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Ah, nature.
It wasn't until yards and yards of orange temporary fencing stretched across the entrance and excavators started thudding around Crown Hill Park that many patrons became aware of planned changes to this 242-acre preserve of lakes, mountain views, grasslands, marshes, trees and wildlife.
The park, a remnant of nature surrounded by the bustle and congestion of Lakewood and Wheat Ridge streets, draws 400,000 visitors a year. They walk themselves and their dogs. They bike and roller-skate along its looping trails. They watch birds and coyotes.
Jefferson County Open Space had plans — now on hold — to spend almost $900,000 on park development, including construction of "
Nature Place," a half-mile loop of kid-friendly trailside amenities labeled Mounds of Fun, the Perch, Dig It, Ropes and Climb On. It's designed to help children connect with the great outdoors.
Dawning awareness of the coming changes among park regulars was quickly followed by alarm and impassioned protest: "Not another urban park" is the rallying cry in capital letters on fliers handed out in the parking lot off West 26th Avenue.
How about "nature play" just being kids playing in actual nature, a dozen park-goers wondered aloud Thursday.
It doesn't make sense to despoil nature to make kids appreciate it, many said.
"I guess we don't understand the need for it," said Pat Sheykholeslami. "You don't want to spoil something natural. We like the wildlife here. There's a playground just across the street" — on the other side of Kipling Street.
"It's not really a playground," Open Space spokeswoman Thea Rock said of the proposed Nature Place. "We're looking at elaborating on the natural environment so it's appealing (to kids)."
The plan to put children's play equipment here, she said, is a response to the disturbing trend of children spending less time playing outdoors.
Not every local child can escape to the mountains with their parents on the weekends, Rock said. A child climbing the Perch, she said, will have the experience of being in the treetops, like the birds.
"I think it's extremely ridiculous to propose a children's area in a wildlife sanctuary," said Maureen Doherty of Wheat Ridge, "happily retired" from teaching school for 47 years. "I see parents here with their children, pointing out things to them already found in nature."
They seem to be enjoying themselves, she said.
"Why not build it?" asked EmilyAnne Pierce. "Kids need somewhere to go. They get bored just walking around."
"Part of the challenge," county parks and open-space director Tom Hoby said, "is we're really not talking about a playground. We're talking about this whole new concept of nature play. It's really intended to get kids to start appreciating nature. The park is not attracting that many kids right now."
Child's play, it seems, is no longer child's play. They are far more sedentary. Childhood obesity rates have more than doubled since 1980, from 6.5 percent to 16.3 percent; more than 30 percent of U.S. children are obese or at high risk for it, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The University of Colorado Denver's Learning Landscapes Program has been a leading partner with private enterprise in designing and building 48 comprehensive, naturalistic outdoor play spaces at urban schools across Denver.
"The whole idea of nature play is to help children in urban areas, where kids are disconnected from nature," said Learning Landscapes executive director Lois Brink, a professor of landscape architecture at UC Denver. "To try to create a playground — to target one specific demographic, kids — in a place that traditionally has been natural, doesn't seem to make a lot of sense."
It would make sense, she said, to create multigenerational rest stops at reasonable intervals where everyone in the family could slow down and look around. Some boulders — from the general area — could be moved in or around. Everybody likes a good rock to climb on, she said.
"There are ways to design it so it doesn't look like it dropped down from the sky like Dorothy's house," Brink said.
Yet the sentiment of most Crown Hill patrons unscientifically surveyed on four occasions is that it's hard to improve upon nature — and they called it a waste of taxpayers' money.
The money for Open Space projects comes from a dedicated half-cent sales tax voted for in 1972, Rock said. If not used for Crown Hill developments, it would be used for land acquisition or upgrades elsewhere.
"We're a conservation organization," Hoby said. "We're really building this for park visitors — current and future. Let's hold off doing these other things for a little bit until we know more of what people want."
At the moment, there are only two givens in the project, he said. They will replace the old restroom, which is not insulated for year-round use and barely meets Americans With Disabilities Act requirements. It alone will cost $350,000 to $400,000 of the total. Second, some heavily used trails need work, he said. Any improvements to shelter areas are up for discussion.
Hoby said the whole project, including Nature Place, would result in a net decrease of less than an acre of undeveloped open space, in part because old outdoor fitness stations scattered around Crown Hill Lake — currently in disrepair — will be removed and new equipment consolidated in one area.
Human nature is also part of this story.
The Open Space department surveyed patrons about park features in 2003 and 2007, spent weeks in public outreach last spring and held a meeting in May — at the park — about the proposed development.
But attention finally was paid when the heavy equipment rolled in a few weeks ago.
"It happens," Hoby said. "No matter how extensive the process, you're always going to miss folks."
Open Space will provide more information, release another survey Feb. 15, accept comments for 30 days and hold another public meeting in April.
"We're here to serve the public," Rock said. "We're happy to step back and hear from more people."
Electa Draper: 303-954-1276, firstname.lastname@example.com or twitter.com/electadraper


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Friday, September 26, 2014
Hank & Tasha | the engagement session
9 comments:
Sweet moments on a sultry August day! Enjoy the final days of preparation for the big event next Saturday! I can't wait to see all of the photos of the big day. Blessings to all of you from Florida!ReplyDelete
Mmmm...love the photo shoot Kellie!! You and Alex did an awesome job. I can hardly believe it's only a week away!! Wow... God is so good!! Thanks for posting all of them! It's fun to see the 'other part' of them. :) See you soon!ReplyDelete
You did such a beautiful job with the pictures, dear! I love them!!ReplyDelete
Aw, what a sweet session! You and Alex did a great job! Many blessings to the soon-to-be couple! :)ReplyDelete
Congrats!! This is so beautiful. God bless you all. <3ReplyDelete
They are so cute! You did a fantastic job with these photos. Good luck on the wedding sewing!ReplyDelete
Kellie, you have a beautiful artistic mind. You are an incredibly gifted photographer, seamstress and writer. I enjoyed you post. Wedding only a few more days away and then you can breathe again. ;) It will be a lovely day! I am so looking forward to it!ReplyDelete
Love all the photos, Kellie. So lovely. I'm so excited for Natasha and Hank! They're going to have such a lovely wedding. They make such an adorable couple. ♥ I can't wait to see photos from the big day!ReplyDelete
I love the one of them in the barn...the lighting is breathtakingly gorgeous! A lovely shoot and I am enjoying your blog, Kellie!ReplyDelete
You're about to make my day! Thanks so much for leaving a comment - I absolutely love to hear from you!

subset: commoncrawl


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220 Volts Power Tools for All Your Household Needs
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Whether you need to tackle more or less projects, you can easily do that with our huge range of 220 volts power tools. With our pool tools, you complex and big jobs will become quite easy.


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Boeing said on Wednesday it has begun offering a specialized mobile phone aimed at government agencies and contractors who need to keep communication and data secure.
The Boeing Black Smartphone is based on Google's Android operating system and built into a black, tamper-proof handset capable of accessing multiple cell networks instead of a single network like a normal cellphone, according to Boeing and filings with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.
The secure phone marks an extension of the communications arm of the Chicago-based aerospace and defense contractor, which is best known for jetliners and fighter planes.
Though the phone is not yet commercially available, Boeing is talking to potential customers after 36 months spent developing the device, said Boeing spokeswoman Rebecca Yeamans.
"We saw a need for our customers in a certain market space" that Boeing could meet with its technology expertise, she said.
(Read more: Handset makers go big on smartphones)
Boeing is not naming wireless carriers and handset makers it is working with and not disclosing the price, she said.
The 5.2-by-2.7-inch handset, slightly larger than an iPhone, uses dual SIM cards and can operate on the WCDMA, GSM and LTE frequency bands. It also offers WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity and ports to allow "integrating additional sensors or technology enhancements like satellite connectivity or expanding power," Boeing said.


text: How to handle chronic complainers Addressing a constant stream of inane complaints can make an HR manager feel more like a baby-sitter than a business professional – and it can have a serious impact on staff morale – but how can you tell your employees to stop the trivialities when it's your job to hear them out? One HR expert has some advice. "You want your staff to come to you with concerns, and you should hear them out with an open mind," says Alison Green. "If you think their complaints are reasonable, it's important to do what you can to resolve the issues, including sharing them with people above you if you don't have the power to address them yourself." However, if there's nothing that can be done to resolve the problem, then constantly complaining about it just isn't productive. It'll sap you of your time and, eventually, it'll create a toxic working environment. "You need to make clear that chronic whining and complaining isn't going to fly on your team," she asserts. "Let them know you will hear them out once about a concern. But you won't allow them to poison your team's environment by complaining about those same items over and over." If employees continue to complain about matters that are beyond your – or your superior's – reasonable control, Green says you need to address the issue head on. "Explain to them (individually, not as a group) that the things they're frustrated by aren't going to change, that you can't be constantly battling over them, and that they need to decide whether they can be happy in their jobs knowing that, because continuing to complain about the same things is not an option," explains Green. Green reminds managers that it's their responsibility to establish clear standards of behaviour and take action when those standards aren't met. "Lay out your expectations and hold people to them," she urges. "That doesn't mean firing someone for one or two complaints – but it does mean being firm about what is and isn't acceptable behaviour, pointing it out when lines are crossed, and addressing it if there's no improvement." According to Green, when managers address the situation, they should be striving for a "matter-of-fact" tone; "not angry, not pleading, not defensive, just matter-of-fact about the idea that the team's behaviour has become disruptive and needs to be resolved once and for all." "The underlying subtext should be that while you genuinely hope team members will decide to meet the standards and stay, you are willing to let them go if they don't improve," concludes Green. Read Alison's Green's full article here. More like this: Love is in the air…but is it toxic? How to get your employees to act like owners Three little words to unlock your employees' potential Leave a comment SHARE


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Transgender bride files human rights complaint in Saskatoon
SASKATOON – Weeks after being allegedly discriminated against by a Saskatoon business, Rohit Singh says she is prepared to fight back and launched a complaint with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission on Wednesday to prove it.
Singh alleges Jenny's Bridal Boutigue denied her the opportunity to try on their wedding gowns, saying men were not allowed to do so.
"I never think that I'm a man and if I think that, it makes me emotionally depressed and all those things – and that's what she did with me," said Singh.
"It's not just my battle. It's the battle of all the transgender community, which is discriminated against day by day by all of society."
The filing stage now sets in motion what may be a lengthy process that could eventually wind up in court.
"We really look to be neutral. We're not prescribing solutions. We look to have the parties create their own solutions because if they create their own solutions, they'll own them," said Judge David M. Arnot, chief commissioner with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission.
On May 4, protesters rallied outside Jenny's Bridal Boutique in support of Singh and transgender rights.


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As previously mentioned, I went to TCAF on Saturday at the Toronto Reference Library (a really nice place, by the way. I used to go there all the time when I had more occasion to be downtown). A very good show, I highly recommend heading down if you can whenever the next show is.
Met the main five guests who I wanted to see, and enjoyed taking to them all.
It was great to meet Larry Marder, some twenty years after I first discovered his work and became obsessed with the world he created. I participated in the various convention activities he has, including exchanging a fan sketch of one of his characters for one of his, and as the official supplier of Canadian grown lima beans as raw material for the Beanworld Action Figures I was able to get a full set of them. Some photos over here. I also said the magic words "secret sketch" to get a secret sketch in my copy of REMEMBER HERE WHEN YOU ARE THERE, though of course i can't show you that. It's a secret. But trust me, worth it. Also got a chance to see his history of the Beanworld slide show, which was entertaining and taught me a few things, mostly that I'm really anxious for his book SOMETHING MORE to come out.
Jim Ottaviani was a pleasure to spend a few minutes with. He seemed especially tickled that I had the old first printing of his TWO-FISTED SCIENCE, with his late-1990s graphic sensibilities on display, for him to sign. Even better, when I mentioned my favourite bit of one of his old books, and the reading it led me to, he showed me a preview of an upcoming book which greatly expands on that very topic. I can't tell if he's actually announced it yet, but trust me, it looks good and I'll definitely mention it when it's out.
Also got to meet Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer, another pair whose work I've been reading for ages, from MILK&CHEESE to PIRATE CORPS to ACTION GIRL to SUPERMAN ADVENTURES to BIFF BAM POW and beyond). Both were a lot of fun, as was their adorable young daughter, who gave me her business card, with some coaxing. Was able to get one of the few Dorkin books from Slave Labor I was missing, found out about a story he did that I missed and might want to find out (the return of Fight-Man in Agent-X, I'll just note here in case I forget) and it was great to look through some of the original artwork, including a new full colour in-progress Milk&Cheese piece with some topical humour.
There was quite a line-up to see Charles Vess, but it was well worth it. He's another artist I've been a fan of for ages, since I first saw his Warriors Three work for Marvel (which is apparently being reprinted, which I didn't know). I got my copy of the gorgeous BOOK OF BALLADS signed, and talked to him briefly about topics like why the STARDUST movie didn't really use his designs, and how inferior I thought it was because of it, and the life-size statue of his work that he's posted about on his blog. Plus he had a few originals to look at, including some large in-progress pieces, and he's definitely one of those for whom shrinking and printing don't do justice.
And stopped by a lot of other places besides. Got Tara Tallan's GALAXION book collecting the first part of her revised version of the story appearing on the web, which looks good. Talked to Salgood Sam for a few minutes, I somehow forgot to bring my copy of SEA OF RED for him to sign, but he had a more recent book called THEREFORE REPENT which looks interesting and is nicely priced. Got to talk to Roger Langridge for a few minutes to compliment him on how well he did the Muppet Show justice on the page. Met James Turner and found out WARLORD OF IO is coming out as a graphic novel, so there's that to look forward to. Talked to Dan Nadel, who just came in from the incredible Jack Kirby exhibit he co-curated in Switzerland, about various old comics, from Kirby to Ditko to Boyette to Glanzman. Lots of other stuff, too, but it all begins to blur after a while. Definitely a fun show, a very different experience from the usual convention, which locally rarely have more than one or two artists I want to meet, and I usually just spend the day hunting for cheap back issues. As I said, if you get a chance next time, check it out.


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Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), also known as Man-Machine Interaction (MMI) is the study of how humans and their computers or equipment interact.
Understanding HCI is critical not only for the safety of the direct user, but for those who may be affected by any incident. Badly designed human-computer/machine interfaces have been attributed to many accidents, including the 1979 meltdown of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in the United States.
How does HCI differ to Human Factors?
Human-Computer Interaction has been considered to be different to the area of Human Factors simply due to HCI focusing solely upon how the human and the computer interacts. Human factors involves how the human interacts with other equipment (such as aircraft) and also physiological factors influencing human performance. HCI could be considered to be part of human factors that specialises in the interaction between humans and computers.
However, in recent years, the definition of HCI has become less specific and now encompasses Man-Machine Interaction (MMI) so it is now much more closely correlated with the area of human factors.
How does HCI differ to Ergonomics?
HCI also differs to the area of ergonomics. Ergonomics focuses more upon the design of the equipment and making it more physically usable for the human, known as ergonomization. HCI considers the cognitive rather than physical side of human-machine interaction (such as decision making).
Application in Aviation
With safety being one of the most important objectives in aviation, the study of Human-Computer Interaction is crucial to maintaining a high standard of safety. Poor human-machine interface design has been implicated in aviation accidents such as Air Canada Flight 143 which was partly caused due to pilot error with the cockpit Fuel Quantity Indicator System (FQIS).
With 'Next-Generation' aircraft being developed, cockpit technology is advancing beyond manual gauges into glass cockpits. Therefore HCI must have great emphasis placed upon it in order for the design of user-friendly software and displays. This will decrease the likelihood of pilot error and therefore increase the level of safety in the cockpit.
Want to know more?
- HCI Bibliography
- Visit this website for more HCI information and resources.


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I have been totally in love with Target's new home decorating collections lately. These beautiful pieces are affordable and can make any room look stylish.
Here are a few pictures I thought I would share of some of these pieces that I used to decorate my living room with.
Have a lovely weekend!!!


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Diet Patch Spammers Settle With FTC
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The bogus diet patch spammers settled with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Thursday on charges they violated the CAN-SPAM Act and other federal laws.
Last year, Phoenix Avatar and its principals fought the charges, claiming they could not be held liable because the FTC could not prove that they actually sent the spam.
Thursday's settlement bars the defendants from making false or misleading claims for their products or services and bars unsubstantiated health, efficacy or safety claims.
The settlement provides for a suspended judgment of $230,000, the total amount of diet patch sales. Instead, the defendants will pay $20,000. But, if the FTC finds that Phoenix Avatar cooked its books, the entire $230,000 will be due.
In April 2004, the FTC filed suit in U.S. District Court charging Daniel J. Lin, Mark M. Sadek, James Lin, Christopher M. Chung and their company with violating the CAN-SPAM Act and the FTC Act by marketing bogus diet patches using massive amounts of illegal spam.
Although the FTC won a temporary restraining order halting the unsubstantiated claims and freezing the defendants' assets pending trial, Phoenix Avatar appealed on the grounds that marketing affiliates, not Phoenix Avatar, sent the spam.
In July, U.S. District Court Judge James Holderman issued an order finding that CAN-SPAM liability "is not limited to those who physically cause spam to be transmitted, but also extends to those who 'procure the origination' of offending spam." The court held that the FTC had amassed a "persuasive chain of evidence" connecting the defendants to violations of the CAN-SPAM Act and the FTC Act.
The new settlement ends the litigation with a stipulated order for permanent injunction and final judgment. The final order bars the defendants from using false header information or not providing a mechanism by which consumers can opt out of further e-mail messages.


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Look what I found at IKEA...
A perfect little bin or it could be a plant pot.
It is made of metal and has a pierced lace design border.
I will use it for waste paper or any dry disposals
or find a plastic liner to protect it from rusting.
I added a band of Velcro
to keep the little skirt in place.
A few more things I made this week.
A dolls trolley...
A few cushions..
and a baby pouch that is matching with the
Moses basket in my previous post.
I hope you are having a wonderful week.


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Types of Orchids
Called the "bucket orchid," this South American flower has bizarre petals that hang from the base of the plant suspended in air. The lip is modified into a bucket shape, and liquid drips into it, filling the cup.
Coryanthes are pollinated by a group of bees that harvest fragrant waxes to use as an attractant for females. While scraping the wax from the surface of the flower, the bees lose their footing and fall into the pool. The only way out is through a small opening -- squeezing through it is how they pick up the pollen.
Bulbophyllum Echinolabium
Not all beautiful things are friendly -- this lovely orchid with its spidery flower has a dark side. The word "echinolabium" translates to "spiny lip," and the hinged lip, color, and fragrance of the flower is designed to attract flies for pollination. The bloom has a fragrance that is quite awful, smelling like rotting meat.
These plants, also called butterfly orchids, started the orchid craze in Victorian England.
These orchids are a South American genus that come in rare blue and violet tones. With broad leaves, they need bright light and warm conditions to thrive. Good air movement will help keep the leaves free of spotting, a common problem with this type of orchid. The flowers are known for their strong fragrance of hyacinths and have leopard spots on the sepals and petals with velvet blue violet lips.
Dendrochilum is an unusual and easy-to-grow orchid. It is a very unorchid-looking orchid with nearly a thousand flowers on the plants.
Oncidiums and their relatives are a large group of hybrids that are becoming very popular. They are grown as cut flowers and are commonly called dancing lady orchids for their fanciful and colorful flowers. They come in every size, shape, and color you can imagine and are easy to grow.
Paphiopedilums are tropical lady's slipper orchids from Southeast Asia and are very popular with orchid growers. They are easy plants to grow in the home, and many of them will succeed in lower light situations. The flowers have been bred into a variety of colors and shapes and last quite a long time in the right conditions.
Epidendrums are popular landscape plants in the tropical regions of the world, and many new dwarf varieties are being introduced from Japan. They will continually bloom for months and do well in brightly lit situations. They come in many bright hues of pink, orange, red, and yellow.
Nobile Dendrobium
The genus Dendrobium contains thousands of different species. These orchids enjoy cool conditions and a dry rest to trigger their flowers in spring. In the right conditions, they will cover themselves in fragrant blooms of bright colors.
Jewel Orchid
This beautiful orchid is grown for its interesting and spectacular foliage.
Vandas are challenging to grow in the home but love warmer climates. Originally from Southeast Asia, they have been bred into a variety of shapes, bright colors, and wild patterns. They don't enjoy being in a pot, preferring instead to have their roots exposed in a very coarse mix or in an open basket. They need high humidity, good air movement, and warmer temperatures to succeed.
The classic orchid -- full of color and fragrance -- is enjoying a surge in popularity again.
The pansy orchid: wonderfully fragrant flowers with great patterns that resemble -- what else? -- pansies.
Orchid Care Tips
Different kinds of orchids have different light requirements: Phalaenopis and Paphiopedilum like low to medium light, while Oncidium and Dendrobium like medium to high levels of light.
Orchids generally need to be watered every four to seven days depending on the orchid, the home environment, and the time of year. Take your orchid to your kitchen sink and run tepid water through the potting mix until the water flows freely through the drainage holes.
If your orchid is done flowering, cut the flower spike down to the base of the plant. From there, move the plant to bright, indirect light and repot if necessary using proper repotting medium, such as orchid bark; combine with charcoal and sphagnum moss to help with drainage.
Repotting and Propagating Orchids
To repot and divide an orchid, you'll need containers with suitable drainage holes, suitable potting mix containing orchid bark, charcoal, and perlite, and a clean and sterile cutting tool.
Begin by gently removing the plant from its pot and shaking off all the old potting mix. Do this gently to ensure you damage the roots as little as possible. Remove any dead or dying roots from the plant.
Next, look at the plant to see where the new growth is and decide how many plants you would like to get from the original one. When you divide your plant, you don't want to cut the pieces much smaller than four growths. This will make sure that the remaining pieces have a good root system and plenty of stored foods in the bulbs to keep the plant growing healthily.
Using your clean and sterile cutting tool, make a clean cut through the rhizome. Any of the older bulbs can be discarded. Sometimes they will produce new growth, but it can take some time before reaching blooming size. After dividing the plant into pieces, each section can be potted individually.
When potting the plant, make sure that you choose a container that will allow for growth. Place the plant with the cut end towards the side of the pot and the new growth going towards the center. Fill the pot and press down on the sides of the mix to help firm the plant into its new home. The rhizome should be just below the surface of the mix with the new growth slightly buried. This way, when the new roots appear they will go right into the new mix and the plant will continue to grow happily into its new home. If the plant is a little wobbly, stake it to help secure the plant.
Place the plants on a windowsill and water and fertilize them on a regular basis. You can share your new plants with friends, or just enjoy them yourself.
The New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show
Curated by Marc Hachadourian, the annual orchid show at the New York Botanical Garden is an elaborate and kaleidoscopic display of orchids. The 2009 show runs through April 12, and showcases thousands of brilliantly colored orchids in a contemporary Brazilian garden designed by award-winning Miami-based landscape architect Raymond Jungles. The Orchid Show also features a massive original work of art by Burle Marx and landscape design elements inspired by him.
Special Thanks
Special thanks to Marc Hachadourian, curator of glasshouse collections for the New York Botanical Garden, for sharing this information.


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Blue Headphones Light Up Shirt
Product Details
Turn up the music, and crank up the bass with our Blue Headphones Light Up Shirt! This shirt showcases a DJ rocking out his headphones. High Tech, Vibrant, and DJ suitable for all nightlife occasions.
Rasta headphones is actually an equalizer t-shirt featuring a super thin, flexible electroluminescent (EL) panel. The panel is synced to a sound sensor and when sound or music are present the shirt will flash and illuminate like your stereo equalizer. There is a sound sensitivity control so that you can adjust the volume sensitivity for everything from room conversations to a full out rock concert ! Our shirt will impress friends or strangers and make them notice you and your new Blue Headphones shirt.


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Adults learn to solve a problem they have now
Motivation to learn depends in part on the person's skills, and more on the information. Adults learn in order to solve a problem they have now. Another way to say it: literacy skills always are used for a practical purpose.
I'll never forget a brochure titled How to Care for Your Son's Penis, a topic many a new mom has wondered about and few have been willing to ask about. So intended readers will be motivated to open the brochure. So far so good.
Health literacy...
the cognitive and social skills that determine a person's motivation and ability to access, understand and use information is ways that maintain or enhance health.
Facts do not motivate
The brochure would fail a SAM review on many counts discussed earlier in this series, each of which puts a damper on readers' motivation to read and learn and take action. But here's the big sin: the six-panel brochure uses five and a half panels to describe and illustrate the details of the penis, it structure, functions and properly named parts.
None of it tells the mom what she wants to know.
None of the dense narrative of facts motivates her to adopt the desired behavior -which is yet to be mentioned. In fact, this information is discouraging and disempowering. It overwhelms the reader with the author's knowledge, leaving her feeling like she can never learn what she needs to know to take care of her child. It makes her unnecessarily dependent on The One Who Knows. It takes up her time and leaves her with nothing she can use, no action she can decide to take or not.
How to... motivates
The last sentence on the back panel of the brochure says, "The best course is to leave it alone."
There is no need for the rest of the brochure. That's all she needs to know. A clinician could tell her that in less time than it takes to hand her the brochure, and a lot less time than it would take her to wade through the irrelevant gobbledygook.
We are motivated to read and learn from information that is clearly and immediately relevant; AND that describes in specific familiar concrete terms the actions that will solve the problem that motivated us to seek information in the first place.
As long as the desired behavior feels doable. On this point, the offending brochure gets a high score. "Leave it alone" is specific and doable.
SAM - the Suitability Assessment of Materials,gives a Superior rating to materials that describe and show specific behaviors and skills and that subdivide complex topics so readers feel confident and ready to take action step by step. Like this page from Beginnings Parent's Guide.


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Both debit orders and early debit orders are facilities that allow for a third party to collect money from your account. An early debit order is simply processed close to a credit payment, which means that after your salary is processed, the early debit order is processed against your account.
There are three types of early debit orders:


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Excerpt from Keith Johnstone's newsletter Gorilla and Micetro (Nov. 98)
It (Micetro now Maestro) began at Utrecht (in the Netherlands) where tickets had been sold for a performance at the end of a four-day Summer school. All twenty-six students wanted to play Theatresports™, even though this is one of the more difficult impro-forms and most of them were novices ('fools rush in…'etc.). I decided to accept everyone, and then 'narrow the field' in some way that was visibly unfair (so that the ejectees wouldn't have to think badly of themselves).


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Wednesday, 07 April 2010 01:34 PM
An earlier Easter and modest consumer spending rebound helped retail sales rise in March, particularly furniture and luxury goods, categories that were the worst hit during the recession, according to an early measurement.
The latest numbers out Wednesday from MasterCard Advisor's SpendingPulse show sales rose in most categories, including clothing, appliances and consumer electronics.
The figures track all forms of payment, including cash.
The March figures benefit from relatively easy comparisons to March 2009, when consumers cut back on spending and shopped mainly for necessities and the stock market hit its recession low.
Also, the retail month ended on Saturday, the day before Easter, so virtually all Easter purchases fell in March this year, said Michael McNamara, vice president of research and analysis for SpendingPulse.
"All Easter benefits counted in March of this year when last year, a week counted in April," he said.
Still, consumers continue to spend cautiously. Last week the Conference Board said consumers' confidence in the economy rebounded in March, but the index is still below the reading that is considered healthy. And unemployment remains high.
Here's a look at how sales fared by category:
— Luxury sales rose 22.7 percent. But luxury sales were hit hard by last year's spending pullback, so the number shows "how much people didn't buy last year, as opposed to showing how much they did buy this year," McNamara said.
— Furniture and furnishings sales rose 13.8 percent and appliance sales rose 6.9 percent, possibly reflecting the benefit of the housing tax credit over the last six months, McNamara said.
Furniture sales remain far below what they have been in the past. Compared with March 2006, furniture sales are still down 17.6 percent.
— Clothing sales rose 5.2 percent from a year ago, including a 4.2 percent rise in women's apparel, the strongest number in that category since March 2007.
— Men's clothing sales rose 9.3 percent and footwear rose 7 percent.
— Electronics sales rose 4.5 percent.
The data comes a day before retailers report on their sales at stores open at least a year. Analysts predict chains saw the figure grow modestly for the fourth straight month. The sales comparison is considered a key indicator for retailers because it excludes sales at stores that open or close during the year.
Michael Niemira, director of research and chief economist of the The International Council of Shopping Centers, said that even outside of the positive Easter effect, sales were likely "quite strong," partly because of warm weather.
He estimated that his group's index of sales at stores open at least a year will rise 8 percent to 10 percent — but about six percentage points of the rise from the early Easter.
Drugstore Walgreen Co. said Monday that Easter helped March sales at stores open at least a year rise 2.3 percent in March.
But the benefit of Easter that benefits March will hurt April results, analysts said.
March sales "are likely to prove the peak for the year," wrote Lazard Capital Markets analyst Todd Slater in a research note. But "April pain (will) follow March gain. The strength in March comes at the expense of April."
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The intro track to Gotye's Making Mirrors album is beautiful…
Whilst* the whole idea of the three minute pop song is to leave them wanting more, one minute and two seconds is just too darn short! Extended remix, plz!
* = Even though this article advises against the use of "whilst", I like the distinction between time (while) and an alternate for "although" (whilst). Other articles such as this whichenglish article also rip "whilst" a new one and deride it as arachaic and un-necessary, so I guess I'm in the minority in thinking that the dictionary's big enough for both of them.
Diversity is good, though – so b*llocks to it! Whilst FTW!


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June 20, 2007
Do you know people whose egos are off the charts? Dr. Phil's guests take self-love to the extreme.
War of the Egos
Renee believes that she's right all the time and even brags that her friends worship her. Her fiancé, Chuck, says Renee is confused because he's the one who excels at everything.
Find out why the police were recently at their house.
Conceited or Confident?
Desiree says her husband-to-be, Anthony, thinks he's God's gift to women. She says he won't go to the gas station without putting on cologne, tells his family he's "sexy as hell," and he even puts on stripteases… for himself!
Will Anthony's big head cause big problems in his marriage?
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall …
See the hidden-camera experiment that Dr. Phil conducts on his audience.


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Monday, June 16, 2008
Hennessey VSOP x Devilock Palm BoyPosted by Browners at 6/16/2008 05:47:00 pm
From Freshness Mag
"French lux cognac label Hennessy, along with DEVILOCK, will launch a temporary concept store in the capital city of Taiwan on the first week of July. By amalgamating luxury concepts and urban styles, both labels will offer a commemorative products - a limited edition PALMBOY figure with every purchase of Hennessy V.S.O.P. cognac. This offer will start this Friday, June 13th till July 1st at all participating Hennessy retailers in Taiwan. In addition, each buyer will have the chance to participate the VIP party/grand opening of Hennessy x DEVILOCK Taipei City Concept Store in July. More information to come in the near future."
Reminds me a lot of the "Fast" that CP+B created for VW Golf GTI fans in the States. They landed up selling for $800 on Ebay. I wonder whether Hennessy will have the same success? Or whether people will be as baffled as I am about how much they are cheapening their brand.
It goes to show that objects of sociablity, or ooze, as Hugh Macleod would call them, do get picked up and talked about.
Labels: cognac, Hennessy, talkability


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The Candidates (Delcroix Academy Book 1) Inara Scott
Release: Aug 24 2010 (can't find anything about book 2)
Recieved from Book it Forward
Link goes to Book Depository and teaser from Goodreads.com
"Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that's not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia's mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just...happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to anyone, belieiving this way she can supress her powers and keep them hidden.
But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy show up in her living room to offer her a full scholarship, Dancia's days of living under the radar may be over. Only, Delcroix is a school for diplomats' kids and child geniuses--not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies. So why are they treating Dancia like she's special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make Dancia feel welcome.
And then there's her mysterious new friend Jack, who can't stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at the Academy and wants Dancia to help him figure out what. But Dancia isn't convinced. She hopes that maybe the recruiters know more about her "gift" than they're letting on. Maybe they can help her understand how to use it...But not even Dancia could have imagined what awaits her behind the gates of Delcroix Academy"
**My rating: 4 of 5 stars**
*My Review*
The Candidates is a unique twist on a well-trod theme (boarding school for kids with special gifts). I love the X-men feel to it, the levels of powers, the elemental uses.
This is a first book in a series, so the pacing is a little slow, but that is not a bad thing. We get to enter into the world, discovering things with Dancia, we get to make our own decisions about characters as they are introduced, and we get to be in suspense learning what is really going on at Delcroix.
I loved the characters! Dancia is a wonderful main character, and I was rooting for her all along. She is brave, and loyal- making strange things happen when those she cares about are in danger, or if she feels injustice is being served. She is a very mature 14 year old, and she has an easy to read voice. Her friends, Hennie and Ester are wonderful and funny; just what I would want in my best friends. And, yes there is a love triangle! It is well written and I am torn right along with Dancia for a while. I ended up chosing Jack (make of that what you will.)
The book did end with quite a cliffie, so I am eagerly awaiting the next book, but will have to wait a bit.
I would love to hear what you think of my review and/or of this book.


text: As kind on your pocket as it is on your skin, DSH combines natural minerals and mud harvested from the Dead Sea with the latest cutting-edge science to create skin and hair-care products. The pick of the bunch is the DSH Anti-Wrinkle Cream which fights off signs of ageing using Argireline solution, considered the safe alternative to Botox. This light non-greasy cream is quickly absorbed into the skin for instant nourishment. If used twice a day, products containing 10% Argireline solution can reduce the appearance of wrinkles by up to 27% after 30 days.


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Within our creative services package we will provide strategy, design, video, and copywriting on a monthly basis for internal and external communications.
Abstrakt gives you an extra leg above your competition by providing sales materials, creative materials, branding, and digital design. Our creative services package will help keep you visual to your current and potential customers with complete coverage of all marketing strategies.
- Monthly
- Newsletters Weekly
- Employee Emails
- Training Materials
- Meeting Presentations
- Employee Spotlights
- Employee Contests
- Annual Events
- Monthly Themes
- Videos
- Charity Events
- Company Updates
- Promotional Items
- Sales Presentations
- Proposal Docs
- Videos
- Case Studies
- Infographics
- Sell Sheets
- Tradeshows
- Employee Highlights
- Recruiting Materials
- Brochures
- Product Releases
- Emails
Public Relations
- New Hires
- Client Success
- New Product/Services
- New Clients
- Charity Events
- Vendor Partners
- Award Submissions
- Product Enhancement
- Promotions
- Job Openings
- Culture
- Speaking Engagements
Our team is comprised of a variety of people, from account manager to operations manager, social media manager to graphic design artist, in order to cover all of the bases needed to provide the best creative services to serve your company. We keep you updated throughout the month regarding your social media campaign or advertising campaigns so you remain in touch with the direction you want your company to go.
We utilize best practices on social media, review sites, website design, and more. We want you to walk into sales meetings or trade shows with your best foot forward. Abstrakt's team will work with you to customize the creative services package to best serve your business in your area.
At the end of each month, you will receive a report detailing the 20 hours of creative services provided, with information on your website traffic, advertising performance, overview of your reviews, and more. We tailor our creative services to your business and optimize your performance in marketing to your current, potential, and future customers.


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American HomePatient dumps Arthur Andersen
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. - American HomePatient dumped Arthur Andersen as its accountant in mid June and is in the process of finding a replacement, according to filings with the Security and Exchange Commission. During the two-and-a-half years the companies worked together, there were no disagreements on accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosures, or auditing scope or procedures. Andersen's audited reports on AHP's consolidated financial statements contained no adverse opinions on the company's financial practices, according to the SEC filings. Like AHP, companies have fled from Arthur Andersen as its role in the Enron and Worldcom accounting scandals became known.
Apria upgrades computers
COSTA MESA, Calif. - Apria added some serious muscle to its internal operations last month when it upgraded to a bigger, faster model of its existing IBM computer system. IBM's eServer i890 will allow Apria to consolidate 28 computer processors onto one unit, simplifying centralized data collection. The system's excess capacity will make it easier to digest acquisitions, said George Suda, Apria's executive v.p. of information systems. "This isn't a small box," Suda said. "The main processing unit weights a ton."
Hospitals exit HME
YARMOUTH, Maine - Hospitals continue to jettison their HME and other ancillary businesses to focus on their core expertise of acute care. In Putnam, Conn., Day Kimball has put its $1 million respiratory company, Health Network Home Medical, up for sale. In Minnetonka, Minn, Allina Hospital & Clinics sold its home healthcare businesses and still has its Twin Cities Oxygen, Infusion Therapy/Pharmacy business and its medical equipment business on the market.


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Welcome to The Pines School
The Pines School is a local authority community school for boys and girls aged from three to eleven years old.
Welcome from the Headteacher
We are extremely proud to welcome you to The Pines Primary and Nursery School. This website will give you a flavour of what makes The Pines such a successful school and a very special place of learning.
The pupils, staff and governors are all very proud of our highly successful school which sits at the heart of its local community. At The Pines we are committed to delivering an outstanding education in an exceptional environment, where every child has the opportunity to achieve the highest level of success.
The Pines is built on a formula of high expectations, quality first teaching, and the belief that all children can succeed. We focus on developing well-rounded individuals who excel academically, technically, on the sporting field and in the arts. Our values based on being respectful, reflective, good communicators, aspirational, inventive and risk takers ensure our pupils develop enquiring minds and acquire the relevant skills, attitudes and knowledge to fully prepare them as they progress from The Pines onto Secondary School and beyond into adult life.
All learners, regardless of ability, benefit from the innovative and creative approaches to teaching and learning within the school. We believe that parents and carers have a crucial part to play with the school's staff in creating a climate of high expectation that will encourage all children to achieve their very best.
There is no better environment than The Pines Primary and Nursery School for a child to develop. OFSTED describes The Pines as a GOOD school where "pupils are happy. They feel safe in school and know there is someone to turn to if they have a problem. They are well looked after."
Educating children is a great responsibility and privilege and at The Pines we readily accept this. If you are interested in finding out more about our school, please come and visit us.
Mrs. Ruth Huckle Mrs. Hana Price
Executive Headteacher Interim Head of School
Welcome from the Chair of Governors
Dear All
I am very proud and honoured to have been elected as the new Chair of Governors at The Pines School and to be able to join forces with the school leadership, to move our school onwards and upwards.
As a Governing Body we are delighted that the school has gained a 'Good' standard in our previous Ofsted inspection and we recognise how much work and effort the whole staff put in for that to happen. Credit must go to our children, too, as they have learnt the work ethics required for them to make progress.
We are excited to be starting out on a new era for The Pines School where all our standards continue to be good and we aim to become outstanding. This new academic year promises to be interesting and innovative with our well qualified and motivated staff working to further develop the potential in our children.
This year the Governing Body intends to publish regular updates on its activities. Further information about who we are can be found in the 'Governors' section on the school website. Governors can be contacted via Sharon Mobbs, our Clerk to Governors at email@example.com
Penny Thompson
Chair of Governing Body


text: Slate & Wheat Portfolio » Previous Next » Copyright © 2017 Stephen Oliver - All rights reserved Inspired by images of the Llanberis slate quarry in Wales. Mixed media on canvas 81 x 81 cm (32 x 32 in) Black, wooden 'floating' frame £250 Please note: Artwork is sold for collection from my gallery at the Orchards Centre, Dartford only (click here for opening times). Delivery is not included. Click here to enquire about delivery. Click the button below to pay via PayPal - a PayPal account is not required. Please bring your PayPal receipt for collection. You will need this as proof of purchase. Tweet


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Global Campuses & Partnerships
RIT students may pursue international study through its main campus in Rochester, NY and have the option of studying at RIT Global Campuses and through faculty-led RIT programs. Students and professors have experience abroad in such countries as Croatia, Kosovo, Italy, France, Japan, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Hungary, Ghana, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates. Learn more about RIT Global Programs and RIT Study Abroad.
Global Campuses
Through RIT campuses abroad, students in other areas of the world can earn an RIT degree – in a location and degree program that meets their needs. In addition, RIT students, faculty and staff in the US have the opportunity to travel, teach, research, work, and study abroad.
RIT Croatia
RIT Croatia, established in Dubrovnik in 1997, is the first private institution of higher education in Croatia. The campus offers its undergraduate students dually accredited diplomas in service and hospitality management and information technology.
RIT Kosovo
Located in the capital city of Pristina, RIT Kosovo was founded in 2003 and offers undergraduate degrees in applied arts and sciences, with concentration options in management, economics and statistics, public policy and media and graphic communication.
RIT Dubai
Established in 2008, RIT Dubai has more than 150 students from around the world. RIT offers undergraduate degree programs in business, engineering, and computing and information science, and master's degree programs in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, service leadership and innovation, engineering management, and networking and systems administration.
Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU)
With locations in Beijing (China's capital city) and Weihai, BJTU is an institution that is highly focused on engaging its students in global learning. RIT's collaboration with BJTU is one of the university's most comprehensive and multidimensional international partnerships, which includes faculty and student exchange, study abroad, and joint degree programs.
Graduate students participate in a business simulation class at the RIT Dubai Campus.
University presidents from Colombia meet with Dr. Destler in the Innovation Center at RIT during a recent visit to campus.
University Partnerships
RIT collaborates with universities world-wide to offer academic programs, research, training, faculty development, study abroad, and student and faculty exchange opportunities.
Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra, Dominican Republic
Since 1998, RIT and PUCMM have collaborated to provide affordable high-quality educational opportunities including degree programs, faculty development, and short-term training in a variety of fields. These collaborative efforts have produced substantial results for Dominican students and the country. To date, more than 300 students from the DR have received degrees from RIT through RIT/PUCMM partnership programs. Current initiatives include joint degree programs, collaborative research, and study abroad programs for RIT students.
Yeditepe University, Turkey
RIT and Yeditepe University offer students in Turkey the opportunity to earn a joint master's degree by taking a combination of courses at Yeditepe University—some taught by Yeditepe faculty, and others taught by RIT professors who travel to Turkey to teach accelerated blended courses. Students in the program travel also travel to RIT to complete two additional courses during an intensive four-week session.
Vellore Institute of Technology, India
RIT and VIT University have established and agreement to cooperate in the development of programs to promote and encourage educational exchange and interaction. Through the partnership, RIT and VIT University expect to offer a variety of opportunities for educational collaboration and exchange, including joint degree programs, opportunities for student and faculty exchange, and research collaboration.
Additonal University Partners:
- Insituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Peru
- Insituto Peruana de Publicidad, Peru
- Universidad Peruana de Ciencias, Peru
- CIBERTEC, Peru
- Universidad Autonoma del Occidente, Colombia
- Universidad del Norte, Colombia
- UNITEC, Honduras
- University of Navarra, ISSA, Spain
- University of Tikrit, Iraq
- University of Lyon, France
- Kanazawa University, Japan
- Kyoto Computer Gakuin, Kyoto, Japan
Russian students, who attend RIT through a special scholarship agreement, meet with the Minister of Education from Tatarstan during his visit to campus.
Government & Agency Partnerships
RIT partners with governmental ministries, departments and agencies throughout the world, including the US Department of State's Education USA, China's Jiangsu Department of Education in China, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology in the Dominican Republic, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Education, and government departments and agencies including Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Rwanda, Thailand and Vietnam. These governments provide information and financial support for students and professors interested in studying worldwide.
In addition, RIT maintains close ties with several non-governmental organizations such as IIE, AMIDEAST, IREX, USIEF, LASPAU and the OAS to facilitate and provide support for students interested in studying at RIT. Through such partnerships, RIT extends the university reputation and attracts some of the world's most prestigious scholars -- including Fulbright Scholars, Ford Foundation Scholars, Edmund S. Muskie Fellows, Royal Thai Scholars and Bolashak Scholars.


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Kurt Nimmo
September 28, 2011
The Department of Justice will work with authorities in Wyoming to violate what remains of Posse Comitatus, according to the Star-Tribune.
"In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, F.E. Warren Air Force Base will collaborate with state and local governments and law enforcement to cut down on underage and irresponsible drinking," the newspaper reported earlier this week. "State, local and military police will also work together under the program to crack down on drunk people who disobey the law."
The Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs provided funding for the three-year project, estimated to cost $300,000-per-year.
The Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C. § 1385), passed on June 18, 1878, following the end of Reconstruction, restricts the federal government from using the military in state and local law enforcement. The statute specifically prohibits the Army and Air Force and units of the National Guard under federal authority from acting in a law enforcement capacity.
"Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both," 18 U.S.C. § 1385 states.
In 2006, following Hurricane Katrina, Bush urged Congress to pass legislation overriding Posse Comitatus. The result was the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007. It allowed the federal government to use the armed forces to "restore public order and enforce the laws of the United States" during national emergencies such natural disasters.
The changes were repealed in their entirety in 2008.
- A d v e r t i s e m e n t
- {openx:74}
Earlier this year, we reported on military police – described as "crime stoppers" – from the Homestead AFB in Florida detaining domestic criminal suspects.
In 2009, the National Guard provided "security" in Kingman, Arizona. The Coast Guard, under the Department of Homeland Security, is now exempt from the Act.
The military participated in a checkpoint along with Tennessee cops and Homeland Security in April of 2009. The governor and state representatives were not aware of the illegal collaboration when contacted by the Alex Jones Show.
In 2008, the Marine Corps Air and Ground Combat Center and the California Highway Patrol used the Christmas holiday as an excuse to collaborate on a drunk driving checkpoint in San Bernardino County.
Following a shooting in Alabama, the Army was dispatched from Fort Rucker to patrol the streets of Samson in 2009.
Pittsburgh mayor Luke Ravenstahl called in the National guard to help in "domestic" disputes in 2009. Ravenstahl used a snow emergency as an excuse. He went on television and said "be advised that you will begin to see National Guard Humvees in some of your neighborhoods beginning this evening."
The Wyoming program is another example of the federal government violating the law in an attempt to merge federal and local law enforcement, an effort that has been underway since the Clinton administration.


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A Dubai investment roadshow - the first since the 2009 crisis - has told a gathering of international bankers in London, that the emirate anticipates another boom time ahead.
Dubai officials told the crowd at Deutsche Bank's London offices that lessons have been learned from the crisis and now it is gearing up for another big boom. According to Reuters, the pitch appeared to win over plenty of the audience.
"If Dubai had to do the same again, most likely we would follow the same approach," Mohammed al-Shaibani, head of sovereign wealth fund Investment Corp of Dubai, told the audience.
"Now we are leading the region and we have a mission to position Dubai as one of the world's main global cities. We're on the right track," he said.
There are signs that boom times have already returned to Dubai, as construction projects rocket along with industry stocks. Emaar Properties, the country's largest real-estate developer, has seen its stock nearly double in the last 12 months.
However, memories of the 2009 crash are still fresh: a legacy of half built skyscrapers was left across the city and a number of developers went out of business.
The tanking economy pushed Dubai's state-linked corporations to restructure their debts, which stretched to the tens of billions of dollars and threatened international investors with huge losses.
Dubai faces a massive amount of maturing debt over the next few years. The International Monetary Fund says that Dubai's obligation to pay $78bn of maturing debt from 2014 to 2017 will be "challenging". The latest charm offensive aims to securing Dubai credibility among the global community in light of this.
Dubai says it is up for the challenge. The half-finished skyscrapers have become the responsibility of an army of international developers, as well as domestic conglomerates like Emaar.
At the London event, officials said Dubai was back on track to exceed its 2015 gross domestic product target of $108bn.
The renewed confidence comes after officials expressed confidence that Dubai World, the company at the heart of the 2009 debt crisis, would be able to make its upcoming repayments on time.
The company is due to pay a $4.4bn loan maturity in May, its first major repayment since the crisis.


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What's TacoJS?
TacoJS is a monthly meetup centered around programming, tacos, and live performances.
How do I submit a talk?
You can either create a new issue on GitHub or send us an email in the footer link. Come chat in #tacojs on the PhillyDev Slack OR #speaking on the BoroJS Slack if you want immediate feedback.
When and where will it be?
- When: 6:30-9:30pm, usually on Thursday
- Where: Somewhere near Center City Philadelphia, accessible by transit
Do I need to be an expert to talk?
Nope. This meetup is supposed to be fun and casual, so we want everyone to participate. We especially encourage people of under-represented groups to apply.
What kind of talks are you looking for?
We don't have a strict formula and we encourage you to surprise us, but this is the balance we try to strike every month:
2x Creative Talks:
Creative applications of programming. Past examples are generating lego murals out of static images, and building an in-browser RPG.
1x Passion Talk:
Something you're excited about outside of work. Past examples are starting and maintaining an open source project, and using meditation and programming side by side.
1x Technical Talk:
A deep dive on a technical topic. Past examples are optimizing your code for the V8 JavaScript engine, and using functional programming for developing UI.
How long should my talk be?
Ten minutes. There won't be any formal Q&A; we encourage attendees to ask questions in person later. We also try to introduce you well enough so you can speed through any self-bio slides.
What should be in my talk submission?
Just a few sentences describing what you want to talk about would be great.
What's the A/V situation?
We'll have HDMI to plug into (for video and audio) and a mic for you to use. Let us know if you need any fancy adapters (we'll have some Apple ones).
Do I need to submit my slides beforehand?
Nope, but please show up at least 30 minutes before your talk.
What resolution is the projector?
Our project is widescreen, optimized for 1080x1920 resolutions.


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How to make a ribbon organiser - Guest post tutorial by Ellen from Creative Passage
5 comments:
hiya, gorgeous ribbon holder it is sooo neat and tidy and pink yay x i am so jealous of your 50 roll haul though :( lol tfsReplyDelete
Great Tutorial Ellen!ReplyDelete
Lucky you Jill for having Ellen stop by.
Oh and Jill, I haven't forgotten about you. I will hopefully reply to your email over the weekend. I haven't had much free time this past week.
Great tutorial and wonderful way to hold all the ribbonsReplyDelete
Thanks Jill for having me over for the guest post!ReplyDelete
Thank you for stopping by my blog hobbygatherer. I have become a follower of yours too. Thanks for your reply. I have not even considered the animal products that I can buy, like belts and what not... wow that is something to consider. Right now I am just focusing on food. And really as I consider just going meatless I am really also trying to cut out the animal food products. I would appreciate any tips too.ReplyDelete


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Have you thought of something that might be perfect for your business website? Can't figure out how to get it started? Can it even be done? The web developers at Softprologic A Website can talk you through the possibilities and how to implement your ideas into a website.
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Grow your business with Softprologic. We offer you beautifully designed and fully customizable themes with integration of different services. We can customized the solution offered to suit it better to your Business need.
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You will take a simple understanding of how to write script. Keep in mind that the skills outlined in this brief tutorial are only the barest skills needed to use the canvas element. As an example, we'll draw a box. This box will be surround by a line of red, a border. We'll make the box yellow. Inside the box, we'll write the....
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Excellent service at competitive cost. Bright, lively and colorful designs yet simple, professional service and adaptable interfacing. I will continue to rely on Softprologic as our IT Partner in this ever growing industry.
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Wow...what a year 2015 has been...
First off, want to begin by saying that yesterday was pretty awesome! I worked for half the day, trained, got home, made a delicious & healthy dinner (baked whole organic chicken, potatoes and salad), had a Star Wars marathon (1-3!) and had another workout (cardio, baby!) and more Star Wars...and King of Queens....then bed at 12:01am! LOL. It was nice, honestly.
This morning I woke up and decided to start my year by journaling -
I decided I'm not going to make any resolutions for 2016 at all. I, first of all, cannot believe that's it's 2016 already. It's insanity how quickly time flies these days. I don't even know where 2015 went! And even though I say to myself now that 2015 wasn't as eventful or exciting as I wanted it to be, it definitely was a year of firsts. I got a new job, I finished school and graduated, I began training...among a multitude of other things. So I should be proud and give myself a pat on the back. I feel like I'm on the right track - and that there ARE good things to come...
But I can't stand the "NEW YEAR, NEW YOU" slogans that are being smeared all over social media and advertisements the last week or so. Driving me BONKERS!!
I know that sounds terrible - but it really is! I don't like resolutions, because if you don't follow through with half of them, then you feel like a failure! I started my new years resolutions, a long time ago! I just think that we shouldn't put this incredibly amount of pressure on ourselves, for no reason! We should just take it as it comes, a day at a time!
We need to sent lifestyle goals, little tiny things that will make a big impact...pack a huge punch!
So...that's what I'm doing. No resolutions, just little changes...that'll become big ones...
Also, positivity. That's a big thing for me as well right now.
So....Happy New Year to all of you!
May 2016 be the best year yet! Or...just take it as it comes! The good and the bad. :)
But regardless, I am:
And here's to another year with The Darling Miss G - please stay tuned for LOTS more!! :)


text:
A couple of days ago AT&T detailed its Nokia Lumia 1520 launch plans and today it's Microsoft's turn. The Redmond company has officially detailed the Lumia 1520 availability and launched a pre-order campaign for the phablet.
Microsoft is going the extra mile with this particular pre-order. For everyone who pre-orders the phone, they'll throw in a $50 Microsoft Store app card as well as an $20 app gift card provided by Nokia. That's not all - there's also a free Lumia 1520 flip cover (valued at $39.99) included as well. And if that's not enough, there's a free download of Halo: Spartan Assault for Windows Phone to top things off.
Microsoft's offer will end on November 21, while the device starts shipping the next day. The Nokia Lumia 1520 sells for $199 and will initially be available in black, red and white, with yellow to come later this year.
However, if you fancy yourself an unlocked Lumia 1520, then retailer Unlocked Mobiles will be happy to oblige. The SIM-free Lumia 1520 will cost you a hefty £594.98, and is scheduled to start shipping on November 25.


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Well…after some deliberation, review of all my classmates blogs and in consideration of the past two weeks reading…I thought this was the perfect time to explore my own experiences with online facilitation over the past week! I have the privilege of designing and facilitating 10 mandatory sixty minute webinars for over 700 staff and what was the content you might ask? Something we have all experienced – the annual Occupational Health & Safety review! Human resources was of course the subject matter expert and delivered most of the content themselves with my support however the experience was timely in light of everything we've been discussing and reading as of late.
Let's start with the planning required for these webinars. Not only did extensive scoping of the content and building of the presentation take place but the administration setup was equally extensive. To build the webinars, polling questions, survey and market the education occurred over 4 weeks with goals of ensuring the session would be learner centred, relevant and meaningful. Also included was practice time with HR to not only review the content but practice navigating the technology as 'presenting' not only includes the virtual presence but also knowledge about how to switch screens and control muting. Added onto this was a request for me to mentor a staff on my role as organizer, which of course I was happy to do.
But the best part for me came in trialling a webcam for first time! Only a few staff in the organization currently have this capability and although I had to ask IT to purchase me a portable set, it works perfect. A little daunting to project yourself into the screen however I was really pushing to try and create some sense of social presence in a short session and already evaluation is revealing that staff wish they could see all the presenters, which is a great first step… identification and validation that it is helpful to receive those visual cues which display emotion and tone of voice. Each session provides immediate assessment in the form of a survey and it is used to guide/revise ongoing sessions. Upon completion of all the webinars later this week, I will provide a full analysis of the data to HR who will use it to document baseline knowledge and align against organizational goals.
One interesting note to share is that a staff contacted me this week and indicated she had watched the webinar from her ipad; this was extremely exciting as staff do not have ipads however this individual herself decided to engage with her own technological devices; to expand her own knowledge of learning with innovation. Although we were able to identify some challenges with the 'app' she used, I am planning now to further test this myself as I believe this presents opportunities in the future to expand the delivery of our organizational learning.
What a timely experience for me to 'put to practice' our recent learning's and I am looking forward to the next opportunities for online learning in my organization where hopefully I can promote more effectiveness and engagement of learners through innovative and interactive strategies.


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Sunday, July 18, 2010
How to Keep a Munchkin Busy
Then, what to fill it with? We decided that she would bring some of her finger puppets and some of her castle dolls. I am going to surprise her with a magnetic storyboard and an I-Spy pouch. And of course, a 400 page coloring book and new crayons for my little artist!
Other than the coloring book, it all fits inside quite nicely!
Hopefully when we return, our internet will be working properly again, and I will be able to resume normal posting. See you all in August!
3 comments:
- Sandy said...
Surely she will enjoy everything in her backpack. I have an award for you. Please visit this link to see it: http://raisingian.blogspot.com/2010/07/outstanding-blogger-award.html
- July 19, 2010 at 2:10 PM
- abbie said...
We do eight hour car rides with my daughter frequently. It is not easy. Hope your travel days are going well.
- July 30, 2010 at 1:00 PM
- Michelle said...
I love this bag what a great project!!
Thank you for your comment. Juliette is having the surgery on one side. It is so good to be able to talk to someone who has been through this same surgery. How was she after it...I am not sure what to expect or how I am going to be able to keep her still?? If you don't want to post in the comments you can e-mail me at email@example.com. How long was E in the hospital after her surgery??? I'm sorry I feel like I have a million questions.
- August 3, 2010 at 9:28 PM


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CDs are also available for purchase by mailing
a check made out to:
Claudia Nygaard
P.O. Box 92372
Nashville, TN 37209.
Be sure to specify the title of the CD,
and include your address and $2 for shipping.
Lucky Girl
Claudia Nygaard
P.O. Box 92372
Nashville, TN 37209
Be sure to include your address and which CD!
To purchase a download
with Venmo or paypal:
Email Claudia
Let The Storm Roll In
1. Big Country
"Stunning! The whole disc is a sheer delight... this is exceptionally good." FIVE out of five stars! Maverick Magazine
"One of the finest singer/songwriter/storyteller collections in recent memory... 'His Left Side' is utterly brilliant." -- Wildy Haskell, Wildy's World
"Nothing short of amazing… Comprised of a dozen equally excellent tunes, "Let The Storm Roll In" reveals Nygaard to be one of Americana music's hidden gems." Jeffrey Sisk, In Tune, The Daily News
Also available for download
on Itunes
Live on WFMT Folkstage
1. Coyote
This is a voice and guitar recording of Claudia performing solo, during a live performance on WFMT "Folkstage" in Chicago, May 9, 2009.
CD includes three songs not to be found on other CDs: A lttle Bit "Embarrassed", "Dumped By A Dweeb", and "Chenee" (a song about a girl in Darfur).
This live version of "His Left Side" has been chosen by Rich Warren at WFMT for "The Best of Folkstage" Compilation CD.
Somewhere Else To Go
1. I've Already Seen This Movie
"There's plenty of power and resonance in her delivery. Liked the forceful production, too..." --Robert K. Oermann, Music Row Magazine, Nashville, TN
"Will fit into any country singer/songwriter collection and sit there with pride among the legend of a fine art." -- Brian Ahern, Country Music & More, UK
"An album chock full of retro country lyrics and honky tonk ambience." -- Time Out, London, UK
"Rich with wit and emotion and her full-textured vocals." -- Gene Harbrecht, Orange County Register, CA
Also available for download
on Itunes
Also available for download
on Itunes
Stay With You Tonight
This CD is currently out of print. Some songs may soon become available on CD Baby individually or as part of a compilation CD. "Edna" is available on "Somewhere Else To Go".
Prairie Flowers
This CD is currently out of print. Some songs may soon become available on CD Baby individually or as part of a compilation CD. "Prairie Flowers" is available on "Somewhere Else To Go".


text:
Yo all.
Let's start with big news first, shall we?
I found out on Friday that I'm in remission. I don't have details – I meet with the doctor on Thursday to go over my scan. But this does mean that I'm right on course and we can move ahead with the stem cell treatment sooner rather than later. Let's take a moment to say "HELL YEAH!" shall we?
I've got my 3rd chemo next week. Then my team and I will get ready for the stem cell process – first harvesting, then I go in hospital for BEAM chemo and finally reintroduce my stem cells. I'm hoping for mid-end of October to get all of this done.
The hardest part is yet to come. The stem cell process is going to be quite difficult – from the isolation for 3 weeks to the physical toll it will take on my body. Also, I will be immuno-deficient for some time afterward, which will put me at risk for catching disease and infection. Sounds like good times.
But one step at a time. I've been basking in the glow of my good news. It has been hugely motivating to know that all the pain I've been going through is worth it. A big shout out goes to my oncologist and her team for staying on top of all my side-effects – big and small – and keeping up with my blood work and general well being.
I also started grad school yesterday, which is also a big kick in the ass. The school is hugely supportive and I feel cool and comfortable beginning this process, even with such a daunting medical schedule in front of me. I'll be Skyped in to classes that I will miss and my professors have put into place an excellent support system for me. Taking a class this semester is the best decision I could have made for myself – both in the short term and the long term.
I don't know what else to say. What can I put in this blog to adequately describe how good I'm feeling these days? In remission. Life moving forward. I've got some fatigue and bone pain, but it is all manageable. So I'm enjoying the good days because there are bad days ahead.
I'm happy to share this good news with you. And I'm at a loss how to end such an awesome blog post.
So I give you Chewbacca on a giant squirrel fighting Nazi's (courtesy of Deviantart's gamefan84):


text:
101 Best Blackberry Apps is a showcase for the best free and paid for Blackberry applications.
Rank: #
KickBerry - Pregnancy Kick Counter for BlackBerry
Price: Free
KickBerry helps you count your baby's movements. Every time you feel your baby kick, click any key to increase the count. KickBerry keeps track of how long it takes you to get to 10 movements. KickBerry also lets you know when you've passed the one-hour and two-hour marks. Plus, KickBerry will keep a record of every time you've counted your baby's kicks, so you can track your baby's activity level over time.
FREE until Labor Day (September 5, 2010)
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Everett's Winquist earning the spotlightby Adam Kimelman
When it comes to the Everett Silvertips, most of the talk surrounds defenseman Ryan Murray, the second pick of the 2012 NHL Draft. Forward Joshua Winquist, a candidate for the 2013 draft, is doing his best to steal some of Murray's spotlight.
The 19-year-old forward had three goals and two assists for the Silvertips, as they won both games over the weekend. The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder had a goal and two assists in a 3-2 win at the Prince Albert Raiders on Friday, and scored two goals in a 3-2 win at the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday.
Winquist leads Everett with eight goals, 13 points and a plus-8 rating.
Here is how a few other Western Hockey League draft prospects fared this past weekend:
* Lethbridge center Russell Maxwell had a pair of goals in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Kamloops Blazers on Friday.
* Tri-City right wing Phillip Tot and center Marcus Messier each scored two goals in the Americans' 6-3 win at the Regina Pats on Friday.
* Eetu Laurikainen turned aside 43 of 44 shots in the Swift Current Broncos' 2-1 win against Saskatoon on Friday.
* Spokane Chiefs left wing Adam Helewka scored both his team's goals in a 2-1 defeat of the Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday.
* Edmonton center Curtis Lazar, who earned an A rating in NHL Central Scouting's preliminary rankings of players to watch for this year's draft, scored two goals in the Oil Kings' 4-2 defeat of the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday.
* Kamloops' JC Lipon scored two goals and had an assist in the Blazers' 6-3 win at Kootenay on Saturday. Lipon leads the WHL with 13 goals, 19 assists and 32 points in just 13 games.
* Portland Winterhawks center Nicolas Petan had three assists in his team's 6-1 defeat of Seattle on Saturday. Petan, who earned a C-rating from Central Scouting, is fifth in the league with 13 assists.
* Prince Albert left wing Dakota Conroy scored a pair of goals, including the eventual game-winner, in the Raiders' 4-1 win against Swift Current on Sunday.
Contact Adam Kimelman at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NHLAdamK


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|Sneak peak to my exiting news
So let's start with Tuesday night.
Shadow Rising was starting to feel the push for completing all of ToT before the patch and decided that this week we'd start with extending our raid ID. The furthest boss we had was for Durumu. So Duru is where we started. Arv and I were tanking and I was desperately trying to remember how the fights went from a tanking perspective. And I don't think I was the only one trying to remember all the steps to the fight. We needed a few trys but then we had him. Primordious fell over and it was off to Dark Animus. The raid needed to adjust the setup since different golems were broken and I knew this time my job wouldn't be to stand around looking pretty. That was Sorak's. But it wasn't difficult either. It was kill my two golems then grab Slice's to wake the Massive one. There were a few fumbles but it made the plan really set in my mind. I started with popping my ghoul and my runic weapon for the extra dps help and the extra protection it'd provide. I also knew with the Massive I could slow down the build of stacks by using anti-magic shell. I've been dying to try it. It just seems so unfair that pallys can eliminate all the stacks of debuffs all the time so I was really excited to at least slow it down. But then I learnt something really cool. By preventing one stack there's enough time between hits that by the time there's another explosive slam my stack will be gone. SWEET!!! Score for the death knight! Highest stack once I realized that was 2-3. Before I got good timing with my anti-magic shell I had let the stack get up to 5 or 6. I don't remember seeing a debuff from the dark animus other then anima ring which the dps do a good job of collecting. Maybe if/when we're doing this fight again and I'm tanking I'll suggest that I hold the massive the whole time unless Arv gets a stack of the anima ring because I really hate that tank swap.
Alright, onward and upward. It was finally time to take down the Iron Qon. The second phase cyclones had been given us a lot of trouble the last times we were fighting him and I know that while I had started the night alright but the end I was so nervous they were giving me fits. This time I reminded myself to stay calm. I'm not one for finding a path and making a mad dash. I pick and choose when to cross each spot. I was also a tank so I knew I could survive one and even two hits of cyclones although I did want to try and advoid that. It took a few trys but once we had gotten him though that phase the rest of the fight was fairly easy.
|How to get a screenshot with everyone in it
Get them while they're eating
Now it was time for Lei Shen. It's a complicated fight. For the intermission I'm not sure where everyone was but I was in the plate corner with Zug and Van. We did pretty good. I figured since the goal is to survive all the damage and there's not really too much stuff that needs to be beat on I'd switch my presence to blood for the extra damage reduction and the extra stamina then switch it back to frost for killing stuff. We spent the night learning the fight and you could see how each try we were improving. Finally it was time to call last pull but despite a rather valiant effort we weren't able to pull off a kill.
Now it was time for me to switch to my warlock and Zug to switch to his monk and it was off to kill stuff with Spoiled Milk. Unlike Shadow Rising, Spoiled Milk raids 3 nights a week so they decided that instead of focusing all 3 nights on Lei Shen that we would start a fresh raid. I think part of that decision is that some of our usual people weren't able to make it. Either way we started out and rushed to kill bosses as quickly as possible. It was a pretty normal evening with a few exceptional things. One is that I was trying to raid with my demonology spec. I've been using destruction since reaching 90 but I've recently I did learn that demonology is a higher dps spec so I decided that I want to start getting more used to it. That way I can have a better idea of what works for me. I saw some improvement on some fights but not on others. The other interesting thing is that I learnt how to kick turtle shells. I've been lucky in that so far there's always been someone else more experienced kick them but that night I was the only ranged aside from a pug hunter so I had to learn. I messed up the first try but being off on my aim causing a wipe. The only good thing is that it was a quick wipe instead of one at less then ten percent. But the next attempt went well. It helped that the raid leader was telling me when to get to the turtle and when to kick. I'm hoping next time I have to kick shells to be able to do it on my own.
Thursday we started at Duru and progressed to twins. Twins wasn't a one shot but I think that was partly my fault. The last time we did the fight our raid leader enhancement shaman ran the constellations. This time I got asked to do it. I had no clue what to do so they did talk me though it before the fight. Still it was a bit difficult. I even made a cheat sheet so I knew going in a bit about the pattern I would need to run. But crane was really hard for me. Something about making a triangle is hard. But I'm really happy I was able to experience and learn a new part to the fight.
Sunday night we went in at Lei Shen and spent the night working on him. I was in a quadrant with Rith, our blood death knight that I think is freaking awesome. I however was a squishy little warlock trying to survive static shocks. I learnt. Each failure I took what I saw, made adjustments and at the end of the night static shock was no longer a threat to me. Sorta. I mean, it could still kill me but I now had several plans in place. Finally it was getting late enough that the raid would need to be called soon. So the raid leader called for the last pull and things were going well. We all made it though the first phase and we were only down two people going into the third. It was going to be close. And then Boom!
Second server kill and first Horde one goes to Spoiled Milk!