behavior of the individual cells according to alternative sets of behavioral rules, taking into account the mechanical properties of cells and tissues, we could test which sets of rules would produce shape changes (in individual cells as well as in the whole tissue) similar to those observed in real embryos.
The diagrams above show the changes unfolding over time in a simulated patch of cells. As in a real notochord, the elongation of individual cells as they squeeze between one another (horizontal in the diagrams) causes the elongation of the tissue in the orthogonal direction (vertical in the diagrams). See my co-authored 1990 and 1991 papers.
Applied biomedical and educational software
In the early days I developed some biomedical applications, as well as educational software – some science and math oriented, some not. Apple II+, Atari 800, and the DEC 20; Pascal, Fortran, BASIC, 6502 Assembler! Those were the days! The simple educational game below won Learning Magazine's 1983 Outstanding Software of the Year Award (image found on the web from an old ad by Scholastic, the publisher).
Selected publications and presentations
Minsuk, S. B. (2005). Toward an open-ended and mechanically realistic model of biological cells. In: Workshop on Artificial Chemistry and Its Applications. The 8th European Conference on Artificial Life (ECAL) Workshop Procedings. Mathieu Capcarrere (ed.). [download pdf]
Minsuk, S. B. (2004). First steps toward a generalized model cell for evo-devo computer simulations. Abstract: Integrative and Comparative Biology 44:729. (A poster presented at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, Jan. 2005.)
Minsuk, S. (2002). A proposal for an artificial life simulation of evolving multicellular ontogeny. (A poster presented at Artificial Life VIII [8th International Conference on the Simulation and Synthesis of Living Systems], Dec. 2002.)
Weliky, M., S. Minsuk, R. Keller and G. Oster (1991). Notochord morphogenesis in Xenopus laevis: simulation of cell behavior underlying tissue convergence and extension. Development 113:1231-1244.
Oster, G., M. Weliky, and S. Minsuk (1990). Morphogenesis by cell intercalation. In: 1989 Lectures in Complex Systems. Santa Fe Institute Studies in the Sciences of Complexity Series, Lect. Vol. II. 501-512. Erica Jen (ed). Reading, MA:Addison-Wesley.


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Those are some good burgers, dude. J. Kenji Lopez-Alt reverse engineered In-N-Out's legendary "Spread" and made himself a Double-Double.
I've been a rabid, if underexposed fan of the cult-ish fast food burger joint since I tried my first Double-Double (that's two patties, two slices of cheese) a couple years back. As burgers go, it's an oddity in my book, in that it's not about the beef.
Sure, the fresh-never-frozen patties are tasty enough, but the sandwich is more than that. It's the interplay between the ooey-gooey American cheese, the sweet, darkly-toasted bun, the juicier-than-average tomatoes, the crisp iceberg, the full, un-separated-into-rings slice of onion, and the all-important sweet, tangy, pickle-laden Spread. It's a bomb that's rigged to hit every pleasure center on my brain's taste analyzation terminal (by which I mean my tongue). Salty, sweet, savory, soft, crisp, and fresh.
The Burger Lab: The Ins-n-Outs of an In-N-Out Double-Double, Animal-Style via Kottke


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Stick to your plan
Once you've established your retirement goals and a savings strategy that fits your needs, you'll have the best results if you stick to your plan. Don't get sidelined by distractions. Make adjustments to your strategy only after careful consideration.
It's always a good idea to periodically ask yourself whether your retirement portfolio properly reflects your willingness and ability to take risk. But if you are certain about the amount of risk you can tolerate, don't allow short-term market movements to steer you off course.
Suppose, for example, that you have many years before retirement and you have determined that investing in the TSP's stock funds is appropriate for your time horizon because of the potential for higher long-term returns. If you move your money out of your TSP stock funds when the market starts to dip, you may miss out when it bounces back.
An investment strategy of chasing returns or trying to "time the market" means you have to be consistently correct two times: exactly when to get out of a particular asset class and exactly when to get back in. Most investment experts agree that such success is highly unlikely over long periods.
Remember, your investment performance is determined, in large part, by your asset allocation, not by guessing which market sector is going to be in favor at a particular time.


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Learn how to outsmart investment fraud and protect your hard-earned nest egg at two FREE events in Lincoln on Sept. 5.
AARP Nebraska and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are hosting the sessions led by experts from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the AARP Foundation.
Investment fraud affects thousands of Americans and accounts for billions in lost savings every year. Older investors are particularly vulnerable to scams, yet the majority do not perceive themselves as being at risk.
The profile of a typical victim is someone who is financially knowledgeable, has above average income, and is college-educated and self-reliant when it comes to making decisions.
Attend this interactive and dynamic workshop to increase your investor savvy. Learn to recognize the persuasion tactics and the steps you – and every investor – can take to reduce the risk of being defrauded. Watch a preview here.
Choose from two sessions on Thursday, Sept. 5.
What: Outsmarting Investment Fraud
When: Thursday, Sept. 5 – 9 am to 11 am (morning session) or 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm (evening session)
Where: Nebraska Educational Telecommunications, Meetings & Events Room, 1800 N. 33 rd St. – Lincoln
RSVP: The event is free but registration is required. Register online or call (402) 472-6265 to reserve your space. For voice mail, leave a message with your name, address, phone number and session you are registering for.
A light meal will be provided at no charge for both sessions. Free visitor parking is available in the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications building parking lot.
The curriculum for Outsmarting Investment Fraud was developed by the FINRA Investor Education Foundation.
Outsmart Investment Fraud at Sept. 5 Sessions in Lincoln
By Devorah Lanner , August 09, 2013 03:40 PM
Learn how to outsmart investment fraud and protect your hard-earned nest egg at two FREE events in Lincoln on Sept. 5.


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Is there anyone that owned the first PlayStation, and that he did not have at least one game in which the main star was Crash Bandicoot? Even if we assume that there is one person out there who didn't, it is still a good thing to remind you, and them, of the golden age of Crash games that have brought tons of fun to all ages of players.
To begin this remembrance we will start from the basics and try to solve the eternal mystery - who is Crash Bandicoot and how was this character developed ?
The answer is found in Sony's need to make a mascot or a character from a video game that would represent their PlayStation on the world market, but also be a competition to Nintendo's Super Mario. The people who created the concept of Crash Bandicoot were the founders of Naughty Dog - Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin (now president of THQ's). They gave main protagonist in one of the earlier stages of development the name Willie the Wombat . Universal Studios Interactive, who funded the project, considered that such a name doesn't have enough sound, so after a lot of heated feud a character whose name we say happily today was born - Crash Bandicoot. Name Willy Wombat, intentionally or not, was used by another company who made another platformer which came out in 1997 for Sega Saturn and it sold exclusively in Japan.
Contrary to popular belief Crash is not a squirrel, not a fox or even a dog. It is exactly what its name says - Bandicoot, small marsupial species that can be found exclusively on the smallest continent in the world. But Crash was not an ordinary Bandicoot, he is a product of genetic engineering led by evil Dr. Neo Cortex who has unintentionally created the greatest enemy, allowing us to play one of the best platformer series ever .
The process from the initial idea to the release of the first game in the series was a bit strange, but it all started in a car on the way between Boston and Los Angeles, where the Willie or Crash, first conceived. That happened in September 1994, and development began only in January 1995. Initial development lasted only three or five months to a playable version, and it was presented to Sony in September of the same year. Only then Jason Rubin realized how unfinished and empty the game looked and he decided to insert the popular wooden boxes that Willie was smashing. Willie became Crash, and Sony was ready to present the game to the public. May 1996 and E3 in Los Angeles brought a positive reaction to what the Sony showed of the game, and the rest is history and material for our upcoming Retro dose in which we will look at the Naughty Dog's original Crash Bandicoot trilogy.


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Posts by Mike Arbuckle
Sale Site LinkRead More
Swine Webinar Workshop (Great information you should tune in)
Swine Workshop: Wednesday March 18th 6:30pm: Moved to Webinar format We will be utilizing Zoom for this meeting. Our guest speaker and superintendents will be presenting information and participants will be able to ask questions in a chat box on the site. There are 3 ways to connect: On a computer, on your phone, or…Read More
Pigs With Paul
In these episodes, Mike provides tips and tricks to help you with your project.Read More
Weighing Pigs
As fair season begins to creep closer here are a couple suggestions we have. First make sure your weighing your pigs. We weigh each Saturday and calculate our averages and our projected target weight based on how many days we have left until our show. As we get closer we weigh everyday. Example: Pig weight…Read More
Changing Weather and What to look for
This drastic change in the weather can be problematic for animals. Here are some signs to look for if your pigs are not feeling well. Deep coughing, runny noses, body is hunched, thumping chest or caved in side, tail down, laying off by themselves. Best advice I can give people when you see this is…Read More
2019 Sale Dates
Here we go 2019
Happy New Year!!! The farrowing house is filling up with sows and gilts and we anxiously anticipating the new arrivals. Yesterday we loaded probably the best Yorkshire female into a crate that we have ever raised. This was my nephew Nolan's gilt that he was going to show at the MLE last year. She injured…Read More
Mike's Show Clinic
We will be hosting a show clinic for all our customers on Saturday, May 12th from 12:00pm-2:00pm at our sale barn. The clinic will cover the following topics. Please RSVP to Jody by May 5th at firstname.lastname@example.com or Mike at email@example.com Cost: Animal Health – Dr. Anthony Klingler and Dr. Duane Trupiano from Concord Veterinary…Read More
Gotta love our Michigan weather
Winter is surely holding on which can be hard on our young animals. Here are some tips as we continue this cold weather.Pigs will need a warm place to sleep that is draft free, has heat lamp, and deep warm bedding. This is essential for the health of your pigs. Pigs that are cold will…Read More
Spring sales are quickly approaching. Sale dates are March 24th and April 7th this year. Barn will open at 10:00am and the first bid board will close at 12:30pm. If you want to schedule a time to come view the pigs before the sale give Mike a call or text at 517-581-2445 or Adam at…Read More


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60% Complete
The Man Who Kept Enemies Closer
Started by: Miroslav Petkovic
24 followers | 5 Contributors
Conspiracy Thriller
Type: Feature Film
Time Period: 1913- 1954
Logline: In Vienna in 1913, a young cunning criminal sold drugs and weapons for living and accidentally some of his clients and people he knew were Hitler, Stalin, Freud, Trotsky and Tito. Thirty years later this dealer attracts attention of most elite agents of German and Russian intelligent services.
Theme: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer
Setting: Europe


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You may or may not have heard of local SEO so today I hope to enlighten you. Local SEO is the process of optimising your website based on location to ensure your website ranks higher within local search and when optimised correctly, the results can be great for your business!
There are more smartphones in the world than people (would you believe it!?) and with users continually connected to the net, local SEO has grown to become very important for business success. Econsultancy have recently reported it's only set to advance further over the next few years with better user connectability whilst on-the-go so let's find out more about it and how you could grow your business.
When someone mentions the Internet, I automatically think of Google - it has taken over! Continually improving every day, Google is looking to gain a greater understanding of what a user is looking for and is adapting the results it displays to make local search a leading result. So, the next time you visit Google looking for the best restaurant, you may well see local results alongside ads and organic listings.
Benefits of optimising for local search
- According to our friends at Search Engine Land, 88% of mobile users and 84% of tablet users conduct local searches whilst on average, 56% of searches have local intent.
- Interestingly, 78% of mobile searches lead to offline purchases. Also known as last mile behaviour, this sounds as good a reason as any to get involved with local SEO!
- 1 in 3 mobile searches occur just before a user visits a store. If you want to reach out to a potential customer at an optimal time, this is it!
Local search has great potential for promoting your business - we predict this to be the one to watch in 2015!
Which businesses should optimise for local search
Wondering if local search is right for your business? If your business has a physical location(s), and if your potential customers and clients are located locally, then you should be jumping on the local search wagon!
Local search optimisation checklist
- After hearing the benefits and who should use local search, you will probably be wondering how to optimise your website to ensure you feature! Here's what you have to do:
- Creating a Google My Business account (formerly Google Places) is the first step in climbing high on local search. But it doesn't end there! You must make sure all your information is correct - most importantly, the contact number and the address of your physical location.
- To make sure your profile is fully effective, it should be completed in full which includes linking your Google My Business account with your website where you may require some implementation help from your handy tech team!
- With the intelligence that is Google, it can gain a clear understanding of the products and services offered and is in a better position to display your business in search results for relevant areas.
- When your Google My Business account is raring to go, you must link it to your Google+ Local page which can include reviews from your customers, images, videos and comments. Google+ Local results dominate SERPs so it's an excellent place for your business information to appear!
- To feature here, there are a few steps you have to take - utilise keywords in the business information and title; associate your business with the most relevant category; add all relevant information in a consistent format; encourage customers to leave reviews and ensure separate listings are created for each of the physical locations. In doing so, the nearest physical location will be presented when a user searches locally providing greater opportunities to increase rankings.
- Finally, when it comes down to site level, basic on-page SEO can benefit local search too. This includes adding the location to the title tag, referencing the location in the page content, including the name of the city in the alt text of images and possibly in the URL for Google to pick up and consider relevant to the local search query according to Search Engine Land.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Local SEO is similar to any other in the sense that mistakes are made. We understand, and so, here are our top mistakes to avoid to guide you on your way to local search success:
- You must implement Google My Business and ensure this is linked to Google+ Local - this is key to success.
- Don't list a virtual address as these can be shared by a number of businesses - how will your customer know who they are purchasing from!? Also, note, that is you don't have a physical location, local search is not relevant to your business.
- After all the discussion about Google, it's clear you have to keep these guys happy! Site speed is one of the main components for a great user experience so be mindful not to neglect this as you will be ranked down.
- Be social, add your social icons and links to your website - our friends at Google HQ like this too!
With everything in mind, optimising for local search is of key importance and should be implemented as part of your marketing plans alongside on-page and off-page SEO and your online ads.