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Salted Caramel Pretzels
November 11, 2016 Comments
- Prep:
- 3 minutes
- Cook:
- 3 minutes
- Serves:
- 6
Salted Caramel Soft Pretzels are a decadent, easy-to-create treat and they take just a few minutes to make. There is nothing to make from scratch here, just a little initiative to buy the right products ahead of time. You will use your microwave to create the magic you see on the plate. These are great for Dessert, Snacks, Appetizers or the late night munchies! I Loved them because they are ALLERGEN FREE for my son's particular food allergies, but do check to see if they meet yours.
Prepare Soft Pretzels per instructions on box
Warm Smucker's Salted Caramel Sauce In Microwave
Place Caramel Sauce on each salted Pretzel


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Takeaways from the Timberwolves' preseason-opening win in Miami
Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert and D'Angelo Russell all sat the game out for Minnesota.
MIAMI -- Many questions still remain following the Minnesota Timberwolves' 121-111 preseason-opening victory Tuesday in Miami. One, because it's only one game and, two — and more importantly — because Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert and D'Angelo Russell all sat the game out.
So there was no look at the Towns-Gobert pairing and how it'll play out in game action, nor how the dynamic will shift when Gobert is and is not on the floor.
Still, Tuesday provided a first look of sorts at the new look Wolves, and there was information to be gathered. Here were the primary takeaways after the initial taste of Timberwolves' action:
Point Ant
With Russell out, the logical move would be for Timberwolves coach Chris Finch to slide backup floor general Jordan McLaughlin into the starting lineup. Instead, Finch started Jaylen Nowell.
But it was actually Anthony Edwards who assumed point guard duties, initiating and running the offense while Nowell largely played off the ball. That may be a sign of things to come for Minnesota. So many of the game's top wings — LeBron James, Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic immediately come to mind — quarterback their team's respective offenses. It's a logical evolution for Edwards to eventually move into that role on a more consistent basis.
That transition could potentially start as soon as this season. Edwards has playmaking chops, though his reads can appear to be as simple as: attack on his own or make the simple pass. That progression will become more complex with experience, but it's not a bad base to start from.
Bucket getters
Edwards is one of the game's top young scorers. That is no secret on a local or national scale. But Jaylen Nowell's scoring prowess is still a relatively well-kept secret outside of Minnesota.
It was again on full display Tuesday, as Edwards and Nowell both got buckets with ease in Miami. Edwards exploded for an efficient and, frankly, effortless 24 points in just 23 minutes.
Playing alongside the former No. 1 overall pick for much of the night, Nowell himself poured in 14 points. It was just another reminder that Minnesota has a pair of lethal one-on-one scorers who are 21 and 23 years of age, respectively.
Fast break phenoms
Transition basketball is an emphasis for Finch on both ends of the floor this season. The offseason addition of Gobert is not meant to slow down Minnesota's pace.
Early indications are the Wolves received that message loud and clear. Minnesota got out on the fast break at every possible moment, compiling 30 fast break points. The transition game sparked a dominant overall evening on the offensive end.
On the other end, Minnesota allowed the Heat to score just five points in transition. That will be a winning formula all season for the Wolves.
Experience required
It's a surprise to few, but it is telling that on a night when Minnesota was down three starters, neither of the Timberwolves' two draft picks — Wendell Moore nor Josh Minott — saw the floor until the fourth quarter.
Given the Timberwolves' roster — which is stuffed full with quality players with NBA experience — there appears to be zero rotation minutes available during which the rookies can whet their palates. It will be difficult enough to find enough minutes for guys like Austin Rivers and Bryn Forbes.
It's safe to assume both first-year players will spend much of the early season with the franchise's G-League team in Iowa.
This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Treating pain: Balancing health risks with suffering Athletes suffering from chronic back pain or recovering from surgery often take ibuprofen to help them perform, but some experts think this might be a poor strategy, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Pain is a collective experience in sports such as golf
that require repetitive back movement and place a lot of stress on the spine itself during powerful swings.
Some back surgeons and pain experts recommend the practice of taking these nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) all day if needed. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in 2015, warned about potential health concerns.
Heart attack, stroke, kidney, and gastrointestinal issues have all been commonly reported when using this kind of medication which includes ibuprofen and aspirin, among others.
Other research, conducted at Appalachian State University, found that NSAIDs were not able to produce any noticeable pain relief for athletes running ultramarathons, suggesting that there may not be a performance increase worth the risks.
In cyclists, bananas were able to produce pain relief similar to ibuprofen through their natural metabolites, with the added benefit of providing energy and nutrients.
At least one high-profile athlete, Tiger Woods, feels the risk is worth it. He is currently following his surgeon's advice to take the drugs throughout his play on the course.
After four back surgeries, his physical condition is a liability to his career. For him, the drugs are safer than opioids, and the potential health risks pale in comparison to having his golf career shortened by back pain.
My own opinion is to consider safe, all natural, non-drug, supplements. It certainly can't hurt and might help more than you think.
Two of my favorite are:
Nutrilite® Balanced Health Omega
Nutrilite® Joint Health
Very Simple Solutions!
Lynn Susoeff
Very Simple Solutions
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Jouvert, barre yeau ,
par levez lamain asseux yeaux..
An' a ping a ling a ling
She pac, she pac pac
De bottle an' spoon, an' de tamboo bamboo.
Roaring Lion's take on Ole Mas
After several near death experiences, the annual Caribbean festival has not only beaten the odds, but now enters its 52nd year with colours flying. A remarkable achievement considering the funding issues the managers of the festival face year after year in staging this wonderful Caribbean gift to the city and the country.
Still, the scribblers are unhappy because apart from Donald Trump, they can't find a decent scandal these days to chew on. Joe Halstead and his happy band have seen to it that the surly scribblers could only report good news. Wellll, most of the time….
The Caribbean Camera has and continues to be a great supporter of Calypso and Steel Pan, but they are still treated as the weak leg of the Caribana tripod – the other leg, which takes pride of place is the grand masquerade. Calypso and Pan's annual subvention from the FMC remains inadequate, hardly enough to mount a proper calypso and pan season without the musicians going deep into their own pockets. It is remarkable that they have created so much with so little.
The parade is nothing without calypso and pan; can you imagine the masqueraders waltzing down the road to Chopin and Mozart? Not even the police would enjoy that. In fact, last year a uniformed policeman was seen beating pan on one of the trucks last year…and he was on tempo.
But calypso has been going through a lean time, unable to muster enough funds and manpower to stage the tents. Still the Organization of Calypso Performing Arts (OCPA) is hanging in by staging their Calypso Extravaganza featuring both local and invited artistes from the Caribbean. Last year and this past Sunday, the Extravaganza kept calypso alive with some vibrant jamming'. OCPA hopes that these successes will lead them back to holding the tents and a return of the Calypso Monarch competition. We at the Camera unreservedly endorse this idea.
If calypso suffers through lean seasons, the steelbands have suffered every season from poor support and funding from the Festival Management. And for the record it should be noted that maintaining a band is an arduous and expensive undertaking, yet the steelband carries on under its own steam; it had to because there is virtually no supply of steam from an external source. This is galling for the local "panmen" who remember the honoured pace their music holds in the history of carnival. It has been a virtual founder of the grand masquerade that is the primary feature of the Trinidad carnival, the granddaddy of them all. And yet….
With all that, this coming Friday evening, the steelbands will gather at Lamport Stadium for the annual Pan Alive music competition and will fill the bleachers with pan and music lovers who know that despite its lowly status in the pecking order of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, Pan Alive remains the grandest musical experience of the season.
Of course we tip our hats to the mas bands who have carried the carnival banner with great distinction. Without them there would be no colour, no pageantry, no lime. Mas is a big reason why tourists and our Caribbean family connections will flock to our shores this weekend, filling the hotels, the stores, restaurants, and the Lakeshore parade route.
The Caribbean people realize that once a year society needs a cathartic event to clear out the winter blahs and, in the words of the late and great Mighty Shadow. "ease de tension."
To that we say: "Come and have a grand time! And bring all the goodwill to Toronto where the welcoming carpet is prepared and open to all!"


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The cute silver Turtle brooch is 925 sterling silver with handmade tiny Marcasite turtle pin created by Sup Silver.
- Turtle is a symbol of healthy and long life.
- Materials: 925 Sterling Silver
- Stones: Marcasite
- Brooch Shape: Turtle
- Approx. Size (length X width): 35mm X 25mm
Approx. Weight: 6g
- Photos are often larger to show details of each piece of jewelry. Please kindly look at the size dimension.
- Each item is an individually unique handmade. It might differ slightly in size, color, and textured
- Free nice gift box
- Payment: Accept PayPal Only
- Ship within 2 business days after payment completely


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Nigerian parents seem utterly incapable of saying "sorry". When they realise that they've messed up — specifically beating you like a criminal — they'll try to apologise with everything from food to credit. Here are 13 of their most famous lines that really mean "sorry":
1. "Have you eaten?"
Is that what is important here?
2. "Come and check if this shoe/shirt is your size?"
You're lucky I like new clothes.
3. "…"
The silence is always deafening.
4. "I left food in the kitchen for you."
Is food your solution to everything?
5. "Come and stay in the parlour."
Hian! Is it by force?
6. "Go and take meat."
I will go and take, but I'm still vexing.
7. "Do you have credit?"
Oh? Now I'm not pressing phone too much?
8. "How much is that thing you said you wanted?"
Something I asked for years ago.
9. "You are still crying?"
You beat me minutes ago. Yes, I'm still crying.
10. "So I cannot correct you again?"
Do you always use eba stick to correct someone?
11. "Is that why you're squeezing face?"
Should I be shining teeth?
12. "Do you want more food?"
Do you want to kill me with food?
13. "It was for your own good."
Na so.


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As two of the most severely hit subsectors of the economy since 1990, U.S. apparel and textile manufacturers are the new Phoenix rising from the dead. The amazing turnaround is based on the rising value of "made in America" and the modernization of activities.
American textile and apparel companies should take advantage of federal R&D tax credits available to support the innovative efforts that are fueling their ongoing renaissance.
Enacted in 1981, the federal Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit allows a credit of up to 13% of eligible spending for new and improved products and processes. Qualified research must meet the following four criteria:
- New or improved products, processes, or software
- Technological in nature
- Elimination of uncertainty
- Process of experimentation
Eligible costs include employee wages, cost of supplies, cost of testing, contract research expenses, and costs associated with developing a patent. On December 18, 2015 President Obama signed the bill making the R&D Tax Credit permanent. Beginning in 2016, the R&D credit can be used to offset Alternative Minimum tax and startup businesses can utilize the credit against $250,000 per year in payroll taxes.
Since 1990, the apparel and textile industries experienced more job losses than any other type of manufacturing in the country. Southern states, where cotton has traditionally played a crucial role in the economy, were particularly impacted by the recent crisis. In North Carolina, 40% of jobs were in textile and apparel in 1940. This number dropped precipitously, reaching 1.1% in 2013.
While the American manufacturing sector as a whole lost 32% of its jobs between 1990 and 2012, the textile and apparel subsectors lost 76.5% of them in that same period. The following charts illustrate the percentage of jobs lost since 1990 and the impact on industrial capacity - a measure of how much existing plants could produce.
Throughout the 1990s, most of the textile and apparel manufacturing left the U.S., attracted by cheaper labor in countries like China, India, and Mexico. Across the nation, about 650 textile plants closed between 1997 and 2009.
Data from the American Apparel and Footwear
Association reveals that, in 1991, 56.2% of all the clothing
bought in the U.S. was produced domestically. Eleven years
later, in 2012, American made apparel accounted for a mere
Source: Bureau of
Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve. Originally published by The
New York Times.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve. Originally published by The New York Times.
Surprisingly, however, the U.S. textile and apparel industries are thriving again. In comparison to 2009, 2012 exports from the two subsectors registered a 37% increase, adding up to $22.7 billion.
The bourgeoning renaissance is explained by rising wages overseas, high transportation costs and tariffs, significant communication barriers, along with a growing demand for the "Made in the USA" label. In 2012, a joint survey by the MIT Forum for Supply Chain Innovation and the Supply Chain Digest revealed that one-third of their 340 members with manufacturing plants overseas were considering moving some production to the U.S., while 15% of them had already decided to do so.
In fact, coming back to the U.S. makes economic sense. A recent study by Brian Hamilton, a 2012 doctoral graduate of North Carolina State University's College of Textiles, found that it is actually cheaper to spin yarn in the U.S. that in China. The following table summarizes his findings:
In addition to cost effectiveness, the list of advantages of American manufacturing includes a quicker turnaround. The "Made in America" factor also plays an important role. According to a recent survey by the New York Times, 68% of those polled preferred products made in the U.S., even if they were more expensive. 63% of respondents perceived such products as being of higher quality than those manufactured abroad.
Put simply, U.S. textile and apparel manufacturing is not only appealing, but affordable. The reliance upon cutting-edge, innovative automated systems of production is largely responsible for making the textile and apparel comeback possible.
The so-called "smart manufacturing" has
saved important American mills; such is the case of North
Carolina's Parkdale, founded in 1916. The largest buyer of raw
cotton in the country turned towards technological innovation
as a means to enhance productivity and face international
competition. With an overwhelming number of machines and
robots, today's Parkdale plants bear little resemblance to the
ones from a few decades ago.
The textile and apparel renaissance is reviving some of the most traditional manufacturing hubs in the country, especially in the South. Southeastern states combine a rich textile history with a strategic proximity to cotton and chemical raw materials producers. The region constitutes a textile and apparel industrial cluster and therefore enjoys the benefits of economy of scale.
In 2013, various national and international companies announced plans to start or expand activities in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Among the benefits offered by such states are tax breaks, reliable utilities, and modern infrastructure.
More than a third of textile jobs in 2012 were located in Georgia and North Carolina. Claiming a "culture of textile manufacturing", North Carolina is actively engaged in reviving its textile and apparel tradition. In addition to promising a 28% cut in corporate income taxes by 2016, the state offered a total of $4.4 million in grants to nine textile companies that announced plans to build or expand plants in 2013. Together they will employ 993 people and invest $381 million.
The reawakening of the textile and apparel industries is not limited to the traditional centers of the south. In Minnesota, demand for qualified labor is such that manufacturers are investing in novel ways to attract a new generation of factory workers. To this end, a coalition of companies partnered with a nonprofit organization and a technical college to create a six month industrial sewing program that creates skilled workers from scratch.
Known as the fashion capital of the world,
New York City is also home to initiatives aimed at boosting
American made clothing. With the mission of reawakening and
rebuilding America's fashion industry, the Manufacture NY
program provides independent designers with the resources and
skills necessary to produce and commercialize garments. The
city's Garment District contributes $2 billion per year to the
local economy and employs over 7 thousand workers.
The American textile and apparel comeback has been made possible by important research and development activities aimed at increasing productivity and creating innovative materials, processes, and designs. Throughout the nation, numerous universities have been engaged in such activities.
College of Textiles at North Carolina State University: Set to be the global leader in textile innovation, the College of Textile at NCSU is home to 61 leading-edge laboratories and various institutes and research centers, such as the Nonwovens Institute, the Textile Protection and Comfort Center, and the Institute of Textile Technology.
Clemson University: Located in South Carolina, Clemson University's Apparel Research (CAR) has been a premier national resource for high performance textiles and related materials research. Manufacturing and supply chain optimization solutions developed at CAR have greatly contributed to its objective of revitalizing the domestic sewn-products industry. Recent advancements include the development of BalancedFlow, a supply chain execution software specially designed to maximize profits of apparel companies, and Duraseal, a unique seam that joins different substrates without compromising the barrier properties of each material.
Georgia Institute of Technology - School of Materials Science and Engineering: With a more than 100-year-long history in textile research, Georgia Tech has evolved with the state's textile and apparel industries. Its current focus on advanced textiles includes employing antimicrobial technologies for use in medical applications, sweat-resistant weave architecture for athletic apparel, and intelligently designed wearable smart clothing.
Cornell University: The Department of Fiber Science & Apparel Design at Cornell University is the only of its kind in the Ivy League. With a multidisciplinary approach, it builds on materials, design, biology, chemistry, engineering, and social science concepts and methods. Recent research efforts include the use of 3D body scanners to study the complex problems of clothing design and fit. Cornell's Textiles Nanotechnology Laboratory has used nanoscience to create new fibers with unique catalytic, magnetic, and electrical properties.
Harvard Center for Textile and Apparel Research: The HCTAR studies the competitive dynamics of the retail-apparel-textile channel. It focuses on how technological innovations are changing the way apparel products are manufactured, distributed, and commercialized. HCTAR researchers have developed advanced computing techniques to increase the productivity of existing apparel pattern layouts.
Innovative materials promise to change the face of the textile and apparel industries. The following paragraphs exemplify their revolutionary potential.
One of the lightest and warmest materials in the world, Aerogel was invented over 80 years ago. Aerogel is composed of 90% air and 10% silica, whose extremely small pores (measuring 1/10,000 the diameter of a human hair) block nearly all airflow. The insulator's original brittleness represented a major challenge to its use in apparel. The recent release of thin sheets of silica packaged in polyester opened the way to innovative applications, particularly in outwear. Based in Winston-Salem, NC, sportswear manufacturer Champion pioneered the use of Aerogel inside a jacket wore by mountaineer Jamie Clarke when climbing the Everest.
Initially discovered in 1955, DuPont's Tyvek is a brand of highly durable, breathable and yet waterproof fiber. The synthetic paper-like material, commonly used in construction and protective apparel, was recently incorporated into Unbelievable Testing Laboratory's "impossibly light" shoes. Using Tyvek, the Las Vegas and Shanghai based, crowdfunded company developed a line of fashionable trainers that weigh only 150 grams.
Capable of storing and releasing large amounts of energy, PCMs are used to regulate astronauts' body temperatures in 200-degree heat changes. Boston-based Ministry of Supply has pioneered the use of PCMs in business wear, such as the company's $100 Apollo dress shirt. The material is integrated into the fibers within microscopic capsules. When a person gets hot, the PCM absorbs energy and melts; conversely, when the wearer gets cold, the heat energy is released and the material solidifies. While the cooling and warming sensations are remarkable, the microscopic transformations in PCMs are imperceptible.
Developed in the 1990s, this high-performance, non-woven, rip-stop composite laminate was originally used in world-class sailing. It has recently made its way to outdoor gear and clothing. In addition to presenting an unparalleled strength-to-weight ratio, cuben fiber is highly durable, resistant to chemicals and UV, and 100% waterproof. Maine-based Hyperlite Mountain Gear manufactures a line of ultralight backpacks made of cuben fiber materials. Considered the "Best Ultralight Pack" by Backpacker Magazine, it combines the convenience of cuben fiber's properties with a comfort-driven design. Though cuben fiber is slowly conquering space in the hiking world, particularly for rainwear and backpacks, price constraints remain a challenge.
The textile industry is one of the greatest greenhouse gas emitters on the globe. Many of the traditional processes and products involved in manufacturing fibers, textiles, and apparel consume significant amounts of fossil fuel. With rising sustainability concerns, numerous efforts are underway to introduce recycled materials into the textile and apparel industries. An iconic example is the transformation of food products into wearable commodities. Headquartered in Fountain Valley, CA, high-tech sportswear company Virus developed an innovative way to incorporate recycled coffee beans into cold-weather performance apparel. When in contact with the skin, coffee charcoal can raise surface temperatures by 10o F. Virus's "Coffee Char" technology builds on this fact, providing a natural barrier from the cold.
The use of recycled synthetics, such as plastic bags and bottles is yet another blooming field of innovation. The material is broken into fine particulates, melted, and extruded into fiber, which is then used on a variety of products. Dirtball, North Carolina-based sustainable fashion company, manufactures 100% recycled, made in America clothing, from socks to hoodies. Dirtball's polo shirts, for instance, contain 9 water bottles.
Nanoscience has enabled the development of textiles with unique properties, such as increased elasticity and strength, bacterial resistance, odor and moister elimination, etc. Also known as nanotextiles, such materials are either constructed with nanofibers or formed by applying nanoparticles to a regular fabric. Headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, MI, Nanotex provides nanotechnology-based textile enhancement to the apparel industry. Nanotex's revolutionary fabrics resist spills, repel stains, control odor, and eliminate static, all of this in addition to being wrinkle free.
From sportswear to business clothing, American companies are at the forefront of apparel innovation. New York-based Yogasmoga is a designer, manufacturer, and retailer of Yoga inspired athletic apparel. The company develops fiber-to-consumer technological solutions to deliver proprietary high performance fabrics. Yogasmoga's Aurum, for instance, is an innovative blend of Supplex and Lycra that offers unique durability, soft feel, and breathability. It also provides advanced moisture management and antimicrobial mechanisms made possible by advanced nanotechnology.
Yogasmoga recently announced a new fabric technology named Koura. It is made from biodegradable eucalyptus cellulose fibers that are both moisture-wicking and soft. The company also created and trademarked its own color: Carbon 6 is a deep and pure black that won't fade away. In addition to offering innovative and unique designs that echo the principles of yoga, Yogasmoga is committed to 100% eco-friendly, American made apparel manufacturing.
Headquartered in Baltimore, MD, Under Armour has a tradition of innovation in athletic wear. The first breakthrough dates from 1996, year when the company was founded, with the creation of the 0039 Compression T-shirt that boosts muscle performance and wicks moisture, keeping athletes cool, dry, and light. More recent efforts include the development of the UA Spine technology that provides light, responsive cushioning with flexible but supportive comfort for running shoes and the creation of the Armour Bra, designed to fit the woman's body perfectly.
From Los Angeles, CA, Ortiz Industry was named one of Apparel Magazine's top innovators. The company provides fashion apparel with highly advanced performance technology solutions to meet the demands of active urban professionals. Ortiz's garments combine the functionality of athletic wear with the classic style of business wear. The company provides office-friendly clothing with highly practical features, such as moisture and odor control, 360-degree stretch and recovery, and UV protection.
These are exciting times for the American
textile and apparel industries. After a severe crisis marked
by the off shoring of manufacturing activities, the "made in
America" label is back on the rise. Coming back home makes
economic sense for companies whose competitive edge is
increasingly based on innovative materials, processes, and
designs. Federal R&D tax credits are available to support
America's renewed, innovation-driven textile and apparel
Charles R Goulding Attorney/CPA, is the President of R&D Tax Savers.
Andressa Bonafé is a Tax Analyst with R&D Tax Savers.
|The R&D Tax Credit Aspects of Mechatronics
|The R&D Tax Credit Aspects of Driverless Cars
|The R&D Tax Credit Aspects of Boeing's Manufacturing Process and Supply Chain
|The R&D Tax Credit Aspects of Chemical Engineering Post Dow-DuPont Merger
|The R&D Tax Credit Aspects of LiDAR
|Bicycle Designers & Manufacturers Obtain R&D Tax Credits for Innovation
|Machine Shop Innovation and R&D Tax Credits
|The R&D Tax Credit Aspects of NYC Start-Ups
|The R&D Tax Credit Aspects of Domestic Fast Fashion
|Low Gas Prices Provide Infrastructure Upgrade Opportunity
|The Tax Aspects of Legal State/Illegal Federal Activity
|The R&D Tax Credit Aspects of STEM Building Design
|Kickstarting Federal and State R&D Tax Credits
|The R&D Tax Aspects of the Growing U.S. Water Shortage
|The R&D Tax Aspects of the Baxter Robot
|National Innovation Priorities - How the 2014 Federal R&D Budget and R&D Tax Credits Integrate
|The R&D Tax Credit Aspects of the Packaging Industry
|The R&D Tax Credit Aspects of the Plastic Manufacturing Industry
|R&D Tax Credits for the High-Risk Battery Business
|The R&D Tax Credit Aspects of Industrial Design
|The R&D Tax Credit Aspects of a Non-Dysfunctional Airline Industry
|The R&D Tax Aspects of Advanced Driver Assist Systems
|R&D Tax Credit Aspects of Industrial Robotics
|R&D Tax Credit Aspects of Service Robotics
|R&D Tax Credit Opportunities for the Utility and Auto Industry's Common Needs
|R&D Tax Credits for Increased U.S. Electric Utility Industry Innovation
|Gun Manufacturers Confront Constrained Lending Market
|Sharp Fall in Oil Prices: Tax and Economic Impacts
|STEM Education Trends and the R&D Tax Credit
|The R&D Tax Credit Aspects of the Gun Manufacturing Industry
|Process Improvement Research & Development Tax Credits
|R&D Tax Credit Fundamentals
|The R&D Tax Credits and the U.S. 3D Printing Initiative
|R&D Tax Credit Aspects of the U.S. Manufacturing Renaissance
|How Lean New Business Startups and R&D Tax Credits Integrate
|R&D Credit Opportunity for Smart Sensors
|The New R&D Tax Credit Scenario


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Bloodshed Looms in Gambia As Errant Jammeh Declares State Of Emergency
Bloodshed Looms in Gambia As Errant Jammeh Declares State Of Emergency
Gambians are in massive fear as President Yahya Jammeh whose term ends today, declares a 90-day state of emergency.
He decried "extraordinary" foreign interference in his country's affairs and December's election.
Regional leaders have been unsuccessfully trying to persuade Jammeh to hand over power to Adama Barrow, who won the polls.
The move comes after Nigeria deployed a warship to put further pressure on Jammeh to step down.
Regional bloc ECOWAS, has prepared a Senegal-led force but maintains that military intervention would be a last resort.
In his televised announcement, Jammeh said "any acts of disobedience to the Gambian laws, incitement of violence and acts intended to disturb public order and peace" are banned under the state of emergency.
He said security forces were instructed to "maintain absolute peace, law and order".
Earlier, the National Assembly passed a motion condemning what it called the "unlawful and malicious interference" of the African Union and the country's neighbour, Senegal, in The Gambia's affairs.


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FORS has launched a new virtual classroom to provide its members with a more classroom-like training environment.
It enables attendees able to see each other and the trainer during the live session and also features an embedded assessment at the end of each webinar, to verify that the learning objectives have been met.
The FORS Professional Virtual Classroom has been set up following the decision by FORS that delivery of all its manager training will remain online for the foreseeable future.
On April 1, FORS moved all its manager training to online learning following the Covid-19 restrictions imposed a couple of weeks previously which prevented face-to-face training.
FORS manager Sonia Hayward, said: "At the beginning of the lockdown in spring, we moved all FORS Professional manager training courses online to make sure our members could continue their professional development remotely.
"However, we wanted to offer a more 'classroom-like' experience, so we developed the new Virtual Classroom to make sure that the learners benefit from a more engaging training experience."
FORS also launched a dedicated FORS Professional booking platform to simplify the booking process for its members. Both platforms demonstrate the commitment to the professional development of FORS members during this time.
Hayward added: "Providing FORS members with webinar-based training long-term means they can access the learning they need to meet the requirements of FORS with minimum disruption to their working day. Webinars carry a reduced environmental impact as they do not require travel, allowing members and trainers to remain safe, while social distancing measures remain."


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Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Oops! I forgot!
Glad you did, because I forgot! (Not your titles. They were great! Just to announce the winner.)
Let me pause here by saying your titles were a lot of fun. Some were very close to what I was thinking. I haven't settled on one yet, but I have to come up with chapter titles, too. You gave me great ideas.
Thank you so much for participating!!
So, without further adieu:
The winner, chosen by Random.org, is Comment #5, Becky at Boys Rule My Life!
Get in touch with me, Becky, so I can mail your prize to you!
3 comments:
Woohoo!! Thanks Random.org! :) LOL! Seriously, though, thanks for the gift card! Now I just have to narrow down which book(s) I want! Thank you, thank you! :)ReplyDelete
I was just reading your post about the 4th of July-- I agree- wasn't that an awesome church service?ReplyDelete
Congrats to Becky!ReplyDelete
I've been busy catching up on the 35 blog posts you've written since I was last on. Whew!
Too bad I wasn't able to get in on your contest. "Being THE Woman in Your Husband's Life" comes to mind. Or "At Least I'm Not Living Next Door to MY Mother". Ha! That last one comes with a long and interesting story. I just wish I would have been blogging when I lived next door to my in-laws. I would have titled my blog "Living in a Glass House". Or "Just Living Raymond's Life". :)


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What Happened to Mike Evans and Berlinda Tolbert From "The Jeffersons"?
This article is a part of my Melanin Arts series, which is dedicated to the achievements and contributions of artistic people of color.
Belinda Tolbert
Berlinda Tolbert is alive and well, but she isn't very active in the acting community. Before The Jeffersons, Tolbert had guest starring roles on popular television shows of the day like Sanford and Son, That's My Mama, Mannix, and Fantasy Island.
After The Jeffersons ended, she continued her guest starring stint on shows like Amen, Jake and the Fatman, 7th Heaven, ER, and Six Feet Under. She also had roles in the films Goodfellas (1990) alongside Samuel Jackson and Harlem Nights (1989) with Eddie Murphy.
Berlinda Tolbert's last film project to date was a role on a powerfully dramatic short story called Just Another Man's Wife in 2013. At the time of this writing, she is 68 years old. She still looks great!
Mike Evans
Michael Jonas Evans was an unknown actor at the time he was cast on The Jeffersons. Iconic TV producer Norman Lear initially wanted famed black actor Cleavon Little to play the role, but the director wanted to go with an actor who wouldn't steal so much of the spotlight from the two veteran lead actors. The character of Lionel was a supporting role, and Cleavon Little was already a bona fide Hollywood star.
A little known fact about Mike Evans is that he was one of the writers and creators of Good Times. In fact, the character Michael Evans, played by actor Ralph Carter, is loosely based off of Mike Evans' real life. You can clearly see that he and the character share the same name.
After The Jeffersons left the air, Evans retired from acting and he pursued a career as a real estate investor. He lost his wife Helena to cancer after more than two decades of marriage in 2002.
On December 14, 2006, Mike Evans lost his own battle to cancer as well. The actor left behind two daughters and legions of fans who will always remember him as "The Original & Best Lionel."
Damon Evans
Damon Evans is the actor who temporarily replaced Mike Evans in the role of Lionel Jefferson. Just about everyone who watched the show will tell you that there was a dark period on the show when the original Lionel was replaced with a second Lionel.
Much like the second Darren and original Darren from Bewitched, no one liked this change of actors. It's a shame because I'm sure Damon Evans was a nice guy. It's just that viewers were used to and loved Mike Evans as Lionel Jefferson, and we never even tried to like Damon Evans.
It's worth mentioning that, just like second Darren and original Darren from Bewitched, both sets of Lionel Jefferson actors shared a common name (Dick York and Dick Sargent from Bewitched and Michael Evans and Damon Evans from The Jeffersons— see, you thought I was crazy, didn't you?) However, Mike and Damon were not related, and although I haven't researched it yet, I'm pretty sure Dick and Dick weren't related either.
So, here's what happened. Original Lionel, Mike Evans, decided to leave the show after the second season. Damon Evans took over the role and he stayed for two years in seasons three and four—this was the dark period. Thankfully, Mike Evans decided to return midway during season four, so all was well again.
As for Damon Evans, he was known mostly to the theater crowd, where he had roles in the Broadway musicals Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, and Jesus Christ Superstar. He also played a young Alex Haley in the ABC TV miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.
After Damon left The Jeffersons in 1978, he went on to appear in the 1985 film Turk 182. He also had a couple of guest-starring roles in television series. Damon Evans is thankfully alive and well at the time of this writing, but outside of a spot on Living in TV Land as himself, he has been absent from the acting scene for the last 18 years.
Bonus Feature: Catching up with Ebonie Smith (Jessica Jefferson) from The Jeffersons
Ebonie Smith is the former child actress who gave life to the character Jessica Jefferson on The Jeffersons. Jessica was the child of Lionel Jefferson and Jenny Willis Jefferson.
Ebonie was only around eight years old when she appeared on the show, and she was there for the last year. Most of us remember her because she was as cute as she could be, but she really didn't have much of a role to dive into.
After the show ended, she went on to guest star in an impressive amount of shows like Webster, Gimme a Break!, Family Matters, and Living Single. She also had a recurring role as Danny Glovers' character's daughter, Carrie Murtaugh, in the Lethal Weapon franchise with Glover and Mel Gibson.
Indeed, Ebonie Smith is alive and well. Although she doesn't really act any longer, I did find her through her YouTube channel. She is an NYC-based studio producer and a champion of LGBT rights. Go Ebonie!
Alisa Fuller on October 20, 2019:
Wow I know the 1st Lionel passed away Rest In Peace Mike, and I always thought that the 1st and the 2nd Lionel wasn't related and did y'all know that the 2nd Lionel is from Baltimore that is so cool, and you know mike Evans and Ralph Carter did the good times show were producers of the show so awesome.


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Although global economic growth is expected to slow down in 2019 amid the challenges resulting from a decline in trade and industry, structural reforms by governments in the GCC region designed to protect their economies from global volatility are well on track to achieving their objectives - underscored by a focus on the non-oil sectors.
Notably, although the outlook set by the World Bank's Global Economic Prospects report anticipates GCC growth to average 2.6 per cent in 2019, below the global average of 2.9 per cent, this projected growth for the region is higher than in 2018, when it did not exceed 2 per cent.
The rise in oil production and prices in 2018 played a pivotal role in easing the pressures of policies that aimed to regulate general fiscal conditions after several countries in the GCC region rationalized public spending. The surge in oil revenues contributed to an increase in current account balances, which in turn enabled an increase in public spending.
While recognizing the importance of oil recovery in raising the growth rates of the regional economy, we cannot ignore the impact of economic diversification policies over the past four years. Diversifying away from oil has led to the emergence of mega projects aimed at maximizing non-oil revenues in sectors that have been overlooked for years such as technology, tourism, and financial services, among others.
According to the World Bank, economic growth in the GCC region is likely to experience a boost in 2019 as a result of increased investments and regulatory reforms. This confirms that 2018 brought about significant changes and enabled some of the regional economies, such as Oman and Saudi Arabia, to overcome their deflation in 2017. Both countries recorded negative economic growth of 0.9 per cent in 2017, while the rate of decline was more severe in Kuwait (3.5 per cent), according to the World Bank.
We can easily link the progress made by countries in the GCC region with their plans to overcome oil fluctuations and their shift in focus towards non-oil sectors. Such efforts will help achieve an economic growth rate over the next three years that can reach or exceed the expected growth average of the global economy. For example, the World Bank forecasts that Oman will grow by 3.4 per cent by end-2019, which is above the expected average growth rate for both the regional economy and the global economy. However, this growth is expected to slow down in 2020 and 2021 to 2.8 per cent. The World Bank expects the UAE economy to grow from 2 per cent in 2018 to 3 per cent in 2019 and 3.2 per cent in 2020 and 2021.
As for the Saudi economy, which is the largest in the GCC and the wider Arab region, the World Bank expects growth over the next three years to continue rising from 2 per cent in 2018 to 2.1 per cent in 2019 and 2.2 per cent in the following two years.
The same is true for Bahrain's economy - 2.8 per cent until 2021 - as well as the Qatari economy, which is set to surge from a 2.3 per cent growth rate in 2018 to 2.7 per cent in 2019 and as much as 3 per cent in 2020 and 2021.
These promising growth expectations for the economies of the GCC region are the direct outcome of the strategic plans adopted to diversify economic activities and develop new non-traditional sectors in these countries. There is a remarkable acceleration in implementing these plans, not only in terms of mega projects in all countries, but also in terms of creating the legislative structure and enabling investment environment for a new phase of sustainable growth independent of oil price fluctuations.
Starting early in 2019, initiatives are being launched in the GCC countries to enhance the attractiveness of their legislative and investment environments. For instance, Bahrain has become the first country in the world to enact a legislation that supports the circulation of electronic documents in line with the UNCITRAL Model Law. The move aims to strengthen Bahrain's legislative structure and increase the attractiveness of the Bahraini economy to foreign investors. As part of a series of comprehensive legislative reforms, the law will spur the growth of the digital economy in the GCC markets that is valued at US$1.5 trillion.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the Eight Principles of Dubai in early 2019. The sixth principle states: 'Economic diversification has been the foundation of our unwritten constitution in Dubai since 1833. The changing times and the rapid developments make our commitment to this principle everlasting. Our new goal is to create at least a new economic sector every three years that will be productive, contribute to our GDP, and generate jobs.'
The same efforts are true of the wider GCC region, where nations are racing to implement their ambitious development plans, including the Saudi Vision 2030, the UAE Vision 2021, Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, Qatar National Vision 2030, the Kuwait Vision 2035 and Oman Vision 2040. Given the tremendous achievements that the countries in the region have already posted, I believe the GCC economy is going in the right direction. However, as with all creditable efforts, more emphasis is needed to consolidate the new trends on the road to sustainable growth.
* The author is the Executive Chairman of Investcorp, Chairman of Sohar International and an International Advisor to the Brookings Institution. All the views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of Times of Oman


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$5k reward, child porn arrest: What we know about search for Stephanie Parze
Monmouth County's CrimeStoppers program is now offering a $5,000 reward for information that helps find Stephanie Parze, a Freehold Township woman missing since Oct. 30.
The search for Parze has spanned two states, and a man linked to her has been arrested on what police say are entirely unrelated charges.
Here's what we know — and don't — so far:
The basics: Parze was last seen by her parents at about 10:15 p.m. Oct. 30, authorities have said.
Parze's parents called police after they couldn't get a hold of her at her late grandmother's home, where she'd been living, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. Her car was found by police at the house, along with her phone, purse, and the shoes that she wore the night of Oct. 30, prosecutors said.
Police have said they consider the disappearance suspicious.
Did anyone mean her harm? If so, Parze's parents say they can't imagine who. Edward and Sharlene Parez, said the "unknown" of what happened to Stephanie is "driving us crazy." They urged their daughter to stay strong, keep fighting and vowed to find her.
"They're going to find you. I'm going to find you," Edward Parze said during an appearance on CNN Headline News.
Where have police searched?
A law enforcement source told told ABC 7 Eyewitness News that a cell phone belonging to a "person of interest" triggered a search around Staten Island's Long Pond Park, a 91-acre park not far from Route 440 and the Outerbridge Crossing. The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office later confirmed that the search for Parze has extended to Staten Island and is ongoing in the area of Long Pond Park. A spokesman would not say what investigators are looking for.
What happened the night of Parze's disappearance? Parze's father told the Asbury Park Press she had gone to a medium in New Brunswick for a girls night out the night she was last seen. She then went to her grandmother's home, where she had been living since the grandmother died in 2018, the Press reports her father said.
Has anyone been arrested? On Friday, police made an arrest at the home of a man seemingly romantically linked to Parze. Authorities initially said the charges are entirely unrelated to her disappearance but later clarified that while the child porn arrest of John Ozbilgen, 29, was not connected to Parze's disappearance, the reason they said they found the child porn was because they had examined Ozbilgen's phone while searching for Parze.
Ozbilgen was charged with third-degree possession of child pornography. The Asbury Park Press reported earlier on Friday that Ozbilgen was the man seen in an "in a relationship" post on Parze's Facebook page. Both their Facebook pages have several pictures of them together.
How can I help the family? A GoFundMe page has been created to assist the family, and as of early Sunday afternoon, had collected $8,785. "This latest crisis has taken place at a time when the family has already been struggling," organizer David Mound wrote on the page.
It wasn't clear what Mound was referencing, but the Asbury Park Press noted that in August, Parze posted online that she'd been hospitalized with pneumonia due to vaping, and a friend told the paper Parze had to quit working as a result.
More from New Jersey 101.5:


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Are you interested in finding books similar to I Am a Story by Dan Yaccarino? I Am a Story can best be described as follows: Internationally acclaimed author-illustrator Dan Yaccarino presents a powerful picture book that celebrates storytellingfrom the past to the present and beyond.From cave drawings to the invention of the printing press to our digital age, discover how a story has been told in many different ways from the past to today..
Here are some reads you will enjoy,
Books Similar to I Am a Story
1. A Child of Books by author Oliver Jeffers.
Description: New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers and fine artist Sam Winston deliver a lyrical picture book inspiring readers of all ages to create, to question, to explore, and to imagine.A little girl sails her raft across a sea of words, arriving at the house of a small boy and calling him away on an adventure.
2. A Squiggly Story by author Andrew Larsen.
Description: A young boy wants to write a story, just like his big sister. But there's a problem, he tells her.
3. How This Book Was Made by author Mac Barnett.
Description: You may think you know how this book was made, but you don't. Sure, the author wrote many drafts, and the illustrator took a long time creating the art, but then what? How'd it get into your hands? Well, open the cover and read through these pages to find out.


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Lack of jobs becoming ever more noticeable
At the beginning of February there were 930 thousand registered unemployed, with only 86.5 thousand jobs available. This means that for February this year there were 11 people for each job as opposed to 4 at the same time last year. These figures were cited by the Director of the Employment Service Volodomyr Halytsky in an interview to the newspaper "Den" ["The Day"].
In some regions, he says, the figures are much higher, with the ratio in the Vinnytsa region – 39 unemployed per available job; the Ivano-Frankivsk and Khmelnytsky regions – 48 and the Cherkasy region – 77. The largest number of registered unemployed was in the Donetsk region.
Mr Halytsky stresses that the near million registered unemployed reflects only those who have approached employment centres, whereas these make up only some 60% of those actually needing work.
He did, however, say that the situation may be stabilizing. Whereas in December 2008, employment centres were registering around 8-9 thousand people per day, the figure in January – February this year was around 1 thousand, with the number of people who approached employment centres in January 130 thousand less than in December. Furthermore, if the number of vacant jobs at the end of 2008 was falling by around 2 thousand each day, the fall in the second half of January was only by 500 jobs, this, he believes, giving some grounds for optimism.
He suspects that the reason for the large figures at the end of last year was linked first with panic over the crisis, leading a large number of people who were basically not working before to register, perhaps having lost hope of finding work. A second factor he believes was that employers reduced their staff by those it was easy to dismiss in the first instance.
Having used the expression "first wave of job losses", his interviewer logically asked when to expect the second wave.
"I am not saying that there will definitely be a second wave, but it is possible. According to the State Department of Statistics, at present 900 thousand people are working reduced hours, and 800 thousand are on unpaid leave." He fears that if businesses do not pick up, these people are likely to also become unemployed. The problem is that in order for businesses to begin functioning properly there needs to be a stabilization of the banking system. Banks need to begin lending money again, at least those enterprises that inject money into State revenue. He says that there are 3-5 thousand of such enterprises which must become the focus of economic growth, with consumption within the country increasing – to get blood circulating again within the organism.
He says that there are no problems with the financing of the Employment Service or with paying unemployment benefit. This is covered by the article in the Budget regarding financing for the Unemployment Fund. "Benefits are paid in full and on time."
Before the crisis, one saw a trend towards legalization of earnings. What in your opinion will be the trend as far as informal payment (literally, "in envelopes") is concerned this year?
The practice of informal payment has started up again. Employers will resort to this to improve their outgoings. However it should be remembered that at enterprises where there are over 150 people its hard to pay wages informally, whereas in an office with 30 to 50 employees the practice is possible. However from the point of view of security I wouldnt recommend this, after all such remuneration in envelopes is a criminal offence."
From the interview in "Den" published in No. 25, 14 February 2009 "День"


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Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities in Bloomfield, IN
Hamilton Center Inc
Hamilton Center Inc is a drug and alcohol rehab program located at 431 East Main Street in Bloomfield, Indiana.
The facility utilizes primary approaches to treatment of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Relapse Prevention Plans, 12 Step Addiction Support. The facility also offers these services in the following settings: Outpatient Addiction Recovery.
Hamilton Center Inc also provides clients with a number of individualized programs designed specifically for the needs of clients, such as: Continuing Care Programs, Comprehensive Addiction Assessment, Psychological Services. Finally, Hamilton Center Inc allows the following types of payment: Private Pay, Medicaid, Medicare Public Insurance.
We can help you find the right treatment facility that best fits your overall needs and financial requirements.


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Enter your email address and we'll send you a link to reset your password.
Cherry Jones is an American actress. A five-time Tony Award nominee for her work on Broadway, she has twice won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play: for the 1995 revival of The Heiress and for the 2005 original production of Doubt.


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Roadshow highlights iconic Stickley furniture
The Stickley Roadshow arrived on a brisk Thursday evening in January at the Paramus showroom of the historic Stickley, Audi & Co., which opened its doors to a crowd of 25 people eager to learn a few tricks of the trade on furniture restoration.
Sharing his wisdom on the subject was Mike Danial, Stickley's corporate historian and restoration specialist, who began his career with the company in 1974 at its original factory in Fayetteville, N.Y. Danial spent the night bouncing from topic to topic, extolling the virtues of paste wax on wood finishes and apple cider vinegar as a brass cleaner, while mixing in a few personal anecdotes, including an evening spent with his future wife on a couch in the original — and haunted — Stickley factory, where they listened to the footsteps of ghosts wandering upstairs.
"I was destined for this," Danial joked. "I don't have many other talents."
Danial joined the company at a crossroads in its history, shortly after the Stickley family, which founded the company in 1900, sold it to their largest dealer, the Audi family, in 1974. He received on-the-job training in fine craftsmanship from long-time employees who took him under their wing after learning his great uncle worked for Stickley in the 1930s. He later helped in the showroom and was tasked with touching up all items before they went out the door.
In the 1980s, the fortunes of the company changed when a group of antique furniture collectors stopped in looking for old Mission-style furniture — a design style emphasizing simple horizontal and vertical lines, and flat panels that accentuate the grain of the wood, popularized by the Stickley family during the Arts & Crafts movement at the turn of the 20th century.
"We found some original factory catalogs in the basement and showed them to these collectors," Danial recalled, "and they felt like they had struck gold. It began a relationship between us and the collectors, and we began reissuing mission furniture to serve both of us, and the legacy of Stickley."
With the old catalogs serving as blueprints, the company maintained the classic look of the original items, but with irreversible variations — blind dovetailed crossrails, book-matched panels, and side and centered guided drawers, to name a few — that distinguished them from valuable antiques cherished by collectors. "We could've made the pieces identical, but that wouldn't have been right," said Danial.
As reissued pieces gained in prominence, old Stickley items started filtering into the antique marketplace. Among the most valuable, said Danial, were the earliest designs of Gustav Stickley, the eldest of five siblings, and others by designers Harvey Ellis and Peter Hansen.
Consequently, inquiries regarding furniture restoration became more frequent, and Danial began hosting lectures on the subject, a practice he continues to this day with appearances at roughly 20 Stickley Roadshows each year in showrooms around the country. There is a delicate balance, he said, between restoring an item without devaluing it or harming its appearance.
"You're supposed to be able to see the evidence of time and age on a 100-year-old piece of furniture," said Danial. "Nicks, dents and scratches become part of the story of the object, and we want to maintain that story. The value of story in fine furniture is a wonderful thing."
The story of Stickley, Audi & Co., however, is hardly just a history lesson. Buoyed by a resurgence of its Mission Line, the Manlius, N.Y.-based company has continued to grow, opening New Jersey showrooms in Paramus in 2012 and East Hanover in 2017.
Lucinda Deichmeister, general manager of the Paramus showroom, said North Jersey has been a perfect fit for the Stickley brand. "The Bergen County market is an important business market and has been a great location for us," she said, citing the abundance of historic homes whose architecture supports Mission-style furniture, which remains "at the heart of the company."
While the Mission Line is the original line of the company, the showroom floor includes a multitude of other furniture brands to keep up with changing trends, with Century, Hancock & Moore, Bradington Young, Caricole and Marge Carson among them.
"Years ago, the bathroom set was exactly the same, the dining room set was exactly the same, but the trend now is to mix and match," said Deichmeister.
Product lines with their own unique flavors include the Metropolitan line that sets a clean-cut urban tone for a room, and the Pasadena Bungalow line that utilizes exotic sapelli wood from western Africa's Ivory Coast. Also available are diverse leather and upholstery options, as well as oriental rugs created by the finest weavers in Pakistan, India and Nepal.
This spring, the Paramus location will undergo a renovation designed to open up its showroom, and Deichmeister envisions at least one event per month dealing with a variety of different themes important to homeowners.
Area residents also have a unique opportunity to visit the only home Gustav Stickley designed and built for his own use, located in Morris Plains at The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms. It is owned by the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills.
Nearly 120 years after its founding, the company endures, Danial said, because of its commitment to meet the high standards set by those who came before.
"The Arts and Crafts movement was the 20th century's first new, original furniture design form," he said. "Prior to that, everything was European. This is an American style, and we maintained its dignity when we reissued it."


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Hydro and Northvolt, a leading European battery manufacturer based in Sweden, formed a 50/50 joint venture, called Hydro Volt AS, which will focus on enabling the recycling of battery materials and aluminum from electric vehicles (EVs). A typical EV battery pack may contain more than 25% aluminum, totaling about 70-100 kg aluminum per pack.
"We expect a considerable increase in the use of batteries going forward, with subsequent need for sustainable handling of used batteries," said Arvid Moss, executive vice president for Energy and Corporate Development in Hydro. "This represents a new step into an industry with considerable potential and will enhance recycling of materials. Hydro Volt adds to our portfolio of battery initiatives, which already include investments in both Northvolt and Corvus, where we can leverage our aluminum and recycling know-how."
Hydro Volt AS will establish a pilot battery recycling plant in Fredrikstad, Norway. The highly automated facility will be designed for crushing and sorting batteries. Batteriretur, a battery recycling company located in Fredrikstad, Norway, will supply batteries to the recycling plant and will also be the operator of the pilot plant.
In the initial phase, the Hydro Volt facility will have capacity to process more than 8,000 tonnes of batteries per year, with the option of expanding capacity later.
In a second phase, the battery recycling facility could handle a considerable share of the commercial volumes from lithium-ion batteries in the EV fleet throughout Scandinavia.
Output from the battery recycling plant will include so-called black mass and aluminum, which will be transported to Northvolt's and Hydro's plants, respectively. Other products from the recycling process will be sold to scrap metal buyers and other off-takers.
"Northvolt has set a target for 50% of our raw material in 2030 coming from recycled batteries," said Emma Nehrenheim, CEO responsible for the Revolt recycling business unit at Northvolt. "The partnership with Hydro is an important piece of the puzzle to secure an external feed of material before our own batteries begin reaching end-of-life and are returned back to us."
By establishing this facility in Norway, Hydro Volt AS will be able to directly handle battery recycling in the most mature EV market in the world, while reducing the number of batteries sent out of the country. The new facility is expected to start production in 2021.
"We are excited about the opportunities this represents," said Arvid Moss, executive vice president for Energy and Corporate Development in Hydro. "Hydro Volt AS [will be able to] handle aluminum from end-of-life batteries as part of our total metal value chain, contribute to the circular economy and at the same time lessen the climate footprint from the metal we supply."


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How to cook
Prepare the almond cream, by grinding the almonds into powder.
Add 1/3 cup (80 grams) of sugar, the egg yolks and softened butter. Flavor with a little cognac and beat until you get a fluffy cream.
Divide the puff pastry into two unequal parts. Spread out the larger one on the table and cut a disc out. Smear it with the cream, while leaving a rim of 3/4″ (2 cm) and moisten it with a brush.
Spread out the second piece of puff pastry. Roll it out a little to make it thinner than the first. Place it gently on top of the cream and stick the edges together by pressing slightly.
Make incisions with a knife along the entire upper surface and brush the cake with egg yolk. Put the cake in a hot oven at 390°F (200 °C).
Bake for 40 minutes without opening the door. Allow the cake to swell and become golden. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar and leave to cool.


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CHINA (CelebrityAccess) – Chinese music streaming platform NetEase Cloud Music has announced a partnership with South Korea's Cube Entertainment.
As one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies, Cube encompasses everything from recorded music, publishing and music production to event management and concert production. The company also operates a talent agency.
Under the terms of the new agreement, NetEase, which is one of China's largest digital music firms with over 600 million registered users, has been granted access to Cube's complete music catalog, including albums and tracks from artists such as BTOB, CLC, PENTAGON, Yoo Seon-Ho and (G)I-DLE.
The partnership with Cube follows the company's addition of licensing partnerships with other leading Korean-focused firms including JYP Entertainment, Big Hit Entertainment (which represents BTS), SM Entertainment and Loen Entertainment.


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Whether it's an afternoon snack, a hot cup of coffee or a relaxing meal with friends or family, take a break to recharge, refuel and indulge in a variety of dining options.
La Herencia Express
Authentic mexican food establishment.
Express Japan
Express Japan offers chicken, beef, shrimp, and tofu varieties. For vegetarians they offer several options including vegetarian soba as well as tofu teriyaki.
Big orange bubble teas are amazing! We offer both fresh fruit bubble teas and traditional regular bubble teas.
Auntie Anne's pretzels are hand-rolled, twisted, baked to a golden brown and are made on the spot to hit the spot. Our pretzels are heaven scent and our old fashion lemonades never go out of fashion. Stop by and satisfy your cravings while shopping.
Did you know that you can now take Auntie Anne's to your next event or meeting? You're guaranteed to be an insta-crowd pleaser when you show up with pretzel buckets, party box of pretzels and dips. Order today by calling the store or visit Auntie Anne's Online .


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Tenacious Diary: North to Alaska
We did it! We made it to Alaska! We started to believe that we could do it when we were approaching Prince Rupert, but with the wind, seas and fog up here, it never feels like it's a sure thing until it happens. As we crossed into Alaskan waters, we toasted our arrival with Patrick's spur-of-the-moment international blend of Jack…Read More »


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Atlanta and Salinas, Cal., may not have much in common, but recent happenings in each community regarding a new ballpark has some locals arguing their new and potential ballparks are shrouded in too much secrecy.
In Atlanta, some citizens are appalled by a open-records request by a private investigative firm for more than 10,000 emails associated with those opposing Cobb County's decision to move ahead with a Atlanta Braves ballpark. Not all correspondence regarding the decision is being requested by Woodall & Broome: just the correspondence from two commissioners opposing the deal, as well as two citizens who were vocal in their opposition. The Braves aren't being associated with any part of this; Commissioner Tim Lee, who led the charge for the ballpark, is the common thread here. From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
The request came just a weeks after Lee's longtime political consultant sent the chairman a list of suggestions for improving his image and that of the Braves project. One of those suggestions included the county spokesman forwarding all Braves-related questions to the consultant.
The latest developments are raising fresh concerns about government transparency surrounding Cobb's commitment to build a new home for the Braves. Many Cobb residents have embraced the investment that will move the team 12 miles from downtown Atlanta. Others have criticized what they consider a secretive, rushed process led by Lee that has refused at some points to accommodate opposition….
Lee, through an email to the AJC, said he doesn't know who hired the private investigator and that it is a "sign of how dysfunctional the actions of some folks are. And it is discouraging to see it occur."
It is discouraging. Using open-records laws as a political weapon can be nasty no matter who files the requests. The entire process was shrouded in secrecy from the beginning: the new ballpark was pretty much a done deal when presented to the public by Cobb County. Doing business in this manner will inevitably lead to charges of backroom deals.
Similarly, the Salinas (Cal.) newspaper is leading charges of backroom deals when it comes to a potential new ballpark for the Bakersfield Blaze (High Class A; California League). As it turns out, negotiations began with a developer, Blaze owner D.G. Elmore and the Salinas city manager before being expanded to other city leaders, who were asked to sign nondisclosure forms during preliminary talks. We're not talking about a period where decisions were being made or city money committed to anything. From the Californian:
My beef is that the city had no business taking part of what will ultimately be a long and detailed regulatory approval process by starting that process behind closed doors.
And not that I want to give public relations tips to the city, but in this case they could have said, "Hey, we're thinking about maybe establishing a minor league baseball club here within the Alisal Marketplace project but the league demands that we not talk about it openly for a while."
Had City Hall made even that simple disclosure a lot of needless worry would have been prevented.
But we're not sensing a lot of needless worry in Salinas: there's been no notable grassroots opposition to a new ballpark, and there's not actually been a solid proposal yet, either. Ideas have been floated, first starting in private and then in public. It seems like the Salinas ballpark proposal became public at precisely the right time.
All development is shrouded in secrecy to a greater extent than many folks believe, and that extends to development not related to sports facilities. Talks between business groups and government bodies happen all the time, and it's hard to argue that preliminary talks well in advance of any official decisions are infringing on the need for citizens to know exactly what is before their elected representatives at any given time.
One rule of business: when you're making a proposal for something big, like a new ballpark, it's important to have as many details nailed down as possible before going public with the proposal. In Cobb County, elected officials there could have done a much better job of opening up public comment regarding the Braves ballpark: it should have been important to hear a multitude of viewpoints before making a final decision. And targeting correspondence from ballpark opponents is a stupid PR move. But in Salinas, it's hard to say anyone did anything wrong: there's still no proposal before city officials, no request for taxpayer dollars, no preliminary ballpark plan.


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(CNN) -- Some fans of the band Chicago thought this day would never come. Many have waited 15 years for it.
An album Chicago recorded in 1993 finally goes on sale Tuesday.
An album the band recorded in 1993 finally goes on sale Tuesday, long after a squabble between the group and its former record company shelved the project.
The album's release by Rhino Records has set off a wave of excitement on Chicago's fan club Web site.
"I am waaaaay excited about this," said a fan nicknamed "sprout." "I've been hearing about these songs for years, and now I'll actually get to hear them for myself! Yea!!!!!!"
"I am really glad to see Rhino finally releasing a forgotten masterpiece," another fan said.
The album, "Stone of Sisyphus," takes its name from a character in Greek mythology who rolls a heavy stone up a hill only to have it roll back down -- again and again -- for eternity.
"It's very apropos, isn't it?" producer Peter Wolf said. "It took us 15 years to see the light of day."
The album harkens back to the band's socially conscious early days, recorded in a style much different from the light-rock ballads that sent Chicago to the top of the pop charts.
The band formed in 1967, committed to the concept of a rock 'n' roll band with horns. First called The Big Thing, the group was known as Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) on its debut album before taking its present name.
In more than four decades, Chicago has sold more than 122 million recordings. It had five consecutive No. 1 albums and has had more than 50 Top-40 singles.
The band became a staple of underground FM and college radio stations a few years after forming. Disc jockeys talking in low, slow tones feasted on tracks like "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" and "Beginnings."
Listeners debated the meaning of "25 or 6 to 4." Some said it was about an LSD trip, and that got it banned from some radio stations. Chicago was so hip that Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix invited the group on tour.
Yet that sense of cool was lost as Chicago launched a string of successful -- if horn-muted -- ballads in the late 1970s and 1980s. Producer David Foster is credited with resurrecting Chicago's career and shoving it into overdrive by downplaying the band's traditional sound in favor of more synthesizers and ballads.
Foster's formula thrust singer Peter Cetera into the spotlight. Chicago became a pop music juggernaut. Cetera left in 1985 after "Chicago 17," the group's biggest-selling album, and was replaced by Jason Scheff, son of Elvis Presley's former bassist, Jerry Scheff.
But little changed as the band continued to roll out a familiar string of pop ballads - topped by the million-selling "Look Away" in 1988.
By the early 1990s, however, producer Wolf was happy to oblige band members after learning that they wanted to return to their roots.
"I was always a huge Chicago fan. It was a natural thing for me wanting them to sound like the Chicago I love," Wolf said. "They have an incredibly identifiable horn sound. You have to bring that out or you're not doing it right."
The band was on a mission to bring back the old sound, said former Chicago guitarist Dawayne Bailey, who composed the title track of the new album.
"The entire project was a direct and deliberate response to what they had been releasing up to that point " he said.
Chicago brought back the horns and the rock 'n' roll attitude on "Stone of Sisyphus," but Warner Brothers Records shelved the project.
"It was a little too adventuresome, shall we say, for the label at the time," trombonist and founding member James Pankow recalled on A&E's "Private Sessions." "They were expecting another 'If You Leave Me Now,' 'Hard to Say I'm Sorry.'"
Wolf said the rejection had little to do with the music.
"It was only about politics and greed," Wolf said, "nothing to do with the talent."
"They heard the album and they didn't get it," Pankow said. "They asked us to go back and do it again and we said, 'Sorry, this is where we're at.'"
Trumpeter Lee Loughnane said the band was "dumbfounded" by the rejection.
"We had finished and released 21 previous recordings," he said, "so I guess the shock of our first rejection took a little time for us to get used to."
When the band left Warner Bros, they took the album with them. They shifted their focus to other projects, other songs, but the fans did not forget. They passed along rumors that the album would come out in the mid- 1990s, but that didn't happen.
A few fans obtained taped copies of the album. They would copy the tapes and trade them by mail, each successive copy worse than the one before.
Hard-core fans yearned to hear the Chicago of old -- with the trademark horn style -- but Chicago continued in the 1990s to record the type of ballads members said they wanted to get away from. That only increased fans' curiosity about "Stone of Sisyphus."
Chicago teased its fans in 2003, making three tracks from the album available as part of a four-CD, career-spanning box set.
Fans weren't satisfied.
"All the fans have been e-mailing us again and again to release the record," Wolf said. "Nothing could hold it back."
A few versions of the "lost" album became available for download on the Internet, but that was a bootleg release, and relatively few people knew about it.
Now the album is available to the general public, a varied collection with the Chicago horns up front and prominent.
The styles range from rock to pop to soul -- true to the band's Grammy-winning, genre-blending formula -- with a few ballads thrown in for good measure.
"Even though there's still some soft, fuzzy ballads ... that we were supposedly getting away from," Bailey said, "the lyric edge in (the) songs proves that we were going for more organic true expression over uninspired canned radio product."
The band hopes "Stone of Sisyphus" reminds its most ardent fans of a sound that launched the band in the late 1960s.
"Good things come to those who wait," Loughnane said.
All About Warner Bros. Records Inc. • David Foster


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I just finished the final proof edits on my very first novella COURTED BY THE COWBOY– to celebrate I bought a book! Lately I haven't gotten to do much reading outside of my own work and massive amounts of research books and while in the drugstore this week I snagged a copy of Elizabeth Lowell's latest romantic suspense SHADOW AND SILK. In light of this stupendous occasion, I thought it would be fun to do a "What are you reading?" check in.
So, what are you reading? If you have the book handy, crack it open and share a line, the first line that grabs your eye! Here's a snippet from SHADOW AND SILK:
Forgetting time, forgetting herself, forgetting everything but the knowledge massed in the room, Dani wandered among the bookcases.
She sounds like a kindred spirit 😉
I'm a huge Lowell fan, she sucked me in with her ONLY series and though she's no longer writing westerns (serious pout), her RS books don't disappoint when it comes to hot, rugged heroes and savvy heroines – lots of action and grit—so much so that this one had me peeking through one eye in a few parts *g*, but all in all, a great read.
Where do you keep books-in-progress: desk, coffee table, countertop, nightstand? I'm an all-at-once kind of reader—I have no patience—so while I just started this book, I also just finished it. It either goes from my hands to the keeper shelf or my hands to my mom. I might have to occasionally tuck said book under my arm to prepare a meal or run an errand, but generally, I'm clutching the spine until it's finished. Likely why I don't often get to read for pure pleasure. My mom is a huge romance reader, as a stroll around her house would prove. She will have three or four books going at once. One on the coffee table, one on her nightstand, one in the kitchen and one in her purse! She ALWAYS has a book handy 😉
What book don't you have that you'd like to be reading? I'm anxiously awaiting our own Linda Broday's next book (February!) and I have yet to buy Dorothy Garlock's new western, Leaving Whiskey Bend –she's one of my original favorite western authors—Sins of Summer being my all-time favorite of hers. I was thrilled to see she had a new western out. Another that keeps eluding my cart is CL Wilson's King of Sword and Sky (Tairen Soul) – I loved the first two books in her fantasy Series.
Wishing you hours of uninterrupted reading and a Happy National Pie Day! Books and pie, what could be better?!


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The Motorcycle Skeleton Skull Beanie is perfect for those motorcycle fanatics in your life. The high-performance beanie is made of a lightweight and breathable polar fleece-lined material. Suitable to wear all-year-round.
The design is sublimated onto the material, front and back, to ensure long-lasting wear - no cracking, peeling, or fading over time.
One Size Fits All | Unisex | Vibrant Multicolored Design


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While Sometimes Frustrating, Waiting to Resume Intimacy after Hysterectomy is Truly Best
Post-op hysterectomy patients are most often told "nothing in the vagina for six weeks and/or until the doctor exams the stitched vaginal cuff during a routine post-op exam and sees it healing properly."
During a hysterectomy (when the total uterus is removed, including the cervix) the top of the vagina is stitched closed to make a vaginal cuff. This area is full of stitches that require healing. Sexual intercourse, both anal and vaginal, can tear these stitches. It can also introduce bacteria into the vagina, causing an infection—oral sex can also introduce bacteria.
Ramifications include, but certainly aren't limited to additional surgery, severe infections, bleeding, and added pain.
It is important that you curtail all vaginal sexual activities until your doctor examines you and releases you. It is for your own good!
While intercourse, both vaginal and anal (oral is also discouraged due to bacteria), is strictly prohibited, outercourse may be allowed with clearance from your doctor. Keep in mind that the spasms and rush of blood involved in an orgasm can delay healing.
Additional Voices of Warning:
"My doctor told me to wait six weeks, but my husband and I did it on the 4th week. Now I am sitting here with a catheter in me. I had my bladder resting on top of all those stitches in there, so when we did it, we ripped some stitches and made a hole in my bladder which is now a fistula. It is very painful and awful. I have been wearing this catheter for 3 months now and I will be facing another surgery for repairs."
"Having sex prolonged my urinary tract infection. Due to the infection raging, I have had severe nausea and vomiting. I have lost 14 lbs in the past seven days and have become very dehydrated. I am now on potent anti-nausea pills that they use for chemo patients so that I can become rehydrated. Then, after that, they will start me on a stronger antibiotic for the UTI."
"I have seen surgery done on a woman who had sex at 1 week post-op. She had semen in her abdominal cavity and a raging infection because of the contaminated opening into what is supposed to be a sterile environment. Her bladder was stuck to her vagina and her bowels were a mess."
The bottom line is simple: nothing in the vagina until released by the doctor. S/he is the only one that can know for certain that the stitches have healed properly.
Browse through the HysterSisters Hysterectomy Recovery Articles covering a variety of topics to learn more valuable information about your hysterectomy recovery.
This content was written by staff of HysterSisters.com by non-medical professionals based on discussions, resources and input from other patients for the purpose of patient-to-patient support. Reprinted with permission: Intimacy After Hysterectomy – The Wait.


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To correct minor defects in the eye area, such as drooping upper eyelids or excesses of skin.
How the blepharoplasty takes place
There are two surgical options, both performed by Prof. Giulio Basoccu of Rome:
- a traditional blepharoplasty isengraved along the fold of the upper eyelid and under the lashes of the lower one. The scars are slight and the stitches are removed in three or four days;
- a transconjunctival blepharoplasty is carried out only on patients who do not have excess skin, but bags under the lower eyelid, with incisions on the inside of the eyelid. The scars will not be visible
Based on the needs of the patient and the surgeon's examination, a blepharoplasty can be performed on either the upper or lower eyelids or, most commonly, both areas.
Post-operative course
Immediately after a blepharoplasty, the doctors at Professor Giulio Basoccu's Medical Clinic will apply small patches onto the affect area and will advice the patient to perform a cold compress. It is also important to remember that, in order to achieve optimal scarring, it is advisable to not strain the eyes for around one week afterwards and that using sunglasses going forwards will provide better protection (any exposure to the sun is extremely inadvisable for at least fifteen days after the procedure). This is the best way to avoid swelling and bruising lasting longer. l