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St. Andrews University offers three new majors
Laurinburg, NC - St. Andrews University is pleased to announce three new majors at the Laurinburg campus.
The three majors are Communication: Public Relations, Middle Grades Education and Special Education: General Curriculum.
Dr. Charles Meadows, assistant professor of communication, has been working on the development of the new Communication major since his arrival on campus last fall.
"When President Baldasare brought me in it was with the opportunity to be on the ground floor of creating a communication program," said Meadows. "I looked at what the program has been over the years and determined what was best suited to St. Andrews and where the market is taking us."
The research resulted in the Public Relations concentration. It is designed to prepare students to serve as public relations managers and public relations specialists in for-profit and non-profit organizations.
Employment of public relations specialists is expected to grown 23 percent from 2010 to 2020, with that growth driven by the need for organizations to maintain their public image in a high-information age and with the growth of social media.
"The Department of Liberal and Creative Arts is excited to redevelop the Communication major for the twenty-first century," said Dr. David Herr, department chair and associate professor of History. "Students will have the opportunity to gain practical understanding of a dynamic field. Dr. Meadows brings creative new ideas to the program and our campus. Combined with exposure to St. Andrews' other excellent liberal arts and sciences, new communications majors and minors will have many exciting opportunities available upon graduation."
It was similar research that led to the decision to offer Middle Grades and Special Education majors. Nationally, the need for certified middle school teachers is expected to grow by 17 percent from 2010 to 2020. Public school superintendents and school leaders in southeastern North Carolina report a strong demand for both middle school educators and special education services.
"We surveyed Local Education Associations and realized there is a great need for Middle Grades and Special Education teachers," said Dr. Sandy Jones, chair of the education department and assistant professor of education.
The Middle Grades Education major is designed to prepare teachers in the sixth through eighth grades. The Special Education: General Curriculum major is designed to prepare special education teachers to work with students who have a wide range of learning, mental, emotional and physical disabilities.
"We are confident that we will be providing much needed, high quality teachers for this region," Jones said. "We have a strong track record with Elementary and Physical education graduates and see this program continuing that proud tradition."
That track record was recently emphasized as St. Andrews Alumni Mike Kryszak and Joe Critcher were honored as Scotland County Teacher and Principal of the Year respectively.
Other Important Links
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In its purest form, economic theory describes its domain of study as it actually exists. Reality is not comprised of homogeneous agents who choose quantities of goods according to the mariginal unit of utility gained per dollar spent. If only life were so simple! In the real world, agents have no option but to make choices that confront scarcity of time and resources. These choices are often aided by some standard or algorithm. In some cases, choices appear to be random. Despite this, order in society is apparent enough to suggest to the observer with even a slight inclination toward introspection that the persons around her act with ends in mind; that there must be some process by which society organizes itself toward the ends of its agents.
James Buchanan identifies much of this order in the form of rules that govern human action and interaction. Douglas North took this a step further, arguing that the rules and order that appear in society first arise in a mind or minds. The rules of the mind come to impact the rules of the game and their structure. This may happen simply through duplication of the rule governed action by others, or may rely on a complex, iterative processes of instantiation. Herbert Simon showed us that humans are ecologically rational, using the information present in their surroundings to guide their actions. This is a process of necessity for humans to function in a world that is best described as an open system and where one's own computational power is limited both by physical and structural constraints of the mind. Hayek (1952; 1960; 2014) delved further into the nature of rules, perception, interpretation, and action, providing a general language that made many readers confuse his economics for something approaching philosophy.
The wisdom of those great economists who have come before us serves as foundation for a new framing of economics. This starts with a reconstruction of the agent along the lines suggested by the economists above mentioned, as well as researchers in the adjacent disciplines which include philosophy, sociology, cognitive science, computational and computer science. Carl Menger dreamed of building a robust economic system that integrated essential innovation in formal knowledge of mind, human action that flows from the mind, and the society that arises as a result of human action. In some ways, Mises (1949) fulfilled this dream in human action. However, unaddressed problems concerning epistemology made his contribution fodder for those who do not appreciate the implications of his argument. Hayek corrected much of this with his work from the Abuse of Reason project. It is no coincidence that he is highly cited by those who study the emergence of institutions.
Many recognize that Hayek's work in this domain is valuable, but I have yet to see a substantial integration of his ideas with the core of economic theory. Many researchers in institutional economics have picked up the torch that he passed. Elinor Ostrom credits Hayek (1937, 1945) for her understanding of the emergence of social institutions that help to govern the commons. A similar appreciation is true for North and Denzau, as well as more recent work from Boettke, Coyne, and Leeson. The latter of these note that Hayek "was among the first to emphasize these aspects of spontaneously emergent institutions (333)." Koppl (2002) advises us to consider the internal state of the economic agent with reference to his perception of the external world. He argues that agents form expectations according to types that they have constructed or borrowed from others. (When I approach a cashier, I do not necessarily expect to make a friend, but I can be nearly certain that he will facilitate my purchase.) Agents have mental maps - private ontologies - which are comprised of a mixture of anonymous and personal typifications and rules that are believed to govern the existence and interactions of objects represented by these typifications.
The work of all of these mentioned have helped move economics toward the cusp of a change that has been building throughout the last half-century. Their work is part of a line realist theories that trace their lineage back to early economists like David Hume and Adam Smith who were not afraid to recognize, and even awed at, the complexities inherent in social interaction. These contributions represent a more scientific rendition classical political economy. This is synonomous with Wagner's "entangled political economy." Their work is integral to the resuscitation and development of a paradigm of realism to underlie the work of economists.
Not long after the Samuelsonian turn in economics, theorists on the margins of the discipline - and some like Arrow who was certainly not on the margin - began to employ a new set of tools. These tools are part of the complexity paradigm. Researchers within this practice investigate emergent processes and the objects and structures that the processes generate. Of primary concern for economic theorists are agent based models. Some popular models include Shelling's (1971) segregation model, Axelrod's (1997) conflict model, and Gode and Sunder's (1993) zero-intelligence trader model. Theoretical contributions are arising from this line of inquiry. Gode and Sunder show that the process of coordination is an outcome of simple rules governing the buying and selling of goods. Axtell (2005) demonstrates that exchange is a process of social compuation! These theorists have created a number of innovation that other economic theorists can integrate into their own practice and understanding.
Now to bring these treasures together into a cohesive framework. A robust economic theory must explicitly identify its objects of concern, relationships between objects, and processes that govern these. Emphasis on rule-based perception and coordination is critical for understanding the core of social processes. Perception is at the foundation of agent action. Agent-based modeling provides a method to which a methodologically robust rendition of economic theory can be applied. Integration of these will provide us models that not only explain and demonstrate economic theory. The same platform also allows us to produce models whose predictions take economic process into account.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hand Scraped Wood Floors | Hanford, CA 93230 | (559) 582-2610
"The sales rep from Robinson's, was really helpful. She knew our needs; she knew what kind of traffic we would have and the kind of flooring we would need. She gave us a nice cleaning kit, which I've used and it's very good. She also went online to find further information for removing stains. This was just so that I would have the information if I needed it. Robinson's staff was always available for us. They would call us back right away or come out to the house. They checked the job frequently to ensure it was correct. I know Mike Robinson gave us a really good deal, too. We got a bid from a place in Fresno for the same materials and labor — it was a lot higher. I guess that's why Mike does so much business here."
Kim Verdegaal
George and Kim Verdegaal truly wanted their home to be their castle. So they chose a design that reflected Old World elegance. For their main living areas, they selected Saddle Oak hand scraped wood floors. Their custom-made staircase features wood perimeters, which provide a frame to show off the inlaid Royal Dutch carpet.


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Hi Christophe, Christophe Varoqui wrote:
Hi, please take notice I updated the upstream git tree for the multipath-tools project. This tree includes lots of code shuffling : 1) prioritizers as dlopen'ed shared libs (/lib/libmultipath/libprio*.so) 2) checkers as dlopen'ed shared libs (/lib/libmultipath/libcheck*.so)
Maybe /lib/multipath is more appropriate; eventually something more might be stored in there.
Consequences : The multipath tool is about to get shot for good
About time :-) But: how do I get the topology output? I hope not via the 'multipathd -k' option? Maybe we should just have it symlinked to multipathd and print out the appropriate output ...
The klibc build is gone
Even better. Oh, and I do have some fixes queued which I need to polish up and post here. Just as a reminder if you thought of doing a release or somesuch ... Cheers, Hannes -- Dr. Hannes Reinecke zSeries & Storage hare suse de +49 911 74053 688 SUSE LINUX Products GmbH, Maxfeldstr. 5, 90409 Nürnberg GF: Markus Rex, HRB 16746 (AG Nürnberg)


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Citrix has rolled out a new version of its Android client for the popular service/product, GoToMyPC. Available for tablets and Kindle Fire devices alike, the new app lets users work on PC and Mac from mobile, in an experience not all unlike a remote-control. As is the case with other versions of the app, the GoToMyPC app is free of charge but requires a GoToMyPC subscription for your host Mac or PC. Once you download the app on your device you open the app, log in, select the host computer and connect.
"From smartphones to tablets and laptops, mobile devices are a necessity for getting work done…We believe having secure remote access on your mobile device gives you better work-life balance because you're no longer tied to your desk. Now with the new GoToMyPC app for Android and Kindle Fire, you can access your computer from anywhere. At Citrix, we're focused on solutions that are simple by design and support new ways of working."
Mobile Feature Highlights:
- Instant access to all your files, programs and network
- Works seamlessly with your existing firewalls – no need for special configuration
- Precision mouse control so it's easy to tap the details
- 300% zoom to see details and work without straining your eyes
- Full keyboard functionality, including special keys like Alt, Ctrl and Tab
- Multitasking
- Keyboard locking and screen blanking on the computer you access (PC only)
- Multi-monitor support
- 128-bit AES encryption, dual passwords and end-to-end user authentication
- Connects over 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi networks
[download_link link="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.citrixonline.gotomypc" variation="hotpink" target="blank"]Download GoToMyPC (Google Play)[/download_link]


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It is this hierarchy of validation and authentication, established hundreds of years ago with the advent of the printed word that reveals the tenuous reality of historicity. History – at least art history – is malleable, suspect, corruptible and ultimately flawed.
How do I prove this and what does it mean? Suffice to say, in terms of evidence I will point out a rather glaring omission of one 20th Century artist from one particular required textbook, the elimination of which appears to doom this artist to academic obscurity, at least as far as this art history text is concerned.(1)
My brief elaboration on this artist is related to the specifics of what I know and teach, performance and contemporary art, and the failure to mention the artist in this textbook's version of 20 Century art history can only be surmised as an exercise in academic censorship. Certainly, this demonstrates that different versions of history are being represented and, although this perception of historicity's putative "truth" is not new, it clearly shows that an academic censorship agenda may be afoot.
The artist missing from this text that I want to discuss is Chris Burden. From 1971 to 1974, Burden engaged in a series of iconic performance art pieces:
Working out of his Venice studio, Chris had himself shot with a .22 rifle, nailed to a Volkswagen roof, fired a pistol at an airliner, tried to "breathe" underwater, crossed two "hot" electric wires at his chest and assaulted a television journalist by holding a knife to her throat. These are difficult performance art pieces that Burden was keen to present as "sculptures." They have a mythic presence in "body art" yet he has grown reticent to talk about them as he aged, apparently seeking to distance himself from his destructive early work. His evolving sculptural process began to explore the physics of stress and energy (Samson and Big Wheel) with a whimsical fascination with the "gee whiz" of science. Yet the legacy of Burden's body art assured that the possibility of imminent and unpredictable violence would remain inherent in the work of succeeding generations of art students "attempting to emulate the transgressive character of Burden's early work" and contemporary artists like John Bock and Matthew Barney.(2)
But Burden is not mentioned in this textbook; not in the index, not in footnotes, no photographs. He is not even listed in the textbook's passing reference to performance art. Why?
Could it be that Burden himself refused permission to the author or publishers to reproduce photographs of his seminal performance art pieces in their text? As has been noted, Burden's work has evolved through the years to encompass more traditional sculptural concerns, with installations and even public art commissions. Perhaps he wishes to control his legacy and focus attention on his more recent projects instead of a four or five year period soon after he graduated from UC Irvine. As substantiation of this possible theory, it has been reported that he denied Marina Abramovic permission to "replicate" his "Transfixed" piece (in which Burden was nailed to that Volkswagen) for her 2005 Guggenheim Museum show, "Seven Easy Pieces."(3)
Coincidentally, Marina Abramovic is presented in this textbook, complete with two reproductions and quoted statements from the artist about her work.(4) Abramovic's efforts at legitimizing performance as archival media and gaining institutional acceptance have been extensive, and her efforts were duly rewarded with a 2010 retrospective exhibition of her work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Abramovic's inclusion in this art history text as one of the sole practitioners of performance art may be a testament to her obvious success as performance art's unofficial spokesperson. But the complete omission of Chris Burden's performances as validated, authenticated pieces within the canons of art history is troubling.
1. Sayre, Henry. A World of Art (Seventh Edition), Pearson Education, 2013.
2. Quoted from my October 18, 2007 post, "Chris's Burden."
3. Nancy Princenthal, "Back for One Night Only!" in Art in America, Feb. 2006, 91-92.
4. Op cit., 322-323.
4. Op cit., 322-323.


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I recently asked on the Elementary School Counselor Exchange facebook group about the different certifications school counselors may work towards. I thought the National Board Certified Counselor (NBCC) was the only certification available; however, I discovered that the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) also offers a school counseling certificate. In response to my question Dr. Russ Sabella posted a great side by side comparison that ASCA created. You can see the ASCA Comparison Chart here or below on scribd. NBCC has created a list of benefits of holding their certification.
From what I understand – please correct me, if I am wrong – NBCC offers an exam for counselors to earn their NBCC credentials. NBPTS is a much more in-depth process that aligns with the ASCA model and helps school counselors prepare for the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) application. The NBPTS requires 3 years of licensed experience and a portfolio.
Several people noted that it is important to check with your state as well as your school district to see if there are monetary benefits to earning the two certifications.
Another things that was mentioned was that NBCC used to offer a specialized certification for school counselors. Right now that certification application is unavailable and under review.
Have you earned either certification? Any advice for those of us who are considering it?
Thanks for stopping by!


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315 West Harvard Avenue, Roseburg, Oregon, United States
Book online or call
Welcome to the Travelodge Roseburg Riverfront. We are a AAA approved 2 diamond rated property, conveniently located off I-5 at Exit 124. All rooms have High Speed Wireless Internet Access, Microwaves, Refrigerators, Hairdryers, Freshly brewed in-room coffee, Cable TV with HBO. The Travelodge Roseburg has a Heated outdoor seasonal swimming pool, and a beautifully landscaped private park and picnic area on the bank of the the Beautiful Umpqua river, selected rooms have balconies with river views, there are a number of restaurants nearby. Non-smoking rooms, Free USA Today Newspaper, and Complimentary Continental Breakfast are available. Pet Fee 10 USD per pet. Pets are allowed in designated rooms. Please call property to confirm of how many pets and availability of pet rooms.
Travelodge by Wyndham Roseburg Riverfront
315 West Harvard Avenue, Roseburg, Oregon, United States


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- 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 1.5 lbs of Beef Sirloin cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 Can of Beef Consume
- 1/3 Cup Cranberry Juice Cocktail
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1 Clove of Garlic
- 1/8 teaspoon of Onion Powder
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoons of Cornstarch
- About a Dozen Portabello Mushrooms cut in half
- 1 Bag of Egg Noodles cooked according to package
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Brown meat.
Add in mushrooms and cook for additional five minutes. Remove 1/4 cup of the beef liquid and place in container with lid. Add two tablespoons of cornstarch, put the lid on and shake until well combined. Turn heat up to high. Pour cornstarch mixture in with the beef and stir continuously. Broth will thicken. Serve over noodles or rice.


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No Loki this time around in The Avengers 2
News of the cast-list for Marvel's upcoming sequel 'The Avengers' has been focused on who wil play Quicksilver for the past few weeks, so much so that we didn't even have time to notice that Tom Hiddeston (Loki) would not be returning.
It's quite common for the villains in this genre not to appear in further installments or sequels (X-Men being the best exception to that rule), it gives the heroes some new challenges and it's an easy way to spice-up a sequel for fans. While talking on the Empire's podcast, the film's director and head writer, Joss Whedon, confirmed that Loki will not be returning.
Whedon stated, "I've turned in a first draft, but the story is very set. Everybody's very much on board with the exact movie I'm trying to make which is what worked the first time." He then continued, "Immitating what I did before is the surest way to do it not as well. Second of all, and Loki is not there to say those terrible things."
The most likely cause for this absence it due to the upcoming Thor sequel, which may or may not put an end to Loki on the big screen for now.


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Originally published April 24, 2017.
A rural Huntington woman says achieving inner peace, tranquility and spiritual renewal may be just as far away as your own back yard.
Christy Thomson, who may be better known as the music coordinator at the Parkview Huntington YMCA, calls it "forest bathing" or "forest therapy." The moniker is derived from the Japanese word Shinrin-yoku, which is translated as "bathing your senses in the forest."
Thomson, who holds certification as a forest therapy guide, has been leading groups of people as they take advantage of what Mother Nature has to offer. She will take between two and 15 people at a time on a meandering walk in the woods, moving at a more leisurely pace than a normal hike.
The idea is not to get from here to there, but to experience the in-between.
"Like, let's go out and do this for 20 minutes in the forest, whether it's lay under a tree on a blanket and just stare up through the leaves, or sit in the river with the water washing your feet," she explains. "There's all kinds of things we do."
Other activities might include breathing in the scent from flowers, looking for things that are moving such as bugs or a blade of grass, or feeling the breeze caress the skin.
At the end of the activities, Thomson brings the group together to allow them to share their experiences or thoughts.
"There's a multitude of things that come up in this council and it's just not very exciting by yourself," she says. "To do it with a group is really ideal … we do something called 'pleasures of presence.' We'll stand in a circle and we will go through the five common senses briefly — four or five minutes each — oftentimes closing eyes until the end. That will be the last sense that we work with.
"We try to hone the senses in and try to relax all those things in your mind — get your mind to stop working — and just do one thing at a time and focus. It just slows everything down."
She often takes advantage of the 65 acres of woods along Rangeline Road owned by her parents to conduct the walks. The property is replete with trees, creeks, hills, meadows and pastures — all of which can be used to stimulate the senses.
"When it comes to aesthetically pleasing, it is the most phenomenal place in Huntington County," Thomson adds.
She also leads groups in walks at Salamonie Lake as well as the Botanical Conservatory and ACRES in Fort Wayne. The events are tailored to the seasons and conditions in the forest, as well as to the group that will be taking the trek.
Seniors, in particular, are one of Thomson's favorite groups. She has led Silver Sneakers groups and other older adults to reconnect with the woods.
"They were really ready for it. They were really excited. They didn't have any idea what they were in for, but there was a really great sense of excitement to explore something new," she recalls.
"There's a real youthfulness about the people that came. It was very fun, because they were ready to just 'eat' everything and drink it all in and really have the full experience that you can have."
Children's groups are also fun and playful, Thomson says, providing a much different dynamic. She will often take them to Clear Creek and put their feet in the water or do something called "marshmallow water," in which they place their hands just above the surface of the water to feel the surface tension.
"You get a real sense of gravity that you've never really experienced before when you're just walking through the water," Thomson says.
"We'll sometimes have people imagine or pick up a leaf, and place a worry or something that's bothering for them … and put it on that leaf, and send it down river …
"It might seem really simplistic, but there's something about seeing that leaf go over those rapids and down the creek, and you see it float away, and you see the river and water giving you that gift of taking that away for you. It's not magic. It's a re-thinking, an unthinking and a re-sensing."
Thomson says there is a lot of research on the health benefits of forest bathing. It's different than hiking, she explains, because the activities won't increase the heart rate as hiking might. But she says in 20 minutes, participants feel dramatically different.
"It really is more about stress relief; it's really about a reconnection with nature in a lot of ways," she says. "What that does to your body physiologically is raise serotonin, lower cortisol — which, of course is your stress hormone — it will lower blood pressure, it lowers heart rate oftentimes … and it will increase immune function."
Thompson adds there are studies on how forest therapy affects cancer, finding that cancer "natural killer" or NK cells have increased as a result of the therapy.
She got involved in forest therapy as a result of her personal journey in dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder from her childhood.
"I have been using nature as a therapy for myself for years and years," she relates. "People look at me and say, 'There's nothing wrong with you.' Well, the problem is you can't see people's neurological systems and you can't see what's wrong with them …
"I noticed that if I felt stressed, if I could just go outside and walk through the grass with my shoes off, or if I could just get to Fox Island and go on a hike or go to my dad's and go on a hike, just somehow it did something for me."
She decided she wanted to help others gain the same benefits, and obtained certification in May 2016 through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, of Santa Rosa, CA. So far, she's taken around 100 people on the walks.
One of those Thomson has helped is Susan Peppler, a rural Roanoke resident who went on her first therapy walk last fall.
"We do a lot of hiking and backpacking and stuff like that, but never something like this, so it was kind of cool to see things from a different perspective, as far as slowing down and taking your time and thinking about all kinds of things," Peppler says. "You just really slowed down, took your time, slowed the pace of your thoughts and experienced everything through your senses. That was really cool."
The change in perspective has not only been refreshing and relaxing, Peppler says, but has opened her eyes to new benefits she never gained when she was merely hiking from one destination to the other. She sees the woods differently now.
"You leave all your issues behind, and you're just kind of in the moment of things," she says. "It's spiritual, in a sense."
[1] http://www.huntingtoncountytab.com/feature/43598/county-woman-says-achieving-inner-peace-and-tranquility-may-be-far-away-own-back-yard


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Easybind Application Kit
Runners & Bindings
Gallery Images
[click to view]
Easybind Application Kit
To order: select ADD TO BASKET, shown above, and select CHECK PRICE to see the price.
- This Easybind Application Kit application kit is for anyone who wishes to do their own carpet binding at home, using our Easybind carpet edging
- The kit comprises a hot-glue gun (TEC 305 not TEC 250 as shown in image), as used by professional carpet fitters, 1/2 kilo of Easybind glue sticks and trial samples of Easy bind carpet binding, on which to practice your technique
- For further information about fitting please see Applying Easybind. Alternatively, you can watch this Easybind fitting video below.
Delivery:We aim to deliver within 3-4 working days in the UK.
©2003-2019 The Moston Partnership Ltd T/A Carpetrunners · T: +44 (0)1295 722831
E: email@example.com A: Bloxham Mill Business Centre Barford Road Banbury OX15 4FF
E: email@example.com A: Bloxham Mill Business Centre Barford Road Banbury OX15 4FF


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Published on January 24th, 2013 | by Bonnie Getchell3
Craft Booth Ideas: Upcycled Dry Erase Price Signs
In last week's post, Bubble Gum Machine Button Display, I shared that I am opening my own craft booth at a local antique/art shop. I'm sharing all of my eco-friendly display ideas, so here's another one– upcycle small picture frames into price displays!
What You Will Need:
1. Small picture frames
2. Neutral fabric or recycled paper
3. Dry erase marker
4. Scissors
How To Do It:
1. Cut your neutral fabric or recycled paper to the size of your picture frame. Then, insert it into your frame. I used tan fabric that I got at a garage sale.
2. Then, with your dry erase marker, write your prices on the frames. You could also write other phrases like "new" or "on sale."
These are such a great way to draw attention to your product and showcase all of your awesome deals! Plus, you can reuse them over and over again! What do you use to display your prices? Please share your ideas with us in the comment section below!
3 Responses to Craft Booth Ideas: Upcycled Dry Erase Price Signs
This is a great idea. I will be sure to use it!!! 🙂
I use slate welcome signs. I repurpose them w/ paint & make my new signs.


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Mayor Michael Barrett opened the Public Hearing regarding the proposed budget and the Special Hearing to Set the Final Tax Request at 5:45 p.m., on September 14, 2015 at City Hall with the following members of the City Council answering roll: Lawrence Mozena, Ray Frew, and Kelly Nutter. Absent: Timron Gilfert. Notices of the public hearings were given in advance thereof by publication in the September 3, 2015 edition of the Plattsmouth Journal. The posted location of the Open Meeting Act was noted by the Mayor.
Members of the Council reviewed the proposed budget requesting a total of $257,040 in property taxes, which represents a calculated levy before exemption of $.465400, with an exemption of bonded indebtedness in the amount of $95,000, resulting in a net calculated levy subject to the limit of .293392. Timron Gilfert entered the public hearing at 5:50 p.m. There being no public objection to the proposal presented, the budget hearing and the hearing to set the final tax request were closed and the regular meeting was opened with Mozena, Frew, Nutter and Gilfert answering roll. Notice of the meeting was given in advance thereof by publication in the September 3, 2015 edition of the Plattsmouth Journal. The posted location of the Open Meeting Act was again noted. Motion by Frew, seconded by Nutter to approve the minutes of the August 10, 2015 meeting as presented. Motion carried with Frew, Nutter, Gilfert and Mozena voting aye.
Motion by Frew, seconded by Mozena to approve an increase of the base of restricted funds by an additional one percent, as allowed by law. Motion carried with Mozena, Frew, Nutter and Gilfert voting aye. Nays: None.
Motion by Frew, seconded by Gilfert to adopt Resolution No. 15-07, which approves the setting of the property tax request at a different amount than the prior year tax request. Motion carried with Frew, Nutter Gilfert and Mozena voting aye. Nays: None.
The following Ordinance was presented: ORDINANCE NO. 624
AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET STATEMENT TO BE TERMED THE ANNUAL APPROPRIATION BILL; TO APPROPRIATE SUMS FOR NECESSARY EXPENSES AND LIABILITIES; TO PROVIDE FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Motion by Gilfert, seconded by Nutter that the statutory rules be suspended so that Ordinance No. 624 might be introduced, read by title and adopted. Motion carried with Mozena, Frew, Nutter and Gilfert voting aye. Nays: None. Said Ordinance will be posted in the manner provided by law, with a true, correct and complete copy being on file in the City Clerk's Office.
Motion by Gilfert, seconded by Nutter to transfer the necessary funds from the general fund for public works, public health, safety, cultural and recreational needs. Motion carried with Nutter, Gilfert, Mozena and Frew voting aye. Nays: None.
Under Open Forum, several residents expressed concern regarding safety and health issues on their adjoining property, which the Council agreed to evaluate in order to pursue the appropriate action.
Monthly Reports: Fire Department- 2 calls during the month. Motion by Mozena, seconded by Nutter to approve the application of Dane Thomassen to join the Fire Department. Motion carried with Mozena, Frew, Nutter and Gilfert voting aye. It was noted that William Breazile recently resigned from the department, due to relocation. It was also noted that the Fire Department recently received a $15,000 grant from the Berneice Hopper Foundation, which was used to purchase a 2002 Chevy Suburban for the department. No Rescue Report was available. Following review of the Maintenance Report, it was agreed that the Ball Field gate be locked nightly temporarily, due to continued vandalism. Copies of the Water/Wastewater Report were distributed for review. Health Board: A letter received regarding ongoing health board and property concerns was addressed, with appropriate actions to be pursued.
Upon review of several renewal documents with LARM Insurance, a motion was made by Mozena, seconded by Gilfert to increase all vehicle comprehensive deductibles to $1,000, which would reflect in a deduction of premium in the amount of $1,081. Motion carried with Mozena, Frew, Nutter and Gilfert voting aye. It was noted that workmen's comp class codes are being revised, which will also result in a premium credit. Efforts will continue to verify necessary documentation for renewal.
Action on the proposed Safety/Loss Prevention Program was tabled for further review
The City Attorney was advised to pursue the necessary procedures for residents who, after repeated notifications, have failed to license their pets.
Due to the upcoming retirement of City Clerk, Kay Gerdes, a motion was made by Mozena, seconded by Frew to approve the appointment of Linda Fleming as City Clerk, at a wage of $18.50 per hour, effective October 1, 2015. Motion carried with Mozena, Frew, Nutter and Gilfert voting aye.
Copies of the recent Inspection Report for the Randolph Street Bridge were distributed for review, with the Council agreeing to pursue items listed on the Maintenance Checklist.
Other items discussed with action being tabled for further review included the failure of property owners to maintain properly trimmed bushes or trees, parking issues around the school, and updated legislation regarding golf cars.
Motion by Gilfert, seconded by Frew to renew the city's membership with Southeast Nebraska Development District, with annual dues being $1,575.00. Motion carried with Frew, Nutter Gilfert and Mozena voting aye. No action was taken on the request for Housing Dues for the ensuing year.
Copies of the Gospel Run Monitoring Report, which were prepared by representatives of Olsson Associates, were distributed for Council review.
Copies of the Library Board minutes were presented for council review, after which a motion was made by Nutter, seconded by Gilfert to accept the following claims: Salaries-12,705.77; Bond/loan pmts-23,070.00; Ameritas, emp ret-1,402.32; Utilities: Black Hills Energy-198.33; OPPD-6,349.36; Windstream-681.80; Verizon-116.91; United Healthcare, ins-4,468.30; Svoboda & Chebatoris, prof-300.00; Nebr. Dept. of Revenue, sales tax, whlg, lodging, recycling fee-1,931.84; EFTPS, whlg-3,454.15; Cass County Refuse, reimb-8,361.28; PeopleService, prof-13,018.00; PSN, prof-54.64; Post Office, pstg-196.00; Farmers & Merchants Bk, box rent, s/c-50.00; Baker & Taylor Co., bks-1,079.65; Blue Cross Blue Shield, resc reimb-94.43; Bob Lawrence, trng reimb-157.32; Bobcat of Omaha, rep-575.22; CCNEDC, qtrly dues-500.00; Chamber of Commerce, mtg-12.00; Columbus Telegram, publ-95.70; EMS Billing, reimb-945.30; General Fire & Safety, maint-400.75; Kay Gerdes, mlg & sup reimb-51.30; Keckler Oil, rep-90.99; League of Nebr. Municipalities, dues-1,929.00; Linda Fleming, sup reimb-51.12; Matheson Tri Gas, sup-48.36; Meeske Hardware, rep/maint-186.29; Meeske Auto Parts, rep/maint-77.66; Office Depot, off sup-70.02; Olsson Associates, prof-1,660.13; SE Com College, trng-921.00; Shaffer Communications, equip/sup-528.90; Stop N Shop, fuel, sup-276.16; Uptons Market, sup-16.68; WW Express Lane, sup-14.00; WW Fire Dept., trng reimb-830.00; Wex Bank, fuel-206.15; Wirebuilt,Co., prof-150.00; Kerns Excavating, imp-4,772.60; One Call Concept, serv-27.30; Premier Plumbing, imp-2,175.00; West-E-Con, equip-1,675.00; LARM, ins add'n-10.51. Motion carried with Mozena, Frew, Nutter and Gilfert voting aye.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:09 P.M.
____________________________________ ___________________________________
Kay Gerdes, City Clerk Michael Barrett, Mayor


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Carport Fire Damages Home in Louisiana
Years and years ago, before vehicles became a staple of everyday life in America, there was no such thing as a carport or garage. Homes and estates would often feature a detached structure known as a carriage house. This building was used to house horses and was often detached from the home because of the offensive smell and the risk of disease. As cars became more and more popular, they would eventually take the place of a horse inside the carriage house. Even though a vehicle doesn't produce the same horrible odor that a horse does, newly built homes still featured a detached garage due to the risk of vehicle fire. As cars became more and more safe, the garage and carport eventually became a part of the home and it has remained that way ever since.
However, there are still instances where a vehicle fire can spell disaster for homeowners. One recent example out of Louisiana is a sombering reminder that a vehicle fire can still lead to far greater damage that expected.
Vehicle Fire Leads to Devastation
During the first week of April, a blaze erupted at a Shreveport, Louisiana home that destroyed a vehicle and caused extensive damage to the home. According to news reports, a woman noticed smoke coming from her car shortly after arriving home. She then saw a fire spreading underneath the car and attempted to get the car started so she could move it away from the home. When the vehicle failed to crank, the woman quickly alerted others inside the home and everyone was able to escape safely. The flames spread through the roof of the residence before eventually spreading to the rest of the dwelling. The heat from the blaze was so intense, it even caused the siding on the home next-door to warp and melt.
Luckily, nobody was hurt in the blaze. However, this story should serve as a warning that vehicle fires can strike at any time and have the potential to damage homes and destroy lives.
Invest in a Carport or Garage from Elephant
Many homes that have been built in the last half-century feature some sort of attached carport or garage. While predicting a vehicle fire is pretty close to impossible, preventing one from spreading to your home is easy. All of our buildings are constructed using American-sourced steel and are designed to last for generations. Using resilient materials means that any vehicle fire that occurs in one of our carports or garages will not spread to the structure and cause greater damage.
Investing in a high-quality metal carport or garage from Elephant is a sure fire way to protect your car from the elements without foregoing the safety of your family. Check out our extensive selection of custom metal carports and garages and learn more about our company by exploring our website.
Call today to speak with an expert representative and to set up an on-site consultation at your property. Financing is available on the majority of our custom buildings. There has never been a better time to buy an affordable and durable metal carport from Elephant!


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Good alt text is seen as critical for people that use screen readers. But it doesn't stop there. We need to consider the effect of alt text on people that also rely on good, accurate alt text: people that use voice recognition software. Learn more in this instalment of the Best Practice of the Week (BPOW).
You're probably all familiar with the use of alt text on images. It's what a screen reader will read out to someone when it encounters that image on the page. That alt text acts as a call to action when the image is part of a link—it's what makes people click.
Alt text is important for OTHER users of assistive technology as well. One example is voice recognition technology such as Dragon Naturally Speaking. One of the most basic principles of interaction via voice is "See it and say it"—i.e., users will see something in an interface and then say what they want to do with it.
For example, someone might say "Click Contact Us" to activate the following link on the page.
Look at the alt text:
That alt text may make reasonable sense to someone using a screen reader, but that alt text doesn't match the visible text and makes that link useless in the "See it and say it" model of Voice interaction.
You must make sure the alt text matches (at least partially) any visible text on images, particularly for active images—those that are links or buttons. Why? Because voice recognition users will be seeing it and saying it.


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Architects to the Cars!
Full service architectural, interior design & engineering firm specializing in the design & construction management of automotive dealerships throughout North America.
Technical issues? Please email us!
**Please note that this page is for logging into your MyPlanner account only, which allows you to create your NADA Show event itinerary and connect with Show exhibitors.
Looking for answers to registration questions? Visit the NADA Show Attendee Registration page for additional info, or call Experient Customer Service (the NADA Show registration vendor) at 800-465-7110 (International registrants, please call 844-460-4636). You may also email Customer Service at email@example.com.
Copyright 2018, a2z, Inc. All rights reserved.


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Giovanna by Domenico Ghirlandaio is one of the Thyssen Museum's major works. It is much more than just a painting. To discover what is hidden beneath the dress of Giovanna or what the first version of the neckline that Ghirlandaio painted on the canvas looked like, you simply have to download this amazing app on your tablet. Thanks to the videos, photos and animated pictures, you will learn all about the history of this painting.
Download it now on to your iPad or Tablet totally free of charge.


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Devine Energy Ltd are a medium-sized Plumbing & Heating, Electrical and Renewable Energy contractor based in Midlothian. We have a strong reputation for quality workmanship at a good price. The company directors have been successfully trading as a partnership since October 2006. Our projects include:
- Domestic systems
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Domestic and Commercial Work
We undertake all kinds of contract, domestic, service, and maintenance works and offer full service that includes:
- Consultation
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We pride ourselves on providing a personal, open, and honest service to the highest technical standard at all times.
Why Choose Devine Energy?
Devine Energy handle jobs of all scales, with project values ranging up to £5,000,000. Other benefits of using us include:
- Many years of expertise within the company
- Smart, professional and trustworthy
- Members of all relevant accreditation bodies within our sector of work
- Passionate about renewable technologies and helping reduce C02
- Finance options available to assist in your chosen install
Our Mission Statement
Our aim is to provide quality advice, drive value and efficiency in our workmanship while being innovative, flexible, and focused on our client's requirements.
At Devine Energy Ltd our mission is to ensure that our clients access the best possible energy advice and measure implementation service at an optimal price.
Our goal is to become widely recognised as one of Scotland's leading energy savings advice and cost savings measure implementation service for domestic clients, businesses, and local authorities.
We provide our clients with a sustainable energy management and improvements service that is second to none.
Contact Devine Energy to find out more about our helpful and consultative energy management services.


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Sunday, February 12, 2006, 02:29 PM - Caesar and ChristA group of religious leaders has sent a complaint to the Internal Revenue Service requesting an investigation of two large churches in Ohio that they say are improperly campaigning on behalf of a conservative Republican running for governor.
In their complaint, the clergy members contend that the two Columbus-area churches, Fairfield Christian Church and the World Harvest Church, which were widely credited with getting out the Ohio vote for President Bush in 2004, have allowed their facilities to be used by Republican organizations, promoted the candidate, J. Kenneth Blackwell, among their members and otherwise violated prohibitions on political activity by tax-exempt groups.
They are asking the I.R.S. to examine whether the churches' tax exemptions should be revoked and are requesting that Mark W. Everson, the federal tax commissioner, seek an injunction to stop what they consider improper activities.
-- From The New York Times, January 16, 2006.
Pastor Rod Parsley of World Harvest Church charges that Liberal preachers [are] trying to silence him (Columbus Dispatch, January 21, via Newsdesk.org):
:The Rev. Rod Parsley challenged critics to identify themselves.Chuck Currie, a United Church of Christ Seminarian sympathetic to the investigation request, offers a warning in Ohio Restoration Project: How The Republicans Misuse God For Political Gain (Chuck Curry Blog, January 27):
Vehemently denying that he plays partisan politics from the pulpit, the Rev. Rod Parsley said yesterday that he would not be silenced from preaching about moral issues by liberal ministers who this week filed a complaint against him with the Internal Revenue Service.
Parsley, in a news conference at his sprawling World Harvest Church complex in southern Columbus, labeled the complaining pastors as the "anonymous 31" and called on them to reveal their identities.
"The anonymous 31 have chosen to speak behind the masks of personal and political agendas, media manipulation and intimidation, and we simply will not be silenced by those tactics of fear," Parsley said.
Groups like the Ohio Restoration Project are dangerous for many reasons:For a reaction from a politically active conservative evangelical, see
1. They confuse the Gospel teachings with the Republican Platform.
2. They create a sense that to be a good pastor you must be a patriotic one (and they define patriotic as being in complete compliance with their own narrow views). The only loyalty a pastor should be concerned with is their loyalty to God. A minister cannot serve both church and state.
3. They seem to have no respect for the US Constitution or the other laws our land.
Those other brave religious leaders in Ohio who are working to put a stop to these crimes should be applauded for their efforts. Americans cannot afford to stand silent as the Religious Right works to replace our democracy with a theocracy where only their views are valued. Democracy and respect for pluralism are ideals worth standing up for.
Christian Left Attacks Christian Right (Dane Bramage, January 30):
Well I expected the left to try and impede the Republican grassroots machine. I didnt expect it to come from so-called brothers and sisters. I participated in the Bush re-election campaign and one of the things I was asked was to have a voter registration drive in my church. I was not asked to tell the congregation to vote for Bush or anybody in particular. I was asked to get people who were not already registered to do so. So the claims of partisanship because of voter registration are pure crap. As for biased material, why dont the liberals abide by their own rules? When I go to the polls in the Catholic church around the corner, democrat volunteers are there passing out materials in the parking lot. I am always given voting instructions with a sample ballot. Always the democrat candidate was selected and the liberal issues chosen as examples. Surely they cant complain about the practice they themselves employ.Don Don's Lounge reprints Sound Off, Moderate Christians, by Robyn E. Blumner, Times Perspective Columnist (February 5):
As for recommending a conservative candidate, who do they think a conservative church would promote? If they are like my church then the pastors probably dont say Vote for this guy or that guy. They will tell you to vote period. Political issues can be viewed in light of scripture as to being right and wrong but whether we vote for or against is still left to the individual. Unfortunately the leftist mind set is convinced that conservative Christians are mindless bumpkins who live only to do the will of the pastor and therefore no mention of current events or politics must be made on church grounds or the thought-controlled masses will march off lemming-like to the polls to vote Republican. If the moonbat Christians spent less time in their tax codes and more time in their Bibles they would realize that Jesus taught about current events and politics too, emphasizing their importance to Christians.
If you want to see the culmination of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson's dream - the church as party headquarters - go to Ohio. There, two preachers, the Rev. Russell Johnson of Fairfield Christian Church and the Rev. Rod Parsley of World Harvest Church, are diligently working to build an army of conservative Christian voters who will dominate the Republican Party, then Ohio government, then Washington.Pastor Rich Nathan of the Vineyard Church of Columbus questions the spritual wisdom of filing the complaint in his February congregational letter, A Non-Political Approach to Politics (Pastor Nathan published a similar column in the February 3 Columbus Dispatch):
Johnson, who calls those to his left "secular jihadists" and condemns public schools for not teaching that Hitler was "an avid evolutionist," has founded the Ohio Restoration Project. Its mission is to enlist 2,000 religious leaders as "Patriot Pastors" who will sign up hundreds of thousands of new voters and mobilize an activist corps within their flocks.
The goal is to capitalize on the 2004 election success that had regular churchgoers in Ohio who identified themselves as white evangelical or born-again voting for George W. Bush over John Kerry by an astounding 97 percent to 3 percent ratio.
Parsley, an Ohio televangelist with a megachurch of 10,000 weekly worshipers, has launched Reformation Ohio, an organization with similar goals.
While they expect their efforts to pay off with multiple election victories, in the short term Johnson and Parsley want to elect Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell governor in November. Blackwell is an African-American Christian conservative who led a successful ballot initiative in 2004 to ban same-sex marriage.
Johnson and Parsley say their institutions do not endorse candidates. But they have engaged in transparent electioneering on behalf of Blackwell - exclusively featuring him at events and in educational materials.
The details of Johnson's and Parsley's political activities are exhaustively laid out in a complaint filed with the IRS and signed, not by the ACLU or People for the American Way, but by dozens of religious leaders. Initially, 31 pastors of Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran and other, mainly Protestant, denominations signed the letter that says the tax-exempt status of Johnson's and Parsley's churches and affiliated organizations should be revoked. Since then, at least two dozen more have asked to be included.
The pastors say when they told their congregations about joining the complaint, the response was overwhelmingly positive.
Here is the countervailing force. If the Christian Right is going to turn its followers into Republican Party operatives and its churches into political war rooms, then the moderate Christian community has to push back.
Slowly, it's starting to happen.
As a Christian pastor, I was deeply troubled that a group of pastors would choose to sue other pastors. What, I wondered, is their view of the Body of Christ? What is their understanding of 1 Corinthians 6.1 in which the apostle Paul says:Pastor Eric Williams of North Congregational United Church of Christ, one of thirty-one clergy who signed the IRS complaint, responds to Pastor Nathan and explains why Churches entangled in partisan politics lose their prophetic voice. (Columbus Dispatch, February 10):
If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints?
As a Christian pastor, I have also been troubled by the continued over-identification of the challenged churches (in this case) with far right Republican politics. Where, I have wondered, is there a place for a thoughtful Christian Democrat in these churches? How does a non-Christian who has contrary political leanings hear the gospel without being thoroughly turned off? Do these churches really want to align themselves with politicians who may have mixed motives or unbiblical perspectives on various issues? Do we really have only two options the option offered by the political left or the option offered by the political right?
I interpret St. Pauls advice to the church in Corinth differently than Pastor Nathan. The historical situation that this congregation was facing suggests that Paul was talking about court cases involving property ("dispute with another" and "be cheated"). The Roman government permitted Jews (and Christians) to apply their own laws in local property matters. This is very different from judging those who violate Roman law (Romans 13:3-4). Paul advised that everyone must obey the laws of the state or experience its judgment.Complete text of the Letter and Complaint to IRS Commissioner Everson (Word document)
In signing the letter of complaint I joined 30 colleagues who shared a common concern. We came together from various faith traditions, differing theological perspectives and individual life experiences to ask that the laws of our nation be enforced.
We think that the two churches and pastors named in the complaint are violating federal laws. I dont object to their speaking out about religious values or political issues. This kind of public dialogue informs and enhances everyones ability to live together in community. I do object to their endorsing a political candidate. . . .
I am very concerned that many conservative evangelical churches and religious leaders in the United States have entered into a Faustian bargain to gain political power and legislative influence. By espousing an ideology of self-righteousness they have undermined the credibility of their moral witness in society today.
Monday, December 12, 2005, 02:12 PM - Caesar and Christ. . . writes Michael Crowley in yesterday's New York Times Magazine:
That might sound counterintuitive. After all, the Howard Dean campaign showed the power of the liberal blogosphere. And the liberal-activist Web site DailyKos counts hundreds of thousands of visitors each day. But Democrats say there's a key difference between liberals and conservatives online. Liberals use the Web to air ideas and vent grievances with one another, often ripping into Democratic leaders. (Hillary Clinton, for instance, is routinely vilified on liberal Web sites for supporting the Iraq war.) Conservatives, by contrast, skillfully use the Web to provide maximum benefit for their issues and candidates. They are generally less interested in examining every side of every issue and more focused on eliciting strong emotional responses from their supporters.This squares reasonably well with my own reading of liberal and conservative blogs--except for the implication that liberal blogs are, in fact, "interested in examining every side of every issue." Much as I'd like to believe otherwise, that's hogwash. Indeed, it's hard to find blogs of any kind that explore all sides of an issue.
Saturday, December 10, 2005, 04:11 PM - Caesar and ChristStumbled upon the Politopia political quiz, which asks an array of (rather leading) questions and then places you on an idealized political map. I turn out to be right on the main stream (shown on the map as an actual stream) and near the town of . . .
Centerville-You would feel most at home in Centerville, which means that you are more or less pleased the status quo-you think the US government has just about the right amount of control over your economic and personal decisions. Your neighbors include democratic and republican party leaders and others who call themselves "moderates" and "centrists."
Thursday, December 8, 2005, 08:49 PM - Caesar and ChristThese test results are more or less on target:
| You are a
Social Liberal
(80% permissive)
and an...
Economic Liberal
(35% permissive)
You are best described as a:
Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid
Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test


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A recent study published in Hormone Research in Pediatrics has found that vitamin D status may relate to transient tachypnea of the newborn.
Transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN) is a respiratory disorder that occurs in newborns in the first hours after birth. TTN affects about 1% of all newborns and is characterized by rapid, difficult breathing. A full recovery is usually possible in babies born with TTN, although special attention and treatment in the hospital is required.
An increasing amount of research shows that vitamin D plays a role in the respiratory system. That being said, there haven't been many studies that have looked at vitamin D's role in respiratory health in newborns.
Researchers out of Turkey recently conducted a novel study to determine if vitamin D is related to TTN.
They measured the vitamin D levels of 51 infants with TTN and compared them to the vitamin D levels of 59 healthy infants.
The researchers found that vitamin D levels were significantly lower in infants with TTN compared to healthy infants. They also found that vitamin D status was not related to severity of TTN.
"Our data suggests that lower [vitamin D] levels are associated with an increased risk of TTN and vitamin D may have a role in the pathogenesis of TTN," the researchers concluded.
Konca, C. Association between Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and TTN. Hormone Research in Pediatrics, 2014.


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You are here
Content Research and Development, Art Direction, and Project Management for Hasbro's Global Brand Guide. Collaborated with Packaging, Digital, Facilities, Licensing and Legal to deliver relevant content. The guide includes brand positioning, creative, executional and legal guidelines. Directed language translations for German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, French, and Portuguese versions.


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If you are interested in writing a blog, try to come up with a theme on which to concentrate. If people like what they see, they will more than likely keep coming back to see what is new. A popular, interesting blog can be built by anyone, focusing on topics that range from telling jokes to showing photographs.
Do not purposefully plagiarize in order to create content for your blog. If you plagiarize, you will lose any sense of credibility that you had built up. It's okay if your writing isn't fantastic, so long as it's your own, and you have a passion for your topic.
Respond to readers and share information with them as much as possible. Spend time with them consistently. Treat the time you spend on your blog like you would an appointment you've made with friends. When you're able to connect with your readers regularly, they will expect your presence. Remember that other people out there will be disappointed if you give up on your blog.
When you are creating your blog, consider purchasing your own domain name, rather than using a free site. It does not cost much, and will make you seem more professional. Visitors will be more likely to recall your website, particularly if the title contains your business' name or something similar.
Consider purchasing a domain instead of using a free blog site. It is fairly inexpensive to purchase your own name, and it will give you a more professional appearance. That will also be simpler for people to keep in mind; this is especially true if you use relevant wording for your title, or use your company's name.
Write blog posts that are interesting to your readers. Don't blog about daily chores that everybody does like washing dishes or making beds. Unless you present this common information in an interesting way, people may not really care. Choose topics that are sure to be interesting. Keep in mind that your goal is to attract people to your blog.
Write posts that are not overly wordy or complicated. While you still have to provide enough detail to inform your readers, overly long and wordy posts will bore your readers and drive them away. Apart from certain literature blogs, people don't want things described with the level of detail that a famous author might use. They want to get to the heart of the matter!
Make your blog stand out from the competition. Readers are drawn to unique content. The same effect can be caused by hard to find information. Choose to write about a unique experience, or a hobby most people aren't familiar with. Provide detailed instructions regarding how to build a widget. You should focus on giving readers incentive to open your blog when looking for a specific kind of information.
Add interest to your posts with images. There is a reason that a picture is worth so many words. This is definitely true for blogging. Image are capable of conveying much more than mere words. So, try to use images as often as you can.
Invite reputed bloggers to guest blog on your own site. This will increase the amount of quality content on your blog. You should have additional traffic if they notify their visitors of the appearance. Try using more than one additional blogger to add quality content to your blog and increased page views.
Make the appropriate social network links available, so readers can follow your blog. You can increase your blog's impact and your own reputation if you make use of social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. With these portals, you can contact your readers and attract additional followers.
Give your readers the ability to comment on your posts and then take the time to reply to each. Readers get the chance to interact with you if you enable comments. This gives you the ability to cultivate relationships with them. If your readers see that you reply to other people's comments, they will come back to check your response to their own comments.
Maintain the health of your blog. This means you are performing all necessary maintenance and changing little things here and there. This will keep visitors interested and make sure that your blog is in good working order.
Don't just write one paragraph after another off the top of your head when creating blog entries. Your articles need to be well researched and relevant to your target audience and keywords. If the content that you post is not of quality, you won't ever succeed. You need to remember that the content you are writing on will be the key to your success.
Exercise patience and remember that a new blog doesn't become popular overnight. It may take a while for people to find your blog. Also, unless you already have a sizable quantity of available content, there may not be much for readers to see right away. As your blog ages, you will be able to add more content and attract more readers.
It will make your blog have integrity if you stick to a schedule that is regular. Your readers have plenty of blog-reading options, and they may as well take advantage of a different one if you post inconsistently. There are exceptions, such as holidays, where there is some forgiveness, but there is no substitute for regular, consistent posting.
When blog posting, try to keep your writing friendly and informal. Your blog should have a fun and social format. Keep this in mind as you write your blog posts. You need to make a personal connection with your audience so they return for more content.
Linking your various posts within the overall content is good blog design. You will find that this helps visitors move about the site and keeps them interested. Since the purpose of a link is to provide your readers with an easy way to reach your webpage or specific features of your website, avoid losing readers and potential customers through links that don't work or that require additional navigation in order to reach a specified location.
When determining what keywords you will use for your blog, remember to choose ones that are unique and less competitive. Don't use common keywords that many bloggers are already using; there's too much competition for these keywords. It'll be difficult for readers to find your blog if you use these keywords. If you want multiple views, your content must be unique.
Each blog you run should focus on a single topic. Writing about a large number of different topics in a single blog will make your writing appear cluttered and difficult to follow. This particular tip is easy to incorporate and is sure to offer a dramatic improvement to the quality of your blog.
Don't write content just for the sake of getting words on the pages. You must also research and find the right theme for your blog. Just writing for the sake of writing will lead to failure. Content is the most important aspect of success.
A lot of the time bloggers will use advertising to bring in revenue. That said, excessive advertising can irritate readers and distract from the value of your blog. If all they see are the advertisements, they will seek out a more content rich site.
Submit your blog entries to article directories and post them on your social media profiles. This will allow you to have many different people reading your content. Do not limit yourself to just a few outlets to promote your content. This powerful maneuver will help you reach more people. Use every outlet available to garner attention.
Write about timeless topics which will always be searched for, like recipe ingredient conversions or exercises for flabby stomachs. Blogs that focus on timeless topics will continue to bring in traffic over the next several years, whereas pop culture blog posts will bring in traffic now but die off over time.
Create a schedule for blog posts and then abide by it. Your readers have plenty of blog-reading options, and they may as well take advantage of a different one if you post inconsistently. You can make an exception for a holiday or when you're sick, but nothing is better than having a regular schedule for posting, and keeping to it.
Blogging is a very social experience. This means being accessible to your readers, open to opinions, and interested in posting comments. You also need to get out there and speak to people in your specific niche. If you do nothing, it is very unlikely that your blog will be successful. Putting yourself out there and giving it your all is essential for a successful blog.
Add bullet lists and highlighted text that focuses on your targeted keywords. That will make your blog easier for the search engines to crawl, which will ultimately result in a boost in readership. This will ensure that your blog succeeds.
Take opportunities to gain knowledge from expert bloggers through a class, a website, or even a blogging conference. You can get lots of great information to enhance your blogging at these conferences. As an added benefit, the bloggers who attend such conferences tend to be more successful, and that can rub off on you.
Determine why you are starting the blog and what you'd like to get out of it. Are you trying to become famous, or build a reputation for having specialized knowledge in a certain area? Do you plan to make money from your blog someday? Perhaps you want to accomplish several goals. It is important to understand those goals and structure your blog accordingly.
The decision of whether or not your blog should include advertisements is a weighty one. They are often used by blogs to generate money. However, advertisements can also turn people off. It is immediately obvious to your readers that you are in this for money, and that can change everything.
Promote commenting on your blog. This will make your visitors feel like they have a role in keeping your blog alive. Respond to reader comments as much as possible. If you do that, you can keep readers reading and interacting on your blog.
When you are looking for ideas for blog posts, don't discount current news stories, as they can contain exciting information. Try to find stories that will be relevant to, or complement, your blog. For instance, if you are running a blog about cat food, find news stories about local cat shows or animal shelters. This type of information is likely of interest to your readers.
Customize your blog's home page. Most of the time, a typical blog's homepage contains just a list of the most recent posts; you can add interest to yours by making it look different. Branding your site will ensure you stand out in the list of results on a search engine.
Set a regular schedule for your blog postings. When you target certain days for posting, you will seem more reliable. Readers look forward to the posted content and appreciate the regular nature of your updates. This will be true as long as you avoid becoming repetitive and dull.
Add surveys or polls to your blog. This can increase web traffic and enhance your user experience. Post your findings and comment about the outcome. These surveys also help you to identify ways you can change and improve your blog.
Don't bog down your blogs with too many keywords. Selecting good keywords is certainly a key part of getting readers to your blog, but a few good keywords far outweighs tons of less-targeted ones. You won't fool a search engine spider by using keyword stuffing techniques, because the search engines are becoming smarter everyday with innovative technology. When you have lots of keywords on your site, search engines can determine you are not prioritizing the quality of your content, and your blog's ranking will probably suffer. Choose the placement of your keywords wisely and be judicious in their placement. Research search engine optimization techniques to learn more about improving your blog through keywords.
Search Engines
Proofreading is very important. If your blog is not accurate and professional, people will not respect what you are saying. Watch your grammar, spelling and punctuation manually, as many spelling checkers will miss those mistakes.
Do not use too many keywords. Picking good keywords is important for drawing traffic, but the quality of the keywords is definitely more important than the quantity. Search engines continue to tweak their search algorithms and get smarter when it comes to analyzing content. Using this method will ultimately prove to lower your search engine rankings, because the search engines will view your priority as being quantity, rather than quality. Choose the placement of your keywords wisely and be judicious in their placement. Research search engine optimization techniques to learn more about improving your blog through keywords.
Keep an eye on your blog stats so you can determine the effectiveness of your overall approach. Find out what type of strategies help your kind of site the most to maximize your website.
As said in the previous statements, anyone could create a blog that is interesting if the give great insights on a particular subject that is worth reading. Your posts will be more attractive to readers if you include pictures, videos or quotations from experts. Keep what you've learned here in mind to build the best blog possible!
Videos can be included in your blog to give it a more appealing look. You also need to provide written content, so don't just provide a video with nothing else. Put up a description of each video in text, too. This way, you can still include key words with video posts.


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Are you searching for a great family vehicle that's safe and comfortable? Read our experience with the Mitsubishi Outlander GT before taking a test drive.
Living in the mountains, it's imperative to have a 4WD or AWD vehicle during the winter months. We live on an unmaintained dirt road, and it can get kind of difficult to drive down on some winter days.
I have been reviewing cars for a few years now, and I've gotten to drive a few different Mitsubishi Outlander years and models (see reviews here, here, here and here). While I'm not a huge fan of the Sport model for our lifestyle, I've come to really love the GT model.
I recently got to drive the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander GT on a roadtrip to the Four Seasons Westlake Village for their Let It Snow event. Normally, Brian drives on road trips because he likes to be in control. However, he had bruised his ribs a couple days before snowboarding, so I drove on this trip.
Brian didn't think the trunk had enough space (I think he was probably factoring in snowboard gear for the whole family), but I thought the trunk space was pretty darn good. It is plenty of space for my needs.
While we didn't use it this time around, the Mitsubishi Outlander GT does have a third row. There isn't a ton of leg room in the third row, but it is great to have one when you're toting around your kids and their friends.
In the back seat, there was plenty of space to keep the girls comfortable. It's hard to believe that the first time I reviewed a Mitsubishi Outlander GT, both girls were in car seats. Now one has grown out of a booster seat, so we only have one booster left in the back seat!
The driver's seat was comfortable for me on a road trip too. I had a gallbladder attack on this trip thanks to indulging in too much great food at the Four Season's buffet. The heated seats helped relieve some of my discomfort while driving home, so I was very grateful for that feature.
In the past, I had shared that I was not a fan of the Mitsubishi's navigation system. It has finally been updated this year. The system itself is a responsive touch screen, which is easier to use when driving.
Instead of having a native navigation system, it uses the new Android Auto feature. Fortunately, Brian already had Android Auto installed after our cross country road trip. So it was easy to use.
If you haven't used Android Auto before, it uses the navigation system on your phone and transmits it via Bluetooth to the car's system. There are pros and cons to that since you do need to have cell coverage to get a map pulled up. Either way, I found it to be better than the previous navigation system.
As far as gas mileage goes, the Mitsubishi Outlander GT gets an average 23 mpg (20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway). That's decent considering it's AWD, but if you drive mostly in the city, you'll want to factor that into your purchasing decision.
Driving up and down the mountain, I always felt safe and in control. The Mitsubishi Outlander GT handles extremely well. It's responsive on turns and the brakes are great too.
Overall, the Mitsubishi Outlander GT is a great family vehicle. It's definitely in our top 5, so if you're shopping for a new vehicle, be sure to test drive a Mitsubishi Outlander GT.


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Dylan's parents, Mark and Elaine, appeared on Dr. Phil in February 2013, where Elaine said she felt that her ex-husband, Mark, was hiding something about what happened to Dylan.
At that time, Mark – who said he was equally suspicious of Elaine in Dylan's disappearance – did not take a polygraph he was offered. Four months later, Dylan's partial remains were discovered 10 miles from Mark's house.
Mark has been named by authorities as the lone person of interest in Dylan's death, and in a new interview with Dr. Phil, Elaine claims new evidence has been found as investigators continue to try and figure out what happened to her son.
In the video above, Elaine gives an update on her son's case and reveals that she is now being sued by Mark. But for what?
If you have any information regarding Dylan Redwine, call the La Plata Country Sheriff's Department at (970) 382-7511.


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Is your community impacted by Family Remittances? Share your communities story in our Public & Societal Benefit group!
Are you working to change public transportation in your community? Share your work!
May 8 & 9 is Time of Remembrance & Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War. http://bit.ly/2pIQDJm
How does your community remember & heal? Share your work/remembrance with our community. http://bit.ly/2pJ0iiP
Today we are observing World Intellectual Property Day! "This year, we'll explore how innovation is making our lives healthier, safer, and more comfortable, turning problems into progress."
How are you using technology to make your community better? Tell us in our Public and Social Benefit group: http://bit.ly/2q4bqIk
Can't be there in person for World Water Week in Stockholm events? You can join the conversation digitally via their live stream! Follow the link below to find the available streams!
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Five Things You Don't Know About Job Networking Groups -- and Should
A study by the U.S. Association for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurship on the usefulness of business networking found that 43% of business professionals attend as many as 20 networking events each year. While about 55% were satisfied, most noted that attending multiple events is time-consuming and 26% said they weren't sure that it made a whit of difference.
The experts offer this advice: Check out the groups before you go, don't sign a long-term contract with any networking club unless you've attended a meeting first, and know what you want from a networking group so that you don't waste your time with those that have a different focus than what you expect.
Here are five commonly held misconceptions:
1. Business networking groups are a good way to meet new friends.
While they certainly can be, that isn't what they should be. A quality business networking group should make business connections for you, not social ones. This isn't Match.com, after all. A quality group will offer you educational advancement and show you new ways to approach your business or leads in your job-hunt.
2. Business networking groups are set up by altruists who like to help people find jobs or grow their businesses.
Again, while that may be true in some cases, don't dismiss the reality that many business networks are in the business of running business networks. They exist to make money and grow their own business. If they're good, they may also help you grow your business, but they exist to grow theirs, not yours. They may charge you to join; they may charge guest speakers to address you and let those speakers try and sell you their products. It's not a bad thing, an illegal thing, or even an immoral thing. It's just not always the altruistic thing you think it is. If they provide you with a service, why shouldn't you pay for it? There are various church and community-related jobs support networks that have sprung up in the recession. They are usually free or charge just a nominal fee. Some are better than others; most are as good as the people who come and volunteer their time.
3. Once you're there, it's fine to just listen.
Truth is, networking groups don't work for wallflowers. You can't hide out in the corner expecting someone to approach you; you need to scan the name tags for company names and find someone interesting to talk to. What's the point of walking around with your cellphone to your ear? Yeah, we all get that you are an important person whose office just can't run without you -- so maybe you should have just stayed home in the first place and spared us all the annoyance of having to hear your conversation. If you bothered to get dressed and come out, make the most of your time there. Pass out business cards, give your 30-second elevator pitch and walk away with something tangible from the meeting. And should you get pigeon-holed by someone who can't help you grow your business or find a job, politely excuse yourself and move on. Consider it a lesson in time management: Don't waste it on anyone who isn't the reason you came.
4. A networking group can double as a therapy group.
Some job networking groups are indeed places to bring your sad tale of woe and a crying towel. We all need someone to talk to once in a while and besides, who has health insurance that covers therapy these days? But for the most part, a good, business-support network will focus everyone's eyes on the future, not the past. Facilitators should be able to keep meetings focused on results, accountability and have a passion for what they are doing. Bad ones allow introductory elevator pitches to turn into life stories and take up everyone's precious time.
5. Networking online is just as effective.
Again, it depends on what you want. If you want a job in a particular field and are willing to relocate anywhere, social networking may indeed be the course to pursue. Join LinkedIn, make some new Facebook friends. Your goal is to cast a wide net and the best way to do that is online. Focus on finding people who work where you want to work and zero in on them. If what you want is a job in your own city, spend your time instead on some networking breakfasts and local job support groups. Join the ones that attract others who are job hunting in your salary range.


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Are you one of them who appeared in the TNPSC civil judge recruitment examination, then definitely you are curious to know about your final result of the civil judge. Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission recruitment authority has conducted the preliminary and Mains examination of the TNPSC civil judge. If you are also hungry for the
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1. मीरा बेन किसकी अनुयायी थी? उत्तर – महात्मा गान्धी । 2. किसे "फादर आफ ज्योमैट्री" कहा जाता है? उत्तर- यूक्लिड । 3. आरयभट्ट भारत मे किसके लिए प्रसिद्ध था? उत्तर – गणितज्ञ । 4. तेजिग नार्गे ने किस क्षेत्र मे प्रसिद्धि प्राप्त की है? उत्तर – परवतारोहण । 5. अहस्तक्षेप के सिद्धान्त का किसने
OPSC Dental Surgeon Syllabus 2018 – Odisha PSC Dental Surgeon Exam Pattern
Are you looking for the OPSC Dental Surgeon Syllabus 2018, then do check out the article written below. The Candidates who are going to appear in Odisha Public Service Commission Dental Surgeon are suggested to read the revised syllabus of the Dental Surgeons. Candidates need to follow the various topics and the subjects to clear
Gauhati HC Stenographer Syllabus 2018 – Download Gauhati High Court Stenographer Exam Pattern
There are lots of candidates who are searching for the Government job in Gauhati. They are suggested to apply for the Gauhati HC Stenographer Recruitment 2018. After applying for the Gauhati High Court Stenographer, candidates can read the Gauhati HC Stenographer Syllabus 2018 and the exam pattern. Most of the candidates are unemployed in Gauhati.
Himachal Pradesh GK in Hindi 2019 and Current Affairs
Himachal Pradesh General Knowledge and the Current Affairs of the 2019 year are posted here. HP GK in Hindi PDF is available to download for the candidates who are appearing in the exam of the Himachal Pradesh State. HP GK in Hindi will help the candidates to crack the examinations of the Himachal Pradesh Staff


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It's hard to believe that these amazing four weeks and 8000 miles have already come to pass. I've been planning the details of our Troo American Road Trip adventure for so long- dreaming about what this trip would be like, the things that my family would get to see and do- that I can't believe that the trip is over and I am already printing the pictures, assembling the scrapbooks, and enjoying the memories. But now that I've had a little bit of time to look back and reflect on our trip, I wanted to share with you some of my personal notes of what worked on this trip, what didn't, and whether or not I would be willing to do the whole thing again!
Our Road Trip Itinerary
Our route took us from New York out to the "Great American West"- covering 19 states. And while our itinerary was jam-packed with many destinations and activities- it was rare that we felt rushed or that we were merely "glossing over" a location. Occasionally I regretted that we didn't have more time to spend in a place that I fell love with- such as the Grand Teton National Park area in Wyoming, but the kids were always ready to move on to the next adventure. Looking back- there wasn't a single place that we visited that I wouldn't want to see again!
The Fine Art of Planning
Before we departed on this family road trip I spent many hours carefully planning how I would pack the car, what I would take along in terms of clothing, gear, and supplies, and I cultivated a careful list of exactly what I thought we would need. I decided that we would maximize our space and efficiency by ditching traditional suitcases and duffle bags and instead using a system of bins and shopping bags for our belongings.
But now that I have the benefit of hindsight, what would I do differently? Not too much. The idea of using stackable plastic bins and shopping bags with our clothing and gear arranged by day instead of by traveler really worked well for us. It made it so simple to check in and out of hotels and to easily locate exactly what I wanted (rain jackets, medicines, extra socks) when I needed to get to them quickly.
The one item that I wish I had brought along with us would be a long handled broom- to sweep out the crumbly contents on the seats and the floor of my car. And if I had to do it all over again I probably would have skipped the one night of tent camping just to eliminate the need to pack the tent and additional sleeping bags and pillows. But the one item I was so glad that we had with us, was a can of Febreeze air freshener! Many nights it was 7 people and 1 bathroom… and well- you get the picture!
Check out all my packing video tips & tricks!
Family Favorites
We packed a childhood's worth of experiences and memories into four weeks. Here were some of our favorites:[wooslider slideshow_speed="5.0″ smoothheight="false" slider_type="attachments" limit="8″]
From hiking and seeing wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park, to tracking a herd of bison in Grand Teton National Park, or zipping down the alpine slide at Snow King Resort in Wyoming, we were not short on fun. Take a hike in a canyon- we loved Utah's slot canyon and of course the Grand Canyon in Arizona. For some lively entertainment, consider white water rafting the Arkansas River with Echo River Canyon Expeditions, watching the Cardinals game from the hotel room window at the Hilton St Louis Ballpark, or seeing a 9-day old baby zebra at The Wilds in Ohio, some of our favorite parts of our trip!
Would We Do It Again?
Were there moments of kids fighting, Mom-exhaustion, and not to mention the wheel coming off of my car that were awful at the time? Yes- there were. But those moments pass and aren't even part of my memory, feelings, or emotions about the trip. What I think about now is everything that we did together, how amazing it was, and how lucky I feel that we were able to do this together.
And during the long drive back towards New York from Colorado, all that I could think about was doing this again! I was already planning in my mind an itinerary that would take us through the northern part of US- through South Dakota, Montana, and all the way out to California and the Pacific Northwest. Will we do this next year? I really can't be sure… but this road trip definitely fueled a hunger and a passion both in me and in my kids to travel further and see more of the United States.
Feeling Inspired to Plan Your Own Road Trip?
We've created a slew of video guides on exploring great destinations on the road, as well as offering practical packing and planning tips. In our videos on the Top 5 Kid-Friendly Things to Do in Rocky Mountain National Park, Wyoming, Southern Utah, the Grand Canyon, Colorado, the city of Colorado Springs, or St. Louis, we've put together some inspiring fun activities for your family to enjoy. Take a peak at the fun in Wyoming:
In addition to great location specific videos, we've also got plenty of road tripping advice to share covering packing, planning, and managing the kids in the car. You can follow my family's entire road trip and check out every one of our videos at our Troo American Road Trip main page.
So What's Holding You Back?
Throughout the planning stages of our trip, while we were traveling, and since we've been back home, I've spoken with so many people who just love what we did- and then tell me that they wish they could take just such a trip "someday." And then they follow up that remark with, "When the kids are older," or, "I don't know if I could handle taking my kids that far," or, "I don't know how to plan something like this." It seems as if so many people share the dream of road tripping with their kids- but something holds them back from actually doing it.
So I would love to hear from you… what's holding you back from taking your own Great American Road Trip? Let us know in the comments!


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Cookie Butter No Bakes
I got bored the other night. I was also kind of hungry. Browsing Pinterest only made me hungrier. Browsing Pinterest while you are hungry is almost the same as grocery shopping hungry.
Pinterest led me to Healthy No Bake Cookies. I didn't have half of the ingredients, so I decided to tweak the recipe. In honor of national gingersnap day, I decided to use cookie butter. If you have never had cookie butter, it has a gingersnap/gingerbread taste. These no bakes are definitely no longer healthy.
What you need:
1 C Cookie Butter
1/3 C Peanut Butter
2/3 C Honey
1/2 C Butter
1/2 C Cocoa Powder
Dash of Vanilla
3 Cups Rolled Oats
Melt cookie butter, peanut butter, honey, and butter in a medium sauce pan. Once melted, add cocoa. Bring to a rolling boil and let boil for about a minute. Stir constantly! Otherwise it will burn.
Remove from heat. Add in vanilla. I just dumped some in without measuring. Add oatmeal, slowly adding, then mixing, then adding.
Once well mixed, pour into a pan. I lined my pan, but you don't have to. The smaller the pan, the thicker the bars! Wait 3-4 hours for the bars to set up. I left mine to sit all night, considering it was almost one am when I finished. 🙂
Looking for just a normal peanut butter dessert? Check out the best peanut butter cookies ever!


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Angellic stories, books, poems, and more
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Related Tags:action, angellic, black, character, child, demonic, demons, dragons, draons, fantasy, fighting, fights, girl, main, middleages, school, strong, training, twisted, weapon
Humans are always serching for the next great weapon. Their newest work in progress, children infused with the anatomy of a demon. The researchers know two things for sure, one these things are deadly, and two if the children lost control entire towns could be destroyed. What would happen if… Read More


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The science fiction aspect is apparent from the beginning. Perhaps some would call this magic realism. In Brockmeier's alternate world, human pain suddenly begins to glimmer and glow. Every bruise, wound, cut, lesion, toothache, cancer, or heart ailment lights up. As people walk down the street, you can see their illnesses glinting and shining. Pain sometimes defines people, but does not make people kinder.
|Kevin Brockmeier
In the first chapter, Carol Ann Page, a data analyst, severs the tip of her thumb while attempting to open a package from her ex-husband. At the hospital, her wound begins to glow.
"...when she saw the light shining out of her incision, she thought she was hallucinating. It was steady and uniform, a silvery-white disk that showed through her thumbnail, as bright and finely edged as the light in a Hopper painting."
In the operating room, someone says, "This is really freaking me out. Isn't this freaking anyone out?"
But the world soon gets used to it. The light is everywhere, on the streets, in photos, on TV. People flash with pain.
In the hospital, a dying woman, thinking her husband is dead, gives her journal to Carol Ann. Her husband had left a love note daily, which she copied into the journal. Each beautiful note begins with, "I love..." Her relationship with her husband is in every way the opposite of Carol Ann's with her ex-husband. It describes a perfect love.
As this journal gets passed from person to person, it inspires, raises questions, and causes problems. Love is contrasted with pain. The characters who "share" the journal include: Jason, a photojournalist, the widower of the woman who gave away the journal, and the author of the notes; Chuck, an autistic child; Ryan, a former stockbroker turned Christian missionary for the sake of his dead sister; Nina Poggione, a writer who suffers terribly from ulcers on her mouth, but must give readings; and Morse, a homeless man who sells books on the street.
The characters are fascinating, but the illumination doesn't quite clarify for me. The chapter about Nina is perfect: the descriptions of her loneliness on the book tour, her attempts to speak as little at her readings because of the pain caused by language (she has ulcers on her mouth and it hurts her to speak), her anxiety about her teenage son, and her attraction to the young man who hits on her at readings. The chapter about Jason is also pitch-perfect. He is in such pain after his wife's death that he gets involved with a group of teenage cutters. On the other hand, the chapter about Ryan, an urban missionary who rages about the meaninglessness of suffering, is startling after Brockmeier's spare elegance in the other chapters. I absolutely understand his rage, though, and he addresses the Christian question.
Something tells me I need to read this novel again to understand exactly what Brockmeier is saying. His lyrical writing is stunning. A spare Borges mixed with David Lindsay? Maybe. But I might find it difficult to reread, because of the emphasis on pain.
One of the best new books of the year so far.