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Professional Experience
Lauren is admitted to the practice of law in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia. Lauren represents commercial and residential landlords in eviction and post-occupancy actions, as well as tenants with regards to lease interpretation and negotiation. Lauren's litigation practice includes representation of community associations, landlords, individuals, and small businesses in civil and estate litigation.
Prior to joining Compton & Duling, Lauren gained extensive legal experience representing homeowners and condominium associations and she continues to develop that practice. In that capacity, she provides advice regarding daily business operations, contracts, and interpretation of governing documents, she drafts declaration and bylaw amendments and resolutions, she prepares Federal Housing Administration certification applications, and she represents community associations in enforcement of bylaws, declarations, and resolutions in Virginia general district and circuit courts. Lauren has also represented community associations in regards to judicial and non-judicial foreclosures.
Lauren also has experience in employment law, including employee handbooks, application of state and federal laws to independent contractors, and worker classification. In her representation of small businesses and corporations, she has experience in obtaining applicable licenses for operation from the appropriate state agencies.
Guest Lecturer, George Mason University School of Law, Spring 2014 and Spring 2015
Virginia Bar Association
District of Columbia Bar
Prince William County Bar Association
Virginia Women Attorneys Association
Community Associations Institute
Good Samaritan Advocates
Practice Areas
- Small Businesses
- Homeowners and Condominium Association Law
- Landlord-Tenant
- General Civil Litigation
- Real Estate Litigation
- Estate and Probate Litigation
- Employment Law
- George Mason University School of Law, J.D. 2010
- Grove City College, B.A. Magna Cum Laude, 2006
Bar Admissions
- Virginia State Bar, 2010
- District of Columbia Bar, 2011

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Angel~ Whale Watch Angel & Charms handpainted Needlepoint Ornament~by Painted Pony **MAY NEED TO BE SPECIAL ORDERED**
WHALE WATCH Angel with Charms
The Angel comes with lovely metal charms to attach after you finish stitching. Beautifully painted with Diamond Dusting and Metallics. Hand painted on 18 mesh mono canvas.
The overall design area is approximately 4 1/2"x 5 1/2" with surrounding background canvas of approx. 8.75" by 9.25".
This lovely design would be a great Ornament, or an Insert into a small box or other item, or a beautiful framed piece of needleart with a background stitched.


text: Enhance your home with this beautiful, cherry wood speaker with docking station for iPhone and iPod from iLive. This speaker is like a designer piece of furniture with digital volume, bass and treble control and cloth covered speaker net. Includes video and sub-woofer out-put and comes with a remote control. Docking station charges iPhone or iPod as it plays. Comes with remote control.


text:
Your choice of useful services in Salisbury, England
We bring to your attention the most complete catalog of services providing their services in Salisbury, England
New reviews and opinions about services in Salisbury, England
- Guy ButlerFebruary 20, 20185 /5Everything you could possibly need and always open when you need them. Villages need more stores lik...Central Stores
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- Ruth AfzalJanuary 06, 20185 /5Absolutely brilliant ! Matt and the team are really superb could not fault them,a sheer delight to d...English Plumbing Co
- Simon KielyDecember 23, 20175 /5Paul and his team have always served us excellently well and even fitted in visits at short notice w...K B T Plumbing & Heating
Popular services in Salisbury
- Charter House Planning LtdGeneral contractor;39 views+44 1722 346746The Old Steam Laundry, 12 Salt Lane, Salisbury, England SP1 1EEClosed5/5
- Central StoresPost office;35 views+44 1980 862251Middleton, Salisbury, England SP5 1QSClosed5/5
- English Plumbing CoPlumber;34 views+44 1722 33095320 Bedwin Street, Salisbury, England SP1 3UT5/5
- Post Office LtdPost office;32 views+44 1722 3298751 Winchester Street, Salisbury, England SP1 1HBClosed1/5
- Bourne Hill Police StationPolice;32 viewsBourne Hill, Salisbury, England SP1 3UZClosed
- Winterbourne Gunner Post Office and StoresPost office;29 views+44 1980 611201Main Road Winterbourne Gunner, Salisbury, England SP4 6EWClosed5/5
- K B T Plumbing & HeatingGeneral contractor;29 views+44 1722 3222215 The Maltings, Salisbury, England SP1 1BD5/5
- SweenyBeauty salon;27 views+44 1722 324420142-144 Fisherton Street, Salisbury, England SP2 7QTClosed
- JCM Fencing & LandscapeGeneral contractor;26 views+44 1722 3218678 Radnor Road, Salisbury, England SP1 3PLClosed
- Vita Skin SpaBeauty salon;26 views+44 1722 34632426 Saint Ann Street, Salisbury, England SP1 2DPClosed5/5
- High Street Post OfficePost office;26 views+44 1722 33028856 High Street, Salisbury, England SP1 2PFClosed5/5
- Shirley Snells FloristFlorist;25 views+44 1722 32915216 Milford Street, Salisbury, England SP1 2AJClosed
- Foresight Building Solutions LtdGeneral contractor;25 views+44 7712 107084118 Fisherton Street, Salisbury, England SP2 7QTClosed
- at.twenty.one.interiorsGeneral contractor;24 views+44 1722 23817721 Catherine Street, Salisbury, England SP1 2DFClosed
- Persimmon Homes St Peters PlaceGeneral contractor;23 views+44 1722 448916Devizes Road, Fugglestone Red, Salisbury, England SP2 9FAClosed
- Strongroom Self StorageMoving company;22 views+44 1722 322844Hatches Lane, Southampton Road, Salisbury, England SP1 2QQClosed
- Curly Haired Jewels - Holistic & Beauty TherapisBeauty salon;21 views+44 1722 44610331 Christie Miller Road, Salisbury, England SP2 7ENClosed
- VHS Boiler Service LtdGeneral contractor;20 views+44 1722 417873Unit 17, Glenmore Business Park, Telford Road, Salisbury, England SP2 7GHClosed
- Solstice KitchensGeneral contractor;20 views+44 1722 33878950 Fisherton Street, Salisbury, England SP2 7RBClosed
- Salisbury LibraryLibrary;18 views+44 1722 324145Market Walk, Salisbury, England SP1 1BLClosed
- Catherine Thomas Landscape and Garden Design LtdGeneral contractor;18 views+44 1722 339936108 Fisherton Street, Salisbury, England SP2 7QYClosed
- AdornBeauty salon;18 views+44 1722 320030North Street, Salisbury, England SP2 7SGClosed
- Johnstones Removals and StorageMoving company;18 views+44 1722 337384Unit 23, 25 Harnham Trading Estate, Salisbury, England SP2 8NWClosed5/5
- Ridleaves LtdGeneral contractor;18 views+44 1722 790841High Street, Salisbury, England SP3 4THClosed


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30.04.2013 Plastiscines are coming to get you!
the girls are back!
check out the plastiscines 's new single "coming to get you" above and download it for free on their website here.
30.04.2013 Hanni El Khatib on French TV
30.04.2013 New Electric Guest EP
electric guest's new ep "good america" including the exclusive track "HOLIDAY", "JENNY", "the jerk". It also includes their cover of little dragon and a remix from the shoes.
grab it here on itunes and check out (...)
29.04.2013 Hanni El Khatib - New Album Available
hanni el khatib's second album "head in the dirt" produced by dan auerbach is out today and available on vinyl here and on itunes here.
in case you missed it, watch the video for his single "family" below.
26.04.2013 The girls are back!
plastiscines are back!
Check out a snippet from their forthcoming single "coming to get you"
more infos soon, stay tuned.
23.04.2013 New Amadou & Mariam EP
AMADOU & MARIAM's new ep 'MALI MEETs LATIN AMERICA' REMIX EP is now available on ITUNEs here.
listen to the full ep below.
19.04.2013 Record Store Day 2013
check out your local record shop tomorrow to get a chance to grab one of these beauties:
METRONOMY's debut album "PIP PAINE (PAY THE £5000 YOU OWE)" on vinyl (1000 ex)
CONNAN MOCKASIN's "LIVE AT LA CIGALE PARIS" recorded at LA CIGALE in march 2012
18.04.2013 Pascal Comelade is back!
pascal comelade, well known for his use of toy instruments will release his brand new album "EL PIANISTA DEL ANTIFAZ" including 16 tracks of pure genius on may 27th.
the famous dutch graphic designer joost swarte did the artwork of his new album, check it out above.
he will also be (...)
15.04.2013 Major Lazer's new album is available
D-day for major lazer! their second album "free the universe" with guests appearances such as shaggy, peaches, busy signal, santigold, bruno mars & more is out today everywhere.
grab it here on itunes and here on vinyl.
In (...)
14.04.2013 New Moby video
Watch moby's new video "the lonely night" with mark lanegan directed by colin rich.
this track will be out exclusively for the record store day this saturday 20th of april.


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Thursday, January 6, 2011
Epiphany...in every sense...
19 comments:
What a beautiful and honest post. The church you found sounds wonderful...like what a church is meant to be. I pray that you find exactly what you need this year. :)ReplyDelete
I'm happy for you! You start right where you are, and just open your heart and mind. It sounds like you had some terrible experiences with religion when you were growing up. I'm sorry. I did too. I don't consider myself religious anymore, but I did give God another chance..and I'm glad I did.ReplyDelete
just remember that God holds no religion sacred... God is bigger than all of the religious boxes combined... God wears no dogma.ReplyDelete
it sounds to me like you might want to try that church again :)
What a lovely experience you had! I believe that God is in yourself, the light within that started all and unites all living things here on earth. Maybe you felt this when you were in this lovely church? That God is still inside you, despite your terrible experiences? I hope you understand what I'm saying (I'm from Holland and maybe my English is not very good!). I am sure you'll find what you need if you just listen to the voice within ... BarbaraReplyDelete
This (and the beginnings of our conversation the other day) makes me truly happy. If you have any questions, need to talk about it, want books to read, well... I'm here for you!!!ReplyDelete
Thank you so much for your honest post. I find it a relief to hear someone else echoing my own experiences. I've been yearning for similar experiences but everywhere seems empty. Never having been a "churchy" girl, I still feel like I'm seeking. I feel the presence of wonder and spirit more in my own home (and try to create spaces for them) than any churches I've been inside.ReplyDelete
oh lovely mama, i know how much an experience so meaningful can start a gal thinking... this has happened to me in my life as well - when i was a young mama-- what a journey of self discovery you are embarking on... don't fear the answers you recieve -- the universe and it's higher power is a giving spirit- the beauty in being human is that we are fluid.. we can change as we learn-- and grow as we learn more about ourselves..and our needs ... the beauty about being women is our ability to accept wisdom as we gain it....ReplyDelete
much light and peace to you as discover ......
Beautiful mama! Congrats on finding the Lord? or did He find you?ReplyDelete
I hope your feelings are true and not just some pressure you might feel. Finding God sounds so beautiful... Yet I'm not there, I don't know if I'll ever be. Papa was raised Catholic, and says it was feeling great to believe.. A happy place. So I'm happy if you found your happy place!ReplyDelete
I was told off for dancing in church as a child too. It was at a baptist church. Now I am a Catholic and I often find myself jigging along to the music but happily nobody seems to notice because everyone is concentrating on Jesus coming to us. Enjoy your journey.ReplyDelete
Just start with a quiet spirit that is open and searching. I see God's presence so vividly in nature and in my children. You'll find Him in lots of unexpected places. (As for dancing in church, I do it all the time. How else do you keep a two year old occupied!)ReplyDelete
This is amazing news! i'm so happy for you :)ReplyDelete
This is lovely. Thanks so much for sharing. I hope you have many happy dances with your wee ones in church.ReplyDelete
I'm glad the church you visited is using godly play - let me know if you ever have any questions on that front as I love it and have read most of Barryman (who came up with godly play). All the best,
Oh, I'm so glad your heart is opened and you've found a place that is encouraging for you. Its always hard to move past those moments and re-open your heart. I know personally there are certain things from my younger years that affected me a lot because of my age and sensitive spirit. That is why I try so hard to have a sensitive spirit to my children. I think so often older people forget the sweetness and love that come from children and instead think of what is *appropriate*. I truly believe that God looks at the heart, not the outward appearance. How much joy it brought him that you truly loved and danced in happiness! Much love to you Rebecca!!!ReplyDelete
What a lovely post and a beautiful calming experience. My husband had some pretty negative experiences with religion as a child; I had some too. Good grief-scolded for dancing in church?! That is where all of the fun is. I feel God, Nature, Great Spirit (I don't really have a name for her) the most is art, music and dance. Hmmph. We all have to make our own way. I really enjoyed reading this. Thank you so much for your authenticity and honesty! xoxo, AngelaReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 9, 2011 at 10:04 PM
simply beautiful and honest!ReplyDelete
Joy to you and your opened heart! My faith is the strength of my life and my church is my sweet family of support. Thank you for your truth and for sharing your journey.ReplyDelete
I just want to say Amen to this post. Its such a shame that you had some horrible experiences in your past. Church is an interesting and complicated thing. You are so right that if you truly are seeking a relationship with God you do not need any of the other stuff, sound system, modern furniture, big building or anything else. "Where two or more are gathered there I am also" Gods word says. We Christians are human, we are not perfect and we take Gods word and with good intentions usually mess it up. I wish you peace during this journey and encourage you to always seek the truth. Forget the past and find the truth!! God Bless you!ReplyDelete
Glad to have you in my life!ReplyDelete


text:
Residencies to Refine Your Career Path
Document Type
Media Mention
Publication Date
Source Publication
Toronto Star
At 25, Chelsea LaVecchia is working on her first book, an "eco-feminist speculative fiction novel that experiments with form." But instead of penning her first words alone in a Starbucks, LaVecchia is in an enviable position. Each page of the way, she's had access to an A-list team of mentors and editors, including award-winning Canadian novelists Helen Humphreys, Miriam Toews and Nino Ricci.
"Hearing about the business side of writing from professionals in the field has been enormously beneficial," says LaVecchia. "It's really easy to say, "go sit in a café and write poetry or write your screenplay,' but it's not as easy to pinpoint how to make money from what you're passionate about."
Recommended Citation
Sossin, Lorne.
"Residencies to Refine Your Career Path."
Toronto Star
(23 February 2017):


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Office Depot makes $1 billion acquisition
Office Depot took a first step toward its goal of transforming itself from a traditional office products retailer to a broader business services and technology products platform.
The company announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire CompuCom Systems, a provider of IT services, products and solutions that enable the digital workplace for enterprise, small and midsize businesses, from private equity firm Thomas H. Lee Partners. The transaction is put at approximately $1 billion, which includes the repayment of CompuCom debt and issuance of new Office Depot shares.
Office Depot expects the purchase to add $1.1 billion of revenue and more than $40 million in cost synergies within two years. The retailer said the two companies will be positioned to capture market share in a $25 billion, highly fragmented market as the first entity to provide a nationwide, comprehensive network of enterprise-level tech services and products. CompuCom's established SMB offering, Tech-Zone, will be placed in Office Depot's stores, providing immediate scale and driving traffic into the retailer's locations.
"Technology is the office supply of the future," said Gerry Smith, CEO of Office Depot. "Today marks a significant milestone as we move to provide a unique business services platform for our current and future customers. Acquiring CompuCom is the first step in this new strategic direction. The combination of CompuCom's enterprise IT services with our millions of customers and approximately 1,400 distribution points gives us the credibility and scale to build a sustainable platform and stand apart from the competition."
Founded in 1987, CompuCom provides managed IT services to businesses with over 5.1 million unique end users. Its team of approximately 6,000 licensed technicians is the largest employee field technician workforce in North America, providing remote and onsite technology support. CompuCom procures, installs and manages the lifecycle of hardware and software for businesses, and offers IT support services including remote help desk, data centers and on- site IT professionals.
Following the transaction, Thomas H. Lee Partners will hold an equity position in Office Depot of approximately 8% of total shares outstanding.
"We strongly believe in the compelling opportunity to create value for shareholders in this combination and look forward to supporting Office Depot in this next chapter," said Soren Oberg, managing director at Thomas H. Lee Partners. "Office Depot is an ideal partner for CompuCom, as their strengths are highly complementary and, together, they will have a strong foothold in the fragmented managed services market and greater opportunities for growth."
Recommended Stories
Ace Hardware acquires e-commerce startup
Ace Hardware Corp. has solidified its relationship with The Grommet.
The Oak Brook, Ill.-based hardware co-op announced the acquisition of new-product platform The Grommet. The online website will continue to find and develop products, and Ace will continue its efforts to make the products available to its dealers.
Financial terms of the deal were not revealed
Ace Hardware and The Grommet first began working together in 2016 as part of a collaboration to bring new, unique and otherwise undiscovered products from independent "makers" – creative, independent entrepreneurs – into select Ace stores.
"We both stand as strong advocates for the underdog," said Ace Hardware CEO John Venhuizen. "From the very beginning we have appreciated our alignment in support for and advancement of the independent maker. Under Ace's ownership, I believe The Grommet can offer our customers more of that which fuels global economies and makes America special – the unbridled creativity of the local entrepreneur."
The Grommet operates an e-commerce website that markets and sells new and innovative products. Among its success stories are products such as FitBit, IdeaPaint, OtterBox, SimpliSafe and SodaStream. So far, The Grommet has launched more than 2,500 innovative consumer products and amassed a community of more than three million early adopters and supporters, the company said.
Ace Hardware is now the majority, controlling owner of The Grommet. However, both of the company's original founders, Joanne Domeniconi and Jules Pieri, and their employees, will continue to have some equity ownership of the company. Ace intends to provide considerable autonomy to The Grommet and has no plans to change the company's strategic direction.
"Ace's expansive supply chain and network of 5,034 stores coupled with The Grommet's innovative product discovery platform combine to give dreamers, inventors, innovators and Makers a sustainable, high quality path to meaningful growth, without having to bow down to the altar of Amazon," Venhuizen said.
Retail analytics from Ace Hardware stores point to the value in aligning both physical stores with a digital discovery platform. Current customers of The Grommet visit Ace over 505 more times than the average Ace Rewards customer and spend 2.8 times as much, the co-op said.
"The Grommet has often been called a &lsquogeneral store for innovation,' and Ace is a trusted destination for the goods and services homeowners need to take care of their homes. That is a powerful combination," said Jules Pieri, co-founder and CEO of The Grommet.
Regulatory Wrap-Up: New wage hikes, paid leave initiatives take shape
Montgomery County, MD: The county council held a public hearing Sept. 26 on the recently introduced $15/hr minimum wage bill. A similar bill was vetoed earlier this year by County Executive Ike Leggett, with a veto override failing by a single vote. The county executive has publicly offered to negotiate on specific aspects of the current bill, indicating that the issue may have more support than it did earlier this year. The bill will likely head to a vote in late October or early November.
Calumet City, IL: For the second time in a year, the city council chose to opt out of Cook County's $13/hr minimum wage requirement. The mayor requested that the council revisit the issue on the heels of an April nonbinding $15/hr. ballot measure that earned over 80% support from local voters.
Target: Target Corporation announced this week their intention to raise hourly worker's pay to $11/hr next month and to $15/hr. by 2020. The wage increase would apply to all of their 300,000 workers nationwide and the immediate $11/hr. rate would also apply to the 100,000 seasonal workers the retailer plans to hire during the holiday season.
Paid Leave
New Hampshire: A bipartisan paid leave bill passed 5-0 out of a house subcommittee and moves to the full committee for consideration. The bill, as currently constructed, would establish a paid leave program financed by a 0.5% payroll tax on employees. It would provide up to twelve weeks of paid leave, parental or sick time off, per year at 60% of the employee's current salary.
Rhode Island: As expected, the governor signed the paid leave bill into law this week. The law mandates that companies with more than 18 employees provide three days of sick leave starting next year, four days in 2019 and five days from 2020 onward. One hour of paid leave is accrued for every 35 hours worked under the new requirement.
Albuquerque, NM: After several failed attempts by the business community to remove an initiative to mandate paid sick leave for all employees in the city, voters will head to the polls next week to vote on the measure.
Berkeley, CA: The city is holding a town hall Sept. 30 to discuss a paid family leave proposal that would mandate 100% wage coverage for six weeks for employees to care for a new child or sick family member.
Tacoma, WA: The city passed a law to bring its existing paid leave regulations in line with the state standard passed earlier this year. The city elected to maintain its unique enforcement provisions which allow agencies to investigate employer-wide practices when a single employee brings a complaint as opposed to limiting the investigation to the single case. A study by city staff of the first 18 months following enactment found that the city recovered $169,000 in leave and wages for 595 workers, stemming from just 20 employee complaints. City officials are encouraging the state to apply similar enforcement provisions statewide.
New York: The first of four New York State Department of Labor public hearings was held to solicit input related to new employer mandates for scheduling practices. The hearings are being described as listening sessions and the specific regulations have yet to be released. It is expected that once the sessions conclude, the regulations will be released in late October and will be subject to an open comment period prior to going into effect. The regulations will likely impact more businesses than the recently-passed New York City ordinances which are primarily focused on restaurants.
Labor Policy
NLRB: The U.S. Senate confirmed William Emanuel, President Trump's nominee to the National Labor Relations Board, by a 49-47 vote. As a result, there is now a 3-2 Republican majority on the board for the first time in a decade and the stage is set for the potential overturn of previous anti-employer decisions on joint employer, micro-unions and ambush union elections.
CEO Pay: The Securities and Exchange Commission recently released a guidance document for publicly-traded companies that must comply with the pay ratio rule going into effect in early 2018. Impacted companies must publish in their proxy statements a comparison of the compensation of their chief executive officer to the median compensation of their other employees.
No-Hire Clauses: A report on the inclusion of no-hire clauses in restaurant franchisee contracts highlights the practice of prohibiting employees of one franchised unit from moving to a unit owned by a different franchisee of the same brand. The report links the practice to preventing worker mobility and suppressing wages.
Soda Tax
Subway: Subway restaurants requested that a federal court remove a class action case alleging the franchisor was responsible for the misapplication of the Cook County tax on sugary beverages. The company is taking issue with plaintiff claims that they were charged the tax on unsweetened tea from a self-serve station, as well as challenging the franchisor's liability in the case.
Federal: Congressional Republican leadership and the administration released a blueprint for federal tax reform this week. The plan includes, among other details, a cut in the corporate tax rate to 20% as well as a 25% tax rate for pass-through businesses. Several other adjustments to different income rates are included in addition to the doubling of the standard deductions. The draft lacks key details on other deductions that may be eliminated and has a significant uphill climb before it can become a viable legislative vehicle.
Wyoming: Newegg, Wayfair and Overstock, in response to the state's litigation against them, called into question the constitutionality of the state's recently passed economic nexus law. The law, similar to a South Dakota law that is currently moving through the courts, mandates sales tax collection from out-of-state merchants with over $100,000 in sales (or 200 transactions) per year into the state. South Dakota is seeking review of its case by the U.S. Supreme Court. Should the South Dakota case fail to gain traction, Wyoming will look to advance their case.
Health Care
U.S. Senate: The Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) failed yet again in the U.S. Senate when four key Republicans announced their opposition to the proposal to replace the ACA with a program that provides block grant Medicare funding to the states. The previous budget deal which allowed for Republicans to repeal parts of the ACA with a simple majority vote expires Sept. 30, further complicating any future efforts to repeal the law this year.
NAFTA: U.S. labor interests are pressuring the administration and congress to renegotiate issues related to open border access for Mexican long-haul truckers, who potentially compete with U.S. truckers. Union representatives want lawmakers to tighten border access for truckers without risk of trade retaliations from partner countries. The issue has not yet been part of the ongoing negotiations during the three country North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) discussions.
Illinois: Governor Rauner (R) vetoed a bill that would have limited the collection and use of geolocation information obtained through smartphones. The bill would have required apps to first receive consent from device users before collecting and utilizing geolocation information.
Autonomous Vehicles: Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Gary Peters (D-MI) announced bipartisan agreement on legislation to regulate self-driving cars. This agreement opens a potential path forward for the legislation which will be considered in committee on Oct. 4. Similar legislation recently passed out of the U.S. House.
Key Takeaways
● The announcement this week that Target is aggressively raising its base pay rates and committing to a minimum wage of $15/hr by 2020 could have significant ripple effects on the entry-level labor market. While the move will attract some favorable press coverage and improve the company's political standing in the short term, the decision was really an acknowledgement that to attract and retain the kind of workforce they need to operate and more importantly grow, they had to make significant changes to their business model. Three years ago, this might have been viewed as more of a political decision and had little impact for other employers in the space. In the current labor environment, this is a business decision and as such, could cause other employers to follow and thereby alter the market.
● The New York Times reported this week on a new study claiming that the restaurant industry is unique in that it includes no-hire provisions in their franchise agreements that prevent one franchisee from hiring away the workers of another franchisee. The article indicated that these clauses, due to their uncompetitive nature, were artificially depressing wages. Regardless of the merits, the criticism will continue to feed a negative narrative of the industry. For that reason, brands should prepare for this new line of attack, keeping in mind internal and external considerations.
Legislature Status for Week of 10/2/17
● The United States Senate is in session this week
● The United States House is in session this week
● The following state legislatures are in session year round
● The following additional states are currently in session
○ OK is in a special session convened on Sep. 25
We've recently launched a podcast that focuses on politics and policy for the restaurant industry. You can listen to the "Working Lunch" podcast by clicking here, or subscribe on iTunes here.
The Regulatory Wrap-Up is presented by Align Public Strategies. Click here to learn how Align can provide your brand with the counsel and insight you need to navigate the policy and political issues impacting retail.


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Annual fundraiser set for Tuesday evening, May 14th; Dick and Nancy Trammel named Honorary Chairs
The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks will host the 18th Annual Greening of the Garden on Tuesday, May 14. Gates open at 5 p.m. This year's theme is "Big in the South," and the Honorary Chairs are Dick and Nancy Trammel. The annual Greening of the Garden is the nonprofit organization's signature fundraising event, and this year's festivities will include dinner by Café Rue Orleans, live music by the Nathan A. Blues Band, both silent and live auctions, and an after-party coffee bar. Two of the region's favorite radio personalities, Jake and Woody from KIX 104, will serve as event emcees. And, ladies are encouraged to indulge in that great Southern tradition of donning a wide-brimmed hat.
Honorary Chairs Dick and Nancy Trammel laud the Garden "as a great investment for Northwest Arkansas." They invite everyone to the Greening to "enjoy nature at its best, have fun, make an investment, and grow with the Garden."
Board member and Greening co-chair Mindy Jackson says, "I am delighted to support the Garden, and I am also thrilled with the new additions to Greening this year, including the live music, the after-party coffee bar, and a pre-event VIP reception for table sponsors." Co-chair and board member Eleanor Townsley adds, "Before joining BGO I had no idea what kind of economic and educational impact the Garden has made on Northwest Arkansas…I was amazed to learn that more than 10,000 students experience the Garden each year and that the Fayetteville Chamber estimates the Garden's economic impact at more than $3,000,000 annually."
This year's "Big in the South" theme is an invitation to enjoy Southern culture, featuring a Cajun dinner catered by Chef Maudie Schmitt of Café Rue Orleans and live entertainment by the Nathan A. Blues Band, winner of the Ozark Blues Society of Northwest Arkansas' annual Blues Challenge. The after-party coffee bar is being provided by Arsaga's, which has developed a signature brew just for the Garden.
Tickets to the 18th Annual Greening of the Garden can be purchased online at www.BGOzarks.org (select the Events tab), or by calling 479.750.2620. Individual tickets are $75, and VIP tables of 10 are available for $900 (which includes the pre-event reception).
About the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks
Open to the public since October 2007 and located on the shores of Lake Fayetteville, at 4703 N. Crossover Rd. (Hwy. 265) near the Fayetteville-Springdale line, the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks is the undisputed crown jewel of Northwest Arkansas' public garden spaces. The Garden currently consists of 10 demonstration gardens showcasing the woody, herbaceous and exotic plant and flower species that thrive in Northwest Arkansas. The Garden is committed to providing educational, entertainment and recreational opportunities for area residents and visitors to increase their appreciation of the native and natural ecosystem of the Ozarks. The Garden hosts thousands of children each year for nature and outdoor education, and has been voted "Best Place to Get Married" four years in a row. Approximately 40,000 visitors from across the country and around the world come to the Garden each year to discover the beauty of the Ozarks. The operations of the Garden are wholly supported by admissions, sponsorships, memberships and donations. To become a member, volunteer or donate, please visit our recently updated website at www.bgozarks.org.


text:
No Of Position:2
Seniority Level:Experienced (Non Manager)
Job Role:Data Analyst
Functional Area:IT Software - DBA / Datawarehousing
Industry:Information Technology/ IT-Software / Software Services /IT-Hardware & Networking
Here is a fantastic opportunity to join one of the World's biggest IT consulting company as a Data Analyst / Engineer in London and work on site on a long-term contract with World's most innovative company.
Mandatory requirements (Please do not apply if you don't meet these requirements)
- Candidate must be eligible for employment in UK
- Candidate must have experience of Data Analysis and Trend capturing
- Candidate should have solid experience on PL/SQL (specifically Spark SQL) writing medium/complex queries.
- Candidate must have experience working with Hadoop/Big Data technologies on either a Cloudera or Horton Works platform
Here is Job Summary:
- Job Title: Data Analyst/ Engineer
- Job Location: London, UK
- Job Type: Contract
- Contract Duration: 12+ months
- Job start: ASAP
- Daily Rates: Negotiable / Excellent Rates
Job summary:
We are looking for Data Analyst/ Engineer having sound knowledge on PL/ SQL. The person must be able to be able to work with data i.e. Pull the Data, Analyze and capture trends, convert them in requirements. He should be able to work as a independent contributor. The person must be flexible to work on all the tasks involved in Development life cycle.
Key qualifications:
- 7+ Yrs of Experience & minimum 3+ Yrs of experience in Big Data related projects
- Should have solid experience on PL/SQL (specifically Spark SQL) writing medium/complex queries.
- Analytical Skills (Scientific approach to revealing compelling findings)
- Is self-motivated to take initiatives and thrive in an ambiguous work environment
- Demonstrated ability to complete multiple tasks under pressure with a high degree of flexibility
- Should be able to understand the data Architecture and Functionality in a short span of time.
About our client:
- Our client is recognised in big 4 largest IT companies of the world
- Our client has market cap currently is $110 Billion
- Our client has more than 378,500 employees worldwide
- Our client operates out of 46 countries


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The pensions revolution will provide "key moments of truth" that advisers should seize on to prove their worth to the sceptics, says Clive Bolton.
The managing director of the insurer's retirement solutions division thinks there is "some work to do" to switch a whole new cohort of customers onto the benefits of advice, including a rethink of the options offered to people who might only have the appetite for one-off help.
Bolton says: "Increasingly, advice is a non-advised, self service journey that spikes into advice. Decumulation is a lot of steps where you can't go back. That is a fantastic opportunity for advisers to make sure clients are making the right choice before they're pressing a button – once you take money out of a pension, you can't put it back in; once you retire you can't unretire; once you downsize you can't upsize.
"Those key moments of truth are where advisers can really demonstrate the value of their services."
He says helping customers understand the basic rules around the freedoms – such as the tax implications of taking cash in chunks – make it easy to show, in pounds and pence, the advantages of speaking to an expert.
"It is a case of instant payback, compared to recommending a fund where you need five years or so to prove to them it was a good idea," he says.
Before life
Bolton himself is a relative latecomer to the life industry, having spent the majority of his career in general insurance until making the switch in 2006. He started out as an actuary at the Pru in the 1980s and worked on some of the great insurance innovations of the time, including creating the first flood map using radar and using postcodes as a proxy for wealth.
It was work like the latter – "which helped stop poor people subsidising rich people's pensions" – that gave Aviva a "campaigning platform", Bolton says.
"That was the translation from doing something because the maths says we should, to this has an industry and societal aspect to it, we want a fair retirement process.
"The retirement solutions manifestations of that is the next stage. It's all about outcome, not products."
Small pot challenge
For Bolton, today's challenge is making the system work for someone with a pot size that takes them above trivial commutation limits – where often it will make sense to take the whole lot as cash – but well below the kind of savings that can be drawn down slowly or produce a decent annuity income.
"We focus on the person with £50,000 in their pension fund", he says.
"It sounds like a lot to an individual but if they're in their 60s, it's not a lot if they live another 25 years. I don't think they'll cash it in and spend it but advice will be quite expensive as a proportion of their funds and someone with that size of fund is not used to being financially engaged.
"As an industry we need to find ways to support those individuals."
He notes that pensioners need a pot size of well over £100,000 before the state pension makes up less than half of their income, meaning thousands – if not millions – of people will find themselves on much lower incomes than they might have expected.
Retirement income portfolio
Bolton thinks the reforms mean people will increasingly divide their pensions into "easy access" funds, income producing investments and some form of guaranteed income. The results, he believes, is that decumulation ("horrible, dehumanising language") is beginning to mirror accumulation, how people save in the first place.
He says: "You're beginning to look at a retirement income portfolio that's starting to speak the same language as your savings portfolio.
"At the moment we have two many 'versus' – standard annuities versus enhanced annuities, variable versus fixed income – but they have different qualities.
"Our research over the last 15 years of income drawdown and annuities shows there's been no clear winner, so we shouldn't ask customers to bet one against the other. It's very easy to say a blend is the answer; the question becomes what is a good blend?"
He says the investment industry is at a "relatively early stage" in working that out.
"If the market goes down and up over five years, it really matters at which point in your decumulation journey that is. Even if it goes back to the same level, you never recover your losses because you have to take income to live. From an adviser perspective that will be a lot more of an involved conversation than just setting someone up."
Peering into the future
So far, Bolton thinks the industry has responded well to the bombshell that rattled the windows of the life and pensions companies nearly a year ago.
"I think the industry is behaving very responsibly. We all had to act quickly and if it continues with that ethos, that will bode well," he says.
"We're not called upon to be parents in this but we do have a responsibility to explain options that are clear. I think the industry is set up to do that. "
He does warn, however, the many debates swirling around at the moment are "a priori" – people making guesses at customer behaviour.
"We're peering into the future. I think it will take three years of people going through the system before we see what the new world is like. I don't think 2015 is indicative of long-term trends. I think it will be informed by how well investments do in that period. If there's a bull or bear market, that would give a very different feel to the new environment.
"There is also considerable uncertainty around interest rates, which underpin some of the more guaranteed products like annuities. So there's a lot of volatility, there's a lot of moving parts in this."
Five questions
What's the best bit of advice you've received in your career?
Things are never as bad as you think they might be, and they're never as good as the propaganda. Keep a clear head and focus on the facts.
What keeps you awake at night?
I don't lose sleep over anything. But getting everything in place for the first half of this year is a real priority.
What has had the most significant impact on financial advice in the past year?
The Budget and it is still ongoing. We still don't have all the rules.
If I was put in charge of the FCA for a day I would…
Make sure everyone who works in the organisation works on the front line and actually talks to a customer.
Any advice for new advisers?
If you want to make a name for yourself, crack my £50,000 pot problem.
April 2014–present: Managing director, retirement solutions, Aviva Life UK, and executive chairman, Aviva Equity Release
2012-2014: Managing director, at retirement, Aviva Life UK, and executive chairman, Aviva Equity Release
2009–2012: At retirement director, Aviva UK Life
2008–2009: Pricing and annuity proposition director, Aviva UK Life
2006–2007: Life & UK Strategy Director, Aviva UK Life
1991-2006: Aviva General Insurance
1988-1991: Prudential


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Science, technology, oddities, amusing US/Canada differences, being a postdoc, and a few surprises thrown in.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Little American luxuries.... that aren't up here.
Free checking accounts. Cannot find them. I think only America does these.
Carbon-copy checks. Also called duplicate checks. Apparently they weren't available at my bank, or else I would have gotten them.
Free pickups of tickets at venue locations (aka "will call"). Eluveitie is playing at the Opera House Sunday night, and I would love to go, but there is a small problem. You can either get your tickets FedExed for $14 (this is NOT overnight, but rather the standard rate; welcome to Canada), or you can pick them up at any number of inconvenient locations throughout the city. Picking them up at the place they're playing is unfortunately not an option, and I've never heard of this from any venue.
Coupon doubling/tripling. I LOVED and took full advantage of this in the States. It's a foreign concept here.
Hulu. WANT. But, no dice.
Nationwide wireless long distance at a reasonable price. In the States, it almost doesn't matter what area code you have, because all cell phones can call nationwide. In Canada, you're usually limited by province, unless you pay a huge chunk of change. I will be limited to Toronto and the U.S., and luckily, that'll work for me.
Non-outlandish wireless plans. The big three (Bell, Telus, and Rogers) have a fantastic monopoly on cellular service here in Canada. Contracts are 3 years and sometimes offer as little as 50 minutes/50 texts for some ridiculous price. Luckily, this is changing with discount carriers such as Fido, Wind, and Mobilicity, many of which do not require a contract and will even give you U.S. calling for cheap.
Free plastic shopping bags. I've tried to cut down on these. I use my reusable bags almost wherever I go, unless I've really got too much stuff to fit into them. In Canada, there is definitely an impetus to do this, because the province of Ontario, in trying to cut down on waste, has mandated that sellers must charge at least 5 cents per plastic bag. Because I'm a complete cheapo, I've scrounged all the plastic bags out of my car and made them into shopping bags. It's worked, Canada!
Anything you want on amazon. In Canada, you get just books.
Target. Soon.... soon.
Am I forgetting any?
1 comment:
I was blown away to discover nationwide long-distance when I moved to the States. Yup, look forward to getting gouged on cell costs. Cheques are highly unpopular outside of the US anyways, why do you need them? Banking in general is way better in Canada, if you're Canadian I assume, because of the nationwide unified banking system. Costs for plastic shopping bags are all over the States too - for instance, here in DC.ReplyDelete
Finally, if you've got a problem with Hulu/Amazon, complain to US distributors and their ridiculous licensing arrangements. The Wall Street Journal just ran an article about how studies have shown that content piracy is most rampant in places where that content is not available legally. American movie distributors are working on a very archaic framework, unfortunately :-(


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Category Archives: Tips
Set Up a Dream Wedding Venue with These Decor Tips
A good décor is more than what meets the eye – it pays attention to effective space utilization, carpentry, graphics, fabric, furniture and so on. It also ensures a proper blend of all the elements involved, in order to create the perfect mood on your special day.
You may consider the task done as soon as you hire a wedding décor service provider, but here are few ways to make the most of it for your wedding.… Read More
How to Preserve Your Wedding Dresses
We human beings primarily choose our clothing based on weather and that is why we require good storage options like garment storage bags for preserving our precious clothes such as wedding dresses. In winter we get our scarves and hats out and in summer we get our lighter garments out from wherever they have been stored. For an organized type of person, this is the time to arrange, clean and store all the summer clothes.… Read More
Keeping Your Wedding Dress Safe after the Ceremony
Wedding is obviously the most special occasion in a person's life and he or she always like to preserve the swettest memories of this grand day by preserving dresses, jewelries and many other items for as long as he or she lives. Among all the memorable little things and precious objects wedding dress always enjoy a very special place of importance.… Read More


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Five Steps to Authentic Storytelling
Tonight, I am fortunate to be giving a talk for the 25th round ever of Ignite Seattle. I am excited, but I am also a little nervous. In all my years of public speaking, speech writing, and even speech coaching, I have never before given a public talk about something as deeply personal as what I am about to share tonight.
For this reason, I wanted to remind myself of the best storytelling tips I have ever received, in the hope that they will keep me grounded on stage. I figured, why not share them, in case someone else out there finds herself in the same position?
1. Keep it simple. Life is messy and complicated. Every story has infinite potential subplots and interpretations. If you want to keep the audience's attention, keep the storyline straightforward and resist the urge to add words that don't serve that central story. As a friend of mine reminded me before this talk, "You only have room for one 'twist.'"
2. Don't overthink your message. Usually, when I am helping someone prepare a talk or even a piece of writing, I first sit down and ask them some questions so that I can hear their gut responses. These first reactions tend to be the most authentic. It is so easy for us to get caught up in thinking about what we should say or what we assume the audience wants to hear, rather than just sticking with what is true for us. The result is usually some hybrid monster that feels like no one authored it.
3. Watch your metaphors. I love metaphors. I like to think in images and can make pretty word pictures around just about anything. The problem? Metaphors can be a trap. I start trying to make the story fit the metaphor rather than the other way around. (This happened to me with tonight's talk, by the way.) The solution? Tell your story first and find the metaphor last–or, if you're already stuck in the metaphor, just let it go. Far better to tell the truth than to have an excellent metaphor.
4. Channel confidence. During my practice session, I was still pretty unsure of how I was going to make it work. I Tim Gunn'd it and just got up there and delivered the best thing I could. Even though there were some missing pieces (namely, that mismatched metaphor), authenticity allowed me to connect with the small audience anyway. As a bonus, that confident self has a far easier time being authentic and vulnerable than the one that is apologizing for her failures!
5. Even if it sucks, share it anyway. However imperfect this talk may turn out to be be, I am still grateful for the opportunity to share my story and hopefully connect with new people. In the process of preparing it, I have had to revisit personal weaknesses I thought I had conquered, confront narratives I had been holding onto though I no longer believe them to be true, and accept that I am not perfect even at this thing I used to get paid to do! There is simply no other way to learn than to get out there and give it a try.
And with that, I'm off to Ignite!
UPDATE: Everything worked out just fine! Check out the talk below:


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Ireland will be showing off its skateboard talent this spring as the Van City Ireland tour takes off to explore the many available skate spots around the country from March 21st till the 24th. Gorey, Greystones, Waterford, Wangchung, Bushy, Swords and a few other secret spots will be hit by certainly a large amount of skaters wanting to have a road trip and a blast at the same time.
Adding this to the "Contest and Event" page and I'll keep you up-to-date on this one! You can join the conversation over on http://www.bogginzine.com as well. Some good pics and funny commenting going on there!
Follow Europeskate and share!


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SOUTH BEND -- "What we're going to do is give this poor guy a shot," Saint Mary's College senior Kristin Chemma said. But not to worry, she assured her tweenaged charges, "he's not going to feel a thing."
Jessica Lee, a seventh-grader at Discovery Middle School, stepped to the patient's bedside and matter-of-factly plunged the needle into his thigh.
Indeed, the hospital at Havican Hall on the campus of Saint Mary's College was full Saturday morning.
In addition to the "patients," all computerized medical mannequins, a dozen or so seventh-grade girls were hanging out with SMC nursing students learning some basics.
And across the campus, dozens of other young girls were getting mini courses in other science- and math-related fields.
Their parents were in on the fun and learning, too, attending workshops of their own where they picked up information about how to support their mathematically inclined daughters as they contemplate fields that are male-dominated.


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Vietnamese President Praises PM Modi On Act East Policy, Bats For India's UNSC Membership
India and Vietnam signed three Memorandums of Understandings on the concluding day of President Quang's three-day state visit to India, his first in this capacity. The three agreements strengthen India's ties with Vietnam in light of India's Act East Policy.
Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on Sunday expressed gratitude for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement at the ASEAN-India summit last November regarding India's Act East Policy (AEP). India and Vietnam signed three Memorandums of Understandings (MoUs) on the concluding day of President Quang's three-day state visit to India, his first in this capacity. The three agreements dealing with nuclear cooperation, agriculture and trade strengthen India's ties with Vietnam in light of India's Act East Policy.
President Quang also backed India's permanent membership to United Nations Security Council (UNSC), as per ANI.
The policy was formulated to focus on creating an "extended neighbourhood in the Asia-Pacific region". The policy which dealt with economic and trade issues initially also assumed political, strategic and cultural dimensions. Under the AEP, India has sought to deepen ties with Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, Singapore, ASEAN and other countries in the Asia-Pacific.
"We wish to express our gratitude for, and most highly appreciate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement at the ASEAN–India Summit in November last year that 'India's Act East policy is shaped around the ASEAN," said President Quang in his address to the media.
India and Vietnam signed three crucial bilateral agreements on Saturday and also called for a a rules-based regional architecture. President Quang had detailed discussions with PM Modi and the Indian delegation on key bilateral issues like defence, energy and agriculture.
The partnership with Vietnam assumes greater significance in terms of tackling Chinese expansionism in the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific. PM Modi said that both countries decided to collaborate on defence production and transfer of technology.
"We will jointly work for an open, independent and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international laws are respected and where differences are resolved through talks," PM Modi said in a joint statement on Saturday. "Both sides are committed towards expanding the bilateral maritime cooperation and for an open, efficient and rules-based regional architecture," he said.
Modi said that India and Vietnam would strengthen and bilateral economic ties and trade. The two countries decided to explore larger opportunities for trade and investment in renewable energy, textiles, oil and gas exploration, agriculture etc.
This is the first state visit for the Vietnamese president to India. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also had a meeting with President Quang on Saturday.
Quang's visit comes soon after the summit where PM Modi spoke about the AEP as one of the main aspects of his foreign policy. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was also part of the summit and was later called as one of the chief guests at the Republic Day celebrations in January. The most recent visit further clears India's growing need to partner with Vietnam, a country that has had long-standing disputes with China. India, apart from helping the Vietnamese military in the past in capacity building, had also extended a $500 million line of credit for defence cooperation two years ago. The latest decision to move on defence production and transfer of technology appeared to be the next step in the same process.
Another strong pitch by Quang was for stronger and deeper aviation and maritime connectivity. China has had conflicts with countries like Vietnam, Philippines and Brunei over maritime claims and connectivity in the South China Sea.


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The Gentle Dove Farm
Offering Obstacle Clinics -
Mounted Police Style
Encouraging Partnership, Communication and Exceptional Trust
ENews BLOG
Our Horses
Competition History
ENews Blog
GDF Pictures
Why train with obstacles? My horse and I do dressage, why would I need obstacle training? My horse and I aren't ready for obstacles; he's too green. I have a 3 year old; can he do obstacle training? I hear all sorts of questions around obstacle training. It seems a little misunderstood at times. Let me try to explain the purpose, applicability, and advantages.
How many times have you gone out for a ride and your horse acts frightened of something you think is nothing? Let's say you walk your horse out of the barn and there's a plastic bag blowing on the ground that wasn't there the day before. What does your horse do? Many times they're afraid and their instinctual flight response kicks in. Horses have this 6th sense that tells them to run before the monster eats them. Obstacle training can help your horse develop trust in you over time instead of listening to their flight response.
One of the beauties of obstacle training is that you can start it from the day your horse is born. Calmly rubbing your newborn foal with a towel or your hand is part of obstacle training! Building on that foundation with incremental steps over the course of the horse's life forms a bond like no other.
So you may say your discipline is dressage, reining, eventing, pleasure…. Regardless, everyone wants a safe, calm, willing, and controlled horse irrespective of discipline. For example, when that dressage horse enters the ring at letter A, if he is fearful of the judge's stand at the other end of the arena at letter C or the child with the balloon attached to his stroller on the rail, it's unlikely he'll make a straight line in his pattern. When your horse's focus is not on you, it doesn't matter what discipline you ride, the effect will be the same. Or how about the young horse whose rider says they're not ready. The level of the obstacle has to start at the basic foundation and build up. It's the young horse that benefits greatly by starting at this fundamental level. Applying the strategies and methods we teach from our experience in the mounted police traverses all disciplines and age to help the horse understand they are safe when they trust you.
Obstacle training can increase your horse's focus and attention. The advantages are numerous. Not only do you get a calmer horse, but a more confident, happy horse that can focus longer on your requests. This may seem like a tall order, but if the obstacle training is developed correctly, the results can be impressive. Every horse can take baby steps towards building their trust with obstacle training. There are also fun challenges in obstacle training. Your imagination is the only limitation. Well thought-out, safe, creative obstacles have revived bored, spoiled horses, as well as inspired their riders. Obstacle training, when correctly applied, can provide exponential dividends in the partnership of the horse and rider team!
I've seen many a skittish horse over the years in my teaching and every single one has individually improved if the rider is receptive to this training. 'The slower you go, the faster you'll get there' is an age-old horse-training concept. Obstacle training can be the enhancement to your riding to create that perfect accompaniment to your equestrian program. There are also lots of emerging sports evolving from obstacle fun! Whatever they're called - Trail Trial, Trial Challenge, Versatility Challenge, Obstacle Challenge, Cowboy Challenge, Cowboy Race, Trail Rally, Judged Trail Ride, Versatile Horse & Rider, etc. – they're fun to test your new found skills of obstacle horsemanship! After all, having fun is hopefully what it's all about! Enjoy your obstacle training!
Gentle Dove Farm provides training Mounted Police Style to the general equestrian public. We encourage partnership, communication, and exceptional trust. We are National Mounted Police and Toronto Police Services Certified; as well as have multiple international Police Equestrian Championships and NYS Police Equestrian Games Gold Medals. Contact Joann Long at firstname.lastname@example.com or 585-738-7477 for training opportunities. Let us know if you would be interested in lessons at our farm in Bloomfield, NY!
Happy and safe travels!
Joann K Long
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Joann Long
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Bloomfield, NY 14469
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After supporting his rugby team to the bitter end before England was knocked out of the next round of the World Cup, Prince Harry could use a hug right about now. He got the next best thing: While honoring a local rugby team in Devon, Prince Harry was presented with a surprise gift — personalized rugby boots.
Harry is the patron of England's team and was spotted in the stands at every game, cheering them on — even when Prince William and Kate Middleton sat inches away from him shouting for Wales. After dealing with the upsetting loss, the 31-year-old royal had his spirits lifted when he visited a local team in Paignton, Devon, to congratulate them on refurbishing their rugby clubhouse and turning it into a place where children and adults in the community can come together to play hard, work in a team setting, and learn important life values.
Naturally, a group of rugby-loving youngsters asked Harry to join them in a game, but he had to politely decline because he was wearing a suit. Regardless, he got lots of love that day — and an awesome gift that I'm sure he will cherish.
Thank you @PaigntonRFC for the special personalised boots, and well done on your @EnglandRugby Gold Standard Award! pic.twitter.com/RVMTQTLKO9— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) October 7, 2015
Sometimes I wonder what the royals do with all of the many gifts they accept as they travel from place to place. My guess is that they donate a great deal of toys and clothing — but I have a feeling Harry isn't going to give these shoes away anytime soon. What a cool, thoughtful gift — one he totally needed right about now.
More from The Stir: Prince Harry Shows Off Football Skills We Never Knew He Had (VIDEO)
In case you're wondering, Harry isn't planning on turning his nose up at the World Cup now that his number one team is out of the running. On the same day he visited the rugby club, he planned on taking in another World Cup match — Namibia versus Georgia. And, he admitted, everyone he spoke to that day seems to favor Japan — and that he thinks it would be "fantastic if Japan won."
Come on, Harry, strap on those sneakers and let's see your rugby skills.
Image via Splash News


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Kristee Booth
Kristee Booth is a scientist with Greenhorne & O'Mara, Inc. She has an undergraduate degree in Biology from WVU; MS degree in Ecology from FIT. She has been actively involved with the byway since its inception, and is a current CME member. This mountain mama travels the world to learn of the culture and history of the area and its people while enjoying those outdoor activities… Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu; snorkeling with marine iguanas and sea lions in the Galapagos Islands; riding a camel up Mt. Sinai; horseback riding around the Great Pyramids, the jungles of Costa Rica or an active volcano in Ecuador. Kristee feels Florida and the FBBSB has as much beauty, history and adventure to offer as anywhere in the world.
Kayaking on the FBBSB Waterways
Here are a few memories and pointers from my experience kayaking the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway:
|Juniper Springs: a great spring head w/ the ONF amenities, the historic spring pump house, so beautiful to sunbathe or swim here. There's a long boardwalk to traverse to put in the kayak/canoe. I do love this challenging and beautiful run. It has a variety of narrow winding passages and wider ones with sandbars and high banks as well. There is little downed tree removal so it is more challenging in a canoe to twist and turn around these potential natural obstacles. I've seen deer and alligator along the way- that is when the arguing couples aren't too loud to scare them off. This trip can challenge a couple's patience and relationship – be warned!
|It isn't rocket science to navigate this run, which is not recommended for beginners, but it takes patience and awareness, because what is great about this run is also what makes it challenging: it has an amazingly beautiful canopy of trees winding down at you – but if you are not paying attention – you WILL get clocked in the head, as well as stuck on trees underwater if you are not looking all around the "obstacle course" of Juniper Springs Run.Alexander Springs: is always a good run as it is always pretty, and it is less complex than Juniper. A better choice for little ones, perhaps. All of these springs are great spot for bird and nature watching: I have seen gators, herons, cormorants out drying their wings, deer, osprey, hawks, and gators. A friendly dragonfly hitched a ride with me a while on one trip. Turtles haul themselves out onto downed trees to sun themselves. Cormorants are out on limbs drying their wingspan with the usual drama, and otters pop their heads up. The diversity of birds is truly endless in this neck of the woods.
Silver River-Ocklawaha Run: Starting in the Silver River State Park- they can be accommodating if one needs assistance as there is a looooong dirt path to hike to the put in spot for kayaks. The Park has a great, very informative Museum that is a "must see" stop. For the energetic paddler you can paddle up to the springs attraction and won't be disappointed. You can see manatees, all kinds of fish species, a variety of birds and possibly some raccoons as well as some of the movie props used on location at Silver Springs. The Silver Springs Rive run is stunning; lined with large trees, clear water you can see through and some narrow passages to add spice to the trip. There is a possibility to see rhesus monkeys which, contrary to popular rumor, aren't escapees from the Tarzan movie, but were intentionally released some years ago to attract tourists.
To paddle the Ocklawaha River one can come down from the Silver River or there are other put in points along the river. You can put in at Ray's Wayside Park that has a few amenities, and go south to the springhead or head north on the Ocklawaha to Gore's Landing (this has some amenities). From Gore's Landing you can float up to the Outpost (this private business has camping facilities) and spend the night camping or continue on your journey to investigate the old lock and dam system. I've always had a good time on this paddle trip and have participated in the Aquaholics Poker run for charity. Yet another beautiful river to float on and enjoy the sites and sounds of the Florida woods. I even discovered one pull over spot on the Ocklawaha where I got a "fish pedicure and manicure"! People pay good money to have little fish nibble the dead skin off their feet and hands – it was a major trend in 2011 – and I got a "wild" one for free!
There's no end to the ways you can get close to nature on this byway.
See Also: Paddling
Links: Canoeing & Kayaking Florida, Florida Kayak & Canoe Meetup Group


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Our CPABC brand strategy was created to raise awareness of the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation. Our campaigns are designed to strengthen awareness and recognition of the value of the designation, and showcases the benefits CPAs bring to the business world.
CPA Canada kicks off new brand advertising campaign
September 2017
If you want to know how to succeed in a business world disrupted by change, "Ask a CPA." That's the theme of the campaign launching this month.
The campaign consists of a TV commercial, clever change-oriented billboards and ads, and articles that will appear in English and French newspapers, magazines and websites over the next seven months.
There will also be special engagements with CBC's Dragon's Den. The multiplatform campaign seeks to engage businesses across Canada by illustrating how CPAs use their expertise, data analysis and strategic vision to steer success in an ever-changing marketplace.
Visit Ask a CPA and be on the right side of change.
CPAs Navigate Change and Drive Success
"Navigating Change" is the tagline for the CPA profession's branding campaign launching October 17, 2016. The new campaign focuses on CPAs' ability to leverage their expertise and ethical fortitude to navigate through disruptive change by anticipating the unexpected, making sense of complexity, and analyzing data to make business decisions that drive success.
CPA brand advertising and marketing and communications undertaken since the launch of the Canadian CPA designation in 2013 have successfully driven unaided awareness of the CPA brand to an impressive 39 per cent. This year's ad campaign, created by Toronto-based agency DDB, aims at increasing understanding of the tangible value CPAs bring to businesses and other organizations. It will be seen on Canadian television, in business magazines, and across the internet.
The CPA provincial bodies and CPA Canada will help drive understanding and demand for CPAs among employers through direct communications with key stakeholders. And, as always, the work that CPAs do in their professional lives and in their communities will provide the evidence of the value of CPAs.
For more information on our 2014/2015 Brand Campaign, please contact recruitment.
For more information on our 2014 Brand Campaign, please contact recruitment.


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The Biomimicry Safari as a completely new adventure in the African Bush. We ran the first one last year and had an amazing response from unlikely clients. The course (5 day Safari adventure in our Kruger national park concession) teaches people to use nature to solve their problems. We show people that nature has already done all the research; by mimicking it we can solve career problems for architecture, structural engineering workflow planning and numerous other applications. It's a big growth point for pharmaceuticals as well.
Biomimicry — technology emulating nature — has already resulted in hundreds of revolutionary innovations that make our lives easier, healthier, and more sustainable. Phones (whose loudspeakers were inspired by human eardrums), Velcro (inspired by cockleburs), and airplanes (birds) are nature-inspired innovations so ubiquitous in our lives we scarcely think about their origin. More recent examples of Biomimicry include new ways to manufacture concrete developed from studying coral reefs, highly-efficient wind turbines modeled on the shape of whale flippers, and entirely new approaches of creating colour inspired by butterflies, that would allow you to read this web page outside, in bright sunlight, while using a fraction of the energy of a conventional monitor. Additional speed for bullet trains inspired by the beak of the kingfisher bird.
Specialist naturalists form the Biomimicry institute with safari guides takes you on a journey into true wilderness while you stay in a unfenced Eco camp in big five territory while you search for inspiration and new applications. You will approach dangerous game on foot to get in-depth knowledge of their behaviour and learn intimate details to solve and or create new products.
This Safari with a difference is the best tool to ensure biodiversity (we need to learn about all these creatures before they are gone) and will take conservation ahead like no other product has done before.
What you'll do:
· Solve a design challenge by asking "what would nature do here?"
· Practice applying the tools of biomimicry in a real world scenario
· Explore nature's genius through field-based activities
· Learn from (rather than just about) local plants, animals, and ecosystems
· Become acquainted with life's inherently sustainable design principles
· Learn how to translate nature's genius into innovative sustainable design solutions
Our most important resource is our capacity to innovate. Without innovation, humankind cannot continue to adapt to a complex and changing world. But where will these new ideas for humanity come from? Experience and intuition tells us many of the best of these ideas will come from the genius evident in the natural world around us.
Book now to avoid disappointment – only 3 spaces left on the October 2012 course. Contact firstname.lastname@example.com or visit the website at www.ecotraining.co.za


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Ervine Okuboh
Role at AFFORD: Business Adviser
Education & Qualifications:
- Business Counselling and Management : Durham University
- Local Economic Development : University of Aston
- Member of the Institution of Economic Development
Specialities: Programme and Project management and delivery. Successfully designed and delivered flagship economic development/ business projects and programmes throughout the UK and overseas for SME businesses, including, Procurement Development Project for the London Development Agency, Local Purchasing Programme UK Government Business Growth Programme and the European Union Business Transformation LEAN Thinking application Programme for SME businesses in the Thames Gateway area. Business Start-up programme for the Niger Delta Development Commission
Experience: Diplomatic service for the Nigerian government in Liverpool as an information and consular officer from 1975 till 1984. In economic development sector, I became one of the UK's first enterprise agency directors in the United Kingdom, becoming the director of the Northern Black Business Association in 1986. Successfully led numerous UK and foreign companies through start up to business growth in USA, Nigeria and West Indies. Held senior management positions at the London Development Agency, Leeds City Council, Liverpool City Council, and the London boroughs of Southwark, Barking and Dagenham, I co-managed economic regeneration projects worth £2 billion since 1986.
Why AFFORD: AFFORD has taken up the gargantuan task of developing social, employment and enterprise in Africa from a grass roots perspective. This is a major challenge and also represents an immense opportunity for AFFORD. I am looking to use my experience to assist AFFORD in meeting this objective
I am passionate about Africa because: It is my heritage and ancestry!


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Health services and users' perceptions of the state in Rolpa, Nepal
The authors call for a flexible needs-based approach to health services and improved evaluation and monitoring
Even though Nepal's government health services have improved since the end of the Maoist insurgency in 2006, a number of pressing challenges remain. These include physical access to healthcare, limited health post opening times and poor medical supplies, and ineffective state monitoring. In the circumstances, healthcare users have to make trade-offs between costs and quality. In this paper the authors call for a flexible needs-based approach to health services and improved central evaluation and monitoring. To that end, 4 recommendations are proposed. In the wake of the recent devastating earthquake, these issues are even more critical. This paper is the second in a series on basic services in Nepal.
Paudel, S.B.; Upreti, B.R.; Acharya, G.; Tandukar, A.; Harvey, P. Health services and users perceptions of the state in Rolpa, Nepal. SLRC Working Paper 36. Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London, UK (2015) 28 pp.


text: No one has answered this. How does it look? People say if you like using the web, email, and watching movies, go for glossy. If you are a professional or use your MBP for work, go with anti-glare. But I am BOTH. I do Photoshop, website editing, movie watching, and internet. I do everything with my laptop so it isn't a "one or the other depending on the person" situation. How do movies look on anti-glare? Do you see true color? Are the blacks too washed out? Does the silver bezel distract you when watching a film or gaming? I ordered both and I used a glossy before, I do see reflections but I love how the colors pop. Then again, are the vibrant, popping colors, deep blacks really worth it if you face is constantly in them all the time? Thoughts, please!


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I have been meaning to try this type of photo since Colin posted the inspirational image - I'm a little slow to it sometimes! (if anyone can provide a link that would be awesome)
Overall I like this photo, not sure I didn't blow out the white a little. Do the darks need to be darker? Any comments appreciated.
Also, posting this from smugmug link, not sure how that will work out.


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Emma Stone Does the Deauville Film Festival
Emma Stone steps out in a Roland Mouret gown at the opening ceremony of the 37th Deauville American Film Festival on Friday (September 2) in Deauville, France.
The 22-year-old actress met up with her The Help co-star Allison Janney on the red carpet.
Emma and Oliva Wilde, who are the new faces of Revlon, recently earned a PETA Kind Choices Award for promoting cruelty-free cosmetics.
"Olivia and Emma are gorgeous living proof that women can save animals' lives with every mascara, eye shadow, and blush product they purchase," PETA wrote on its website.
FYI: Emma finished off her look with Giuseppe Zanotti heels, an Alexander McQueen clutch, and Neil Lane jewelry.


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Today has already started off to be a rather bloody good day. So, instead of writing my essay, I'm going to make you read shit. And then I'll start my essay.
In other news, I think SD is my soulmate. Why? Because we both secretly (not so secretly now) watch Air Crash Investigation and find it the most incredible programme ever. If that's not soulmate material, I don't know what is.
I dig him. He romances so good.
Aberdeen was looking rather marvellous the other day when it wasn't grey and miserable. This was when I was being a lonely wifey before the dog turned up.
#nofilter. That's what the thing is right? Also SD is on one of those teeny tiny boats. Which are not so teeny tiny close up. Obviously. Also I filtered the fuck out of this picture on my Instagram... I am utterly shit at Instagram but I try. Also I do not understand hashtags for the life of me,
My flatmate baked biscuits the other day. I feel that one of the reasons I live with her is for her baking. Also the fact that she buys me wine. Anyway, she made a biscuit in the shape of a boat. And drew a tiny icing dinosaur on it. Just for me.
Yaaaasss good quality photos. But fo realz. It's SD on his boat. Come ON.
And finally, because I really need to start essay writing, I was an awesome flatmate and took all the bins out this morning. Also I was an awesome adult because I actually remembered when the bins were getting collected. I picked out the first pair of shoes I found because I wasn't going out to the bin in bare feet and unwittingly turned into a fashion blogger.
I think you'll find that all good fashion bloggers pose with their bins. Also if anyone's interested, these are my Emergency Summer Wedding Heels. I found them on sale for £5 a few months ago and obviously bought them because you never know when you might be invited to a summer wedding. I have never been to a summer wedding and nor shall I in the foreseeable near future. But that doesn't matter because when I do get an invite, I will already have my shoes. So if anyone is going to a summer wedding and needs a date... I am very much prepared.


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" A Small Polo Obsession…" Sculpture and art by Joseph Vaughan
Surely a stand out piece..This light summer zip up jacket from the 1992 Stadium line is a sure fire hit among those lucky enough to own it.
Blocks of bold red, green and blue provide the almost Mondrian background, in the foreground in mid-vault the hurdle man springs over his obstacle. Lettering includes the large Polo in black , Polo on his vest, 1992 on one arm and Stadium on the other.
Such an amalgam of the desired elements in one wearable item propels this to superstar status and was always a definite in this collection of the best of the best….


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Impacts and Support of Information Technology in the New Generation
The impact of information technology is seen every field in the modern era and the new generation is vastly influenced by information technology. In the present day, innovations in information technology are having extensive effects across many spheres of society. The new generation is doing business via modern technology and communicating with others through modern… Read More »


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Coronal transients and metric type II radio bursts
I. Effects of geometry
Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino, Strada Osservatorio 20, Pino Torinese 10025, Italy
2 Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, MS 50, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Corresponding author: S. Mancuso, email@example.com
Accepted: 22 September 2003
In this paper we investigate the relationship between type ii and coronal transient activity in terms of emission originating from the top or the flanks of a bow/piston shock surface, extending just above the coronal mass ejection (CME) leading edge surface. For this purpose, we used ground-based metric type ii radio burst observations of twenty-nine events in conjunction with Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO/SOHO) and UltraViolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS/SOHO) observations. With the refined density diagnostic offered by the UVCS instrument, we analyzed the type ii dynamics in conjunction with the associated CME dynamics. Although we found some correlation, in all but a few cases the coronal transients appeared to lead the type ii emission locations by several minutes, in apparent disagreement with a CME-driven origin interpretation. By applying a simple model, we found however that a piston-driven origin is certainly viable for all the events under study on the hypothesis that the radio emission originates in discrete locations above the top or the flanks of bow/piston shock surfaces extending just above the transient leading edges.
Key words: Sun: corona / UV radiation / radio radiation / coronal mass ejections / shock waves


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This bowl = my heaven. Royal pho broth with cabbage ribbons and vietnamese spiced pork meatballs, you have my heart.
Since giving up most grains I haven't been dining out for as many meals as I used to, and definitely I have not been indulging in big bowls of steaming pho with long slurp worthy rice noodles and more aromatics than my head knew what to do with.
Considering that pho is one of my ultimate comfort foods (helllllo one too many glasses of wine! How does pho always know how to fix that?!), I've been coping okay, but when it started snowing this week AGAIN in Seattle, I knew I had to do something about my life without pho.


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Garlic Cream Chicken
Tired of the same ole chicken recipes? Need something quick and easy to spice up an ordinary weekday dinner? Just add garlic! When you cook with garlic it fills the entire house up with a delicious smell that will make everyone's mouth water and when it's sauted in butter and oil it takes on a mild sweet flavor while holding on to the traditional garlic taste.
3 whole heads garlic (about 40 garlic cloves)
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt & Fresh ground pepper
3 tablespoons salted butter
3 tablespoons EVOO
1 1/2 c. white wine
2 Tbls dried thyme
2 Tbls flour
2/3 c. heavy cream
Drop the cloves of garlic into a pot of boiling water. Wait for about 60 seconds, then drain and peel. Set aside the cloves. Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper, and heat the butter and oil in a large deep pan over medium high heat. Saute the chicken until nicely browned (about 5 minutes per side). When done, transfer to a plate.
Next add all the garlic cloves to the pan. Lower the heat to medium and saute for 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add wine and bring to a boil. Scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return chicken to the pot and sprinkle thyme over the top of each chicken breast. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes.
Remove chicken to a platter and cover with foil. In a small bowl, whisk together flower and 1/2 c. of the sauce and then whisk it back to the rest of the sauce. Raise the heat to medium-high, add cream and boil for about 3 minutes. Pour sauce over the chicken and serve.


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Posted on 12/1/2017
Defendant: Virsna Angel Sieng
Prosecutor Ron O'Brien announced today that Virsna Angel Sieng, age 41, was sentenced today after previously being found guilty of Possession of Drugs and Having a Weapon Under Disability following a four day jury trial in October. On July 7th, 2014, a search warrant was executed at the home of Sieng at 5521 Mirage Drive in Hilliard. Police confiscated over half a kilo of cocaine, a firearm, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia. Sieng was indicted for Possession of Cocaine with a Firearm Specification, a first degree felony as a major drug offender, and Having a Weapon Under Disability, based on a prior Trafficking in Cocaine conviction from 2004. Today Judge Stephen McIntosh sentenced Sieng to serve 15 years in prison. O'Brien commended the Hilliard Police and the Columbus Police Department HIDTA Task Force for their thorough investigation of this case.


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I used Resting Bird Digital Image. One commenter on my post wins this image set! (If you already own it, you'll be offered to choose from one of the other sets used by a DT member in the Blog Hop)
Here's my card and a close up! Using Resting Bird. The sentiment is from the Assemble together digital set.
Come visit all the blogs in our hop! Here's the line up:
CDS Blog
LAURIE (you are here!)
A winner will be chosen from the commenters on all blogs by 5 pm April 24, and you are notified the next day.
Thanks for visiting me during this month's blog hop! I hope you enjoy hopping along all the blogs and good luck to you! May you be blessed today and create something that blesses another.
Digi used: Resting Bird. (CDS)
Sentiment: Assemble together Digi (CDS)
CS/PAPER: 90 lb. Canson watercolor paper, PTI lemon tart, PTI summer sunrise, PTI new leaf, Basic gray Origins pattern paper
INK: printer, Tombow markers 528, 879, 992, 195, 177, 985, 025, 062
ACCENTS/TOOLS: waterbrush, MS fence border punch, SU bitty banners die, Spellbinders Labels 1 die, sewing machine, pearls, PTI button, PTI ribbon, linen thread, foam dimensionals
MEDIUM: watercolor with markers, waterbrush, on watercolor paper


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Graham G Parker
My love of animals especially dogs goes back to my childhood. At the moment I have 2 gorgeous Cocker Spaniels which can been seen in various poses on the web site. I have grown up with various dogs and cats including Golden Retrievers, Beagles and Labradors but can honestly say that Cockers are the happiest if a little busy!
Over the past 10 years I have wanted to take professional photos and have been searching for a niche. I have dabbled in many forms including Landscape, Alphabet and Wedding Photography. All of which was very enjoyable but not exactly what I was looking for. Then the inspiration came to me. Why not blend my two great loves together Animals and Photography. So The PET Photographer was born.


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Selenite Candle Holder
Selenite is the ultimate crystal cleansing and programming stone. From a naturally clear or opaque form of gypsum crystal, it gives out a calm and peaceful energy and its fine vibration brings clarity of mind. Although an ancient stone, it is one of the most powerful crystals for the current age and the intensity of its energy is greater than almost any other crystal for the upper chakras. As such, it quickly opens and activates the third eye and crown chakras and elevates one's awareness to higher planes of inner experience, enabling one to receive information from one's spirit guides and guardian angels as 'interior movies'. You must not get your selenite wet as it may dissolve in water.
Our Selenite candle holders have been hand picked in Morrocco.
Please note***Our selenite tealight holders are all unique. Product might vary slightly from shown image.***
Approx Size: 12cmH x 6cmW


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I finally tried my hand at the Emboss Resist Etching which was featured in a previous Splitcoast Stampers Weekly Inking. It's a wonderful technique to create one of a kind glassware items including plates, bowls, jars, etc.
The first step is to emboss your image on to the glass. To do this, clean the glass thoroughly and then rub your embossing buddy all over. Stamp your image with Versamark and cover with clear embossing powder. Tap off the excess powder, and use a small brush to remove any stray bits of powder before heating. When heating the glass, be sure to have it on a heat-resistant surface as it may get warm! Also, be careful not to overheat your glass as well.
After embossing, make a mask for your item so that you only etch the parts you want. Contact paper works great for these masks, and you can use your Coluzzle to cut a circle or oval from the center for the etched portion.
Place your mask on your plate or other glass item, and then apply a generous amount of etching cream. I used Armour Etch Cream™ which I got at Michael's. Leave the cream on for 5-10 minutes per the instructions, then rinse. Be careful not to get any cream on your hands as it may burn. Gloves are strongly recommended for this project! After thoroughly cleaning your plate again, gently scrape off the embossed part using your fingernail, or a wooden spoon.
Good luck, and I'd love to see whatever designs you come up with using this great technique!


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Dr. Dirk Jendroska
Dr. Dirk Jendroska is Head of Strategy and Operations Machine Learning at SAP. He supports the vision of SAP Leonardo Machine Learning to enable the intelligent enterprise by making enterprise applications intelligent. He leads a team working on machine learning strategy, marketing and communications. Previously, Dirk served as COO HR and Business Transformation Consultant at SAP SE. Before joining SAP, Dirk was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company. He holds a PhD in Psychology from University of Münster.


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The Importance of Seal Coating Your Asphalt
Seal coating an asphalt driveway or parking lot has many benefits. It improves its appearance and it protects the asphalt from deterioration.
Another benefit provided by a new layer of seal coating is ease of maintenance. When it rains, most grime will wash away. Your driveway will look clean even if you don't go out and scrub it down. When the weather is dry, you can just hose it for the same cleaning effect. Find out for further details on
asphalt sealing equipment
right here.
With seal coating, patches, rough areas, small cracks, and stains in the underlying asphalt are hidden. This makes your driveway or parking lot look much better. Parking lines and other traffic paint will be seen more clearly. This is the benefit for parking lots and commercial driveways.
Another benefit of seal coating asphalt is that it is protected from UV rays. UV rays increase the porosity of the asphalt and makes it more susceptible to staining and other damages from oil and gas spills. These damages can be resisted with seal coating and extend its life. Learn more about asphalt sealing,
view website
Seal coated asphalt is more water resistant. This is very important in climates with cold winters. Uncoated asphalt can absorb water which will then freeze and cause cracks when winter comes.
It is very expensive to repair asphalt. This high price is due to the combination of labor and the cost of materials. Asphalt prices change depending on the cost of oil. So if oil prices increase, then you can expect asphalt prices to increase as well. So, if it wise for you to seal coat your driveway and prevent damages from occurring than ignoring it and having it fixed later.
If you have decided to seal coat your asphalt driveway, you next need to decide whether you will make it a DIY project or you will hire a service to do it for you. It is cheaper to do it yourself but it requires work.
A much easier way to get seal coating onto your driveway or parking lot is to contact a qualified service and watch them do all the work for you. When they are done, you can simply pay for the services and enjoy the perfect result. Take a look at this link
for more information.
Until you have to pay for the service, it is something mundane to think about it. It all of a sudden becomes a very important thing to care for your parking lot or driveway. You need to understand your options and the reason why seal coating saves you a lot of money.


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Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Pass The Tissues, Please...
Most of us already know about stress hormones and how they build up in the body, causing all kinds of problems. According to one article I read, emotionally-induced tears contain protein-based hormones as well as leucine enkephalin, a natural painkiller. So "a good cry" flushes all those stress hormones out of our system.
Well, the science is all fine and dandy but I still wanted some experiental answers. Here's what some of you had to say:
Diana Prusik: Tears are cathartic. There's nothing like a good cry during a touching scene . . except for a good cry followed by laughter. (Think Sally Fields' stellar graveside scene in Steel Magnolias. Poor Ouiser!) Something about reading or watching a scene like that feels emotionally cleansing.
Brian Heffron agrees: Catharsis
Barbara Robinson: Because a book has to touch us emotionally or it's nothing to us. It must evoke reader emotions. If I don't feel anything when I read a book, the book is not any good, and I wouldn't finish it.
Christine Lindsay: I think we need to cry as much as we need to smile and laugh. Although when we cry, it's because we are always reaching out for hope. That this sad situation will not remain, but that the sun will shine again. It's about hope.
Jessica Patch: God designed us to connect with others. The bible says rejoice when others rejoice and weep when others weep. We're built to care. We want to. Real life or fiction, we're drawn to it and good writing makes us feel like it's real even when it's not.
Those are some great answers! What about you? Why do you love those gut-wrenching scenes? (Or if not, why don't you care for them?)
4 comments:
- Ginger said...
How can we appreciate the mountain tops if we never experience the valleys?
- July 26, 2011 at 10:50 AM
- Sheri Salatin said...
I think it depends on the mood I'm in whether I really want to just let loose and cry a river or if I avoid those heart-wrenching books that I know that "those kinds of scenes" in them.
I agree with Diana and Brian - tears are cathartic.
- July 26, 2011 at 12:11 PM
Jesus wept. If it was good for the Creator of the world to cry as a human, it must be even better for us. Tears cleanse the soul.
- July 26, 2011 at 10:57 PM
- Michelle Massaro said...
Ginger, that is very true. It's too easy to take things for granted when all goes well and smoothly for a long time. Troubles shock us out of our complacency and awaken our appreciation for all our blessings.
Sheri, me too. Sometimes I just am in need of a good laugh or a light read. But very often I am drawn to deeper plots that make me think and feel and bleed. Guess I'm a tortured soul type, lol.
Anon, Amen to that! Beautiful verse, and so true. If Jesus didn't hold back his tears, neither should we shy away from them. =)
- July 29, 2011 at 9:51 AM


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As I've briefly mentioned before I am 100% substance free. This includes alcohol, cigarettes, pot and any other drug you can imagine. In fact, I don't even drink coffee and rarely do I consume carbonation.
Last week I attended a friend's show at a basement theater off of Times Square. It was a warm spring day and something inside told me to let my hair down and get a little crazy…so I ordered a virgin strawberry daiquiri. I have never had a virgin strawberry daiquiri before so I thought the bold taste that burned down my throat after my first sip was odd but probably normal. I set the drink in front of me and forgot about it for a while. After a bit I remembered how hot and thirsty I was and mindlessly downed half of my drink. That's when I came to the conclusion that the burning was not a normal sensation for a virgin drink. My head wasn't supposed to feel that hot, my ears certainly weren't supposed to be on fire, my eyes were involuntarily wide and I couldn't wipe that surprised expression off my face. I sent the drink back and continued the evening feeling warm and relaxed.
And that was my first experience with alcohol. I definitely understand what it means now to "take the edge off" and it was actually quite delightful.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Strawberry Daiquiri
Posted by The Naive New Yorker at 3:48 PM
1 comment:
That reminds me of my mission.ReplyDelete
There was this Columbian family; they brought out drinks; I took a sip and quickly downed the bulk of it as it was bitter and a little gross. I think it was a Screwdriver. My missionary companion was preoccupied talking to one of their little daughters; he looked over and said, "That's alchohol, Elder." And indeed it was.
My reaction was of heightened panic and whininess, not ease and unedginess, though my arms did tingle a bit and wanted to rise up of their own accord.
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We had an appointment yesterday morning with the Oncologist to get the results of Nick's CT Scan. A few years ago Nick had a lump on his collar bone and after a biopsy they found he had Hodgkin's Lymphoma. He had another surgery to have some lymph nodes removed from under his arm pit and underwent a month of radiation therapy. Yesterday we found out that the scan was NEGATIVE (only in the medical field is negative a good thing) this means that Nick is 4 YEARS CANCER FREE!
As if the day couldn't get any better, last night we went to the Michael Buble Concert! Unfortunately the camera battery was dead so I didn't get any pictures :( but IT WAS TOTALLY AMAZING!! His voice is even better live. He was so humble and down to earth and you could feel how passionate he is about his music. Nick was such a good patient husband to sit next to me the entire time I'm screaming and giggling. I know I'm a married woman but Michael Buble MAKES MY HEART MELT!