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SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N10RC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *NASA Managers Assess Shuttle Repair Work* Image above: Atlantis sits inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, while repair work continues on the external tank. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller + View High-res Image <http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170421main_07pd0645.jpe> + View Hail Damage to External Tank <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/multimedia/117_gallery-hail.html> TO VIEW IMAGE AND DAMAGE GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html * 03.21.07 - 8:30 p.m. EDT* During a media teleconference Wednesday, March 21, NASA officials discussed the status of repair work to Space Shuttle Atlantis' external fuel tank, which was damaged during a Feb. 26 hail storm at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The teleconference followed a meeting to assess the ongoing work. Managers decided that more testing and analysis are needed to determine whether the tank will be used for the upcoming STS-117 flight or whether the tank will be replaced. On April 10, the teams expect to have the necessary data to make that decision and to establish a potential target launch date. All the hail damage spots on the tank have been mapped out. Repair work has been completed on the bottom portion of the tank, the liquid hydrogen section. The damage on the middle part of the tank, or innertank, was superficial and will require little or no repair. There are 2,500 dings, mostly in the top of the tank, that will be reviewed to determine what type of repair technique may be required. During the STS-117's 11-day mission, the six-member crew will install a new truss segment, retract a set of solar arrays and unfold a new set on the starboard side of the station. Lessons learned from two previous missions will provide the astronauts with new techniques and tools to perform their duties. Atlantis Commander Rick Sturckow, Pilot Lee Archambault and Mission Specialists Jim Reilly, Patrick Forrester, Steven Swanson and John "Danny" Olivas will continue training at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston as they await a new target launch date. *STS-117 Mission* + The Crew <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/index.html> + The Mission <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/mission_overview.html> + The Integrated Truss Structure <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/its.html> ---- Sent via email@example.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/sarex
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So my journey has been rough. My baby was a VERY good nurser in the beginning, but things started to go down hill once we were home and I decided to stop nursing due to the stress of it. So I did one day and then the next day decided I wasnt done and started again. I did this another time as well about a week later. Then I thought I was getting PPD so I stopped and got engorged really bad, and decided I better do it slowly this was at 4wks pp. I do not have PPD turns out it was seperation axiety. So here we are 7 wks pp and I am only nursing a few times a day and my baby is getting formula for all feedings even when he does nurse ( nights and early mornings) and my baby will only nurse for a few mintues just enough to get through the letdown. I have not been pumping at all during the last 2 wks so my supply is low but my baby still gets a huge letdown and even chokes on it. I just went back to work yesterday and decided I wasnt ready to give up our nursing relationship. So I began to pump 3x at work and I got alittle I am also taking fenugreek and mother milk tea now. I am praying that I can get back to nursing my baby but I fear it is too late because he has now started to fight the breast. I keep telling myself that since he will still latch and drink through a letdown that maybe once my milk is back in full that he will be able to get more satisfied and want to nurse more. I reall really want this and dont have much support since I have gone back and forth so much that my husband and family are ready for me to be done and just formula feed. They do not like seeing me get upset if breastfeeding doesnt work out right and they are tired of hearing me talk about it...So my questions are;
Is it too late?
Can I get my full milk supply back even though I have not been nursing but a few minutes a few times a day?
Will my baby nurse from me again fulltime?

subset: commoncrawl


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Write a News Story
Meet a Pioneer Pilot
Amelia Earhart Home
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The Life Of An American Hero
By: Kimberly B.
Illinois, Age 10
AMELIA EARHART HAS DISAPPEARED.Just a few years ago, Amelia Earhart disappeared. What really happened to her? I know exactly what.Amelia grew up as tomb boy climbing trees, sledding in snowy weather, and hunting. When she grew up and was working as a nurse in the World War and saw the huge airplanes soaring through the sky, she knew that one day it was going to be her in that plane. Amelia saw her dreams right then and there. She quickly got to work to live her dreams and practiced her skills in the air. She had a shaky start, but soon Amelia had the hang of it.Soon Amelia wanted to really achieve her dreams. She decided to go on a trip around the world-on her plane.Everybody told her to give up, that it was dangerous. But Amelia didn't want to. She went on not even pausing to think of the possibilities.Noonan was Amelia's co-pilot. He was a drunk and Amelia sometimes had to wake him up for help. Noonan was difficult to work with on the trip. Sometimes the fumes from the plane ride made her queasy, and that was also a difficulty but she still went on. Amelia was a fantastic flyer. She soared on through continents like Brazil and Africa. But did Amelia Earhart ever make it? Im sorry to say no.I believe that Earhart and Noonan crashed somewhere in an island near Saipan. The Japanese got suspicious and kidnapped her. A US soldier stated he had spotted her in a hanger in Japan. The crashed plane had been put up in display for everyone to see. A native woman visiting Saipan had stated that there had been a man and woman aboard the plane.
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text: Director Hajime Kadoi examines the humanity of the folks whose job it is to serve and honor the law with this compassion drama concerning a middle-aged prison guard who is called on to assist a condemned prisoner in his final moments. Adapted from the novel by Akira Yoshimura, Vacation tells the story of Hirai (Kaoru Kobayashi). A solitary figure at work, where he tends to model death row inmate Kaneda (Hidetoshi Nishijima), Hirai is engaged to marry single mother Mika (Nene Ohtsuka). Unfortunately for the soon-to-be-married couple, Hirai's job as a prison guard doesn't permit him the luxury of planning a proper honeymoon. An unanticipated opportunity for a week off of work soon arrives, however, when the minister of justice signs Kaneda's execution warrant. There's no doubt that Hirai could use a break, if not just for his honeymoon than to try and mend bridges with his future stepson, but that reprieve comes at a particularly high price. Kaneda is preparing to meet his executioner, and it's Hirai's job to ensure that the condemned man is treated with dignity and humanity in his final moments.~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide


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Hi, new here ^_^
I'm considering buying a rice cooker and whether I should go for a model with a preset timer.
If I did purchase one that has this feature I'm wondering, not having used a rice cooker before, how I would go about having rice ready in the morning when I wake up.
Would I have to leave the rice soaking in the water until the start time, in that case wouldn't that spoil the rice??
Or would I be simply using a warmer function... or both.
Help please: Thanks!
This may be totally wrong, though! I'm just telling you what I do, because I saw there weren't any responses yet. If I make some rice right before bed, I just cook it as usual and then let it sit on the warm setting until morning. I think some of my Japanese friends let it soak for a bit before the timer is set to start cooking, but I'm not sure for how long. I will ask and try to get back to you!
Asian adventures through American eyes @ http://www.somewherethesunisrising.com
Hi Rusillio! I usually wash the rice and leave it to soak overnight, with the timer set so that it finishes cooking in the morning. The rice doesn't spoil in a few hours, especially in the closed environment of the rice cooker, especially white rice. Personally I prefer this way so that I have freshly cooked rice rather than rice that's been kept warm for some hours (it can spoil that way too, though again for a few hours its fine).
If you've ever sprouted seeds for example, many require some soaking in water before sowing for the best germination, and they dont spoil in that time. Rice is just seeds, if you think about it!
The Big Onigiri.
- Wherever you go, there you are. -
thank you so much! It's so difficult to choose the right rice cooker, before investing in one with a preset timer I wanted to make sure it was worth it.
I cooked my rice overnight and left it in the cooker till morning and found that on some of the rice, there was a little yellow spot. Does that mean it has spoilt? I only noticed it after I ate almost half -_-"
Spoiled rice has a very, um, distinctive odor so it probably hasn't spoiled. The rice keeps cooking to some extent when it's kept warm, and does turn yellow after a while. You may want to set your timer so that it finishes cooking just around the time you will need it.
I LOVE having a timer on my rice cooker! Rather than using it overnight though, I wash rice in the morning and set the timer so it cooks right before I get home from work. (it soaks most of the day) One less step to getting dinner ready! I like to cook a mix of white and brown rice, and I've found the soaking helps soften the brown rice to where you can cook everything on the white rice setting.
Maki is right on--if your rice has gone bad you'll definitely know it. We had some leftover rice in the fridge one time go bad...eeew
I set mine to start cooking about an hour before I wake up before going to school. I've never had a problem with the rice spoiling. If I have leftover rice in the cooker for over three hours or so on warm, the rice will start to get hard, overcooked and dry. At this point you can put it in a soup or make fried rice, depending on the damage. I like frying rice with some butter, umm, butter rice. : )
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Male Vocal/Guitar
Innocent Songs for Guilty Pleasures
The Significant Others is a rock band that serves up a potent party cocktail. Theirs is a rare chemistry that blends an eclectic list of songs, a love of playing music with each other, and a healthy pour of incredible live energy. The mix is strong, one that unifies both band and crowd in a single common cause: getting people up for getting down. This five-piece brotherhood brings a powerful and positive energy to every event. They play the old stuff (Otis Redding, The Police, Frankie Valli), . . .
The Significant Others is a rock band that serves up a potent party cocktail. Theirs is a rare chemistry that blends an eclectic list of songs, a love of playing music with each other, and a healthy pour of incredible live energy. The mix is strong, one that unifies both band and crowd in a single common cause: getting people up for getting down. This five-piece brotherhood brings a powerful and positive energy to every event. They play the old stuff (Otis Redding, The Police, Frankie Valli), the new stuff (Maroon 5, Vampire Weekend, The Black Keys), and everything in between (Huey Lewis The News, Tupac, Sublime, and yes, Whitney Houston too). Through inventive arrangements, tight medleys, and danceable grooves, the band turns each and every performance into an event - YOUR event. And just when you think the blend is near perfect, charismatic frontman Dave "Sully" Sullivan infuses the perfect layer of cool to complement the band's pure fire. From their unique stage decor and tasteful production to a bumping rhythm section and spot-on harmonies, the band delivers a unique approach with universal appeal. So, go ahead — take a sip, have a blast. The Significant Others is the kind of band you've heard of but never seen. Now's your chance.
Safeway has an online marketing affiliate program. They have multiple policies for affiliates including a search marketing policy . One item in the policy agreement is that no affiliates can purchase branded keyword phrases on search engine advertising engines. No misrepresentation of the brand is allowed.
Google has a
Wear amp; Walk UK Wamp;W Women Ladies Evening Fashion Sandal Comfort Diamante Bridal Wedding Wedge Heel Shoes With Matching BagSAN2117B Purple uqRF8bPA
for Gmail users. Rules include no sending messages in violation of CAN-SPAM, imitating others and other items that would be considered malicious.
These are a few examples of how companies and organizations use policies to eliminate mistakes and keep their businesses running efficiently. Policies are essential for many tasks in business. Anytime you have someone doing something a policy (along with the next two items) can improve your system.
Take Action: Now it's time for you to make use of this information. These businesses have created policies that have made their organizations more efficient. The reason for rules and framework is to eliminate mistakes others have already made. It allows new people on the team to learn faster and get right into the work.
Look at a task in your company that is repeatable and inefficient. Create a policy of rules and guidelines. This is the first step to eliminating confusion when delegating tasks.
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The process is the high level view or the map of the task. Remember the road map example. The map is the process laying out how you will achieve the goal or complete the task. It's essential to have a process so an employee or partner can see what is expected and that the task can be accomplished.
D3 Creative has a published email design process. It shows prospective clients how the company creates an email design, but it's also a great process to share with designers on the team that will be designing the emails. You can see that it's a high level overview of each step from beginning to end.
Here is the
Gabor Women's AssistPatent Ballet Flats Black Black Patent 4I4IS
published by DKG Creative. It's another great example of how processes are high-level maps that show people the beginning and end of the task they are to complete.
Here's a fun one from McDonald's. It's an overview of the
Braccialini 4102 Slipon Shoes Women Black GlYCeC
for commercials. The video is an example of the process. You can show the video to someone new and they would be able to see the high level map to preparing food for commercial shoots.
Take Action: Now it's time to create the process for the task you choose in the previous step. Once you have the policies in place you need to layout the process or the high level map of how the task will be completed by the person on your team. If the task calls for multiple people the process will include a map that includes the timing and transfer of steps. The overview gives everyone involved a clear idea of what will occur.
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Jussi Jokinen scored the lone goal in the shootout to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in a preview of a possible first-round playoff matchup.
Jokinen, Pittsburgh's third skater, entered the zone close to the right boards and weaved his way towards the slot. He lost control of the puck just as Detroit netminder Jonas Gustavsson went for a poke check. The puck bounced up into the air and rolled into the net for the game winner.
James Neal scored two power-play goals and Jokinen also scored in regulation for the Penguins, who won the third game in their last four. Matt Niskanen and Paul Martin both supplied two assists and Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside 34 shots in the win.
The Penguins got a boost from several players returning to the lineup. Kris Letang returned after missing 10 weeks due to a stroke he suffered on Jan. 29. The 2013 Norris Trophy finalist contributed an assist and logged 22:30 in his first game back. Sidney Crosby, Chris Kunitz, and Olli Maatta were also re-inserted into the lineup.
Despite the loss, the Red Wings clinched a playoff berth for the 23rd consecutive season. Tomas Jurco, Jakub Kindl, and Riley Sheahan all lit the lamp as Detroit has not missed out on the postseason since 1990. Gustavsson made 21 saves in the fortunate setback.


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2017 Kawasaki Sportbikes Motorcycles Prices and Values
Select any 2017 Kawasaki Sportbikes Motorcycles
Kawasaki Note
VINTAGE - 1949 - 1962 Due to the rarity of these years and models of Kawasaki, pricing data is still being collected.
2017 Note
MOTORCYCLES - In 2017 only curb weight was reported.
(Model years 2018 - 1999)
Founded in 1896, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. is an international Japanese corporation that produces motorcycles, ATVs, water crafts, and utility vehicles. Their motorcycle brand consist of various sport bikes, cruisers, off-road, and motocross bikes.


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It's not every day the general public acknowledges that a small group of Benedictine nuns in Missouri can out-sing Daft Punk, Black Sabbath or Kanye West.
But indeed, the general public has.
"If you put something out that is really beautiful and it is just pure and true then people will find it and will be attracted to it," said Monica Fitzgibbons, who with her husband, Kevin, founded De Montfort Music, the record label for "Angels and Saints at Ephesus.""The people will decide and it seems like they've made their choice."
Listen and learn about "Angels and Saints at Ephesus" by The Benedictines of Mary in this YouTube video.
Listen to St. Francis Xavier's Prayer by Benedictines of Mary
A chart-topper
The CD, recorded by the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, and released May 7, hit No. 1 on Amazon's top 100 list for all music in July, besting albums from aforementioned mainstream artists. As of Aug. 2, the album had topped the charts of Billboard's Traditional Classical Albums for 12 consecutive weeks. In mid-July, it spent a week ranked No. 1 on Billboard magazine's Classical Music Overall Chart.Competitors for the Billboard title were "Fifty Shades of Grey: The Classical Album" and "Downton Abbey: The Essential Collection."
The milestone reached by "Angels and Saints" is refreshing: the morally offensive novel "Fifty Shades of Grey" and the PBS period drama show "Downton Abbey" are wildly successful in pop culture. Yet, those albums fell behind "Angels and Saints."
"People have sort of been groomed to go down this other path of 'Fifty Shades of Grey' or whatever the marketing gimmick of the day is," Fitzgibbons told Our Sunday Visitor. "This isn't a gimmick. It's something like a Michelangelo painting. You just want to put it out and share. You want people to experience it."
De Montfort Music is busy right now, as they are slated to release another sacred music album "Mater Eucharistiae," from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Aug. 13. The debut release will include original compositions reflecting the sisters' Dominican spirituality, presented in English and Latin with modern and ancient hymns and chants.
Labors of love
The Fitzgibbonses have proved they are savvy in hunting out quality music with potential for success.
"My husband and I were in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles," said Fitzgibbons. "We've worked with some of the biggest names in pop rock music today, in mainstream music."
But after a period of time, the couple began to feel as if their work and faith life were not in sync.
"The content of it started getting worse and worse, and we just didn't feel good about promoting some of the music and films that we were involved in," she said of their decision to start their own company, Aim Higher Entertainment, in 2007. De Montfort Music, a division of Aim Higher Entertainment, releases sacred music performed by religious orders.
The couple heard a simple recording the Benedictine nuns had created and, smitten by their seraphic melodies, traveled to Missouri to meet and listen to the nuns personally. "Angels and Saints" is the second album the Fitzgibbons have released for the nuns; they are in the planning phase of a third.
"The Benedictines of Mary are very holy and they are very charitable," Fitzgibbons said. "They are very contemplative and quiet but at the same time they're very sweet; they're like the music."
The nuns follow the simple Benedictine motto of ora et labora ("prayer and work").
"The artists we worked with in the mainstream industry — their philosophy was 'work and play,'" said Fitzgibbons. "This was one letter tweaked — and it's 'work and pray.' That one letter describes the massive divide from the two worlds."
The first track of the album, "O God of Loveliness," lives up to its name, combining the clear sweet tones and harmonies of the nuns into a soaring hymn, fervent in its devotion and adoration.
"You almost feel like you're eavesdropping on a relationship," said Fitzgibbons.
A sense of the sacred?
Peter Jeffery, a Michael P. Grace II professor of medieval studies at the University of Notre Dame, said his parents met each other at a Gregorian chant rehearsal. Both parents were steeped in rich sacred music experiences that infused Jeffery's childhood and now his adulthood.
"What I learned from my parents is that the Church's musical tradition involves a lot more than music — it connects Scripture, the sacraments, prayer, spiritual formation, history and culture," Jeffery said.
His colleague, Margot Fassler, a Keough-Hesburgh professor of music history and liturgy at the University of Notre Dame, is establishing a children's choir to ensure that youth continue to be instilled with an appreciation for sacred music.
"I am passionate about helping children get their minds well-stocked with music — the food for the soul for their lifetimes," she said.
Even the generation expected to thrive on Kanye West is taking notice. Eric Peart, a recent graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, sang in his school's Catholic choir for four years.
"Unfortunately, we sang very little chant, but the little we did sing, I loved," he said. "I think the biggest reason many young people are attracted to more traditional sacred music, such as chant, is because they recognize that sacred music must be different than secular music — secular music exists to entertain the listener, while sacred music exists to direct the listener's attention toward God."
Thanks to his Pandora station and iTunes account, "I find that listening to sacred music during the day reminds me to pray more," Peart said. "I also find that it can help me remain calm when I have a lot of stress."
And to anyone who may still think that sacred music is only for listening to in church or another religious setting, Fitzgibbons begs to differ. The hymns speak to the heart on any day, at any time.
"It just feels like heaven," she said. "I can't describe any other way."
Mariann Hughes writes from Maryland
Copyright © 1996-2018 Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.


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posted by Thom Holwerda on Wed 7th Sep 2005 17:31 UTC
Confirming long-standing rumours, Apple has today announced the iTunes-enabled phone together with Motorola in a special press event. The phone will automatically pause when you get a call, explained Jobs. The ROKR can only hold about 100 songs, according to Jobs. "The way we think of this phone is, it's really an iPod shuffle on your phone," he explained. "Both devices can shuffle, both can autofill, neither has a click wheel - but the phone has a display." Meanwhile, Microsoft joins hands with Orange to challenge Apple Motorola iTunes Phone.


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Ed Werder, who covers the NFL for ESPN, was on SportsCenter on Friday discussing the biggest offseason storyline in the NFL: Andy Reid being named the Kansas City Chiefs' next head coach.
During the course of the segment, Werder pointed out that Chiefs owner Clark Hunt and now-former GM Scott Pioli met with Reid in Philadelphia for close to nine hours, but flew home to Kansas City while Reid remained in Philly.
Why did Reid stay? According to Werder's questionable sense of humor, one potential reason is that Reid may have "put the plane over its weight limit."
Thank you. Thank you. I'll be here all week. Try the veal.
Later, Werder took to Twitter to apologize for his "bad attempt at humor."
I don't have a huge problem with Werder making a joke about Reid's weight - maybe because during his 14-year tenure I have become so accustomed to hearing them that I block them out.
What's really offensive is how unfunny the joke - or attempt at a joke - was to begin with.


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(Props: Six Deuce Clothing)
Though the Glorious Sweater of Absolute Victory was never tracked down to an original retailer — giving more weight to the theory that Fedor Emelianenko simply found it in a forest one day, held in the jaws of a white wolf with green eyes — you can still get a small dose of horizontally-striped power thanks to Six Deuce Clothing, which is preparing to release the breathtaking t-shirt shown above. The Fedor-sweater-tee (along with four other new designs) will be available for purchase on 62Gear.com beginning this Friday; their one-day Black Friday sale will also feature some of Six Deuce's older t-shirts for just $10 and a 15% discount on all orders over $50.
But first things first — you want that GSoAV shirt, and we can get you one. All you have to do is come up with a creative and hilarious caption to the photo after the jump. Please submit all entries to the comments section of this post by next Wednesday at noon ET; finalists will be announced later that day for voting, and the top three caption-writers will each win a shirt. Got it? Now go out there and make Fyo'door proud!


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Views: 190
Replies to This Discussion
Love to be included (50yr old)
Name: Craig Steinberg
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com; 571-435-2993 c
thanks, Craig
I'm interested. email@example.com
Live: Rockville/Bethesda Area
NTRP 4.0 (high level)
Jaime Gomez
Doug, this is a great idea. Have you seen these helpful tennis ladder instructions?
Also, you certainly can create a new ladder group and have all the ladder members join. You can send group messages to everyone. I don't really think you need their email addresses but that is up to you and the players. Go ahead and record the emails above, because I am going to take them down (I don't like emails posted in public areas - it promotes spam).
People who want to join, send Doug your email (if you want) by going to his profile page and sending him a PM or a Friend Request.
Have fun! I wish I could join the ladder but the air travel would be too expensive. ;-)
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Gingras being recommended as new Nashua schools AD
July 13. 2013 8:04PM
NASHUA - A Nashua High School graduate and award-winning math teacher at Nashua South is being recommended to take over as the next director of athletics for the Nashua School District.
Lisa Gingras was the unanimous top choice among five finalists selected by the 13-member search committee, said Jen Seusing, assistant superintendent for Nashua Schools. Her nomination will go before the full Board of Education when it meets Monday night.
"One of the main criteria we were looking for was someone to bring longevity, consistency and leadership to the position," Seusing said. "The interview team felt she featured the kind of consistency and strong, positive and effective leadership needed for the job."
Gingras, who graduated Nashua High School (now Nashua South) in 1990, started her coaching career with the Salem High School softball team in 1996. The Blue Devils won the Class A state title two years later. She has also been varsity volleyball coach at Alvirne for 13 years.If approved, Gingras will succeed Tom Arria, who is leaving after three years to become AD at the Cambridge Rindge & Latin School in Cambridge, Mass.


text:
PLM of crystals of progesterone
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Keywords: biochemical, biochemistry, chemical, chemistry, compound, compounds, crystal, crystals, female, female hormones, hormones, images, magnified image, microscopic photos, plm, polarised light micrograph, pregnancy, progesterone, sex hormones, subjects
Licence fees: A licence fee will be charged for any media (low or high resolution) used in your project.


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Motion ComposerAnimation for Flash or HTML5
MotionComposer is a new way to create and deliver HTML5 or Flash animation. Designed by French company Aquafadas, the software is available in both Mac and PC versions to allow anyone the ability to start animating right away. Although Adobe Flash animations have recently been the subject of scrutiny, there are many advantages to using HTML5. With MotionComposer, you can easily make your content much more engaging.
Adobe's Flash content is a very rich experience. There is a wide range of interactive animations that you can create using animation tools that develop for Flash player. However, Flash does require Adobe's Flash player in order to let your audience experience that content. ENTER: HTML5.
HTML 5 doesn't require a custom player to be installed in order to allow your target market see your animated content. Although it doesn't perform as robustly as Flash, there are many simple animations that can take advantage of the wider range of platforms that support HTML5 over Flash.
MotionComposer will help you create those simple animations that make your website or web app more engaging. Not only does this software help you get your animations into an HTML5 format, there are many different types of animation presets and templates to help you create animated work without having to go through difficult characteristic (keyframe) manipulation. http://www.aquafadas.com/en/motioncomposer/
If you're familiar with Adobe's After Effects, there are several text presets that you may be familiar with. The presets for text (there are several) are marked with an "fx" icon that will also look familiar to you. The presets are available in many different parts of the application - including presets for intros, outros, and pre loaders.
You'll be able to get started right away, and create impressive, expressive animations very easily.
One of the better features of MotionComposer is the ability to provide both Flash and HTML5 content at the same time. A simple block of code will determine which version needs to be played. (Remember, not all devices or browsers will allow users to view Flash content)
If you want to include some interactive action similar to what you might find in Flash, you're in luck. There are some simple scripts/actions that you can use within MotionCompose to define what users can control through buttons. If you'd like to write your own with javascript, they've allowed you to get in there too.
MotionComposer is made for Mac people.
This software is really easy to understand. If you're a fan of Apple iMovie, FinalCutProX, Garageband, you'll have no problem wading in and moving around the interface here. Many Mac people have the expectation of understanding how to get started immediately when they open the software.
There are many areas within the software (in UX) where this falls apart. The software requires some awkward navigation. It is on a great trajectory, but it feels unfinished. It's definitely in the beta phase of its development, but it is still early. MotionComposer is setting up to be excellent in later versions.
It's also made for iBook people.
If you're interested in making some rich content for your iBook publication, MotionComposer can help you animate graphics that will let your readers participate in the iPhone or iPad experience. You can export to Adobe's InDesign to get you heading in the right direction of publishing to iBook. Unfortunately, the documentation abruptly stops before more of the iBook or complete InDesign process is explained fully.
One of the disappointments with the software is the documentation. What? You read the documentation? Well, if you're the kind who likes to see where all of the bodies are buried, you might wander off to the help docs. You'll find some auto-translate nonsense there (unless you read French): http://www.aquafadas.eu/documentation/MotionComposer/quickstart_en.pdf At the time of this article, the quick start documentation doesn't seem to be complete either. There are chapters missing. The good part is - the software is relatively easy to figure out without documentation.
- It's relatively cheap for all that it does. At under $150, this is a professional tool with an affordable price tag.
- Get started easily right away. There isn't a lot to understand up front.
- If you want to dig in deeper, there are options for advanced users as well.
- Several presets and ability to create user presets as well
- The documentation isn't there. There may be many more ways to get more out of this software, but I didn't see it beyond some simple startup instructions.
- Interface looks terrible on retina display. The software looks soft on my macbook pro, making it look as if it doesn't meet expectations of real animators or designers.
- Some navigation is confusing and sometimes doesn't provide adequate popup help
- The software isn't really "finished" yet. It's still only version 1.6, but I definitely see potential here.
There are many features I'd like to see in upcoming versions, but there are enough tools to get you started for now. Take a look at MotionComposer yourself. It costs $149, but with all good software, they've allowed you to take it for a test run before you commit to it.
You may also want to check out their animated banner application called BANNERZEST. I haven't tried this out, but it seems to have many of the tools you might need if you're just going to make some Flash or HTML5 animated banners. At only $49, BannerZest is a smaller feature set than the MotionComposer software, but it may be enough for what you're trying to accomplish. You won't be able to make a custom animation, but the there are many prebuilt themes that let you create some fun animated banners - and there are MANY different parameters that you can modify in those preset themes.
BannerZest is software that any blogger or anyone who maintains their own website should take a good look at. It's an easy way to attract and keep your audience.
MotionComposer is for anyone who is serious about their website, professionals who want to make Flash or HTML5 animations. If you're ready for something more than templates, or if you'd like to give your animation some custom interactive characteristics, MotionComposer is for you. It's lightweight, quick, and easily creates animations for every platform.
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Ko Maruyama is a freelance animator in Los Angeles. In addition to working on film and broadcast animations, Ko teaches at Pasadena's Art Center College of Design - focusing on motion design. When working, writing or testing software allows, you can find him lending a hand in the After Effects board and lurking among the Cinema4D, Visual Effects and Photoshop posts within the DMNForums.
Related Keywords:MotionComposer, web animation, HTML5 animation, FLASH animation, animation editor
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New Year's resolutions are always a tricky subject.
We all know the normal ones: weight loss, get a better job, try something new, etc. And for most of us, those resolutions are broken usually within six weeks.
Luckily, I've been able to keep my personal resolutions of the last two years (I'm showing off, I get it), and so as editor of your weekly paper, I wanted to make some public resolutions for the Era for 2015.
First let me say that this is something I have never done, but certainly have been tempted when reading letters to the editor. Somehow I have always restrained myself and moved on. But not this time. "Disappointed in Light Up" had to be addressed and a "colossal disappointment" really could not go without saying something.
We all know the nature of ripples. We throw a stone and it causes ripples. We say something and it causes ripples. We take action and it causes ripples. We belong to a community or an organization or a workplace (small or large) and our behavior there causes ripples. All those ripples affect other people. All those other people are throwing their stones as well, and their ripples are affecting us.
Another year is coming to a close. It happens so quickly anymore. Year after year passes like an older brother who can't walk by without frogging your thigh or putting you in a headlock. Time itself isn't painful, but the swiftness with which it passes leaves me feeling like I just encountered a vicious older sibling. And I'm left wondering, "What did I do to deserve that?"
A man called his parents to wish them a happy New Year and his dad answered the phone. He said, "Hi Dad, what's your New Year's resolution?" His Dad answered proudly, "To make your mother as happy as I can all year." When Mom got on the phone he asked her the same question and she answered, "To see that your dad keeps his New Year's resolution."
Our district's teachers, administrators and staff deserve praise for their constant efforts to ensure the learning of every student in our district. But equally deserving recognition and an expression of gratitude are the locally-elected members of our Board of Education.
Copyright © 2018
The Oldham Era is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Oldham County and LaGrange, Kentucky, and the surrounding area.


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April 06. 2013 9:30PM
Smoking materials blamed for fire
Fire officials say careless disposal of smoking materials was to blame for a fire at Royal Crest Apartments Saturday afternoon.
The fire started on a third-floor balcony at 16 Royal Crest Dr. around 3:30 p.m., according to Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Kerrigan. "It had started to get inside, but we caught it in time," he said.
Kerrigan said the building's fire alarms went off and residents got out on their own. It took about 30 minutes to bring the fire under control.


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Pre-Sales Software Engineer - £50,000
- Recruiter
- Computer Futures
- Location
- Bath
- Salary
- £45000 - £55000 per annum
- Posted
- 13 Nov 2012
- Closes
- 11 Dec 2012
- Ref
- Contact
- Jeremy Nicholls
- Function
- Contract Type
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full Time
SOFTWARE ENGINEER Embedded C/ADA - Bath - £55,000
My client is looking for a Software Engineer to join their growing software team within a supportive and proactive environment.
North Devon
Key skills:
- Electronics degree or Comparable experience
- Embedded C / C++ or ADA
- Client facing experience
- To develop software requirements and design specifications for Windows based applications.
- To carry out detailed design of software using embedded methods. Coding will take place under source control & static analysis, typically using C++ and C, ADA
- To support other teams by conducting peer reviews, as required; and participate in Design Reviews as Required by Line Management.
- To plan and implement integration and formal testing of software. This may include work on customer's sites in the UK or Overseas.
- To liaise with project and other management personnel on progress and estimates to complete.
- Your ability to work within a small team is vital, with a willingness to work with people from other engineering disciplines in order to achieve the overall objectives of the project.
This is an exciting opportunity for anyone who is enthusisactic and proactive and looking to develop a career in a fantastic business.
If you are interested, please send your full CV to Jeremy Nicholls at Computer Futures.
To find out more about Computer Futures please visit www.computerfutures.com


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Please note, that the following items are excluded from the return process (such as; opened makeup, pierced
earrings, underwear shapewear and bodysuits, lingerie, hosiery, swimwear, ceramics) due to health
or hygiene reasons.
Our return policy is always attached with your invoice. Please make sure that you highlight the item(s)
for a refund by filling the Reason Code column and filling it with the appropriate number or numbers
if more than one applies. Always make sure to include the invoice with the parcel you are sending
back to us. Returns must be in a satisfactory return manner upon our discretion. If for whichever
reason you are returning the item(s) please return to our returns address: Lasula Returns, LA Fashion
Enterprise, Unit 19-20, Guide Street, Manchester, M50 1BX
Returns can take up to 16 working days to be delivered back to us and for your refund to appear in your
bank account. Please note that all shapewear, bodysuits, bikinis, opened make-up, earrings. lingerie
and any other items marked as 'Final Sale' cannot be refunded. Any items that are 50% off or more
is classed as Final Sale.


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Baltimore Housing's Mission is to ensure that all citizens of Baltimore have access to adequate and affordable housing opportunities in safe, livable and decent neighborhoods.
www.HABC.baltimorehousing.org | www.DHCD.baltimorehousing.org
Asthma Initiative Kick Off - 3/1/17
We kicked off our Asthma Initiative in partnership with the Baltimore Health Department and the Green & Healthy Home Initiative. The Asthma Initiative will provide Healthy Homes Training to the HABC Leadership Team and HABC maintenance Staff.Read More
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Two people affiliated with the Church of the End Times were arraigned yesterday in Uxbridge District Court on charges of burglary and intimidating a witness. A warrant was issued for a third person.
Courtney Bish, 20, who gave her address as 19 Industrial Drive, the same address as the Church of the End Times and Driveways Corp., was arraigned on multiple charges in Northbridge, Blackstone and Sutton of breaking and entering for a felony, larceny, destruction of property and receiving stolen property ($250 or more). The alleged crimes took place in recent months.
Ms. Bish and Gina Elliott, 41, also of 19 Industrial Drive, had been arrested by Sutton police in September on other burglary-related charges. Police estimated the pair had been involved in eight to 10 burglaries in the Blackstone Valley in Massachusetts and in northern Rhode Island.
Jewelry and prescription drugs such as Vicodin had been stolen, according to court documents. Some of the jewelry has been retrieved by owners and some stolen jewelry was sold to a kiosk in the Auburn Mall, Sutton police Detective Matthew K. Bohanan has said previously.
Bail was set at $1,000 yesterday, and Ms. Bish was sent to MCI Framingham pending a pretrial conference scheduled for Nov. 27.
The court issued a warrant for Ms. Elliott, who failed to appear for arraignment on similar charges.
Also in court yesterday, Eric Matheson, 35, who lives with Church of the End Times founder David H. Stanley at 51 Murphy�s Way, paid the remainder of $500 bail set last week.
Mr. Matheson faces a charge of witness intimidation and obstructing justice related to Uxbridge police officers� attempt to serve a warrant on Dennis H. Stanley Wednesday at the Church of the End Times. Mr. Matheson allegedly told police Mr. Stanley was not present even though Mr. Stanley could clearly be seen in the room standing behind Mr. Matheson, police said.
Mr. Matheson�s pretrial conference is scheduled for Nov. 28.
The Church of the End Times is a nonaffiliated evangelical church that has been the focus of controversy and police investigations. It is based at the same address as a driveway paving company.


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After two years being a strong number two in auto sales in the U.S., Ford is finding its lead over number three dwindling. It raises the questions of whether Toyota will eventually reclaim the number two spot from Ford and whether this a case of Ford slipping or Toyota simply regaining its mojo.
The answers remain to be seen, but from where I sit if Toyota retakes the number two spot from Ford it's not because the U.S. automaker is slipping. Ford is a stronger, better positioned company than three years ago when it overtook Toyota . (Read More: GM, Chrysler Boost Sales in September; Ford Is Flat.)
Toyota's September Surge
Last month, Toyota (all brands including Lexus and Scion) sold 171,910 vehicles in the U.S. compared to Ford (including Lincoln), who sold 174,976.
The gap of 3,066 vehicles was considerably smaller than the average monthly gap between Ford and Toyota this year, which was 13,500 vehicles. Last year, following the production delays linked to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Ford's monthly lead over Toyota reached as high as 83,000.
So why is Toyota closing the gap?
In part because the Japanese automaker now has a full line-up of vehicles to sell in Toyota and Lexus showrooms. They include refreshed models like the Camry and the expanded line of Prius hybrids. Ask Toyota dealers around the country and they will tell you they finally feel like they've got everything they need to truly compete. (Read More: Toyota Unplugs Electric Car Hype.)
Ford's Brand Limitations
Another factor behind Toyota gaining ground on Ford is the Japanese automaker's huge advantage in luxury sales.
Year-to-date, the Lincoln brand sales have totaled 63,880 (down 1.5 percent) versus Lexus, which totaled 150,000 through August (up more than 24 percent).
While Lincoln remains stalled in the luxury market, Lexus is once again charging forward. It's a huge reason behind Toyota picking up market share in the U.S.
Remember, the recall scandal of 2009 hit the Lexus brand hard. It tumbled from number one in luxury sales, while BMW and Mercedes jockeyed for the top spot.
Lexus is still a long ways from catching BMW and Mercedes, but it's starting to get back in the game. The brand outsold BMW and Mercedes in August.
Meanwhile, Lincoln is bringing little to the table for Ford. For months, CEO Alan Mulally has said he is committed to growing Lincoln and making it a true competitor in the luxury arena, but we still haven't seen it pan out. (Read More: Ford's CEO Transition Won't Change Its Biggest Problem.)
—By CNBC's Phil LeBeau
Click on Ticker to Track Auto News:
- General Motors
- Ford Motor
- Toyota Motor
- Nissan
- Honda Motor


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Craft Active Extreme Crew Neck Long Sleeve Baselayer
Item: 11-0554
Save $15.00 (20%) $59.99 $74.99
Save $15.00 (20%) $59.99 $74.99
The more consistent your core body temperature, the better you will perform. And thanks to the Active Extreme Crew Neck baselayer from Craft, now you can feel drier, lighter and faster during your cold weather workouts. Fabric is channel-stitched with two cutting-edge polyester fibers which regulate excess body heat and sweat during exercise. Hexa-channel fibers move moisture away from the skin and keep you cool. External hollow fibers isolate and transport moisture to the next layer for dry comfort.
- Thin, lightweight and extremely elastic micropolyester fabric is channel-stitched with CoolMax Extreme and Thermolite fibers to regulate body temperature and provide moisture management
- Interior hexachannel fibers enhance moisture transport and cool the body down
- Exterior hollow fibers isolate and transport moisture to the next layer
- Eliminates smells and odors
- Seamless, circular knit design with high stretch properties and flatlock seams provide a comfortable, non-restrictive fit
- Ergonomic 3D fit for total freedom of movement
- Soft and breathable crew neck
- Long sleeve design


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Rumination syndrome, or Merycism, is a rare disorder that affects children and some adults. If your child has this condition, he or she will usually eat meals normally. But after about an hour or two, undigested food comes back up into his or her mouth from the esophagus. Your child will either rechew and reswallow the food, or spit it out. Typically this happens at every meal, day after day. Rumination is a reflex, not a conscious decision.
The word rumination comes from cows, or other animals that regurgitate food as part of their normal digestive process. Rumination syndrome used to be considered a rare disorder. It seemed to primarily affect children with mental disabilities. Health care providers now realize that the condition may be more common.
Although still rare, rumination is now being diagnosed in both children and adults. Researchers speculate this may be happening because health care providers are now able to recognize and diagnose rumination syndrome more frequently than in the past. Rumination is not actually occurring more often.
Rumination is different from vomiting. With rumination, the food is undigested and often still tastes the same as when it was first eaten. Researchers believe that rumination is unconscious. However, they also believe that the voluntary muscle relaxation of the diaphragm becomes a learned habit. It may be a variation of the typical belching reflex–instead of burping up gas, the reflex causes actual food to come back up.
Since vomiting is much more common, rumination syndrome is often misdiagnosed as a vomiting disorder, such as gastroparesis or gastroesophageal reflux disease.
In order to diagnose rumination syndrome properly, health care providers need to ask the right questions. For instance, asking what the food tastes like when it comes up is important. If it still tastes good, this means the food is undigested, making rumination syndrome a good possibility. Vomited food has been digested and typically is not kept in the mouth.
No drugs are available to effectively treat rumination syndrome. Recent research suggests that the best way to stop rumination syndrome is to relearn how to eat and digest food properly. This requires diaphragmatic rebreathing training.
A behavioral psychologist usually teaches this, and it's easy to learn. The technique has to be used at the start of every meal to avoid regurgitation. Over time, most people can master the breathing technique and eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of rumination syndrome.
Experts aren't sure why rumination syndrome starts in the first place, so it's unclear what can be done to prevent it. But the diaphragmatic rebreathing training is effective at stopping it.
The good news about rumination syndrome is that it doesn't seem to do much physical damage. In rare instances, it can cause problems with the esophagus. In some adolescents, it has caused a small amount of weight loss.
Work with your, or your child's, health care provider to recognize the symptoms. Then, work with a behavioral psychologist to end the pattern.


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GR - "Best Role Playing Games 2013: If you thought RPGs released this year were good, wait till you see the RPGs of 2013."
Every notable RPG that's coming out in other words.
Fail list in other words.
I love the Mistborn series, I am really looking forward to seeing how the game uses Allomancy.
like i said. rpg isnt about graphics. its about the stroy and gameplay. even though the gameplay is years behind our generation, the fact that it is not repetitive will make the gamers play more. just like suikoden 2, it has a unique gameplay and story line which still for me, is far greater than final fantasy x


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CME Group to Reopen U.S. Equity Index Complex Tonight, Resume Normal Trading Hours
New York trading floor to reopen contingent upon lifting of New York City Zone A evacuation order
CHICAGO, Oct. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- CME Group, the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, issued the following notice.
CME Group will reopen its U.S. equity index futures and options on futures markets today at 5:00 p.m. CT and resume normal trading hours on the trading floor and CME Globex venues tomorrow. CME Group's interest rate complex reopened for electronic trading on Monday evening, October 29, and has since resumed trading on the floor and electronically, observing regular trading hours. With the reopen of our equity complex, all CME Group electronic markets will be open during normal trading hours this evening and tomorrow, Wednesday, October 31, 2012.
In addition, we will open the New York trading floor contingent upon New York City lifting the evacuation order for Zone A, which includes CME Group's NYMEX World Headquarters and the New York trading floor. All New York floor-traded products remain available on CME ClearPort as well as CME Globex during their regular market hours.
As the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, CME Group (www.cmegroup.com) is where the world comes to manage risk. CME Group exchanges offer the widest range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes, including futures and options based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural commodities, metals, weather and real estate. CME Group brings buyers and sellers together through its CME Globex® electronic trading platform and its trading facilities in New York and Chicago. CME Group also operates CME Clearing, one of the world's leading central counterparty clearing providers, which offers clearing and settlement services across asset classes for exchange-traded contracts and over-the-counter derivatives transactions. These products and services ensure that businesses everywhere can substantially mitigate counterparty credit risk.
CME Group is a trademark of CME Group Inc. The Globe Logo, CME, Globex and Chicago Mercantile Exchange are trademarks of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. CBOT and the Chicago Board of Trade are trademarks of the Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc. NYMEX, New York Mercantile Exchange and ClearPort are registered trademarks of New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. COMEX is a trademark of Commodity Exchange, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Further information about CME Group (NASDAQ: CME) and its products can be found at www.cmegroup.com.
SOURCE CME Group


text: In a world of social media overload, it's easy to become a victim of the latest wedding trend everyone is obsessing about (um, hi, burlap and mason jars). And, no bride wants to look back on her wedding photos and wonder, "What was I thinking?!" But, thankfully, 2018's biggest wedding trends aren't only beautiful, but they're totally timeless. We consulted some of the biggest and best event planners and designers in the industry, and let's just say, we have a lot to look forward to this year. See all their predictions below!


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|Episode Description
|Tuesday, Apr 2, 2013 - 11:00 PM
"Connecting with Networks"
Connections can be physical, as with bridges, or immaterial, as with friendships. Both types of connections can be understood using the same mathematical framework called network theory, or graph theory, which is a way to abstract and quantify the notion of connectivity. This unit looks at how this branch of mathematics provides insights into extremely complicated networks such as ecosystems. D
|More on LEARN/CREATE (PT)
|No upcoming shows in database


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CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's former military chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, winner by a landslide in last month's presidential election, was sworn into office Sunday nearly a year after he ousted the nation's first freely elected leader.
The retired field marshal called for unity and hard work, while vowing that there would be no reconciliation with those who took up arms against the government and Egyptians. That was a thinly veiled reference to supporters of Mohammed Morsi, the Islamist president el-Sissi removed last July, and Islamic militants waging attacks against the government.
"There will be reconciliation between the sons of our nation except those who had committed crimes against them or adopted violence," el-Sissi said. "There will be no acquiescence or laxity shown to those who resorted to violence."
He did not mention by name Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, which was declared a terrorist group by the government last December. But el-Sissi's rise coincides with detention of thousands and the killing of hundreds of Morsi supporters.
El-Sissi also vowed to fight corruption and appeared to make an overture to pro-democracy and secular youth activists, many of whom boycotted last month's presidential election. They accuse the new president of reviving toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak's police state, pointing to a law passed last year that restricts protests as well as the jailing of a number of well-known activists.
He peppered his 55-minute address with references to "freedom, social justice and bread," the main slogan by youth groups behind the January 2011 uprising that ended Mubarak's 29-year rule.
El-Sissi's July 3 ouster of Morsi triggered a cycle of deadly violence and further polarized Egypt. Now, el-Sissi faces the daunting tasks of reviving Egypt's anemic economy, fighting Islamic militants and cementing his rule after three years of deadly turmoil in the Arab world's most populous country.
Under his rule, el-Sissi said Egypt will work for regional security and stability. He also called on Egyptians to work hard so that their rights and freedoms could grow.
"Let us differ for the sake of our nation and not over it; let us do that as part of a unifying national march in which every party listens to the other objectively and without ulterior motives," he said. "Let our differences be the source of enrichment, diversity and giving that add the spirit of cooperation and love to our work."
El-Sissi's inauguration came less than a year after he ousted Morsi following days of mass protests demanding he step down. He has been praised by many in a wave of nationalist fervor fueled by a jingoistic media, despite the harsh crackdown by security forces.
Supporters drew comfort from his ascension, convinced he is the right man for Egypt. Tens of thousands gathered into the night Sunday at Cairo's famed Tahrir Square, birthplace of the 2011 uprising, to celebrate his inauguration.
"I feel like I'm breathing new oxygen," said Mamdouh Ali Bilal, a retired army colonel who celebrated at Tahrir. "El-Sissi is bringing hope with him, unlike the Brotherhood people. They were like a dark room that makes us constantly afraid of what may be planned next for us."
Yet Egypt's recent, tumultuous history remained close by. El-Sissi, 59, took the oath of office at the Supreme Constitutional Court, the same venue where Morsi, now on trial for charges that carry the death penalty, was sworn in two years ago.
The court is a short distance away from a military hospital where Mubarak is being held. Mubarak was convicted last month on graft charges and sentenced to three years in prison. He is also being retried over the killing of protesters during the 18-day revolt after his original conviction and life sentence were successfully appealed.
Authorities declared Sunday a national holiday for el-Sissi's inauguration and police and troops deployed throughout Cairo. The entire Cabinet, as well as el-Sissi's wife, four children and their spouses, attended the swearing-in ceremony.
Outgoing interim president Adly Mansour, installed by el-Sissi after the overthrow, will return to his post as the chief justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court. El-Sissi awarded him the nation's highest honor, the Nile Medallion, in recognition of what he said were Mansour's "glorious services" to Egypt.
El-Sissi is Egypt's eighth president since the overthrow of the monarchy in 1953, the year after a military coup. With the exception of Morsi and two civilians who served in an interim capacity, all of Egypt's presidents have come from the armed forces.
El-Sissi also welcomed dozens of local and foreign dignitaries on hand for the inauguration, including the kings of Jordan and Bahrain, the emir of Kuwait and the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, the largest and wealthiest of the seven sheikdoms that make up the United Arab Emirates.
The five Arab nations backed el-Sissi's ouster of Morsi. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Emirates since have provided billions of dollars to shore up Egypt's ailing finances and are expected to give more while the country rebuilds.
El-Sissi won nearly 97 percent of the vote in last month's election, with a turnout of 47.45 percent. The three-day election was declared free of fraud but was tainted by the extraordinary means used by authorities to get the vote out, including a threat to fine those who stayed home, a one-day voting extension, and allowing free rides on trains and buses to encourage voters to travel to their home districts to cast their ballots.
Morsi supporters boycotted the vote and have also called for massive demonstrations to mark Morsi's July 3 ouster, though their ranks have thinned considerably.
In his late Sunday address, el-Sissi made it clear that his priorities are security and the economy, vowing to alleviate the burden on the nation's poor. He also made clear that he was determined to place boundaries on freedoms and defend the "prestige of the state."
Associated Press writer Mariam Rizk contributed to this report.


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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (USACE) -- Hot and dry weather is fueling demand for hydroelectricity at the White River lakes, which will result in lowering of lake levels in coming days and possibly weeks.
The Army Corps of Engineers is advising boat dock owners to keep an eye on their docks and move them as needed to prevent them from grounding as the lakes recede.
The Corps also advises boaters to slow down, wear life jackets, use depth finders and check with local marinas about possible trouble spots as the lake level recedes.
For more information about the lake levels, log onto the Internet at www.swl.usace.army.mil and click "Water Management." Recreation information can be found on the Internet at www.swl.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/littlerockusace, and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/usacelittlerock.


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Hello pros!
I have done much reading on the subject and am still in need of a final round of feedback on using foil-faced polysio board as a weather-resistive barrier (WRB).
I completed a project over the summer where I used Tyvek (lapped and taped) as the WRB with 3/4" foil-faced (FF) polyiso over the Tyvek, and then installed 1/2" wood sleepers beneath the new siding as a drainage plane and air space.
I did this because I read that FF polyiso (and other closed-cell foam boards) should not be viewed as effective WRBs over the long term.
Well, I really want to try using FF polyiso as a WRB in my next re-siding project. My thought is as follows:
1. Install 1/2" AdvanTech sheathing to wall studs,
2. Install 3/4" Dow Tuff-R FF polyiso to OSB sheathing,
3. Flash windows\doors and tape seams between polyiso boards with Grace Vycor Plus,
4. Install 1/2" AdvanTech sleepers to polyiso and around windows\doors,
5. Install HardiePlank siding & composite trim.
Should I just add a step after #1 and install Tyvek DrainWrap beneath the polyiso?
Thanks a lot!
Views: 3505
What is your climate and how are you determining the 3/4" polyiso? The well sealed foil is a very good vapor barrier and few locations need that on the outside and none need 2 VBs. The guidelines for adding the foil faced polyiso (frequently done) usually require a thicker layer.
Not an expert on this, but see it done wrong a lot in my cold climate.
I am in northern Virginia (NOVA). The recommended above-sheathing R-value is an R-5 here, and therefore the 3/4" polyiso.
I definitely do not want to create a double VB.
You see a lot of 1/2" rigid under vinyl-sided houses in my area. I have grown to abhor this approach. They skimp on structural sheathing and just toss 1/2" rigid on top of the studs then install some crappy vinyl.
I am consistently running into cases here in NOVA where stud cavity insulation is poorly installed, walls are not wrapped, and performance is lacking. The idea of FF polyiso as an exterior retrofit appears to be the only cost-effective solution.
Ahh you warm climate folks, we need about 2" minimum rigid on the outside. But I see everything from fanfold to 1" with only a few using the 2" FF polyiso. I will finish this summer (health delays) my long overdue upgrade where I'm adding 3.5" of rigid over the plywood sheathing. Then osb, house wrap, and vinyl siding. Besides improving my own home I have been testing different approaches and identifying how-to methods. The house is just over half done and what a difference from the old 3.5" walls.
Adding to the outside, especially when new siding is needed, is a very good option. And we should add as much as we can. I would have to play with your climate numbers, but while you are at it it might not cost that much more to double the foam. Again, I don't have your numbers.
As for the FF polyiso acting as the WRB, I have heard it both ways. Leaving the foil exposed should have some benefits and the DOW material has a very thick foil.
Thanks Bud.
Back to the drawing board for now.
First off - way to go, a rain screed detail is one of the best things you can do
If going with foam, a double layer is best if you offset the seams as Joe Lstiburek has found out - foam expands & contracts. If you don't go that route, using a WRB like Tyvek helps make up for that any shortcomings. With that the Tyvek should be placed where it ties into the windows. You may even consider using a tall wall product like a Zip Wall system
For that & more I am going to point you to a piece I did - To tyvek or not to tyvek http://blog.sls-construction.com/2013/common-sense-weather-resistiv... which should help you out in this regard
You may also wish to check out http://blog.sls-construction.com/2013/common-sense-building-exterio...
Bud: sheathing then foam provides a stronger structure more able to resist snow loads, wind, etc...
Thanks Sean!
By using insulation on the outside of the structure, you reduce conduction losses. These thermal modeling runs were 400-minutes with a 20C temperature differential, by adding 1-1/2" insulation board on the outside of the sheathing and using furring strips to allow condensation drip to the ground, then setting the siding away from the board radiative conduction to a cold wind is reduced.
By using 1-1/2", it turns the mass of the wall itself into thermal-mass for the interior room, cold climates and northern exposure may use more, this is a big deal, it moderates any temperature changes and quiets the rooms, quite noticeable how much less heat intrusion from adding the layer.
Using 1-1/2" of hemp-mortar that can be applied with gunite gear gave a temperature change at the thermometer of only 1.2C, also, the hemp-mortar transmits moisture slowly so far better in damp climates to allow walls to fully dry out when the weather gets dry and fungus can't grow against it.
For building it, you can use a sealant on the outside joints to create a vapor barrier on the outside and remove the vapor barrier on the sheathing except around windows-doors-vents, the board is waterproof if closed-cell, the foil is a radiative layer to reduce those losses.
The top image is the run with a standard wall & batt insulation and gave 13.6C of change, the lower the same wall with the added insulation board showed 4.1C, white is outside temperature:
Wow, thanks Tom.
Pictures (images) really can tell a lot.
I am a couple weeks out before we begin removing the existing siding, trim, etc.
The most recent idea was to re-insulate the cavities with R-13 un-faced batts, sheath the walls with 7/16" Zip System panels, and then see where we stand through blower door and IR testing.
I really want to add FF polyiso on top of the sheathing and create a drainage plane\air space before installing new siding, but the costs may be prohibitive (relative to the benefits). These images are making me second guess the value of the benefits relative to the costs.
Thanks again.
From a lot of these runs, I'd suggest you can leave the batting alone, my take is to not touch the interior at all for this, remove any vapor barrier from the exterior sheathing, box out for windows and all then add on the insulation & furring, re-apply the siding.
For furring out the siding, rip 4x8 sheets of 1/2" plywood 1-1/2" wide full length. These can be glued down offset from studs to not conduct as much with construction glue & a few screws into the board to hold them till the glue sets and that does show up in less heat transfer on the thermometer that's 1-1/2" from the sheetrock, runs are conduction only, no convection or radiation.
If you have temperature-humidity loggers, using them to document changes is so worth the trouble. Room noise is also part of the improvement ...
I believe PolyISO can absorb moisture if it gets wet... and it would get heavy. Make sure any punctures in the foil are sealed well.
Have you looked at the DOE's Building America website for notes on projects like this. I believe Building Sciences Corporation has done testing.., as part of DOE project.
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Hoover High School's "Mobile Storyteller" Hits the Road With Blackmagic Design
The video journalism program at Hoover High School in North Canton, OH, recently expanded to include a mobile production truck, called the Mobile Storyteller, as a way to further student engagement with the community.
The Mobile Storyteller provides high impact, career based education for students as they work on various client projects, preserve the arts in the community, build cultural awareness through journalistic storytelling, and provide onsite training for students and teachers in other video journalism programs.
To help the students tell their stories, the truck is fully equipped with Blackmagic Design live production products, including four Blackmagic Studio Camera 4Ks, four Micro Studio Camera 4Ks, two Micro Cinema Cameras, two Video Assist monitors, four Blackmagic Cinema Cameras, an ATEM 1 M/E Production Studio 4K switcher, ATEM 1 M/E Broadcast Panel, several Videohub routers, four SmartView Duo 4K monitors, three SmartView HD monitors, a SmartScope Duo 4K, a Blackmagic Audio Monitor, a HyperDeck Studio Pro recorder and several Mini Converters.
Maximizing Learning Opportunities
Launched in 2016, the Mobile Storyteller serves the 75 students in Hoover High School's video production and broadcast journalism program. The students produce content for NCtv, an educational television station broadcasting on the local Time Warner Cable channel in North Canton, as well as on the web. Students produce news broadcasts, public affairs programs, sporting events and other live productions, as well as commercials, animations, narrative films and media content for clients in the community.
According to Tom Wilson, Hoover High School video journalism instructor, the Mobile Storyteller is unlike a traditional television production truck that is limited to recording live events. Rather, it acts as a mobile classroom equipped with a full control room, seating for students and work areas designed around a collaborative workflow. The learning experience for students begins the moment the truck hits the road and continues for the duration of a trip, as the Mobile Storyteller travels to special events, trade shows and career exploration tours.
"The Mobile Storyteller redirects students back into their community to find ways to effectively reconnect people," said Tom. "It provides face to face, one on one interaction between student video journalists and members of the community. The information they gather can be shared through digital storytelling techniques that students are learning along the way. The project focuses on an expansion of our program's existing commitment to serving the arts, local nonprofit organizations, our nation's veterans, and others in need of a creative and powerful voice to tell their story."
Preparing Students for the Future
Tom said that part of the reason he looked toward Blackmagic Design to outfit the truck was that he recognized the company's emphasis on getting quality equipment into the hands of young people and students. He noted the simplicity and ease of use of the products, but at the same time appreciates the products' high quality, which helps to better prepare students for jobs in the future.
"In just a year or two, they will be in college or out in the real world and will either be using these same products or will need to navigate the many products on the market," said Tom. "Using the Blackmagic Design products now is preparing them for that. They have so many professional features, and having them in our control room lets the students learn in a truly professional environment."
He continued, "The students love the Blackmagic Studio Cameras with their large iPad sized screens. They are great cameras for those in an educational environment because they are lightweight and easy to set up and store, but they have powerful broadcast features that are easy to learn, even for the inexperienced students. So are the ATEM switchers, and setting up the cameras with the ATEM switcher lets the students learn the basics of television production in professional way. The ATEM switchers have all the features we could need, like chroma keying for special effects, downstream keying for logos and DVE for picture in picture effects and stinger transitions. The equipment is professional, but not intimidating, and the students get excited about using the gear."
"I believe that the folks behind Blackmagic Design's products are revolutionary in how they look at film and television, and they understand how the equipment can help to drive the story," concluded Tom. "My students are starting to understand this concept as well, thanks to Blackmagic Design, and they are applying that to their storytelling. With the mobile vehicle, every project is unique and it allows us to go further into the community. The more equipment we have and the better technology we have, the more students we can reach with the program."
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Lou Wallace is the founder and CEO of Digital Media Online. During his career he has been publisher and Editor-in-Chief of numerious publications in the digital media market.
Related Keywords:Blackmagic Design, Pocket Cinema Camera, Production Camera 4K, Blackmagic Cinema Camera
Source:Digital Media Online. All Rights Reserved


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If all the conditions for children of illegal immigrants to receive in-state college tuition rates are met — including graduating from a Maryland high school, having parents who pay their taxes and three years of residency in the state — then there is no reason such students should pay more for their college education.
It's only when these conditions are not met that we end up penalizing out-of-state and foreign students, and overburden the taxpayers who support the state's two- and four-year colleges.
Unfortunately, education is not free. At the university level, it is a privilege that should not be abused by those who don't deserve it.
Nelson Marans, Silver Spring


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Dave D'Onofrio's Sox Beat: Opening Day is always a day like no otherDAVE D'ONOFRIO
April 03. 2014 10:50PM
The weather isn't supposed to be all that nice today in Boston. Cooler than usual for this date and mostly cloudy, says the forecast, with the mercury likely to halt its climb at around 44 degrees before giving way to rain sometime around nightfall.
But today, sunny skies and warm breezes would just be mere bonuses because today we can forget the shivers and the shoveling. We can forget the snow. We can forget a winter that at times seemed interminably Arctic. Today, spring arrives in Boston. Because baseball is back.
And regardless of what the "RealFeel" might suggest, it should be a feel-good afternoon at Fenway Park.
As part of the iconic stadium's 103rd home opener, there will be performances from the Dropkick Murphys and members of the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. There will be a flyover by a Coast Guard helicopter meant to represent all of the United States' armed forces. There will be a couple of somber moments, one to pause in memory of the two Boston firefighters killed battling a blaze last week, and another likely when the Boston Fire Department Quartet sings "God Bless America" during the middle of the seventh inning.
Of course, there will also be the presentation of sure-to-be-gaudy championship rings to members of the Red Sox team that in 2013 won the organization's third World Series title in the past decade.
But, most exciting of all, there will be baseball.
Not that the game itself is of great consequence. The Brewers are in town, from Milwaukee and the National League, and Jake Peavy against Marco Estrada is a pretty pedestrian pitching matchup. Aside from Ryan Braun — who can expect to be booed roundly in his first road game since serving a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs — the visitors bring with them a rather nondescript roster.
Though, on this particular day, that doesn't much matter. Just the fact that there will be players on the field for the first time since Matt Carpenter swung through the last pitch of Koji Uehara's brilliant 2013 gives us reason to remember and relive that moment and so many others last year — while also peeking ahead with an optimism about what could lie immediately ahead.
Seeing the Red Sox in their home whites again, in games that matter, the memories of Oct. 30 come flooding back to life. There's the crowd serenading Shane Victorino with the sounds of Bob Marley just before he clears the bases with a tone-setting triple. There's Mike Napoli's rocketed response to David Ortiz being walked intentionally three times.
There's the precision exhibited over 6 2/3 excellent innings from John Lackey. There's Uehara, predictably, touching off the dog pile with a perfect ninth, then the all-night party spilling into a raucous clubhouse while occasionally spilling back into the stadium so as to involve the fans in the celebration.
It brings to mind more than just that night, too. The ALCS grand slams from Victorino and Ortiz. The pounding of the Rays' pair of aces in the Divisional round. An AL East title celebrated on home turf, as Jonny Gomes punted beers into the stands and Jon Lester offered a preview of the ace he would become in the postseason.
The 11 walk-off wins. The six-run comeback that stunned the Mariners for one of those. Ortiz's well-placed curse word as his bleeping city regrouped from the marathon bombing. And the dramatic hits from Daniel Nava that delivered victory later that same day, and also on this same day a year ago.
It was then, even as early as the team's home opener, that some began to get the sense that team had a flair, and that it could be special. Maybe that same sense will surface today. Maybe it won't. In fact, maybe it won't ever come, given how hard it is to repeat in baseball.
But today isn't the day to deal with such realities. Its tone set by the ring ceremony at the start, it's a day to remember just how great last year was — and to blissfully, maybe even blindly, believe it's all possible again. Today is simply about celebrating, and reveling in baseball's return.
Pragmatism, concerns, and worrying about the weather can all wait until tomorrow.
Dave D'Onofrio covers the Red Sox for the New Hampshire Union Leader and Sunday News. His e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Want to know whyYour strategic planning is not delivering results? Click Here
Many business leaders are frustrated with their strategy planning process. Decisions are often based on top of mind thinking rather that fact based analysis. "Me-too" strategies are all too common. There is frequent failure in turning intentions into results.
First of all, be aware that Planning is only the first step in Strategic Management. Strategic Management also must include Execution of the plan, Monitoring of developments and execution progress and Feed-back into the plan. Without proper Execution, Monitoring and Feedback, planning will surely fall short of expectations. Planning must include provision for Execution, Monitoring and Feedback.
Strategic planning should be a process that provides for:
- balanced input,
- thoughtful consideration,
- prioritization,
- selection of a course and direction that will differentiate your company and lead to profitable growth,
- and finally, provide highly focused action on a few strategic initiatives in support of that course and direction.
If your process is virtually non-existent or fails to attain the intended results you will be interested in the following.
Strategic Planning Process
Formal strategic planning developed in large companies and business schools in the decades following the Second World War. Most models of strategy planning today reflect those beginnings and reinforce the widespread notion that planning is a big, complicated process. Nothing could be further from the truth. Like most management processes, it should be lean, structured and thorough.
What are the steps in the process?
Basically, strategy is about the following critical questions:
- What will you sell?
- To whom will you sell?
- How do you beat or avoid the competition?
Though these questions sound simple, they require sophisticated responses. Clear and comprehensive answers to them will give you the basic elements needed for an effective strategic plan. Asking a group of managers to answer them inevitably stimulates a lively discussion.
The first two questions deal with the scope or "strategic focus" of the enterprise: What products and/or services will the company provide? What markets or customers will it serve? The third question seeks to identify the sustainable basis for competitive advantage — your core competencies".
Ideally, strategic planning is a process whereby a management team comes up with answers to these questions, and accepts and feels committed to being guided by the plan that emerges, in part because they have participated fully in its formulation. Generally, the steps in the process include:
- a situation analysis (Where are we today?)
- strategy formulation (Where do we want to go?)
- implementation planning (How do we get there? How much will it cost? What is the timetable? Who is responsible for what?)
How much time will it take?
The strategic plan can take as much or as little time as you want to devote to it. Remember, you are in control. It does not have to be a monster that eats your top management alive. What you want to do is allocate a reasonable amount of high priority time to the process of developing a strategic plan, and then get the best job done in the time allotted.
In many companies, a quest for perfection dooms the planning process. The managers regard the choices to be made as so momentous that they must find perfect answers or risk losing the company. This kind of attitude often lengthens the information-gathering phase infinitely.
At one seminar for small and mid-sized companies, we asked each of the attendees how long his or her company had been doing strategic planning. A member of one group present said that their company had been doing it for five years. Thinking they surely had some insights to share with the group, we asked if they did a better job with each successive planning cycle. "Successive cycle?" one responded, a bit puzzled. "We're still gathering competitive and market information. We hope to start doing the planning next year."
Don't try to do the entire strategic plan in a few consecutive days. Establish a schedule that allows for time between meetings to reflect on the discussions, dig up additional data, and build consensus.
This should be a results-oriented process that can be adapted to the time and resources available in a company. Typically, a company allocates 2 to 4 percent of top management time to the sessions, including four to seven days for planning meetings and a few days for preparation and research. As the goals of the plan become clear, the implementation of the strategic plan becomes part of normal, everyday operations. The planning becomes a tool that helps to run the business better, rather than an abstract exercise done by little green men on some distant planet.
How frequently should the plan be updated?
The most important point is that it should be updated. Too many think of a strategy as a long-range plan that gets set at some off-site meetings and then is rigidly followed as company policy for the next 5 to 10 years. We all saw the results of the inflexibility in the Five-Year Plans produced by the Soviet Union. That is definitely not the model you want for managing your business.
A strategic plan is a management tool; it should not become a straitjacket. Authors such as Henry Mintzberg of McGill University have argued that strategic planning "while not dead, has fallen from its pedestal". He correctly argues that as practiced in many large companies, strategy planning has become strategic programming, squeezing out any creative spontaneity in decision-making.
A good strategic plan should give guidance and stability to a company. At the same time, the leaders have to be flexible and respond dynamically to changes in the environment. Some strategic decisions have to be made "on the fly," outside the planning process.
At the outset you should craft a plan that has a reasonable time horizon for your industry. Generally, the time span of strategic plans ranges from three to five years, with industries that are evolving more rapidly at the shorter end of that spectrum and older, more mature industries at the longer end. Avoid a quest for perfection that leads to "analysis paralysis." Write a good plan and get on with the execution of it. To get the best results from a good plan, monitor its progress and re-assess it at monthly meetings. The frequency of major updates to the plan should correspond to the rate of change in your industry. For most businesses, an annual cycle is most comfortable and appropriate. If your markets, competitors, and product life cycles change slowly, you may have to update the plan only every other year. Companies in the fast paced industries, however, might need to fine-tune their strategies as often as every six months.
What preparation is necessary for planning?
A strategic plan will succeed only if the CEO and other key executives believe in it and openly support it. While this may seem self-evident, it is surprisingly common for companies to embark on the planning process before the leaders have agreed to be bound by the outcome. Be forewarned: The planning effort will be half-hearted if the team doing it senses that they lack strong support at the top and that, indeed, their decisions may be challenged or even vetoed.
The CEO and key executives have to do more than sanction the process. They have to be active participants. In some companies the CEO tries to delegate the plan to a committee. This usually results in extreme frustration for both the team members and the CEO if the plan doesn't quite measure up to the CEO's expectations and he or she is forced to modify it substantially.
By broadening the planning group, you increase the chances of creative synergies and increase the range of skills and talents that go into the plan. You also build a sense of ownership and commitment to the plan that ultimately emerges. Team-based processes, however, do have limits. The team can get so large that there is too much discussion and too little decision-making. Research studies show that a team size of 6 to 10 people is optimal.
The composition of the team is also extremely important. The best team consists of those who will be responsible for execution of the plan. Team members should be peers who can discuss openly and frankly any issue that may arise. They should represent a spectrum of perspectives, functional disciplines, business backgrounds, and experience within the company and industry. A balance should be sought between creative, right brain strategic thinkers and number- crunching, detail-minded left brain types.
Be sure to have a "process leader" — or facilitator — for the meetings. The process leader takes care of the agenda and minutes, pays attention to procedural details, and channels the discussion so that the other participants are free to focus entirely on strategy and content. Avoid the temptation to let the CEO fill this role. He/she needs to be fully engaged in strategizing, not managing the discussion, watching the clock, or refereeing disputes.
If a non-team member is selected as the process leader, be sure the person has sufficient stature and respect to be able to manage the team members. We have found that some of the best facilitators are company trainers, human resources people, and managers in the controller's office. But some businesses have to go outside of the company to find a person with the right mix of skills and experience to lead the process. If you decide to use an outsider, be sure he or she is fully competent in the process you intend to use and fits in well with the culture of your company. And, of course, never delegate your strategic decisions to an outsider. Help with process leadership and research is fine, but be sure the outsider understands that he or she is there only to help the team make the crucial decisions.
Don't try to do the entire strategic plan in a few consecutive days. Establish a schedule that allows for time between meetings to reflect on the discussions, dig up additional data, and build consensus around the information and assumptions that have developed.
How do we make sure that we get the results anticipated?
It is relatively easy to create a strategic vision for a company, but much more difficult to follow it and achieve results. As is well known, too many plans become the object of "document worship" rather than a management tool. The plan is duly recorded in a sacred book and placed on a shelf for all to bow and pay homage as they pass. Rarely does the management team ever consult it, let alone use it to guide the difficult choices that must be made.
A plan that doesn't help a company anticipate changes, make tough choices, and exploit new opportunities is obviously a waste of time and effort. In our experience, companies that do a good job of implementing their strategy can expect to achieve from 80 to 90 percent of their objectives. The three tools that are vital for success in the implementation stage include:
Action plans. For each objective in the overall strategic plan, the team should develop an action plan that spells out the steps that will be taken to achieve the objective; the time and resources that will be needed, and the team member who will be responsible for seeing that each is carried out. The overall strategic plan that emerges should have a limited number of objectives — typically 10 or fewer (see sample objectives). Each should be focused on the near term —12 to 18 months at most.
Budgets. A meaningful cash flow budget should be established and used to schedule the start and completion of action steps that require money.
Scheduling of managers' time. Most companies run out of time long before they run out of money. While most companies do fairly detailed financial budgets, they frequently do not assess or plan the time that top managers will need to devote to implementing action plans. Top management's time is one of a company's most precious resources. It is critical to determine how much time top managers will have to spend each month on implementing action plans and use these estimates to schedule the start and completion of action steps.
If you do not thoughtfully lay out a course and direction for your business, it is likely that environment and external factors will lay out one for you. You may eventually be forced to accept a strategy that is a whole lot less satisfactory than one you could have designed for yourselves. The only way to avoid this trap and take control of your destiny is to make some form of strategic planning a regular part of your management process.
Strategic Planning Questions
- What Is Strategic Planning?
- Strategic Planning Benefits
- Who Needs a Strategy Plan?
- Why Strategy Planning?
- Strategic Planning in Smaller Company
- Smaller Company Resources
- Time for Strategic Planning
- Strategy Planning in an Uncertain World
- Why Strategic Planning Now?
- Successful Strategic Planning
- Strategic Planning Seminar, Who Should Attend?
- Center for Simplified Strategic Planning
Strategic Thinking
Your business climate has just changed dramatically. It has now become critically important that you step back and take a fresh and thorough look at your strategy.
Review how your external environmental factors have changed: particularly market segments, supplier markets, competition, regulation and the economy.
Review your internal situation: particularly profitability analysis.
Challenge all your working assumptions: particularly market segments, competition, opportunities, threats, industry scenario and winner's profile.
Rethink your strategic issues and how many ways you could shoot yourself in the foot.
Having done this, you will now be able to craft your revised course and direction, goals, objectives and action plans.
Success in today's business environment requires that a company's leaders have the ability to create a vision of the organization's future direction as well as the course it needs to get there.
For information about the Simplified Strategic Planning process
"Strategy planning is messy" declared one CEO as a team member expressed a desire for a more linear approach. The team member was frustrated, because he couldn't see the end game. The CEO went on to say, "It's okay that it is messy. We have to consider many alternatives and new information before we funnel […]Read More
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Articles on internal and external strategies plus the nuts and bolts of strategy planning and implementation


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vir2instruments necesitaba un nuevo diseño de impreso o envases y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 246 diseños de 54 diseñadores freelance.
This cover design will be used for a box and DVD cover for a jazz drums music sample library. The cover must be eye-catching, classy, creative, and communicate jazz drums.
Vir2 Instrumemts (vir2.com)
The title of this product is "BLUE: Jazz Drums" ("Jazz Drums" is a subtitle.)
You can get a good idea of what we're looking for if you take a look at other covers in our series and of other products like ours. You don't have to emulate them, but they'll give you an idea of what this design will be sitting next to on a store shelf:
Also, look around http://www.vir2.com to get an idea of the general graphic style.
We have one in-house mockup that we designed that we like, however, we can't get a license for this photo, and therefore we have to come up with a different design. We're open to designs based on an idea like this, or designs that are entirely different. (We're including this just to give you an idea of something we do like.)
We do not have a particular color scheme or look in mind. In fact, we like that each product in our line contrasts with each other.
Things we'll be looking for in the design are: some representation of jazz drums. This may require the use of stock photography; if you choose to use stock photography, use the preview image from the stock photography site to do the mockup (the watermark is OK for now -- we'll overlook it), and if your design gets chosen, we will pay for the stock photo to be purchased at full-res and then have you substitute the real version in the design after the conclusion of this contest.
Titling is important. Making "BLUE" prominent and characteristic is an important part of the design.
The Vir2 logo should appear in one corner of the design (any corner). You can get a screen-res version here (http://bigfishaudio.com/page_elemen…ir2_sm.jpg) and we will provide a full-res version after the conclusion of the contest.
We are offering $300 for this design. This is understood to include the design itself plus reasonable minor modifications which we may ask for after the conclusion of the contest. The $300 does not include stock photography, which we will purchase separately from your $300 fee. Please be economical in your usage of stock photography; we won't spend several hundred dollars just to acquire a photo.
The design can be created using any graphics program(s) you like, but we would like final delivery in PSD or PNG format, layered, at 300dpi. Dimensions are 7 in wide x 11.5 in tall. (Mockups and interim versions, especially using lower-res stock photography previews, can be smaller and at screen resolution, but keep the same proportion.) Again, don't worry about any watermarks (if any appear in stock photography you use). We will overlook them.
The final design will be printed on a box cover as well as a DVD cover (which is a similar proportion), and elements of the design will be used elsewhere in the product and in marketing materials.
- Eye-catching, clean, elegant, expensive-looking design.
- We generally like Apple and Web 2.0-style graphic design. Gradients, fades, lighting are great when done well.
- Some representation of jazz drums, either by photo or illustration.
- Clear titling of "BLUE: Jazz Drums".
- Designs that are very busy. Simple is better.