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1 All you, who in his sacred courts attend,
With humble awe who 'fore his altars bend,
Sing, sing the praises of the mighty God,
And publish his tremendous acts abroad.
2 Yes; praise his mercy in sublimest strains;
O'er the wide universe supreme he reigns;
What nobler subject can the soul employ?
What fill the heart with more exalted joy?
4 'Bove all the various nations that possess
This spacious globe, his Israel does he bless;
Our happy tribes have long his goodness known;
Our tribes he made peculiarly his own.
5 Say, hath he not omnipotence display'd?
Can all the gods that human pride has made,
That impious nations stupidly adore,
With him compare in majesty and pow'r?
6 Awful he wills lo! heav'ns and seas and lands
Obey submissive his supreme commands;
His dread behest the deep obedient hears;
The dark abyss her maker's voice reveres.
7 He bids the vapours from the earth arise,
And fills with genial rain the azure skies;
His forky lightnings on the rain attend,
And, rapid, in vast meets of flame descend;
The winds are his; his mandate when they hear,
They burst their prison-doors, and sweep the air.
8 Thou, faithless Egypt, thou his wonders saw;
He struck thy Pharaoh's harden'd heart with awe;
Trembled thy chiefs when they at dawn beheld
Their noblest herds and flocks bestrew the field;
And with what killing anguish did they sigh
To see their best-belov'd, their first-born die?
10 Great nations by his arm did he subdue;
He mighty kings with all their armies slew;
11 Enormous Og, proud Bashans plains who sway'd,
Dread Sihon, whom the Amorites obey'd;
The haughty princes that in Canaan reign'd,
And o'er her fertile plains sweet rule maintain'd:
12 Their lands to Israel's faithful race he gave;
Their lands new masters and new laws receive;
For ever ours, while we with holy fear
The sacred dictates of his will revere.
13 O mighty God, how glorious is thy name?
Eternal ages shall thy pow'r proclaim;
14 Just art thou, Lord the humbled proud shall own,
Th' exalted poor, that truth supports thy throne.
15 With thee compar'd, the heathen gods how vain?
What bright, what glorious deities they feign?
Poor imag'd nothings, form'd of mining clay,
To whom their stupid vot'ries fruitless pray!
16 Mouths, true! they have, yet have they not a voice;
Have eyes, yet cannot in the light rejoice;
17 Their nostrils no rich fragrant odours taste,
Nor with the pow'rs of speech their tongues are blest;
18 Bright objects of devotion's holy flame!
And wise are they, such deities who frame!
And wiser still, beyond description wise,
The man, who on the god he makes, relies!
19 Ye happy tribes, from faithful Abr'ham sprung,
Ye priests, that to his hallow'd dome belong,
And also all, who, struck with pious fear,
With duteous hearts the sov'reign Lord revere,
21 Praise him, the God, on Sion's sacred hill,
In Salem's temple, who delights to dwell.
Source: New Version of the Psalms of David #CXXXV


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Definition of Benefit:
Noun: An advantage or profit gained from something
Are you unsure what benefits you can afford to offer to your employees? Or looking for ways to make your current packages more competitive, and increase employee retention? As your health insurance broker, we can help you structure a plan that will keep your workers happy, but keep your bottom line healthy too.
Sometimes employees don't see their health insurance as a benefit because they see it as a cost vs. an advantage. At Playa Vista Insurance Services we make it our goal for every employer and each of their employees to understand why their employer sponsored health insurance plan truly is a benefit.
Here are some reasons why employer sponsored plans are a true benefit to the employees:
- Most plans have the contributions taken out pre-taxed. That means the cost to the employee comes out before income tax, making it look like they made less money therefore creating lower income taxes.
- No bills. Most employee benefits payroll deductions are taken out of payroll, so no premium bills are sent to the home and employees don't have to worry about forgetting to make a payment and lose coverage.
- Employees have ongoing opportunities to learn more about their coverage through their employers at open enrollment meetings, with ongoing employer communications throughout the year, wellness campaigns and health fairs.
PVIS is ready to assist you in educating your employees about their current benefits, and making the most of the packages offered to them. Benefits often offered through an employer sponsored plan may include:
- Medical – HMOs, EPOs, POS, PPOs, CDHPs, HRAs and HSAs and Limited Medical Plans
- Dental – HMOs and PPOs
- Vision – PPOs
- Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)
- Group Term Life
- Group Voluntary Life
- Short Term Disability
- Long Term Disability
- Long Term Care
- Supplemental – Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Cancer, Life, Disability and Accident
- Section 125 – Flexible Spending Accounts (healthcare and dependent care)
- Travel Accident
- Pet
- Legal Assistance
- Executive Benefits
- International Benefits
Whether you offer all of the above benefits, or are interested in exploring which you can add to your current coverages, we are here to help.

subset: commoncrawl


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San Francisco, March 16, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- North America home healthcare market is expected to reach USD 1.7 billion by 2022, according to a new report by Grand View Research Inc. Rising prevalence of chronic condition demanding constant care, rising geriatric population demanding round the clock care and growing hospital stay cost are some factors driving the home care industry.
With increasing difference in number of hospital beds and patients, the need for home healthcare is on the rise. Furthermore, financial assistance provided by Medicare, Medicaid and other private insurance companies for long-term care are expected to further propel the demand for such services.
Growing geriatric population base, increasing demand for independent living and subsequent rise in demand of wound management, mobility assistance, and other self-care products are the high impact rendering drivers of the home healthcare market in North America.
Supportive initiatives by government bodies such as Canadian Home Care Association, designed to incorporate increasing post-operative home based health and long-term care plans boosts the home care industry. Increasing licensing of home care agencies and other specialty care facilities with provision for reimbursement by public insurers is anticipated to drive the demand over the forecast period.
Browse to access In-depth research report on Global North America Home Healthcare Market with detailed charts and figures: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/north-america-home-healthcare-market
Further key findings from the study suggest:
- Wound care and mattress overlays together are expected to capture over 85.0% of the market share by 2022 owing to increasing incidences pressure ulcers, diabetic ulcers, and venous stasis ulcers.
- Durable Medical Equipment segment is anticipated to witness fastest growth and contribute share of over 25.0% by 2022 owing to rising demand for mobility assistance devices by elderly patients. According to the Population Reference Bureau, currently over 50 million citizens of North America are over the age of 65 and the number is expected to reach to 89 million by 2050.
- The U.S. is anticipated to contribute for over 85.0% share in 2022, owing to rising geriatric population base, increasing number of immigrants, and rising patient awareness levels coupled with relatively higher healthcare expenditures in the region.
- Key market players are Johnson & Johnson, Covidien, Stryker Corporation, Invacare, VCP Mobility Inc. and others.
- In May 2015, ConvaTec expands portfolio of AQUACEL Foam dressings, this expansion includes range of advanced rectangular dimensions and more anatomical wound care applications. This expansion is expected to give comparative edge in wound dressing product portfolio.
- In July 2015, Smith & Nephew acquired DeOST LLC and DeLLC, part of DeOST group, this acquisition is expected to help the company enhance wound care product portfolio.
Request for free sample of this research report: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/north-america-home-healthcare-market/request
Grand View Research has segmented the North American home healthcare market on the basis of products, services and region:
North America Home Healthcare Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 – 2022)
- Wound care
- Wound care products
- Wound care dressings
- Wound closure products
- Wound cleansers, lotions and creams
- Seating cushions
- Gel and form cushions
- Latex cushions
- Mattress overlays
- Pressure relief and alternating pressure mattress
- Low air loss mattress
- Premium guard water mattress
- Memory foam mattress
- Heel protectors
- Gel heel protectors
- Silicon sleeve heel protectors
- Cushion heel protectors
- Convoluted foam boot heel protectors
- Synthetic protective boot heel protectors
North America Home Healthcare Service Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 – 2022)
- Home care services
- Unskilled home care services
- Durable medical equipment (DME) services
- Mobility assistance
- Other DME
- Other services
North America Home Healthcare Country Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 – 2022)
- North America
- Canada
- Mexico
Browse related reports by Grand View Research:
About Grand View Research
Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.
Access press release of this research report by Grand View Research: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/north-america-home-healthcare-market-anaylisis
Sherry James
Corporate Sales Specialist, USA
Grand View Research, Inc
Phone: 1-415-349-0058
Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519
email: email@example.com
Web: www.grandviewresearch.com
Source:Grand View Research


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Welcome to ClearVUE Imaging
Expert, comprehensive diagnostic imaging
ClearVue Imaging provides comprehensive outpatient diagnostic imaging for a diverse range of conditions and injuries. All procedures and professional interpretation are performed by Board-certified radiologists representing many diverse sub-specialties.
Our main location in Plano, Texas provides a professional setting, state-of-the-art facilities and concierge service for all of our patients' imaging needs. By offering expert attention and the latest in diagnostic technologies, our team tailors each test for the clearest and most conclusive results possible.
Services We Provide
- Initial Evaluation – Within 24-48 hrs from the time you schedule an appointment
- Personalized Care – Treatment tailored for all your specific needs
- Close Locations – Easy Access & Parking during your pressing schedule
- Licensed Providers – Top Medical Professionals designed to better assist all your needs
What We Offer To You
Highest quality of care in prevention & early detection
Our Plano Location
About The Facility
Our state-of-the-art facility is conveniently located in Plano, Texas, just 20 minutes from the downtown Dallas area.
Our professional clinic offers concierge-level service and is equipped with the latest innovations in diagnostic imaging and technology to ensure prompt, conclusive care for many North Texas residents facing a variety of conditions and injuries.


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Bridging the Gap: Independence | Cailleach - Trailer from Scottish Documentary Institute on Vimeo.
North American Premiere
~ Winner of the Mini-Doc Award ~
Morag is nearly 86. She lives alone in a house at the end of a track looking out to sea on the Outer Hebrides. She was born in this house, life is simple and peaceful. This is a portrait of a woman as she contemplates the next chapter in her life; Morag shares her unique sense of independence, attitude to mortality and the connection she has to her wild, island home.
GET TICKETS HERE Sat, Feb 14 at 1:30 PM


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Dear Inner Saucy Wench,
You are indeed a complete tart. You ogle young men with tight buns, you fantasize about ravishing co-workers, you imagine wearing a black leather catsuit (& looking hot in it) to that S&M bar downtown wearing a collar.
You are entirely untrustworthy, infecting my brain with evil desires, waylaying my plans to achieve sainthood by 40. You call my purity and devotion into question with your high heel wearing tight skirt fantasies and lustful glances at the blonde who serves your morning latte.
Sometimes I wonder why you're even here. What purpose do you serve other than to make my life seem safe, static, and dull? Why do you exist at all when all my comrades seem happy enough within the realms of monogamous passion and devotion.
If I knew the answers to those questions, I wouldn't be writing this missive...
Perhaps you and I will become friends some day.
For now, I wish you'd just go away...


text:
Download Head Games 2012 movie
Release date
Head Games movie on:
The Interrupters (2011)
The Interrupters tells the moving and surprising stories of three Violence Interrupters who try to protect their Chicago...
Director: Steve James
Misery Loves Company (2012)
MISERY LOVES COMPANY is a film about personal growth and emotional understanding in the guise of a dark romantic comedy. Brian...
Note to Self (2012)
Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day (2012)
A concert documentary of Led Zeppelin's December 10, 2007 tribute performance for Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun.
Richard Hammond's Miracles of Nature (2012)
Richard Hammond reveals secret animal abilities from the natural world, and discovers how those same animals have inspired a...
El cocodrilo (2012)
A Mexican journalist and a cartel assassin collide in a diner, with tragic consequences for both. |
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Director's cut) (2012)
While Frodo & Sam continue to approach Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring, unaware of the path Gollum is leading them, the...
The Booth at the End (2012)
The series follows the storylines of several characters who visit a mysterious figure in the corner booth at the back of a...
Siege (2012)
The Newsroom (2012)
A favorite with viewers, news anchor Will McAvoy has found a safe niche with bankable ratings on his 8:00 p.m. flagship cable...


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Okay. I really want to get this website going again. Something to entertain, vent, explore, experience… anything. Sharing recipes didn't float my boat. I don't travel nearly enough to make this some kinda travel blog. Sharing past stories ain't really my thing.
Believe me, I have a lot of stories to tell, but who can share such intimate details on the internet? I used to love writing my thoughts out in some angsty, vague manner and posting them to the internet for all to see. But somewhere in my late 20s, that flip switched off. And it will not be turning back on. Unless I write my memoirs someday… either way, it's not gonna be on the nets. There's way too many people out here, talking about themself, all over the World Wide Web. I don't wanna be one of em.
So, I asked myself: What do I love/obsess about the most? Well, food. Duh. No brainer. I wake up, thinking about breakfast; spend all morning, thinking about lunch; immediately after lunch, I'm thinking about dinner. I've even begun fantasizing about desserts after dinner. I was never a dessert person before. But I don't care to post recipes… really, it would just be plagiarism anyway. I'm good at *following* recipes, not making them up outa thin air..? Who are those people?!?
That said, I love cooking. And it always surprises me when people are shocked by a person cooking at home. Sure, there are plenty of extravagant recipes out there that are intimidating to even look at. But for every one of those, there's 50 more that are basically the same thing, but easier.
I wanna talk about those. What's the best way to do that when I don't wanna share recipes that aren't mine?
I'm thinking… "What I ate today" posts. I'll post photos of my food and links to the recipes, when applicable. There's so many benefits to this for me:
1. I am always wanting to take photos of my food and put them somewhere, to brag about how gorgeous my meal is. This way, I can spare all my instagram followers the food porn spams.
2. It'll motivate me to eat more beautiful, colorful foods. I lean heavily turns mostly plants, but I sometimes need some good 'ol McNuggies. I'm human.
3. About the plants, it'll give me an opportunity to share all these amazing products I've discovered since I cut down on my meat consumption. And maybe my reader will pick up something here or there, try something out, and love it as much as I do.
4. It's like using MyFitnessPal, but next level. With more witnesses.
5. Maybe I'll track my weight too? Ehh, who cares about that. Let's talk about food!!!


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Feb 25, 2016 | By Alec
3D printing conventions are the best place the learn more about the most exciting ideas and up-and-coming startups in the field of 3D printing, and RapidPro is usually no different. The 3D printing convention in the 'Benelux' area (The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg) features a startup award competition that never fails to find the best and most revolutionary 3D printing startup concepts. The three finalists for the 2016 award have just been announced: Robot 3D printing pioneers SuGu Advanced Manufacturing - 3D Robot Printing, metal 3D printing developers Metal Technics 3D and 3D printable material specialists 3Devo. The winner will be announced on the March 1, the first day of the convention.
For those of you who've never been RapidPro, which is set to be held in Veldhoven in the Southern Netherlands from 1 to 3 March 2016, is a place to experience the entirety of the 3D printing industry in Benelux. Over the last few years it has grown into an important regional convention in regards to prototyping, 3D printing production and product development, while a number of other technologies are also represented. RapidPro's startup award always attracts numerous entries from across the Netherlands and Belgium, and this year's edition was specifically focused on the production chain surrounding the fast development of prototypes and products. However three entries, the judges revealed, stood out head and shoulders above the rest. One of those three will be given the RapidPro Startup Award 2016 by Nico Velzel, member of the executive board of RapidPro. So what are these three startups developing to merit this nomination? As each is fundamentally different from the others, we wanted to take a closer look at these very promising startups.
SuGu Advanced Manufacturing – 3D Robot Printing
Founded in 2014 by veteran entrepreneurs and based in the harbor of Rotterdam, SuGu Advanced Manufacturing is a 3D printing developer who has actually made headlines before. They were involved in the development of a 20-feet long 3D printed submarine prototype for Ortega Submersibles, though this is actually just one example of what robot-based 3D printing can achieve. "Our secret isn't just a technical story. Aside from the technology behind the 3D printing robot, the printhead, the software and our high level of precision, it's really the way we approach problems," they say.
In a nutshell, this young startup offers 3D printing solutions for large products using bio-based plastics. "We will build up our advanced manufacturing capacity fast to rapidly become a serious 3D manufacturing hub for large plastic products for construction, maritime and offshore, manufacturing and maintenance industries," they say. Closely working together Transmare Compounding, they are working on new plastics with unique properties and are applying them in their services immediately. They have, for instance, developed a bio-based bamboo material mixed with raw materials to increase its strength.
SuGu has combined this approach with the innovative robotic technology of 3D Robot Printing, Jasper Menger's startup with whom they built the 3D printed submarine. By joining their material knowledge with Menger's Robotic 3D printer with a 2 meter reach, the sky has become the limit. "To stay ahead of the market, we focus on co-creation with leading companies to manufacture advanced industrial products on demand such as the flanges for connecting pipes or the construction elements of the second skin for SuGu Warehouse," they say. As the 3D printed submarine was only the first result of this potent collaboration, SuGu Advanced Manufacturing – 3D Robot Printing was very understandably nominated.
Metal Technics 3D
Less well-known, but not less promising, is Metal Technics 3D. A very young Belgian company, it was founded in 2015 in Kortrijk by researcher Thomas Bossuyt. As he says on his website, he was responding to the growing gap between the possibilities presented by metal 3D printing and the engineering expertise required to use it. The young company is involved as a consultant, engineer and a producer for metal 3D printing projects, and helps companies gain more insights into the advantages that metal 3D printing brings to existing technology. Once designs have been optimized, MT3D also takes care of the production process for prototypes and small batches, using an in-house Laser Beam Melting 3D printer.
It's the type of company that is essential for the advancement of complex metal 3D printing technologies, which are still hardly being adopted. It's nomination is therefore also quite understandable. "Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of this technology will bring you closer to the right applications. When used for the appropriate purposes, metal 3D printing will increase performance of your processes and applications and can imply serious cost reductions," they say. "Our goal is to help our clients select the most suitable technique for each application, independently of our in-house manufacturing capabilities."
The last finalist is an Utrecht-based material specialist that actually grew out of Devoteq, a Dutch mechanical engineering company. Out of all the three finalists, 3Devo is the only one with a tangible product, but it's a remarkable one: the NEXT 1.0, the world's first high-end, consumer-friendly filament extruder designed with the goal of putting high quality filament in the hands of makers of all types. It is, they say, a solution for the high costs involved in 3D printing, the limited material options available and the high levels of waste we all generate.
Though they have been working on their promising desktop filament factory for more than two years now, their interesting extrusion unit previously ran into some complications that prevented them from bringing their machine into the hands of consumers. Unfortunately, they 'only' gathered €26,000 euros during a Kickstarter campaign in September 2015, failing to reach their goal. Nonetheless, they have incorporated feedback and now have a finished product.
Though financial issues doubtlessly set back production, 3devo is taking pre-orders for their machine, which is far more promising than a failed Kickstarter campaign suggests. "Placing professional quality filament extrusion within everybody's reach, the NEXT 1.0 employs intelligent automation that makes it easy to use, while also enabling maximum control over every aspect of the process. Elegant and versatile design meets high quality engineering, resulting in outstanding performance," they say. Capable of extruding both ABS and PLA, and even enabling the recycling of other plastics to develop custom filaments in any color, it provides the user with full control over their materials and even supports sustainable and environmentally friendly 3D printing. In short, it definitely deserves a nomination.
Posted in 3D Printer Company
Maybe you also like:
- T-Bone Cape motion control board launches on Indiegogo
- New extruder could lower costs of 3D printing cellular structures for drug testing
- New Ninja Printer Plate for consumer 3D printing
- mUVe3D releases improved Marlin firmware for all 3D printers
- Zecotek plans HD 3D display for 3D printers
- Add a smart LCD controller to your Robo3D printer
- Maker Kase: a handy cabinet for 3D printers
- Heated bed for ABS printing with the Printrbot Simple XL
- Next gen all metal 3D printer extruder from Micron
- Pico all-metal hotend 100% funded in 48 hours, B3 announces Stretch Goal
- Create it REAL announces first 3D printing Real Time Processor
- A larger and more powerful 3D printer extruder on Kickstarter


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Remember, you must always "scoop and swoop", or determining the fit is utterly meaningless. I cannot stress the importance of this enough.
Check here, here and here.
Convert cups:
Thanks for this! I can't wait to try my first new bra in the correct size!ReplyDelete
I am so glad to hear :) I hope it works out for you!Delete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
Went to victorias secret and got measured. I have a very good knowledge on sizing. So the girl measured me at a 32 B which seemed ridiculous since I spill over in my 32D. Knowing this and know my band fit perfectly I tried on both D and DD in different styles ( I also tried on a different brand prior to sizing)/ Turned out 32 DD fit properly. Band fit correctly and no spillage or gap in the cup.
Maybe they should train a little better in sizing. I had two other associates check which
both aged I fit the DD better than the D
I've measured my daughter. The difference is 1.5 inches so I think I'll be getting both A and B cups and see which fit best. Saying that, I think she's happy in crop tops at the moment. She's only 10.ReplyDelete
Finding The Best Fitting Bra. Bra Size Calculator : www.HowToMeasureBraSize.comReplyDelete
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It has one purpose – to share our commitment to a revitalized downtown Willimantic neighborhood – a commitment to helping us grow a thriving community, where great food, entertainment, the arts, culture, and social activities come together.
At our Toast of the Town monthly get-togethers, downtown area businesses and organizations are invited to share ideas and recommendations that promote a thriving neighborhood. At each get-together, you can expect to nosh on great food, network with your neighbors, share events and projects, and most importantly, tell the group what inspires and excites you about downtown.
Our Vision:
Surrounded by a beautiful countryside, Willimantic is an ethnically diverse, culturally rich urban haven for artists, entrepreneurs, and academia. Proud of its well-preserved industrial roots and Victorian-age heritage, Willimantic (aka Thread City) residents enjoy living in a town that encourages creative expression and entrepreneurial risk-taking. We welcome visitors, new residents, and business to find themselves in Willimantic!


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Policy on Uses of ICR Funds
|Policy Number
|Effective Date
|July 01, 2006
|Responsible Office/Person
|Academic Affairs
|Related Policies
|Additional History
|Additional References
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Academic Affairs Division
Policy on Uses of ICR Funds
Indirect cost recovery (ICR) funds are restricted to the following uses unless approved for other use by the Chancellor (or her/his designee):
- Development of new funding for sponsored projects and programs;
- Expenditures not reimbursed by the grant or contract agency;
- Reimbursement of grants and contract expenditures disallowed by the granting agency;
- Dissemination of results from grants and contracts;
- Instructional symposia and program development related to grants and contracts;
- Increase university research capabilities including information resources;
- Provide matching funds for new contracts or grants;
- Support research administrative and management services;
- Develop intellectual property;
- Build and/or renovate research facilities, use for operating or building maintenance or use for purchase of equipment to support research.
- Professional society memberships
- Conference or workshop attendance to present a paper to develop professional contacts (P.I.'s and student Research Assistants)
- Research materials include including books, software, etc.
- Stipends and/or payment of curriculum support fees for student research assistants
- Clerical and/ or technical support for grant supports, grant development and/or grant accounting
- Equipment purchases
- Software licenses, maintenance contracts and equipment repairs
Indirect cost recovery (ICR) funds cannot be used: a) to provide additional compensation for Principal Investigators (P.I.'s) during the academic year, b) to supplement a P.I.'s salary while on sabbatical leave or c) to pay a P.I. on a leave without pay. With the approval of the Dean, ICR funds can be used to pay a summer salary to P.I.'s who are between externally funded grants. However, such "bridge funding" is not permissible for two consecutive summers.
This policy is effective July 1, 2006.


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Assistant Professor
Chicago Booth
Varun Gupta is interested in design and optimization of resource allocation policies with applications primarily in health care, cloud computing services, and smart grids. His research includes stochastic modeling and optimization, applied probability, algorithm design and analysis, and mechanism design. He is also interested in sustainable development more broadly and in the study of influence propagation in social networks.
Gupta received his PhD in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University in 2011. He completed his undergraduate studies in computer science and engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi in 2004, where he was awarded the President's Gold Medal.
Gupta joined the University of Chicago faculty in 2012.


text:
This oval serving platter is in the 1940s Calico Fruit design by Universal Potteries of Ohio. It measures 13-5/8" by 10-1/2" diameter. There are no chips, flakes, or cracks but the decal has a few tiny scratches and there are several pale pindot stains on the ivory surface. Utensil marks are very few and minimal, and the red band around the rim has very little wear. The platter is unmarked. The leading online dinnerware replacement service has this size platter priced at about $66.
31 other shoppers are interested in this item
Specializing in antique and vintage Christmas all year round, plus antique to Mid-Century copper.


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Dying/broken/forgiven.... now I begin
re-born: 3-09-80
born again\found: 14-04-08
other notable dates: 10-03-68; 03-09-87; 23-03-96;
1-05-98; 31-01-02; 5-04-04
Interests: movement, stressed/transgressive embodiment, lived experience (body\space\time\relation)
expression ( word, dance, text, image, story, music, poetics)
learning, yielding......
Hopes for the blog:
offer up the wild intersectedness of lived experience and engage others in creative, expressive, perhaps irreverant, hopefully playful, and respectful encounters....
enact kindness
create moments of pause for disclosure, discovery, stillness
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
7 comments:
another goodie from Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar..... fun little book.ReplyDelete
A pair of jumper cables walks into a bar, asks for a drink.ReplyDelete
Bartender says OK, but don't start anything here.
It's 7 a.m. here, and I cannot fathom how anyone could come up with this at 5:42 a.m., Punch. Nay, nay...I need caffeine firstest. Back later.ReplyDelete
the rock said to the tree: "I've seen your kind come and go"ReplyDelete
I so needed a good chuckle, to take my mind off the weather, and this did it!ReplyDelete
I hope the heat lifts in your neck of the woods real soon, too.
A termite walks into a bar and asks, "Is the bar tender here?"ReplyDelete
well, I gotta post more jokes..... these comments are fabulous! you guys are great!ReplyDelete
Punch, Gerry and Mr.C.-- I will stealing and recycling these with impunity!
Crow-- thanks for the visit and glad you got a chuckle...so did I :))
Jadedj-- can relate on the caffeine; it's my only vice, you know....


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Suddenly, even the non-political are talking politics. Let's make sure they know about https://t.co/3vRiFGbgG9 & https://t.co/82TARXSJGl.
— mysociety (@mysociety) June 27, 2016
That's the tweet we put out on Monday, after a few days of the fastest-moving politics the UK had seen in years. Little did we know that there was plenty more to come.
And it's true. Everyone is talking politics — in the street, in the pub, on Facebook. Everyone wants information; everyone wants to express their opinions: which means that TheyWorkForYou and WriteToThem are pretty useful right now.
Quick reactions
This has been an interesting week for us here at mySociety. As well as engaging in the same scrolling through fast-changing news stories as the rest of the nation, we've been dashing to make a few changes to our sites.
In general, our working methods favour considered actions. We ticket ideas, we discuss them, we prioritise and schedule them, we peer review them, and then they go live. It's an excellent system for ensuring that work is both necessary and robust. It's not quite so ideal for working on a new feature you need, like, yesterday, so this has been a change of pace for us.
Information is key
Here's our first significant addition. Before you email your MP on matters concerning Brexit, it's useful to know where they stand, so we quickly created an infobox for MPs' pages on TheyWorkForYou (based on data from the BBC):
Increased numbers
Neither of our parliamentary sites needed structural changes: fortunately, they are built robustly and hosted on servers which cope with increased visitor numbers when they occur.
And they are occurring. In a week that has seen the referendum, the resignation of the Prime Minister, mass shadow cabinet resignations, and Conservative leadership nominees, you have had plenty to research and plenty to write to your representatives about.
Here's what visitor numbers for TheyWorkForYou look like — five times the usual traffic:
And six times as much as usual for WriteToThem:
Manual changes
Increased traffic is no problem (quite the contrary; we love it!), but there were some things that needed our attention. More users means more user support, so we've spent more time than usual answering questions about who we are, how we generate our data, what to do if a confirmation email doesn't arrive, and so on.
Oh, and about that data:
All these resignations- will nobody think of the people who maintain parliamentary monitoring websites?
— Myf Nixon (@mockduck) June 27, 2016
Lots of what's published on TheyWorkForYou updates automatically, but not necessarily immediately. Parliamentary roles, for example, are only scheduled to update weekly.
That doesn't allow for the rate of resignations and replacements that we've seen in the shadow cabinet this week, so our developers have had to go in and manually set the update code running.
Thinking social
We wanted to remind people that TheyWorkForYou is a great place to research the facts about those standing in a leadership contest. In particular, our voting record pages set out clearly and simply what each MP's stance is on key issues.
So we've been tweeting and Facebooking reminders like this:
At times, the news moved too fast for us to keep up:
Oops! Meanwhile, we also have another useful source of information: the Conservative party speeches that were removed from the internet in 2013 and which we republished on our SayIt platform:
See all the archived speeches here.
(Oh – and don't forget to let us know if you have great ideas for using SayIt)
What's next?
We're working on improving the way that TheyWorkForYou pages look when you share them on Facebook and Twitter, which seems sensible given that they are being shared so much right now.
And after that? Well, who knows…. let's just keep an eye on the news.
Image: Megan Trace (CC)
If you've used WriteToThem, you'll know that two weeks after you submit a message to your MP, we send a follow-up questionnaire to check whether you received a response.
Each year, we collate that data to see how MPs are doing at responding to constituents' mails*, and we publish the results. (This year, we waited a bit longer than usual so that we could cover a full year since the general election.)
They're now live, so you can go and check exactly how your own MP did — just enter your postcode.
Some interesting stats
- Because we've been running these figures since 2005 (with a gap between 2008-13), we can make some comparisons. We're disappointed to see that the responsiveness rate of MPs has been steadily declining. In 2005, 63% of respondents indicated that they'd had a reply; this year, that's down to 50%.
- Before we analysed the data, we thought that new MPs, elected in 2015, would perhaps perform better than the jaded incumbents. Not so: on average 'old' MPs responded to 53.07% of constituents' messages, while the newly-elected managed only 46.10%. One new MP, Marcus Fysh, MP for Yeovil, came in at 635 out of the 642 MPs eligible for inclusion.
- Receiving more mail doesn't necessarily mean you'll perform poorly. Notable in this respect is Gerald Kaufman, who managed a 79% responsiveness rate despite having the second largest postbag.
- And being in the public eye doesn't necessarily impact an MP's responsiveness: Sadiq Khan and Jeremy Corbyn performed poorly, but have done so in prior years, too. Equally, we suppose it follows that a poor responsiveness level doesn't necessarily impact on electoral success.
- We were curious to know whether there's a gender divide when it comes to responsiveness. There is, but it's very slight: on average male MPs responded to 52% of correspondence; female MPs to 50%.
- And another thing we've been asked about, sometimes by MPs themselves. There is no significant relationship between parliamentary constituency size and responsiveness. In other words, having more people in a constituency does not automatically mean that the MP is a poor responder.
Anyway, enough of this — go and check how your MP did, and then tell everyone else to do the same.
*This needs a caveat. Our data only covers messages sent via WriteToThem, and, furthermore, only those messages where users completed the questionnaire. You can see the full methodology on the rankings page.
WriteToThem is our service that helps people write to their elected representatives, quickly and easily.
People running a campaign often send their supporters to WriteToThem and ask them to contact their MP. But it's always easy to lose people between one website and the next: you'll get far better results if you can send your users right in to the message-writing process.
Fortunately, the WriteToThem embeddable tool lets you do just that. It's free, and available to any campaign that wants to use it. We recently came across a great example of how this tool has been used by Stepchange, the debt charity, so we wrote it up in a case study.
If you're wondering whether this tool might work for your own campaign, you can read their experience here.
It's around this time of year that we normally publish our responsiveness statistics on WriteToThem. However, if you've been looking forward to seeing your MP's ranking, we're afraid you'll have to wait a little longer.
Two weeks after you use WriteToThem to contact a representative, we send you an automated email to check whether or not you received a response. The data gathered by these questionnaires gives us a snapshot of how well the site is working for its users; it also allows us to highlight which MPs, which parties, and which parliamentary bodies do the best and worst at responding to constituents' messages.
We've habitually analysed a calendar year of responses, January to December. Last year, though, was an election year, meaning that several MPs were active up until May, and then several new MPs took their seats in the new Parliament. So we're going to run the data in June, looking at May 2015 to May 2016, followed by a four-week period to ensure we've received all the questionnaires.
Now, in theory, it shouldn't matter too much, because we rank MPs by the percentage of mail sent through WriteToThem that they respond to (or more accurately, that our users tell us they have responded to). An MP may have responded to 100% of all their mail and then been voted out; their successor may then respond to 10% of their mail: both MPs would be ranked accordingly.
In fact, that's how we did it for 2005, the first year for which we published WriteToThem rankings, and also an election year*.
But shifting the date like this means that the data will be less confusing. It'll let us see how every current MP has performed, in terms of responsiveness, across a full year.
Of course, one side effect of this is that if you're an MP and you want to be top of the pops, you have an extra five months in which to boost your score… so, on your marks, time to get writing!
Image: Debb Collins (CC)
*2010 fell within a four-year period during which we didn't publish rankings.
Can you donate a few pounds toward the running of our UK sites?
FixMyStreet, WhatDoTheyKnow, WriteToThem and TheyWorkForYou all provide an easy way for you, the public, to hold our elected representatives to account. They give you the power to get things changed.
You are the lifeblood of these sites: you make the reports that go off to the council; pen the letters to your representatives, request the information that our public authorities hold.
Today, we're asking for a little more. When you visit one of our UK sites, you may notice a banner asking for a donation.
That's because, as well as relying on your usage, these sites rely on your contributions to keep them running. In fact, our overheads are substantial: your donations help fund servers, maintenance, development, user support and all the other costs that come with running popular services and large archives.
If you've benefited from one of our sites, or you are glad that they are around for others, please consider setting up a regular contribution of a few pounds a month, or making a one-off donation. It will be very much appreciated.
Image: Dominic Alves (CC)
How do you know when Parliament is going to be debating the things you care about? One way is to use TheyWorkForYou—you can set it up to send you handy reminders ahead of time.
On the agenda
The legalisation of cannabis is one of those topics that people have strong opinions about, and we've noticed a few tweets where people are saying that they've used WriteToThem.com to share their views with their MPs, ahead of today's Westminster Hall debate on the matter.
Of course, you can share your thoughts on any topic with your MP, at any time. Doing so just before a debate is useful, though, as it means your representative is more likely to take your views into consideration before voting or speaking.
TheyWorkForYou.com, our site that covers the UK's parliaments, actually makes it pretty easy to time your messages correctly. As well as publishing everything spoken in Parliament, it also shows upcoming business.
More than that, you can subscribe to any key word or phrase within the upcoming business section, and we'll send you an email whenever it arises. So, whether you care deeply about cannabis, or your interests lie in another topic all together, you'll know when a debate is scheduled.
And then you can get straight onto WriteToThem to write your message.
Here's how to set up your 'future business' alert:
1. Go to the future business page on TheyWorkForYou.
2. Enter your chosen word or phrase in the search box to the right (titled Search upcoming business, or set up a future business email alert)
3. You'll be taken to a page showing any future business containing your keyword. On the right of that page you'll see a box like this:
Notice the small text: (or just forests in Future Business). Click on this if you'd like to receive results only for forthcoming debates.
4. You'll be asked to confirm what you want:
As you'll see, this confirmation also teaches you a shortcut, if you ever want to search within Future Business directly: [keyword section:future]
5. Click 'subscribe' and you'll be asked to input your email address (unless you are already logged in). Check your email to confirm your address and you're done — all ready to fire off an email to your MP next time something important is on the horizon.
We provide services that help everyone access democracyDonate now
We received a tweet this morning wondering how many emails there had been to MPs on the subject of the 'Refugees Welcome' campaign, and whether WriteToThem, our contact-a-politician website, might have some relevant data.
Well, it's not quite as simple as it might seem. WriteToThem's privacy policy makes it clear that we will only look at certain types of data: we won't (bar exceptional cases related to the running of the site) look at the text of users' messages, even in an automated fashion, so there's no way of narrowing down which topics people are writing about, for example by counting how many users' mails contain words like 'refugee' or 'immigrant'.
Even if we could, WriteToThem is a completely non-partisan service, and users may be writing on either side of an issue.
We do use Google Analytics, which collects entirely anonymous statistics on how many people visit the site, how long they stay on it, etc. There is one clear indication that the site is being used more than usual: user numbers on Thursday and Friday of last week were about 5 or 6 times higher than the norm. There was a dip at the weekend — there generally is — and numbers have continued to climb on Monday and today.
Google Analytics also allows us to see which websites have referred people to our site. Over this period, it seems it was mostly Facebook and the petitions site Avaaz.
With most websites, you can regard visitor numbers as a pretty good indication of your success — if they're going up, then at least something's right.
With WriteToThem though, user numbers regularly fluctuate so wildly that you could be fooled into thinking we're on the brink of disaster, or the brink of world domination, from one week to the next.
In the normal way of things, there seems to be a baseline at which the UK populace will toddle along. A small percentage of us will write to our politicians whenever we have an opinion that we want to express, but most of us are content with a few acerbic Facebook updates or heated discussions down the pub.
Then, now and then, an issue comes along which grips the nation. This week, that would indeed appear to be the issue of refugees.
Of course, we're always glad to see the site used, and we hope that people who are referred to it because of an issue they care about will also remember it's there whenever they need to contact their representatives in the future.
Incidentally, if you are running any kind of campaign and you would like to harness WriteToThem's functionality on your own site, don't forget that we've written a guide to doing just that.
Image: Andre Vandal (cc)
How many people visit mySociety's websites?
That's a question we don't ask ourselves as much as many other organisations. Much of our current funding is dependent on transactions (that is, the number of people using the site to complete an action such as making an FOI request, writing to a politician, or signing up to receive emails when their MP speaks), and rightly so, since that is a better measure of the sites' actual effectiveness.
All the same, visitor numbers* do tell us about things like how much public awareness there is of what we do, and which of our sites is more visible than the others, so it's good to take a proper look now and again.
Which of our UK sites is most visited?
By far our most popular site in terms of visitor numbers is our Freedom of Information site WhatDoTheyKnow. With over 4.5 million visitors 2014-15, it's had three times more users than its closest competitor, TheyWorkForYou.
As well as allowing users to submit FOI requests, WhatDoTheyKnow also puts the responses into the public domain, so that the information becomes openly available. Every request receives, on average, twenty readers, meaning that transactions do not show the whole picture for this site.
WhatDoTheyKnow's user numbers are also rising steadily. It's up 8% on last year, and March 2015 was its highest month for unique users since its launch in 2008, at 470,509.
Which is least visited?
This dubious honour goes to WriteToThem, which nonetheless welcomed 457,209 visitors during the year, either helping them to write to their representatives, or simply showing them who those representatives were.
This was still a decent 11% rise on the previous year, despite a real rollercoaster where some months dipped substantially from the previous year.
Which made the most gains in the last year?
FixMyStreet saw the biggest percentage change, with a 21% rise in visitor numbers compared to the previous year; we talked a bit more about that in a recent blog post. WhatDoTheyKnow had the highest rise in actual visitor numbers: over 360,000 up on 2013-14.
Which fell by the most in the last year?
TheyWorkForYou saw a 12% drop in visitor numbers year on year (and also the biggest drop in real terms)—disappointing, but something we hope to rectify with the new voting pages, an ongoing process of rolling redesign, and some grassroots outreach.
How much effect do external events have on visitor numbers?
We already know that, as you'd expect, when Parliament is on holiday, MPs, debates and legislation aren't in the news, and TheyWorkForYou visitor numbers fall. There's also a weekly pattern for all our sites, where far fewer people use them at the weekends, presumably indicating that lots of our users access them from work.
It's too early to say exactly what effect the election has had on our sites: as I write, people are eagerly checking out the voting records of newly-appointed cabinet ministers on TheyWorkForYou.
One thing we know for sure is that fewer people will have been using WriteToThem, because there have been no MPs to write to for the last few weeks. We've removed the "write to your MP" links from TheyWorkForYou, which always drove a good deal of WriteToThem's traffic.
FixMyStreet enjoyed a boost back in June, when it was featured on the Channel 4 programme 'The Complainers'—and the nice thing is, user numbers never receded back to their previous levels after the programme was over. Maybe people just need to use FixMyStreet to see how useful it is.
How many people visit mySociety's UK websites in total?
This is a difficult figure for us to produce with accuracy, because we don't trace whether you're the same person visiting a number of our different sites.
However, the aggregate total of visitors to all our UK sites (WriteToThem, TheyWorkForYou, FixMyStreet and WhatDoTheyKnow) for 2014-15 is 6,983,028. Thanks very much if you were one of them 🙂
How can I help?
Glad you asked! If you find mySociety sites useful, you can help us spread the word by telling friends, sharing the URLs with any groups you are a member of, posting on Facebook or Twitter, or writing to your local paper.
We have a number of materials for FixMyStreet which can be found here; we hope to create similar materials for our other sites too, and we'll make sure we announce it on here when we do.
* Note: all references to 'users' refer to unique users within the period discussed. So, users in a year means individual people who may have visited any number of times over that year, but are only counted once; same with monthly users.
Image: Rodrigo Moraes (CC)
Spare a thought for us over the night of May 7th – for, when the nation wakes up to the General Election results, we'll have been up all night updating TheyWorkForYou.
As you might imagine, elections are bitter-sweet times for us here at mySociety. On the one hand, swingometers, marginals and ballot boxes are about as exciting as life gets for a bunch of political geeks. On the other, we have only a short window of time in which to ensure our parliamentary websites reflect the new administration.
In previous years, this has meant manually updating an XML file and running an import script 650 times – slightly arduous, even for the most dedicated civic coder. This year, we're taking advantage of the fact that YourNextMP exists and several of us will be staying up anyway to see the results, and hoping to do things a little differently.
As each result is announced (or potentially even earlier, if it's clear that there's only one possible winner), site administrators will be logged in to YourNextMP, where they'll have access to a "this person won!" button. We'll be on a rota throughout the night, sharing duties with the equally dedicated Democracy Club volunteer team.
When that button is clicked, YourNextMP will update, and TheyWorkForYou will notice and automatically update its underlying JSON data.
This is the data we match you with when you input your postcode on the homepage, meaning that TheyWorkForYou should be a great place to find out who your next MP is as soon as you wake up (assuming the results are in) on 8th May.
UPDATE: If you are interested in the technical aspects of the YourNextMP and TheyWorkForYou updates, you may like to read more about it in this thread.
A blank canvas
Note that new MPs will not have a great deal on their pages yet: TheyWorkForYou's MP pages are built up of voting and debating activity, past positions and expenses, etc, and of course, totally new MPs will have none of that. But there's one important feature that you should take advantage of on Friday—the 'subscribe' button.
Sign up, and we'll send you an email every time your new MP speaks in Parliament, so you can keep track of exactly what he or she is saying in your name. If you were previously following an MP who has resigned or lost their seat, don't forget to follow the new one! We'll be sending out a message straight after the election to remind you.
Another website which will require a lot of attention post-election is WriteToThem, which matches you with your local and national politicians so that you can contact them.
Unfortunately, WriteToThem takes a little longer to update, as we rely on data, including email addresses, from external sources. We'll be updating as soon as we can. Meanwhile, if you have an urgent message for your MP or councillors, you may find that you can locate direct email addresses on the official Parliament and council websites.
Image: William Murphy (CC)
This post refers to the statistics we published for 2014. If you would like to see the latest responsiveness figures on WriteToThem, please visit www.writetothem.com/stats/.
Of course, there are many factors that you'll consider before you cast your vote in the general election. But we think that one important quality in an MP is that they respond to their constituents.
So you may wish to check your own MP's performance on the latest WriteToThem responsiveness league table. Just put in your postcode and you can see how they did in 2014.
Where the data comes from
When you send a message to your MP using our site WriteToThem, you'll receive an automated email two weeks later, asking whether or not you received a response. Every year, we take the data from these surveys and use it to assemble our responsiveness rankings.
A downturn
You might think that MPs would be doing the best they can this year, in the run-up to the election. Sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case: overall, responsiveness has fallen a percentage point since last year, with 46% of emails receiving no reply.
Some caveats
You can find all our data and methodology on the league table page.
We know that messages sent to WriteToThem may not reflect all messages sent to an MP; we also know that not every message will require an answer. However, we think that, taken overall, our sample size of over 36,000 interactions can be seen as indicative.
Image: Michael Scott (CC)


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Television - Missold - over the phone
Who is your issue with?
How does Resolver work?
Explains your rights to you
You'll find no legal jargon in our simple, comprehensive consumer rights sections. Our guidance is tailored specifically for every type of issue.
Helps you prepare your emails
We provide a wide range of flexible email templates for you to adapt to your needs – just slot in the specific details for your case, and in a few short clicks your issue will be ready to go.
Creates a case file for you
Your case file is a secure online location for all important documents regarding your issue. You can upload photos, tickets, copies of receipts or external emails from before you raised your issue with Resolver.
Lets you record all your communications
One of the most important aspects of a complicated issue is keeping a record of all your correspondence regarding the complaint – Resolver does this for you automatically.
Lets you know when to escalate your complaint
If you're not satisfied with the initial response from the organisation you have an issue with, our escalation process will let you know when you can raise your complaint to the next level of seniority and, ultimately to an ombudsman or regulator, where appropriate.
You should make a formal complaint to your TV provider's customer services department. You should ask them to honour the contract as agreed with the sales person. If they do not agree to do this, report the company to the Office of Fair Trading. Any contract term, which states the company does not uphold statements by sales staff is deemed an unfair term. Any false statement made by a sales person in order to secure your business is deemed a misrepresentation (even if your provider has a term in their contract which purports to prevent their salesperson binding them to different terms). Under such circumstances, you are within your rights to cancel the contract with no cancellation charges. You also may be able to take legal action for compensation for any payments you have already made. False statement to secure contract is a criminal offence. Trading Standards should be informed of any such practices.
resolver strongly recommends that you submit your complaint to the company and to the OFT in writing, and resolver can assist you in submitting, recording and reminding you when and who to escalate to.
It can be frustrating when you are mis-sold a service!
resolver can help you resolve this issue for free quickly and without hassle. As a first step we can assist you in writing your complaint. You can click on the link below to create your email.
If you cannot resolve your issue you cannot raise your case to the Ombudsman until 8 weeks after you have first raised your complaint with your supplier, or you have received a 'letter of deadlock' from the company stating that they cannot resolve the issue as you have asked. Your complaint must also not be older than 9 months. For an accurate decision by the Ombudsman you should provide a detailed file of your communications and supporting documentation. In addition make sure you explain what you want as an outcome as this will help assess your case.
Find the best rights for you
We have 4,798 pages of rights advice for you covering 7,375 companies and organisations across 17 public & private sectors. Feel free to browse companies for this specific issue - they're all listed below - but the quickest way to find the best rights for you is by using our unique Rights Finder to access our extensive database of advice.
Start by telling us the name of the company or organisation you have an issue with.
Who do you have an issue with?
Helping you with Missold - over the phone
Resolver covers the issue Missold Over The Phone for 9 companies and organisations:


text:
While lessons and extracurricular classes have always been a part of the lives of affluent suburban children, more attention is now focused on the importance of "enrichment" programming in the lives of all children (U.S. Department of Education & U.S. Department of Justice, 1998).
Lillian Coltin stated that creative partnerships between after-school programs, schools, and community organizations [like World of Enrichment] are increasing the availability of extracurricular activities for all school-age children.
World of Enrichment is proud the be the premier provider of high quality out-of-school programs in the Chicagoland area and has been partnering with families and the community since 2005!
Discover these mind-expanding opportunities for your child's out-of-school time at World of Enrichment now! Kids Night Out Events, Music Literacy Education and Spanish Immersion classes.


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Somebody is racing
15 Freaking degrees today and cars breaking left and right gives everyone at Willie's zero time for toys.
I'm just glad to see someone, somewhere, is having fun racing in November.
Need to make a note to call Shawn at Redheadracing.net and see how the 08' season is going to shake out......
Best of luck to these guys this weekend!


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I will open a ticket for you to get you the license file you need for Sculptor 3, it is different that the one for Sculptor 2.
As for owning versus subscribed products you will continue to own outright any of the products you have purchased. With the subscription the main advantage is that you will always get the most recent release and upgrades to products. When you quit the subscription all of your subscription products will no longer be available to you, just the ones you own out right.
I'm sorry you feel that way about the transition to the public forum for support. In reality it is the same support staff responding to your questions and is really no different than the ticket system we had other than the fact that any one can see the questions and answers and hopefully gain from them. The other advantage that is not possible in the closed ticket system is that other users can chime in and try to help or expand on an issue that is similar to one they are experiencing. Our goal is to streamline the support process to provide a higher level of customer service to our users.
The ticket system is still active, it is just the next level that we go to if files need to be exchanged or there are sensitive details to discuss. I have logged a ticket for you on this, please login and visit your support history to update the ticket with the serial you have for Sculptor 3 and the MAC address.


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We just wrapped up camp staff training week. As always, when we go to camps we find dedicated, enthusiastic and welcoming people. These mostly college and high school aged young people are committed to being sure that all children and youth who come to their programs have successful experiences. One young man at the Camp Rota Kiwan training for the 3rd year said, "You guys always have something new to teach us that we can use at camp."
Thank you to my colleagues Hyun Berkley, Craig Campbell and Josh Stevens for the awesome job they did presenting a lot of information in a fun and interactive manner.
If you want information about having us provide training for your staff you can contact us via this website or call 269-254-8224.
Also, we have two other informational DVD's that we can share with your group:
1. The Community Participation Initiative: The Kalamazoo Experience 2. Living with Autism in Our Community
Both are about 15 minutes long and offer an opportunity for people to discuss how the Community can become responsible of welcoming, support and respecting individuals with disabilities.


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Many people with Type 2 diabetes can regulate blood sugar by maintaining a healthy diet, getting regular exercise and monitoring blood glucose, but some diabetics also need to take prescribed medication, explains Mayo Clinic. Diabetic individuals usually develop an individual blood-sugar maintenance plan with a doctor's help.
A healthy diabetic diet typically includes plenty of high-fiber and low-fat foods, explains Mayo Clinic. There is no specific diabetes diet that every Type-2 diabetic follows, but most diabetics limit carbohydrates in some form or follow a diet based on the glycemic index. The glycemic index ranks foods by their effect on blood sugar, which makes it helpful for assessing the potential blood-glucose impact of specific meals.
Losing weight can help overweight Type-2 diabetics control their blood sugar levels, according to KidsHealth. Both diet and exercise can contribute to weight loss in addition to helping maintain appropriate blood glucose levels on a day-to-day basis.
For Type-2 diabetics who cannot keep blood sugar levels under control through lifestyle changes, thiazolidinediones and metformin may help the body more effectively use available insulin, explains Mayo Clinic. Other drugs called sulfonylureas and meglitinides can increase insulin production in the body. Another class of drugs, SGLT2 inhibitors, keep sugars from returning to the blood after being filtered out by the kidneys.


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It was the sort of Socratic experience that convinced the Athenian philosopher to take the easy way out and swallow the hemlock.
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Protection of property rights debated at DCPC hearing
It was the sort of Socratic experience that convinced the Athenian philosopher to take the easy way out and swallow the hemlock.
Members of the government regulation committee of the county Assembly of Delegates may have felt like first-year students in Professor Kingsfield's law class as they searched for definitive answers during their Jan. 19 hearing on implementing regulations for the Craigville Beach District of Critical Planning Concern.
The law was argued back and forth, by lawyers, as members tried to nail down the differences between the regulations almost officially approved by town council [the 8 to 4 positive vote was one short of the recommended two-thirds of the full membership] and the nearly identical strictures presented to the council as a zoning amendment, which the council voted not to refer for a public hearing.
"Implementation of a DCPC is an extraordinary remedy for extraordinary zoning problems," attorney Barry Weiner, representing some homeowners in the DCPC, told the committee. He noted that, in her presentation, Cape Cod Commission staffer Martha Hevenor had said the tool was for matters "that can't be resolved by local zoning ordinances."
Enactment by the town of the proposed local ordinance would have "exactly the same legal effect" as the DCPC regulations, Weiner argued, but would have the advantage of maintaining "grandfathered" protections such as the right to judicial appeal.
"There's a wonderful, almost Alice in Wonderland, quality to grandfathering," said Barnstable Town Attorney Ruth Weil, a former director of the town's growth management department. Citing the Massachusetts zoning act, found under Chapter 40A, she said, "it's known as the full-employment act for lawyers."
Weil said the law comes with 100 pages of small-type annotations of legal cases. "If this were passed as zoning," she warned, "all that case law would be imported. There would be no certainty for homeowners… Grandfathering in Massachusetts is a morass."
It fell to the last speaker – like the fictional Kingsfield, a professor – to explain the difference between maintaining and eliminating grandfathering. William Ryckman, who revised the state's Chapter 40A, said that the term refers to the state's response when zoning was adopted decades ago. You wouldn't ask someone to tear down a house, he noted, so exemptions were grandfathered for pre-existing, non-conforming uses.
"Do you freeze these people in time?" Ryckman asked. Again, no, so the right to modest additions within guidelines was allowed. Also, zoning boards were allowed to grant special permits if guidelines were exceeded but the changes were not more detrimental to the neighborhood.
Under Chapter 40A zoning, Ryckman said, decisions of the building inspector can be appealed to the zoning board, and those of the board can be subjected to judicial review.
Earlier in the meeting, Centerville Town Councilor Tom Rugo, a supporter of the DCPC, said that Cape towns, in voting for the Cape Cod Commission two decades ago, had "the foresight" to allow elimination of grandfathering through the DCPC process.
As the session wound down, Falmouth delegate Julia Taylor, who has long experience on her town's zoning board, said a DCPC provides "a different level of certainty" for homeowners and a community. Do you see that the Cape Cod Commission has that right?"
"To deprive residents of judicial review?" Ryckman said. "I think they probably do."


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<link href="//db.onlinewebfonts.com/c/59b8683366c470c1549192a8dee14d7d?family=VolumeW00-Regular" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>#2 Using @import CSS directive, put the following line in add to your css file.(http | https)
@import url(//db.onlinewebfonts.com/c/59b8683366c470c1549192a8dee14d7d?family=VolumeW00-Regular);#3 Use font-face declaration Fonts.(http | https)
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Copyright (c) 2011 by Florent Courtaigne. All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 2011 by Florent Courtaigne. All rights reserved.
Cubo is a trademark of Florent Courtaigne.
Volk Redis
Volk RedisStyle
1.000 2012 initial releaseCompany
Peter WiegelAuthor
Peter WiegelTrademark
Volk Redis is a trademark of Peter Wiegel.Copyright
Copyright (c) 2012 by Peter Wiegel. Open Font under Terms of following Free Software Licenses:GPL (General Public License) with font-exception and OFL (Open Font LicenseDescription
Copyright (c) 2012 by Peter Wiegel. Open Font under Terms of following Free Software Licenses:GPL (General Public License) with font-exception and OFL (Open Font LicenseLicense
GPL- General Public License AND OFL-Open Font License
Cosmical disfase Cosmical disfase
Style : Cosmical disfasePackages
Cosmical disfaseStyle
Cosmical disfaseVersion
Jesus Sandoval TapiaAuthor
Jesus Sandoval TapiaTrademark
Cosmical disfase Cosmical disfase is a trademark of Jesus Sandoval Tapia.Copyright
Copyright (c) 2008 by Jesus Sandoval Tapia. All rights reserved.Description
Copyright (c) 2008 by Jesus Sandoval Tapia. All rights reserved.License
Tipografa creada por alumnos de la Licenciatura en diseo grafico del Instituto Tecnologico de Sonora, asesorados por el Maestro Oswaldo Madrid. / Font crated by Graphic Design students of Instituto Tecnolgico de Sonora advised by teacher Oswaldo Madrid.NINGN DINERO debe de ser intercambiado por este archivo tipogrfico, sin el PERMISO POR ESCRITO de el diseador. / NO MONEY must ever exchange hands for this font file, without EXPLICIT WRITTEN PERMISSION from the designer.Esto significa que NO PUEDE VENDER ESTA TIPOGRAFA en una coleccin de tipografas, de manera individual o como parte de algn otro paquete tipogrfico. / This means you MAY NOT SELL THIS FONT on a font-collection CD, nor singularly nor part of any other type package.Puede usted distribuir este archivo tipogrfico a cualquier persona, mientras no sea modificado, ni se cobre ningun dinero o servicio. / You may distribute this font file to anyone you want, as long as you do not modify it and do not charge any money or services.Puede usted usar esta tipografa en aplicaciones y sitios web no comerciales y sin el permiso del diseador. / You can use this font in noncommercial applications and websites freely and without the designer's permission.Puede usted usar esta tipografa para crear productos o sitios web comerciales, y ser muy apreciado si envia una copia del trabajo donde fue usada. / You can use this font to create commercial products or web sites, but when appropriate I'd love for you to send me a complimentary copy of the item you use it in.Resumen de la licencia / Summary of the license:http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/mx/Licencia completa / Complete License :http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/mx/legalcodeMailing address:Mtro. Oswaldo MadridInstituto Tecnolgico de SonoraAntonio Caso SNCiudad Obregn, SonoraMxico 85132email: firstname.lastname@example.com
FunZone V12
1.00 May 28, 2013, initial releaseTrademark
Trademark 538FontsCopyright
Typeface (your company). 2013. All Rights ReservedDescription
This font was created using FontCreator 6.0 from High-Logic.com
freestyler ancient f6(modified) V1
freestyler ancient f6(modified)Style
1.00 February 4, 2013, initial releaseCopyright
Typeface (your company). 2013. All Rights ReservedDescription
This font was created using FontCreator 6.5 from High-Logic.com
Summertime Extra Characters
Style : Extra CharactersPackages
Summertime Extra CharactersStyle
Extra CharactersAuthor
Copyright 2001 Sara (www.saraarts.com); all rights reserved. Distribute freely & use how you like, but do not sell this font or any variation thereof.Description
Repackaging and resale absolutely prohibited without express written consent of creator. No such rights will be granted for anything other than secular charity purposes. Write to firstname.lastname@example.com for more information.
Exlibris W01
International Typeface CorporationTrademark
Exlibris is a trademark of International Typeface Corporation and may be registered in certain jurisdictions.Copyright
Copyright 1998, 2006 International Typeface Corporation. All rights reserved. Exlibris is designed by Bo Berndal.License
NOTIFICATION OF LICENSE AGREEMENTThis typeface is the property of International Typeface Corporation (ITC) and its use by you is covered under the terms of a license agreement. You have obtained this typeface software either directly from ITC or together with software distributed by one of the licencees of ITC.This software is a valuable asset of ITC. Unless you have entered into a specific license agreement granting you additional rights, your use of this software is limited to use on up to five (5) workstation for your own publishing use. You may not copy or distribute this software.If you have any questions concerning your rights you should review the license agreement you received with the software or contact ITC for a copy of the license agreement.General information:www.itcfonts.comFor license terms and usage rights, please visit our web site at:www.itcfonts.com/license
Nota W01 LightOblique
Gert Wiescher, Wiescher-Design, Munich, Germany, www.wiescher-design.deAuthor
Gert WiescherTrademark
Nota is a trademark of Gert Wiescher, Wiescher-Design, Munich, Germany, www.wiescher-design.de.Copyright
Copyright (c) 2015by Gert Wiescher, Wiescher-Design, Munich, Germany, www.wiescher-design.de. All rights reserved.License
Wiescher Design Standard LicenseBy buying this font you are agreeing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement. This Agreement, in conjunction with the receipt that accompanies each purchase from Wiescher-Design, constitutes the complete agreement between you and Wiescher-Design.1. Allowed usesYou may use the licensed fonts to create images on any surface such as computer screens, paper, web pages, photographs, movie credits, printed material, T-shirts, and other surfaces where the image is a fixed size.You may use the licensed fonts to create EPS files or other scalable drawings provided that such files are only used by the household or company licensing the font.2. Number of usersThe maximum number of simultaneous users is specified in the applicable receipt. All users must belong to the same company or household purchasing the font.3. Third partiesYou may provide the font to a graphic designer, printer or other service bureau that is working on your behalf only if they agree to use the font exclusively for your work, agree to the terms of this license, and retain no copies of the font on completion of the work.You may not provide the font or make it accessible to any other third parties.4. EmbeddingYou may embed the licensed fonts into any document you send to third parties provided such embedding is restricted to viewing and printing that document.You may not embed the licensed fonts into software or hardware products in which the fonts will be used by the purchasers of such products. Such use requires a different license (OEM). Please contact firstname.lastname@example.com for information on OEM licenses.5. ModificationsYou may import characters from the font as graphical objects into a drawing program and modify such graphical objects.You may not modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or create derivative works based on the licensed font itself without Wiescher-Design' prior written consent.6. CopyrightThe font and the accompanying materials are copyrighted and contain proprietary information and trade secrets belonging to the foundry owning the font. Unauthorized copying of the Product even if modified, merged, or included with other software, or of the written materials, is expressly forbidden. You may be held legally responsible for any infringement of the foundrys intellectual property rights that is caused or encouraged by your failure to abide by the terms of this Agreement.7. TerminationThis Agreement is effective until terminated. This Agreement will terminate automatically without notice from Wiescher-Design if you fail to comply with any provision contained herein. Upon termination, you must destroy the written materials, the Product, and all copies of them, in part and in whole, including modified copies, if any.8. Product UpgradesWiescher-Design may, from time to time, update the Product. Product upgrade pricing may apply.9. Disclaimer and Limited WarrantyWiescher-Design warrants the Product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of twenty one (21) days from the date of delivery as shown on your receipt. Wiescher-Design' entire liability and your exclusive remedy as to a defective product shall be, at Wiescher-Design' option, either return of purchase price or replacement of any such product that is returned to Wiescher-Design with a copy of the invoice. Wiescher-Design shall have no responsibility to replace the product or refund the purchase price if failure results from accident, abuse or misapplication, or if any product is lost or damaged due to theft, fire, or negligence. Any replacement product will be warranted for twenty one (21) days. This warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may have other rights, which vary from state to state.EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED ABOVE, THE PRODUCT, IS PROVIDED AS IS. WIESCHER-DESIGN DOES NOT MAKE ANY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the Product rests upon you. Wiescher-Design does not warrant that the functions contained in the Product will meet your requirements or that the operation of the software will be uninterrupted or error free.WIESCHER-DESIGN SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FROM LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION, AND THE LIKE) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE PRODUCT EVEN IF WIESCHER-DESIGN HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.Because some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitation may not apply to you.10. Governing LawThis agreement is governed by the laws of Germany.
1.00 January 17, 2014, initial releaseCopyright
Typeface NALGames. 2014. All Rights ReservedDescription
This font was created using FontCreator 7.5 from High-Logic.com
Ashemore W01 Cond Bold Italic
Jeremy DooleyAuthor
Jeremy Dooley, Lucas Azevedo, Marcelo MagalhaesTrademark
Ashemore is a trademark of Jeremy Dooley.Copyright
Copyright (c) 2012 by Jeremy Dooley. All rights reserved.Description
Copyright (c) 2012 by Jeremy Dooley. All rights reserved.


text:
|I Am in ALL.
Another moment of distress which seems endless has led me back to old wisdom that tells me I can live above the everyday stress and pettiness and remain always and forever in this moment of love and peace and calm joy.
I will keep you updated in my process as both an artist and as to my evolution as a soul here in a human body.


text:
Michele Bachmann Is a Genius
She just doesn't play one on TV. How the Tea Party firebrand made herself into a legitimate 2012 dark horse by driving Republican men to distraction
Whatever becomes of Michele Bachmann and her presidential aspirations, she's already accomplished one thing in this campaign: outing many of her fellow Republicans as sexist toads. Earlier this summer Vin Weber, a key adviser to Tim Pawlenty, attributed the Minnesota Congresswoman's rise in the polls to her "sex appeal." Last week Jon Huntsman offered a similar assessment, telling New York magazine that Bachmann "makes for good copy—and good photography." Weber and Huntsman both later apologized for their remarks, but they were merely offering polite, for-public-consumption versions of the kinds of things Republican men tend to say when privately discussing the Queen of the Tea Party.
Although the current GOP presidential field has no shortage of attractive physical specimens—and that's even before Rick Perry has officially tossed his spectacular head of hair into the ring—it's only Bachmann, the race's sole woman, who routinely gets subjected to the hot-or-not test. When I broached the topic of Bachmann and her presidential chances with one prominent conservative commentator, he immediately steered our conversation into the gutter with an assessment of her sexual desirability too dirty to print. "People talk about Palin," he continued, "but I saw Bachmann in person and I had all sorts of disturbing thoughts."
In a way, Bachmann's good looks have long been one of the secrets of her success—not because they've gotten her noticed, but because they've led people to underestimate her. Unlike Palin, who has repeatedly demonstrated that she has neither the work ethic nor the ideological conviction to mount a serious presidential campaign, Bachmann possesses both. While Republican men were drooling over her appearance, she was doing the quiet, unglamorous work of building a legitimate dark horse presidential campaign—making countless trips to Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina; hiring a top-notch campaign team, including the GOP's premier debate coach; even brushing up on her Milton Friedman and Ludwig von Mises so as to better stroke the erogenous zones of pointy-headed conservative op-ed writers when they would ask her what she was reading.
The problem for Bachmann is that she did too good—and too fast—a job of all this. When she was merely a politician that a certain type of Republican man might fantasize about, the media and her fellow candidates paid her little mind. Which, presumably, was part of her classically insurgent campaign strategy: Slowly and steadily build up momentum over the summer and the fall and then, like Pat Robertson and Mike Huckabee before her, shock the political world with a first- or second-place showing in the Iowa Caucuses. But almost overnight Bachmann went from political lust object to objectively serious presidential candidate, and suddenly the jig was up.
Now that she's actually being taken seriously, the media is digging deep into her background and her opponents are stepping up their criticisms—with every scrap of information, however meaningless, being used against her, from the recommended books on her old State Senate campaign website to her history of migraine headaches. She's on the cover, unflatteringly, of the current Newsweek (which dubbed her "The Queen of Rage") and the subject of a meticulous profile in this week's New Yorker. All of which means Bachmann will no longer be sneaking up on anybody. Indeed, heading into the Iowa Straw Poll this Saturday, Bachmann's standing with voters might now be over-estimated—to the point that, should she win in Ames, the political press will likely greet it as unsurprising news and, instead, focus its attention on Perry, who's expected to announce his candidacy that same day in South Carolina. And if Bachmann doesn't, as expected, place somewhere in the top three, the press will have a field day on Sunday, when Perry parachutes into Waterloo, Iowa—Bachmann's birthplace—to give a speech. Yes, Bachmann has proven she's not the bimbo most political observers assumed her to be, but her reward has been finding out that being taken seriously has its downsides, too.
Bachmann's sudden metamorphosis into a serious candidate occurred on a Monday night in June when she appeared at a CNN debate in Manchester, New Hampshire. Heading into the event, the biggest storyline was who would emerge as the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney. Most people assumed it would be Tim Pawlenty who, one day earlier, had gone on the Sunday talk shows and derided Obama's health care reform plan as "Obamneycare." Ron Paul and Herman Cain were also seen as auditioning for the role. But it was Bachmann who stole the show.
She used her opening statement to introduce herself not only as "a wife of thirty-three years," a mother of five children, and the foster mother of 23 other children, but as "a former federal tax litigation attorney" and "a Member of the United States Congress." And she made sure to pack her answers to every question with all manner of wonkery, citing Congressional Budget Office estimates, referencing various pieces of legislation she'd introduced, and placing herself in the center of the country's most important debates. "I was behind closed doors with Secretary Paulson," she said at one point, "and I fought behind closed doors against my own party on TARP." She delivered the biggest applause line of the evening with her prediction, although she made it sound more like a promise, that "President Obama is a one-term president." And she even scored some style points, announcing that, earlier in the day, she had filed her official papers to run for president. "I wanted you to be the first to know," she joked to the debate moderator. By the end of the debate, and especially by the next morning, Bachmann was the only person anyone was talking about.
Did Bachmann engage in some self-aggrandizement during the debate in June? Of course. The legislation that she touted never became law and, during her three terms in Congress, she's been no more than a peripheral player in the GOP caucus, as became embarrassingly clear last year when she ran for a leadership position inside the party and scored hardly any votes. "[H]er record in Congress," Pawlenty has complained, "is non-existent." But it would be unfair to dismiss Bachmann as a show pony rather than a work horse—especially considering she's put so much work into putting on such a good show.
From her earliest days as a politician, there was never any question about Bachmann's drive and dedication. Scott Fischbach, the ecutive director of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, recalls his first encounter with Bachmann, when she was running for the state senate in 2000 against an 28-year incumbent. He was impressed with her pro-life stance but what really stood out was her drive. "She expressed a real commitment and a real determination to win and that she was going to work and work and work, and that's what she does," Fischbach says. "She works so hard. She did a whole bunch of yard signs, more than anybody else would ever do. She just works. She works so hard at everything she does."
In the state senate, Bachmann was known more for giving speeches than moving legislation, but those speeches—and the organizing she did to prepare for them—were meticulously staged affairs. Her signature issue was a constitutional amendment she'd proposed to ban same-sex marriage, and she routinely arranged for the amendment's supporters to come to St. Paul to cheer on her efforts. "She had all of her people whooping and hollering in the chamber," recalls Jeremy Powers, a Minnesota Democratic Farm Labor Party official. "Lots of people said they'd never heard anything like it in the Minnesota State Senate."
Bachmann continued to flash a gift for stage craft when she arrived in Congress in 2007. While most freshman members keep their heads down and pursue a media strategy of radio and television interviews with stations back in their districts, Bachmann sought out the national press and cable TV talk show hosts. "She saw that as a way to make her mark," explains a former Bachmann staffer. "It wasn't going to be through legislation or through leadership of a committee. Her way was going to be to make her mark through the media. She wanted to be as visible as possible and she didn't want to turn down any invitation to speak on any topic."
That willingness led to a string of gaffes: Bachmann revealing to a newspaper reporter that she knew of a secret plan by Iran to annex half of Iraq and turn it into a "terrorist safe haven zone" called "the Iraq State of Islam"; Bachmann complaining to a conservative radio host that a proposed expansion of AmeriCorps would lead to "re-education camps for young people"; and, most infamously, Bachmann telling Chris Matthews that then-presidential candidate Barack Obama and some Congressional Democrats held "anti-American" views. (As Matthews explained to Politico at the time, one of his show's bookers had called the McCain campaign in search of a guest that morning—a Friday, the hardest day to book because most politicians blow town for their home districts; McCain's camp suggested Bachmann, who'd already developed a reputation for always being available. She was.) But while these gaffes made her a punching bag for liberals, they also turned her into a conservative folk hero. In 2010, she raised $13.5 million for her reelection contest—a remarkable figure for a House race. Perhaps even more crucially, Bachmann's gaffes kept the wolves from going into full-on attack mode. Yes, Jon Stewart would use her as a punchline, but the mainstream media and the Republican establishment—now her two biggest foes—didn't bother spending much effort trying to stop her.
In fact, until her surprising debate performance, this tendency to be underestimated has been the story of Bachmann's political career—and her talent for exploiting it has been her singular political genius. In the mid-1970s, when she was an undergraduate at Winona State University, Bachmann was elected student body vice president. "Michele was picked because she appealed to the Jesus freak voters and to provide some eye candy," says Jerome Christenson, a former classmate of Bachmann's who helped put together the winning slate of candidates on which Bachmann ran. The fact that Bachmann was engaged, capable and had been active in evangelical Democrat Jimmy Carter's presidential campaign didn't seem to impress anyone. "She was this somewhat scatterbrained, ditzy brunette who had a great butt," recalls Christenson. "She was a lightweight and nobody really credited her with being much more than that." It was the man who served above Bachmann as the student body president who was thought to be the political rising star. He's now a farmer.


text:
- Continue to post at or above 2016 levels, when I achieved 153 blog posts.
February was another bumper month, with 23 posts in 28 days, which takes me up to 43 over the first two months of the year. Keep that rate up and we're looking at over 250 posts this year, which will smash my previous best.
- Reinstate/create some regular features, including Funny Friday, and possibly we'll see a return of 'The Adept' and his take on 40k's particular style.
- Achieve over 20,000 views in at least 1 month of the year, and aim to average over 18,000 views per month.
I comfortably exceeded my 18,000 target once again this month, for a second month in a row beating the 20,000 mark (23,239 to be exact). In fact, had my viewing figures continued at the same pace and February had the same number of days as January I'd have beaten that record.
- Continue to promote adsense on the blog, and actually get paid by google!
Well I honestly thought I was going to achieve this this month, but agonisingly I fell just a few pence short of the threshold for getting paid (the pot now stands at £59.50). Still, it'll give me another month to increase the pot beyond that threshold so the payment will be nicer when it does arrive.
- Feature a narrative campaign series of battle reports using the Dusk Knights.
- Promote a more 'feature/spotlight' style of photography post when I finish painting a unit.
I'm also going to start featuring a combination photo in these review posts of everything I manage to paint in a month.
- Buy no new 40k miniatures in the first half of the year (excluding those I've already committed to, which comprise a chimera, guardsman squad, and 12-14 genestealers).
- Expand on commission painting services, getting a more formal structure in place.
- Buy the Dwarf Bloodbowl team, including a Deathroller.
- Continue to paint/build 300pts per month on average.
- Complete my first formation for the Genestealer Cult - the First Curse.
- Finish painting 1000pts of Emperor's Children
- Begin the repainting of the Tau, at least 6 units to be complete by the end of the year.
- Begin using an airbrush to increase the speed of my painting.
- Complete building my gaming table/storage space to enable battle reports on the GDB blog.
- Beat Ryan more often than I lose to him.
- Achieve a 60+% win rate with the Dusk Knights.
- Achieve a 50+% win rate with the Obsidian Enclave.
- Get into the playoffs of MAD League 3 Bloodbowl.
- Develop a consistently successful list for use with the Dusk Knights
- Place in the top half of two different tournaments.
February seemed to go off the rails a bit for both myself and my wife despite a couple of kilos lost in the first two weeks (what can I say - Valentine's Day and my wife's birthday encouraged us both to indulge in rather more food than we should have!), but things are rescuable, and I'm back on it again now.


text:
Thursday, 23 August 2012
Grandma's pre-apocalyptic interior decorating spree.
Not to get all literary theory on everyone, but have you ever stayed in a relatively cheap chain hotel and found yourself vaguely unsettled, unable to escape the notion that this is not a space actually designed for people? Walking the identical, silent, endlessly right angling corridors is an experience akin to the more unpleasant types of dream, the ones where you're convinced you'll never wake up. The toilets come shrink wrapped in plastic as if no one's ever used them before, and the meticulous cleaning of each uniform room between occupancies ensures that no trace of previous guests remains.
Finally, the colour scheme is formulated to in no way stimulate any kind of emotional reaction. These are not spaces to live in, they are spaces that carry out the task of keeping a human being alive without any pleasantries. They are an un-house if you will.
But there is a touchstone amongst un-houses, the "Über-un-house", a fallout shelter designed by an architect named Jay Swayze and located in Las Vegas (it couldn't be allowed to exist anywhere else). It is, simultaneously, a concrete realization and unintended pastiche of all the paranoia, fear and denial that drove the American cold war psyche. It also looks a bit like how your granny would decorate her house if you slipped some acid in her tea.
The most striking feature of the shelter is that it is actually a space within a space; a ranch house with an adjoining patio and "garden" of AstroTurf, the whole enclosed within a concrete shell painted with clouds and alpine scenes. Bizarrely, the garden includes a guesthouse (who's going to be dropping in?), and is also furnished with a barbeque disguised inside a fake boulder and a small swimming pool. Fibreglass trees merge into the ceiling, and there's even a fully kitted out Christmas tree in case the end of the world happens to fall during the festive season (those sneaky godless commies!) It's sort of like the bastard love child of Walt Disney and the American plastics industry.
Once you get inside though, the kitsch goes off the Richter scale. The dining room is covered floor to ceiling in tasseled fabric, and comes with a full set of crockery including a gravy boat. The bathroom looks like the set of a 70's porn film, sporting a pink bidet and sunken bathtub surrounded by mirrors and Greek columns. And there are chandeliers EVERYWHERE. It's like a particularly camp, hallucinogenic hell. It manages to be at the same time utterly banal and somehow massively offensive – there's something that rankles about the image of the occupants indulging in such (admittedly tacky) luxury whilst the world burns above them.
See this video for a tour of the house.
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