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Bush Theatre, 22 April – 6 June 2009
Reviewed for the London Theatre Blog
If anthropogenic climate change is the greatest challenge currently facing mankind, then right now Steve Waters' The Contingency Plan at the Bush Theatre is the most important artwork in the country.
Either individually or combined, On the Beach and Resilience – the independent but complementary constituent plays of Waters' double bill – trumpet an uncompromising challenge to conventional, optimistic projections regarding the results of our effect on the climate.
In On the Beach, glaciologist Will Paxton (Geoffrey Streatfeild) returns home to Norfolk after an extended stint in Antarctica, to present his new girlfriend Sarika (Stephanie Street) to his parents, and to confront his reclusive father Robin (Robin Soans), who gave up glaciology two decades ago to observe sea birds on the salt marshes.
In Resilience, Sarika likewise presents Will to the Ministry for Climate Change, where he faces off against Colin (also Robin Soans), the colleague that discredited his father, in an attempt to convince the new Conservative government to legislate according to his own radically pessimistic predictions of coastal flooding in Britain.
If you can see both (highly recommended), see On the Beach first. If you can't, see Resilience: though its focus is squarely on the policy makers and not those affected first hand by the crisis, it contains not only the best laughs (mostly courtesy of David Bark-Jones' dangerously clueless Minister), but also the most important science.
Will's solution is that there is no solution; there's nothing left to do but retreat inland and abandon the coast to the North Sea. Before Resilience's interval he reels off a list of draconian-sounding measures, including compulsory purchase and demolition of non-carbon neutral homes. Waters and his agent are adamant that the science used in the play is sound and rigorously up to date.
Downers don't come much bigger, but neither play ever ceases to entertain, even when Soans' characters show their similarities by breaking out the visual aids. Hard science and the accompanying pessimism are counterbalanced by dramatic flair in both the text and the performances. While the big issue naturally and rightly dominates, Will's relationship with his father gets nearly as much exposure; and Street, along with Susan Brown as both Will's mother and Tessa, Minister for Resilience, fly the flag for women finding footholds in predominantly male arenas. Soans' portrayal of two similar but distinct obsessives, one comical, one eventually somewhat sinister, particularly stands out.
The only ray of hope in Waters' predicted stormfront is that both plays are set a few years in the future. If the science is as solid as he claims, we can only hope the policy makers don't greet him as Chris greets Will – at first jovially, then later bitterly, as "Nostradamus".
Written by Steve Waters
Crew includes Tamara Harvey (director, Resilience), Michael Longhurst (director, On the Beach), Tom Scutt (designer), Oliver Fenwick (lighting designer) and Emma Laxton (sound designer)
Cast includes David Bark-Jones (Chris), Susan Brown (Jenny in On the Beach/Tessa in Resilience), Robin Soans (Robin in On the Beach/Colin in Resilience), Geoffrey Streatfeild (Will) and Stephanie Street (Sarika)
Need a second opinion?
- Read Michael Billington's review for The Guardian
- Read Charles Spencer's review for The Telegraph
- Read Fiona Mountford's review for the Evening Standard
- Read Aleks Sierz's review for The Stage
- Read Jane Edwardes's review for Time Out
- Read Michael Coveney's review for What's On Stage
- Read Philip Fisher's review of On the Beach for the British Theatre Guide
- Read Philip Fisher's review of Resilience for the British Theatre Guide


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"Someone who can shift positions so quickly on so many important issues that will face the next President comes off as a man who doesn't have fixed convictions. Pragmatism has to be guided by principles. A man who believes in everything believes in nothing, and that's a formula for chaos in the White House."
~ Michael Goodwin, "Will the Real Obama Please Stand Up?"

subset: commoncrawl


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This year for Summer International Lolita Day we have a wonderful and exciting event happening in the Southern Part of the United States called Twilight Carnivale. This ILD event will be hosted in Tampa Florida, and will feature Carnival themed food, games, goodie bags and more! We will also have booths set up for shopping, and a place for photos to be taken! Tickets for the event are available to purchase here.
Feel free to wear your favorite carnival or circus themed coordinate and enjoy your evening at this enchanting venue!
As always, if you stop by and see me, (Kim Darling) with an item you need altered, you can fill out a form with me right there, as well as receive $11.50 off your deposit price. (Regular price for deposit is $31.50, so you can get it for $20 if you bring your item to the event.)
Along with the shopping, games, and food, and goodie bags, Truly Darling will be giving attendees a first look in person at one or two of our new designs that we will have available for reserve from our Summer collection!
Overall, this is going to be a truly magical event, and we look forward to seeing you all there! ❤ ❤ 🙂


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Ürün Özellikleri:
Mydlink destekli NVR sunucusu
DVR DNR-202L mydlink-enabled service allows you to record four network cameras on the locally attached USB-drives. DNR-202L is an efficient and reliable device that supports the plug-and-play and intuitive Web-interface, simplifying setup and network cameras. With a wide range of management functions for IP-cameras, recording, playback and storage of video, DNR-202L provides comprehensive remote monitoring of high quality and is a good alternative obsolete surveillance systems.
Mydlink service on your mobile device
Thanks to the support service mydlink, DNR-202L allows users to view and remotely manage devices through mydlink-enabled Web-browser using Web-site mydlink or Web-based DVR. Additionally, the app mydlink View NVR provides access and control of the device DNR-202L with mobile devices.
Convenient and reliable video recording
DNR-202L allows you to manage multiple cameras, providing direct access to live video and playback of recorded data via the Internet. Full functional video management and the ability to simultaneously play and record new video characterize DNR-202L as a convenient and effective DVR. Furthermore, light weight, small size and portability of the device makes it suitable for installation in any place.
Universal monitoring and adjustment
Users have a wide range of options for viewing and organizing record keeping using the OSD. It may appear auxiliary user-defined camera names and status records. Also, the screen can display one or more cameras, and users can manage the interface of functional PTZ (pan / tilt / zoom).
Automatic detection cameras
One can not imagine an easier search and configure IP-cameras. Just click auto scan, and DNR-202L detect all cameras connected to the network. Built-in buzzer DVR DNR-202L will beep when detecting each of the chambers.
Wide functional recording
In the DNR-202L uses a simple and intuitive interface that allows users to quickly and easily configure the general settings, including compression, resolution and frame rate for all connected cameras. When the cameras are set up, recording can be performed automatically.
Destek Merkezi


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In this episode of #YourColorStyle, I discuss how to conquer your closet so that you only have your BEST colors and clothing items. It's easy to get overwhelmed with too many colors and too many clothes.ay be able to finally know if you are cool or warm.
Join the Color Style Club for only $1
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I'll answer you question in a future video.
Jen Thoden


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UPDATED : As more hospitals in New York City are at an increased risk to be closed, four community activists were arrested on February 8, 2011, following a sit-in at the former site of St. Vincent's Hospital.
St. Vincent's closed in 2010 under shady conditions. The arrests were largely ignored by the mainstream media. Why ?
In the time that Christine Quinn has been Speaker of the New York City Council, at least eight city hospitals have closed. In 2010, North General Hospital in Harlem declared bankruptcy and St. Vincent's Hospital in the West Village shut down after shady backroom meetings. In 2009, two hospitals in Queens – St. John's Queens Hospital in Elmhurst and Mary Immaculate Hospital in Jamaica – went bankrupt. In 2008, Cabrini Medical Center in Manhattan, Parkway Hospital in Queens, and Victory Memorial Hospital in Bay Ridge closed. And in 2007, St. Vincent's Midtown in Manhattan was closed. Separately, one other hospital in Brooklyn, Long Island College Hospital, was recently saved : it had been on the brink of closing, and the only way the hospital was saved was by merging it with SUNY Downstate.From The New York Post :
Governor's Medicaid cuts may kill 10 city hospitals
By CARL CAMPANILE
Last Updated: 10:12 AM, January 22, 2011
Posted: 12:53 AM, January 22, 2011
One-third of New York City's private hospitals could lose their life support and shut down if Gov. Cuomo goes through with his vow to cut between $2 billion and $3 billion from the state's massive Medicaid program, The Post has learned.
"There are 10 to 12 hospitals that are teetering on the edge [statewide]," said Stephen Berger, a member of Cuomo's Medicaid redesign team, who previously headed a state hospital restructuring panel.
"How many of them are really necessary? How many can be saved? How many can be merged? That's what we have to ask," added Berger.
"Given the amount of money we are spending, we ought to be putting together a much more efficient health-care system with better patient care."
Many of the hospitals teetering on the brink of financial collapse are located in the city's poorer neighborhoods and serve a high number of patients covered by Medicaid, the public insurance program for the needy.
Steep reductions in Medicaid could disproportionately impact these hospitals, possibly forcing institutions to enter bankruptcy or to shut down permanently, advocates warn.
Hospitals considered to be in the fiscal intensive care unit include Brookdale, Kingsbrook, Wyckoff, Interfaith and Brooklyn in Brooklyn, Jamaica and Peninsula in Queens and many institutions in The Bronx including Westchester Square.
"It's no secret that a lot of hospitals in the New York City area are struggling financially, and the worst budget outcome for them would be straight reimbursement cuts, which has happened nine times since 2007 and contributed to several closures," said Brian Conway, spokesman for the Greater New York Hospital Association.
The closure last year of the storied St. Vincent's Medical Center in Greenwich Village as well as North General Hospital in Harlem put everyone on notice that Albany -- facing a $10 billion budget shortfall -- is unlikely to save chronically ill institutions.
"Although eight hospitals have closed since 2007, nearly one-third of the surviving voluntary nonprofits, most of them 'safety net hospitals,' are in jeopardy," the United Hospital Fund says in its semi-annual "Hospital Watch" report.
Poor prognosis
Among hospitals in danger of closing if major cuts in Medicaid funding come down from Albany:Brooklyn:
- Brooklyn Center
- Brookdale
- Interfaith
- Kingsbrook
- Wyckoff
- Jamaica
- Peninsula
Eight city hospitals have closed since 2007.
- Westchester Square
- St. Barnabas


text: It remains to be seen whether bill proposals in the Indiana General Assembly that seek to give the state a role in immigration enforcement will become law this year. The bills are not unlike past proposals and address only the enforcement side of the illegal immigration problem, ignoring the question of whether some undocumented immigrants already here should be allowed to apply for legal status. As in previous years, they are being criticized by some for their shortsightedness. The bill proposals would, among other things, require state police to enforce immigration law, and employers to screen for illegal workers using the E-verify system. Michael E. Durham, an immigration attorney in South Bend, said the proposals were a bad idea because they waste state resources on a federal job and for other reasons. "I want state and local law enforcement investigating crimes committed in our state, making our state safer, and protecting vulnerable people," he said. "Immigration violators are not necessarily criminals (lacking legal status is a civil offense). Whether the state thinks so or not, we have significant federal resources devoted to immigration enforcement. ... The federal agencies not only are tasked to do this and only this, they are more knowledgeable in understanding very complicated immigration laws." Trinidad "Trin" Alfaro, LULAC state director, said he worries whether local police enforcement of immigration laws could lead to ethnic discrimination. Alfaro, who expressed a personal opinion, said Indiana should leave immigration enforcement to the federal government and use the state's limited resources to address other issues, such as health care for the elderly, education for the young, and training for workers. Alfaro also said LULAC (the League of United Latin American Citizens is a national Hispanic advocacy organization) supports federal immigration reform, including adjusting the status of millions of undocumented workers. Indiana House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, has said his first priority is passing a biennial budget and helping the state's economy. (I could not reach him for comment on the immigration proposals.) Jane Jankowski of the governor's office also said, "Immigration reform is important, starting with better enforcement of existing laws, but it shouldn't go too far in shutting off opportunity for people who want to come to this country."Staff writer Pablo Ros: firstname.lastname@example.com (574) 235-6357 Pablo Ros Voces Latinas Pablo Ros writes a weekly feature for The Tribune.


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We're in December 2014, and the mutli-brand luxury group Kering announces the departure of Patrizio di Marco and Frida Giannini, respectively Gucci's CEO and artistic director. This wave of departures from Gucci comes as no surprise, and marks the beginning of a fresh start for the Florentine brand. Set up in 1921 by Guccio Gucci and acquired in 1999 by the ancestor of Kering, PPR, the double G brand was, at the time, going through a rough patch. 2013 has proved to be a downturn in the brand's sales, a situation that worsened in 2014, with lower sales volume of 1.8% at 3,49 billion euros. Considering that Gucci is the driving force of François-Henri Pinault's group Kering, accounting for 60% of its results, a deep restructuration and repositioning of the brand within the luxury industry was much needed.
Following the announcement of December 2014, a new page of Gucci's history was being written, with the appointment of Marco Bizzarri as CEO and Alessandro Michele as artistic director, from then on in charge of the perilous mission of reshaping the Gucci empire.
Next question is how do you save a prestigious Italian luxury brand in a generalised context of downturn in the luxury market ?
One possible answer is first the turning point in the design section of Gucci, subtly rejuvenating its image, brought by the burst of creativity and innovation of Mr. Michele. The 42-year old Italian designer, who had to design the men collection in February 2015 in just five days, is no stranger to the Gucci house. Indeed, he's been working there since 2002, in the accessories' design. His vision of women seems to come straight ouf a parallel universe between the filmography of David Lynch and Wes Anderson, using a large range of fabrics, from velvet to latex. His silhouettes are a blend of English, French and Italian cultures, giving rise to a patchwork of historical and philosophical references. The evolution from conventional collections to more bohemian and contemporary ones is marked by a retro-seventies influence, to which one would add a touch of romantism. Flowers, animals, berets and kitsch sunglasses are now part of the Gucci universe. Following a real artistic approach, Mr. Michele, whose creations are rich in details, focuses on the techniques used to create his garments (just for the record, the sleeves of one of his dress from the last collection contained no less than six different needlework techniques).
Regarding operational matters, Gucci's objective is to have a tight control of its operational expenditures. First, reduce the communication budget by suppressing some costly marketing events and curtail the investments in the traditional advertising campaigns. In addition, a large expansion in the e-commerce field is to be expected, with the objective of tripling its website activities.
Besides, Gucci aims at an organic growth, that is enhancing the rate of sales per square meter (currently around 20000 to 22000 euros) instead of opening new shops. For this matter, and according to Mr. Bizzarri's words « Fashion is about creating emotion », 34 of the 522 Gucci stores (and many more to come..) worldwide are being rearranged and redecorated, to stick to the brand's new spirit.
By doing this, the double G brand manages to enlarge the spectrum of its consumers without losing its position on the luxury sector, bringing back some of the old ones, and seducing the new generation, with a 50% increase in the under-35 customers. The next challenge is to create customer loyalty and anchor their comparative advantage vis-à-vis its competitors.
Besides, Kering's protégé now places greater emphasis on promoting its range of accessories, from silk headbands, to smartphone cases and rings.
In the long-run, Gucci aims at a 6 billion annual turnover (the estimate is set at 4 billion for the current year), and wants to perform twice better than the average on the luxury market on the middle run. An ambitious but not unrealisable objective, considering its half-year financial statement, closing the first semester of 2016 with an increase in sales of 3.6%. Marco Bizzarri is seemingly patient and confident in the future as he says it will just take some time for the customers to understand the change undergone by the Italian luxury brand.
The challenge is now to sustain such a momentum, and allow Gucci to evolve without redudancy.
by Marie Motti


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Cures Cracked Heels Only In 10 Days
When it comes to feet, the most common problem is cracked heels and dry skin. They are suffering from the lack of moisture in the skin, unhealthy diet, lack of care or the wrong shoes.
Here are the top 10 ways to heal cracked feet.
1. Scrubbing
2. Coconut Oil
3. Glycerin
4. Epsom Salt
1. Scrubbing
Scrubbing the hard, dead skin away helps a great deal in getting rid of cracked feet. Before scrubbing, soak your feet in warm soapy water to help soften the skin and make it easier to scrub.
2. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is another incredible remedy for dry, cracked feet. It helps moisturize your feet. Dry your feet thoroughly and then apply coconut oil generously on your feet. Put on a pair of clean, cotton socks for the night. The next morning, remove the socks and wash your feet. Do this daily for several days until you are satisfied with the results.
3. Glycerin
Glycerin works as a great remedy to get rid of cracked feet. Make a mixture of equal parts of glycerin and lemon juice. You can also add some rose water. Apply it on your feet. Leave it on for 20 minutes and wash it off with water. Follow this remedy daily for about two weeks.
4. Epsom Salt
Epsom facilitates the process of healing cracked feet as it promotes circulation. Plus, the magnesium in Epsom salt promotes skin health and draws out toxins. Add one-half cup of Epsom salt in a foot tub filled with warm water. Soak your feet in it for 10 minutes. Gently rub your feet with a pumice stone for a few minutes. Put your feet back in the Epsom salt soak for another 10 minutes. Finally, dry your feet thoroughly and apply a moisturizer or petroleum jelly. Repeat daily for two or three days.
source: Top 10 home remedies
Article By Marina Khan


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Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Barley Pilaf
I bought some barley at the bulk food store to use in some soups, but realized soups with barley don't have a ton OF barley in them. I saw this recipe in my latest Everyday Food issue, I thought we'd give it a try.
The verdict?
My son usually gobbles up rice, but wasn't too interested in this. I'll keep trying it on him, though, because I think he would really like it, once he got past the toddler pickiness. I loved the texture (the word I'm thinking here is bulbous?), and it was a great change of pace from a regular 'ol rice side. Good stuff!
Barley Pilaf
recipe from Everyday Food, December 2009 issue (I couldn't find the recipe online)
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook 1 cup pearl barley until tender but still al dente, about 35 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking.
In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium-high. Add 1 shallot, minced and season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes; add barley, and stir to combine. Transfer barley mixture to a large bowl and stir in 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Easy Cooking | Simple Cooking
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Indiana Backyard Wildlife Habitat
In 1996 I realized my dream of moving out of the subdivision and into the country. I purchased 22 acres of farmland & built a house on it. Nine of the acres are still farmland, but I set about transforming the remainder to something a little more aesthetically pleasing, and more suitable for wildlife.
I live in central Indiana, so keep in mind that the trees and plants I recommend may not be suitable for your area. Also, some of the wildlife I mention may not be present in your area.
Building a Pond
I have always wanted a pond, so before I even made an offer on the property, I had it checked to make sure that it was suitable for a pond. If you don't have the right kind of soil, it won't hold water.
If you hire someone to build your pond, it isn't cheap. The cost is dependent upon the amount of dirt which has to be moved. If the ground where your pond will be is flat, it will have to dug and will be expensive. If you have a location where a dam can be built to create the pond, it will be a lot cheaper.
I hired someone to design my pond, and he came up with a 1.5 acre pond with three small islands. Most of the pond is pretty shallow, but there are a couple pockets that are eight to ten feet deep. You want to have some deep pockets for two reasons:
- During hot, dry summers the level of your pond will drop considerably.
- During cold winters the surface of the pond will freeze. The pockets ensure that any fish will always have access to liquid water
Adding Trees
The state of Indiana sells trees pretty cheaply. You can get 100 trees for about $30-$40, depending on the species. If you have limited space and don't want that many of one species, they have various packets that cost a little more per tree, but give you better variety. These trees are sent to you bare root, which means that you need to get them into the ground fairly quickly. To order order trees from the state of Indiana, visit http://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/3606.htm.
To plant bare root trees, you don't dig a hole with a shovel. Instead you use a planting bar. For information on how to use one, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUzeruQT8xE. I purchased mine from A. M. Leonard, but they are available from numerous sources. I could plant about 20 trees per hour on my own with a planting bar, but it goes much faster if two people are planting. With one person handling the trees and one using the planting bar, two people can plant about 50 trees per hour.
When you select your trees, be sure to get trees that are appropriate for the area where you are going to plant them. Don't plant trees that need moist soil in high areas that get very dry or trees that need dry soil in wet lowland spots. You also need to make sure that a tree's sun needs are met. Some trees will grow in the shade and some won't.
In adding trees, I recommend that you start by adding evergreens where you want privacy or to screen off a certain view. Evergreens are also great for blocking your house from the winter wind to lower your heating bills. I planted evergreens to the southwest of my house, which is the direction of the prevailing wind in central Indiana. In planting trees, I always recommend using a good mix of species. Here are some of the everergreen species that I have planted:
- Eastern red cedar
- Northern white cedar
- Norway spruce
- White pine
- Red pine
- Virginia pine
- Pitch loblolly pine
The Virginia pines grow fast, and will grow well even on poor soil. The downside is that they can also die early. I have had some that grew tall, but died after 15 years. If you plant these, you might want to plant some other evergreens in the understory, in case the Virginia pines die young. Northern white cedars are good for this, since they are very tolerant of shade. For very poor soil, I recommend eastern red cedars. They can grow in almost any soil, but don't tolerate shade well. To maintain a good windbreak, you want to have several rows of evergreens, and replant whenever one dies.
When you add deciduous trees, try to add trees that produce fruits or nuts to provide food for wildlife like squirrels and birds.
Your Visitors
Common visitors to my pond are great blue herons, canada geese, ducks (primarily mallards and wood ducks), kingfishers and occasionally a muskrat. I have stocked the pond with the standard mix of fish for this area:
- Bluegill
- Largemouth bass
- Channel catfish
A lot of wildlife will come to your pond on their own, such as:
- Frogs
- Turtles
- Insects
My pond isn't real close to another source of water, so I'm not real sure where the turtles and frogs came from, but they're here. The insects can fly, so they showed up immediately after the pond was built. One species I find particularly interesting is the whirlygig beetle. If you have never seen one, check out the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIbzOeNcaxE.
A variety of mammals visit my property. Occasionally I see deer, but I am sure they are quite active at night, based on the tracks that I see, and the damage that they sometimes do to my trees from rubbing their antlers against them. Sometimes I see coyotes, but I'm much more likely to hear them at night. I have viewed foxes in my area, but never on my property. I once saw a skunk, but unfortunately that was after my dog grabbed it and pulled it out of the long grass. She had to stay in the garage until we could take her to the groomer and have her bathed to get the smell out.
Other Additions
I recommend that you don't do anything to attract canada geese - You'll probably get more than you want anyway. Although they are attractive birds, they are noisy, aggressive and leave their dropping everywhere. Ducks are much better guests. They are not aggressive and they leave most of their droppings in the water instead of on land. You may want to put up some nesting boxes to attract wood ducks. Another bird you may want to attract by adding nesting boxes is the bluebird.


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Port2port News ServiceAug 9, 2011 The Banks of Israel's (BoI) research division has reduced its 2011 GDP growth forecast to 4.8% in its Monetary Policy Report for January-June, published on 2 August, just two months after raising its forecast to 5.2%
The central bank also cut its 2012 growth forecast to 3.9%. The Bank of Israel Research Department forecasts that the unemployment rate will fall to an average for the year of slightly below 6% (down from 6.6% in 2010). The current unemployment rate is 5.7%.
Inflation, as measured by the change in the CPI, over the next four quarters (beginning in the third quarter of 2011) is expected to decline to 2.9%, and over the course of the second half of 2012 to remain within the government's 1-3% target range.
The Research Department estimates that the Bank of Israel interest rate will rise gradually to a level of 3.9 percent in the second quarter of 2012.
According to the forecast, the key contributing factors to the increases in prices, and the increase in the interest rate, during the coming year are expected to be a continued rise in rents and the high level of prices of commodities and energy, which are expected to remain in place over the course of the year. www.port2port.com


text: SOUTH BEND -- An "evolutionary" new public defender system aimed at reducing caseloads and increasing accountability was approved Tuesday by the St. Joseph County Council. "We're really going to a whole new phase," said Prosecutor Michael Dvorak, who spoke in support of the ordinances passed unanimously by the council. Attorney Andre Gammage, a member of the Public Defender Board that will provide oversight for the new system and himself a former public defender and former deputy prosecutor, lauded the new system as "a step forward" that will add accountability for public defenders. Gammage said that in the past, defenders were sometimes overwhelmed by caseloads given them by judges because no limit existed, even though the job of a public defender is part-time. The ordinances approved by the council will allow the eventual hiring of 10 new public defenders, with the intent to reduce the caseloads to the state standard of about 60 active felony cases a year. According to Circuit Court Judge Michael Gotsch, public defenders here have been carrying nearly twice that many cases. The change will ensure fairness in the justice system, according to Chief Superior Court Judge John Marnocha, who said the reduction in caseloads will help ensure that cases are decided in a timely fashion and on the basis of evidence. Instead of paying all public defenders the same, regardless of experience, the new program will allow a tiered pay system that will reward senior public defenders and create an entry level pay category for new hires. Passage of the ordinances puts the county in line to be reimbursed for up to 40 percent of the public defender expenses from a state public defender fund. That fund is fueled by a combination of court fees and state funds. Gotsch said the county had been donating court fees to the fund in the past but hadn't applied for reimbursements because there wasn't sufficient money available to meet demands. The judge said the money is available now because the General Assembly appropriated $14.5 million for fiscal year 2007 and $15.2 million for fiscal year 2008. Gotsch estimated that even with additional costs, the state reimbursement should provide the county with $138,000 to $158,000 a year in additional funds. Staff writer James Wensits: firstname.lastname@example.com (574) 235-6353


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- rockbadgerAsked on August 14, 2015 at 11:57 AM
- JotForm SupportBJoannaAnswered on August 14, 2015 at 03:03 PM
You will keep your existing low prices as long as you wish to keep you subscription. All existing subscriptions are grandfathered. The new prices only apply to new subscriptions that are made after the 15th of August.
Feel free to contact us if you have any other questions.


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In this podcast Prabath Siriwardene talks to Oxygen Tank on the OpenID integration of WSO2 Identity Solution. The integration enhances the WSO2 Identity Solution to cater to a wider audience for Web based authentication. OpenID is a key feature in decentralizing single sign-on, much favored by many users.
Prabath Siriwardene is a member of the WSO2 Identity Solution team and is currently working on integrating OpenID support. We used to work at the same company sometime back and are good friends to this date. He is one of the best techies I've ever seen in my career (this is not an exaggeration, I really mean it) and a very hard worker (I've seen how he works at office and also know how he managed to get to where he is now), an inspiration to all IT professionals.


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I'm off to a mini Retreat today and I've made some little treats to take along to give to my fellow demo's. We are staying at a ladies place and I've made some for her boys too! These lollipop holders are easy to whip up and quite cute!
OTP Recipe
Punches: Owl Builder, Bird Builder, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle, 1/16" Circle
Stamp: French Foliage
Cardstock: Marina Mist, Peach Parfait, Whisper White
Paper: In Colour 2010-2012 Patterns DSP Stack
Ink: Marina Mist
Marker: Peach Parfait
Ribbon: Whisper White 5/8" Satin
Embellishment: Basic Pearl
Other: Platinum Shimmer Paint
OTP Recipe
Punches: 1/16" Circle
Stamp: Make A Monster
Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Riding Hood Red
Marker: Tempting Turquoise
Ribbon: Whisper White 5/8" Satin
My stash: Googly eyes
Thanks for stopping by and happy stampin'!


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Justin (Nelly) Nelson is a professional powerskating and skills coach. Working with players in the USHL, NCAA, ECHL, AHL, and NHL. As well as Lead Instructor for the Chicago Blackhawks Hockey Camps in the Summer. When teaching Powerskating he demonstrates how acceleration, balance, power, and stride each play an important role in being a strong skater.
Justin Spends a lot of time during the hockey season working with several travel organizations throughout Illinois. Working on Powerskating, Stickhandling, Passing, Shooting, and Battle. Some of the current organizations Justin currently works with are


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What is a Animated Whiteboard Video
An Whiteboard Explainer Video is a short, fun and informative video that is usually 2 - 3 minutes long but in some cases less. An Animated Whiteboard Video is a short, enjoyable. It captures and retains viewers attention more efficiently than just text or boring videos.
Whiteboard Video videos with a specific goal: understanding. They use concise and clear language along with entertaining and useful visuals. The video format can serve as a near-perfect package for introducing ideas, products, and services in a form that not only explains but attracts attention.
Feel intimidated by the notion of creating an explainer video? There's no need to be-- they just represent another excellent way to get your content out to your target audience. The really big brands that we are all familiar with, a lot of lesser-known companies and even small start-ups are using them.
Explainer videos 'explain' what you do quickly and easily so everybody can grasp it. It's kind of like CliffsNotes for your business-- a short and concise version of exactly what your company does.
Web Video Marketing
Internet Video Marketing is emerging as an effective platform to deliver an impactful interactive and highly targeted message. One type of content that is still underutilized is online video. We have various kinds of videos to fulfill each company's needs If you need to reveal individuals around your website we recommend a Custom Video Presentation. Online Video Marketing is emerging as a powerful platform to provide an effect due to the fact that they deliver an interactive and highly targeted message.
Web Video Marketing
These days Internet Video Marketing need to be a significant part of broadening your site. A video hosting website can increase audiences for your video, however a dull video will defeat the purpose. When you produce a video for a service you need to provide out helpful info in a way that keeps your viewers' attention. Decide on a consistent tone for your marketing videos. You ought to now have a better understanding of what it takes to create a successful Online Video Marketing strategy utilizing Explainer Videos.
Do you wish to enhance your Video Marketing?
With an expert Animated Explainer Video, you can rapidly put your logo design into motion and highlight your brand in your next video. Whatever style fits your brand, you need your video to get your audience's attention right now and leave them with a favorable impression. And you just have a few seconds in your video to get your brand name identity, so you need to make them count.
Every day millions of new videos are created so it is becoming more and more difficult for a video to stand apart. Lots of audiences stop enjoying after the very first 15-20 seconds since the video is not engaging. With a Animated Sketch Video you can increase your follow through rate and show your viewers that you are serious about your company. A Animated Whiteboard Video, also called a Whiteboard Animation, Whiteboard Video, or Explainer Video, can actually assist your brand stand out.
Add Video to Your Site
Adding videos to your website is a terrific method to enhance the value of your sites, while likewise taking benefit of the prospective additional traffic from video search engines. There's much more involved than occasionally publishing an online video on your site. You require a Video Strategy. If your website's function is to raise awareness about a particular cause, adding informational videos could be effective. The home page might be the ideal spot for your cause awareness video whereas specific item pages may be better matched for the how-to videos. Simply as it's essential to regularly include posts and blog site posts to your sites, routinely adding online videos is also important.


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"Colchester 101 is a blog for the town of Colchester full of content that you won't find anywhere else. We write about the music and arts scenes, and other subjects with a local flavour or that we believe are of interest to our readers."
Keep The Green Clean would like to thank Simon Crow and Colchester 101 for publishing this piece about the work that we do:


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Pioneer CLD-A100 English Service Manual
Legal Disclaimer: Many people frequently ask me about a
copy of the Pioneer CLD-A100 service manual and unfortunately Pioneer doesn't seem to
provide this manual (either online or via mail). So I decided to scan it in and
post it here. Please note that I in no form intend to infringe upon Pioneer's
copyright or ownership of the information posted below and that I will remove
this page at the first request of any Pioneer representative. It is my hope that
Pioneer will tolerate this webpage as a service to their customers, after all
the CLD-A100 is an outstanding but obsolete product and I think that this
webpage and the information provided here can help to enrich and enhance the
experience with the CLD-A100 player. All the copyrights to any of the scans
below belong to Pioneer Electronic Corporation 1993.
All 116 pages of the original manual are/will be available in GIF format (except pages 34, 56 and 116 which are blank), average size is about 1Gig per page. Sorry, no JPG images (except for pages 61 - 64) - some of the small details would require a very low compression rate which would lead to even bigger files. Use Microsoft Word or any decent image processing program to print out the individual pages. I'll be happy to put up any other languages if somebody provides me with clean scans or a clean copy - thanks!


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Holiday Idea Book
Other information
Email us your Name and Business Address below to request a Holiday Idea Book and receive a complete listing of our offerings for the season. We mail our beautiful, full-color catalog this winter and it lists all the colors we grow. We also include creative ideas you can use to attract customer to your garden center, and examples of the various tray and pot sizes that we sell. Please note that we are a wholesale only, and we can only sell our product to other business in the green goods trade.


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Posts Tagged 'Blac Magazine'
Model Spotlight X Ashley Hart
Posted May 20, 2015on:
(Photo: Timothy Paule)
LV: What were your fashion inspirations growing up?
AH: I found fashion inspirations everywhere. I adopted a kind of tomboy-ish look as well as preppy. I always seemed to notice when people wore unique outfits and often used that as creative inspiration.
LV: Describe your style identity as an adolescent?
AH: I was very big on loose fitting t-shirts and skinny colored jeans and sneakers. I grew up in Detroit as well as Texas, so my dress had to vary due to the differences in temperature. As I got older, I had more time to shop and customize my wardrobe so that my style would differ daily.
LV: When did you decide that you wanted to be involved in modeling?
AH: I've always wanted to try modeling but I was in high-school sports and academics so it took up a lot of my time. It also didn't help that I was very shy. Once I obtained my bachelor's degree, I had a lot more time and started auditioning for shows. I fell in love with it immediately!
LV: What magazines, campaigns, organizations, and/or media have you been featured in?
AH: I have been featured in Ambassador Magazine, Women's Elevation Magazine, Hour Magazine, and Xpressions magazine to name a few.
LV: What types of setbacks or obstacles have you faced as a woman in the fashion industry?
AH: An obstacle I routinely face is size discrimination. The industry wants you to be really small. I attended a casting for the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week to walk for Project Runway, but after I walked someone measured my hips and said they were "too big". I looked around and noticed that a lot of the girls were a size 0 or at the biggest a 2. I am small but not that small. I fit a dress size 2 and my hips are a 35 but the lady who measured me said I was a 38 hip. Each obstacle or struggle has made me stronger, eager, and even more appreciative of the work I do book and the people I work with.
(Photo: Bre'Ann photography)
LV: What are some of the projects you are working on currently?
AH: I have a casting this weekend with BET. A few weeks from now. I have a casting in Georgia for a runway show. I also have two fashion shows and a photoshoot coming up at the end of May. Next week, I have an audition with an agency that I am excited about as well.
LV: Define beauty and confidence…
AM: Beauty is a way of being. It's an attitude. I think beauty has more to do with the way you carry yourself, your personality, and how you conduct yourself. Physically you may be beautiful, but for others that may not be the case. Confidence is believing in your abilities, knowing your strengths, embracing your weaknesses and flaws, but loving them all equally.
LV: What advice would you give other women who are in your position or want to get to your position?
AH: My advice would be to stay true to yourself. Also find those in your corner that really care about you and help elevate you.
LV: Leave us with an awesome quote.
AH: "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence."
–Helen Keller
Follow Ashley on Facebook: Ashley Monique or on Instagram: Ashleymonique88


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A nurse who is dedicated to improving care for people with respiratory conditions has been given an award.
Gail Miles, a Respiratory Nurse Consultant at The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, has been given The Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Award for Outstanding Service.
She received the accolade in recognition of her instrumental leadership in helping to set up and run the only nurse-led model of care for respiratory inpatients and outpatients in Europe.
BreathingSpace, as it is known, provides treatment for people with respiratory disease including bronchiectasis pulmonary fibrosis chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.
The model of care at BreathingSpace promotes patient self-management and participation, particularly with exercise as well as more conventional management.
Gail said she was pleased to win the award, and thanked colleagues who have helped her over the last decade.
She said: "I am extremely honoured to receive this award and consider this to be on behalf of all the members of staff who have contributed to the success of BreathingSpace over the last 10 years."
Earlier this year, BreathingSpace celebrated its 10th anniversary by holding a special event attended by patients, members of staff and partners where they had the opportunity to reminisce over the past decade.
As well as highlighting the work of nurses from across the country, the Queen's Nursing Institute used this year's awards to celebrate 130 years since its foundation by Queen Victoria.


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From cookie exchanges and course functions to community gatherings and festive dinners, this time is notorious for packing on the pounds.
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After I put together my last post yesterday on my take on where social CRM investments should lie, I had a great talk with Tim Hickernell, and analyst with Info-Tech research who has long been covering collaborative CRM and related topics.
We started talking about the Facebook/LinkedIn dilemma and Tim brought up a good point, which he calls the "magic/tragic" aspect of the social CRM scenario. What Tim means, is that for every 10 great levels of connection an agent might have with a prospect – it only take one disconnect to destroy the potential relationship. For example, if a prospect is a huge Ohio State fan and is communicating with a rep through Facebook, he may shy away from a deal or the vendor if the rep in question has Michigan State allegiances posted all over his profile.
This is an extreme case, and I don't think being a fan of a sports team would nix a deal outright. but political, religious, etc. associations on a rep's profile in a social networking site could have some negative impact on some prospects' opinions.
All too often, the value of social CRM is seen as one directional: The seller is mining social networks for valuable information. While this is true, for the vendor to have any authenticity or legitimacy in selling through these new channels, it must be understood that this is a two-way street. Visibility is gained by both parties. Now, this is not a bad thing. But I think that guidelines for social CRM sales teams may spring up to downplay potential pitfalls. For example, more vanilla profiles across the board for reps and other customer-facing company personnel would be a good start.
Social CRM brings a lot of cool capabilities into traditional B2B CRM. But we are very much at the front end of the learning curve. A lot of issues are going to pop up, and we need to anticipate the unexpected, if we can't be totally prepared.


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While at the cottage I decided to make another pendant. I drew a shape, and then handsawed it out. It is stirling silver in the background and etched brass in the front. Silver rivets did the trick for finishing it. Fun!
Monday, October 14, 2013
A silver teardrop...
Posted by Karen at 10:11 AM
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By Brett Barkey
October 23, 2017
Colorado's Public Employees' Retirement Association system is going broke. Colorado's teachers, firefighters, and state troopers are among PERA's 560,000 members who are expecting retirement benefits in 20 or 30 years, but who, under the current system, may not be able to actually receive them. Ensuring retirees will receive their benefits, while also protecting taxpayers, should be the top priority for Colorado's next state treasurer and for Colorado's legislature.
Exactly how big is this problem? PERA's 2016 annual report indicated that the retirement system had a $32.2 billion unfunded liability. Even more concerning was a note in the back of this report: a different valuation method calculated the unfunded liability at nearly $50 billion. (For context, Colorado's entire annual budget is about $29 billion.) PERA is therefore Colorado's biggest — by far — single liability. Because it is a statutory entitlement, it is a burden that will ultimately fall squarely on the shoulders of all taxpayers should PERA go bankrupt. Bold and immediate steps are needed now to avoid this outcome.
I propose four steps to solve this problem in a way that (1) ensures present retirees retain their benefits, (2) brings the fund to solvency, and (3) ensures taxpayers won't foot a $50 billion bankruptcy bill. Each of the following four steps applies to a different category of PERA members: (1) those presently drawing retirement benefits; (2) those newly joining PERA; (3) those members over 50 years of age not yet drawing benefits; and (4) those members under 50.
First, retirees now receiving benefits would not be affected. This is a commitment we must honor to those who would be most vulnerable, and least able to adjust, to changes in benefits.
Second, those who are newly hired and just entering the system would participate in a defined contribution plan, such as a 401(k) plan. Employees could elect from a variety of investment alternatives without a commitment of a guaranteed return. The vast majority of industries in America use this type of retirement plan. This is the retirement system that Colorado taxpayers can afford now and into the future.
Third, PERA members over 50 years of age, but not yet drawing benefits, would receive a defined benefit in retirement. However, that defined benefit would be changed to reflect an employee's average salary over a career, and not the average of the highest five years of salaries, as it is now. This step would eliminate the reported gamesmanship that sometimes artificially elevates an employee's salary just before retirement. PERA members over 50 would also increase their contribution from 8 percent to 11 percent, and employers' contributions would increase from 20 percent to 22 percent.
Fourth, PERA members under 50 years of age would be moved to a hybrid "cash account" plan. This plan would require employee and employer contributions of 8 percent each (instead of the 11 percent and 22.15 percent contributions respectfully recently proposed by the PERA board) with a guaranteed return of 4 percent. Upon retirement, the balance in the employee's account would be transferred into an annuity, provided by a private vendor, paying out the benefit for the remainder of the retiree's life. Because a private firm would manage the annuity, the state of Colorado would not be financially liable should the retiree live longer, as it is now. Instead, the private vendor would bear that risk.
These four simple but effective changes will protect Colorado's taxpayers. Right now, the required employer contributions are putting increasing pressure on state and local budgets. The PERA board recently announced that they want to increase the employer contribution yet another 2 percent, even further compounding the stresses on local and state budgets. My proposal would significantly reduce these pressures and free up funding for other priorities, while ensuring the solvency of the fund.
Further, under the present structure, Colorado's taxpayers bear the risk if PERA's assumed 7.25 percent rate return on investment does not pan out. It has failed to meet PERA's previously assumed 8 percent rate of return, which has contributed to the ballooning liability. The "cash account" plan I propose is based on an assumed 4 percent return. This is a more conservative and realistic rate of return in the present economy. This conservatism will better protect taxpayers from economic downturns, which are an inevitable part of economic cycles.
The four steps I propose above will prevent PERA's collapse into insolvency — an outcome that would be catastrophic for both retirees and Colorado taxpayers. We must be ready to admit that we can no longer afford the present system and take the bold steps necessary to fix it.
It is time for the PERA board and state Legislature, with the help of the state treasurer, to act boldly to prevent PERA's collapse and to move to a public retirement system Colorado can afford.
Brett Barkey is a Republican candidate for state treasurer. He spent eight years in the U.S. Treasury Department. He is the elected district attorney in northwest Colorado. He also served 25 years in the active and reserve Marine Corps, including three tours in Iraq. He retired as a colonel in 2015.


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Pam Chandler writes:
Spanish Oaks Lodge and Pool Memorial Day Celebration!
Join us on Memorial Day as we introduce our new swim program provided by Aqua Tots Swim School. Instructors will be providing free introductory swim lessons and games from 11:00am – 1:00pm and again from 5:00-7:00pm. Enjoy our complimentary smoothie bar and order lunch from the Grill. Aqua Tots will determine your child's level of expertise (programs start at 6 months old and up) as you sign them up for summer lessons. Private and adult swim training programs will also be available. The full schedule and sign-up sheets will be available at the pool on Memorial Day.
We're very excited to have found AquaTots, as they have a great program for children from infant water safety through age 12. Should you have any questions please contact Pam Chandler at 533-2365, or Liza Bachelder at 533-2363.
Below for your convenience are the summer hours for the Fish Camp, Pool, and Lodge Grill.
Fish Camp Open Daily from 8:00am – Dusk
Lodge & Pool
May 23, Saturday 10:00am to 9:00pm
May 24, Sunday Noon to 9:00pm
May 25 (Monday, Memorial Day) 10:00am to 9:00pm
May 26 to end of season Tues.-Sat., 10:00am-9:00pm
Sunday, Noon-9:00pm
(Closed Monday)
Pool Grill
May 25 (Monday, Memorial Day) 11:00am to 7:00pm
May 26 – June 4 5:00pm to 7:00pm
June 5 to end of season Tues.-Sat., 11:00am-7:00pm
Sunday, Noon-7:00pm
(Closed Monday)


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In business since 1988, we specialize in providing tailored in-house processes for our clients. Our current focus is on the crucial topics of Employee Engagement and Emotional Intelligence. We also have considerable expertise in the areas of Effective Presentations, Communication, Leadership Development, Sales and Customer Service to name a few. Dave Neely, the president, attended Royal Military College, and has a B.A. in Psychology from Queen's University. He spent 18 years with IBM Canada, in the Customer Service and Education Divisions.
About Us
As an organization, we are in the business of providing customized processes designed to help individuals and teams to maximize their performance – we can help you! Dave has a unique ability to combine his academic and work experience with a pragmatic approach. His energy and boundless enthusiasm make Dave a popular facilitator for a wide variety of clients. All of our offerings can be easily customized and many can be converted to an internal 'train the trainer' process.
Here is a client testimonial from a recent workshop http://neely-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Haakon-Testimonial.pdf
Strategic Alliances
We are associated with Dr. Albert D. Bates, the founder and Director of Research for the Profit Planning Group. Al makes many presentations each year on topics such as Improving the Bottom Line and Getting Serious about Profit. For more information visit Distperf.com for his books and reports.
Haakon Industries
This is a copy of the letter from the Plant Manager http://neely-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Haakon-Testimonial.pdf
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
"Dave Neely takes client service training to a new level with his focus on team performance… The course earned rave reviews from my staff and helped us focus on client service as we managed a major organizational change. His reviews in fact, were the most positive that I have witnessed for a training seminar in my whole career. I would recommend him to anyone who is looking for an effective customized offering."
"We went for a long 'COLD' walk at lunch today and talked about what a difference a positive outlook had in our workplace. We both have new eyes! Thank you for taking us on this journey."
"Dave developed team building skills and individual understanding by staff of how they reacted with others. There has been a marked improvement in the workplace environment since Dave's assignment. I have no hesitation in recommending him to other organizations."
Public Speaking
"Dave Neely helped me through a grueling interview process using presentation and public speaking strategies. His expertise and experience working with people was apparent. I learned many ways to calm myself under extreme pressure. Thanks to him I was successful!"
"The management team at North Grenville would like to thank you for your presentation. Your topics and exercises were relevant and helped our management team start the discussions that were required in order bring our team closer together and to add a positive forward looking lens on future teamwork. We would recommend your presentation to any team looking for ways to improve teamwork."
"After attending one of Dave Neely's sessions I knew that I wanted to bring his messages and training to our front line staff. Dave has presented on a number of occasions both for my agency and a larger province wide conference that I attended/co-ordinated. The workshop materials, stories and coaching tips are things which I have carried with me for several years now. Invaluable tools and inspiring to say the least."
Tim Hortons
"Dave spent two days working with our management team helping them to better understand their leadership styles and the differences that exist between their team members both millennial and non! It provided them with invaluable insight that is generally missing from our overall training and changed the way we work both in our restaurants and as a management team."
Tim Hortons
"So far, all training that we have had access to from within the Tim Hortons family is missing one key element, emotional intelligence. Through invaluable DISC reports, we are able to create stronger management teams, along with getting important information about how an individual prefers to be coached, communicated with and motivated. Dave Neely takes this information to the next level when he has follow up coaching sessions with the individual regarding their own results."
T.H. Industrial Solutions
"I have noticed a remarkable difference in my manager as a result of Dave's coaching process. It is like a light has gone on for him. I would recommend Dave as a coach to anyone."


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For The Ladies: NFL Baller Cam Newton Shows Of His Bangin' Bawwwwdy And Long Schlong In New Boxer-Briefs Ad
- By Bossip Staff
We wouldn't mind scoring a touchdown with Cammy Cakes
NFL Offensive Rookie of the year Cam Newton, of the Carolina Panthers is showing off his inkless, chiseled body in a new campaign for Under Armour. In the new ad, Cam is modeling a pair of boxer briefs from the new Boxerjock line which carries the slogan, 'You'll never wear regular underwear again'.
Their are NO complaints here!
Sorry fellas, wearing the new Under Armour BoxerJock will not give you a Heisman trophy, a National Championship, those abs, or make you an NFL 1st Round draft pick.
Enjoy more pictures of Cam next, ladies will you be picking up these boxer-briefs for your boo?
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France: Wine, Dreams and History in the Loire Valley
Jul 28, 2009
Read more...
Can't you see that time is passing?
I refuse to live in the tomorrow
– Pierre de Ronsard, To His Page
Both Henry II and Richard Lionheart died at Chinon and the seminal battle of The Hundred Years War was fought here: the Siege of Orléans. Leondardo da Vinci traveled here in his last years to be of assistance to François although perhaps it was the beauty of the land that drew his spirit.
In the nineteenth century, artists, writers, poets and composers flocked to French authoress George Sand's château in Nohant. Every day the piano rang with the melancholic preludes of Frederic Chopin or the bursting bravado of Franz Liszt while nearby Eugene Delacroix painted and Honore de Balzac sat restlessly dreaming up a new novel to add to his many dozens.
In modern times, the chateaux have become homes to such celebrities as Mick Jagger and Gerard Depardieu.
Through the centuries, the rain and the river Loire move on together. The drizzle is still light and when it passes along with the brief dream of long ago eras, the sunset breaks out and suddenly there is a peace not unlike the bliss of sipping a fresh white wine.
Long and winding (1,012 km or 627 miles) the Loire is France's Nile or India's Ganges. From its beginnings in the south, within the volcanic peaks of the Massif Central, it rises in Ardeche department (department) and carves through steep gorges until it reaches the pastoral, garden-like valley itself.
At one time, Viking ships stormed in from the Atlantic to raid Loire Valley villages. In later centuries, Dutch merchant ships traveled its waters. Today, wind surfers whip along on the waves while in the summer, the river is more sandbank than water.
The Loire is one of the largest wine regions in France with 185,000 acres planted under vine. Evidence suggests viticulture was introduced in the late 6th century A.D. Some argue it was St. Martin, Bishop of Tours, who first brought vines from his native Roman Pannonia (modern Hungary) in the 4th century A.D.
In the 7th Century, a party of monks brought the body of St. Benedict from Monte Cassino in Southern Italy to the Loire. Founding an Abbey in Fleury, they named their order after the reverent man. The Benedictines were known for their learning, for their illuminated manuscripts and for their wine.
During the Middle Ages, it was the Benedictines and Cistercians (named after the first abbey of Cîteaux south of Dijon in Burgundy) who cultivated the grape in the Loire (as they did throughout France). Monks (from monos - Greek for solitary man) throughout Europe had the time, talent and wherewithal to study and learn which sites were suitable for the growing of particular varieties. Unlike Burgundy, which became synonymous with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the Loire is difficult to categorize. There are fifty appellations in the Loire and each produces wine both enchanting and stimulating, leaving both novice and seasoned wine drinkers with a longing to explore and re-explore the various sub-regions.
These four sub-regions, loosely grouped, moving from east to west are: the Central Vineyards, Touraine, Anjou-Saumur and the Nantais.
CENTRAL VINEYARDS or LE CENTRE
Imagine we are gently sailing down the Loire on a small sailboat. First, we'll begin in the east between the two towns of Sancerre and Pouilly-Sur-Loire which face each other like Gemini twins. Surrounding these towns are the appellations (or AOC) of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé.
The climate here is closely linked to nearby Burgundy which would best be described as continental – severe winters and hot summer with spring frosts and summer hail, a continuous, devastating problem for the vine growers.
The main variety, Sauvignon Blanc is a grape now synonymous with the best of New Zealand whites. But here, in this pastoral cradle of villages and chalky limestone, with slopes facing south-east and south-west, these small parcels of land produce a white of incredible finesse, subtlety and character. Sancerre's Sauvignon Blanc is herbaceous with notes of gooseberry and what has been humorously termed as 'cat's pee' (despite how it sounds, it isn't that bad). Across the river, where there is more flint present in the soil, the Sauvignons are described as being herbaceous but with an additional note of 'gunpowder', a minerality evoking smoke and lime.
In Memoriam: Didier Dagueneau (1956-2008)
Didier Dagueneau of Pouilly-Fumé was the most famousvof these innovators. A bit of a cross between a wild man (he used to dog sled in the Arctic) and a Revolutionary artist, Dagueneau produced (until his death in the Dordogne region of France when his utltralight plane stalled after takeoff) wines that offered consumers a lush, full-bodied and intense Sauvignon Blanc, nothing they'd ever experienced before. This enfant terrible became a legend overnight, a man equally hated and loved by his neighbours, by fellow wine producers and critics. He rattled cages, stayed away from the mainstream, pushed his small vineyards to produce the best, creating a diverse dimension to what some might be considered a fun, summer white. We may never see his like again.
As we make our way north and then east along the river, we pass historic Orléans, a witness to the final years of the Hundred Years War. It was Jeanne d'Arc who hailed from Lorraine in the east. It was she who inspired hope and rallied the wearied French soldiers to victory against the English. A visionary, her military experience and knowledge were at best rudimentary but her courageous ability to spiritually uplift her people was said to be divine. Captured by the Burgundians after a series of failed attacks, she was handed over to the English and put to trial as a witch. Charged with heresy, she was sentenced to death and burned at the stake on May 30 1431. Her statue can be found in both Chinon and Orléans and her image imprinted in stained glass in Orléans Cathedral (not to mention in the hearts and imaginations of countless French artists and writers from Ingres to Peguy to the present day).
Touraine. along with neighbouring sub-region, Anjou-Saumur could best be described as the historic heart of the Loire Valley. Here the wine diversity is as beguiling and beautiful as the numerous chateaux and cathedrals that line the river.
Touraine is also the home of the most famous castles, including those at Chambord, Langeais, Richelieu, Amboise (said to be the setting for Charles Perrault's Sleeping Beauty) and Chenonceaux (once home of Catherine d'Medici and Henry II's mistress, the seductive Diane de Poitiers). This is the France of the Renaissance with its bold turrets, grandiose facades of white stone, gables, high ceilings, tapestries and gardens laid out in geometric forms.
But of course, let's not forget the wine.
The Touraine appellation, a general one, covers the entire sub-region and one can find wines largely made from Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Chenin and Sauvignon Blanc. The labels are easy to read as they list the variety used to make the wine.
Vouvray is always white, always Chenin Blanc (called Pineau de la Loire in the region and sometimes Steen in South Africa). There are a number of styles depending on the vintage and you can find a sparkling, still or sweet Chenin. Again, it all depends on the year. If a Noble Rot happens, vignernons will decide to make a sweet wine. (Botrytis Cinerea, is a beneficial fungus – thus a 'noble rot' - that attacks the grapes, covering them with a gray mold. The mold penetrates the grape's skin using the berry's water thus concentrating the sugar, flavour and acid to contribute to a sweeter style of wine). If the harvest is poor, you might find more sparkling wines available. (Many labels will indicate the level of sweetness of the still wines of Vouvray – Sec or Dry, Demi-Sec or Medium Dry, Moelleux or Medium Sweet and Doux or Sweet).
But Chenin, barring the climate or weather, can also be a testy grape. One bunch doesn't determine the same level of ripeness. Sometimes you can find yourself tasting a few leafy, vegetal elements in the wine. But beyond that, Chenin is ideal for the soft tuffeau (a chalky limestone soil high in calcium) which produces an exquisite wine capable of aging many years. One can expect notes of apple-honey, lush lemon and drops of apricot.
While Vouvray (and Montlouis across the river) focus on Chenin, Chinon and Bourgueil, including Saint-Nicholas de Bourgeuil are solely red wines (the suffix 'euil' comes from the Gallic ialos, meaning 'a clearing in a primeval forest'). Here Cabernet Franc is king (with a little Cabernet Sauvignon thrown in with the Chinon). Chinon is considered the softest, the most elegant but, to be honest, all wines are perfect if you find yourself in a Paris bistro in the summer. When served lightly chilled, this delicious blanket of red raspberry fruit, violets and herbs becomes a delectable cool river of pleasure on your palate. (Although some wine aficionados swear Bourgeuil is more strawberry and Chinon more raspberry…nonetheless…).
The Loire is not only famous for wines but for the production of primeurs, early veggies that appear two to three weeks before those cultivated near Paris. Leaving Touraine, the land of asperges et haricots (asparagus and beans), we enter the realm of Anjou where les oignons et les echalots (onions and shallots) grow, not to mention artichouts (artichokes) in nearby Angers.
The climate also changes the further west we sail. As Bourgueil and Chinon AOC disappear behind us in the sun, we encounter a milder, more maritime climate. Here the temperatures are less extreme in winter and summer, more humid to some degree (but not nearly as damp as Nantais).
Saumur is our first stop. Here the wines are either white (Chenin Blanc), red (Cabernet Franc as in the case of Saumur-Champigny) or rosé.
Saumur is also famous for the Loire's top sparkling wines. They are made in the traditional method of Champagne and can be a blend of Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc (by law seven varieties can be used in total including Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Côt [another name for Malbec], Pineau d'aunis and Grolleau – but such a blend is rare).
The vines grow on the famous tuffeau. In the time of François I, the limestone was easily quarried and used to make decoration for the Renaissance châteaux by skilled masons. Saumur is also known for its mushrooms – 75% of them are grown here (about three tonnes are picked daily around Saumur, many grown in the very damp caves that provided quarry to those very châteaux of the Loire).
Surrounding Saumur to the north, south and east, is Anjou. Here we find the fertile plains of the Loire and its tributaries which enjoys the title of 'le jardin du France'.
In the Middle Ages, the town of Angers in Black Anjou (named for the black schist of the region) was one of the capitals of the Plantagenet empire, linking England and France. In those days, what we know of as 'France' consisted of land surrounding Paris. The French at that time were engaged in conflicts with the English and the Burgundians. Only until the reign of Louis XI in the 15th century did the country take the familiar shape we know today. (Louix XI once quipped he drove the English "out by force of venison pies and good wines" when really he wined, dined and paid off Edward IV - considered a feeble king - with 50,000 crowns).
The appellation of Anjou is quite broad and like Saumur, also includes red, white and rosé wines. Chenin Blanc is the predominant white and Cabernet Franc the red. Grolleau, (said to be named after a black bird), is the 'workhorse' grape producing thin, acidic wines of red fruit.
The roses are perhaps the most well-known. You can find a simple, medium sweet as in the case of Rosé d'Anjou, a blend of Grolleau with five other varieties, including Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon; a Rosé cabernet D'Anjou, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon; and a Rosé de Loire, a blended, light fruity wine of pronounced cherry flavours.
Before we sail on, let us not forget Coteaux du Layon and Savennières. The most seductive, delightful and affordable of sweet wines outside of Sauternes and Bordeaux are those from the former while the most exquisite, exceptional and age-worthy whites outside of Vouvray are found in the latter. Both utilize the greatness of the Chenin Blanc grape.
As we near the Atlantic, we find the climate cools, the scenery changes, the houses have a quaint maritime feel, its stone facades gently scathed by decades of salted, ocean winds and rainstorms. Here the river deepens and the sky spreads out, vast and solemn. There are fishing boats along the coast, quiet lanes in the towns.
This is the land of Brittany and Muscadet is its vineyard.
Made from the Melon de Bourgogne variety, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (named for the small Sèvre and Maine Rivers that run through the district), 'casts its pale golden glow over the purple of lobster and the pearl of oysters' as one French critic put it. It is a wine ideal with seafood, perfectly matched. Hugh Johnson, British wine writer notes there is even a suggestion of seaweed in the wine but this shouldn't deter you. The wines are tangy lemon with a yeasty background. Muscadet is made on its lees (sur lie). Before bottling, these wondrous whites stayed in contact with the yeast lees for several months before being bottled.
Muscadet is the wine to end our journey, a wine mirroring the sea itself.
Asimov, Eric, "The Pour" Didier Dagueneau Killed in Plane Crash, September 18, 2008 – New York Times
Bailey, Rosemary, Insight Guides: Loire Valley, APA Publications, Singapore, 1991.
Lynch, Kermit, Adventures on the Wine Route. Farrar Straus Geroux, New York, 1988.
Johnson, Hugh, A Life Uncorked. Weidenfeld & Niolson, London, 2005.
Johnson, Hugh and Jancis Robinson, World Atlas of Wine. Mitchell Beazley, London, 2001.
MacNeil, Karen, The Wine Bible. Workman Publishing Company Inc. New York, 2001
Myhill, Henry, The Loire Valley. Faber and Faber, London, 1978.
Palmer, Hugh (with James Bentley), The Most Beautiful Villages of the Loire. Thames and Hudson, London, 2001.
Robinson, Jancis, The Oxford Companion to Wine. Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, 2003.
Seward, Desmond, Monks and Wine. Mitchell Beazley, London, 1979.
Styles, Oliver, Didier Daueneau – Decanter Interview, January 21, 2008 – Decanter Archive


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WINDER - Hugh Don Cannon, 88, passed away Saturday, February 3, 2018.
He retired from Georgia Air National Guard, where he held several positions for over 25 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and May Cannon; and his wife of 63 years, Jeanette Cannon.
Survivors include a son, Michael D. Cannon (Sandy), Lenexa, Kan.; and a ndaughter, Vicki L. Cannon, Winder.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, February 8, at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Smith Funeral Home in Winder, with the Rev. Irby Stanley officiating. The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until funeral hour.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Hugh D. Cannon's name to The First Baptist Church or St. Jude's Children's Fund.
Hugh Cannon (02-03-18)
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Help for GastroparesisNew Solutions to Manage and Support Digestion
For questions or to schedule please call 708-614-1222 today!
Schedule Your New Patient Appointment With Dr. Beyer
Get started on your road to good health- make your new patient appointment today!
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Meter Reader - Part time - Car provided
Meter Reader - Part time - Car provided
**You will be paid 18hrs every week as a retainer, even if you do not complete any work that week**
NRG are looking for Meter Readers based in the ZE postcode . This is a fantastic role for someone who loves the outdoors and is self motivated to work independently.
The role of a Meter Readers is to visit customers in their homes to read their gas and electricity meters using hand held computers, and other equipment. Some supporting administrative work is also required. There is a great deal of flexibility with this role, as a Meter Reader you will plan your own route, manage your schedule and workload to achieve the targets set for the week by head office.
Key Responsibilities
As this is a customer facing role you must be approachable, presentable and with a courteous demeanour
You will be expected to use your judgement on an appropriate time to call. ensuring your own and customer's safety at all times
As you will work alone you will be required to plan and manage your own time and workload.
You will be expected to use your initiative and report any dangerous meter installations or suspected signs of tampering.
What will you need
No unspent criminal conviction
A desire to work outdoors
You will be walking from property to property so a good understanding on the local area will be advantageous.
Friendly and professional approach to work
The drive and motivation to work in a lone working role
Access to a land-line
Full training is provided so experience is not necessary
Pay Rate: £8.63
Bonus Scheme
Hours: You will be paid 18hrs every week as a retainer, even where you do not complete any work
The expectations are that any workloads needing covered between 8am - 8pm mon-fri or 8am - 6pm on a saturday (excluding public hols) will be completed as part of the retained payment requirement.
Where workloads increase significantly (ie every quarter around 8-12 weeks apart) the expectation is moving toward more hours to cover additional workloads and payment will increase in line with full contracted hours (37hrs per week) for those periods where those hours are worked.
Required skills
- Customer Service
- Flexibility
- Gas
- Warehouse
Reference: 34328833
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BANGKOK - A magazine editor in northern Thailand has apologized to the governor of Chiang Mai after he threatened her with criminal charges for posting a painting on Facebook of ancient kings wearing pollution masks.
Citylife Chiang Mai magazine had sought to draw attention to the unsolved problem of seasonal air pollution caused by crop burning and traffic that drives air quality to unhealthy and sometimes dangerous levels.
The magazine on Friday posted a letter signed by Chiang Mai Gov. Pavin Chamniprasart recommending police charge the magazine with being disrespectful to the kings. Editor Pim Kemasingki could be liable to up to five years' imprisonment under the Computer Crime Act.
She said Monday she had sought only to raise awareness of the health issue, and had called the governor personally to apologize.


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- This event has passed.
America: The Great Cookbook, What DC Chefs Cook for the People They Love
March 19, 2018 @ 6:45 pm - 8:00 pm
Event Navigation
Joe Yonan, food and dining editor of the Washington Post and two-time James Beard Award-winner, asked passionate chefs, artisan producers, and fascinating food personalities across the country what they cook for the people they love. The result was a collection of recipes of signature dishes and family favorites in a cookbook that celebrates the diversity and rich culinary traditions of America—and that supports the No Kid Hungry campaign.
Join Yonan as he discusses cooking in America and what it means today with four local contributors to the book: Jerome Grant, executive chef at the African American History and Culture Museum's Sweet Home Café; sisters Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne, cofounders of Georgetown Cupcake; and Joan Nathan, award-winning cookbook author and New York Times contributor.
America: The Great Cookbook (Weldon Owen) is available for purchase following the program, as well as samples from the panelists' favorite recipes.
Evening Program with Reception
Monday, March 19, 2018 – 6:45 p.m.
S. Dillon Ripley Center
1100 Jefferson Dr SW
Metro: Smithsonian (Mall exit)
For tickets, visit: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/america-the-great-cookbook-what-dc-chefs-cook-for-the-people-they-love


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Uganda's Lullaby
When you walk the road to Gulu
step lightly and do not falter.
Do not even leave a footprint
lest fickle moon betray you.
When you walk the road to Gulu
wrap your arms into the shadows,
reach deep into the stillness
as the night breeze blows above you.
When you walk the road to Gulu
do not cry out for your mother
Lest your falling tears give drink
to those who've come to hunt you.
Cheetahs hide in the tall grasses
waiting for the weak ones.
Cheetahs stalk the ones who falter
and their bones lie by the river.
Learn to sleep with one eye open
when the nightmares come to haunt you.
Learn to sleep with one ear open
when the sound of demons call you.
Find your place in Gulu's doorways
so Death's hand cannot find you.
Find your place in Gulu's doorways
let your shadow stand to guard you.
Sleep beyond the word named fear
for the enermy awaits you.
May your prayers rise up to heaven
for the angels bring tomorrow.
Note: Since 1986, 30,000 boys and girls have been abducted to the Lord's Resistance Army to become soldiers, laborers or sex slaves. To avoid abduction every night 40,000 chidlren flee their homes to the relative safety of towns like Gulu.


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By Wasiu Popoola
The beneficiaries of the Federal Government N-power volunteer programme have decried the financial extortion being meted against them by the handlers of the programme, State Ministry of Empowerment and Job Creation, in Ebonyi state.
The youths who had on December last year staged a protest against the handlers for asking them to pay five hundred naira each as documentation fee, were worried that the same extortion that led to the protest has continued unabated.
It could be recalled that Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media,Mr. Laolu Akande warned that on no account should any state government or anybody else ask the N-power volunteers to pay a dime
However, investigations by our correspondent revealed that the handlers are yet to comply to that singular directive from FG.
It was gathered that on February 2017, one Nnanna Okoroafor, an aide to the Hon. Commissioner for Youths Empowerment and Job creation, Chief Donatus Njoku resumed the exploitation spree again. He allegedly distributed what he named deployment/posting forms to N-power volunteers and directed that they fill the form and return it for signing with five hundred naira.
It was further gathered that the over three thousand hapless youths already benefiting in the programme grudgingly complied to his directive and paid the money to him at hand before he signed the said form.
One of the N-power volunteers told our reporter in confidence that apart from the five hundred naira they paid, the handlers led by Okoroafor collects amounts ranging from five to ten thousand naira to redeploy persons who wish to change their posting due to distance.
"The one going on presently, is that the same Okoroafor Nnanna who claims to be carrying out the orders of his boss, has issued another form he named 'Clearance Form', and directed that we take it to the Head Teacher of the school we are posted to, for him/her to acknowledge through signatory that we are performing our duties and return it for signing with five hundred naira each",the source added.
He lamented that even when FG said every participants should be posted to schools near him/her, in Ebonyi, some were posted to areas where they need to rent an apartment and live to be able to carry on with the programme.
When Okoroafor was confronted with the allegations, he claimed that handling the N-power programme required enough money and that despite writing to the state Governor, David Umahi to support them with fund, he was yet to grant the request.
He said the five hundred naira collected from the N-power volunteers were for digitalization,and payment adding that it was optional.
But the participants insisted that the payments were all made compulsory.
Reacting, Chief Njoku said the only people that were asked to pay money were those who made mistakes during application.
"But any other kind of payment, I am not aware and such should always be reported to me. There are things certainly,they must pay for, like if one makes mistakes during application;such person will pay for it to be corrected",he said.
According to the Commissioner, he addressed the participants before the programme commenced fully and explained to them what they should pay for, and what not to pay for, and also directed them to report any form of extortion to him, but he was yet to get any form of complaint directly from the participants.


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My sister-in-law has three girls and is having her first boy. For her birthday I helped her design birth announcements and we cut and stamped away this weekend. I love the colors and this new stamp set. Congrats, Carol! Can anyone tell how much I love ribbon? :)
Birth Announcement!
Posted by Leah at 7/21/2008
5 comments:
- The Pepper 6-pack said...
That's a very cute announcement. Welcome to a whole new world, Carol. Congrats!! Cori
- July 21, 2008 at 7:30 AM
- karin said...
That is cute.
I am a slacker- I still have not done announcements and we are going on 3 months (I just need a great photo to send out with them, but still).
- July 21, 2008 at 12:10 PM
- Angie said...
Love it. The colors are fabulous. Love the star punch and ribbon. Keep up the good work...
- July 21, 2008 at 7:13 PM
- Linz said...
Very cute! I love ribbon too. :)
- July 22, 2008 at 1:40 PM
- Cindy Hansen said...
Very very cute! I need a baby stamp set. I love that the colors are not the traditional baby colors!
- August 3, 2008 at 11:54 AM
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Free shipping on orders over $150.
Riding bikes is a continuous journey of learning—not just skills, but discovering what you're capable of. Over the next three months, we're focusing on learning, so if you're new to bikes or just looking to sharpen your bike skills, this is the place for you.
Lao Tzu once said: "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." To that we say: "Why walk when you can ride?" That's why we've created a series of events, kicking off in March, to cater to the first timers and the cycle-curious and help you to take that first step on your bike-life journey.
These events will give you all the info you need to get started, including choosing a bike, basic skills, and if that journey you're about to embark on really has to be a thousand miles. This is your chance to connect with people in your community at the same point of the journey as you, and learn from those who are already on the path. There's also some goody bags filled with some pretty sweet swag that's sure to get you stoked for your next ride.
We believe in A.B.L., aka Always Be Learning. With that in mind, we've created a list of challenges and goals to aim for in 2018. It's called Worth It Will Do—a bucket list of things you can do on the bike this year. Many of these are great for those just starting out, and we'll be providing tips for how to complete some of them right here over the next three months.


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I'm workin' on something. Don't say anything to anyone though. It's kind of a secret. Only the two of us really know about this....I don't want to make a big deal about it or anything.
I'm not making any promises as to the timeline. But check back in a coupla days. Or next week.
Hopefully by the 29th...since that's when I'm really back to the old grind. In fact, just got my text books today. I'm excited to be back in a math classroom, but I don't think I'm ready to let go of the freedom I've had this summer. Yikes. I'm scared! At any rate, I'm trying to squeeze in as much fun - scrappy and otherwise - into these last days of summer. Hope you are, too!


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Wired is the latest addition to Julie Garwood's excellent FBI/Buchanan/Renard romantic suspense series.
It's the story of Allison Trent, a collegian computer genius and sexy Aussie FBI agent Liam Scott. Allison is a smart woman with a feisty nature and an unusual hobby. Allison likes to go cyber hunting for hackers and security lapses and fix things or right their wrongs and deliver the evidence to the FBI in an anonymous tidy package. Since some of her fixes were a little on the illegal side, she is not anxious to work with the FBI when they come calling, even though she would be working with the hunky Liam. When she divulges her past adventures, the FBI agrees to hold her harmless if she will work with them for one year.
Added to Allison's pressures is her greedy aunt and uncle and their no-good son, Will. As a teen and adult, Allison did some modeling for a local designer and her relatives took most of her money to bail out Will from his various troubles. There is also the matter of a thieving fellow student who tries to pass of Allison's work as his own and gets Alison in a world of trouble when she shuts him down.
Liam gets more impressed by her skills and intelligence as he gets to know Allison and finds himself also getting more attracted to her. But Liam isn't a staying kind of guy and they both know that in that way lays heartbreak for them if they lets their hearts get involved. Easier said than done!
This book is just the right mix of romance, suspense, villainy, and humor that we would expect from Ms. Garwood. For readers of the series it's a great new book to read. For newbies, it can stand on its own and it's a look at a great series that they can go back and read from the beginning and enjoy!


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Our primary goal is to provide the highest quality childcare and early years education that is both accessible and affordable.
Your child will be safe, loved and stimulated in an efficient, well maintained and above all, homely environment. We will promote a healthy understanding and respect for natural values and cultural appreciation of the country we live in, in all aspects of the Nursery.
Most importantly, we want your child to leave Little Wonders with the confidence and skills to help them meet the challenges that lie ahead in the school system and beyond.
We firmly believe that this should be a joint effort between 'Nursery' and 'parents', and to that end we will endeavour to promote the right environment for such a partnership to succeed.


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New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) Had it been the early 90s, British band The Magnets would find it tough to make people understand their form of music.
But today after Hollywood films such as "Pitch Perfect" became a rage with the youth, one of the group members, Nic Doodson says they do not have to explain to the public that an a cappella band produces music using their vocal chords, without instrumental accompaniment.
In an interview with PTI, one of the bass singers of The Magnets says, "I think its becoming mainstream now. A capella is getting popular with movies like Pitch Perfect and also music shows The Sing Off in America.
"Weve been doing this a long time and no longer do we have to explain that a cappella means music without instruments. For the first 15 years of our career, we had to explain that, so theres certainly progress."
Other members of The Magnets include Duncan Sandilands (bass), Callum McIntosh (baritone), Mathhew MaCabe (baritone), James Gibbs (tenor) and Ball (zee).
The band was formed in 1995, when some of the members met at University at London and decided to sing together.
"We started singing in a place called Covent Garden in London where you can perform on the street for money; when we had earned enough money to go to the pub and buy a few pints wed stop singing and start drinking.
"Several years (and many pints) later we graduated from university and decided to try and see if we could make a living singing."
And there was no looking back.
Doodson says, "Now, of course, we are much more professional, evolved in terms of technology, right microphones for right sounds, collaboration with various talents, but at the heart we are still a bunch of guys passionate about a cappella."
Making music together is already a difficult job and hitting the right note, literally, when it comes to an a cappella band is not magic that happens on the drop of a hat.
"Its surprisingly hard to have six people singing into microphones at the same time and make it both easy to sing on stage and easy to listen to in the audience. Theres the challenge of getting a balance of sound onstage so everyone can hear themselves, which is the hardest thing for singers.
"Next difficulty is to make the sound good for the audience. Unlike a guitar which can be made louder or quieter easily from the sound desk, the voice is as loud as someone decides to sing so the sound engineer has to be constantly mixing based on how the singers are feeling, singing and projecting - its harder than it looks," he says.
The Magnets are currently on their first tour of India where they performed with Bollywood soprano Natalie di Luccio, and are having a great time.
"We are really enjoying our India tour; so far were been to Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Agra... All are so different and so amazing. In the years to come we cant wait to get to see new venues and cities. We integrated some Bollywood hits in our performance. Dum Maro Dum is one of our favourites."
The group is set to prepare for Christmas shows in the UK and will tour Australia in January next year.
The band performs in Delhis Siri Fort tonight. It is up for two shows in Mumbai tomorrow - at the Royal Opera House at 12 pm and at Rangsharda Auditorium at 7.45 pm. PTI RDS BK


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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Shares of gold companies fell Friday, while gold futures dropped to their lowest level in a week during a shortened trading session on the Commodities Exchange.
Metals trading on the Commodities Exchange division of the New York Mercantile Exchange closed early Friday and will remain closed for the New Year's Day holiday on Monday.
February gold fell 10 cents to close at $273.60 an ounce following a drop to $272.30, a low not seen since Dec. 20. March silver shed 0.02 cent to $4.635 an ounce.
Over on the supply end, Comex gold warehouse stocks were unchanged at 1,784,279 ounces as of late Thursday, while silver stocks fell 142,324 ounces to 93,975,536 ounces.
Meanwhile, March palladium climbed $1.45 to close at $954.45 an ounce, while January platinum fell $7.40 to $609.60 an ounce.
In other metals news, March copper slipped 0.65 cent to 84.30 an ounce. Early Friday, London Metals Exchange warehouse stocks rose 2,475 metric tons, reaching 357,225 metric tons. Late Thursday, Comex copper stocks rose 806 short tons to stand at 64,331 metric tons.
Gold shares fall
On the stock market, the CBOE Gold Index GOX fell by 0.8 percent to 30.04, while the Philadelphia Gold and Silver Index XAU, -0.14% declined for a third-straight day, retreating 1.3 percent to close at 51.41.
Individually, shares of Newmont Mining NEM, -0.52% slipped 50 cents to settle at $17.06 and shares of Placer Dome Gold PDG, -0.44% fell 13 cents to $9.63.