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When you think of Las Vegas you immediately picture The Strip with all its glitz and glamor. However, there is another side to Vegas that is often missed – Downtown.
Downtown is the original Las Vegas. Its holds the history of this city and is just as glamorous as its more famous sister, The Strip.
We had been to the bright lights of Las Vegas a few times before this particular trip and we are guilty of always staying on the Strip to be in the middle of it all. However, this time we wanted to experience the other side to Vegas, the more authentic side, so we stayed Downtown.
We chose The Plaza Hotel & Casino for its location, directly opposite the Freemont Street Experience, however it turned out to be so much more than a great location.
The Plaza has gone through a complete make over in recent years and as soon as you walk in it feels fresh and new, although it has been around since 1971.
After checking in, and being upgraded to a penthouse suite (a very nice welcome!), we crossed the casino floor to the elevators to our room. We were immediately impressed with the casino part of the hotel. There was a lot more room to walk between the rows of slot machines, unlike a lot of other casinos that make you feel like a sardine in a can. They also had my favorite slot machines, and a fancy electronic poker room for Michael. We were in gamblers heaven.
The room, as you would expect for a penthouse, was amazing. To say it was big is an understatement – We've lived in apartments smaller than this room! What I noticed first up was how clean and fresh the room was. It certainly did not feel like something from the seventies. They obviously put a lot of work and care into the remodeling they completed in 2011.
As much as I could have stayed in that room the entire 3 days and nights we were there, we did venture out and explore the rest of the hotel and casino.
There is a small food hall inside the hotel for those who prefer a quick snack rather than a large meal. For me, its all about the quality of the meal so we ate at the restaurants that are also inside the hotel; our favorite was Oscars.
Oscars has been voted "Best Steakhouse in Downtown Vegas" and it's easy to see why. To say the food was good is a complete understatement. The food here wasn't just 'good', it was amazing. I would say, the steaks we had were the best we had ever had; and this is coming from an Aussie who has lived on great steak her whole life!
However, it isn't just the food that brings the locals and tourists into Oscars; it's the view, the service and the atmosphere. Oscars is on the second floor of the hotel and has an amazing view of the Freemont Street Experience. Every 15 minutes or so, you can watch the light show of the Experience. The service was by far some of the best we have ever experienced, with the wait staff seeing to our every need and ensuring we had the most amazing experience. And the atmosphere – soft lighting, background music and the quiet chatter of diners around you; it was perfect.
Of course, staying in a casino hotel is more about the gambling than the food so we were sure to get plenty of that in too. Michael loved the electronic poker room, the only one of its kind in Vegas, and I will admit to putting a few too many bills in the slot machines, but having a great time doing so.
I can honestly say that this visit and this hotel was the clear winner of our past 5 visits to this amazing city. We had a wonderful time and would definitely come back to the Plaza Hotel & Casino when we visit Vegas again in the future.
Have you stayed in a Penthouse while staying at a hotel?


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Business Services Blog
Posted by juliekittredge on 02/11/15
Are you aware of all the reference and research resources available to you? We have databases and reference libraries that are available to you from home or office just by logging into the AHML website (www.ahml.info).
A few highlights include:
- Gale Virtual Reference Library - with a category just for businesses
- Reference USA - a powerful database for demographics and mailing list research
- Corporate Affiliations - includes a directory of parent and subsidiary companies
- Plunkett Research - provides industry statistics and trends with lists of related organizations
Posted by juliekittredge on 02/04/15
The Co-working Connection is a networking opportunity designed to connect you with each other as well as with resources inside the library and outside in the community. A business specialist from the library will be present to facilitate networking and the discussion of a small business related topic. Please see the program calendar for details and to register. Refreshments and coffee will be provided.
Posted by juliekittredge on 01/22/15
Yesterday's class was so interactive! Lot's of great questions were asked and new tools were developed for marketing new and established businesses. If you missed it, feel free to browse the presentation right here. Our next class will be using Instagram as a Marketing Tool - another creative and easy tool to use. Come get some ideas for thinking outside of the box on these social media platforms!
Posted by juliekittredge on 01/13/15
We had a great turnout for the Business Bytes this morning! It was a collaborative group that left with lots of new ideas for how to streamline their business using mobile apps. We even closed out the morning with a little networking among attendees! For anyone who couldn't join us, please enjoy the powerpoint presentation below. All the links are live and will take you to the appropriate app!
Posted by juliekittredge on 12/23/14
2014 was a great year with our local business community. We love working with you and are looking forward to new initiatives in 2015 based on your feedback. Make sure you are subscribed to our business newsletter to get the most up to date details right in your in-box!
Happy Holidays & Happy New Year from Business Services!
Posted by juliekittredge on 12/11/14
We have been working hard to plan 2015 around the needs of our local business entrepreneurs. Keep a look out on the Business Programs calendar for new things on the horizon. Additionally, if you want updated information in your in-box make sure you're subscribed to our business e-newsletter which is sent monthly with the most important information about upcoming opportunities, resources, and tips for business owners! Not sure how Business Services can help your business? Contact Julie or Shannon or make an appointment. We'd love to connect with you and help give you the resources you need to take your business to the next level in 2015!
Posted by juliekittredge on 11/25/14
Remaining consistent in your social media marketing efforts is often a challenge for small business owners, but doing so over the busy holidays can be even more elusive for even the most organized marketer! Remember, one of the beautiful things about using social media as a marketing tool is that it keeps your business visible. Visibility is not something you want to lag during the peak shopping season! If you wanted to ... did you know you could create all your marketing posts on Monday and forget about it for the rest of the week knowing your posts went out at exactly the right time throughout the week?
Let us introduce you to Hootsuite. Hootsuite is a free social media management platform that allows you to post status updates to Facebook, Twitter, and Linked in all at once. You can also schedule out your updates to post later in the day or the week at a time of your choice.
We are teaching Hootsuite for the Holidays next week! Don't let your marketing visibility lag over the holidays - be proactive and learn how to schedule your posts so you can enjoy the season, focus on your business, and stay visible.
Sign up today!
Hootsuite for the Holidays
Tuesday, December 2 12:00 - 1:00 pm Register
Happy Thanksgiving from Business Services!
Posted by businessservices on 11/18/14
There are many options for creating an ecommerce store. Learn about Etsy, ebay, Shopify and more plus tips for selling by viewing the presentation below. For assistance with your ecommerce store schedule a one-on-one appointment with Business Services staff.
Posted by juliekittredge on 10/28/14
When it comes to branding your business, the idea is to develop an emotional connection with your customers and audience. This can take a lot of time and diligence to build relationships and establish a personality for your business. But there is one quick way that you can develope consistency across all your marketing platforms. It doesn't matter if you have only one platform like a website or several including any social media network. One simple way to create a consistent message is to make your profile picture the same across all platforms. You can use a professional headshot, your logo, or a sample of your work that is indicative of your products or style. Choose one that is recognizable and reflects your business. If you are a solopreneur and you do a lot of public speaking, classes, or workshops - a headshot might be the best fit, if you are an artist you might choose to use an image that best reflects your work. Or a logo is always a good choice if it's simple and recognizable. Simplifying your profile image helps your customers to find you at a glance, creates consistency, and professionalizes your look.
Check all of these to see how you are representing your business and make sure you're creating a consistent and professional brand.
Business Card. Website/Blog. Facebook Page. Twitter. LinkedIn. Instagram. Pinterest. Etsy. Ebay. YouTube.
As always, let us know if we can help you get set up on a new marketing platform or if you need help navigating how to utilize it as a great tool for your business. Set up an appointment today!
Posted by juliekittredge on 10/09/14
Join us this month for programs that help entrepreneurs grow their business, gain insight into the wealth of resources available, inspire new projects, and network with other business owners. Coming up this month we have the following, please make sure you register!
Discover Crowdfunding: The New Way to Bring Ideas to Life
Learn about the recent Crowdfunding phenomenon, how to discover the next great idea, avoiding scam projects and tips on getting your own ideas Crowdfunded.
Monday, 10/13 - 7:30pm - 9:00pm Register
Business Book Club: It's Your Business: 183 Essential Tips That Will Transform Your Small Business
Join us to discuss the book, It's Your Business : 183 Essential Tips That Will Transform Your Small Business, by J.J. Ramberg at Armand's restaurant, 70 N Vail Ave, Arlington Heights, IL 60005. Refreshments provided. Register online and pick up a book in the Business Center.
Wednesday, 10/15 - 7-8:30 pm Register
Make Your Own Business Cards Online
This class will teach you about the different online platforms used to design business cards. You will design a personalized business card during the class that can be ordered or saved for future purchase.
Wednesday, 10/22 - 4:30pm - 6:00pm Register

subset: commoncrawl


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The summer, even the Indian one, is coming to an end. Before it fades too far away, I am finishing up a few pages of family summer trips. I am determined to not lose another Shutterfly Groupon!
These are all done in 11x8 format to fit Shutterfly books, and are from our trip to the Giants game on August 10th. I do so love that stadium, and it was a beautiful day for a game. The Giants won the game 3-2, and in the recep:
In the eighth inning Saturday, Chris Davis connected for one of the fastest, fiercest home runs to clear the fences that anyone can remember at AT&T Park.
This is the Willie Mays status in Willie Mays Plaza. I've learned that the beautiful palm trees in front of the stadium are 24 in number for his retired jersey number. I processed the photo with a coupe of iPhone apps to get an orange burnout vintage look.
Fun with fonts in this page, using 'ranson' letters and a blown up newspaper font. The background is also from pictures as it was a beautiful blue-sky day.


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Will Ferrell jumps way outside of his goofy screen persona to play an alcoholic at the end of his rope in "Everything Must Go."
The movie opens during a disastrous day that ends with the loss of his job, car, house and marriage in a matter of hours. With all his belongings on the front lawn of his former home, he is clearly in need of a life-changing garage sale.
But first, he spends days guzzling gallons of beer and annoying his neighbors.
Rebecca Hall plays a pregnant newcomer across the street who lends insight and a helping hand to his situation. His AA sponsor arranges a last chance for him to get straight without police intervention.


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The 19-month-old daughter of America's most decorated skier has died after drowning in a neighbour's pool.
Bode Miller said his daughter Emeline died in hospital on Sunday after the tragedy on Saturday evening.
It is understood the Millers were at a neighbour's house in Southern California when the little girl wandered off.
She was later found unconscious in the pool, and pulled out by her father, who tried to revive her.
On Instagram, Miller posted: "We are beyond devastated. Our baby girl, Emmy, passed away yesterday.
"Never in a million years did we think we would experience a pain like this.
"Her love, her light, her spirit will never be forgotten. Our little girl loved life and lived it to its fullest everyday.
"Our family respectfully requests privacy during this painful time."
The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) told ABC they were called to the home at 6.30pm on Saturday, and the little girl was taken to hospital that evening.
Miller is married to Morgan Miller, and the couple has a son Nash, who was born in May 2015.
More from US
Mrs Miller is pregnant with the couple's third child, due in October, and Miller, 40, has two other children from previous relationships.
He is the most decorated US skier, winning one gold, three silvers, and two bronze medals in three Olympic games.


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What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the following word?
That was a question I asked on my Facebook Page couple of days back. The people that follow my page belong to multiple demographics and since there is no right or wrong answer for this question the answers were many, ranging from Dhirubhai, Ambanis, Profits, Gujjus, Suits, Money, Cheat, Trade, Profit, Loss, etc, etc. Most of the answers were universal and could be understood by everyone but there were a couple of answers that I am sure baffled the rest of the people and made no sense whatsoever. The answers were Puri Jagannath & Mahesh Babu.
Now who the hell are Puri Jagannath and Mahesh Babu and what do they have to do with the word Business Man?
Ask any Telugu person worldwide or anyone living in Andhra Pradesh; he or she would instantly identify the names and chances are, before this weekend ends would have at least tried to watch the latest Telugu flick releasing today 'BUSINESS MAN' starring Mahesh Babu, directed by Puri Jagannath. I say "at least tried" because as per reports every single show of the film is sold out for next few days.
In the city of Hyderabad it has released in a maddening 110 cinema halls with one multiplex playing 34 shows of the same movie on day one and every single show is SOLD OUT, yes every single show. Yet, interestingly most of the rest of India is ignorant about the existence of a film called BUSINESS MAN as is evident from the comments on my page and otherwise too.
Crazy isn't it?
Ok, if that wasn't crazy enough, consider this.
Idiots or what?
The legendary film '3 Idiots' holds the distinction of being the highest grossing Indian film ever (200cr Domestic Box Office). Wouldn't it be safe to assume that anyone who calls himself an Indian and watches movies would have in all probability seen this film. Right?
To know the answer let's shift base to Chennai /Tamil Nadu for some time. A movie released there yesterday and is running to packed houses and a particular multiplex which is supposed to be the largest multiplex of the country is running 60+ shows of the film per day, and almost all the tickets are again SOLD OUT.
This movie is directed by perhaps the most successful commercial director that Indian films have ever known, the director of ROBO and many such mega blockbusters, Shankar. The film stars Vijay (Touted as the closest replacement to Rajinikanth) and Ileana - the heartthrob of millions down south. Now don't ask me who Ileana is, just Google her if you have never heard of her.
Ok, so what is the connection with the Hindi film 3 Idiots?
For those who are not aware, the movie I was talking about is called 'Nanban' and is the Tamil remake of the film '3 Idiots'.
Think about it. The most successful Bollywood film ever is remade into a regional language by a renowned director with a popular star and sets the cash registers ringing once again. There is a huge audience that has either not seen the original or wants to relive the experience once again in a culture that is dearer or rather more familiar to them.
Same is the case with the movie Bodyguard too, first made in Malayalam then Tamil then Hindi then Kannada and now releasing in Telugu tomorrow. Interestingly the 4 south Indian languages it was made in is for states that share borders and are closer than Mumbai is to Delhi.
It is exactly these people that I call the TWO FACED INDIANS. The ones who revel in not just their National Identity but also carry a strong Regional Identity, in simple terms they enjoy the best of both worlds.
Uncovering more faces!
The above examples (Business Man & Nanban) are for two specific states that I am more familiar with, I have no clue what is driving people in West Bengal or Kerala crazy right now, or for that instance Karnataka, Gujarat or Punjab or any other Indian state. This is a countrywide phenomenon. There exist Two Faced Indians everywhere.
If you are active on Twitter I am sure you can recollect the #BeingMallu #BeingTelugu #BeingKannadiga, etc hash tags gaining popularity off late. If you were a part of it, then my friend you are the perfect TWO FACED INDIAN.
One might argue that movies are no barometer to gauge culture. The most basic things that define any culture are Food, Clothing, Architecture, Language, Music and Dance along with a few other things. Interestingly most of the above are getting standardised across the country. We wear similar clothes (Jeans, T-Shirts, etc), build similar buildings (Apartments- 2BHK, 3BHK, etc), and eat similar foods (Panner Butter Masala to Idly Dosa and Burgers to Pizzas. Think of the restaurants that you go to), Music and Dance is again mostly Bollywood based and the only thing we seem to be doing differently is speak different languages at home. So where is the real difference? It is in our regional movies which form the bulk of the popular conversations and Television content generated.
Just try flipping TV channels on Tata Sky or whichever cable subscription you have and try to watch the programmes of any other state other than yours (Regional TV Channels). Chances are you will be rolling on the floor laughing within a few minutes. Trust me, try it and see for yourself. The faces you see don't appeal to you, the language and antics on screen seem even more hilarious especially since everything seems so alien. However amongst us Indians there are millions who can identify with what is on screen, just that we don't realize it seems extremely odd to our neighbours in the next state and vice versa.
I need to point out another category of Indians at this point. They are the Unfortunate Indians, no; I am not talking about the underprivileged or poor people. Let me explain.
Unfortunate Indians!
While major states of India have this opportunity to enjoy an alternative pop culture there seem to be some places which are deprived of such joys. Notable among them is our capital city Delhi.
Apart from the Delhi winters and politics there is hardly any popular culture that exists here, whatever is the national culture (Bollywood) is also the local culture. Same problem afflicts few other states (Not naming them here, it is for you to introspect yourself), people of which have no idea what it is to be a Two Faced Indian. These are the unfortunate Indians.
The only glimpse they have is when a KOLAVERI from Chennai breaks barriers due to it clever lyrics in English aided by its catchy tune, simplicity and subtitles. Otherwise every other month there is a Kolaveri equivalent being generated in each of the regional languages enjoyed by the masses there. The Kolaveri equivalent need not be a song necessarily; it could be an entire film or just a film dialogue, an actor a dance step and so on. The Two Faced Indians would know what I am talking about.
The unfortunate Indian is really unfortunate not to be a witness and a part of an alternate culture. Imagine Satyajit Ray not reaching out of the boundaries of West Bengal, AR Rahman or a Mani Ratnam ever trying to venture out of Chennai, Ram Gopal Varma not moving out of Hyderabad and giving life to countless other creative people, the loss would have been immense. This reminds me of my childhood from the 80's down south, Illayaraja was churning out one melodious masterpiece after another while Bollywood was at the depths of its mediocrity. It was a loss for an entire generation of Indians but a memorable phase for specific sections of India.
You are Lucky!
The idea of this blog post is not to demean any one region but instead to highlight the rich and thriving popular cultures that seem to be influencing vast sections of Indians. This uniqueness and blend of popular cultures is what makes India special and no nation in this world can come close to having a culture as rich and diverse as ours.
So next time you claim that you are a proud Indian, remember that this feeling emanates from two sides of your personality, the National and the Local. You are the true TWO FACED INDIAN.
Oh, and with regards to BUSINESS MAN, don't worry, chances are Salman Khan might remake it just as he did with Mahesh Babu and Puri Jagannath's earlier Telugu blockbuster film POKIRI which became WANTED in Hindi. Or maybe brace yourself to see Mahesh Babu himself don the grease paint in the Hindi remake of BUSINESS MAN, that would be Kolaveri all over again!!!
Kartik Dayanand Boddapati
Follow @KartikDayanand


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Through case planning, shelters have an early opportunity to assist women to make a plan for taking positive steps forward.
The practice provides a collaborative approach to assessing women's needs, identifying services and resources required to meet those needs, alongside determining specific goals and planning actions to assist them in the process. Case planning can complement advocacy efforts to empower and support women to access relevant services and resources, and can also contribute to coordination of services.
Case planning is designed to help determine the preferred course of action in addressing women's needs and to connect them with appropriate justice, housing, health, social welfare and other services. The case plan is a tool to empower and support women to address the often multiple resource and service needs that result from their experiences with violence, and where relevant, leaving the abuse. Case plans can be used to empower women by enabling them to see and pursue opportunities that help them to achieve their goals. The process of reviewing progress on case plans with a shelter worker can also help women to see the progress they have made and modify the plan to reflect changing needs.
While there are somewhat different approaches to case planning, it is generally a collaborative process between the woman and the shelter worker that involves:
Case planning should adhere to the guiding principles of shelter services, specifically:
Next Topic Practices


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Archive for May, 2011
Like, A Virgin!
BTW if you hate to read, just click on the audio link, below. Then once you've listened, scroll down to the bottom of this page and listen to my song. It's groovy.
BatSheva (BatSheva Vaknin) – Like, A Virgin – the BLOG
Whew! That out of the way, let's get to the juicy stuff!
I lost my virginity at age seventeen.
Some girls toy with the hormones and patience of a longtime boyfriend before caving in, or 'giving it up,' and go on to have a relatively healthy sexual relationship. Others get wasted, have sex with that guy they've always had a crush on, then feel horribly used the next day. I think my situation is very unique, in that I wasn't waiting for the right guy to come along so much as I was waiting for the right age to come along – that age being, unequivocally, seventeen.
What – don't tell me I was the only girl to read Forever by Judy Blume then decide if Katherine was old enough at age 17, I would be too? [For more on my obsession with Judy Blume, read past blog here] Now that I think about it, why did I assume it was her AGE that was important, not the fact that she was in love with the boy she thought was her soul mate? Hmmmmm…
Anyway, that book actually kept me celibate longer than I probably would have been. From age fourteen my boyfriends were putting the pressure on to 'go all the way', and it was so easy to say no – after all, I wasn't seventeen yet! But then – the magical age finally arrived, and – lo and behold: it was time.
Only problem? I was single.
Didn't bother me. I had my eye on a particular boy I thought was very cute for a while, but he had always had eyes for my best friend (who dated him a little but basically didn't care much for him). He was still a virgin… I was a virgin… I have no idea how I got up the guts to bring the subject up, but I do know that we PLANNED it out – losing our virginity together.
The act itself could not have been more of a NON-act. Did it work? I think so, but the fact that I'm not 100% sure is pretty telling….
Looking back, I can say I was happy to have something to barter with – my virginity for a shot at being your girlfriend! (Didn't work: we did have sex a few times, but he never wanted to be my boyfriend). I guess I'm relieved I only used sex to try and make him mine – versus using an actual baby like some of the teens we see today. (That doesn't seem to work either, does it?)
I took the hint. Stopped hoping he would want more from me than sex, and moved on to a boy who would REALLY love me for who I was: A 21 year old black Puerto Rican drug dealer who looked like Milli Vanilli.
But that's a different blog.
Sheva (BatSheva Vaknin)
PS. Here's a little 'feel-good GrownUpGirl anthem' to help you stop worrying about a 17 year old girl letting herself get taken advantage of:
BatSheva (BatSheva Vaknin) – It's not the First Time – the SONG
Ladies and Gentlemen, Your (future) President of the United States!
This was the essay I wrote, applying for a $5,000 grant towards my son's education, sponsored by the Ellen DeGeneres show and Kumon tutoring company. I wanted to share it with all of you – my son is so special and his school, The Kabbalah Children's Academy, is simply amazing.
My son was always is a bit of a dreamer. He would get lost in nature or playing games, and it was as easy for him to get distracted by friends' antics as it was for him to be the distract-or.
Until kindergarten, when his teacher, Miss Gail, took the time to get to know him. She figured out how to use his strengths to help him excel. She helped him make a nature book where he kept track of the flowers and the pollen he found. She let him draw squiggly designs in the margins of his papers, and finish his letters with decorative curly cues. Suddenly, he was learning to write and read.
Last year, in 1st grade, his teachers continued to shower him with love while maintaining very strict boundaries and guidelines. His school nurtures the emotional and spiritual growth of the kids, teaching them the importance of caring for others and giving back to their community and to society.
The intellectual and emotional growth spurt my son experienced this past year due to his school was simply phenomenal. He is not just reading advanced books, he is reading with emotion and different voices for different characters! He blows through his math problems, and talks at home all the time about how things in our daily life are examples of fractions, additions, subtractions.
He is playing recorder, singing in the choir, excelling at basketball, and he is speaking and reading and writing Hebrew at nearly a fluent level, all thanks to his school.
Every day, I ask him, "How was school today?" And I am NOT EXAGGERATING when I say that practically every day he replies, "Today was my best day ever!"
What more can a mother hope to hear?
My husband is in construction, and two years ago, his assistant embezzled over $70,000 from our business (she is now being prosecuted). That, combined with the economy, wiped out our savings and our bank accounts. We are both working now, but we can no longer afford to pay for this school without financial aid.
I will do anything to keep my son on the right path so that he can learn, develop – and keep having the "best days ever!" – as he discovers his true purpose in the world.
We would be forever grateful for this prize $$!! Plus, Kumon & Ellen would get the satisfaction of knowing their money was going towards helping one of our future leaders of the world. (He always tells me he will be the President someday – well, that or his second favorite idea, a science teacher – and who am I, not to believe him!
Thank you for your consideration!
Sheva (BatSheva Vaknin)
Boobs in Training
If you hate to read, just click on the audio link, below.
BatSheva (BatSheva Vaknin) – Boobs in Training – the BLOG
I don't know if they even have such a thing these days, but back when I was in 5th grade and had no boobs to speak of whatsoever, I proudly owned my first Training Bra. I say "owned" and not "wore" because if memory serves (and it often doesn't, for more on that read my Memory Loss blog), once I actually tried on the bra, I found it was far less comfortable than my ten years of no bra wearing.
These days, I still have no boobs to speak of, but instead of a training bra I've got fantastic Victoria's Secret bras, the secret of which I'd never tell for fear of the Victoria's Secret Mafia finding out, but suffice it to say, it may have something to do with silicone and optical illusions.
My boobs are small. Which is not to say they aren't functional – see past blogs about breastfeeding and about my youngest daughter's obsession with/possession of my boobs.
Note to self: Figure out how many self-referential blog references are really "allowed" in a blog before the blog itself becomes one big advertisement for past blogs. Research ideas: watch The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, poke around online, read this blog once it's done to see if it comes across too Hey look at me! -y…
Ahem. As I was saying, my boobs are gigantic. Wait, sorry – what I was saying? Sorry, I was just looking at myself in the mirror (I'm wearing a new Victoria's Secret bra) and I got distracted.
That's right, I was talking about bras and how I've never really needed them. And then I started to write a paragraph about going bra-less but I just had a flashback to how my father commented on one of my recent blogs (my acid trip blog) and suddenly the prospect of writing about my own boobs has 100% lost its appeal.
Wow – imagining my dad reading my blog turns out to be a better censoring tool than the FCC! Thanks a lot, Pops. (Actually, seriously – THANK YOU. I really don't need to be a stream-of-conscious-writer in a public arena where someday my future run for president may be jeopardized. But just in case I decide to write about something racy in the future, I'll post a "NO DAD GO HERE" warning, k, Dad?)
Well, let me just wrap it up by saying this: I'm not admitting and I'm not not admitting to having naturally large or small boobs… but I will say if I ever have a chance to buy stock in Victoria's Secret, I just may do so.
Sheva (BatSheva Vaknin)
Who's Your Mama?
If you hate to read, just click on the audio link, below.
BatSheva (BatSheva Vaknin) – Whos Your Mama – the BLOG
The other day, while my 4 year old daughter was in her ballet class, my 2 year old daughter was leaping across the lobby, capturing all the ballet moms' attention with her moves. Except mine. I was still watching my 4 year old through the glass window, so my 2 year old called out, "Ima! Ima! Ima!"
I felt compelled to explain at that moment to the confused mothers staring at me, that "Ima" was Hebrew for "Mom".
What I didn't explain was how an all-American gal like myself, living in America, with three American kids, wound up being called "Ima" by all of them.
I called my mother "Mommy," and later, when I was too cool for "Mommy," "Mom." I only ever called myself "Mommy" or "Mama" to my firstborn, but he's never called me anything but Ima. My husband is Israeli and he has always called me "Ima" when talking to our children about me. But that can't be the only reason.
I've noticed that all my kids learned to say "Aba" (the word for "Dad") way before "Ima." It's an easy word, it rolls off the baby tongue, like a happy baby's babbles of "dadada" or "bababa". I've also noticed that "Ima" (pronounced "Eeema") rolls especially well off a crying baby's tongue. This cannot be an accident.
For a while, with my son, I tried to correct him. To teach him. "Ima!" He would cry. "Yes," I would answer… "Mommy's here, what do you need from Mommy? Hmmm? Tell Mama. What is it?"
"Ima," he would correct me, "Come here!"
I like to be in control. I live a completely different life than everyone else in my family – I eat kosher, I participate in Shabbat, I take my Kabbalah studies very seriously. To them, I'm like a 'born again Jew' even though I really cringe at being called 'religious' because I see everything I do as spiritual – Kabbalah being a practice that, however Jewish it may look – actually applies to anyone and everyone, and is all about consciousness. I've never felt comfortable jumping on a bandwagon just because I share a skin color or religion with a group of other people. (Case in point: I was introduced to The Kabbalah Centre by a Catholic lesbian friend and my first thought when she invited me was, 'if she feels at home there, then it sounds like a place I'd be willing to check out.)
But names are a funny thing. I wrote about changing my name in a prior blog, but in that case, the change was something I asked for, chose to do, and implemented. ("Shana?" a co-worker would ask innocently. "Yes?" I would reply, followed quickly by, "by the way, it's BatSheva (BatSheva Vaknin).") In the case of "Ima," however, the name was wholly given to me by my kids – with some help, admittedly, from my Israeli husband.
It never occurred to me that my kids wouldn't call me "Mommy." And for years, I wasn't completely comfortable with being called the foreign-sounding "Ima." I didn't even try to correct my next child, and now, with my third, I find myself calling myself "Ima" (as in, "Give Ima the stick right now!") which is something I never used to do.
It seemed so strange, for so long, being called the Hebrew name for Mommy.
These days? Fits like a glove.
"Ima" Sheva (BatSheva Vaknin)
The Key To Dieting: Those Three Little Words
If you hate to read, just click on the audio link, below.
BatSheva (BatSheva Vaknin) – The Key To Dieting – the BLOG
Without reservation, I can tell you the quickest and surest way to get me started on a strict diet that I will adhere to no matter what temptations cross my path is for me to hear those magical three little words uttered when I least expect them. Each time it has happened – that is, each time the phrase was uttered to me and subsequently my new diet launched like a racehorse after a shotgun is fired – it came from the mouth of a small child – like a message sent directly to me from an earthly angel. You know what I mean, those big, wondering eyes look up at you with excitement and curiosity, and then without any of the adulterated filters that will come later in life, they blurt:
"Are you pregnant?"
What a nightmare. I can tell you right now, ye who have never been pregnant (don't need to tell you moms – you grownupgirls already know what I'm saying) – the measure of joy, of being able to tell others that the reason your stomach is enormously fat is because there is a new precious soul growing snugly within, only just barely rivals the amount of anger and fury one experiences, when others suspect your enormous stomach must be the result of a pregnancy because HEAVEN FORBID someone's stomach looks that bloated and or ginormous without a living, soon-to-be breathing soul taking up space from within.
It's happened several times to me with adults, too – that is, a clueless adult will ask me how many months I am or some such bullshit, and I have to break it to them that I'm not pregnant, just fat, apparently, thank you very much. As recently as this morning, I attended a bris ceremony, and as I sat down at a packed table to eat my brunch, a man I've seen around but don't know well stood up. "Please," he offered, as if I needed his chair as well as mine to sit down. "I'm fine," I smiled back at him. "No worries."
"It's okay," he beamed, continuing up and away from our table. "Anyway, you are eating for two!"
It took me a good second or two to process what he meant. Lucky for him, he had departed by then. If you, dear reader, would like to avoid this & other faux pas, please refer back to my earlier blog where I break down a whole list of Do's and Don'ts.
But for some reason, it's when the children start to chime in – maybe it's their innocence, and my subsequent inability to blame them in my head for being pigheaded, rude and obviously blind – that I suddenly wake up to the fact that if I don't start and stick to a diet RIGHT NOW, my stomach will go from looking mildly swollen (or "newly pregnant") to downright round and balloon-like ("5-6 months along"), at which point my hips, butt and face will start to fill in too.
The first time a child graciously helped me start a new diet was about six months ago. Looking straight into my belly (the height her head came to), my neighbor's eight year old asked sweetly, "Are you pregnant?" Two weeks later my husband and I started the Suzanne Somers Diet, and four months later, I was a lean, mean (just kidding – I'm really nice), dieting machine.
Then I fell off the wagon. Or more accurately, I just felt like, 'my body looks pretty great now, so why don't I eat that piece of pizza/cake/cookie/brownie/plate of pasta/you fill in the blank_____ right now since it looks so good/smells so good and I'm really hungry/tired but want to stay up late/I'm bored/I'm with friends who are eating/I'm alone?'
I went from dieting six days a week and cheating once a week (okay, twice), to eating whatever I wanted six days a week and sticking to my diet once a week. I also took a new job three months ago, so with that my gym attendance deflated from the robust 4-5 times a week it had been prior, to the current 1-2 times a week. I had gotten so slim, so in shape that it really didn't matter, the food, the gym; it didn't seem to be affecting me at all… until…
"Mommy, you look like you have a baby in your tummy!" were the exact words my four year old exclaimed to me today. Her words tinged, I might add, with the slightest bit of hope and fear, due to the fact that she's often asked for a little brother but is not quite sure whether it would be exactly the party she hopes it will be if it does happen…
Lucky for you, baby, there is no such life-changing occasion about to present itself in your life (i.e., a new sibling). There is however, a new life-changing event taking place in mine…
Diet starts tomorrow.
Sheva (BatSheva Vaknin)
Show FUN
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BatSheva (BatSheva Vaknin) – It's Show Fun – the BLOG
Remember how I said I only like movies with Happy Endings? (My blog, last week. It's okay, I'll wait – go ahead, read it. Seriously. It's short, just do it. Ok great, back?) Anway, I should have been more specific. I do hate movies that don't have happy endings. However, just because a movie has a happy ending, doesn't mean I'll like it.
Case in point: While You Were Sleeping. This movie had all the elements of a GrownupGirl Fave: Sandra Bullock. By-the-numbers romantic comedy. Sandra Bullock.
But I didn't get swept away – maybe it's the fact that I've never found Bill Pullman or Peter Gallagher even slightly sexy.
So when I talked to my childhood friend on the phone and told him I didn't like the movie, I was surprised when he retorted, "Sheva, that movie made 43 million at the box office last weekend."
Wait – did I mention he was also the movie's producer?
"I don't care if the movie made 20 billion," I continued. "It sucked."
His furious reply: "It's not called Show Fun, Sheva. It's called Show Business."
Ooooohhhhhh…. He got me there!
Ever heard of the term "failing upwards?" In showbiz, this is when a person produces a terrible movie, then gets promoted. Like, for example, my friend – who had impressed his bosses as an intern by producing an unwatchable comedy feature which lost money, and then promptly got promoted to junior executive status, with an assistant and all.
Maybe there is a good long term reason for allowing someone to fail upwards – in fairness, my friend has gone on to produces MANY amazing & awesome movies, as well as more crappy ones, each of which I'm sure made at least 43 million each weekend at the box office…
Still, it all kind of depresses me. I'm an artist: A writer. A singer. A Capricorn moon. Which all means I'd prefer things to be FAIR.
Of course the entertainment industry doesn't care what I'd prefer. It exists to be a source of money, an outlet for talent & ambition, and a place for creative suckers like me to get stomped on by those with more connections and less fear.
Still, a girl can always dream, can't she?
Sheva (BatSheva Vaknin)
Acid Trip (Food For Thought – Part II)
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BatSheva (BatSheva Vaknin) – Food For Thought TWO – the BLOG
Staring at the title of my last blog, I realized there is ANOTHER story that same title reminds me of, that perhaps bears telling… The story of the last time I ate at a restaurant of that very name – Food For Thought – in Washington, DC, when I was seventeen years old.
The story of the one and only time I ever tripped on acid.
KIDS? If you are reading this, Mommy means "fell down when I tripped over some dangerous spilt liquid. Now, TURN OFF THE COMPUTER AND GO DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
Have they gone? Great. Here's the story:
Back when I was seventeen, for some idiotic reason, I got it in my head that it would be a brilliant idea for me to try acid. Then, for an even greater idiotic reason, I decided not to do it in a safe environment with a group of close and trusted friends like I learned later it's best to do, but instead, just to take a couple tabs while hanging with my best friend Ingrid.
SIDE NOTE: Mucho props to Ingie for navigating me through that entire night. Girlfriend, you were a trooper!
I can't remember exactly when I took the acid – whether it was in my car or at the restaurant. I do remember that the first thing that seemed strange was my hands – they looked like they were digital, like they belonged to a computer program.
I went to the bathroom, and on my way back to my table, a guy came up to me. Blocking my path to my table, he proceeded to talk my ear off about my friend Ingrid – how he wants me to introduce him, he has a crush on her, can he sit with us, etc., etc.
Listening to this barrage of crush-talk through my acid-soaked ears, he struck me as supremely hilarious. So, naturally, I started to laugh. And laugh. And LAUGH. I laughed so hard that tears began streaming down my face. And then – the tears streaming down my face must have confused my acid-saturated brain, tricking it into thinking I must be crying, because the next thing I knew? I was sobbing.
Thus began my whacked-out acid trip ride. Ingrid helped me, got me out of Food For Thought, and got me laughing again. She took me downtown to the Vault and the Fifth Column – nightclubs which – as anyone who remembers those places will know – one should NEVER go when tripping. Full of fake, crazy people, too much music and stimulation, lights, people, movement, sound…
After that, Ingrid got me out of the club kid scene and over to her boyfriend's apartment or his friend's apartment, I can't remember which. All I remember is a bunch of high school boys I didn't know very well, kind of sweet, geeky boys, hanging out, doing nothing much. Maybe getting stoned. Waaaay too mellow for my crazy acid self.
So she got me out of there too, and brought me finally to the most Twilight Zone place in the metro Washington, DC area: Tastee Diner. (Did they name it that, knowing that stoned & tripping kids would endlessly freak out about the spelling of "Tastee"?) This would be the place you could take a SOBER kid and make her think she's going insane… so tripping, I kind of felt at home.
The old waitress with the caked on makeup looked like she was wearing a mask that was partially flaking off. The salt and pepper shakers entertained me endlessly. People walking by were in my video game, blipping and bleeping as they walked past and sat down or paid their bills. I don't think I was actually able to eat the food.
I do remember wishing that I could just stop tripping already, and when I DID finally stop tripping (the next morning, after sleeping it off), it was an easy vow to make, to never touch the stuff again.
Hey – thanks, Earlier Blog, for the memories!
Sheva (BatSheva Vaknin)
Food For Thought
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BatSheva (BatSheva Vaknin) – Food For Thought Part ONE – the BLOG
There's dieting, binge eating, picky eating, healthy eating and gorging… and now, gentle readers, I have coined a new phrase you may all feel free to use: Redemptive Eating.
I don't mean eating to prove the worth of one's soul, though that sounds good, too. I'm talking about eating something satisfying and delicious to REDEEM the nightmare piece of crap disguised as food that you ate prior, and now feel sick about.
Por ejemplo: last week, in a rush to "save money and eat healthy," I sautéed some pre-packaged tuna steaks. Popped one in a Tupperware, and took it to work with me, with a red pepper. Perfect!
Except… it was disgusting.
Not bad fish or anything, thank GOD… but I over cooked it a little, and this fish already being of the non-fresh Trader Joe's variety, was none too helped by my overcooking.
I ate almost half until finally giving up. For the next two hours, I was caught in a dilemma: do I now go out and spend money on a second lunch? I wasn't even really hungry anymore. BUT that last food I ate, the tuna? We all know where the phrase "left a terrible taste in my mouth" comes from, right? And you, who read my last blog, you know I like happy endings, right? (If you didn't read it, go take a sec, read it now. I'll wait. Really, go ahead. Enjoy.)
So – I almost made the mistake of ordering an omelet, again. Had it the day prior AND the day before that. A girl can only eat so many eggs. What I really wanted to order was the Ahi tuna salad. (From Blu Jam, on Melrose, they are fantastic.) But it was so expensive! And… you know, I just ate half a tuna already!
In the end, I took a chance, and sprung for the Ahi salad.
Friends, you are reading the blog of one happy customer. Salad was divine. Tuna was perfect. The whole meal? Redemptive.
Redeemed my overcooked Trader Joe's sorry excuse for a piece of tuna, that is.
Made me think about other times I've indulged in redemptive eating – like when a meal is so gross you just have to finish it with a huge latte, or thick piece of chocolate cake.
Anyone else get what I'm saying here?
Sheva (BatSheva Vaknin)
Happily Ever After
If you hate to read, just click on the audio link, below.
BatSheva (BatSheva Vaknin) – Happily Ever After – the BLOG
Don't talk to me about Blue Valentine. That movie sucked. I love Michelle Williams as much as anyone, and what girl hasn't fallen head over heels for Ryan What's His Name, and actually, there was so much that was so cool about the movie… BUT IT SUCKED.
Did I mention I hate unhappy endings?
What in the world do I want to go and spend 80 bucks on a babysitter, then 28 dollars for two movie tickets, plus another 15 for popcorn, drinks and candy, and we're not even factoring in parking or dinner here…
Just to end the night feeling like shit?
Thanks, but I can stay home, surf the web, look up long-lost friends and boyfriends on Facebook then stare at my bank accounts and credit card debts all night if I want that kind of a night. For FREE.
I like happy endings. A movie can take me through just about anything. Blood, gore, destruction, gut-wrenching sadness, utter stupidity… the whole nine yards. But – if I've got a smile on my face at the end of the damn thing? Worth every penny. AND I'll recommend it to everyone I see.
Moviemakers, are you taking notes?
Enough, already, of these critical darlings that leave you feeling like the world is meaningless and we are all utterly alone. I'll take a by-the-books Romantic Comedy any day.
My kingdom for a Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant reunion! P.S. Friends, there is no better movie than Two Week's Notice.
I feel the same way about every day life, by the way. My day can start out amazing, go along pretty well, but if, at the end of the night, I have a fight with my husband or stare into the abyss of a bank account that seems to shrink by the second? SUCKY SUCKY day.
On the other hand… I can start out with two cranky kids, a short-tempered husband, continue with a rough day at work and three surprise bills… but if I watch an amazing episode of The Good Wife, write a good blog entry, and find out someone wants to produce one of my songs? BEST DAY EVER.
Most nights, if I'm ever too worried about something to be able to fall sleep, I always get up, write a bit to 'take the sting out', then follow it up with anywhere from one hour to three hours of comedy (TV, internet, whatever I can find). For me, getting only two or three hours of sleep can be tough, but beats finishing off my day in a heart-wrenching panic. Not that I'd ever fall asleep in that state anyway.
Feeling better already…
Sheva (BatSheva Vaknin)
High Heels
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BatSheva (BatSheva Vaknin) – High Heels – the BLOG
My oldest daughter (now four) started wearing my shoes at 12 months, just after she learned to walk. Correction: wearing my heels. She really didn't have much use for my flats after the first cursory tries. Boots – yes, she liked those too… but the heels were her favorites.
She walked better than I did in my heels. I am not kidding. Initially, my husband was upset. "Don't let her take your shoes!" he would admonish. "She'll ruin them!"
What he didn't understand is that you can't get between a girl and her obsession with shoes. I walked in my mother's shoes, my daughters walk in my shoes, and someday, their daughters too, will walk in their shoes. Right now my four year old has a pair of "heels" (Hannah Montana brand kids' heels, I'm horrified to admit), and she insists on wearing them every second of every day. I know it's not "good" for her feet. But I get it…
My whole life, I never really wore heels except to weddings – I'm already 5'10", and heels just aren't comfortable, you know? After a night of wearing them my lower back would hurt, my knees would pop, my feet ache… And I never liked towering above everyone else.
About five months ago. Not sure what changed. I finally lost the remainder of my 3rd pregnancy weight which was a BITCH to lose. My feet had actually grown almost a half size thanks to said 3rd pregnancy, so I needed new shoes. For Christmas, my mother gave me a fat gift certificate to DSW. Not sure what possessed me, but when I went to the store to buy four new pairs of shoes – I walked out with four pairs of heels.
I've been wearing them almost daily every since.
Cause now? I get it.
THAT'S why women wear heels! No – they still aren't comfortable (though somehow my body doesn't hurt anymore after wearing them, so I guess the pain from wearing them before was ½ mental and ½ me not being in shape). No – it's not really fun for me to tower over my husband and everyone else around me except my 6 foot 6 friend who no longer seems like a distant image in the sky when I wear my heels; more like a next door neighbor (though it is kind of cool to stand tall above the rest and NOT suffer from a Napoleon complex)…
It's what my one year old instinctively knew, what every Shoe Dazzle member knows, and what most of my girlfriends and most women of the modern world have known for years…
High heels are fucking sexy.
My girlfriend, whose husband has been a tenured professor of Gender Studies for over 20 years, told me that it has been proven that high heels put women's bodies in the same position that an orgasm puts them in.
Well, with all the pain, misery, and uncertainty in the world… there are worse positions for the body to hang out in, eh?
Sheva (BatSheva Vaknin)
Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS).


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Special session on "Ordinal regression and ranking"
This session has been provisionally accepted for the IJCNN 2016 conference which will be held as part of the 2016 IEEE WCCI in Vancouver, Canada at July 25-29, 2016.
Ordinal regression (or ordinal classification) is a relatively new learning problem, where the objective is to learn a rule to predict labels in an ordinal scale - discrete labels endowed with a natural order. Consider, for example, the case of a teacher who rates student's performance using A, B, C, D and E, and A>B>C>D>E. Such order information could be helpful for constructing more robust and fair classifiers and evaluation metrics. On the other hand, ranking generally refers to those problems where the algorithm is given a set of ordered labels, and the objective is to learn a rule to rank patterns by using this discrete set of labels. Many real problems exhibit this structure, e.g. multi-criteria decision making, medicine, risk analysis, university ranking, information retrieval and filtering...
Specific solutions have been recently proposed in the machine learning and pattern recognition literature for both ordinal regression and ranking problems, resulting in a very active research field. This special session aims to cover a wide range of approaches and recent advances in ordinal regression and ranking. We hope that this session can provide a common forum for researchers and practitioners to exchange their ideas and report their latest findings in the area.
In particular we encourage submissions addressing the following issues:
- Extensions of standard classification methods to ordinal regression (Support Vector Machines, Gaussian Processes, Discriminant Analysis, etc.).
- Threshold models for ordinal regression.
- Decomposition methods for ordinal regression and ranking.
- Imbalanced ordinal regression problems.
- Clustering and pre-processing methods for ordinal and monotonic data (data cleaning techniques, feature selection, etc).
- Evaluation measures for ordinal regression and ranking.
- Learning to rank: ranking (pointwise, pairwise and listwise algorithms), sorting and multipartite ranking.
- Monotonic classification methods.
- Preference learning.
- Applications in medicine, information retrieval, recommendation systems, risk analysis… and any other real-world problems.
Paper submission
If you are interested in taking part on this special session, please submit your paper directly through the WCCI website selecting the following option for the "Main research topic": "Ordinal Regression and Ranking". You can find further information related to the submission process and important dates at the conference website.
Papers submitted for special sessions are to be peer-reviewed with the same criteria used for the rest of contributed papers. As a result, all accepted papers will be included in the proceedings of IJCNN2016.
Important dates
- Pedro A. Gutiérrez, Dept. of Computer Science and Numerical Analysis, University of Cordoba, Spain. Email address: Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo.
- María Pérez-Ortiz, Dept. of Mathematics and Engineering, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Spain. Email address: Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo.
- Peter Tiňo, School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, UK. Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo.


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News Release
FINRA Investor Education Foundation Funds Research Examining How Disclosures Can Help Investors Understand Risk and Minimize Fees
Washington, D.C. — The FINRA Investor Education Foundation has awarded a grant of $432,850 to the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) to explore whether disclosure policies can be shaped to help individual investors better evaluate investment risks and consider mutual fund fees when making an investment decision. Formerly known as the NASD Investor Education Foundation, the FINRA Investor Education Foundation was established in 2003 and is the largest foundation in the United States dedicated to investor education.
The project, called Managing Risk and Minimizing Fees, will research how to mitigate common errors made by individual investors - including investors who evaluate risk in isolation rather than in the context of their overall portfolio and time horizon, as well as their failure to consider mutual fund management fees. Over the course of one year, three experimental studies will be conducted to test different forms of disclosures and their impact on helping investors understand risk and the effect of fees on investment return.
"There are many factors to consider when making investment decisions," said FINRA Foundation Chairman Mary L. Schapiro, who also serves as FINRA's CEO. "By funding this research, it is our hope that more investors will be able to take informed, active roles in managing their financial futures."
The NBER project team includes Harvard University Professors David Laibson and Brigitte Madrian, and Yale School of Management Professor James Choi, among others. "This research extends beyond the limitations of a simulated, laboratory environment by increasing the monetary stakes and investing real-world assets over the course of one year," said Harvard University Economics Professor, David Laibson. "This format should more accurately reflect the large-stakes choices made by investors in the real world."
The FINRA Investor Education Foundation supports innovative research and educational projects that give investors the tools they need to better understand the markets and the basic principles of saving and investing. To date, the FINRA Foundation has approved $10.4 million in grants and an additional $10.2 million in direct investor education programming. For details about grant programs and other FINRA Foundation initiatives, visit www.finrafoundation.org.
FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. Created in 2007 through the consolidation of NASD and NYSE Member Regulation, FINRA is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through effective and efficient regulation and complementary compliance and technology-based services. FINRA touches virtually every aspect of the securities business - from registering and educating all industry participants to examining securities firms; writing and enforcing rules and the federal securities laws; informing and educating the investing public; providing trade reporting and other industry utilities, and administering the largest dispute resolution forum for investors and registered firms.
For more information, please visit our Web site at www.finra.org.


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Hi my name is Chloe and I love baking and eating healthy things. Please read this blog if you want to start eating healthy.
The first step to get on a healthy start is by getting rid of the junk in you're house. For instance candy, cake unless it is someone's birthday coming up, and other things like that.
The second step is do the candy challenge for a least a week or so. And this step might be hard for some kids but I am a kid and I did it for a year so after a few days it gets a little bit more easy to do.
And the third step is ask a parent or guardian if they can take you to some of these places listed below for healthy foods:
Or my favorite store Whole Foods I would definitely recommend this store.


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The meta description is placed in your page'ssection. Google shows that text in their search results. Always manually write a custom description for each page which clearly describes the content. If no description tag is found google will generate one and that may lead to non-related description.
<meta name="description" content=" ... "/>
How to write good Meta Descriptions
- Keep it below 155 characters
- Clearly describe the content
- Tag and seperate content: Price: $2.99, Author: JohnDoe
- Add a call-to-action to make people click on the link
- Provide a solution or benefit to your audiences' problem
- Add WordPress Plugin SEO from Yoast to easily write custom descriptions for each post
The meta description is NOT a ranking factor, though it's considered for advanced search queries and somehow affects the click through ration which may positively influence your ranking.So where's the point for the extra work?
Why you should use it
- With a good Call to Action copywriting your click through ratio will improve ( Click Here for FREE Samples)
- Social networks like Google+, Facebook, Digg, LinkedIn grab the meta description when your url is shared
- Give searchers another reason to visit your site – It's your sales pitch which may win against your competitor
What you should avoid in your description
- Do not spam your keywords – People actually read that – searchengines will penalize you!
- Do not write misleading summaries
- Do not use the same description for different pages – avoid dublication
- Not providing any related infos about your page's content
- Leave it empty – Google will pick something which may be your copyright footer in worst case
Check your site's meta description:
- http://www.exadium.com/tools/metadata/
- http://www.internetofficer.com/seo-tool/meta-description-test/


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Vacation Holiday Homes Ocean Heights Dubai is a self-catering accommodation located in the vibrant Dubai Marina. Dubai Marina Promenade is can be reached in a 10-minute walk, while the nearest public beach is only 5 minutes by car.
This two-bedroom apartment is air-conditioned and decorated in earth colors. The accommodation features a living room with a large flat-screen TV and satellite channels. There is also a dining area, a well-equipped kitchen that comes with stove-top, oven, electric kettle, kitchenware, washing machine, microwave, toaster, and refrigerator. The private bathroom features shower, bath, toilet, bidet, and towels.
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Guests at Vacation Holiday Homes Ocean Heights Dubai can experience an exhilarating tandem jump at Skydive Dubai which is situated just 2 km from the property. Then, when it comes to dining, they can go on a culinary adventure with so many restaurants, bars, and pubs that are in close proximity into the apartment.
Vacation Holiday Homes Ocean Heights Dubai is definitely a good choice for travelers interested in food, beaches, and sight-seeing.
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A new book seeks to help educators bring up the sometimes awkward discussions surrounding gender and sexuality.
The first published compilation of classroom activities for college-level gender and sexuality courses will be released this month, containing over 30 of the best ideas from G&S professors across the country.
Edited by a pair of University of Illinois Springfield professors, "Activities for Teaching Gender and Sexuality in the University Classroom" is intended to create a more participatory classroom and, perhaps, reduce pressure on overburdened professors.
"Unfortunately, many instructors wind up teaching these classes with very little experience and knowledge on these topics," says Elizabeth Ribarsky, who co-edited the book along with Michael Murphy. "If an instructor feels uncomfortable talking about sexuality, they often go to a lecture approach that limits interaction with the class. By protecting their discomfort, they actually perpetuate the student's discomfort. For us, it's important to create classrooms where students are engaged in discussions."
In creating the new teacher's manual, the editors pored over hundreds of lesson plans from around the country, looking for activities that had a track record of positive results with college age populations.
"Despite how pervasive sexuality and gender issues are in the media, it still remains a remarkably taboo topic within our society. Some people actually think we're promoting people having sex by talking about it [in the classroom]. But research has shown that people that talk about sex at a younger age – and are more comfortable talking about sex – tend to delay their first sexual experience longer than those who did not talk about it."
Try it out:
Activity from "Activities for Teaching Gender and Sexuality in the University Classroom." [Note: the description below is only intended as a cursory example. Before implementing any activity in the classroom, instructors are encouraged to consult the full lesson plan.]
"The Sexual Secrets Project," developed by Shawn Trivette, of Louisiana Tech University
1. Students are given a note card and an envelope.
2. Similar to the well-known online PostSecret project, they are encouraged to anonymously write down a personal sexual secret.
3. They seal the envelope and submit it to the instructor.
4. The instructor posts the note cards in the classroom at a future date.
Frequent result: Both students and instructors are often shocked to discover that their most taboo feelings and experiences are shared by many of their peers.


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Now that 2016 has arrived, we are preparing to send our kids back to their college towns already! For me, it's hard to believe that a year has passed since we were anxiously waiting to hear about college decision acceptance or rejection letters. Now that very stressful and anxious time is replaced with the promise of an amazing college journey.
During our daughter's first semester in college, we needed to learn to let go and let her navigate her new found independence in her college town. On a basic level, this meant hoping that she was eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep, making good decisions and finding a new group of good friends. In many ways, the first year of college reminds me of the first year of middle school, e.g. it is a time as a parent that we learn to let go a little bit and also to find new and unique ways to support and help navigate the myriad of opportunities and obstacles presented to our kids. Of course, in college, these lessons and parental anxieties are amplified by the fact that these un-navigated waters are also being chartered long distance, and the magnitude of waves and obstacles seem so much larger and more frequent!
Our winter break was spent enjoying all the renewed activity of having our kids back home, yet at the same time also seeing and discerning how they have adjusted, grown and matured (no not!) while away from home. As we send our kids back to their college towns, this time it is with a sense of pride, mixed with relief that we all survived, and in many ways thrived during the first term away at college. Now that my daughter is settled back into her dorm, she wants to decorate more, make it feel more like home, or at least a home away from home.
From hometowns to college towns, here's hoping that your college kids are learning to make their college towns their home away from home!


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Desperate Romantics DVD
Starring Samuel Barnett, Sam Crane, Jennie Jacques, Rafe Spall, Amy Manson, Aidan Turner, Tom Hollander
All six episodes of the BBC period drama series depicting the turbulent lives of four young artists in mid-19th century London: William Holman Hunt (Rafe Spall), John Millais (Samuel Barnett), Dante Gabriel Rossetti (Aidan Turner) and Fred Walters (Sam Crane).
Against the backdrop of the industrial revolution, the young men's quest for artistic freedom and immortality takes them into some of the lewdest, darkest corners of the city.
Along for the ride is free-spirited redhead Lizzie Siddal (Amy Manson) - but just how much is she really risking to associate with this dangerous bunch?
- Format: DVD
- Region: 2
- Certification: (15)
- Catalogue number: BBCDVD3046
- Studio: 2 Entertain
- Release date: 21/09/2009
- Genre: Drama
- Colour: Colour
Free Home Delivery
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Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'fictional football leagues'.
Found 1 result
My personal Continental Football League -- EFC Central teams
NY_CFL_fan posted a topic in Sports Fan FictionI've been on this forum for a while and I saw that others (hugevolsfan and CJ Zilligen) had shared personal/fictional football leagues with their own designs. I have my own fictional football league that I came up with more than 30 years ago, and I've had it knocking around in my brain and on paper ever since. I always thought I was the only football helmet/logo geek out there -- glad to see I'm not the only one. There's a rather long backstory to my league -- the Continental Football League -- so I'll try to sum it up. I started this concept league in 1983-84 when I was in ninth grade as a mashup of the Canadian Football League, USFL and World Football League, with several teams of my own creation (Hurricanes, Mustangs, Wolfpack, Thunderbirds, etc.) to fill out a 28-team league that roughly paralleled the NFL, but as an East-West league like the NHL or NBA. Since I am not much of an artist and many of the teams in my league exist in the real world in some form, I used helmets from MG's Helmets to display the vision of my league, using Photoshop to make changes. In some cases, I used logos from other artists on here or elsewhere in cyberspace, but I give full credit to the artists' original work -- and I do not profit from any of this, this league is for my own enjoyment. In other cases, I recolored logos to suit the teams I came up with. Full credit goes to hugevolsfan for the Memphis Blues -- that's his idea, although I use a recolored Philadelphia Soul helmet for them. I had gone through several nicknames for Memphis over the years, but I have no idea why I didn't think of the Blues years ago! My original Memphis team was the Wolfpack using North Carolina colors, but they morphed into other teams before I settled on the Blues after seeing hugevolsfan's. As for some of the other helmets, all credit to CJ Zilligen for the current Jacksonville Sharks' and Colorado Grizzlies' logos. They are outstanding works and wanted to plug his artwork. Credit also goes to the creators of the logos for the Miners and Mustangs, also among my favorites. Again, this league is completely for my own enjoyment, but I thought I would share another concept league. The Arizona Inferno are my homage to my favorite logo -- the Atlanta Flames' flaming A. The Carolina Hurricanes actually, for me, dates back to a team I created in 1984 (as the Houston Hurricane originally), but the helmet is MG's Helmets' concept from the NHL team. I had discovered Canadian football in 1982 when NBC showed some games during the NFL strike and ESPN started its coverage of the CFL. I also happened to have an English teacher, Mr. Niles, who was Canadian and let me borrow a couple of books he had about the CFL. My family took a vacation to Ontario in the summer of '83, so I bought a couple more CFL books. I was fascinated with football helmets and logos to begin with, and bored with the same old NFL logos, so I was thrilled to see new teams and colors -- including arrival of the USFL in the spring of '83, and a 10th anniversary story of the WFL in Football Digest magazine showed that late-lamented league's logos (in black and white). So I had the brilliant idea around that time to invent my own league with CFL teams, plus select teams from the USFL and WFL, and a few of my own concept teams. Using a blank helmet template traced from an NFL preview book, I created a league with paper and colored pencils. I originally dubbed it the North American Football League (NAFL), but changed it to the Continental Football League a few years later (I knew there was a minor Continental League in the 1960s, but at the time I knew very little about it). I developed an origin story -- the Canadian league merging with teams from two other smaller pro leagues in the U.S. south and eastern seaboard in the mid to late 1950s to compete with the NFL -- and each team had its own history, as well. I created the league as a hybrid of American and Canadian rules to create the most exciting game possible, in a fictional timeline where the AFL never existed (although some teams did, but as NFL teams) as my league and the NFL competed for expansion cities. Sometimes, in my free time, I traced football photos and recolored them as teams from my league. Over three decades, I tweaked and retrofitted teams to change nicknames and helmet/uniform designs and colors, finding teams that I liked in the Arena Football League, NFL Europe or CFL expansion (Baltimore Stallions) and replacing original teams. Since my league has always paralleled the NFL in format, my CFL expanded to 30 and 32 teams. I also developed past helmets that teams used in previous decades. Two very interesting things with my Continental Football League -- I came up with the Ottawa Renegades and Carolina Hurricanes a decade or two before the actual CFL and NHL teams. When I first drew up my league in 1984, I know CFL purists will hate this, but I never liked two Roughriders/Rough Riders, so I kept Saskatchewan the same and changed Ottawa to the Renegades, using a black, white and red version of the Orlando Renegades USFL helmet (eventually switching to the Ottawa Renegades' CFL helmet when they arrived in 2002). As for the Hurricanes, I love the nickname and wanted a team with that name and the same red/white/black colors -- and since Charlotte, NC, did not have a pro team at the time (1984), that was my natural landing spot (although Houston Hurricanes was a possibility, as well). I originally used the old WFL Portland Storm logo -- recolored in red and black -- until I saw the Carolina Hurricanes' NHL logo. Another is the Montreal Alouettes/Baltimore Stallions history -- in this alternate timeline, Montreal moved to Baltimore in the 1980s instead of going defunct, and the Washington Sentinels (remember "The Replacements"?) moved to Montreal in the '90s. I created or recolored several teams because there were many color combinations I like that were not in the NFL or CFL in the 1980s, but were in the college ranks, so there are several teams that represent some of those great color combinations -- black and teal, dark green and black, maroon and metallic gold, orange and navy, green and blue (think Hartford Whalers), purple and silver, garnet and gold. I have teams that have stayed in the same city, but have undergone multiple nickname changes until I found something that sounded right. I had the Michigan Panthers right up until a few weeks ago -- I was playing musical nicknames among the Wolfpack, Mustangs and Thunder, but I always wanted a team called the Wolfpack, so I retrofitted the Panthers as the Wolfpack after a rebranding, circa 1980. EDIT: I ended up going back to the Michigan Panthers from the start, and having the Wolfpack be the Chicago franchise. NOTE: Attached below are the current (2016-present) lineup of my Continental Football League -- Eastern Football Conference and Western Football Conference. I decided to give new life to the CFL's former East and West division logos -- we can just switch Division to Conference:


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No one should be forced to suffer needlessly in the final days of their life.
We know most Victorians, across the whole political spectrum, want the choice of a peaceful and dignified death if faced with a terminal or incurable illness and unbearable pain.
As the End of Life Choices Inquiry exposed, due to the lack of assisted dying laws (also known as voluntary euthanasia) many people have felt they have no other option but to take their own life, often in horrific circumstances.
The Greens are passionate about Dying with Dignity laws, but we need the majority of parliament on board to make this happen.
Sign the petition to tell Members of the Victorian Parliament that it's time – bring in Dying with Dignity laws!
Dear Members of the Victorian Parliament,
People with a terminal or incurable illness and in unbearable pain should not be forced to suffer.
This last chapter in life should be spent with family, secure in the knowledge that if and when it is needed, assistance with a peaceful, pain-free death will be honoured.
The overwhelming majority of Victorians want Dying with Dignity laws, and the End of Life Choices Inquiry has provided detailed recommendations about how our laws should be reformed.
It's now time for the parliament to take on this important issue and give the community what it wants by legalising assisted dying.
Not only would these laws relieve a huge amount of suffering, they would also bring peace of mind to people who are dying and their families, knowing that they can enjoy their precious last days together in peace.


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This is our E3 2015 Wrap Up covering everything from PC to Nintentdo! How do the guys feel about the recently announced games and hardware. Listen in as they debate the validity of VR and who will win out overall!
BOG: Game Out Loud Podcast Archive Game Out Loud Contact Information
- iTunes
- Direct Feed
- @Gameoutloudcast on Twitter
Send your questions and comments to firstname.lastname@example.com


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Golden Hill Garage guarantee low prices on our entire range of vehicles. We check our prices every day so you can be confident that you can't buy better or cheaper anywhere else.
For an accurate quote please contact one of our Sales Consultants on 01772 423 416.
If you would like to enquire about part exchange on the 2015 (65) VAUXHALL MERIVA 1.4 TECH LINE 5DR please complete the form below giving as much detail as possible.
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Professional and friendly. I can understand why they have such a high reputation. Nothing was a problem and the staff were first class. I'd hope my next car would be bought from these guys.Astra Sale
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Friendly and courteous....plenty of football banter! Informative with everything I needed to know about the car ...a really pleasant experienceSuperb guys


text: It may not be possible for you to have a regular accountant working for your business and pay handsome monthly salary. Various accounting firms provide accounting services in cheap rates but with expertise. You can always read more at the cheap accountant websites searching the internet and will be surprised https://dsnow121.weebly.com/blog/the-cheap-account-service-with-qualified-professionals-in-online


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April 23 Children's Day, Naz Put a Firm Stamp On Energy Kid Festival
April 23 Children's Day Energy Children's Festival, ITO Cemile Sultan and Fenerbahce Dereagzi was conducted simultaneously in facilities. ITO, FB Club, Energy Efficiency Association and Cemile Sultan the festival, organized in cooperation with the main theme "Energy Kid Naz" was created. Framework of the organization present in both event space Naz and colleagues, efficient energy use in each of their environment and contribute to the national economy to the tiny talked about various games.
In the organization Chamber of Commerce and Energy Efficiency Association President İbrahim Çağlar was also attended by many children compete with each other to take pictures with Naz. Also in the area where the children comfortable and safe use of inflatable games to track, face painting and sand painting event organizers with contests and games, children's animation team provided throughout the day to spend pleasant hours.


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Just a short posting here to show you my latest creation.
I've used 2 Magnolia images here:
Mini Dancing Party Tilda from the Mini You Are So Special Collection 2011 and
Summer Background Fairytale from the Fairytale Collection 2010.
Both of these stamps are available from Diana's on-line store Magnolia-licious.
For this card, I've used this wonderful sketch that Stacy has created for Inspirational Card Sketches #113.
This is also my entry for the following challenges:
Totally Gorjuss - Challenge 78 - 123 (1 flower or sentiment, 2 images and 3 DP's)
ABC Challenge - T is for two or more images
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
I'm still finding it harder to colour these minies--easier to colour outside the lines...LOL, but I'm getting more use to it. I've scaled down my card size a 5 1/2-inch square from my usual 6" square, as I think it looked better proportioned that way.
Thanks for dropping by. Your visit is very much appreciated. One more day and then...woo-hoo...have a wonderful weekend!!!
DP's: We R Memory Keepers comstock collection Buttercup, one sheet from DCWV Nana's Nursery Baby Girls paper pad, one sheet from DCWV Holiday Stack paper pad
Tools: EK Success Retro Flower punches medium and small, Punch Bunch Ash Leaf punch medium, Joy Craft leaf die
Embellishments: Recollections Autumn pearls
Misc.: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Stamp Pad Vintage Photo


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A while back I ended my subscription to the German edition of BurdaStyle magazine in English. I was at B&N this past Monday and saw this in the magazine section:
It's a completely different magazine in English for the US. I picked it up because it's kind of interesting and I wanted to give it a really good perusal. I'm not a huge fan of burdastyle.com though I did buy their book and read it fairly thoroughly before passing it on since I deemed it a decent skill building sewing book.
As you can read from the cover, there are 20 patterns in the magazine and another 20 available for download (something I'm not likely to do). I did like the 20 that they put in the inserts more than the 20 available for download. I don't know the decision making process that went into the choices, but if it's consistent I can see myself subscribing. It's four times a year instead of once a month and a subscription is not unreasonable (though I lost the card so I don't have the exact amount). This was the winter edition and if I like the spring, I'll probably sign up for the next year.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
BurdaStyle Magazine
Labels: burdastyle, sewing
4 comments:
I absolutely love Burdastyle magazine, but I tend to just buy a single issue if I see it in the newsagent. I hope you enjoy it!ReplyDeleteReplies
I would likely have continued to by the English version of the Burdastyle magazine if I could have bought them by the single issue if there was a local source. I'm loving that we'll have the opportunity now even if it is a condensed version.Delete
I will have to keep my eye out for this one - looks great ...JReplyDelete
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Product Description
The MaleEdge Penis Enlarger is a top-of-the line traction-based penis extender. It is fully adjustable to accommodate any penis size and is designed for both circumcised and uncircumcised men. Clinical studies with use of four months have shown typical penis growth between 1.5 and 5cm (0.59 – 2 inches). This device does not require doctor approval and will not interfere with your sex life or habits. The MaleEdge grows your penis by stretching the tissue, causing cells to divide and new tissue to grow—naturally! It can be worn comfortably under clothing so that it works for you as you sleep or go about your routine daily activities. This device may also correct Peyronie's disease. The traction indicators on each adjustment bar tells you the exact amount of pressure being applied in three ranges of force: 8-1200g (42oz), 1200-2000g (71oz), and 2000-2800g (100oz).
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