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This year was a very special New Year's Eve because we started the year with fireworks at the Harbour Bridge and Opera House in Sydney!
You might have seen the famous fireworks on TV several times already because they show them every year. Not just because Sydney is the first big City celebrating into the new year every year, but also because the scenery of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House makes an amazing location.
I was not just lucky enough to have my family over for three weeks in Australia and not having to be without them for Christmas, but we also got to end our road trip from Cairns south to Sydney on New Year's Eve to see the fireworks at the harbour.
Our New Year's Eve Day
We already arrived in Sydney on the 30th and stayed the last night in our camper at Burwood Park where it wasn't prohibited to stay overnight.
The next morning we checked into our rooms in Burwood at Boronia Lodge, left our camper and went straight into the city centre. Luckily Burwood is only 20 minutes away from the city centre.
We had lunch in the city and walked to The Rocks where we had tickets for a cordoned area with a great view over the Harbour Bridge and the Opera that where FREE! You only need to be quick.
All the areas with the best views are cordoned for New Year's. For some, you have to pay lot's of money (the cheapest were around 400$ including food), for the Campbells Cove you just need to be quick to get the tickets (we already got them in September).
After we checked how the land lies because we didn't know how many people are going to be there / if the view would only be good from specific places that you need to save early etc. we went to get an afternoon snack and some sandwiches for dinner to take away as there weren't that many food options on the venue area.
From around 4pm we started waiting… because we didn't have that much information about how the afternoon/evening in Sydney will take place, we had to be there early and wait a lot – but you will be lucky enough to have some more knowledge after reading my blog post and you can improve from our mistakes/experiences!
Unfortunately, it started raining very hard at around 7pm and we couldn't stay seated. Luckily there was a bridge on our venue location where everyone looked for shelter from the rain and storm. We also were very lucky that it was still warm because we were not prepared at all and only improvised a rain cape from a garbage bag that kept us dry and warm.
At 9pm there was the first fireworks for the kids which was already amazing and some families also left afterwards.
We had a few more rain showers and at around 22pm it started to get fuller because they close the gates for the area at 22.30pm. But there was still enough space to sit down and walk around comfortably.
From our place, we could see that that the streets leading to the Harbour through the Rocks where packed. Like really packed. So we were very thankful for our safe space and also the bridge saved us a lot.
All the hours of waiting were very exhausting because there wasn't a lot of distraction and if we would have known how things work before, we for sure wouldn't have arrived that early.
Then it was FINALLY 12pm and the amazing firework started. The firework locations are spread over the whole water area in Sydney and there are no private fireworks allowed (obviously), but the Harbour and Opera view, of course, is the prettiest. It's just a great show and location!
After the fireworks, EVERYONE is trying to get to the tram stations as quick as possible and you can't believe how many people are there. All the streets are packed with people walking in the same direction. It is insane and you can only be thankful that glass bottles and alcohol is prohibited – otherwise, it wouldn't work out as relaxed!
You can't really do something to get home quick. It's just not possible. Everything is crowded and even though there are lots of trams departing they can't bundle off these millions of humans fast.
Things you need to know before
- get lots of information and tickets for the events/locations at sydneynewyearseve
- in the whole city centre area, glass bottles and alcohol are prohibited and the police (that is very present the whole evening) is allowed to check your bags
- the streets of the CBD, as well as the Harbour Bridge, are blocked for vehicles from the afternoon on until late at night
- around 2 million people watch the fireworks at the harbour in Syndey (even more than in New York!) and they all want to leave after the show – don't even think about getting a taxi/uber or the tram at Circular Quay right away (as long as you don't stand next to the station while watching the fireworks. When you are close to the Harbour, everyone else behind you will get there before)
- restaurants and bars might close earlier to prepare for their evening dinners (prebooked way in advance and pretty expensive)
Celebrating at Campbells Cove
- more info!
- they start selling the tickets about in September and you need to be really quick. You can sign up for their e-mail newsletter and be the first to tell when they start selling
- arrive by tram and walk to the Campbells Cove from Circular Quay – driving by car is just way too stressful when everyone wants to go home and also lots of streets are closed
- when the weather is supposed to be bad/rainy, lot's of people that got tickets look for different options or only arrive at around 22pm, but when the weather is good the venue is reaching its capacity at around 5pm, they close the entry at 22.30pm
- they say they have food and drinks for sale, but there were only 2 stalls and you are allowed to bring your own food and unalcoholic drinks
- take reusable non-glass bottles to refill so you don't have to buy their expensive water
- take blankets, card games, snacks, jackets to survive all the waiting
- don't arrive too late (besides that you won't get a good place) but it also will be hard to get through the crowds to the entry of the venue
It was an amazing experience and I would never want to miss it, but I have to say that it was also very exhausting and I would not want to do it the same way every year. I am more a person for a chilled dinner with friends and watching the fireworks from distance.


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A woman I'll call "Molly" came to see me after spending a weekend at spa resort with her friend who I'll call "Jody." Their husbands were off playing in a golf tournament.
Molly was upset because her friend revealed that her husband had asked for a vacation from their marriage. Jody's husband is going to go on an archeological dig in Peru and says he does not want to "feel married."
Why are you upset, I asked Molly. Is it really about your friend or does any of this have something to do with you?
Molly became quiet.
Molly, are you worried about your own marriage?
"Yes," she said, finally. "I'm am worried for Jody too. Her husband's still home and they are seeing a marriage counselor. Maybe they will be all right.
And you? What's going on between you and your husband?
"Is it normal for a 38 year old man not to want sex?" she asks plaintively.
Molly's husband, it seems, always has a "headache."
I learned that for the last three years, since their last child was born , their sex life had diminished to "maybe… once a quarter".
"I should be the archeologist and do a little digging on my own, she said. Things just aren't right.
"There's this detective guy that my girlfriend knows. Do you think I should hire him to follow my husband to see if…."
Slow down, Molly. You've got to slow down. Why don't we begin by supposing he's innocent and see if we can get to the bottom of this in a kinder, gentler way. It may also be much more productive.
Molly was willing.
Molly's story continues:
She invited her husband Brian to join her in the therapy process. Rather than the anger she expected, when she told him she had come to see the love doctor, Brian was relieved.
He loves Molly and needed help to get her to understand what was going on with him.
For starters, it turns out he's angry because she never lost the weight she gained with her last pregnancy. "It's like she doesn't care," he said.
He doesn't have a girlfriend and he's not addicted to pornography.
Molly, feeling abandoned and unloved had stopped doing all the little things for her husband that he had always appreciated.
And because he had rejected her sexually, she began to wear unattractive sweats to bed, which made matters worse.
Their social life had come to a grinding halt because she stopped making dates with their friends, a common symptom of a troubled marriage.
This year their vacations were taken separately; she at a spa and he was off to golf with his friend who was about to abandon his family.
Brian had felt abandoned and unloved.
Molly and Brian, on vacation in Hawaii, sent me flowers today!
Stay in touch with me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Email Dr. Linda

subset: commoncrawl


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A Philadelphia Eagles Stadium Builders License (Eagles SBL) provides the SBL owner the right to purchase Philadelphia Eagles season tickets every year for a specific seat at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.
Right to purchase Philadelphia Eagles season tickets in the same location every year for face value.
Right to purchase Eagles playoff tickets for your seat or seats for face value.
Opportunity to purchase extra single-game Philadelphia Eagles tickets before they go on sale to the general public.
Ability to pass down or sell the Philadelphia Eagles season ticket rights in the future.
Discounts at the Philadelphia Eagles team store.
Entrance into a SBL owner lottery for Super Bowl tickets when the Eagles defy the odds and make their dream postseason run.
Register your account at PSL Source.
Browse our list of available Philadelphia Eagles SBLs to find your perfect seats.
Negotiate a sales price with the SBL seller through our anonymous bidding process.
Submit payment to PSL Source for the agreed upon sales price.
Follow the instructions provided by PSL Source to complete the required SBL transfer documentation.
Enjoy your new seats!


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Times are changing for MSPs. The gradual move away from on-premise servers to cloud solutions means that IT businesses have had to quickly adapt; redesigning services, partnering with cloud providers and protecting revenue streams.
In the midst of all of this, goalposts have also moved in terms of maintaining customer relationships. When everything was in one place, and under the full control of the MSP, it was easy to establish accountability and provide consistent service. As companies move more elements of their infrastructure out to the cloud, things begin to get complicated.
Support providers no longer have the autonomy they once had. If a client migrates from Small Business Server to Office 365, they soon discover that several of the actions an MSP could previously perform directly now require a call to be logged with Microsoft. This doesn't always go down well, regardless of how much prior warning has been given!
In addition to this, the more an infrastructure moves to the cloud, the less reason there is for MSPs and clients to have any face to face contact. While MSPs have been embracing remote support for years, historically there usually ends up being reasons for server updates, site visits and face-to-face meetings, and it's fair to say that these can help maintain strong client relationships.
So what should MSPs do to respond to these new challenges? Here are a few ideas:
Clients moving to the cloud need to realise all the implications, and it's down to the MSP to ensure they are suitably informed. MSPs should explain that server tweaks and customizations are subject to rules that are more stringent in a hosted environment, and make sure customers know that some technical issues may end up out of the MSPs hands.
MSPs should build service offerings around reliable cloud products and providers that offer consistent, high quality service. Selling on services with the highest margin could be a false economy if the support is bad when things go wrong. MSPs need to work with partners who answer the phone and fix problems promptly, otherwise they will suffer frustration and have to see their own client relationships deteriorate.
MSPs should aim to remain the central point of contact for everything IT-related, rather than seeking to pass the buck if a problem is due to a third-party service provider. Clients don't want to spend time queuing to speak to first-line support technicians – they want to work with MSPs who get things fixed so that they can get on with their work.
MSPs shouldn't underestimate the importance of traditional relationship management. Occasional lunches, catch-ups and strategy meetings can keep things on track and ensure that clients remember that the MSP is keeping things con-ordinated, even when services are dotted all over the cloud.
However much the IT industry develops, customers still want the same things in terms of service. MSPs who keep this in mind will continue to thrive.
Get the latest MSP tips, tricks, and ideas sent to your inbox each week.


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Wowie self-aware lynchbaitIn post 867, Frozen Angel wrote:I'm not maniplulating using emotions
I was palying based on logic alone and I was being scum readed for being different. No one will change their read on me till they see I can be the way I am atm. No one is listening to the points I make till they see that this is my town meta so my flip is practically more beneficial to game and to myself.
you don't need to feel bad about it. You don't need to fell anything about it. I'm not trying to chnage any of your reads. I'm saying i won't replace out and I won't play the game untill my flip is out.
Pinkie swear
now vote me.


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Spanish class would be all but eliminated from Traverse City elementary schools under a budget recommendation made by the district superintendent's office Monday night.
Officials with Traverse City Area Public Schools told the school board that the move would save the district $400,000. They say the district needs to trim expenses to avoid a financial takeover by the state.
The superintendent also recommended sunsetting the district's International Baccalaureate program at the middle school level.
More than a dozen people spoke against the move, including Traverse City resident Matt Soltysiak. He is also a Spanish teacher at Glen Lake High School.
"It's my belief that the district seems to be operating in a reactionary, survival mode and not forward thinking," Soltysiak said. "And that troubles me. With the size of this school district, we should be the leaders in the area."
Under the plan, foreign language instruction at Traverse Heights Elementary School and the Montessori program at Glen Loomis would survive the cuts. But Spanish class would be eliminated at the other elementary schools.
Younger elementary students at those schools would instead attend extra art or physical education classes. Older students would get more instruction in core subjects to replace world language.
"You guys want to take world language and take it from two days a week to zero days a week. You're going the wrong direction," Matt Soltysiak told the school board. "The research showed when you wanted to implement [foreign language], it should have been four days. Why didn't you follow the research in the beginning? And if you're not going to, don't just throw it in the trash heap like an old appliance. Fix it and make it right."
Soltysiak is deciding where he will send his twin 3-year-old girls to school next year. He says learning a foreign language is an educational priority for his daughters.
The school board is expected to vote on the plan next Monday.


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Saiyans of Earth
What if Chi Chi tagged along with Goku & co. until their quest to collect the dragon balls ends? When Chi Chi rather than Oolong takes the Pilaf Gang's wish a great change is wrought to the story we know. Chi Chi wishes to be a Saiyan so Goku will fall in love with her. When Bulma objects Chi Ch shares her wish with the other girl. Behold Goku, Chi Chi & Bulma the Saiyans of Earth!


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Balsamic-glazed peaches with pork chops, stonefruit and blue cheese salad
Photo by Tamara West
The pairing of peaches and pork chops make for a divine late summer dish.
Balsamic-glazed peaches
|2 Tbsp
|Olive oil
|Peaches, or nectarines, medium, sliced into 8 wedges
|Red onion, small, thinly sliced
|1 tsp
|Rosemary, or thyme, finely chopped
|2 Tbsp
|3 Tbsp
|Balsamic vinegar
Pork chops & salad
- Heat oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Cook peaches, onion and rosemary/thyme until peaches and onion are soft and starting to caramelise (about 7-10 minutes). Add honey and balsamic vinegar, tossing through the peaches before turning off heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- To cook the pork chops, heat oil in a large frying pan on medium to high heat. Season pork chops with salt and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until cooked through. Remove chops and set aside to rest for 5 minutes while you prepare the salad.
- Toss rocket, sliced fruit and blue cheese together. Dress with extra virgin olive oil and a little lemon juice just before serving.
- To serve, divide pork chops and salad between plates. Spoon some balsamic peaches over pork chops.


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European Meeting of Ancient Ceramics 2017
From the 6th to the 9th of September this year I attended the 14th meeting for the European Meeting for Ancient Ceramics in Bordeaux, France.
The conference lasted three days with a large amount of posters and presentations ranging from 3-D Modelling of voids within ceramics (Hein & Kilikoglou) to Rehydroxylation (Barrett), i.e. a method of dating ceramics by measuring the amount of water within the sherds and using that as indicator for when the sherds were first fired.
I had the honor of presenting a poster at this conference based on my MA Dissertation. It was an amazing experience and I cannot wait for next years conference in Barcelona!


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After cricket, the sport about which every Pakistanis shows great passion is undoubtedly Football. People nowadays not only watch football matches but also eagerly follow and talk about their favorite leagues and teams. Keeping up with this trend in the sports lovers community, Mobilink has become Pakistan's first operator to come up with a dedicated service for football leagues specific updates.
Now with Mobilink Jazz Football Club, all football lovers out there have an opportunity to stay updated about their favorite football teams and leagues through their Mobile phones. How convenient is that! So, if you are a hardcore football fan and you want to receive updates about your favorite team then wait no more and text 'Sub' to 2255 now and start getting updates right away!
To Subscribe:
SMS "sub" to 2255 to subscribe to the service
You can select up to 3 teams:
1. Barcelona
2. Chelsea
3. Manchester United
4. Arsenal
Reply with 1-4 or "m" for more teams.
Football Alerts:
Subscribers will receive the following alerts;
Once a week
- Match Schedule
- Fun Facts about the team(s)
- Team Standings
On Match Day
- Match Start Alert
- First Half end Alert
- Second Half Start Alert
- Match End Alert
- Goal Alerts
To Unsubscribe:
Send "unsub" to 2255, and you will be provided with the following options:
Select the team you want to unsub from:
- A. Manchester United
- B. Arsenal
- C. Real Madrid
- D. Unsub All
Service Charges:
- Subscription*: Rs. 9.99+tax/month
- SMS: Rs. 1+tax/SMS
*Subscription validity is for 30 days after which the user will automatically be re-subscribed.
woah.. this is a perfect replacement of my soccer iphone app. seems user-friendly, must try!
Awesome! Finally i can get the latest alerts as i move! I love football! thank you Mobilink


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10 March 2014
This year's Grove Medal, which is awarded in honour of Sir William Grove, the inventor of the fuel cell, is being awarded to Professor David Wilkinson, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Clean Energy and Fuel Cells at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
Professor Wilkinson has been part of UBC's Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering for a decade, and before that spent nearly 15 years building and leading Ballard Power Systems' technological leadership in PEM fuel cells.
The 2012 Grove Medal was awarded to Professor Dr Hubert Gasteiger at the Technical University of Munich in Germany, while in 2010 it went to Professor J. Robert Selman at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.
The Fuel Cells 2014 Science & Technology Conference – A Grove Fuel Cell Event is taking place 3–4 April at the NH Grand Krasnapolsky Hotel in central Amsterdam. This biennial, research-oriented conference series is organised by Elsevier in collaboration with the Grove Steering Committee.
The conference will comprise a mix of plenary speakers and parallel technical sessions. The plenary speakers include Dr Mascha Smit (Nedstack, Netherlands), Niels Christiansen (Topsoe Fuel Cell, Denmark), Dr Balsu Lakshmanan (General Motors, USA), and Dr Nancy L. Garland (US Department of Energy).
The technical sessions will focus on PEMFCs at cell/component level, SOFCs at cell/component level, PEMFC electrocatalysis, novel fuels and electrolytes, modelling & control, and systems & applications. There will also be an extensive poster programme.
Exhibition and sponsorship opportunities are available for Fuel Cells 2014 Science & Technology.
The conference is supported by the world-leading Journal of Power Sources and the Fuel Cells Bulletin.
This article is featured in:
Energy efficiency
Energy infrastructure
Energy storage including Fuel cells
Green building
Policy, investment and markets


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They had no right to win. Yet they did, and in doing so they changed the course of a war. More than that, they added a new name— Midway— to that small list that inspires men by shining example. Like Marathon , the Armada, the Marne, a few others, Midway showed that every once in a while "what must be" need not be at all. Even against the greatest of odds, there is something in the human spirit— a magic blend of skill, faith and valor—that can lift men from certain defeat to incredible victory.
Walter Lord; Incredible Victory: The Battle of Midway
An SBD dive bomber (6B15) of Bombing Squadron Six, on the deck of USS Yorktown. The aircraft was flown by Ensign G.H. Goldsmith and ARM3c J. W. Patterson, Jr., during the June 4, 1942 strike against the Japanese carriers Kaga and Akagi. Note the battle damage on the tail.
For those who've followed this site, you know that in early June I always put together something on the Battle of Midway and always pay tribute to my first post flight school boss, LCDR Pat Patterson. See the 2013 post:
What kind of war was it? – "How do I know, I saw the whole thing backwards!" June 4-7, 1942 at Midway
The picture above is a recent find of Pat's SBD right after landing on USS Yorktown rather than on Bombing Six's own USS Enterprise. As noted below, due to landing on Yorktown rather than Enterprise, Pat and his pilot were listed as missing in action along with nine other aircrews of Bombing Six in the initial action report by Enterprise's commanding officer.
Action Report 8 June, 1942: Battle of Midway Island, June 4 – 6, 1942 — Report of Commanding Officer USS Enterprise (CV-6), Captain G.D. Murray
The report on the 13th would reduce VB-6's losses to 7 pilots and 8 gunners with total Air group losses at 31 aircraft, 24 pilots and 25 gunners. (Note, then we must add Hornet and Yorktown losses – including all of Torpedo Squadron Eight – to understand the the magnitude of that battle, of that victory)
Action Report 13 June 1942: Air Battle of the Pacific, June 4-6, 1942, report of Commanding Officer USS Enterprise (CV-6), Captain G.D. Murray
Captain Murray would conclude:
CONCLUSION: ENTERPRISE Air Group, both pilots and gunners, displayed a spirit of utter fearlessness, resolution and determination throughout all air actions. This spirit, though shared by pilots and gunners alike, found its highest expression in the person of the Air Group Commander, LtComdr C.W. McClusky, Jr. U.S.N. On June 4, prior to intercepting the main enemy forces, it was his decision, and his decision alone, that made the attack possible which lead to the destruction of a major part of the enemy forces. It is the considered opinion of the Commanding Officer that the success of our forces hinged upon this attack. Any other action on the part of LtComdr McClusky would inevitably have lead to irreparable loss to our forces.
The entire ENTERPRISE Air Group merits the highest praise and commendation for a hazardous job well done. In separate correspondence, recommendations for awards and citations will be submitted.
Pat had to abandon ship on Yorktown – jumping over the side. Picked up by a destroyer, he never stated when he actually returned to his squadron on board the Enterprise.
I've often wondered what thoughts were in his head on the 5th of June, but here is what is written in Walter Lord's book:
Wade McClusky , leading the group, had a picture of a clean hardwood deck, an untouched island on the starboard side, some planes tuning up toward the stern. Earl Gallaher, coming in fourth, saw fountains of water from two near-misses, the blinding flash of his own bomb landing among the parked planes. Dusty Kleiss, seventh to dive, found the after end of the ship a sea of flames, the painted red circle up forward still untouched— then his own bomb changed that. And so it went until Ensign George Goldsmith, the 25th and last man down, had his turn too. By now the carrier was a blazing wreck, swinging hard to the right in a desperate effort to ward off further blows. Goldsmith kept her in his sights.
In the rear seat, Radioman James Patterson called off the altitude as they plunged down. During dive bombing practice they normally released at about 2,200 feet. This time 2,000 spun past the altimeter, and they were still going straight down. Then 1,500 and finally Goldsmith pulled the release. Patterson watched the results with amazement: "He had been the world's worst dive bomber pilot during the practice hops I'd flown with him previously, but that day Ensign Goldsmith earned every dime invested in him as he put our bomb right through the flight deck, just aft of amidships."
Pat was 19.
So here's to you my friend, to Ens Lew Hopkins in SBD Dauntless 6B12 (awarded the Navy Cross and retired as an admiral), and all who shaped the course of carrier aviation.
Fly Navy, the BEST Always Have.


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FDIC Law, Regulations, Related Acts
[Table of Contents] [Previous Page] [Next Page] [Search]
4000 - Advisory Opinions
Contract to Provide Securities Brokerage Services at Branch Offices of Participating Financial Institutions
October 20, 1986
Robert E. Feldman, Senior Attorney
This is in response to your letter of September 22, 1986, to Senior Attorney Pamela E. F. LeCren inquiring whether a contract *** *** intends to enter into with insured nonmember banks would contravene any statute of regulation enforced by the FDIC.
According to the "Three-Way Contract" enclosed with your letter, *** will provide securities brokerage services (referred to as the "Program") at certain branch offices of participating financial institutions ("FI"). This opinion has no applicability to financial institutions other than insured state nonmember banks entering into the contract. The third party to the contract, ***, will provide certain consulting services to implement the brokerage plan.
*** is to open brokerage service offices at FIs participating in the Program under a plan submitted by *** to each FI. According to your July 8, 1986, letter, brokerage services will be performed in a totally separate and distinct area of the bank which will be clearly identified as a branch office of ***. *** will provide investment advice incidental to brokerage services to FI's depositors and other customers as well as to the general public. The types of securities involved in the brokerage service program are equity securities, debt securities, open-end/closed-end mutual funds, public limited partnerships, and annuities.
*** is solely responsible for the accuracy of all Program marketing, advertising, and promotional materials. Such materials must have the written approval of both *** and FI prior to use. In addition *** will provide compliance and procedures manuals for the Program and be responsible for the training and supervision of the licensed registered representatives of *** conducting brokerage services at the designated FI locations.
*** responsibilities under the contract include the (1) design and drafting of the Program's marketing and advertising materials, while bearing the cost of producing and advertising the initial supply of such materials for designated FI locations, (2) the provision for the training of employees acceptable to ***, including the payment of their licensing fees, (3) the design and payment for office signs and display racks and the initial supply of stationery and the like to be used at participating FIs, and (4) the provision of computer hardware and software to be used in the program.
Each FI participating in the program is to provide office facilities for the brokerage service. Each FI will assist in the selection of employees necessary to implement the program. Salaries of the registered representatives are to be paid from funds remitted to FI by *** after *** has deducted its fee from commissions from correspondent broker/dealers and contracted vendors. After payment of employee salaries, *** and the FI divide any remaining balance equally during the first year of the contract while during each subsequent year of the contract, *** retains 40% of any balance and forwards 60% to the FI. Each FI also agrees to provide to the Program customer account information essential to the successful functioning of the Program and the contract in conjunction with the marketing of the Program.
Each person selected to serve as a registered representative enters into an employment agreement with the FI. Either the FI, after first notifying *** and ***, or *** can terminate the employment. While such employees are to be considered employees of FI, they must be licensed as registered representatives of *** and be under the direct control and supervision of *** for all securities related activities.
Finally, FI agrees under the contract to indemnify and hold *** and *** harmless from any liability arising out of any illegal activity by FI's non-Program employees up to the amount of revenues earned in the program.
After review of the contract and your July 8, 1986, letter to Senior Attorney LeCren, we conclude that the Program does not materially differ from the INVEST program offered by IFSA Corporation. In 1983, the IFSA Corporation requested an opinion from the FDIC about whether an insured nonmember bank may, consistent with the Glass-Steagall Act, participate in the INVEST program. As you know from having seen the FDIC's response to ISFA's counsel (forwarded to you under cover of Ms. LeCren's August 1, 1986, letter to you), the FDIC's Legal Division concluded that participation in INVEST would not violate section 21 of the Glass-Steagall Act. Because we find no material difference between the Program and the INVEST program insofar as the Glass-Steagall Act is concerned, it is our opinion that participation by an insured state nonmember bank in the Program is not barred by the Glass-Steagall Act.
While the Program does not materially differ from the Invest program, we note the information you have provided us does not state whether or not all *** advertisements and promotional material to be disseminated by FI clearly state that the brokerage and advisory services are being provided by *** and not the FI. This was the case in the INVEST scenario. Nor does the contract state that each *** customer is given a notice that he or she must sign indicating that the securities services are being offered by and are the sole responsibility of *** and *** clearing broker. Finally, we have seen no statements that investment advice is formulated by *** or *** main office personnel and that the registered representatives are not authorized to offer investment advice which differs from that generated by the main office. We assume that ***, and INVEST do not differ in these regards and that we simply have not received sufficient information to show this.
The Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") recently adopted Rule 3(b)(9) which requires that any bank which engages in certain securities brokerage activities must register with the SEC as a broker/dealer. The rule provides, however, for a number of exceptions. As we do not feel it is appropriate for the FDIC to venture an opinion on the applicability of Rule 3(b)(9), we advise you to contact the SEC directly for an opinion on whether or not a bank that participates in the Program will be required to register as a broker/dealer or would be exempt from registration.
Although we are not offering any opinion on these issues at this time, we wish to point out that FI's use of *** to accomplish trades on behalf of fiduciary accounts could raise questions of a breach of the bank's fiduciary obligation and questions as to whether the bank has met its best execution obligations as well as other questions. The FDIC will of course comment upon, and take appropriate action with respect to, any such problems that may arise in this area should insured nonmember banks participate in the Program.
In closing, we wish to stress that this letter in no way constitutes an endorsement or approval of participation in the Program by any insured nonmember bank. The FDIC reserves the right to take issue with the manner in which any particular insured nonmember bank administers the Program depending upon the facts in any particular instance. Our opinion on the Glass-Steagall Act is based solely upon the facts as we understand them to be. Should the facts differ from that described, or circumstances change in the future, our opinion on the Glass-Steagall Act issue is subject to change.
Lastly, this letter does not constitute a comprehensive review of the Program in terms of safety and soundness, conformance with any applicable law or regulation, conflicts of interest, etc. The failure or omission of this letter to raise or comment upon any such issue should not be read to constitute a conclusion on the part of the FDIC that no such issue exists.


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When Concordia College first opened its doors on October 15th, 1891, there were twelve students in attendance with three professors to teach them. Ingebrikt F. Grose acted as principal and also taught English literature and religion. Elmer D. Busby was given the subjects math, natural sciences, and religion to teach. Busby's wife filled the role of dean of women. The final teacher was Caroline Finseth and she taught piano. Although an enrollment of twelve students seems bleak today, Principal Grose was encouraged by this number. Surrounding schools commenced with fewer students than twelve. As per usual of the time and place, the weather and agricultural activity played a large role in the number of students at Concordia. By January 1892, when the fields were bare and frozen, more than 200 students deluged the school. An enrollment of 200 was unprecedented at the time. Surrounding and competing schools considered 125 students to be plentiful and some schools even lost pupils to Concordia. The first crop of students (1891-1892) received room, board (with fully equipped facilities), and tuition for the whole year for $114.75. While this may seem astonishingly low today, the expenses were difficult to meet: at the time, Moorhead was a poor, dirty, pioneer community. The Christian Academy aspect of Concordia was not taken lightly. Students were only allowed to partake and visit places of amusement approved by the faculty. Tobacco, alcohol, and saloons were absolutely out of the question. By 1901 dancing and card playing were added to the list of prohibited activities. Students were required to attend chapel and recitations unless excused. Furthermore, pupils were mandated to stay in their rooms during study hours, which started at 7:00 pm. At 10:00 pm on the dot, wooden sidewalks were retracted, doors were locked up, and the kerosene lamps were extinguished. Students who were not tucked away by curfew time might have faced expulsion or a loss of funds paid. These constraints weren't altogether disliked, as they may be today. Rather, some appreciated the regulations. An 1893 class member once said "us plow boys... learned to have better manners."
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MadDad Whisper 08+ STi Catback / 2011+ WRX
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For mating with full 3" DP [Add $50.00]This flange option allows for a full 3" flange connection to a full 3" donpipe. No donut gasket tapers
For mating with OE donwpipe or similar(that use donut gasket)
NOTE: Images shown with 3' DP flange option
The MadDad(TM) Whisper catback exhausts have earned their rightful reputation as one of the most desirable catback exhausts in the Subaru community. This doesn't happen by accident and it doesn't happen overnight. It's an honor that's been earned over the years by delivering unquestionable engineering to provide a no drone 3" catback that has no need of band-aid resonators. A reputation for delivery perfect fitment every time, and a reputation for delivering the most well balanced sound anywhere in the market. Putting a smile on your face without the need of waking your neighbors....and now it's available in an exclusive layout specific for the 08+ STi models.
No compromise exhaust flow. We go straight into the center of the canister where a collector splits the exhaust flow into two symetric baffles exiting left and right. It's the straightest exhaust flow with the fewest bends you will find anywhere.
The Gentlemen's Exhaust. Classic Whisper good looks with quad double walled oval tips . Whispers are always designed to fit and tuck up to appear like an OEM system. We'd go so far as to say this looks more OEM than the OEM exhaust. Benefit ? No unwanted attention that says "pull me over officer"
The same No-Drone engineering the Whisper's are famous for. You will be awe struck by how refined the sound is inside the cabin at any rpm and at any engine load. No other brand on the market performs in this area like a Whisper does and its one of the many reasons Whisper owners never sell their exhausts for something different.
Patented, imported German exhaust packing. Is it more expensive..absolutely, but once it settles in it never blows out. Try and find a used Whisper catback...it's the reason a used Whisper is a hard find. People don't get rid of them even after years of use, unlike others that just get continuously louder from the day that you bought it. Now ask yourself, which exhaust was really more expensive? The one you never have to get rid of or the one you flip for something else a year later because you can't stand the sound anymore?
Complete T304SS right down to the flanges.
Two-piece intermediate pipe with swapable flange sections means you can buy the catback today for 100% proper fitment to your OEM downpipe, then flip to a full 3" flat flange connection when/if you buy a full 3" downpipe without a compromised donut gasket taper. No need to worry about what downpipe you might get in the future.
The MadDad(TM) Whisper Gaurantee - You've got two-weeks from the date of receiving your exhaust to install it and love it. If you don't think it was worth every penny, return it for a full refund on the catback price. Note - ship to and return freight is not refundable. We expect returns to be used but in close to new condition. We understand it might be dirty but we're not expecting a dented up exhaust be returned for full refund.
Imported German exhaust packing
Complete T304SS right down to the hangers
Hand TIG welds
Changable downpipe flanges
Straightest exhaust flow path
No-Drone engineering
Hand made in the U.S.A
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Great sound, 98% drone-free, terrible fitment
October 3, 2015
Reviewer: Brent Sonnen from Lancaster, PA United States
I have a really long review on NASIOC ("2011-2014 GR Hatch catback comparision - Invidia Q300 v2 vs Maddad Whisper v3") with pictures and a lot more details but I'll try to keep it short here.
(1) Takes a few weeks to be made and delivered.
(2) TERRIBLE fitment. The drivers side tips stick out and sit higher. The midpipe rattles against the heatshield even with a Kartboy XL bushing on the midpipe.
(3) The tips are supposed to be double-walled but they're really thin. Closer to single wall than double.
(1) The sound is EXCELLENT. It's not as deep as the Q300 but it still sounds great. No drone when above 2000 RPM.
If the fitment issues were resolved this would be a 4.5/5. This is the most expensive exhaust I see and if they're going to price it high they need to perform on all levels not just focus on the sound. Either bring the price down or use the extra money to fix the fitment issues.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent exhaust
December 21, 2010
Reviewer: Brian LaPierre from Dover, NH United States
I bought this exhaust in August 2010. I had an used ebay knockoff on my WRX and while I like the sound, it droned pretty bad and after 2 years was getting on my nerves. I purchased the Whisper after reading reviews on IWSTI and NASIOC.
The sound of this exhaust is great. It makes the car more distinctive inside and out and I have no complaints about any drone. The fitment was top notch and I had no issues with the install. I like the symmetrical look it gives the rear of the car, and the close to OEM looks helps keep negative attention away.
The one thing to be cautioned about is the location of the hardware package/gaskets. I rushed home to get the exhaust and couldn't find all the hardware at first. Given that it was 4pm on a Friday and I wanted to get the exhaust on as soon as possible. I immediately went to try and get some parts. As I got back, I found the bag taped to one of the outlets. DOH! Just make sure to check carefully and don't be too anxious to get it installed :)
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Italian magazine leaks draft of Pope's landmark letter on global warming
An Italian-language draft of the Pope's potentially game-changing encyclical on climate change, which was set to be released on Thursday, has leaked to an Italian newspaper.
The paper, L'Espresso, published an Italian language version of the document on its website on Monday.
A Vatican official denounced the magazine's actions, telling Bloomberg news that the leaking of the document was a "heinous act."
An official Vatican statement said the embargo for Thursday morning remains in effect for media organizations, emphasizing that the leaked draft is not the final version.
An Italian text of a draft of the Pope's Encyclical "Laudato Si'" has been published. Please note that it is not the final text, and that the rules of the Embargo remain in place. We ask journalists to respect professional standards, which call for waiting for the official publication of the final text.
The final draft of the encyclical will be delivered at noon local time on Thursday at the Vatican, with Joannis Ziziola representing Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, who has written extensively on the care of creation. In addition to two representatives of the Vatican will be climate scientist John Schellnhuber, founder and director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, and Carolyn Woo, president of Catholic Relief Services.
Encyclical will bring new dimensions into U.S. climate discussion
The encyclical, which is a letter sent to bishops that comes close to establishing the church's position on an issue, is expected to cast climate change in broad terms and vault religious, moral and ethical concerns to the forefront of a debate that is frequently framed only as an environmental one.
"Americans are about to be introduced to the fact that there is a moral and religious element to this for the first time," Tony Leiserowitz, the director of the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication, told Mashable in an interview last week.
Leiserowitz's group has polled American Catholics on their climate change views. This public opinion research shows that American Catholics worry more about climate change, and support solutions to climate change, more than any other Christian group in America.
"Climate change raises the deepest questions about humanity … what is our ethical and moral responsibility to each other?" he said.
A Google Translate version of the leaked draft document shows that Pope Francis characterizes climate change in the context of the broader relationship between humans and the environment, as well as humanity's obligations to help alleviate poverty.
The encyclical is highly likely to resonate well beyond the Catholic church, and is aimed in part at supporting efforts to craft a new global climate treaty in Paris in early December.
To that end, Pope Francis is scheduled to address the U.N. during the first U.S. visit of his papacy in September. He will also address a joint session of Congress — the first Pope ever to do so.
The encyclical may also have profound impacts on U.S. politics, with the 2016 presidential race kicking into higher gear, with three prominent Catholic Republican candidates — Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio and Rick Santorum. Only one Republican presidential candidate, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, recognizes mainstream climate science findings linking manmade emissions of greenhouse gases to long-term global warming and favors reducing such emissions.


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A German mosque is under fire for posting pictures on its website of young children wearing military uniforms, carrying fake guns, and pretending to lie dead under a large Turkish flag.
The mosque is under the control of the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DİTİB), which acts as an arm of the Turkish government.
A spokesman for the mosque told the New Westphalians, the performance was a reenactment of the Battle of Gallipoli in the First World War, in which Ottoman troops beat Western armies.
"The decision to perform was made by the parents' council," the spokesman told the paper.
The mosque has since taken the controversial pictures down from its website and Facebook due to public outrage.
According to the Stockholm Center for Freedom, Herford Mayor Tim Ostermann also demanded a written statement from DİTİB regarding the performance, adding that no such statement has yet arrived.
"I was shocked to see the images. We can see once again that the desired harmony has not been achieved. Even if it was adults rather than children displaying this spectacle, it still wouldn't have been acceptable," Ostermann said.
He also added that a video of the incident has been sent to the authorities to launch a criminal investigation.
Carsten Linnemann, a deputy of ruling Christian Democratic Union in the German Federal Parliament from Herford, said the images were shocking.
He also said the incident was proof that Erdoğan is trying to create loyalty to Turkey within the German state.
Erdoğan isn't just interested in Turkey, he also has his eye on Israel.
An article in a Turkish paper with close ties to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reveals the regime's desire to form an "Army of Islam" to attack and destroy Israel.
The article calls on the 57 member nations of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) throughout the Muslim world to join forces against the Israeli "occupiers" who would then be vastly outnumbered and unable to defend their country.
Translated and posted by MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute), the article details how combined ground, air and naval forces could defeat Israel militarily in 10 days and diplomatically in 20 days, thereby liberating "Palestine."
RELATED: Islamic 'Sultan' Rising: Why Turkey's Plan to Destroy Israel Could Line Up with End Times Prophecy
Kurdish Pastor: Turkey Bigger Threat to Israel than Iran
Erdogan's Vision: Uniting an 'Army of Islam' to Destroy Israel in 10 Days
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FAQ: Armed Forces Bowl
The 2011 Armed Forces Bowl is just days away. We're sure you have so many questions. We're here to help. (For an Xs and Os breakdown, check out Matt Dollinger's game preview.)
• What's all this, then? OK, you know how there are two militaryish bowls on the postseason schedule? This is the older one, sponsored by Bell Helicopter, that didn't used to carry the unfortunate monikers of "EagleBank Bowl" and "Congressional Bowl."
• Where will this game be played? Gerald Ford Stadium, University Park, Texas, home to SMU. You might recall the Mustangs themselves played in this bowl game last season, and lost to Army, 16-14.
• When is it on television? Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET, Friday, December 30. The game will be televised on ESPN.
• Whom does it feature? Typically, some combination of Conference USA, Mountain West, Army and Navy.
• What about this year? This year, 9-3 BYU's No. 16 defense will contend with 8-4 Tulsa's No. 23 offense.
• Might Tulsa actually be good? We have this creeping suspicion that maybe it is; those four losses came at the hands of both Oklahomas, Boise State and Houston.
• What about BYU? Reply hazy; try again later.
• Who will call the game? Dave Neal, Andre Ware and Cara Capano.
• What wacky activities/mild public indignities will the players be subjected to over the course of the week? Read of the trials endured by both teams at an establishment billed as the "world's largest honky-tonk":
Other games including "This Blows" consisting of players knocking off an entire table of Dixie cups using air they had blown into a balloon, and "Paper Dragon" in which players were forced to unroll two entire rolls of party streamers had the teams laughing and competitive.
• Enough about the football. What about the loot? Participating players will receive the dreaded souvenir football as well as a camouflage beanie and a trip through a Sony gift suite.
• Where can I buy my own camouflage beanie?Right here!
• I'm thinking of attending this game, but really won't feel welcome unless a cast member of CSI personally encourages me to attend. Can it be any CSI show? Yes, any CSI show will do nicely. Behold auto-play Gary Sinise, live from the bottom of your browser screen!
• Please impart any miscellaneous knowledge you might have concerning the 2011 Armed Forces Bowl.Did you know ... the lanyards fans receive in the Armed Forces Adventure Area will be made from recycled plastic bottles?
Stay tuned for more postseason FAQ sheets, and stay on top of a hectic postseason slate with our complete
2011-2012 College Football Bowl Schedule


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Chevrolet announced yesterday that the upcoming diesel-powered 2014 Chevrolet Cruze achieves an EPA-estimated 46 mpg highway with a six-speed automatic transmission, and has a range of up to 700 miles per tank. The fuel economy information is not yet posted on the EPA's website. The automaker says that the Cruze diesel has a starting price of $24,885 plus a $810 destination charge.
The Cruze diesel's engine produces 148 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Chevy says that the Cruze diesel is equipped with an overboost function that can boost maximum torque to 280 pound-feet for short durations, such as accelerating onto a highway.
The gas powered 2013 Cruze Eco achieves 26/39 mpg city/highway with an automatic transmission or 28/42 mpg with a manual, according to the EPA. Maximum range per tank for the gas-powered Cruze Eco is 435 miles. A Cruze Eco with an automatic transmission starts at $20,875 before destination, which is $4,010 less than the Cruze diesel.
Car and Driver says that, on the surface, the Cruze diesel's 46 mpg highway "is a laudable achievement," but, upon closer inspection, they aren't as impressed. They report that the Cruze diesel also achieves 26 mpg in the city, which isn't as good as the Cruze Eco's rating of 28 mpg with a manual transmission.
One of the Cruze diesel's primary competitors is the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. The diesel-powered Jetta starts at $23,055 and achieves an EPA-estimated 42 mpg on the highway. Its diesel engine produces 140 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. While the Cruze diesel costs more than the Jetta TDI, Chevrolet says that the Cruze diesel comes with a greater array of standard features, including leather seats and a MyLink infotainment system, in addition to getting better fuel economy.
Kicking Tires points out that over the past 12 months, diesel fuel has cost, on average, 10 percent more than gasoline, or an extra 38 cents per gallon, which somewhat erodes the benefit of higher fuel economy. According to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report, diesel fuel currently costs an average of $3.93 per gallon nationally, while regular gasoline costs $3.51. Looking strictly at highway fuel economy estimates for the Cruze diesel and gas-powered Eco with an automatic transmission, you would have to drive about 802,000 miles to recoup the added cost of the diesel model over the gas model. Keep in mind that throwing city driving into the mix would likely change this math, as would a fluctuation in current fuel prices.
While most publications only make comparisons with other diesel and conventional gas-powered rivals, it is worthwhile to draw a comparison with similarly-priced hybrid models as well. The 2013 Toyota Prius, for example, starts at $24,200, excluding destination fees, and achieves an EPA highway estimate of 48 mpg. The Prius makes a better value proposition, given its lower price and the added cost of diesel fuel over gasoline.
The 2014 Cruze diesel goes on sale in select cities this spring, and hits dealers nationwide this fall.
In the market for a Chevrolet Cruze or another affordable small car? Check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars. Then, look for a great deal on a new car by checking out this month's best car deals. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.


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The Bruins have an interesting and diverse crop of prospects playing Junior hockey in Canada and the States. Headlined by Ryan Spooner, the group includes wingers Jared Knight and Craig Cunningham, defenseman Ryan Button, and goaltender Zane Gothberg.
Ryan Spooner, C/LW, Kingston Frontenacs
Acquired: 2nd round (45th overall) in 2010
January 30th, 1992, Ht: 5'10, Wt: 175 lbs.
Ryan Spooner has had a tumultuous start to the 2010-11 season. Brimming with confidence after an outstanding performance at Boston Bruins training camp, Spooner got off to a fast start for Peterborough, scoring 10 goals and 19 points in his first 14 games, but the losses kept mounting and, fed up with playing for a losing team and concerned about his development, Spooner asked for a trade.
While his request was eventually granted, he was traded to the Kingston Frontenacs, Spooner heard disparaging remarks from the Pete's head coach on his way out.
With his new team, Spooner recorded three goals and five points in his first two games with Kingston, both wins. Ryan now has 13 goals and 27 points in just 19 games. If he can maintain that kind of pace for the entire season, he could challenge Joe Colborne for the number at the top of the Bruins prospect list.
Jared Knight, RW, London Knights
Acquired: 2nd round (32nd overall) in 2010
January 16th 1992, Ht: 5'11, Wt: 180 lbs.
Knight is working his way through a challenging season. The London Knights aren't as strong this year, and much of the reason for that is the loss of dynamic center Nazem Kadri (TOR). Having a dynamic, puck possession center such as Kadri allowed Knight to do what he does best: drive the net, and get open in shooting lanes to unleash his fearsome shot. Without Kadri, Knight has been forced to handle the puck more, and be more of a distributor. As a result, his points-per-game are up slightly, from .904 last year to 1.1 this year, but being on pace for 25 goals is disappointing. Especially since the Knights were expecting close to twice that goal production.
It's worth mentioning that Knight's GM Mark Hunter is in the mix for more offensive help and was even one of the finalists in the hunt for Ryan Spooner. If they can find a legitimate replacement for Kadri, Knight could still threaten those lofty goal projections.
In the meantime, Knight will have to embrace the adversity, expand his toolset, and develop more dimensions to his game.
Tyler Randell, RW, Kitchener Rangers
Acquired: 6th round, (176th overall) in 2009
June 15th 1991, Ht: 6'1, Wt: 195 lbs.
Tyler Randell is a hard worker and a gritty customer, but his offense hasn't developed as the Bruins had hoped. He's now in his fourth year in Kitchener but his point-per-game numbers are down for the third consecutive season. Granted, he's not asked to play an offensive role on his team, but the lack of growth is still discouraging. At this point, the Bruins may decide that he's not worth one of their precious 50 contract slots moving forward.
Ryan Button, D, Prince Albert Raiders
Acquired: 3rd round, (86th overall) in 2009
March 26th 1991, Ht: 6'0, Wt: 185 lbs.
Ryan Button is a player who can not be judged his point totals. At the Bruins prospect camp, he impressed with a good combination of size, mobility, offensive swagger, and defense. But because he plays in a conservative system on a struggling, offensively challenged team, the numbers he puts up don't reflect his natural abilities.
That said, Button appeared snake-bit early on, hitting only posts through his first 22 games, but he finally scored put one in on November 19th. His 12 points in 25 games leads his team's defense. More impressively, Ryan is currently playing upwards of 25 minutes a night, against top lines and in all situations, and is only a minus-5 on a team that has allowed 27 more goals than they've scored.
Button still projects as a solid second pairing, puck moving defenseman. Look for him to join Providence as soon as the Raiders season comes to an end in mid-March.
Craig Cunningham, LW, Vancouver Giants
Acquired: 4th round (97th overall) in 2010
September 3rd 1990, Ht: 5'9, Wt: 175 lbs.
The Bruins may have missed the boat by not signing Craig Cunningham to a pro contract after training camp. With both Jordan Caron and Brad Marchand making the big club, and Max Sauve getting injured early in the season, Providence was left a little thin on offensive talent, and could have used a player with Cunningham's skills. The small, but determined forward had a good showing in camp and is absolutely tearing up Juniors, leading the 'Dub' in scoring with 8 goals and 41 points through 24 games.
Named captain in September, Cunningham is the last holdover from Vancouver's 2007 Memorial Cup Champion, and was teammates with Milan Lucic on that team.
Expect Cunningham to join Button in Providence at the end of the year.
Zane Gothberg, G, Fargo Force
Acquired: 6th round, (165th overall) in 2010
Aug 20 1992, Ht: 6'1 Wt: 190 lbs.
Gothberg is working his way through the transition from high school hockey to elite juniors. He's shown flashes of excellence, but hasn't yet found a sustained level of consistency. For example, he started his USHL career with the Fargo Force by pitching a 3-0 shutout against the Chicago Steel, but has followed each good game with a lackluster performance, and as a result, his overall save percent is down to .888.
Still, he played well at the World Junior camp and earned the starting job f
or Team USA at the World Junior A Championship where he started every game. Through the first three games, he was excellent, allowing just one goal in each of the contests, but in the championship game, his game slipped and he was pulled halfway through the second period. Luckily, the US came back and still managed to capture Gold, but it's clear that consistency is one of the elements Gothberg has to work on improving.


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Benson. Stabler. Columbo. Sipowicz. Kojak. These are just some of the biggest names in TV cop history. While they all have their own unique approaches to the detective game, none of them are quite like "Brooklyn Nine-Nine""s own Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg). Sure, he's childish and doesn't follow the rules, but that's why he's one of NYPD's finest.
Keep doing you, Peralta. We would go undercover with you any day.


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Employee Engagement
ByPaycom Blog Contributor
| Mar 21, 2018
If you're like me, you're involved in the NCAA Tournament in some form or fashion. If you're not actively watching the games, you are connected to the spectacle in one of two ways:
It's team-building 101 in many organizations and goes something like this:
This year's Cinderella stories in are many, but none are better than history's first No. 16 seed, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, knocking off a No. 1 seed, University of Virginia. If you didn't hear about that upset, chances are you live under a rock and consume no media whatsoever. The upset was so perfect that Final Four legend turned color commentator Chris Weber noted that UMBC could stand for "U Must Be Cinderella." Corny? Yes. Perfect? Also yes.
Swish! 8 Engagement Strategies to Drive Game Winning Performance, a bracketology webinar for management styles!
Watercooler chat about basketball is hard to avoid in the month of March, and it's also hard for HR pros like me to avoid turning it into a learning opportunity. With that in mind, here are five talent lessons I learned from the first weekend of The Big Dance:
Whether it's hoops or business, being different from others means you're hard to prepare for. Syracuse deploys a defensive scheme called the 2-3 zone, while most other schools use a man-to-man approach. That means they are hard to prepare for, which was key when knocking off one of the tourney favorites, Michigan State. When you have a strategic plan that's different than your competitors and the talent to pull it off, your organization will get unexpected wins – simply because you look and feel different from others.
UMBC's aforementioned upset of Virginia is a great example of this truth. The UMBC Retrievers play a conservative style on both offense and defense; they aren't incredibly talented, but they execute their base strategy very well. That conservative approach wins a lot, but in a "lose one game and you're out" type of environment, it can be deadly. The other team gets hot, and suddenly, you're out.
The moral of the story? Even if you have a great team, never stop trying to upgrade the talent you have. Conservative approaches in basketball (the "grinding out wins" mentality) are used because they are the best way to win with average talent. The same thing is true in business.
If you ever find yourself going up against Microsoft, Google or whoever the 800-pound gorilla is in your industry, never forget that a key hire with high talent can help you win more than your share, regardless of the product or service you're providing. This is shown to be true time and time again in this month's tournament. Whether it's UMBC beating Virginia, or Buffalo taking down Arizona, once you step onto the court, only five players can play. Get yourself some great talent and unbelievable things can happen.
Every project, implementation or sales pitch is different. The most successful companies have managers who know how to get the most out of human capital – and tweak their approach based on the client or prospect in front of them. The most successful coaches do the same thing: Create new plans for each game, based on the challenges that are presented.
It's easy to look great as a coach when you win. But take a look at this compelling video of Virginia coach Tony Bennett after the UMBC loss. Being able to console your team members and show them the way forward after a crushing defeat, layoff or other negative event is key. Bennett does this with grace, which means he's teaching and supporting in a way that transcends the game at hand. Your best managers do the same.
Every year, I'm reminded how much commonality there is between the NCAA Tourney and our lives as talent professionals.
I just wish my bracket weren't busted after the first weekend.
Kris Dunn is a partner and CHRO at the Atlanta-based Kinetix, a national recruitment process outsourcing firm for growth companies. He is the founder of two industry-leading blogs – Fistful of Talent and The HR Capitalist – and has written more than 70 feature columns for Workforce Management magazine. He previously served in HR leadership roles at DAXKO, Charter and Cingular.


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|Old Crow Medicine Show
As you're most likely aware, Saturday and Sunday for the Newport Folk Festival have been completely sold out for months now, long before the line up was revealed. Friday tickets are still available, and I'm surprised since Friday might be the most stacked day of the entire festival with Feist, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Mountain Goats, John McCauley, Amanda Palmer, JD McPherson, Kingsley Flood, and more. Saturday and Sunday are amazing in their own right, with The Avett Brothers, Jim James, Colin Meloy, Justin Townes Earle, Jason Isbell, Shovels and Rope, Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls, The Lone Bellow, Hurray for the Riff Raff, and more on Saturday, while Sunday features Beck, The Lumineers, Andrew Bird, Bonnie "Prince" Billy and Dawn McCarthy, The Felice Brothers, Beth Orton, Black Prairie, Spirit Family Reunion (last year's break out band), and more, including the just added Ramblin' Jack Elliott. The only disappointment I've had with the Sunday night headliner slot that has been generally reserved for more classic and traditional artists (Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, The Levon Helm Band) is taken this year by Beck, an artist I discovered in high school. Ugh.
If It's Too Loud… will be covering the festival. This will be my 7th Newport Folk Festival, 3rd year covering it. As we get closer, I'll be featuring some of the lesser known bands you'll want to check out as we get closer. If you've ever been, you know one of the best parts is watching a relatively unknown band come out of nowhere and blindside a crowd into infatuation. Hopefully I'll be able to make sure you catch that band this year. For anyone going, I'd love to hear who you're looking forward to seeing most.
|The Avett Brothers
To check out the full line up and buy tickets for Friday's show, check out the Newport Folk Festival website. Also, please check out the video of Spirit Family Reunion playing the Sennheiser Stage at the Paste Ruins from last year's festival, for an idea of what to expect this year.


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The Forrester Wave™: Digital Process Automation Software, Q3 2017
Today, low-code, user-friendly, AI-based automation is taking the place of traditional BPMs. In this in-depth analysis, Forrester takes a look at what the top companies are doing to stay ahead of the curve, and how each vendor stacks up against the other. If you've been considering a workflow and content automation tool such as Nintex, the report is worth a look.


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"It's the derby, which is so much more. In September I asked for a bit of magic and Phil Jagielka popped up with just that. Dare we ask for more? To win this one would be…phenomenal.
Let's bring the house down Everton. It's derby day."
That's how I concluded the preview for the Merseyside derby. Boy, was that the mother of all anti-climaxes.
In fact, it was one great big ninety minute anti-climax. Liverpool, perhaps nervous that the Stevie Gee Grand Farewell Tribute Show would be ruined by those insolent upstarts from across the park. The man of the hour himself had to rely on some excellent Sky editing in the post-match analysis to come out smelling of roses because he was awful. Luckily for both him and Liverpool, Everton seemed even more arsed about losing. One shot on target in the match – in the 86th minute. Chances were few and far between and we couldn't keep possession. We almost presented the perfect finale in the Stevie Gee Grand Farewell script but for Steven Naismith putting his head in the way. As a result, it was acceptable. A draw against the league's form team is hardly shameful. The performance was though. Remember those derbies where we didn't try? Where Rafa Benitez saw fit to call us a "small club"? This was a throwback. Sometimes it's tough to shake the past.
There were some good performances thrown in there: Joel was composed and dealt with everything that came his way. Although he almost committed a Krasnodar repeat when Sterling beat him to the ball, his save from Gerrard's free kick looked so easy only because he had got his angles right and due to his sheer size. The idea that Tim Howard will instantly replace him in the starting line-up, as suggested by Roberto Martinez, is an insult to the Spaniard. Howard may be training well and could work his way back into the team, which is fair, but to throw out a keeper in form and replace him with someone who had hardly played well at all before sustaining an injury is ridiculous. Whatever happens, Joel has established himself as a serious contender for the No.1 position, which is what Evertonians have been craving. Coleman, Jagielka, Stones and Baines works as a back four. Oviedo less so. He was outfoxed at times by the dangerous Jordon Ibe, but contributed to the attack. John Stones, the defensive diamond of English football, was naturally brilliant. However, it works much better with the contribution of Phil Jagielka, his senior and Yorkshire contemporary. As a pair they acted as a Geoff Boycott backward defensive over the entirety of the ninety minutes. Stones and Jagielka have started eleven games together and Everton have lost none of them. Sometimes stats like that tell you all you need to know.
How great is Muhamed Besic though? The Balkan battering ram took no prisoners on Saturday, which constitutes the ideal Merseyside derby performance for a midfielder, and with James McCarthy back the Everton midfield looked impenetrable for most of the game. The problem now is in front of that, if we excuse Gareth Barry for looking as mobile as a fridge on this occasion. Steven Naismith took some major blows for the cause but on the most part was flicking the ball on for no-one. Kevin Mirallas only had a fleeting impact on proceedings, and Romelu Lukaku was anonymous for the vast majority of the game. Having to play on the wing for long periods was not useful but for a purported strongman Lukaku was unable to beat any of Can, Sakho or Skrtel in a physical battle. When there was a chance to get at the Liverpool defence Lukaku was nowhere to be seen. In fact, he didn't register a single memorable effort. I'm not one to write Lukaku off, especially as he is just 21 years old and was given a lengthy contract. I won't even throw his price tag in his face – if players had to live up to price tags, the likes of Tim Cahill, Phil Jagielka et al could've given up after a season. It's all relative. The bottom line is that we need someone to lead the line and inspire success, and it seems that Lukaku can't handle it. Unless Arouna Kone is willing to take up the mantle, we may have a serious problem there if Lukaku doesn't turn this around.
Onto the next fixture then. Oh, it's only the runaway league leaders away from home then. It's sound.
The next step in our Tour de Twats, the round of colossal knobheads we have to face up against (Crystal Palace excluded) we've got this lot. When the transition between the skinheads ambushing away fans on the way to Stamford Bridge and the 'new wave' of floppy-haired super-plastics happened, I don't know. Now there's just a great big group of people trying to shout loudest that they're a Chelsea super-fan, because they remember when Gianfranco Zola played and that. Poor them, struggling through a brief period of Mario Stanic. Fair play to them in any case because they're watching the strongest team in the league right now. Chelsea are excelling on a heady mix of outstanding talent, tactical nous and pure snide, which at the moment looks like they'll canter to the title. From an Everton point of view this is a truly daunting task. Not since Paul Rideout notched the winning goal in 1994 have we achieved a victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and apart from a run of successive draws under David Moyes we haven't come all that close.
In goal will be the monumental beak of Thibaut Courtois, with Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill and Felipe Luis at the back. Matic and Fabregas will act as enforcers while Hazard, Willian and Oscar ply their dark trade in front. Likely to be Loic Remy up front. In reserve all they've got are Didier Drogba, Cesar Azpilicueta, Ramires and Juan Cuadrado. They're screwed really.
So do we actually have a prayer here? It would be fair to assume that a side that have only ever lost one league game at home under their current boss will have this nailed on. Then again, Basel and Bradford join Sunderland in the list of Stamford Bridge conquerors. In the win against Aston Villa and draw versus Manchester City they were far from their best. Diego Costa, who tore us apart at Goodison Park, is still suspended. His deputies, Remy and Drogba, have hardly impressed. Plus the pressure of maintaining their league lead in front of their own fans will see Chelsea forced to throw plenty into the attack. They can be caught out, as Bradford showed. But in the likes of Fabregas and Hazard they have not just the best players in the league, but up there with the best in the world. But can they do it against Muhamed Besic on a cold Wednesday night?
Seeing as there are eleven days between this and our next game, at home to Leicester, we should not need to rest players who are a minor doubt or who have a slight fear of injury. So could we see Coleman, Jagielka, Stones and Baines at the back? Hopefully. Howard between the sticks, most likely.
Now for the Everton Dream XI to continue. McCarthy, Besic, Lennon, Barkley, Mirallas, Lukaku.
The real one? McCarthy, Barry, Mirallas, Barkley, Naismith, Lukaku.
That's how it is, folks. There's really very little to lose here. So we may as well take this lot and remind them what Everton can do. And remind ourselves while we're at it. Let's get at 'em Everton.


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Car written off by drunk driver
A Portarlington man who wrote off a car while drunk and sustained multiple injuries was among the people charged at last week's district court with exceeding the alcohol limit.
Gavin Foley, 52 St Joseph's Terrace, Portarlington, committed the offence at Patrick Street, Port, on May 13 last year.
Inspector Aidan Farrelly gave evidence that Foley was involved in a single vehicle collision after losing control of his vehicle and colliding with a parked car.
Foley was subsequently found to have 229mg of alcohol per 100ml of urine.
Foley was not present in the courthouse to meet the charge, but his solicitor, Mr Declan Breen explained that Foley had been drinking in a friend's house and had intended walking home on the date of the offence.
"I cannot say why he drove home," admitted Mr Breen, going on to say that due to the amount of alcohol consumed Foley collided with the parked car and wrote his own vehicle off. He sustained injuries such as a broken hip and fractured pelvis, and Mr Breen said he would never again be able to work properly.
Foley was convicted and fined €300, and disqualified from driving for three years.
Also before last week's court was John Duff, Ballyknocken, Portlaoise, who was arrested at Kilminchy Court, Portlaoise, on February 3 this year.
Inspector Aidan Farrelly gave evidence that Duff was discovered by gardaí sitting in his parked car with the engine running, and after being processed at the garda station he was found to have 81mg per 100ml of breath.
He had a previous conviction for drink driving.
Defence, Ms Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client had attended a funeral on the day and then joined the funeral party, before he took the foolish decision to drive. Ms Fitzpatrick asked Judge Catherine Staines to postpone his driving disqualification as he was a dry stock farmer who was hoping to make silage and hay during the summer.
Judge Staines imposed a six-month sentence, suspended for two years, and disqualified him from driving for three years, postponed until September 1.
And Keith Walsh, 14 Balladine Heights, Abbeyleix, last week received two €300 fines and two disqualifications of two years, for driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without insurance.
The court heard he was observed driving erratically at Balladine, and was found to have 152mg of alcohol per 100ml of urine.
He had one previous conviction for driving without insurance.


text: When analyzing the global collaboration between radical right groups, one needs to look no further than the Trump phenomenon, Brexit, and 20th-century British history. A core component, if not the core component of radical right ideology is nationalism (often described as nativism). Slogans of the radical right, be it 'Britain first' or 'make America great… Continue reading "Right-Wing Nationalism Has Become A Collaborative International Enterprise"


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Sequel Bits: 'Pirates of the Caribbean 5,' 'Pacific Rim 2,' ' Major League 3,' 'Underworld: Blood Wars'
Posted on Thursday, November 3rd, 2016 by Jacob Hall
In this edition of Sequel Bits:
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales has a new title in some territories.
- Pacific Rim 2 adds a new cast member.
- Charlie Sheen says a script for Major League 3 is good to go.
- Star Trek Beyond's screenwriter wants more Star Trek movies.
- No, James L. Brooks will not confirm a new Simpsons movie.
- Underworld: Blood Wars reveals a new poster.
- That Cube reboot has stalled.
- And more!
While the fifth film in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise will continue to be subtitled Dead Men Tell No Tales in the United States, some international audiences will see the film under a different title. In the United Kingdom, the film will now be known as Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge. In France, Italy and Spain, it will be titled Pirates of the Caribbean: The Revenge of Salazar. No reason has been given for the title change yet, but it should be noted that Salazar is the film's main villain, a ghostly pirate played by Javier Bardem.
Japanese actor Mackenyu Maeda has joined the cast of Pacific Rim 2, which is about to begin filming for a February 23, 2018 release date. The details of his role are unknown, but his casting continues the first film's mission of putting an international cast at the forefront of all that apocalypse-canceling. Although not well known, Maeda is the son of legendary martial artist, actor, and filmmaker Sonny Chiba, so being an onscreen badass may very well be in his blood.
Last year, a reboot of Vincenzo Natali's excellent sci-fi horror movie Cube was announced, with Jon Spaihts writing the script and Saman Kesh directing. Now, in a new interview with Arrow in the Head, Natali says that the project has stalled:
I have been involved with it. I think it's resting right now as we look for a new creative direction, but we still are inspired by the vision of that original, independent, high-concept film. With any luck, we'll still bring a new iteration of that story to light.
Cube, which follows a group of people trapped in a mysterious maze filled with traps, is the kind of simple premise that requires a deft touch to execute. After all, you need to care about the people trapped in the cube and the dynamic that develops around them. There's a lot of promise in a new Cube movie, so let's keep our fingers crossed for this one.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Charlie Sheen revealed that a second Major League sequel is in the works and that a script has been written and that everyone involved is just waiting for the rights to fall into place. Naturally, Sheen has nothing but praise for what's on the page:
David Ward [who wrote and directed Major League] wrote the script for Major League 3, which is as good as the first one. ML3 has as much heart, as much comedy as the original. We have been trying to get it done for a few years. There have been some hang-ups with the rights.
He also added that the stars of the first film, including Tom Berenger, Corbin Bernsen and Wesley Snipes, are all on board to return. As for plot, Sheen says that the film will not ignore the passage of time and will find his character in a rough spot:
You find the Vaughn character selling cars and his arm is so shot that if you buy a car from him, he'll play catch with your kid in the parking lot. And then there is an ex who shows up, who he had a tryst with a couple decades ago, and she has a twentysomething kid, who is now in the Cleveland organization, throwing about 102 mph. So, the story pretty much focuses on that. The kid does not like me. We do not like each other. It bookends our story, but it also passes the torch.
Now we just have to wait and see if the stars align just right for this to come to fruition.
Star Trek Beyond writer Doug Jung thinks that it's time for a Star Trek cinematic universe, telling CinemaBlend:
It's a franchise that can support different styles of movies. There's the big action tentpole feel of Star Trek and the Enterprise, but why not try to do something that's the Zero Dark Thirty version of Star Trek, or one that introduces some younger characters at the Academy? It's 50 years' worth of discovery, and obviously they're doing that with Star Trek Discovery, but why not blow it out to a cinematic universe that has secondary characters, and smaller storylines, more intimate storylines, ones that deal with more of an espionage element versus the large-scale exploration themes of the main Star Trek.
Sure, they could try to branch out and make more Trek movies that cover different corners of this universe (it is the greatest science fiction series of all time, after all), but did you see Beyond's box office gross? We shouldn't get our hopes up. But if you do want more varied Star Trek, all you have to do is go to the hundreds of hours of television that have been produced over the 50 years the franchise has existed and take your pick.


text: Richard Linklater, Werner Herzog Titles to Premiere at Sydney Film Festival 2:10 AM PDT 4/6/2016 by Pip Bulbeck FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Courtesy of SXSW A 10-film Martin Scorsese retrospective is also in the program for the festival which runs June 8 to 19. Australian premieres of Everybody Wants Some!!, Richard Linklater's follow up to Boyhood and Werner Herzog's take on the evolution of the Internet in Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World are among the highlights of the 63rd Sydney Film Festival lineup organizers revealed Wednesday. Other big early announcements include an Australian premiere for Rebecca Miller's Maggie's Plan starring Greta Gerwig, Julianne Moore and Ethan Hawke and a 10-film retrospective of the works of Martin Scorsese curated by critic David Stratton. Festival director Nashen Moodley promised "something for all kinds of films lovers" with the early announcement of 26 films including Mustang, Turkey's Un Certain Regard winner from the 2015 Cannes Film Festival; India's answer to Bridesmaids the female buddy movie Angry Indian Goddesses from director Pan Nalin; Australian writer-director Sean Byrne's U.S. horror film The Devil's Candy; Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts starrer Demolition; and Janis Joplin documentary, Janis: Little Girl Blue. Titles from Denmark, Indonesia, Peru, Belgium, Ireland and Afghanistan, as well as Sundance and Venice Film Festival award winners are also part of the lineup. "These are films that can change your mind, change your mood and change the way you look at the world. From big stars and big ideas to small but perfectly formed stories of truth and imagination, there's something for all kinds of film lovers here," Moodley said unveiling his first crop of selections for the 12-day annual fest. No official competition titles were announced. The festival's full lineup will be released May 11. FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Pip Bulbeck email@example.com @thr


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The geekson is 20 months old, and now that he's got that walking thing completely sussed, he is making big leaps in his speech. The geekdaughter was the same – she focussed on walking first, and then once she'd mastered that her vocabulary just grew and grew. The geekson's speech seems to be developing slower than I remember the geekdaughter's doing, but it is equally as wonderful to watch. I'm determined this time around to keep track of his progress, as I never really did that the first time around. So, in order to preserve it, I present you with the words the geekson currently knows…
I should say that whilst this is still quite a short list, he is expanding it every day. He will repeat many more words than this, but these are the ones that he will reliably say without us saying them first.
- Bye bye
- Morning
- All gone
- Mummy
- Daddy
- Car
- Tractor (tar-tar)
- Octonauts (Oct)
- Bob (the builder, obviously!)
- Cat
- Socks
- Thank you (pronounced "Kyou")
- Uh-oh
- Oopsie
- Bear
- Banana
- Boat
and the one I am most proud of…
- iPad (pad)
Yes, you can tell he's a member of a geek family, can't you? And just to prove he's doing it, here's a really rather cute video of him saying "iPad":
If the video does not display for you above this text, you can watch it on YouTube here.


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Nowadays with the rise of social media, we can't help but constantly compare ourselves on a superficial level to others. We sometimes base our own worth by using benchmarks that society provides for us and this can cause us to feel insecure about who we are.
If you know me, then you know that I'm a huge advocate of self-love. I think a lot issues that people have stem from the fact that they haven't learned to love themselves enough. When we feel uncomfortable in our own skin, sometimes we start to loathe ourselves and this can cause lack of confidence, it can cause us to turn down opportunities due to our insecurities, and it can cause us to not demand the respect and love that we deserve.
I was recently asked to take part in a project called, Beauty Queen. The creator of this project is a 22 year old girl named Nidhi. Nidhi grew up in Singapore, is of Indian descent, and has spent the last four years in Canada. She graduated with a degree in marketing and is currently applying for her master's in healthcare and development. Nidhi works part-time and spends all her free hours building up Beauty Queen. She was kind enough to answer the following questions for me on this initiative that she's started.
What is the purpose of beauty queen?
The purpose of Beauty Queen – an aggregation of diverse women, their struggles, insecurities, advice and more – is to raise awareness of the social stigma of beauty around us, to create a support network, to promote a positive relationship between one's mind and body and finally, to encourage the appreciation of one's unique identity.
Why did you pick this cause?
I'm invested in body-confidence and it's related issues due to my personal experience with the matter. When I was younger, I struggled with the idea that I was darker, heavier and taller than the girls around me. In high school, I starved myself, did insane amounts of cardio and felt incredible guilt if I ever ate heavily. I was perpetually unsatisfied with myself and treated my body incredibly badly.
About two years ago, I visited Brazil, a country with an incredibly diverse population comprising a multitude of races, body types, colours and builds. In that environment, I was exposed to the fact that everyone looks different, so it was unrealistic to place one standard on a global population. I felt more comfortable with myself than ever, started weightlifting and started nourishing my body with wholesome, healthy food. Today, I'm more comfortable with my body in it's natural state than I've been in years.
My struggle is what fuels Beauty Queen, as the project strives to bring other's insecurities, issues and triumphs to light, in order to deconstruct society's pressures, create a network and minimize the effect of these inner battles.
How did you come up with this project?
As I got older and more comfortable with myself, I started sharing my insecurities and doubts with my friends. More often than not, they would open right back up to me. Their struggles would shock me. You don't understand how many times I've thought, 'How could this beautiful, otherwise confident girl see herself like this?". I'm someone who finds little features about each person so endearing and beautiful, maybe the shape of their cheek when they smile or their beautifully-shaped nose – and I find it shocking when they don't see it for themselves.
With everything that we're exposed to today, our generation is good at one thing – comparison. We compare ourselves to those around us, on and off screen, and magnify our self-doubt. We deem ourselves 'not good enough, not [characteristic x] enough to do something or the other.
Essentially, what I wanted to come up with was a platform where we share these inner thoughts, insecurities and struggles that are behind-closed-doors. Through sharing, each and every reader was to realize how they were subject to similar [unattainable] societal expectations and how harsh they were being on themselves and in the process. Ultimately, they would learn to embrace their individuality rather than shutting it down.
Where do you see Beauty Queen headed?
The one thing I want for Beauty Queen is exposure. I just want it to touch as many individuals as it possibly can. I want each post to make someone feel better in the morning, a little surer of themselves.
In the future, I hope to start up a campaign directed at men as it's just as significant a struggle for them. Although it may be even more difficult to execute, in some aspects, due to the additional stigma that men can't be emotional/vulnerable.
Thank you to Nidhi for answering my questions and for allowing me to take part in such a beautiful initiative. For those of you who are interested to see my feature or want to take part in the project check it out at the following link, btyqn.org and do go and like their facebook page.


text: Features Top tens We're the Brits in America! April 21, 2011 El Harris Aldous Snow, Arthur, arthur 1981, arthur 2011, arthur film, arthur movie, Arthur original, Arthur remake, Arthur Russell Brand, arthur trailer, british actors in american films, Brits in American, dame helen mirren, Domino, Dudley Moore, Emily Blunt, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Geraldine James, Get Him To The Greek, Ghost Town, Gone in 60 Seconds, Greta Gerwig, Hannah and Her Sisters, Helen Mirren, hugh grant, Jennifer Garner, katy brand, katy perry, Keira Knightley, Mars Attacks, Michael Caine, Mickey Blue Eyes, nick frost, Oscars, Paul, Pierce Brosnan, Ricky Gervais, russel, Russell Brand, russell brand arthur, russell brand films, russell brand radio, russell brand wedding, Simon Pegg, The Adjustment Bureau, top ten british actors, top ten brits in america, Vinnie Jones This Friday sees the release of Arthur, starring Russell Brand and Helen Mirren. Read more