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Zamboni in Paradise
The last two days in Hawaii have been wet. The islands have been hit with what is known as a "Kona" front that brings rain from the Southwest across the "leeward" or dry sides of the islands. The result is tons of rain--even in areas like Makaha that get less than 20" of rain per year.
There have been mudslides on other parts of O'ahu though it is over 80 degrees out during the day. After the first day of sitting around our condo we quickly caught cabin fever and on the second day we decided it was time for an outing of some sort.
When we first arrived on O'ahu we headed west form the airport and spotted a big building near the freeway called the "Ice Palace". It turns out that it is an ice rink which is one of Anna's favorite things. She had gone skating with Meta in Portland and really enjoyed it. I was not so sure about ice skating--after nearly breaking my wrist learning to unicycle last year, I have been reluctant to take on new "frictionless" sports. Ice skating sounded like an accident waiting to happen. Not to mention the obvious absurdity of ice skating in a tropical island paradise. But we were really bored and Anna had enough motivation for everyone so we hit the road.
The Ice Palace is a bit run down but definitely gets a lot of use by local skaters. One of the things I have noticed about people raised on the islands is that they really look forward to some cold weather and the snow and ice that go with it. Sure, 75-80 degrees and sunny everyday is pretty great, but its nice to have a break from it, even if only for a few hours.
The Ice Palace was very reasonably priced--$7.50 per person including skate rentals. We all put on our additional layers (that we had not used since the start of our trip) and got out on the ice. Meta is a very capable skater but the rest of us were rank beginners. (Caleb and I had never been on the ice before). We started by using metal support bars that look like elderly walkers without the rubber feet. Pretty soon we were all able to get around reasonably well. Anna with a little help from Mom , Caleb skated as if he was wearing his Heely's and I looked like a newborn foal on Rollerblades . The Zamboni came out after a bit and cleaned up the ice while we took a break.
It was a fun outing and a break from the lousy weather. The sun returned today so we are off for the beach once again!
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The Voice is one of our most powerful tools for
Healing and Divine Connection.
SpiritSongs is an invitation to explore and embrace our own unique voice. Sat Nishan guides us on a journey of yoga, meditation, sound, chant & song to reveal the voice of our soul, increase our vibration and move into deep acceptance of ourselves.
"What a wonderful, heart-opening workshop for students and teachers alike. SpiritSongs provides a safe and supportive space for people to experience the healing power of their own voices. The effects provide a higher place for everyone's meditation to begin long after the workshop is over. Sat Nishan was a complete delight to work with and I'd recommend SpiritSongs to any yoga teacher who wants to take their students deeper into the power of chant."
Duke Doudna, Kundalini Yoga Teacher, Owner of Yoga Oasis, San Diego, CA
What others had to say:
"My experience with SpiritSongs was truly transformative."
"Spiritsongs is exactly what my healing heart was praying for."
"I most enjoyed the freedom which accompanied feeling my own Spirit Song!"
"SpirtSongs was Heart Opening, Heart Warming, Assuring, and Joyful!"
"I most enjoyed Singing fearlessly"
Private Sessions Also Available

subset: commoncrawl


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If you are not a tech marketing genius or not into technology at all then you may not have heard about SEO, private label SEO, or of how SEO can effect your business. Or perhaps SEO is the term that you have heard floats around like whispers during a game of telephone. So this article is meant for you, the SEO newbie who just wants some answer – straight up and not even on ice.
SEO, as it is called in the biz stands for Search Engine Optimization.
Pretty simple stuff right? Right.
SEO was once a term that meant someone out there was writing nonsense based on how Google finds search results. Why Google? Google is head shoulders and knees above the competition for internet
Read more ...
At Peach and Weathers we focus on helping people who have been injured and the families of people who have been killed because of someone else's negligence.


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Thursday, August 13, 2015
Whatever Happened to my Sister? by Simona Ciraolo (Flying Eye Books)
Posted by ReadItDaddy at August 13, 2015 Labels: Flying Eye Books, Hardback, Picture Book, Simona Ciraolo, Whatever Happened to my SisterA glorious and heart-warming book that looks at sibling relationships in a lovely way. So whatever DID happen to your sister?
Simona Ciraolo's "Hug Me" performed the near impossible. It made us love (and want to hug) a rather prickly character, a wonderful little cactus (you can see our review of "Hug Me" here).
Things are a little more straightforward in Simona's new book, but the core theme of the book - the relationship between a big sister and her little sister - is written and illustrated in such a lovely way that you'll be practically scrabbling for the tissues by the end of the story with its utterly joyous message. Friends may come and go but sisters are for life.
Little Sis actually genuinely thinks that someone's sneaked a clone in, and that big sister isn't actually her sister any more. She seems preoccupied and always busy, she keeps closing the door to her bedroom, she seems to spend a lot of time on her phone or listening to loud music and she has no time to play - especially with pretty things or dressing up clothes. She looks different, dresses different, and when the little girl asks her mum and dad they really don't seem to be much help.
It's a sad day, but thankfully little sister hasn't realised that along with big sis changing, she's changed too!
You know that scene at the end of Toy Story 3, where Andy's handing over his toys to Molly - but can't resist just one more mammoth play session (I think I've seen this scene many times, always through snot-runnels and huge teary eyes, I just can't watch it without descending into a blubbing mess). The very last few moments in this book are as glorious as that, so if you don't mind a bit of a cry, you're going to love this one.
Charlotte's favourite bit: Little sister's constant cat companion, who steals the show in nearly every scene (particularly when dressed up in a very pretty gown!)
Daddy's favourite bit: As the older sibling of three kids this book made me wonder if my youngest brother ever felt a bit like the little girl in this story (there's 10 years between us so just as he was playing with Matchbox cars and Lego, I was probably spending far too much time mooning over girls!) A superb and sweet book with a glorious message at its big beating heart.
"Whatever Happened to my Sister?"
Written and Illustrated by Simona Ciraolo
Published by Flying Eye Books
Release Date: 6th August 2015
(Kindly sent to us for review by Flying Eye Books)


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New food & wine festival planned in Galena, IL for September 6
Committee members of the Galena Wine Lovers' Weekend and ARC Taste of Galena have come together to plan a new event slated for Friday, September 6, 2013 from 7-10 pm at the Galena Convention Center, 900 Galena Square Drive.
The Galena Food and Wine Festival aspires to be a culinary dream featuring the talents of Galena area restaurants as well wine tasting—showcasing approximately 150 varieties—sponsored by Family Beer & Liquor.
"We are excited to be working with the Wine Lovers' Weekend committee to launch this new event. This event will not replace the ARC Taste of Galena we hold in February, but rather will be a nice compliment featuring 12 area restaurants", said Sarah Petersen, representing the ARC Taste of Galena.
Tickets for the Galena Food and Wine Festival are $50 per person and available online: www.galenafoodandwinefestival.com. "We highly recommend purchasing tickets early as our sister events Galena Wine Lovers' Weekend and ARC Taste of Galena have quickly sold out in advance", said Fred Bonnet, of Fried Green Tomatoes Restaurant and representing Galena Wine Lovers Weekend.
The event - with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Galena Art and Recreation Center - will also include live music, a raffle and silent auction.
In June 2013, Fodors named Galena, Illinois as one of the best summer getaways near Chicago, Illinois, and best for food and wine, girlfriends and romance. Find out more about more great Galena wine, beer and culinary events, including an upcoming attempt to break the world record for the longest toast November 22, 2013 at Nouveau Wine Weekend. Visit www.galenawinebeerfood.com.
To purchase tickets or learn more about Galena New Food and Wine Festival visit: www.galenafoodandwinefestival.com.


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The new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, is coming into the NHS at a crucial time – its funds are short and its needs for innovation are great.
Here are five things he needs to do to tackle health issues in the North of England:
1.Recognise the geographical divide in life expectancy and health outcomes in England and adopt policies to tackle the widening gap between the North and the South
The North of England is challenged by deep-rooted, but relatively recent, inequalities in health compared with other regions of the UK.
Research published in the British Medical Journal shows a 20% higher premature death rate for those living in the North across all age groups. This is 1,173,360 Northerners dying earlier than if they had experienced the same life chances as those in the South over the last 50 years.
Life expectancy declines from north to south with every government office region showing significantly more early deaths the further north the region sits.
Since 1995, the gap has been widening: excess mortality for the 25–34 age group increased from 2% in 1995 to 29% in 2015, while for those aged 35–44, northern excess mortality increased sharply: from 3% to 49%. In this period, southern mortality mainly declined.
This health divide needs effective policies, including a rebalancing of the economy between North and South England, proportionate to the scale of the problem.
2. Make sure the North receives the right proportion of public research and development funding.
There is a link between the investment in health research and health outcomes of an area. Public funding leads to local health and wealth benefits including new ways of diagnosing, managing and treating disease.
Despite the potential of the North in health innovation, it has been underinvested in clinical and healthcare research compared both to other regions and the private sector (which invests 20% of all funds in the region).
The North received only 13.6% of funding across the UK in 2014 and in the recent National Institute of Healthcare Research Biomedical Research Centres funding allocation of £816million, 6.7% of the total funding went to the North, while 83% was secured by the Golden Triangle.
With the link between the wealth of a particular area as a driver of improved health outcomes, a new approach to investment is needed focusing on rebalancing the wider economy to drive investment in the North's economy.
A healthier workforce in the North will also contribute to closing the productivity gap of £4 per person between the North and South of England and in growing the region's GDP rate to the UK average, which could unlock 850,000 jobs by 2050. Improved prosperity in the North will drive further improvements in the region's population health.
3. Commit to improving the digital capabilities of the NHS, working with existing organisations such as Connected Health Cities.
The North of England's excellence in data-intensive health sciences is world-leading and can play a major part in improving health outcomes.
Improving the digital capabilities and data analytics of the NHS can improve health research and the delivery of services to improve health. This includes using health data to understand the picture of regional public health which can support the right initiatives.
Given £20million in the 2015 Spending Review, Health North: Connected Health Cities (CHC) is an initiative that was developed in 2015 by the NHSA.
The programme brings together health and social care pilot projects across the North to help share information to improve population health and well-being.
These pilot projects are looking at; helping to gain a better understanding of childhood obesity, stroke and alcohol misuse, helping to redesign care pathways and reducing the burden on local A&E services.
In the North East, the CHC-project Great North Care Record has signed up 100% of GP practices in North East and is seen as a prototype for national patient data analytics schemes.
4. Support delivering the proposed Crossrail of the North and statutory funding powers for Transport for the North.
Putting money into infrastructure means people can underpins accessibility to services and successful modern enterprise, which is critical to improving the health and wealth of the North.
The region has the potential to become a mega-cluster in a number of sectors, including healthcare. But, this requires an environment in which it is possible to conduct high risk work in a low risk environment. Building a critical mass of expertise and realising economic potential hinges on free movement of people and connected cities in the region.
5. Back the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy and commit to setting up a northern fund to help improve the flow of money into health research.
Life Sciences Industrial Strategy offers the opportunity for the North to become healthier and wealthier. If he uses organisations such as the NHSA who know the local strengths and opportunities he can deliver the strategy to where it's needed - and make sure opportunities aren't missed.
A northern investment fund is needed. The North produces the same number of life science patents as London but does not have access to the same commercial growth capital to make the most of these inventions for the benefit of patients and the wider economy.


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Saturday February 26, 2005 The Holmes Brothers. Arden Gild Hall- Arden DE. The Holmes Brothers return to another sold out celebration at the Arden Gild Hall. Returning to what the legendary brothers called "one of their favorite places to play, and we're not just sayin' that," the foursome opened with a spirited rendition of Amazing Grace, before launching into tracks from their recent Simple Truths disc.
With name acts like Richard Shindell, Chris Smither and Buckwheat Zydeco all gracing their stage, the Gild Hall has fast become the region's best kept secret. For upcoming shows at the Gild Hall visit, www.ardenclub.com


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Re: Floppy disk failure
Re: Floppy disk failure
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followups ] [ FAQ ] [ Back to Messages ]
Posted by LStephens on April 11, 2000 at 18:01:50:
In Reply to: Floppy disk failure posted by BC on April 07, 2000 at 12:16:51:
: I have HP colorado T3000. Worked fine on old PC. Got a new PC and installed it. Now when the computer boots, I get "floppy disk(s) fail (40) error. I have checked cables and tried multiple ways, just in case. Any ideas or help is really appreciated.
Same message, accompanied by extremely slow operation (18 hours to write 1.7 GBytes and 9 hours to verify). Only recent software change was to install MSDUN 1.3, Winsock 2, and Sygate modem sharing software.
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April 7th, 1867
March 12, 2008
Nine years are completed to-day from the day on which I came to live in Geneva, because April 7th, 1858 was Wednesday. The exact time seemed to me very long that day on which I traveled from Hartford to Geneva. The greatest thanks to God for His many kindnesses to me through all these years. He has directed my paths in the way of peace. May His name be blessed forever and ever. May this be my sentiment in the future, "If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." Ex. 33:15. The wisest rule that you may give for administering college affairs is: Grant that I may do all things to Thy glory, through Jesus Christ, Amen.


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Youth Civic Hackathons
What is Civic Hacking?
"Civic hacking is people working together quickly and creatively to make their cities better for everyone."
-Jake Levitas
A civic hackathon is a 1-2 day event in which people rapidly form teams to build prototypes that tackle a pre-defined problem or set of problems. Youth hackathons are fantastic project-based-learning experiences that combine civics, design thinking, rapid prototyping, teamwork and social entrepreneurship in a fun, hands-on setting for learners.
Our most recent civic hackathon
In March of 2016 we helped Facing History and Ourselves run their first youth civic hackathon.
Read About It!
At ChangeX we care deeply about engaging youth with civic innovation. We were one of the earliest organizations to explore how this experience can be made accessible for teenagers and ran San Francisco's first Youth Civic Hackathon in partnership with TechShop SF.


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Thanks to my friend Katie for reminding me about Australian based brand; Seed Heritage and their super extensive range of clothing and accessories for children ranging from newborn to…well…grown ups!
Although I'd visited the stores before in person I didn't realise that they shipped internationally – which is both a good and a bad thing!
The imagery above is from their Autumn and Winter collections and which you can explore by your childs age and sex online here.


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Branches are an essential part of collaborating using GitHub Flow. They've always been cheap and easy to create within a GitHub repository, and today we're making branch management more straightforward.
At the top of any repository page, click Branches to see an overview of the branches across your project.
You can quickly filter the branches you've created, and see which branches are most active. New sections on the page also make it more obvious how you need to take action on the branches in your repository—whether that's cleaning up stale branches, examining a branch with a failing test, or sending a pull request for the branch you just pushed.
Need more help? See Creating and deleting branches within your repository and Viewing branches in your repository in GitHub Help.


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The philosophy concentration in morality, politics and law combines the basic analytical approaches of philosophy with an emphasis on the moral questions that arise in political theory and law. The foundations of our political and legal systems are moral values, such as individual liberty, equality and justice. These are contested values, open to different understandings of their nature and implications.
Students complete philosophy courses as well as courses from disciplines related to philosophy to enrich and enliven their understanding of the intersections of morality, politics and law. This degree program is of special interest to students planning to pursue postgraduate work in law, policy or politics.
Career Opportunities
This program will provide graduates with career opportunities in law, policymaking and analysis, politics and intelligence work. For example, graduates may find employment with the U.S. Department of State, the Central Intelligence Agency or the United States Department of Justice. This undergraduate program is also an excellent preparation for law school.
The largest and most diverse unit at Arizona State University:
- Top 5 for best qualified graduates, according to Wall Street Journal.
- Top 20 for humanities research, according to the National Science Foundation
- 20,000 enrolled students, 89 undergraduate majors, 134 graduate degrees and 22 interdisciplinary schools and departments
- $115 million in research expenditures
- #1 most innovative university in the U.S.


text: 493 views Downloads 29 Celebrities Loading... Emily Osment Download free Wallpaper, picture of Emily Osment. Wallpaper for desktop, PC, tablet. High-quality photos, hd pictures and above. Download all images All Emily Osment wallpapers Click on the picture you like and save it to your computer. Download all images 29 already downloaded


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Solar Power Rechargers For Travellers
Running out of battery while travelling is one of the biggest concerns of the modern day traveller. We are all so reliant on our smartphones that we dread not having instant access to the world wide web. Forunately, with modern solar charges it is possible to stay connected even when you are spending weeks exploring the great outdoors. Let's take a look at why they are needed and which are the best for travellers.
Many solar power battery rechargers are easy to carry over long distances, thanks to their portable, relatively lightweight design. Some also have integrated batteries, and the majority have USB ports and generate at least 4 watts of power. Unsurprisingly, solar rechargers are particularly effective in sunnier climates, although with significant investment in solar energy already under way in the UK, you needn't assume that you must visit a 'sunny' location in order for them to be of any use.
Naturally, the increasing popularity and investment in solar power is a fantastic step in the right direction in regard to the environment. This form of energy does not release dangerous chemicals into the atmosphere, and research has revealed that humans could save nearly 90 percent more water by switching from coal to solar panels. Solar power rechargers don't use electricity, and, depending on how much you use them, can be relatively inexpensive thanks to the fact that you don't have to pay to use our sun's energy.
A selection of the best solar power rechargers in the market:
JOOS Orange
With its durable faceplate, a 12-hour charging time, and a strong metallic design, this recharger is ideal for daily use. It will certainly suit an ambitious backpacker travelling to remote destinations with limited electricity outlets, although it is rather heavy at approximately 710 grams.
PowerBank CVADG-S69
Renowned for its excellent battery life, the PowerBank CVADG-S69 does take a little longer to charge (16 hours), which means it may not be suitable if you are travelling to a destination at a time of year when there is less than 16 hours of daylight. Fortunately, it can be charged from a USB outlet in just 9 hours, although the 2-amp USB port and the micro-USB ports cannot be used at the same time.
Sunlinq 1
Although it doesn't include a battery, this recharger is particularly hardy and can charge a GPS in only three hours, which means travellers won't have to worry about getting lost. It's a great companion for camping and hiking treks, and can easily be attached to a tree.
The Voltaic Fuse 6W
Recharging a battery in daylight in just six hours, the Voltaic Fuse 6W can also be attached to large objects such as plants or backpacks, and is suitable for charging many types of electronic devices, from phones to video cameras. It also has a two-year guarantee and water resistance so you can take it during long, challenging trips where you're likely to encounter mixed weather.
Wherever you're off to, make sure you are covered
There are few situations more stressful than suffering a serious injury or illness and, after a long stay in hospital, facing an extortionate bill soon afterwards. This can happen to you if you don't buy travel insurance, or if your existing insurance doesn't cover you for your circumstances or travel destinations.
A situation like this can easily be avoided if you purchase appropriate travel cover that's catered to your needs and protects you from hefty medical fees. Make sure the travel insurance also covers all of your valuables such as your solar power recharger, smartphone, laptop, and camera.
Laura Reeve is the Marketing Executive at Avanti Travelcare, who specialise in travel insurance for those with pre-existing medical conditions, and are one of very few that have no upper age limit on their policies.
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Well, now that Todd McClay has announced that we're going to try and start charging GST on overseas digital transactions, I think I've had enough. I made a submission to IRD on this and specifically warned about the geo-unblocking considerations and the need to provide a means of voluntary compliance (otherwise people will get hit with potential 'knowledge offences' for having US Netflix, Hulu, or Prime). Then there's the issue of 'collection' by unscrupulous sellers, who can now raise prices by 15% and never get around to actually paying IRD.
Now, I am not arrogant enough to think they'll have given my wee submission any real thought (the purpose of consultation tends to be appearance, rather than any actual desire to engage – hence why it's called consultation, rather than engagement, I suppose). But I'd have thought there were enough people who might think this that someone at IRD would have gone, 'Hold on a minute…' Apparently, that didn't happen.
The effect is that, regardless of the tax compliance and technical considerations (enforcing this will be…interesting), National is giving in to a special interest group (retailers) (after all, they're creating a 'level playing field' – not sure with whom). This doesn't mean I don't sympathise, but the actual group affected here will be digital service consumers and not even importers / retailers. So the real beneficiaries are going to be NZ suppliers of digital services who can now, legally, gouge and who may end up yielding lower access for us.
So I guess National has lost the plot and they really don't need my family's votes, apparently. Great job guys.


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Most read
- COLUMN: GATOR CHOPPIN Is Huntington really that dangerous?
- Search Warrant Yields Drug Arrest at Huntington's Coach's Inn
- MU Baseball Stadium Announced
- Marshall's Lewis College of Business to Host Business Model Competition
- FIRES: The House They Busted Burns, so does one near First Street
- HERD ZONE MCGILL: Baseball stadium unveil sets up crucial next step
- United States Attorney Mike Stuart Forms Health Care Abuse, Recovery and Response Team ("ARREST") To Intensify Response to Opioid Epidemic and Health Care Fraud
- Efforts Underway to Save new River Train
Herd Loses to Ohio University
Ohio took a 50-49 lead with 11:48 left in the game. From that point the lead went back and forth with Marshall leading 64-63 with 1:50 left. A lay-up by Ohio's D.J. Cooper put the Bobcats back on top 65-64 with 1:30 left in the game. Marshall did get some last shots at the basket, but the Herd was unable to connect.
A disappointed Marshall Coach Tom Herrion said, "Our season is over. You can close the book on this one."
Ohio Coach Jim Groce said, "We knew Marshall had improved a lot since we last played them, but we also have improved."
"We did ask for the officials to review the Marshall shot before the first half. We did not think he had time in two seconds to get the ball in and shoot the ball."
Marshall was in the CIT tournament last year beating Western Carolina 90-88 at home in a first round game and then losing to Appalachian State 80-72 at home in a second round game.
Marshall had a 36-32 lead at the intermission. With two seconds left on the clock in the first period Marshall's Andrew Kane made the basket what would have been good for two points. It was first counted, however after review by the officials the shot was not counted.


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Marseille Between Two Rounds
Documentary - 90 minutes
Written by Jean-Louis Comolli, Michel Samson, Jean-Louis Porte
Directed by Jean-Louis Comolli, Michel Samson, Jean-Louis Porte
Sound: Jean-François Priester
Editor: Jean-Louis Porte, Jean-Baptiste Delpias
Music: André Jaume
With support from the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region
A documentary in complementing Jean-Louis Comolli and Michel Samson's series begun in 1988 on political life in Marseille. The series is available on DVD.
After these cult films, which are also topics of study in numerous universities, Jean-Louis Comolli, Michel Samson and Jean-Louis Porte have turned their focus to the 2014 municipal election. With their unconventional viewpoints, they went out to meet other characters, other players in the life of the city. The film takes us into a territory that is largely unknown to most of us.


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DARTMOUTH — Soon Target will offer same-day delivery at its store at 479 State Road.
On April 10, Target through Shipt, an online marketplace, will begin same-day delivery of more than "55,000 groceries, essentials, home, electronics, toys and other products across Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island," according to the company.
Delivery also will be offered in Fall River and Providence; no word yet on a date for Wareham, according to a news release.
To celebrate the launch, new members who sign up before April 10 will receive an annual membership for $49 (regularly $99).
"Same-day delivery was at the top of our list when we were thinking about ways to make shopping at Target even easier," said John Mulligan, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Target. "Shipt's personalized, customer-focused approach fits perfectly with our commitment to deliver a convenient, exceptional experience and we're excited to begin offering same-day service across New England."
Target plans to same-day delivery of the in-store assortment of goods from approximately half of stores by early 2018. The majority of Target stores will offer the service by the 2018 holiday season. By the end of 2019, same-day delivery will include all major product categories at Target.


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Product 5/8
Hooded sheepskin coat from the F/W2016-17 Gosha Rubchinskiy collection in black
This hooded coat from Gosha Rubchinskiy new collection comes in a comfortable fit. The sheepskin hooded coat, here in black, is made of acrylic and features a zip closure, four pockets at front and a pocket at sleeve.
- Hooded coat
- Zip closure
- Pockets
- Composition: 60% Acrylic - 40% Polyester
- Made in Romania
- The model is wearing an international M size


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E 5 Bake House
The E5 bake house have opened a new Deli next door to their busy artisan bakery shop and production facility.
They required a stainless steel glass door multi-deck display to display a wide range of Cheeses they wished to display and keep
Capital supplied a new glass door INFINITY refrigerated display on CO2 refrigerant with LED up-lighting & under shelf lighting.
As you can see the display is excellent and the temperature regulation is very close due to the glass doors.
Compared to open front displays of this nature the energy saving can up to and over 50% of the normal running costs.


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Double the Travelers Campaign – General Description
Replenish Richmond believes the Community of Richmond will only reach its maximum potential when Richmonders recognize and embrace tourism as the best means of creating a solid economic foundation, both short and long term, for the City and the Region. It has become quite evident that the need for a consistent stream of additional revenue is critical for our local jurisdictions to handle their increased level of financial responsibility. On the very short term, through the end of 2015, tourism is by far the most realistic means of creating additional revenues and income for Richmond area jurisdictions and businesses. When looking long term, a tourism-oriented focus that engages government, business, non-profits and individual Richmonders offers the best opportunity for a consistent stream of additional revenue and income that does not require additional expenditures. Building on the high visibility received from the Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War and Emancipation, Richmond has a perfect opportunity to start the process of embracing tourism's transformational potential with the 2015 World Cycling Championships in September. Replenish Richmond has developed the Double the Travelers Campaign to provide a "business plan" for our community's embrace of tourism, with the year 2015 seen as the campaign's springboard.
As the name implies, the goal of the campaign is to literally double the annual number of travelers to the Richmond region versus past year's averages, which have been around six (6) million visitors. This is certainly not a goal that will be discussed in the boardrooms of our tourism booster organizations like Richmond Region Tourism (RRT) and the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC). This is an overly aggressive out-of-the-box goal that will require the support and involvement of all subsets of our regional community. The expectation is that the resulting impact will be a doubling of many of the economic benefits currently provided by traveler expenditures and a significant increase in jobs and travel payroll. Using 2013 VTC numbers for the Richmond Region (in this case defined as the RRT footprint of the City of Richmond and the Counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and New Kent), each year we double the number of travelers to the Richmond Region, we can reasonably expect to generate the following new income, revenue and job benefits:
- $2.1 Billion in NEW annual gross income from traveler expenditures
- $231 Million in NEW annual gross travel industry payroll (**Replenish Richmond estimate)
- 10,833 NEW jobs created in the first year & maintained each year thereafter (**Replenish Richmond estimate)
- $77 Million in NEW annual State Government tax receipts
- $59 Million in NEW annual Regional Government tax receipts
- $40 Million in NEW annual Regional Lodging / Food excise taxes (**Replenish Richmond estimate)
While the primary purpose of the Double the Travelers Campaign is the development of a solid economic foundation for the Community of Richmond, it is understood and anticipated that significant positive social development will occur from the community collaboration that goes into achieving the Campaign's tourism goals. And while the Community of Richmond will be the starting point for the Double the Travelers Campaign, it is intended and expected that the entire Commonwealth of Virginia will participate in and benefit from Richmond's efforts to Double the Travelers.
Tourism and the Community of Richmond – a Natural Fit
One of the main reasons why Richmond should be a premiere tourist destination is its unmatched historical resume – the RVA is quite literally the most influential and historic community in America. Equally impressive as Richmond's unique combination of 400+ years of groundbreaking history and associated historical attractions is its complete set of world class community amenities including:
- The incredible James River, including its rapids, its trails, its fish, and its bald eagles.
- An equally incredible collection of cultural institutions and venues including the internationally acclaimed Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia War Memorial, Virginia Historical Society, Science Museum of Virginia,The Valentine, The Virginia Holocaust Museum, and the Carpenter and Altria and November Theaters.
- Festivals and events all year long celebrating Richmond's diverse cultural and ethnic diversity, including the Richmond Folk Festival, Carytown Watermelon Festival, Church Hill Irish Festival, First Fridays and the Second Street Festival.
- Richmond's vibrant artistic and creative community.
- An eclectic collection of neighborhoods, monuments, parks and public spaces.
- An exploding and nationally recognized restaurant and craft beer & cider scene.
- Sports of all kinds including NASCAR, Richmond Flying Squirrels, Richmond Kickers, Anthem Richmond Marathon, Dominion Riverrock and the 2015 World Cycling Championships.
- Proximity to Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Petersburg, Williamsburg, Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens; 90 minutes to the mountains, the beach and Washington DC.
A key component of any successful tourism agenda is a high level of return visitors and Richmond's comprehensive collection of attractions should guarantee that travelers return again and again. Another important component of a successful tourism agenda is accessibility to travelers and Richmond might be the most accessible American City, period. Start with the 1,300,000+ Richmonders who live in the region; most of whom have yet to truly experience what is available in their home town. Then consider the 8 million Virginians, most of whom have never visited their Capital City. Next in line are the tens of millions of Americans in the mid-Atlantic region who are within easy travel distance to Richmond using Interstates 95 and 64, as well as Amtrak, Greyhound and Megabus. Finally, factor in Richmond International Airport and all of the potential national and international travelers and you have a remarkably accessible community.
Best of all, embracing tourism as an economic and social development tool offers a complex set of financial and social multipliers for Richmond. The beauty of tourism is that while traveler expenditures create significant income and revenue for our community, this income is not dependent on significant expenditures in return. Travelers are soon on their way, so they do not require us to expend money on new schools or roads or social services. So, to summarize:
- Richmond offers every conceivable means of engaging and entertaining travelers of all ages and giving them many reasons to return.
- Positive attention to the City of Richmond and the Richmond region has been steadily increasing for several years and will reach a crescendo with the 2015 World Cycling Championships.
- Richmond is regularly accessible to millions and millions of potential travelers.
- Tourism offers significant economic and social benefits at a time when our needs are great and there are no other realistically viable alternatives.
- Richmond and Tourism – It's a No-Brainer!
Double the Travelers Campaign – Formal Objectives
Objective #1 – Invest and involve all Richmonders in the Campaign
Doubling the number of travelers to the Richmond Region is an extremely aggressive goal that can only be accomplished by a community with Richmond's tourism pedigree. A goal of this magnitude requires the support of organizations like RRT and VTC, but must first gain the growing support of the many subsets of the Community of Richmond. Therefore, the first objective of the Double the Travelers Campaign will be to get all Richmonders – individuals, businesses, clubs, schools, organizations and governments – to express their pride and support of their home community by becoming Richmond Travel Ambassadors, encouraging and facilitating their families, friends, business associates and colleagues to visit Richmond as often as possible, starting in 2015.
Towards that end, Double the Travelers proposes a multimedia marketing campaign designed to reach out to all segments of the Community of Richmond offering many reasons and incentives to become a Richmond Travel Ambassador and encourage others to do likewise. The Marketing Campaign will have several components including:
- An ongoing series of radio and television Public Service Announcements using well known Richmonders / Richmond Advocates from all walks of life encouraging every Richmonder to get involved in Double the Travelers. Well known Richmonders and Richmond region advocates possibly to include:
- Terry McAuliffe, Dwight Jones, Tim Kaine, Mark Warner, Ed Ayers, Shaka and Maya Smart, Ben Wallace, Jason Mraz, Oliver Hill Jr., Elliot Yamin, Justin Verlander, Jim Ukrop, Sabrina Squire, Denny Hamlin, Ed Trask, Jason Alley, Tim and Daphne Reid, Shirley MacLean, Warren Beatty, Patricia Cornwell
- Another series of PSA's using historical impersonators encouraging every Richmonder to get involved in Double the Travelers, possibly including:
- Maggie Walker, Elizabeth Van Lew, Henry "Box" Brown, Dr. Daniel Norton, Patrick Henry, William Byrd II, Bill "Bo jangles" Robinson, Lewis Powell Jr.
- A similar series of print ads in newspapers and magazines along with posters, hand-out flyers, table tents at restaurants
- A Double the Travelers website offering information, ideas and connections
- A coordinated approach using e-mail and all available social networking sites to reach out to individual Richmonders
- A growing list of businesses and organizations that agree to promote participation in Double the Travelers to their employees, clients and supporters
- The Double the Travelers Cheerleaders Program > Engage the thousands of Richmonders who are or were cheerleaders to help energize the Community of Richmond for this very important Campaign. Reach out to Richmond university and public/private high school cheer teams to spread Double the Travelers to their school's students, staff and parents – hold Double the Travelers rallies and events.
In terms of incentives, Double the Travelers will ask Richmonders to formally sign up and become a Richmond Travel Ambassador, agreeing to do what they can to support the Campaign. In return, Travel Ambassadors will be eligible for a growing list of prizes and incentives designed to expand their interest and involvement in the Campaign. All registered Travel Ambassadors will be eligible for ongoing random prize drawings and will be invited to participate in Double the Travelers festivals and events. In addition, Travel Ambassadors will be rewarded based on the success of their "travel agent activity". Prizes and incentives, including discounts at local merchants, will be solicited from the Richmond business and retail merchant community. Richmond's Travel Agent Industry will be solicited for help and tips to offer to Travel Ambassadors. Other ideas related to the Richmond Travel Ambassador program include:
- New tourism idea contests with prizes donated by community partners
- Richmond Travel Ambassador of the Year Award – with awards event and prizes
- Each year accept nominations for Travel Ambassador of the Year based on an individual's work to support Double the Travelers
- Richmond Travel Ambassador Recruitment events – social / information events to introduce Double the Travelers and the Richmond Travel Ambassador concept
Objective #2 – Proactively "recruit" travelers to Richmond
One of the major differences between the Double the Travelers Campaign and traditional tourism marketing is that Double the Travelers will proactively "recruit" travelers through direct invitation and travel facilitation. While many more "recruiting" initiatives will be developed, Double the Travelers has initially defined six different traveler recruiting initiatives:
Engage the Locals Initiative
This initiative will reach out to the 1.3 million people who live in the Richmond Regional Community in an effort to introduce them to the power of Richmond's historic and cultural attractions. We want Richmonders to better know and appreciate their home community – Richmond. Ideas include an incentive program for Richmonders who visit a certain number of historic/cultural sites as well as merchants; "Chesterfield County Day in Richmond" – discounts from merchants for people from Chesterfield who show their ID (repeat for all local jurisdictions); contests for locals to win a special Richmond tour.
Visit Your Capital Initiative
This initiative will reach out to the 8 million people who live in the Commonwealth of Virginia in an effort to introduce them to the power of Richmond's history – their Capital City. We want Virginians to better know and appreciate their Capital and understand its influence on their lives, wherever they live in Virginia. A special program will be developed to reach out to Virginia's student population with a goal of getting every Virginia student to visit their Capital City. Other ideas include "Roanoke Days in Richmond" – discounts from merchants for people from Roanoke area who show their ID (repeat for other communities across the Commonwealth); contests in different Virginia localities to win a trip to Richmond and a special tour of the Capital of the Commonwealth.
Understand Your Religious Heritage Initiative
Richmond is the home of religious freedom in America and this initiative will reach out to all people of faith with specific attention to Baptists, Episcopalians, Methodists and Presbyterians – Christian denominations that suffered serious splits and internal strife in the years leading up to the Civil War and the Emancipation. Members of these churches and all faiths will be invited to come to Richmond to better understand their religious heritage with a collective eye to the future. Double the Travelers will engage faith leaders throughout the Richmond Region in an effort to create many different reasons for people of faith to travel to Richmond. Ideas include churches in Richmond inviting churches in other states to come to Richmond for a long weekend visit, acting as their hosts and guides; creating a "heritage tour" for each denomination, running through Richmond and Virginia.
Celebrate the Emancipation Initiative
2015 is the 150th Anniversary of the end of the American Civil War and the true emancipation of all enslaved Africans and this initiative intends to maximize travelers to Richmond during 2015 with specific programming to accentuate Richmond's powerful racial past; including Shockoe Bottom and slavery, Jim Crow, Maggie Walker, Massive Resistance and Doug Wilder. Reconciling our country's many troubles and problems related to race and ethnicity will be an important building block for our collective future. Richmond can and should lead that effort as it holds all the answers. Ideas include a series of intellectual tourism packages designed to give travelers access to the information and sites that are important to them, with special attention to reaching the African American community and the international community.
Richmonds of the World Initiative
This initiative will reach out to Richmonders in the 90 other communities around the world named Richmond, including the 66 communities in the United States and Canada. Richmonds of the World (ROTW) is a new global community collaboration that was conceived in Richmond VA and has declared 2010 to 2019 as the Decade of Richmond! The Decade of Richmond kicked off in 2010 when Richmond British Columbia helped its neighbor Vancouver host the Winter Olympics and continued with the 5 year Sesquicentennial in our Richmond. Richmond upon Thames (our namesake) helped London host the 2012 Summer Olympics and in 2015 Richmond Virginia hosts the World Cycling Championships. The Maggie L. Walker Governor's School is leading the ROTW charge and will be investing and involving Richmond Travel Ambassadors to reach out to Richmonders from across the country and around the world to invite them to our Richmond.
Make Richmond a Bicycle & Pedestrian Friendly Community Initiative
This initiative will reach out to the growing number of bicycle enthusiasts across the region and across the nation and will help Richmond prepare to host the 2015 World Cycling Championships. Double the Travelers will work with the Richmond bicycle community to identify potential bicycle tourism routes and will support infrastructure improvements to make the City as bike friendly as possible. Ideas include bicycle scavenger hunts and events that highlight Richmond's trails, including the many James River Park trails and the Virginia Capital Trail.
Objective #3 – Proactively prepare Richmond for an influx of travelers
The third objective of Double the Travelers will be to inspire and facilitate investment in the physical infrastructure enhancements necessary to handle the influx of new travelers to the Community of Richmond. The regional community of Richmond, especially the City, is in the midst of a serious upgrade of our tourism infrastructure with many new hotels and a hostel coming on line in 2015. Doubling the travelers will certainly require that we continue this upgrade with new hotels, motels, hostels and other accommodations and services. Equally important, the Community of Richmond must develop a comprehensive and accessible transit system that makes it easy to get anywhere in Richmond without using a car, including several circulator routes connecting travelers to all that Richmond has to offer. It is expected that once the Community of Richmond embraces the Double the Travelers Campaign, it will see these infrastructure enhancements as investments in our collective future.


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Further impacts of the revolution
Further impacts of the revolution
Four months and Tunisia stills in trouble due to what is happening at the boundary with libya inadditin manifestations. People are burning the public places and I think that this isunconsciousness,and that may affect the tunisian future,at the electionperioud and even after.I think that tunisian future is not clear but I hope that our country become free and all people become equal, conscious and united.Even though I am optimistic I don't think that Tunisia will be easily peaceful due to B en ali's militia, the gaps in the tunisian society (islami,laic...). Besides doesn't result in clear changes; the robbers are not presented to justice .In addition the new government is not serious in perswing the offenders of the previous system and in this case I want to say to them "GET OUT" to protect our Tunisia.
Ayoub Lajili
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Special event exclusively for Upper Elementary and Adolescent Program students
Bring your favourite board games and prepare for an amazing evening of games, improv and camaraderie!
What's improv? Improvisational theatre, is the form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted – created spontaneously by the performers. It's a chance to get together with your friends and be goofy, make mistakes (it's ok!) and have a laugh. You'll be able to put your creative skills to work in this fun-filled night when you can be spontaneous, learn some of the basics of improv while play fun games and meet some of the experts from Second City. Get your silly on!
This is a BYOG event! (bring your own game)
Saturday, April 14th at 5:20pm
in the Humberside Montessori School Gym
Schedule details to be refined after RSVP deadline.
5:20pm – drop off
5:30pm – Improv sessions along with pizza and board games
9:15pm – pick-up
RSVP ASAP (deadline extended)
In order to plan the event carefully we would appreciate a quick RSVP by submitting the form below.
We also looking for one or two more volunteers for this event. If you're available to assist, please check off the box on the form below. Thank you.


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What are the odds of Mavado and PopCaan being featured on the same track?
Well, Music News has been reliably informed that Snoop Lion formerly Snoop Dogg has facilitated the collab.
Yes, Mavado and PopCaan are featured on Snoop's new single dubbed Lighters Up for his reggae album 'Reincarnated'.
According to Vado's management, the original agreement was for the song to feature Snoop, Mavado and an unnamed artiste. The other dancehall deejay didn't do his part therefore Snoop's team used a verse they had from Popcaan.
Mavado's management also claims that Vado felt a little hijacked when that happened but Snoop Lion spoke to Mavado and asked him to sanction Popcaan being added to the record in the name of unity.
Vado supposedly didn't resist Snoop's request for the song to include Popcaan.


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About the Book
Midwest Models Magazine showcases the talent offered in the Midwest. Articles include multiple subjects including: shooting outdoors and in the studio, runway shows, camera savvy, beauty tips, products, and advice. Our good-looking model layouts include: fashion, lifestyle, promotion, alternative, lingerie, swimsuit, urban, fantasy, and more. The September 2017 issue is now available.
Features & Details
- Category Arts & Photography Books
US Letter, 8.5×11 in, 22×28 cm
48 Pages
- Publish Date Aug 11, 2017
- Language English
- Tags camera advice, fashion, boudoir, lingerie, hot models, swimsuit, runway shows, camera, photography
See More


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The mask is off: BJP puts out blatantly communal ads in Bihar
Hate campaign
- BJP has issued blatantly communal newspaper ads in Bihar
- First ad: Lalu, Nitish will take away Hindus\' quotas for Muslims
- Second ad: Nitish is soft on terror because he wants Muslim votes
Desperate move
- BJP appears desperate to win the Bihar polls at any cost
- Ads were issued ahead of polling in Muslim majority districts
- It wants to polarise Hindus to negate Muslim consolidation for Nitish, Lalu
Halfway through the high-stakes electoral battle in Bihar, the BJP has thrown away its cloak of "inclusiveness". In a naked endorsement of communalism its critics accuse it of, the party has publicly questioned why Muslims and Christians need reservation.
It has also sought to demonise Muslims by accusing the Bihar government of going soft on terrorists to appease the minority community.
In what appears to be a change in strategy after three rounds of polling, the party is issuing overtly communal ads in the Bihar editions of major newspapers.
Titled Jawaab Naheen Toh Vote Naheen, the ads demand a report card on the 25 years of rule by Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar. Of course, they don't mention that for seven and a half of these years, the BJP was part of the ruling coalition with Nitish.
The first ad appeared on 28 October. It asked: is it good governance to snatch reservation benefits "from the plates of Dalits and backward classes and serve them to minorities"?
For effect, it recalled that Nitish, Lalu, and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Digvijaya Singh and Salman Khurshid have often made a case for reservation for Muslims and Christians. "How can the Chief Minister advocate reservation for minorities?" the BJP demands to know.
The ad ends with a direct poser to the Bihar chief minister: "when will he stop the deceit of taking away the rights of Dalits and backward classes and distributing them to the minorities?"
Leading from the front
The ad takes its cue from Narendra Modi's speech at a rally in Buxar on 26 October. Brazenly communalising the debate on reservation, the prime minister had alleged that Nitish and Lalu were conspiring to take away 5% from the quotas for OBCs, EBCs and Dalits and give it to minorities. "I will die to protect your rights. I will never allow conspirators to steal away your reservation," he had declared.
The remarks drew instant condemnation but the BJP seems to have calculated that raising this bogey would benefit it in the polls.
On 29 October, the party published another ad. Its questions were different, but the message stayed the same.
"Is it good governance to irrigate a crop of terror for harvesting votes?" the ad asked.
It accused Nitish of being so favourable to terrorists that they were coming from across the country to find refuge in Bihar. It's because of this soft approach to terrorism, the ad goes on, that "terrorists of the ISI and the LeT are breeding in Champaran, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Saharsa, Muzaffarpur and Purnea".
That's not all. The BJP accuses Nitish of dilly-dallying on the arrest of Indian Mujahideen operative Yaseen Bhatkal and asks whether he wanted to let a traitor escape to signal his patronage for a particular community?
"How long will the chief minister continue to compromise with security of the country for the votes of a particular community?"
One doesn't need a crash course in recent political history to figure out that the "particular community" is a reference to Muslims.
Desperate measures
Neither is it difficult to understand why the communal ads are coming out now. The districts going to polls in the next two phases comprise Bihar's Muslim heartland and the ads are meant to polarise the Hindu electorate to negate likely Muslim consolidation in favour of the Grand Alliance.
The districts include all those mentioned in the "terror" ad, as well as Kishanganj (78% Muslim), Katihar (43%) and Araria (41%).
That the BJP's ads are blatantly communal and hypocritical - the party accuses its rivals of appeasing Muslims while itself trying to appease Hindus - is quite clear.
What isn't as clear is that the ads are ignorant as well: they pit backward Muslims against Hindu backwards even though several Muslim communities have long been recognised as OBCs in Bihar as well as in many other states.
BJP's communal ad: How long will Nitish compromise with the nation's security for Muslim votes?
Bihar's OBC list includes Muslim communities such as Nalband, Madaria, Jat, Malik, while the EBC list has Kasai, Chik, Dafali, Dhunia, Dhobi, Nut, Pamaria, Bhathiara, Bhat, among others.
Indeed, even in Modi's Gujarat, Muslim communities such as Bafan, Fakir, Gadhai, Galiara, Ghanchi and Hingora are counted as OBCs. As are the Khristi Gujarati Christians.
This means that during his three terms as the chief minister of Gujarat, Modi himself gave reservation benefits to Muslims and Christians. Then why is he raising this bogey in Bihar? The party, it appears, is desperate to win the state, whatever the cost.
So far, the BJP had rubbished allegations that it was following a sinister communal agenda, holding up slogans like "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas". Now, with an election at stake, it has decided that dropping the pretence serves it better.
What's most worrying about this open turn towards communalism is that it's not only endorsed by the prime minister, but led by him.
Perhaps, it's time to ask him: what "spirit of unity" is he trying to assert by flagging off a marathon on 31 October, the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel?
"Nation first" was always a suspicious slogan coming from the BJP. Has it officially changed it to "Hindu Nation First"?


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Hello! I hope you all are enjoying your long weekend because I sure am. Yesterday was what I would call the perfect day!
I started my day off with matcha green tea pancakes.(Find the recipe HERE).
After breakfast Ryan's kids stopped by and asked to play some baseball, so we went to the field and played. I had to leave after a half hour because I had a track practice scheduled.
If you don't remember, I coach high school cheerleading and I have coached track in the past. I offered to coach any of my cheerleaders who were interested as the school doesn't have a track program, kids just sign up for Zones and go. One of my girls Jaymi came for a sprint workout.
We did 4 X 200 & 4 X 100 at 75% as a way to ease into training. I was really happy with how I did. I didn't die nearly as much as I thought I would and I'm not sore today! Woot! Woot!
After the sprints we did block work as she had never used a set of blocks!
It was so much fun and just felt so good to be back on the track! I'm hoping to get in one or two sprint workouts a week to mix up my routine and because I just love it. I love the feeling of running fast.
After track, I had a quick lunch and headed to the golf course for 18 holes with Ryan.
I was curious about how much walking I do during a game of golf. Ryan insists on using a cart because he says all the walking will hurt his back. I took a picture of my steps from my Fitbit Flex (I am really overdue writing a post review on this magic tracker) before we started and after to see how much I walk.
11,000 steps during a game of golf! Whoa!! It doesn't feel like that much at all. Again, I did make an effort to walk out to my ball as much as possible.
So there you have my super active Saturday. If only I could spend every day like that. I'm waiting for another half hour before waking up Ryan and trying to talk him into heading into Waterton for a hike. We're having a Friends Easter dinner tonight so that should be a ton of fun too.
Happy Easter!


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The NBA's off-season has finally cooled down, but not after a long-lasting flurry of activity. The entire landscape of the western conference has shifted, what with multiple stars signing for or being traded to various new teams. Amidst their conference rivals, however, the Portland Trail Blazers have remained (for the most part) quiet throughout this free agency period.
Because of this, many have already written the Blazers off as a team that will find it difficult to make the playoffs. Beneath the surface, though, there are plenty of reasons to be both excited and optimistic about their upcoming season. Here's why the Portland Trail Blazers shouldn't be slept on.
Portland Trail Blazers Shouldn't Worry After a Quiet Off-Season
Lack of Activity Could Be Beneficial
General Manager Neil Olshey didn't resort to making any panic induced trades to try and force a new face into the team. It's easy to forget that while last season was relatively disappointing, the Blazers (armed with Jusuf Nurkic, post trade deadline) finally started to click towards the end of the season. With Nurkic, they finished the season at a 0.700 win rate (14-6).
In truth, the Bosnian center himself was Portland's marquee signing, even though it came at the trade deadline in February instead of this offseason. Once he joined, the general unpredictability of the team was replaced with devastating performances that were able to beat the Spurs twice, the Thunder twice, and the Rockets. During this stretch of games, role players on the team who had been struggling season-long were finally able to step up and compliment Nurkic's anchor role and the star backcourt tandem of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.
Hence, even though the Blazers haven't made many moves this offseason, they are a team that ended last season on a roll. They're primed to continue this form into the 2017-18 season. It would have made no sense to disrupt the team's chemistry by bringing in a player who could potentially do more harm than good to the overall winning record. After all, not many players could have significantly improved the 14-6 form of the Blazers towards the end of the season.
Rivaling Teams Need Time To Gel
The Blazers were unable to lure Carmelo Anthony to Rip City, despite Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum recruiting him both publicly and privately.
Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum said they each have reached out to Carmelo Anthony in an effort to sell him on the Blazers.
— Joe Freeman (@BlazerFreeman) July 19, 2017
On the other hand, other teams in the West, such as the Denver Nuggets with Paul Millsap or the Minnesota Timberwolves with Jimmy Butler, were able to successfully obtain marquee free agents.
Though many may be impressed with the pieces added to teams like those, their transformation into playoff caliber teams is still incomplete. They've finished obtaining talent on paper, but becoming a playoff team is more than just having good players. Minnesota, who perhaps enjoyed the biggest facelift in terms of roster talent this offseason, hasn't tasted playoff basketball in 13 years. Denver, adding Millsap, hasn't played in the postseason since 2013.
In order to compete for a playoff spot, the whole mentality of these franchises has to shift into a 'win' mode from the top down. The western conference is as unforgiving as it has ever been, so new additions to these teams have to adjust, quickly. It goes without saying that they both have decent chances of making the offseason, but the Blazers don't have to get over the 'winless' basketball hump.
Under the leadership of Lillard, they've been in the postseason for four consecutive seasons. Even though they've never made it past the second round in this period, the continuity of finishing as a top 8 seed is comfortably ingrained in their organization. This will offer both comfort and strength to the team as the 2017-18 season gets underway.
Set for a Positive Season
In many ways, maintaining the winning nature of the way they finished last season was a better decision than attempting to sign or trade for players who may have done more harm than good to the team. Moreover, the culture established in Portland is that they are indeed a postseason team, and have been for the past few years.
It will have to take very strong showings from their conference rivals, coupled with another disappointing season, to knock the Portland Trail Blazers off their playoff perch.


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General Services
First Visit & New Patient Exam
Gentle Tooth Extractions
Oral Cancer Screening & Biopsies
Bone Grafting to Restore Lost Bone
Functional Crown Lengthening for Teeth That are Too Short for a Cap or Filling
Gum Treatment
Expert Gum Disease Treatment
The Risks of Gum Disease
Minimally Invasive Gum Recession Treatment
Treatment for a Gummy Smile
Frenectomies—For Lip and Tongue Tie
New Patient Exam
Your first step is a New Patient Exam. Dr. Ferrari will perform a comprehensive oral examination, along with digital X-rays. After thorough evaluation, he will go over his findings with you and answer any questions you may have. Dr. Ferrari will discuss treatment with you and explain your options.
Gentle Tooth Extractions
Dr. Ferrari is very experienced in performing nontraumatic tooth extractions. He uses special techniques that cause minimal damage to the surrounding tissues. Additionally, he employs a simple bone grafting procedure to enable the tooth socket to heal optimally and to allow for the future placement of a dental implant.
Bone Grafting to Restore Lost Bone
Bone grafting is a procedure used to replace lost bone. This procedure may be necessary following a tooth extraction, in case of severe bone loss as a result of periodontitis or when more bone is needed to support an implant. With over 30 years of experience, Dr. Ferrari is an expert in bone grafting and tissue regeneration. He uses state-of-the-art synthetic bone graft material that stimulates the body to regrow healthy real bone. All of his techniques and materials are designed to cause the minimum amount of trauma.
Treatment for Complications with Dental Implants
If you are experiencing difficulty with your dental implants, schedule an appointment with us as soon as possible. Dr. Ferrari is highly experienced and knowledgeable regarding implants. He will be able to determine the cause of the trouble and take the time to explain your treatment options.
Functional Crown Lengthening for Teeth that are too Short for a Cap or Filling
The crown is the part of the tooth above the gum line that you can see. However, sometimes some of the crown is buried below the gum line, which can cause difficulties for fillings below the gum line or for putting on a cap. In these cases, Dr. Ferrari uses a procedure to remove some of the gum and bone tissue. Dr. Ferrari is highly skilled and experienced in performing this surgery. As there are other treatment options available that could be better, he will evaluate your situation and recommend the best course of action.
Oral Cancer Screening and Biopsies
Oral cancer screening is a preventative measure that is included when you arrive for a New Patient Exam. Dr. Ferrari may perform a biopsy if he detects suspect oral tissue. He uses the biopsy to help determine whether there are abnormal cells that indicate oral cancer.
Frenectomies—For Lip and Tongue Tie
Tongue and Lip-Tie: When the tissue connecting the mouth and the tongue or lip, called the frenum, is too strong or too short, this results in restricted movement of the tongue or lips. This occurs frequently in newborn babies and can cause difficulties in breast feeding. Older children and adults can experience various symptoms, such as speech and swallowing difficulties, problems playing instruments or issues with oral hygiene. Dr. Ferrari removes the excess tissue using straightforward, non-traumatic treatment.


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Greta Gerwig Still Can't Believe Lady Bird's Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score
- Author: Michelle Webb Nov 30, 2017,
Nov 30, 2017, 12:23
According to the film review aggregation site, the story of Christine McPherson's (Saoirse Ronan) senior year of Catholic high school has a 100 percent score after 170 positive reviews - "and counting", the site notes.
The previous record holder was 1999′s "Toy Story 2", which held a 100 percent score after 163 reviews.
The site aggregates dozens of reviews to determine a movie's score.
Lady Bird's coming of age is not new to cinema, yet Gerwig's version is light, fresh and modern, despite being set in 2002. She found out the news from her younger brother, who was "also slightly skeptical" that her film had bested an animated classic like Toy Story 2, she joked.
Greta Gerwig has responded to Lady Bird becoming the best reviewed film in Rotten Tomatoes history.
Black Friday sales push Jeff Bezos' net worth over $100bn
The stock got a lift from reports that online shopping on Thanksgiving and Black Friday jumped 18% compared with previous year . This rise added to the pocket of Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos , to $100 billion, which is the highest achievement.
"It's fantastic", Gerwig told Vanity Fair, adding that her younger brother had told her the news and even he was "slightly skeptical" that her film had beat the animated movie. Walt Disney's Thor: Ragnarok actually has 277 "Fresh" reviews this year, along with 24 "Rotten" reviews, for an overall score of 92%, while fellow indie film The Big Sick received 233 positive reviews, and a score of 98%, earlier this year.
She continued, "That there has been such a warm reception is a dream come true".
Lady Bird is not the top movie of all time on the site, but none of the movies with a ideal score ahead of Lady Bird have received as many positive reviews. A film can't be "certified fresh" unless it receives a 75% or higher average with 80 reviews or more for films in wide release, including five reviews from Top Critics.
"It's incredible", she told Vanity Fair at the Gotham Awards red carpet on Monday night. "We are all on cloud nine and using our tomato emoji more than we ever thought possible". Lady Bird is an independent critical darling and an authentic comic crowd-pleaser that truly earns its must-see status.


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Tool to compute the mean of a function in order to find the average value of its integral over a given interval.
Mean of a Function - dCode
Tag(s) : Mathematics
dCode is free and its tools are a valuable help in games, puzzles and problems to solve every day!
You have a problem, an idea for a project, a specific need and dCode can not (yet) help you? You need custom development? Contact-me!
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Tool to compute the mean of a function in order to find the average value of its integral over a given interval.
The mean of a function \( f \) is noted \( \bar{f} \) and is calculated over an interval \( [a,b] \) with the formula $$ \bar{f}=\frac{1}{b-a}\int_a^bf(x)\,dx $$ with $$ \int^b_a f(x) \mathrm{ dx} = F(b)-F(a) $$ with \( F(x) \) the primitive of \( f(x) \) over the interval \( [a,b] \)
Example: Calculate the mean of the function \( f(x) = x \) over the interval \( [0;1] \) necessitate to calculate the primitive \( F(x) = \frac{1}{2} x^2 \) and then $$ \bar{f} = \frac{1}{1-0} \int^1_0 f(x) \mathrm{ dx} = F(1)-F(0) = \frac{1}{2} $$
Indicate the function with lower and upper bounds (that delimitate the interval) and the variable to integrate with. Symbolic values are allowed and included in the calculation.
dCode will compute the integral of the function and will find the average value.
The primitive calculator is a tool proposed on dCode.
dCode retains ownership of the source code of the script Mean of a Function online. Except explicit open source licence (indicated Creative Commons / free), any algorithm, applet, snippet, software (converter, solver, encryption / decryption, encoding / decoding, ciphering / deciphering, translator), or any function (convert, solve, decrypt, encrypt, decipher, cipher, decode, code, translate) written in any informatic langauge (PHP, Java, C#, Python, Javascript, Matlab, etc.) which dCode owns rights will not be given for free. To download the online Mean of a Function script for offline use on PC, iPhone or Android, ask for price quote on contact page !


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After Umbrage is pleased to announce that we are now able to help even more carers. We have extended the remit of the charity to include:
Anyone caring for a loved one with a life limiting condition up to three stays at Kingham cottage.
As well as being able to offer carers who have sadly been bereaved, up to four nights at the cottage within the first twelve months.
We really want to help so please spread the word! Here are some lovely comments from our guests so far.
"Thank you so much for letting us stay in Kingham Cottage. We had a lovely time and it provided us with the perfect excuse to go away – just the four of us – and spend some time together. We wouldn't have done so otherwise, and it was a precious few days, with lots of laughter and tears."
"Thank you for the privilege of allowing us to stay in this beautiful cottage. We had a lovely relaxing time and the weather was beautiful."
After Umbrage has the use of the lovely Kingham Cottage two miles south of Bath.
There is plenty to do just on your doorstep. There are plenty of fabulous walks in the area, and Bath itself is just five minutes away, a World Heritage site with wonderful attractions to suit any taste.
To book your get-away, just follow these simple steps:
- Download one of our referral forms a take to either your local Hospice or GP. Once signed send it back to us at PO BOX 1310, OUNDLE, PETERBOROUGH, PE2 2PE.
- We will then contact you with your booking code and instructions. You'll then be able to see when the cottage is available, and choose your time.
- Once booked a FULLY REFUNDABLE £50.00 deposit is required. We love our After Umbrage cottage and know you will too, but accidents happen and we want to keep it beautiful for everyone.
That's it. You're in, and we hope you have a fantastic stay! Kingham cottage sleeps up to four so please feel free to bring friends or loved ones if you wish, or just take a little time for yourself. After all, you've earned it.


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One who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. - Luke 3:16
John's great gift is his total clarity. He knows exactly who he is and he knows the One of whom he speaks. There is no false humility in his words. He himself is not the total answer and he directs us to look to Him who is. As we pray to understand Advent more clearly we realize that Jesus is coming to fulfill no human dreams of grandeur but to do the will of God.
With what truth do we need to wrestle today so that Christ might come into our lives with all honesty?
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text: Mudskippers, searching for ancient air, ancient climates Sep 01, 1994 Divers in Reverse: The Improbable Mudskipper (PDF) The Dune Diggers: Searching for Air from the Past (PDF) Window on Ancient Climates: The Ever-Changing Interplay between Geology, Climatology, and Biology (PDF) View the discussion thread. This story appears in explorations now, Scripps Institution of Oceanography's award-winning ocean and earth science magazine. Sign up to receive our free monthly story roundup.


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CC BY-SA 3.0 | Author: Kailas98 | Full Size Picture
Thalay Sagar
Rank: Top 300
Wonder Type: Natural
Country: India
Best of: Mountain
Thalay Sagar is a mountain in the Gangotri Group of peaks in the western Garhwal Himalayas, on the main ridge that lies south of the Gangotri Glacier. It lies in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, 10 kilometres (6 mi) southwest of the Hindu holy site of Gaumukh (the source of the Bhagirathi River). It is the second highest peak on the south side of the Gangotri Glacier (after Kedarnath), but it is more notable for being a dramatic rock peak, steep on all sides, and a famed prize for mountaineers. It is adjacent to the Jogen group of peaks, and has the lake Kedartal at its base.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Thalay Sagar", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike 3.0 License.


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Lovable Hinged Bangle-JB978F
A simple statement of modernity with a pop of color, this hinged bangle is easily stackable. We love the pretty purple hue of its cushion-cut Swarovski stone.
- Width: 1/2"
- Closure: Hinged
- Diameter: 2 1/4"
- Material: Swarovski crystal
- Finish: Silver plated
0 stars based on 0 reviews


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Responsive Web Presenceprev next
Responsive DesignsIntelligent applications that work on any device using any OS with real time, accurate information on the move.
Web PresenceAttractive designs to match your corporate identity. Fast loading multimedia services and portal integration.
SecurityUsing the latest encryption standards to protect against risk to your web presence and connected servers.
Portal DevelopmentMulti relationship data access within a single identity to manage specific tasks. Cleverly, and seamlessly integrated.


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The last President's Election was a sham for it was not the true result. We wanted man of character to be our President, but PAP wants their own President so there can dictate to him what to say and does.
That is what actually happening now. The CPF issue is grave but there is not a word from our PAP President. He is CEO of the Bank that makes Singapore OCBC which is call Wanted to Die but Never Dead, that is the spirit of the Chinese all over the World and it is the Chinese that moves the World in ever corners of the EARTH.
It's presidential election time, and Yawning Bread has an interesting observation: where is Lee Kuan Yew?
Probably furious in the attic
One person we did not hear from at all through this campaign was Lee Kuan Yew. Had he been muzzled? Or was he more furious with his own PAP and its preferred candidate than the other contestants? This was the second election in a row in which the PAP failed to set the agenda, something he would never have let happen if he had been in charge. I can almost hear him say of the party's current leadership: What a bunch of nincompoops that can't even keep the initiative


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Vintage Oaks is the fastest-growing community in the Hill Country over the past three years, and one of the reasons for its ongoing popularity is the friendliness of those who live here. Not only is the community known for its exceptionally high 20% referral rate, but also for the strong friendships that naturally develop among neighbors. These friendships add to the desirability of the Vintage Oaks lifestyle, and they also have some long-term health benefits.
This article from Live Science outlines the different ways friendships can positively affect health. "Friendship isn't just about fun, fellowship and emotional health. Having friends can improve physical health, too," they said.
1. Friends may extend your life
People who have strong social relationships may live longer. "In fact, according to a 2010 review of research, the effect of social ties on life span is twice as strong as that of exercising, and equivalent to that of quitting smoking," they said.
While this is especially relevant for people who retire in the Hill Country at Vintage Oaks and who may naturally be focused on longevity, the idea of lowering stress and living a long life is important to everyone. "Researchers think that friendships and health are linked through the body's processing of stress, Claire Yang, a sociologist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, said. "The chronic stress that can come with isolation can switch on these processes for long periods of time, causing physical wear and tear on the body."
2. Your pals make you generally healthier
The effects of friendship versus isolation were reviewed in "four large studies of hundreds to thousands of people each, ages 12 to 91," they said, with biomarkers including "blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference and levels of the inflammation marker C-reactive protein." The findings: "These measures of health were worse in people who also had weaker social ties."
Age was a factor in this study; among those who were older, "a lack of social connections more than doubled the risk of high blood pressure (raising it by 124 percent). For comparison, having diabetes raised the risk of high blood pressure by much less (70 percent)." Further, the researchers were able to note changes to these biomarkers over time "as a result of their earlier exposure to social connections, how many friends [they] have, how often [they're] talking to other people," Yang said. "That method bolsters the argument that social ties do cause health effects."
That's yet another benefit for those who live at Vintage Oaks and take advantage of the wide array of community amenities and social activities in the Hill Country and right in the masterplan. For many, Vintage Oaks' resort amenities, including the pools, waking trails, and Tuscan Clubhouse, and the many activities and events that take place throughout the year and that help build friendships in the community, are one of the main draws of living at Vintage Oaks.
3. Friendships might help keep your mind sharp
"Having friends who make you feel like you belong may be a key for better physical health," they said. "A 2012 study found that older people's dementia risk increased with their feelings of loneliness."
The study followed more than 2,000 residents of the Netherlands ages 65 or older over three years. None of the participants had dementia at the beginning of the research, but 13.4 percent of those who said they felt lonely at the start of the study developed dementia during the study period, compared with 5.7 percent who didn't feel lonely."
4. Friendships can last a lifetime
"In an era when people move around a lot for school and jobs, maintaining friendships can be difficult. However, research finds that distance doesn't have to dampen a friendship. In one study, researchers followed college friends beginning in 1983, asking them about their friendship and sense of closeness. They found that physical distance didn't necessarily track with the emotional closeness of a friendship over decades."
That's great news for the many Vintage Oaks land owners and custom home owners who moved from Houston and throughout the state and want to stay in touch with old friends. And, it's even better news for the new friendships that can thrive at Vintage Oaks. Love wine tasting? How about yoga, bunco, or hiking? Those are just a few of the ongoing activities at Vintage Oaks that bring neighbors together as friends.
For more information about living in the Hill Country and building a custom home in New Braunfels, visit Vintage Oaks. The fastest-growing community in the area for three straight years, Vintage Oaks is located in the heart of New Braunfels on the Texas Wine Trail, offering a range of Hill Country land for sale as well as semi-custom and custom homes. homes for sale.
You can also click below to see new homes that are now avaialable.


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Military Logistics Services Iraq | Military Cargo Iraq 2011: As part of our ongoing series to take a closer look at the work Move One Logistics does on the advanced military base camps throughout Iraq and Afghanistan, we spoke to Cameron Marchand, Iraq Country Manager.
Formerly known as Al-Bakr Air Base, Camp Anaconda has been operating in one form or another for over forty years. Located in the Sunni triangle, 40 kilometers north of Baghdad, it is one of the largest US bases in Iraq. Celebrities are visiting the place, toured by politicians and assaulted by rebels, insurgents, and militants. So constant were the attacks, the resident service personnel came to dub the location 'Mortar-it-ville', but as stability returned to the region, the purpose and character of the sprawling base changed. Today, some sectors of the base seem to have more in common with small-town America than a site of some of the most ferocious fighting of the entire Iraq campaign.
The history of the base starts back in the mid-1960s when it served as a primary military airfield for the Iraqi air force. The base later reinforced with hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) by Yugoslavian forces in the mid-1980s, and occupied and renamed Balad Air Base and Logistics Support Area Anaconda by the US in 2003. Whilst the official name today is Joint Base Balad, in common usage and popular media the site is simply known as Camp Anaconda.
People arriving at Anaconda for the first time typically have difficulty adjusting to how huge the base really is. The base itself covers over 15 square miles and is home to 25,000 military service personnel and civilian contractors. Once chiefly a fortress is now the primary logistics hub for military operations in Iraq and a home away from home for all those serving on it. The facilities have come a long way from having a few HAS built and now boast a 24-hour gym, flood-lit basketball courts, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and even a decorated movie theatre. The camp features a 24-hour Burger King restaurant, a Pizza Hut, Popeye's, Subway, Baskin-Robbins and a Starbucks too. The numerous mess halls on site will serve everything from baked salmon, roast turkey or grilled pork chops, depending on that day's fresh menu.
Regardless of how well equipped Anaconda may be, it is still in the middle of hostile territory and all military personnel permanently equipped with helmet and armor, as are the civilians when threat levels elevate. Anaconda is sufficiently large that it internally publishes not one but two weekly newspapers, the Expeditionary Times and the Anaconda Times. It has its own airline, Catfish Air, and what is arguably the world's most extreme miniature golf course, featuring barbed wire and sandbags.
Providing Military Logistics Services Iraq | Military Cargo Iraq
Move One Logistics first began operating freight services (military logistics services Iraq | military cargo Iraq) out of Camp Anaconda in early 2010, in order to support its ongoing logistics operations in Iraq and across the region. The base is home to extensive secure storage facilities to process inbound and outbound cargo before dispatch. The Move One office operates as a hub within a hub, receiving daily truck shipments and air cargo directly from Kuwait and around the world.
Cameron Marchand points out the necessity for a company like Move One Logistics to maintain an office on Camp Anaconda. "Although there are significant challenges intrinsic to conducting logistics operations in Iraq, employing Camp Anaconda as a strategic office location has allowed us to enormously increase the scale of our operations and refine our efficiency… It can be an unforgiving environment for the unprepared, both inside and outside the base's perimeter. An intimate working knowledge of the protocols and bureaucratic channels is essential to get our trucks in and out of camp, but even then it can take up to 72 hours at times of heightened security."
The days of Joint Base Balad is ending, as President Obama's year-end deadline for American troop withdrawal approaches. Balad once housed over 30,000 personnel, but by the end of 2010, that number had dropped to 17,000, more than half of whom were civilian contractors. The Responsible Drawdown of Forces (RDOF) program has already closed 173 of the 260 military bases in Iraq.
History of Military Logistics Services Iraq | Military Cargo Iraq
Move One Logistics has been active in providing military logistics services Iraq and military cargo Iraq since 2003. With seven strategically located offices throughout the country (including facilities in Baghdad, Erbil, Balad, Camp Victory, Umm Qasr and Basra), the company has all the necessary resources and experience to handle even the most challenging logistical requirement in the region. Move One's extensive local knowledge has helped build a successful track record in delivering everything from small shipments to heavy and over-sized cargo for customers in various business sectors, including military, diplomatic, oil and gas industry and civil reconstruction projects.
Move One Logistics staff have also been instrumental in the gradual drawdown of the base, preparing it for transition, and re-tasking the local supply networks to focus on international civilian logistics and reconstruction.
For further information about our logistics services in Iraq and the Middle East, please contact Mr. Karokh Bahjat, Move One's Regional Manager at email@example.com.


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Colorado African Organization (CAO) does not offer internships and brief opportunities for client engagement. CAO has only the following very specific and limited volunteer opportunities at this time:
Work with CAO staff to develop a specific front desk schedule. The volunteer should speak a foreign language such as Arabic or French or Amharic.
Work with CAO executive director to develop an ongoing communications and fundraising campaign.
Work with CAO staff to develop and implement our new data management software Apricot Essentials.
Work with CAO attorney to make phone calls to citizenship students and legal clients.
Work with CAO attorney to test citizenship students at registration and at the end of the quarter. CAO will provide training to do this. The volunteer should be available some weekends and weeknights.
For other volunteer opportunities, please contact our colleagues at the African Community Center, whose volunteer program inspires and empowers volunteers to collaborate with refugees and staff to build a thriving and welcoming community in Denver.
Contact: Kate Weatherbee - Volunteer Coordinator, email@example.com
We have teamed up with a select group of merchant partners!
Do your shopping through one of these online retailers today, and a percentage of your purchase will be donated to CAO. Retailers include Amazon, Target, Nordstrom and many more.


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Barry Parham
Barry Parham is the award-winning author of humor columns, essays and short stories. He is a recovering software freelancer and a music fanatic. Parham is the author of the 2009 sleeper, "Why I Hate Straws," his debut collection of humor and satire including the award-winning stories, 'Going Green, Seeing Red' & 'Driving Miss Conception.' In October 2010, Parham published "Sorry, We Can't Use Funny," another award-winning collection of general-topic satire and humor, and the more targeted "Blush: Politics and other unnatural acts." He followed up in 2011 with "The Middle-Age of Aquarius," a growing-old-but-not-so-gracefully vehicle for the award-winners 'Comfortably Dumb,' 'Snowblind' and 'The Zodiac Buzz-Killer.' "Full Frontal Stupidity" (2012) is Parham's 5th collection of humor, satire and observations, and features more award-winning stories, including 'Skirts vs. Skins' and 'Scenes From a Maul.' Most recently, his work appeared in the 2011 national humor anthology, "My Funny Valentine," and his essays are slated to appear in two more collections in late 2012.Blog