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Its character is a dog with immense charm, affectionate and sociable, strongly fixed to the owner and its family members. Not in any case in outdoor pens it must live permanently with the people, only then it can be happy and make you happy. It is extremely sensitive to the mood prevailing in the family, it can appreciate the attention it is devoted to its people. Despite almost always dignified behaviour it can be playful, cheerful and cute. It is intelligent, balanced, flexible and full of life. It plays with kids well and with other domestic pets and even strangers it is friendly, too. Temperament & Behaviour: Education must be of course consistent, but kind and gentle. No penalties except to reprimand accusing markedly (never be angry or menacing) Intonation (without increasing its intensity!) it is required. Due to its size can live in a small city apartment. In sleep is slightly audible (snores). Particular attention should be paid to it in the summer heat, especially if it is simultaneously high humidity, when it faces difficulty in breathing. It should have the option at the time, except for the necessary and abbreviated walks quietly relax in a relatively cool place. In the summer, when transporting over long distances by car without air conditioning to be reckoned with frequent breaks, possibility of rest in the shade and drink not very cold water. Despite pudgy body is Mops agile so it can participate after proper training and compete in agility or obedience. Due to its willingness to cooperate and meet the owner trains under favourable climatic conditions, because it is for it a mental work. During the training, as well as in education, it must be approached with the utmost gentleness. Necessary is also positive stimulation in the form of enthusiastic praise to reward in case of success or joyful encouragement when everything does not go as it should be. Body: It's a small dog burly body and decidedly quadratic body frame, stocky and well proportioned, tightly muscled. Presents "Multum in parvo" (cardinality in small). Weight of body is from 6.3 to 8.1 kg. The head is large, round, but not apple. The skull is not hollow, the skin on it constitute distinct wrinkles. Desirable is a small adjoining undershot jaw, as extremely undesirable is considered irregular or wry mouth, like tongue and teeth that are visible when mouth closed. Lower jaw must be broad, with teeth arranged in one, or nearly one, row. Eyes must be dark, very large and round, until tender caring expression, very lustrous, and when excited, full of life. Ears are thin, small, and soft like black velvet, either folded back so you can see their inner side or tilted forward with peaks accompanying the cheeks and pointing to its eyes, the inner side is not visible. The tail should be high set, curled as tightly as possible on the shoulders, it is highly desirable double articulation reminiscent of tube postilion. The forelegs are adequately strong, straight, moderate length, vertically to ground. The hindquarters must be very strong and adequately long, perpendicular to the substrate when viewed from behind straight and parallel. The coat is fine, smooth, soft, short and glossy, must never be rough, wavy or curly. The colour may be silver, orange (apricot), fawn or black. Each of the colours must be clean to be a clear contrast between eel stripe (narrow dark longitudinal stripe stretching uninterrupted from occiput over spine to the base of the tail) and dark "mask" on the face. "Eel stripe", "Mask", earlobes, round spots on the cheeks and a stain on the forehead (called "diamond") must be sharp and the blackest.

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Monday morning, Officers conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of West Broadway Boulevard and South Grand Avenue. David D. Williams, 26, of Sedalia, was arrested for Driving While Suspended. Williams was released on scene with a city summons for Driving While Suspended and No Proof of Insurance. Sedalia Police saw a wanted individual walking near the area of North Ohio Avenue and Jefferson Street Monday afternoon. Dispatch confirmed his warrant, which was issued for Failure to Appear on charges of Non Support. Derrick J. Seeley, 31, of Sedalia, was arrested and transported to the Pettis County Jail. Seeley was being held pending a $1,000 cash only bond. Monday afternoon, Officers were dispatched to the 200 block of South Quincy Avenue in reference to a disturbance. A male and a female party, who share a child together, had a physical altercation. Officers were unable to determine a primary physical aggressor. A 12 hour log between the two parties was completed and a detailed report was filed. Officers were dispatched to the Save A Lot store, 3040 West Broadway Boulevard Monday afternoon for a report of a fraudulent check. The suspect has yet to be contacted at this time. Saturday evening, a car was stopped in the area of East 13th Street and South Montgomery Avenue for improper and expired registration. The original driver had jumped in the back seat and a passenger jumped into the driver's seat, gaining physical control and operation of the car. The original driver, Earnest Brown, 40, of Sedalia, was arrested for Driving While Revoked and Failure to Comply With an Ignition Interlock Device. The second driver, Leon Beamon Jr., 33 of Sedalia, was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated and a $1000 cash only Pettis County Warrant. The warrant was a Probation Violation filing on original charges of Property Damage in the 2nd Degree and Harassment in the 2nd Degree. Sunday evening, Officers were dispatched to the 600 block of East 14th Street for a report of a property damage incident. Video footage was provided, and showed the suspect damaging a window. The caller was able to identify the suspect. Officers could also identify the suspect from the video, based on dealing with the same suspect earlier in the day. Charges are being requested for Property Damage in the 1st Degree. Officers responded to the 600 block of North Stewart Avenue in reference to a report of property damage Sunday evening. Officers made contact with Agustina Cano and witnesses of paintballs being shot at the residence. A suspect has been identified, but no contact has been made at this time. A general information report has been made. Sedalia Police conducted a traffic stop in the area of the Casey's store, 1601 East Broadway Boulevard for speeding Sunday evening. The driver was found to have a Failure to Appear warrant for Stealing out of Sedalia, issued in 2005. Jamie Annette Tozier, 43, of Blue Springs, was arrested and transported to the Pettis County Jail. Tozier was booked on the warrant pending a $55.00 cash only bond. Officers responded to the area of East 12th Street and South Center Avenue for a report of a dog fight Sunday evening. When Officers arrived, a large dog was located in the intersection that had been shot. The involved parties' dog was attacked, and the owner shot the dog. Monday night, Officers responded to the 400 block of East Broadway Boulevard for a report of a paintballer shooting paintballs at trucks. When Officers arrived, the suspects had fled the scene. Monday morning, Officers responded to the 500 block of West 22nd Street in reference to an assault that had occurred prior to law enforcement's arrival. Officers made contact with the victim, who stated he was assaulted at a different location. He did not know who the suspect was. The victim was transported to the BRHC for his injuries. A suspect has not been identified at this time. Early Tuesday morning, Officers were dispatched to Fray Logistics, 600 Industrial Drive, in reference to a vehicle theft in progress. When Officers arrived, they spoke with the caller, who described two subjects he had observed trying to mess with the cars. The subjects ran away when the caller arrived. No arrests have been made at this point. Friday night, Officers observed a vehicle run a red light in the area of East Broadway Boulevard and South Massachusetts Avenue. Officers performed a traffic stop on the vehicle and it was discovered the driver had active warrants out of Jackson County and Camden County For Failure to Appear on original charges of Expired Plates, Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Maintaining Financial Responsibility, Driving While Revoked, Possession of Marijuana, and Resisting Arrest. Kelvin E. Sierra, 30, of Kansas City, was arrested and taken to the Pettis County Jail to be booked and held on a $12,600 bond. Sedalia Police conducted a traffic stop on a truck in the area of South Quincy Avenue and West Broadway Boulevard for moving violations and suspicion of DWI Friday night. After an investigation, it was determined the driver was intoxicated and driving on a suspended license from Arkansas. Martin Zapote, 30, of Sedalia, was placed under arrest. Zapote was taken to the Police Station, then the Pettis County Jail, where he was booked on charges of felony Driving While Intoxicated and Driving While Suspended. On the evening of May 27th, Sedalia Police conducted a vehicle stop in the 300 block of East Booneville Street for a registration violation. A computer check revealed the driver had an active arrest warrant out of Pettis County for Failure to Appear on original charges of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Tiffany M. Morrill, 33, of Sedalia, was arrested without incident and held on a $250 cash only bond. Friday night, Sedalia Police conducted a traffic stop on a car for continuously emitting its reverse lights while in forward motion. After an investigation, it was determined the driver was intoxicated by drugs and in possession of drug paraphernalia. Roderick Rebato Vose, 33, of Sedalia, was placed under arrest. Vose was taken to a hospital, then the Pettis County Jail. Vose was booked in pending release to a sober person on state charges of Driving While Intoxicated (Drugs) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Officers were dispatched to the lobby of the Police Station Friday afternoon to make contact with a subject who wanted to report an identity theft. When Officers arrived, they spoke with Chelsea N. Saxton. Saxton stated that over the past three weeks, someone gained access to their internet accounts and got their credit card, social security, and other information to try to make online purchases. The suspect was not able to make any purchases, and the accounts were deactivated. There are no suspects at this time. Friday morning, Officers responded to the 200 block of Scott Joplin Court for a theft report. On arrival, Officers spoke with Juanita Berry. Berry stated a necklace, valued at $5,500, was stolen from her apartment. The theft took place approximately two weeks prior. At the time of the report, the suspect has not been identified. Saturday afternoon, Officers were dispatched to a field near the intersection of East 25th Street and South Ingram Avenue for a found property report. A large knife was found by a mowing company. It has been entered into evidence for safekeeping. Saturday afternoon, Officers conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of West Main Street and South State Fair Boulevard for a moving violation. The driver, Marsha Welsh, 51, of Olathe KS, was found to be in possession of marijuana and methamphetamine. Welsh was arrested on charges of Possession of a Dangerous Drug and Possession of Marijuana. Friday evening, Officers responded to Katy Park, 2200 South Grand Avenue, for a report of a theft. Verna J. Ellison reported that the window of her vehicle was broken out and her purse was stolen from the vehicle. The purse contained identification and multiple credit/debit cards that were fraudulently used numerous times in Sedalia, La Monte and Warrensburg before being cancelled. The multi-jurisdictional investigation is still underway. Saturday morning, a car was stopped in the area of East 6th Street and South Ohio Avenue for Failure to Signal and Failure to Stop before a Stop Line. After an investigation, it was determined the driver was intoxicated. Samantha Sue Spencer, 28, of Sedalia, was placed under arrest and transported to the Sedalia Police Headquarters. Spencer was processed, fingerprinted, and released to a sober person. Spencer was issued citations for Driving While Intoxicated and Failure to Use a Turn Signal. Sedalia Police, Sedalia Fire, and the Pettis County Ambulance District responded to the 200 block of East Jackson Street Saturday evening for a report of an unconscious male subject not breathing. SPD arrived on the scene and determined the male was experiencing an opiate overdose. Officers deployed Naloxone prior to the arrival of Fire and EMS, who took over patient care upon their arrival. The victim eventually started breathing normally and regained consciousness. Sunday morning, Officers responded to the 1500 block of Thompson Boulevard in reference to a violation of an order of protection. The caller reported that a subject who they had an order of protection against had violated the terms of the order. A report was made of the incident and charges were requested. Sedalia Police were dispatched to the T-Mobile store, 1400 South Limit Avenue, Saturday afternoon for a report of stealing. When Officers arrived, they spoke with Charles E. Heaper. Heaper stated he noticed his silver LG Stylo 5x cell phone was missing that afternoon. Heaper stated he was talking to a man in the parking lot, and when the man left, he could not find his phone. The phone and its black cover were valued at $120. The suspect the victim mentioned was located and questioned. At the time of the report, it could not be determined if the phone in question was stolen or lost. Friday morning, Officers responded to the Equity Bank, 920 Thompson Boulevard, for a possible disturbance. A subject in the bank told employees that he did not wish to return home with the subject who brought him to the bank. He was transported to the Bothwell Hospital for evaluation. A general information report was completed. A hotline report was completed to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. LOOK: Things from the year you were born that don't exist anymore The iconic (and at times silly) toys, technologies, and electronics have been usurped since their grand entrance, either by advances in technology or breakthroughs in common sense. See how many things on this list trigger childhood memories—and which ones were here and gone so fast you missed them entirely.

The University of Kansas defeated Wichita State, 8-2, Wednesday night in front of 2,324 fans at Hoglund Ballpark-the largest crowd ever to be in attendance at a KU baseball game. The victory improved KU’s overall record to 18-10, while the Shockers dropped to 21-7 on the season.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?> With the game tied at three after three innings, freshman catcher Buck Afenir sparked the Jayhawk offense with an RBI single in the fourth. The run scoring single plated fellow freshman Preston Land, who doubled earlier in the inning. The power surge continued into the fifth inning as KU scored three more runs. The inning was highlighted by sophomore John Allman’s two-run single that scored Gus Milner and Jared Schweitzer. On the evening, Allman smacked three hits and drove in a career-high three runs. KU capped off its six unanswered runs with two more in the sixth inning. Sophomore Erik Morrison knocked an RBI double and Allman recorded a run scoring single. Junior Brendan McNamara took the rubber for the Jayhawks and pitched three innings allowing one earned run. He was relieved by freshman lefty Andy Marks to start the fourth frame. Marks pitched three innings of scoreless ball to improve his record to 2-1. The St. Louis, Mo., native struck out four batters and allowed just two hits. Junior Ryotaro Hayakawa and freshmen Nick Czyz and Paul Smyth pitched one inning each. Hayakawa and Czyz allowed one hit while Smyth pitched a perfect ninth inning. Five Jayhawks had two or more hits led by Allman and Ritchie Price with three each. Every KU player in the starting lineup reached base with a base hit or walk. The Jayhawks will host Missouri in a three game Big 12 conference series starting Friday, March 31. First pitch of the Border Showdown is set for 6 p.m. at Hoglund Ballpark. Game Notes: Kansas improves to 5-4 against Wichita State under Ritch Price … Erik Morrison extended his hitting streak to a career-long eight games … Freshman Preston Land extended his career-long hitting streak to five games … Brendan McNamara made his first career start … KU is now 5-0 at home this season … The win was KU’s 13th come-from-behind victory of the year … Jared Schweitzer had his team-high 16th multi-hit game of the year.

Objectives Chancellor Robert Hemenway has challenged the University of Kansas to become a world-class center in science and communications technology research, literacy and education to benefit all of the citizens of Kansas and the Kansas City Metropolitan area. The University has initiated an ambitious plan for improving the quality of science education for all citizens within this region by establishing working partnerships among school districts, two-year and four-year colleges and informal science education institutions within the region. These partnerships will work to infuse K-12 school curricula, undergraduate science and technology curricula, and public education and outreach activities with technology driven hands-on science experiences. Two objectives are central to realizing the Chancellor's challenge: Objective 1: Empower regional science teachers and faculty to deliver science education that makes effective use of technology in student-centered science research experiences. Objective 2: Develop the infrastructure at the University of Kansas that we need to model this instructional strategy at every level of science education. These objectives have a strong synergy with the University's effort to build a nationally recognized research focus around existing private sector collaborations in life science and information technology in the Kansas City region. Fostering partnerships in science education through the implementation of these objectives will create a nationally relevant model for improving science education among all age groups. The need for the University of Kansas to assert its role as a regional intellectual leader in science and technology has grown out of the following issues: The decision by the Kansas State Board of Education to de-emphasize modern scientific theories including evolution and geologic time. The confusion of science, religion and politics evident in this move highlights the need for improved scientific literacy among the public. It also illustrates public mistrust of the motives of scientists and the lack of understanding about the societal and environmental costs of past scientific achievements. The digital divide that shuts an important segment of our population out of opportunities to participate in and benefit from the scientific and technological revolution. In spite of our proximity to Haskell Indian Nations University and the Kansas City Metropolitan area, which is home to a highly diverse population, the University of Kansas has struggled in its efforts to serve Native American, African American and Hispanic students. The University recognizes that partnering with school districts in Kansas City may be an initial effective step toward generating a more diverse University student body and faculty. Disappointing scores by K-12 students on internationally standardized science and mathematics tests. The results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) are a negative indicator for our nation's future competitiveness in high-tech industry. Attracting and maintaining a scientifically and technologically skilled workforce is a major objective of Kansas City area industrial and educational leaders. The need to prepare students for entry into an increasingly interdependent and technologically driven world. We need to insure that our graduates from non-science and technology programs as well as students preparing for scientific or technological careers are adequately prepared to compete in a technology rich work environment. Calls by nationally prominent education and science organizations to include authentic scientific research experiences (scientific inquiry) in science curricula for students at the K-16 levels. Recent reports from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the National Academy of Science (NAS) recognize that students become most engaged in the study of science as they participate in genuine research experiences. These agencies recommend that substantial components of scientific inquiry be incorporated in curricula from kindergarten through the university level. Toward addressing these concerns, faculty and staff from the sciences, engineering, mathematics and education have worked over the past six years to develop models to present authentic scientific research experiences to students at the K-16 levels. Many of these models use Internet Technology (IT) to empower students participating in genuine scientific research by delivering scientific content, facilitating the collection and archiving of data, and assisting in the analysis and visualization of results. Since we view the University's role in delivering and supporting the delivery of science education as a continuum, ranging from elementary education for young children through lifetime science investigation for adults, the scope of these projects has covered a full range of educational experiences. The University of Kansas' new Center for Science Education (kuscied.org) is spearheading the activities of these partnerships. The Center can contribute the practical expertise and scholarly capability of faculty and staff from a broad range of disciplines who have experience in science education reform projects. Project Profiles 1) Technology and Research: Tools for More Effective Science Education Accomplishing the two objectives of this project will require a significant commitment of resources from within the University and from external sources. The first objective can be achieved through a sustained professional development effort that benefits instructors at each level of science instruction. Accomplishing the second objective will require a carefully coordinated redesign of both the science curricula and science teaching spaces employed at the University of Kansas. Brief descriptions of initiatives that will provide these professional development experiences and facilitate the redesign of the curricular and physical infrastructure for science education are included below. Professional Development Initiatives. We view the University of Kansas as a key partner and contributor at all levels of science education reform. The most important resource that we can contribute to the reform process is to help current and future teachers and faculty to incorporate technology-rich inquiry based science curricula in their own teaching practice. A variety of projects at the University are already developing the tools to deliver this type of professional development for preservice and inservice teachers, future college and university faculty and existing science faculty members. We propose to extend the four projects described below into permanent programs for the professional development of regional K-12 and post-secondary science teachers. Innovation and Reform in K-12 Science Curricula. Population served: K-12 teachers and their classes. - The Kansas Collaborative Research Network (KanCRN), a Department of Education funded project, has developed a professional development network to show teachers at over 600 schools worldwide how to use IT delivered inquiry-based science curricula. Students add their own data to database archives and receive assistance from online project builders in designing their own original research projects. See the KanCRN website at www.kancrn.org. Undergraduate Research Experiences for Science Education Majors. Population Served: Preservice teachers, undergraduate science and technology majors. - Numerous university, NIH and NSF supported programs across the campus support the participation of science majors in undergraduate research experiences. These experiences should be expanded to include preservice teachers, who must achieve a clear understanding of the nature of scientific research during their years at the university. KU Graduate Outreach Fellowships. Population served: K-12 teachers and their students, and future University faculty. - NSF support allows KU graduate students in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Mathematics and Engineering to participate in teaching internships in at-risk schools in the Kansas City Metropolitan area. University Internships for K-12 and Two-year College Science Instructors. Population served: K-12 teachers, college and university faculty. - NSF funding for the Kansas Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (KCETP) currently bringing groups of K-12 science teachers and community college instructors to campus during summers for extended professional development on IT driven GIS as a tool for the analysis and visualization of environmental data. The outcomes of some projects sponsored by KCETP are shown at www.kcetp.org. Infrastructure Initiatives. In addition to building expertise among teachers and faculty to deliver technology-rich inquiry-based science experiences, we must provide a world-class curriculum framework and physical environment in which this instructional strategy is modeled for participants in the project. The primary science teaching facilities at the University of Kansas currently touch the lives of many university and K-12 students, teachers, college faculty and citizens through courses, research experiences, professional development activities and informal educational events. We believe that the effect of these experiences could be made more lasting and the scope of this impact could be broadened with a truly modern teaching facility. Examples of progress in the redesign of our undergraduate science curricula and science teaching spaces are provided below. Redesign of Undergraduate Science Curricula. Population served: Science and technology majors, non-science majors, and preservice teachers at KU. -- NSF and Hewlett Foundation funded reform projects in three different science departments incorporate inquiry-based experiments into laboratories for both science majors and non-majors. New chemistry laboratories use IT for content delivery and data acquisition. These laboratories are accessible at linus.chem.ukans.edu. Planning an Educational Infrastructure for the Future. Population served: Science instructors and students at all levels. - University support has defined the need for a modern interdisciplinary science teaching facility that 1) maximizes the availability of collaborative space for students in lecture and laboratory environments, 2) allows the instructor to employ a range of instructional strategies within the same physical environment and 3) provides the maximum flexibility in incorporating IT interfaced scientific technology in formal teaching and laboratory spaces, and in spaces designated for student collaboration. Through the formal and informal science programs that occur on the University of Kansas campus, our primary science instruction and teaching laboratory spaces are important resources for students and teachers at all levels of science instruction. One outcome of these initiatives will be to establish a world-class center for the study of technology and inquiry in science education and, thus, will contribute substantially to the improvement of regional science education. We expect our own scholarly studies of the change process to project the outcomes of this program onto the national stage as an important model for future science education reform. Two illustrations from the design charette for the Laboratory Science Teaching Facility are shown below. Click on the images for larger versions.

For playing this game players need to put five coins at asking time and 토토 꽁머니 players are acknowledge five cards. As this match is a draw then the players get an opportunity to change their hands. In any case, this open door is given just a single time. In the wake of choosing the last card, press the arrangement key and the machine supplanted by new card. At last the machine shows the end-product as indicated by the . Gaming machines have been around for a long time now, you can stroll into any gambling club all over the planet and you will find an opening machined calling out to you. In this day and age of innovation you can now play online opening games. You never again have a switch to pull, simply direct the mouse toward where you need and it will go about as the 먹튀검증. There still a great deal the tomfoolery and fervor play online space games; it’s simply more straightforward and one won’t need to battle every one individuals waiting around sitting tight for your gambling machine. A ton of the space games online may offer better restitution rates, consequently bringing those old gambling machine games into the twenty first hundred years. There are numerous web-based opening games that are free or you can pay for them, really wagering on the web and can acquire enormous rewards. They all have extravagant ‘gambling machines’ sharp illustrations and every one of the stops and whistles that you would see at any club. One can positively win huge amount of cash, genuine or play cash; it actually has the fervor that can not be bested. They online opening games have such countless various pictures, from tigers to apples, bananas and cherries. At the point when you get each of the three you win. Many use RTG (Constant Gaming) as it is one of the top programming engineers for the openings. These incorporates the download, a glimmer client and are portable, you can take your game anyplace you need to go. There are likewise Moderate spaces, you can really win a daily existence time bonanza and you just need to pay out a couple of dollars, similarly as with all betting, your possibilities winning the big stake resembles scoring a sweepstakes, not very great, yet it is entertaining. They say to play as many coins that you need to win the bonanza, the gamble is higher as is the compensation out. The principles are straightforward while playing on the web opening games, one simply has to realize which button to hit to win or not there are programming engineers that have included between four to six reels and up to 25 compensation lines. There are even extra games; these make the game a smidgen seriously testing. Looking at the triumphant blends, the payout rates prior to beginning the game will assist you with winning more. The free web-based opening games are the best approach in the event that you don’t have the cash to put out for betting. This is only a shot in the dark, there isn’t set of rules to express how to succeed at spaces, it’s practically similar to sometimes all good, sometimes not so good. Playing free web-based opening games is an effective method for moving away from the world and it’s concerns and you won’t be depleting your ledger. Some web-based space games will try and give credits towards sweepstakes you can win cash in, and this would be genuine cash. The free games actually have the entirety of the stops and whistles simply the like the paid ones. In the event that you go to Las Vegas, individuals love to watch out for ‘their’ machine. Assuming you see a space game with a cup on the seat, it implies that the machine is saved while the player has recently gone to get something to eat and drink or has gone to the washroom. So for what reason do players jump at the chance? Indeed, many space game players have constructed various bogus recommendations around their play, expecting that the more they play a game and the more cash they dropkick, the more probable the opening game is to pay out. Regardless of what you tell these players they’ll constantly need to return to the machine they’ve been playing on for a few hours, and they’ll presumably feel truly cheated in the event that another person bounces in their seat and, hits a major success. Will there at any point be a circumstance where opening games work in this style on the web? It’s surely workable for a gambling club to record the situation with a space game when a player exits and afterward stacks precisely the same game mode when the player returns. The issue is be that as it may, it’s basically impossible that the player could figure out whether the game was in a similar state as when they left. The justification for this is on the grounds that a space game deals with a totally irregular number generator (RNG), and that implies regardless of how long you’ve been siphoning the cash into an opening game, you can’t impact the game’s result. There could be a more prominent benefit to playing the web-based renditions of the gambling club spaces, as players can sit in the solace of their own homes and not be diverted by different players in closeness. Fundamentally, online openings players at last have as much possibility hitting a bonanza on your most memorable twist as your 100th twist, and hence we especially question on the off chance that there is any money in internet based gambling clubs truly giving players individual space games. You can take your #1 gaming machine for a test drive online free of charge at incredibly famous administrators, including Sky Vegas. I’m trusting with the development of the web based gaming world this will happen ultimately, there could be no more excellent inclination for some than playing your number one Vegas opening internet, knowing that in the event that you enjoy some time off you can return to precisely where you left it. On the off chance that this doesn’t happen as expected, maybe we could get a virtual server to top us up with tea, espresso and franks while we play. As of late Microgaming programming organization delivered another gaming machine called Flabbergasted 2. It’s a 5 reel 300 coin video reward gambling machine with 243 forever empowered ways of winning. This space game has numerous special elements like the Incomparable Corridor of Twists including four sorts of free twists, the Wild Tempest highlight which can be initiated arbitrarily during the game and changes up to 5 reels into wild reels. Likewise the game has another accomplishments include which assist you with following your rewards status by featuring image mixes that you have won. Other than these novel highlights, Dumbfounded 2 space game has standard elements and extra images like wild replacements and dissipate rewards. It’s an extremely intriguing game with many opportunities to win. How about we audit all elements of this internet based gambling machine. Stunned 2 Images The Stunned Logo image is a wild and multiplier image, so it can assist you with creating additional triumphant blends by filling in for different images. Likewise when it goes about as a wild image it pairs the payout of this triumphant mix. A most elevated bonanza of 1000 coins is paid out when you hit five the Stunned Logo images on a payline. The Reward Hummer image is a dissipate image, this implies you can get disperses on any reels and produce winning mixes which can pay up to multiple times your bet. At least three the Reward Hummer images arriving on any five reels enact the Incomparable Lobby of Twists reward game. Stunned 2 Extra Games The Incomparable Lobby of Twists reward round has four sorts of free twist reward game, three of four games are locked. To open every one of the four games you should enact the Incomparable Lobby of Twists a particular number of times. So the Valkyrie reward round is forever accessible and you can begin playing it. In this reward game you will be granted with 10 free twists and a 5x multiplier. A second game Loki opens up when you enact the Incomparable Corridor of Twists multiple times. In the Loki game you get 15 free twists and on the off chance that you get a Wild Wizardry image on reel 3 during this reward game you will enact the Wild Enchantment highlight which changes up to 14 irregular customary images into Wild Sorcery images, and you will actually want to finish additional triumphant blends with these images. The Odin reward round is enacted when you start the Incomparable Lobby of Twists multiple times. The Odin game honors you win 20 free twists, and on the off chance that you have a success, one of two Odin’s

I recently watched a few videos from the dremio sponsored data lake conference: https://www.dremio.com/press-releases/introducing-subsurface-the-cloud-data-lake-conference/. It’s a good collection of videos about a relatively new topic, data lakes. Data lakes are an architectural focal point for data management. Some people think data lakes are new, especially vendors selling you on data lake tools and consulting. The new hotness is “separating compute and storage,” although that’s been going on for nearly four decades. Even though data lakes are the new hotness, rumors suggest that data lakes are hard to show and deliver ROI. There are many reasons this may be true. We should step back and look at data lakes. Data lakes are nothing new, but their implementations have changed. Let’s start with a bit of history, around the late 80s and early 90s when data-warehouses roamed the earth. Data warehouses were hot until they weren’t. Data warehouses were an universal answer to a variety of data management and organizational problems. Today, most people love to make the data warehouses the bogeyman. Data warehouse projects became widow-makers for IT managers. It was always unfair to ask IT managers to smooth over differences in priorities, delivery speeds, and data/analytical needs in the different divisions. Although my point of view is not widespread, after many years helping companies with their analytics, it’s clear that IT is the wrong place to produce a wide range of analytical products consumed by a wide range of users. Budgets for analytics should be borne by those that need it. A few “data products” can be consolidated for cost efficiency into a shared service group like IT. In some cases, if there is a common need or cost control, sure, IT may be an Ok choice where to do these things, but in general, it is not and never will be. That’s just the way business works. At least in my world, a data warehouse’s inputs and outputs were almost always provided to different data consumers–the data warehouse itself was not the only physical data asset. But this approach and point-of-view was not the standard design approach. Data-warehouses became hard-to-use siloes almost *by definition*. One client hired me to find out why a data-warehouse had no users. The primary user said the IT group turned off his access and did not have the data they needed. Case closed! Many IT managers wanted to control these files to control “one version of the truth,” but it is not efficient to force IT to be the owner of these business issues. You do need one particular place to go for a business measure, but it is not necessarily IT’s job to own and publish it. By providing inputs and outputs from a data warehouse, a data warehouse became a “cache” of pre-computed values. Whether it was a database table, a cube, or another proprietary data structure, there was always a cache. It is usually too expensive to always recompute a result of raw source data. Storage and compute may be cheap but not free. Caching is not a technical issue. Think economics. The caches are more convenient and less costly to access. Even in a cloud environment, there is a cost to recompute from the raw data. To build a cache, you have to specify what you want before you need it. Even with automatic caching, you need to be thoughtful. And cloud, incremental work is often not capitalizable. Data virtualization, mostly on-premise, came later in the late 90’s early 2000’s. You could combine data from any source, raw source data, data warehouses, downstream extracts, excel files on your desktop, and query it without having to have prepared the data prior. Of course, to get anything useful, you would have to reproduce many of the same business data processing steps you have to regardless of your data management approach. In some scenarios, this was a huge step forward. The pharmaceutical industry, with vast amounts of unintegrated data, complex formats such as those found in clinical trials, and other domain areas really benefits from this approach. Interestingly enough to get good and fast results, data virtualization tools always had a giant cache in the middle along with a query planner and execution engine. Enter the cloud and data lakes. A data lake is a set of inputs and outputs. It is a cache of intermediate computations for some. For others, it is a source of raw information. It usually has data in several multiple formats for tool convenience. It often has some metadata, lineage, and other “management” features to help navigate and understand what is available. Typically, a wide variety of tools are available that work with several, although not infinite, number of data formats. When these types of features are essential to your users, then a data lake makes sense. Today’s data lake companies are trying to convince you that data warehouses are evil. In many ways, I agree with them because most of them were designed wrong. However, the thinking and effort that goes into a data-warehouse never really goes away. Even in a cloud environment, you still pretty much have to do the same thing as you would build a “thing with a cache in the middle.” At some point, you have to specify what you want to do to the data to make it ready for use. Business intent and processing is inevitable. There is no free lunch. Fortunately, newer tools, like dremio’s, AWS, Azure, and many others, make this more accessible than before. Most modern tools recognize that there are many formats, access patterns, and data access needs–one size does not fit all. This point of view alone makes these tools better than the traditional “single ETL tool” and “single DW database” approach from the decade prior. Data lake companies provide tools and patterns that *are* more useful in a highly complex and distributed (organizationally and technically). Look at dremio. Dremio has a great product. I like it. It is cast as a data lake engine because data lakes are still kind-of hot in the market. It is really a data virtualization tool well suited for a cloud environment. Highly useful in a situation where you want to provide access to the data in a wide variety of formats and access technologies and tools. Yes, there is a finite list of “connectors.” At least, however, part of dremio, such as apache arrow and arrow flight, is open-source so you can add your own. dremio has to implement patterns that have been used for decades, even if dremio describes it differently. To make it fast enough and lower costs, it has a cache in the middle, although optional. It has a C++ core, instead of something less efficient, it targets zero-copy transfers through the networking and app stack. It uses code generation to push computation to different locations. Many, if not most, of these features, were implemented four decades ago for MPP internetworking and were present in Ab-Initio and Torrent data processing products if anyone remembers them. Columnar databases with compression were available three decades ago–I used them. Separate compute and storage, break apart the RDBMS into pieces and retarget them. Check! I’m not saying that everyone is saying these are completely new concepts and have never been done before. However, newer products like dremio’s are better than yesterday’s tools. Their mindset and development approach is entirely different. Sure, they are not doing anything new architecturally, but that makes them easy to figure out and use. Under the hood, they must build out the same building blocks needed to process data like any product–you cannot escape gravity. They are doing things new design-wise. They are making a better product. Recognizing these basic ideas should help large enterprises adopt and integrate products like dremio. The sins of data-warehousing and proprietary tools, in general, are many. Most likely, proprietary tools probably still make more money daily than open-source tools. Open-source tools may have higher valuations. Perhaps this reflects their ability to be used by more companies in the long run. Open-source tools are cheaper for the moment. There are more product choices. In the long run, no market can sustain a large number of products, so when the Fed finally stops supporting companies and capitalism returns, you may see a shrinking of funds around open-source data management tools. All is not perfect, but it is better than before. Data lakes can be useful because they were useful 20 years ago when they existed at companies but had different names, e.g., the “input layer” or the “extract layer.” Insurance companies loved the “extract” layer because their source systems were many and complex and if you could find the right extract, life was easier. I’m hoping tools like dremio get situated and last in the long run because they are better. Companies are building non-open parts of their product to monetize and incentivize companies. They still need income. Like previous tools they displaced, these newer tools will be displaced by others unless they get embedded enough at a client or another software company and create a sustainable source of income. Look at Palantir, for example. They have a little open-source, but their core product is behind the firewall. Many of these companies use open-source as a cover for coolness, but their intent is monetized proprietary software. I’m not against that, but we should recognize the situation so we are smarter about our decisions of what to use. The cycle will continue. Rinse and repeat. Author adminPosted on August 14, 2020 August 28, 2020 Categories Data Science, Information Management, Strategy yes, yet another bigdata summary post…now it’s a party Since I am “recovering” data scientist, I thought that once in awhile, it would be good deviate from my more management consulting articles and eyeball the bigdata landscape to see if something interesting has happened. What!?! It seems like you cannot read an article without encountering yet another treatise on bigdata or at the very least, descriptions of the “internet of things.” That’s true, but if you look under the hood, the most important benefits of the bigdata revolution have really been on two fronts. First, recent bigdata technologies have decreased the cost of analytics and this makes analytics more easily available to smaller companies. Second, the bigadata bandwagon has increased awareness that analytics are needed to run the business. Large companies could long afford the investments in analytics which made corporate size an important competitive attribute. The benefits from analytics should not lead to a blanket and unthoughtful endorsement of analytics. Not every business process, product or channel needs overwhelming analytics. You want, however, analytics to be part of the standard toolkit for managing the value chain process and decision making. The ability to process large amounts of data, beyond what mainframes could do, has been with us for years-twenty to thirty years The algorithms developed decades ago are similar to the algorithms and processing schemes pushed in the bigdata world today. Teradata helped created the MPP database and SQL world. AbInitio (still available) and Torrent (with their Orchestrate product sold to IBM eventually) defined the pipeline parallelism and data parallelism data processing toolchain world. Many of the engineers at these two ETL companies came from Thinking Machines. The MPI API defined parallel processing for the scientific world (and before that PVM and before that…). All of these technologies were available decades ago. Mapreduce is really an old lisp concept of map and fold which was available in parallel from Thinking Machines even earlier. Today’s tools build on the paradigms that these companies created in the first pass of commercialization. As you would expect, these companies built on what had occurred before them. For example, parallel filesystems have been around for a long time and were present on day one in those processing tools mentioned above. Now that the hype around mapreduce is declining and its limitations are finally becoming widely understood, people recognize that mapreduce is just one of several parallel processing approaches. Free from the mapreduce-like thinking, bigdata toolchains can finally get down to business. The bigdata toolchains realize that sql query expressions are a good way to express computations. Sql query capabilities are solidly available in most bigdata environments. Technically, many of the bigdata tools provide “manual” infrastructure to build the equivalent sql commands. That is, they provide the parsing, planning and distribution of the queries to independent processing nodes. I consider the current bigdata “spin” that started a about 1-2 years ago healthy because it increased the value of other processing schemes such as streaming, real-time query interaction and graphs. To accommodate these processing approaches, the bigdata toolchains have changed significantly. Think SIMD, MIMD, SIPD and all the different variations. I think the framework developers have realized that these other processing approaches require a general purpose parallel execution engine. An engine that AbInitio and others have had for decades. You need to be able to execute programs using a variety of processing algorithms where you think of the “nodes” as running different types of computations and not just a single mapreduce job. You need general purpose pipeline and data parallelism. We see this in the following open-source’ish projects: Hadoop now as a real resource and job management subsystem that is a more general parallel job scheduling tool. It is now useful for more genera parallel programming. Apache Tez helps you build general jobs (for hadoop). Apache Flink builds pipeline and data parallel jobs. Its also a general purpose engine e.g. streaming, … Apache Spark builds pipeline and data parallel jobs. Its also a general purpose engine e.g. streaming, .. Apache Cascading/Scalding builds pipeline and data parallel jobs, etc. DataTorrent: streaming and more. Storm: Streaming Kafka: Messaging (with persistency) Scrunch: Based on apache crunch, builds processing pipelines …many of the above available as PaaS on AWS or Azure… … I skipped many others of course and I am completely skipping some of the early sql-ish systems such as hive and I have skipped visualization, which I’ll hit in another article. Some of these have been around for a few years in various stages of maturity. Most of these implement pipeline parallelism and data parallelism for creating general processing graphs and some provide sql support where that processing approach makes sense. In addition the underlying engines, what’s new? I think some very important elements: usability. The tools are a heck-of-alot easier to use now. Here’s why. What made the early-stage (20-30 years ago) parallel processing tools easier to use was that they recognized, due to their experience in the parallel world, that usability by programmers was key. While it is actually fairly easy to get inexpensive scientific and programming talent, programming parallel systems has always been hard. It needs to be easier. New languages are always being created to help make parallel programming easier. Long ago, HPF and C* among many were commercial variations of the same idea. Programmers today want to stay within their toolchains because switching toolchains to run a data workflow is hard work and time consuming to develop. Many of today’s bigdata tools allow multiple languages to be used: Java, Python, R, Scala, javascript and more. The raw mapreduce system was very difficult to program and so user-facing interfaces were provided, for example, cascading. Usability is one of the reasons that SAS is so important to the industry. It is also why Microsoft’s research Dryad project was popular. Despite SAS’s quirks, its alot easier to use than many other environments and its more accessible to the users who need to create the analytics. In the original toolsets from the vendors mentioned earlier in this article, you would program in C++ or a special purpose data management language. It worked fine for those companies who could afford the talent that could master that model. In contrast to today, you can use languages like python or scala to run the workflows and use the language itself to express the computations. The language itself is expressive enough that you are not using the programming environment as a “library” that you make programming calls to. The language constructs are translated into the parallel constructs transparently. The newer languages, like lisp of yore, are more functionally oriented. Functional programming languages come with a variety of capabilities that makes this possible. This was the prize that HPF and C* were trying to win. Specialized languages are still being developed that help specify parallelism and data locality without being “embedded” in other modern languages and they to can make it easier to use the new bigdata capabilities. While the runtimes of these embedded parallel capabilities are still fairly immature in a variety of ways. Using embedded expressions, data scientists can use familiar toolchains, languages and other components to create their analytical workflows easier. Since the new runtimes allow more than just mapreduce, streaming, machine learning and other data mining approaches suddenly becomes much more accessible at large scale in more ways than just using other tools like R and others. This is actually extremely important. Today’s compute infrastructure should not be built with rigid assumptions about tools, but be “floatable” to new environments where the pace of innovation is strong. New execution engines are being deployed at a fantastic rate and you want to be able to use them to obtain processing advantages. You can only do that if you are using well known tools and technologies and if you have engineered your data (through data governance) to be portable to these environments that often live in the cloud. It is through this approach that you can obtain flexibility. I won’t provide any examples here, but lookup the web pages for storm and flink for examples. Since sql-like query engines are now available in these environments, this also contributes to the user-friendliness. Three critical elements are now in play: cost effectiveness, usability and generalness. Now its a party. Author adminPosted on November 6, 2014 October 17, 2015 Categories Data Science, Information Management, Programming Oso Mudslides and BigData There was much todo about google’s bigdata bad flu forecasts recently in the news. google had tried to forecast flu rates in the US based on search data. That’s a hard issue to forecast well but doing better will have public benefits by giving public officials and others information to identify pro-active actions. Lets also think about other places where bigdata, in a non-corporate, non-figure-out-what-customers-will-buy-next way, could also help. Let’s think about Oso, Washington (Oso landslide area on google maps) Given my background in geophysics (and a bit of geology), you can look at Oslo, Washington and think…yeah…that was a candidate for a mudslide. Using google earth, its easy to look at the pictures and see the line in the forest where the earth has given way over the years. It looks like the geology of the area is mostly sand and it was mentioned it was glacier related. All this makes sense. We also know that homeowner’s insurance tries to estimate the risk of a policy before its issued and its safe to assume that the policies either did not cover mudslides or catastrophes of this nature for exactly this reason. All of this is good hind-sight. How do we do better? Its pretty clear from the aerial photography that the land across the river was ripe for a slide. The think sandy line, the sparse vegetation and other visual aspects from google earth/maps shows that detail. Its a classic geological situation. I’ll also bet the lithography of the area is sand, alot of sand, and more sand possible on top of hard rock at the base. So lets propose that bigdata should help give homeowners a risk assessment of their house which they can monitor over time and use to evaluate the potential devastation that could come from a future house purchase. Insurance costs alone should not prevent homeowners from assessing their risks. Even “alerts” from local government officials sometimes fall on deaf ears. Here’s the setup: Use google earth maps to interpret the images along rivers, lakes and ocean fronts Use geological studies. Its little known that universities and the government have conducted extensive studies in most areas of the US and we could, in theory, make that information more accessible and usable Use aerial photography analysis to evaluate vegetation density and surface features Use land data to understand the terrain e.g. gradients and funnels Align the data with fault lines, historical analysis of events and other factors. Calculate risk scores for each home or identify homes in an area of heightened risk. Do this and repeat monthly for every home in the US at risk and create a report for homeowners to read. Now that would be bigdata in action! This is a really hard problem to solve but if the bigdata “industry” wants to prove that its good at data fusion on a really hard problem that mixes an extremely complex and large amount of disparate data and has public benefit, this would be it. Author adminPosted on March 30, 2014 April 4, 2014 Categories Data Science, Information Management, Strategy Ranking information, “winner take all” and the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle Does ranking information, who likes what, top-10 rankings, produce “winner take all” situations? There is an old rule in strategy which is that there are no rules. While it is always nice to try and create underlying theories or rules of how the world works, science and mathematics are still fairly young to describe something this complex. Trying to apply rules like the concept presented in the title is probably some form of confirmatory bias. Having said that, there is evidence that this effect can happen, not as a rule to be followed, but something that does occur. How could this happen? Ranking information does allow us, as people, to see what other people are doing. That’s always interesting–to see what others are doing, looking at or thinking about. And by looking at what other people are looking at, there is a natural increase in “viewership” of that item. So the top-10 ranking, always entertaining of course, does create healthy follow-on “views.” But “views” does not mean involvement or agreement. In other word, while ranking information and today’s internet makes it easy to see what other are seeing, our act of observation actually contributes to the appearance of popularity. That popularity appears to drive others to “winner take all.” “Winner take all” can take many forms. Winner take all can meant that once the pile-on starts, that a web site becomes very popular. This is often confused with the network effect. Winner take all can also mean that a song becomes popular because its played alot, so more people like it, so its played even more, and so on. Of course this does not describe how the song became popular to begin with–perhaps people actually liked the song and it had favorable corporate support–there is nothing wrong with that. And this leads us to the uncertainty principle. The act of observation disturbs the thing we are trying to measure. The more scientific formulation has to do with the limits of observation of position and velocity at the atomic level but we’ll gloss over that more formal definition. The act of observing a top-10 list on the internet, causes the top-10 list to become more popular. The act of listening to a song, and through internet communication channels, changes the popularity of the song. So its clear, that given internet technology, there is a potential feedback loop that employs the uncertainty principle. Alright, that makes sense. But the world is probably a little more complex than this simple thought. While the act of observing could make something more popular, that does not mean that the act of observing makes something unpopular turn into something popular. In other words, people are not fools. They like what they like. If something is on the top-10 list or comes from a band that has good corporate airtime support, that does not mean that it is a bad song or a bad list. It does not mean that people would not like it if did not play in that venue. The internet is a powerful tool to help people quickly find what they want. The cost of finding a new web site or a new source of top-10 lists (or whatever) is fairly low. So there is no real inherent lock-in. There is the possibility that given the internet’s reach, the ability to more rapidly escalate and de-escalate from “winner take all” to “has been” is fairly robust. Its quite possible, in the spirit of making business rules for fun, that the internet produces a steady stream of “winner take all” and if there is a steady stream of “winner take take all” events, then they are really just average events after all (regression to the mean). So with my fancy new rule, there are no “winner take all” events any more, just a large number of rapidly escalating/de-escalating average events–the frequency has just been bumped up. That’s okay as well. Author adminPosted on June 24, 2013 July 9, 2013 Categories Data Science, StrategyLeave a comment on Ranking information, “winner take all” and the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle Tempering our expectations for bigdata in healthcare Expectations around bigdata’s impact on healthcare is leaping ahead of reality and some good thoughts are being expressed. However, healthcare has already had significant amounts of analytics applied to it. The issue is not that larger sets of data are critical, but that the sharing and integration of the data are the critical parts for better analysis. Bigdata does not necessarily solve these problems although the bigdata fever may help smash through these barriers. Over 15 Blues and most of the major nationals have already purchased data warehouse appliances and advanced systems to speed-up analysis, so its not necessarily performance or scalability that is constraining advances built on data-driven approaches. And just using unstructured text in analytics will not create a leapfrog in better outcomes from data. We really need to think integration and access. More people performing analysis in clever ways will make a difference. And this means more people than just the few that can access healthcare detailed data: most of which is proprietary and will stay proprietary to companies that collect it. Privacy and other issues prevent widespread sharing of the granular data needed to truly perform analysis and get great results…its a journey. This makes the PCORI announcements about yet another national data infrastructure (based on a distributed data model concept) and Obama’s directive to get more Medicare data into the world for innovation (see the 2013 Healthcare Datapooloza that just completed in Washington DC) that much more interesting. PCORI is really building a closed network of detailed data using a common data model and distributed analysis while CMS is being pushed to make datasets more available to entrepreneurs and innovators–a bit of the opposite in terms of “access.” There are innovative ideas out there, in fact, there is no end to them. Bigdata is actually a set of fairly old ideas that are suddently becoming economic to implement. And there is serious lack of useful datasets that are widely available. The CMS datasets are often heavily massaged prior to release in order to conform to HIPAA rules e.g. you cannot provide detailed data at an individual level essentially despite what you think you are getting: just stripping off a name and address off a claim form is sufficient for satisfying HIPAA rules. So its clear that to get great results, you probably have to follow the PCORI model, but then analysis is really restricted to just a few people who can access those datasets. That’s not to say that if patients are willing to opt-in to programs that get their healthcare data out there, bigdata does not have alot to offer. Companies using bigdata technology on their proprietary datasets can make a difference and there are many useful ideas to economically go after using bigdata–many of which are fairly obvious and easy to prioritize. But there is not going to suddenly be a large community of people with new access to granular data that could be, and often is, the source of innovation. Let’s face it. Many healthcare companies have had advanced analytics and effectively no real budget constraints for many years and will continue to do so. So the reason that analytics have not been created deployed more than today is unrelated to technology. If bigdata hype can help executives get moving and actually innovate (its difficult for executives to innovate versus just react in healthcare) then that’s a good thing and getting momentum will most likely be the largest stimulus to innovation overall. That’s why change management is key when using analytics for healthcare. Author adminPosted on June 8, 2013 June 10, 2013 Categories Data Science, Information Management, StrategyLeave a comment on Tempering our expectations for bigdata in healthcare Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating Terrorist Funding (CTF) analytics review In my last blog I reviewed some recent patents in the AML/CTF space. They describe what I consider some very rudimentary analytics workflows–fairly simple scoring and weighting using various a-priori measures. Why are such simple approaches patentable? To give you sense of why I would ask this question, there was a great trumpeting of news around the closing of a $6b money laundering operation at Liberty Reserve. But money laundering (including terrorism funding) is estimated at $500 billion to $1 trillion per year. That’s alot of badness that needs to be stopped. Hopefully smarter is better. There are predictive analytical solutions to various parts of the AML problem and there is a movement away from rules-only systems (rules are here to stay however since policies must still be applied to predictive results). However, the use of predictive analytics is slowed because AML analytics boils down to an unsupervised learning problem. Real-world test cases are hard to find (or create!) and the data is exceptional noisy and incomplete. The short message is that its a really hard problem to solve and sometimes simpler approaches just work easier than others. However, in this note, I’ll describe the issues a bit more and talk about where more advanced analytics have come into play. Oh and do not forget, on the other side of the law, criminals are actively and cleverly trying to hide their activity and they know how banks operate. The use of algorithms for AML analytics is advancing. Since AML analytics can occur at two different levels, the network and the individual level, its pretty clear that graph theory and other techniques that operate on the data in various ways are applicable. AML Analytics is not simply about a prediction that a particular transaction, legal entity or gorup of LE’s are conducting money laundering operations. Its best to view AML analytics as a collection of techniques from probabilistic matching to graph theory to predictive analytics combining together to identify suspicious transactions or LEs. If the state AML analytics is relatively maturing, what is the current state? Rather simple actually. Previous systems, including home grown systems, focused on the case management and reporting aspects (that’s reporting as in reporting on the data to help an analyst analyze some flows as well as regulatory reporting). AML Analytics was also typically based on sampling! Today, bigdata can help to avoid sampling issues. But current investments are focused around the data management aspects because poor data management capabilities have greatly exacerbated the cost of implementing AML solutions. FS institutions desperately need to reduce these costs and comply with what will be an ever-changing area of regulation. “First things first” seems to be the general thrust around AML investments. Since AML analysis will be based on Legal Entities (people and companies) as well as products, its pretty clear that the unique identification of LEs and the hierarchy/taxonomies/classifications of financial instruments is an important data management capability. Results from AML Analytics can be greatly reduced if the core data is noisy. When you combine the noisy data problem with today’s reality of highly siloed data systems inside of Banks and FS institutions, the scope of trying to implement AML Analytics is quite daunting. Of course, start simple and grow it. I mentioned above that there are not alot of identifiable cases for training algorithms. While it is possible to flag some transactions and confirm them, companies must report Suspicious Activity Reports (SAR) to the government. Unfortunately, the government does not provide a list of “identified” data back. So it is difficult to formulate a solution using supervised learning approaches. That’s why it is also important to attack the problem from multiple analytical approaches–no one method dominates and you need multiple angles of attack to help tune your false positive rates and manage your workload. When we look at the underlying data, its important to look at not only the data but also the business rules currently (or proposed) in use. The business rules will help identify how the data is to be used per the policies set by the Compliance Officer. The rules also help orient you on the objectives of the AML program at a specific institution. Since not all institutions transact all types of financial products, the “objectives” of an AML system can be very different. Since the objectives are different, the set of analytics used are also different. For example, smaller companies may wish to use highly iterative what-if scenario analysis to refine the policies/false positive rates by adjusting parameters and thresholds (which feels very univariate). Larger banks need more sophisticated analysis based on more advanced techniques (very multi-variate). We’ve mentioned rules (a-priori knowledge, etc.) and predictive/data mining models (of all kinds since you can test deviations from peer groups using data mining methods, and predicted versus actual patterns etc.) and graph theory (link analysis). We’ve also mentioned master data management for LEs (don’t forget identity theft) and products as well taxonomies, classifications and ontologies. But we also cannot forget time series analysis for analyzing sequential events. That’s a good bag of data mining tricks to draw from. The list is much longer. I am often reminded of a really great statistics paper called Bump Hunting in High Dimensional Data by Jerome Friedman and Nick Fisher because that’s conceptually what we are really doing. Naturally, criminals wish to hide their bumps and make their transactions look like normal data. On the data site, we have mentioned a variety of data types. The list below is a good first cut but you also need to recognize that synthesizing data, such as from aggregations (both time based aggregations and LE based aggregations such as transaction->account->person LE->group LE), are also important for the types of analytics mentioned above: LE data (Know Your Customer – KYC) General Ledger Detailed Transaction data Product Data External sources: watch lists, passport lists, identity lists Supplemental: Reference data, classifications, hierarchies, etc. Clearly, since there are regulatory requirements around SAR (suspicious activity), CTF (currency transactions) and KYC, it is important that the data quality enhancements first focus on those areas. Author adminPosted on June 4, 2013 June 4, 2013 Categories Data Science, Information ManagementLeave a comment on Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating Terrorist Funding (CTF) analytics review Anti-Money Laundering patent review I was recently reviewing some anti-money laundering (AML) patents to see if any had been published recently (published does not mean granted). Here’s a few links to some patents, some granted some applied for: Method and system to evaluate anti-money laundering risk (published 2005) Methods of and systems for money laundering risk assessment (2006 granted) Method of ranking politically exposed persons and other heightened risk persons and entities (granted 2011) Multi-Channel Data Driven, Real-Time Anti-Money Laundering System For Electronic Payment Cards (published 2013) All of the patents describe a general purpose system of calculating a risk score. The risk score is based on several factors. In AML, the key data include: A legal entity (name, location, type) A “location” (typically country) that determines the set of rules and “data lists” to be applied. This could be the LE’s country or it could be the financial instrument’s country but generally this embodies a jurisdiction area that applies to the AML effort. A “data list” from a country or location is the list of legal entities that are being watched or have been determined to engage in AML operations. So we have a mix of suspected and validated data. A financial instrument / product and its set of attributes such as transactions, amounts, etc. A jurisdiction: the risk assessor’s set of rules. Typically these are rules created by a company or a line of business. These rules help identify an event and should be relatively consistent across an entire enterprise but also vary based on the set of locations where a company may operate. A bank’s Compliance Officer is especially concerned about this area as it also contains policies. The policies represent who needs to do what in which situation. I have not tried to capture the nature of time in the above list since all of these components can change over time. Likewise, I did not try to capture all of the functions a AML system must perform such as regulatory reporting. We have also ignored whether all of these components are used in batch or real-time to perform a function. Or whether rules engines and workflow are powering some incredibly wonderful AML “cockpit” for an AML analyst at a company. We assume that the ultimate goal of a AML system is to identify LE’s potentially engaging in AML activities. I write “potentially” because you need to report “suspicious” activities to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). We can never know for certain whether all of the data is accurate or that an individual transaction is actually fraudulent. We can, however, use rules, either a-priori or predictive, to identify potential AML events. The patents describe a method of combining information, using a “computer system” to calculate a AML risk score. The higher the score, the more probable that an LE-FinancialProduct is being used for money laundering. Inherently, this is probabilistic. It’s also no different than any other risk scoring system. You have a bunch of inputs, there is formula or a predictive model, there is an output score. If something scores above a threshold, you do take action, such as report it to the government. Just as a note, there are also strict guidelines about what needs to be reported to the government as well as areas where there is latitude. The trick in such a system is to minimize false positives–LE-FinancialProduct combinations identified as money laundering but in reality are not. False positives waste time. So the system tries to create the best possible discrimination. So now look at the patents using the background I just laid out. They are fairly broad, they described this basic analysis workflow. It’s the same workflow, using the same concepts as credit scoring for FICA scores, or credit scoring for many types of loans, or marketing scoring for lifetime value or next logical product purchasing. In other words, the approach is the same. Okay, these are like many existing patents out there. My reaction is the same: I am incredulous that general patents are issued like they are. If you look past whether patents are being granted for general concepts, I think it is useful to note that many of these came out around 2005-2006 or so which is a few years after many regulations changed with the Patriot Act and other changes in financial regulations. So the key thought is yes, patents are being submitted in this area but I think the relatively low number of patent applications in this area reflects that the general workflow is, well, pretty general. Alright, the 2011 patent has some cool “graph/link analysis” but that type of analysis is also a bit 1980s. Note: I selected a few data concepts from the real-time AML risk scoring patent to give you a feel for the type of data used in AML around the transaction: transaction amount, source of funds such as bank or credit cards, channel used for loading funds such as POS or ATM, velocity such as count and amount sent in the past x days, location information such as number of pre-paid cards purchased from the same zip code, same country, same IP address within x hours, external data sources (.e.g. Interpol List) or internal data source Author adminPosted on June 3, 2013 June 3, 2013 Categories Data Science, Information Management, StrategyLeave a comment on Anti-Money Laundering patent review Opportunities for BigData and Heathcare: Need a little change management here What are the bigdata opportunities in healthcare? Today, BigData techniques are already employed by startups because BigData technology today can be very cost effectively used to perform analytics and gives startups an edge on the cost and capabilities front. Big what are the opportunities in heatlhcare for established companies? I’ll offer the thought that it can be broken into two main categories. The categories reflect the fact that there are in-place data assets that will be in place for quite awhile. Its very difficult to move an entire infrastructure to a new technology base overnight. It is true that if some semblance of modern architecture (messaging, interfaces for data access) is in place today, the movement can be much faster because the underlying implementation can be changed without changing downstream applications. The two categories are: Move targeted, structured analytical workflows to BigData. Enable new analytical capabilities that were previously not viable. The first category speaks to the area of BigData that can make a substantial ROI appear fairly quickly. There are many well-undestood workflows today inside healthcare Payers, for example, that simply run too slow, are not robust or are unable to handle the volume. Purchasing another large, hardware based appliance is not the answer. But scaling out to cloudscale (yes using a public cloud for a Payer is considered leading edge but easy to do with the proper security in place) allows a Payer to use BigData technology cheaply. Targeted workflows, that are well understood but underperforming can be moved over to BigData technology. The benefits are substantial ROI for infrastructure and cost avoidance for future updates. The positive ROI that comes from these projects indicates that the transition pays for itself. It can actually occur quite quickly. The second opportunity is around new analytical capabilities. Today, Payers and others cannot simple perform certain types of analytics easily because of limitations in the information management environments. These areas offer, assuming the business issue being addressed suggests it, substantial cost savings opportunities on the care side. New ways of disease management, outcomes research and network performance management can make substantial returns in under 2 years (it takes a year to cycle through provider network contracts and ensure the new analytics has a change to change the business process). Its these new capabilities that are most exciting. The largest impediment to these areas of opportunity will be change management. Changing the way analytics are performed is difficult. Today, SAS is used more for data management than statistical analysis and is the defacto standard for the analytical environment. SAS offers grid and other types of larger data processing solutions. To use BigData, plans will have to embrace immature technology and the talent that must be hired to deploy it. But the cost curve could be substantially below that of scaling current environments–again paying for itself fairly quickly. Management and groups used to a certain analytical methodology (e.g. cost allocations) will have to become comfortable seeing that methodology implemented differently. Payers may seek to outsource BigData analytics tools and technologies but the real benefit will be obtained by retaining talent in-house over the long run even if some part of the work is outsourced. Because analytics is a core competency and Payers need to, in my opinion, retain some core versus just becoming a virtual shell, BigData needs to be an in-house capability. Author adminPosted on May 13, 2013 Categories Data Science, Information Management, StrategyLeave a comment on Opportunities for BigData and Heathcare: Need a little change management here Social media, BigData and Effort-Return The classic question we ask about marketing, or really any form of outreach, is given the effort I expend, what is my return. This Effort-Return question is at the heart of ROI, value proposition and the general, down-to-earth question of “Was it worth it?” That’s the essential question my clients have always asked me and I think that’s a big question that is being formed around the entire area of social media and BigData. Its clear that social media is here to stay. The idea that “people like us” create our own content is very powerful. It gives us voice, it gives us a communication platform and it gives us, essentially, power. The power of the consumer voice is amplified. Instead of 10 people hearing us when we are upset at something, we can have 1,000,00 hear us. That’s power. And the cost of “hearing” the content, of finding it, is dropping dramatically. It is still not free to access content, you still have enormous search costs (we really need contextual search–searching those resources most relevant to me instead of searching the world). But search costs are dropping, navigation costs are dropping. Every year, those 1,000,000 can listen and filter another 1,000,000 messages. BigData has come our rescue…in a way. It gives more tools to the programmers who want to shape that search data, who want to help us listen and reach out. There’s alot of hype out there and the technology is moving very fast, so fast, that new projects, new frameworks and new approaches are popping out every day. But is it worth the effort? If so, just how much is it worth it? That’s still a key question. The amount of innovation in this area is tremendous and its not unlike the innovation I see occurring in the healthcare space. Everyone is trying something which means that everything is being tried somewhere. That’s good. But it pretty clear already that while we can now communicate in many new channels unavailable 5 years ago, we can communicate easier, more frequently and find things that interest us, does it really pay-off? Do companies benefit by investing now and trying to get ahead or do they just try to keep pace and meet some, but not all, customer expectations. Will entire companies fall because of social media and BigData? Those are hard questions to answer, but I think we can look at other patterns out there and see that even with all the hype today, it will be worth it. Companies should invest. But many should not over invest. When the internet was first widely used, it was thought that it would change the world. Well, it did. It just too 2 decades to do that instead of the few years that futurists predicted. But with a higher density of connectivity today, innovations can roll out faster. But I think that’s where the answer is. If you are in the business of social, then being on that wave and pushing the edge is good. If your business is BigData tools and technologies, then yes, you need to invest and recognize that it will be worth it in the long run if you survive. But many brands (companies) can just strive to keep pace and do okay. There are exceptions of course. Product quality and features still dominate purchase decisions. Yes people are moved by viral videos and bad customer service or bad products, but companies with long-standing brands whose products are core, can afford to spend to meet expectations versus having to over invest. They will do just fine keeping pace and continuing to focus on the product as well as marketing. For example, does Coca-Cola expect to double market share because they are better at social media than others? Will they grow significantly because of it? Its not clear but for some segment of products, the spending pattern does not have to be extraordinary. It just needs to keep pace and be reasonable. This gets us back to the question of social media, BigData and Effort-Return. Effort-Return is important to calculate because brands should not over invest. They need to manage their investments. Is social media and BigData worth the investment? Absolutely, its really a question of degree. Author adminPosted on May 4, 2013 May 4, 2013 Categories Data Science, StrategyLeave a comment on Social media, BigData and Effort-Return Largescale Healthcare sensor networks and BigData Lately, there have been announcements that could make large-scale, healthcare focused sensor network much more of a reality. A healthcare monitoring network could drive substantial improvements in care and reductions in cost. Today, if you are in a hospital, you are plugged into the sensor network that is relatively stationary and highly controlled (for obvious reasons). But there are many more healthcare, consumer-level networks that could be created. Here’s a mention of the world’s smallest blood monitoring implant and other heart rate monitoring capabilities based on visual monitoring techniques: http://www.extremetech.com/computing/151134-worlds-smallest-blood-monitoring-implant-talks-to-a-smartphone-but-whose http://appfinder.lisisoft.com/app/heart-rate-monitor.html https://github.com/shelhamer/visual-pulse-monitor http://www.geek.com/apps/measure-your-heart-rate-using-a-webcam-and-your-forehead-1552180/ Putting together a big data solution here means a solution that can scale out. Batch technologies are not the answer here so frameworks like hadoop directly are not the primary component. Other analytical frameworks like Storm, Dempsy, Apache S4, Esper, OpenMDAO, Stormkeeper or the eclipse m2m framework are needed. In this case, BigData is about scaling out solutions for sensor networks and piecing together analytical processing nodes to create a workflow that accomplishes the analysis. But healthcare sensor networks are not without their challenges. Here’s some links that describe the issues in more detail and the research going on in this area http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~stankovic/psfiles/HCMDSS.pdf http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~konrad/papers/codeblue-techrept05.pdf Author adminPosted on April 19, 2013 May 4, 2013 Categories Data Science, StrategyLeave a comment on Largescale Healthcare sensor networks and BigData

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Papi hit a major dong in the first. Pedro sneaked a single through the middle with the bases loaded in the second. 3-0 us, and that's all we needed. Franklin Morales and a bunch of relievers combined to give up one run, which was unearned. Great play late in the game on defense. Tying run up, man on second, liner to Sweeney, who makes a quick throw to Aviles, who fires a strike to Punto to get the guy at third, double play. Red Sox beat the Satan Rays 3-1. 1-0 to start the Unofficial Second Half. # posted by Jere : 7/13/2012 10:46:00 PM 0 comments Guest Post: Wryan's Wrigley Wrap-up (Part 2) Baseball is back tonight. Sox-Rays, 7:10. And now, the second and final part of Ryan's trip to Wrigley. All pics/text by Ryan. (Part 1 here.) ******** Game time: 6:05. We get there and go up to our seats in the upperdeck front row. BP is still happening. A ball heads into the ivy with this result: Hilarious. Also hilarious was that Vince Vaughn was the celebrity of the night, throwing out first pitch and singing that ramshackle “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” in the 7th. Here he is from above. Also there was some sports reporter whose name I can’t recall, but who I’m fairly sure is a dickhead for some reason: I like these sets of double buildings: Jere is a vegetarian and a teetotaller, while I’m neither, so an ARSFFPT first as I review meat & beer-type things. The mysterious A- is a vegetarian but, in her words, “not a jerk about it.” Which supposedly means that she has a few hot dogs each year. These are the products perhaps least recognizable as coming from a real animal, so there is a certain logic, but still, weird. Nonetheless, Wrigley is renowned for it’s wieners. Here’s mine: It was both visually striking and tasty, as were those pepper things. Beer-wise the beverage of choice is Old Style, which is basically the Chicago version of Narragansett. We got the impression that it continues to exist solely to be served at Cubs games. Nothing wrong with that, and better than Coors Light or whatever, of course. It was nice that they had people going into the stands to sell it as well, which is good since it stops fans from getting out of their seats every 15 minutes. Getting up would mean missing stuff like this brass band who goes around the upper deck dressed in Cub uniforms. Couldn’t really hear them, but I assume it was excellent. The game itself doesn’t need much commentary (having been a month ago anyway), the Sox narrowly prevailed, and the most exciting parts were Salty hitting that two-run dong, and the Cubs nearly coming back. There was a questionable catch in LF (by Podsednik?) around the 7th that actually looked like a trap from the stands because it bounced off the ground through the glove--and no one is used to the ball changing direction while it still appears to be in play, so our judgement was ‘trap’ but as I have since seen, that assessment was wrong, and the umps (who convened to discuss it) were right. Also memorable was Ortiz getting the run signal in the 1st on a long hit to RF, resulting in a “close play” at home (out). Hard to ignore the irony of Dale Sveum finally profiting due to someone sending a slow guy home under dubious circumstances. So pretty. We ended up talking to everyone around us. The folks to our right were Tigers fans, behind us, people from Natick, and Cubs fans to the left— the full spectrum. The Cub fans were from a couple hours away from Chicago and we indeed got to bond with them over team history. (“My husband comes here every year, but he’s been hurt in the past.” “I know the feeling.” Bonding achieved.) Here is a mixed-team-couple united in their mutual admiration of Jackie Robinson. Or separate admirations of Mo Vaughn and Bruce Sutter. We had gotten a little wooden robot guy and took photos of him all over Chicago. Here he is enjoying the atmosphere of the friendly confines: Wrigley does feel much like a bit of an old-time baseball oasis, more so than Fenway, which despite it’s history, has more modern features. With stuff like Wrigley just refusing to get lights for their park, and even afterward refusing to have more than a dozen (or so) night games you feel a bit like the rules don’t truly apply there. And it is remarkably quiet as well. The only sounds are rare PA announcements and occasional bits of organ music. This probably has the effect of making it more likely that you talk to your neighbors, as we did, to fill the many awkward silences. Fenway, of course, isn’t as bad as many other parks have gotten on this front, with the audio-visual blasts relegated to between innings, and none of those retarded games on the board. The Boston crowd doesn’t require ceaseless entertainment on the jumbotron, or to be told when to cheer, but I do sometimes worry that we’re moving in that direction, with the increased use of the video screen. Even so, Wrigley has even less of that kind of thing. Their only screen is this one: and it only shows hitter-pitcher matchups and the rest of the boards are the high-school football level ones and the hand-operated landmark in centerfield. (Also visible in that picture is an ad that Budweiser changes for every series to antagonize the visiting team.) Nor is there nearly any advertising. Sure, ads are part of the game, and when you look at parks in the 1930s or whatever, it was far worse than now, but since they were “old-timey” they seem innocent and nostalgia-inducing. What is more significant, I think, than the comparable lack of ads, is the fact that every time the Cubs try to add something there is a massive uproar, which I wish is something we could say. There was even controversy about United putting an ad on the roof of a house across the street. Something that the Cubs organization has no control over, yet they still did as much as possible to stop it despite obviously having no resource other than outrage. You’ve got to hand it to Cubs fans on that front. (Whether or not it started out that way, I prefer the monster big and green, don’t see the necessity of a “Team Standings” area, and feel weird about how that Jimmy Fund logo of a kid swinging a bat just doesn’t look right, but no one can really say anything, because he has cancer....) There is also a significant impediment to altering many aspects of the park because so many of its features have been classified as historical landmarks, like the ivy, and the scoreboard, and changing them in any way requires going through all sorts of red tape. Which might be an explanation for the fact that, according to the tour, all of the manual CF scoreboard operators have been men because it’s sweltering in there (requiring constant water ingestion) and the only toilet is a funnel with a tube. Ladies, are any of you willing to hold it for a couple hours? Job Opportunity! So on stuff like old-fashionedness, general lack of random bursts of music, video screens, Wrigley gets an edge. A person from 1920 would be more comfortable there (he’d also be really interested in hearing about all the years his beloved Cubbies have won the Series since then...you’d have to point at someone’s iphone to distract him while you ran off). However because it has been allergic to nearly any construction, it is more run-down than Fenway. And other than the ivy, there are few idiosyncrasies of the park itself. Bad points? Well, I’ll just say it, Wrigley is architecturally boring. I’m sorry Cub people. Fenway wins this one by a mile. And I’m not saying that people making new parks should add weird features like the flagpole in Houston just to be interesting, but Boston just got lucky here. In the words of Sir Francis Bacon: “There is no excellent beauty, that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.” By designing yourself to fit into a narrow city block with unusual angles and shear walls all over the place, 100 years hence, they ended up with something beautiful. With Wrigley, design-wise, it’s a bit of first half-of-the-century boilerplate. Minor-league parks in the middle of nowhere usually have similar designs. I’m also not a big fan of putting the bullpens in foul territory. I’m sure plenty of catchers have been blasted in the head with foul balls. And unfortunately for the modern team, there simply isn’t anywhere for the park to go to expand or renovate— they can’t go above the upper deck, they can’t go over the bleachers, there is nothing new happening there. Fenway was fortunate to have been built in such a way that the area above the grandstand was totally unused, thus clearing the way for smart expansion in the future. The only new area there is on the roofs of the houses across the street, and they aren’t actually even owned by the Cubs -- they are mostly owned by private companies now and according to our tour, the Cubs tried to sue them, failed, then threatened to erect opaque “wind-screens” unless they got a cut of the ticket sales for those things, they reached an agreement, and everyone was happy. Here is one up close: It is also cool how the park is so intermeshed with the neighborhood--how normal houses are visible beyond the bleachers. It’s interesting to note that that is something that simply isn’t possible to create anymore, no new park could be built in the center of a neighborhood without it completely disrupting everything (even if those houses have been essentially hollowed out by their roof-bleacher owners, and every business in the surrounding 2-block radius is baseball-related). So overall, I strongly recommend it if you’re in the Chicago area. I can’t really be objective, and other than Boston I’ve only been to Baltimore and Philly, but I can extrapolate from them that Wrigley is special. I’d be rightly proud of it if I were a Cub fan. So eventually the game ended and since the Cubbos lost I was able to snap this blurry picture of their famous W/L flag (so that commuters could see the outcome of the game from the train tracks past rightfield). The opposite of the L is the W, displayed on this surprising t-shirt of our former GM: Not everyone was happy to have us I guess. Everyone is welcome to their opinion: Doesn’t bother me though, as this photographic evidence demonstrates, we CAN all get along # posted by Jere : 7/13/2012 12:41:00 PM 1 comments The Break You Gave Me Kind of weird how I had three different people "submit" things to me this week. I'm sure it must seem like quite a coincidence that I had a little rest from doing my own material during the All-Star Break. But I swear that's all it was. So thanks again to DC, James MacLeod, and Ryan M. Part 2 of Ryan's Wrigley wrap coming later today. # posted by Jere : 7/13/2012 12:22:00 AM 0 comments Thursday, July 12, 2012 Guest Post: Wryan Wreviews Wrigley (Part 1) Reader-pal Ryan recently went to Chicago for the Red Sox-Cubs series at Wrigley Field. He has been kind enough to share his thoughts and pics. Take it away, Ryan: So to those of you who don’t know me: I am a Rhode Islander, an Astronomy grad student, and a longtime ARSFFPT reader; so longtime that I remember when it was called ARSFIPT. Also longtime enough that Jere is now on my softball team (Providence’s premier physics-based softball team: Schrödinger’s Bat. Fall 2009 Low-division Champions!). I was thinking I should write something when I was at Wrigley, but got really busy doing important science things and only just got back around to finishing it, so sorry that it is so non-timely. My girlfriend and I, (whose identity isn’t a secret but who I’ll refer to as A- throughout so she seems mysterious), were thinking of going to Chicago for a few days sometime around June, so when I checked the Cubs schedule to see what weekends they were at home, and saw that they were playing the Sox June 15-17 it basically determined when we would be going. We’d have gone to see the Cubs play anyone, because ballparks are worth seeing, but Chicago does have a certain kinship with us for obvious reasons, and having seen the convivial atmosphere in Boston last year when they visited us, I wanted to see the other side of it. I got tickets for Saturday night— not a freaky midweek day game, unfortunately, as is the Cubsian custom. We got there on the Thursday, went up the Sears Tower (give it up assholes, no one is going to start calling it the ‘Willis Tower’), saw that curvy, mirror-surfaced spaceship that Obama captured and put in Chicago so no one would ever find out about it, and generally ate a ton of fried, doughy things to acclimate to the culture. As we were doing this walking I spotted an irregularly large number of people wearing Detroit Tigers paraphernalia. My hunch, that these were Michiganers ‘jumping the lake’ to visit the Friendly Confines of Wrigley, turned out to be right. By Friday the town was lousy with Red Sox hats & jerseys. That day we visited some other tourist stuff, a few museums, restaurants, and saw Stephen Merchant perform at the comedy festival that was going on that week. We were constantly running into Red Sox fans. Every time we got in the elevator of our hotel after Friday we got to make small talk about which Boston suburb we were from. On Saturday, the game was at 6 but we were running late for our 2pm Wrigley tour, for no particular reason besides the fact that we had been walking around Chicago in the oppressive heat and it took longer to get to the train than we expected. Approaching the Wrigley stop, I knew we were getting close because the distant tall buildings suddenly looked familiar— which was something I didn’t know I knew about. It was about 2:05 and I had to run around the stadium to the will-call window and then back to the tour entrance, but even though it had just started, the nice people pointed the way and had an usher bring us to the tour group. We hadn’t missed much, the tour group had just gone out to the bleachers and sat down to listen to the spiel about how the White Stockings begat the Whales who begat the Hippites who begat the Cubs. First I noticed that in a group of ~50 people there was a single pair of Cubs fans, about 4 non-denominational people and the rest were all Red Sox fans. Since were late we were sat on the outside of the group and across a row from the “original” tour members, right under the scoreboard. While we were listening to the guide, some Cubs were taking batting practice and Daisuke was running laps: After a couple minutes a ball was hit near our group and one of the other two “late” people got it. The guide made a joke about getting warning if a ball was heading for his head. A few came to the deep outfield. I determined to catch the next one if possible. (I can just catch up on this 1880’s Cubs info on wikipedia.) The moment came and I was off like a shot. My physics/softball instincts took over, but for the first time ever, they actually put me under the ball! I ended up running over and jumping down about 3 bleachers to come up with it. Despite the lack of competition, I got a round of applause from my fellow New Englanders. Nice. (A- assumed the applause was for not falling as I hurled my lanky, uncoordinated body down the bleachers.) I’ve never even gotten close to an MLB ball, since I don’t usually get to games early enough for BP and standing room doesn’t provide much on the ball-front, so this was really special. Extra-Wrigleyness was from it being stained with green paint from Wrigley’s famous bleachers, not a frequent occurrence since balls hit out there, even during normal BP, are usually caught by people, and the ones hit during games (normally by the opposing team) get thrown back onto the field, in accordance with tradition. The tour, though informative, and aimed at Red Sox fans, didn’t really take people to anywhere special or off-limits in the park. It went: Bleachers >> under bleachers >> near press area in upper-deck >> field box >> on field itself. Surprisingly, the Wrigley Bleachers are actually amongst the priciest tickets in the park so going out there isn’t something you can normally do, and that’s sort of cool. Since most of the games take place mid-week in the early afternoon, they developed a culture of alcoholic unemployed people sitting in the cheap areas, and once they realized it, the Cubs Corporation started dramatically overpricing everything, so some of the worst (and non-assigned) seats now cost more than most of the grandstand areas. On the way out of the bleachers we saw the visiting batting cages. This is on the concourse, through supposedly one-way-glass, but it still feel like some kind of zoo exhibit. Saltalamacchia was in there. We could tell because he has a tattoo on his left arm that says “SALTY”. Hilarious. On the way out of the upper deck I got a shot of this giant macaroni: After the upper deck area we got down to field level and saw that Terry Francona was there hanging out with everyone. Some people said stuff like “Come back Terry”, as though he would just turn around, having left the team on some whim, and decide to return because some fatass shouted at him in Chicago. The tour-guide said some complimentary things about him, and then canceled it out by speculating that the tours at Fenway didn’t get to do onto the field itself. I’ve not been on one since winter ‘05 but I still know that they do get to go down there nowadays, so this guy is behind the times. It was weird that no one corrected him. Out on the field I was mere feet away from most of the Cubs roster, but having no idea who any of them are, I was unable to appreciate it. I thought it was weird to see the “green screen” thing close up. As if when I photographed it, an ad for Geico would appear on my camera. And here’s my trophy: At this point, Tito was talking to some people within deliberate view of the tour group, and subsequently, Dustin “Laser Show” Pedroia emerged from the clubhouse. Check out these photos where I manage to take a series of pictures of him that would never convict him in court because his face is never seen (at least Tito is in the first): This is the best I did. He went off to talk to some other tour group up in the stands that had some kind of Dustin-Pass where he had to go sign stuff for everyone. Very weird. As we were leaving, I saw a Sock signing things for people. Boom! Now I can get a signed ball! A wonderful lady & her man-partner told us that it was Ryan Sweeney signing stuff and gave me a marker so I could get my ball signed by him. He was obviously trying to be nice and attracted a brief storm of people. By the time I got there it was subsiding, and I was 2nd to last, so it was really nice of him to autograph stuff with a waning group of people. It was nice to get the autograph of a fellow Ryan. The next game he went on the DL, thus making my autograph more authentically from the 2012 Red Sox. After the tour and before the game, A- and I went to a bar to cool off. She’s a somewhat indifferent baseball fan, but enjoys ballparks, history, and going to games. I was droning on about some of the idiocies of interleague play, with a particular emphasis on the unfairness of having division rivals play different teams during the season. I mentioned that there have been recent years where the end-of-year standings were within one or two game margins— and getting easier NL or AL opponents (cough, the Mets, second cough) could have been a determining factor in who got into the playoffs. And A- said the best thing I’ve ever heard on this topic: “Hold on— these games COUNT in the standings?!” I have never loved her more. ****** Stay tuned for part 2....click here. # posted by Jere : 7/12/2012 01:07:00 PM 1 comments Wednesday, July 11, 2012 Success I finally got my hands on the broadcast of the late innings from Sunday night. In the 8th, I moved right into the spot in the background of righty batters, proudly wearing my "The Media Is Toxic" shirt. Sure enough, I was on TV for every one of them! So we know SOME people had to have seen this. At one point they cut to Buster Olney, and then went right to a shot of Andruw Jones, with my shirt right behind him! After I saw shirt so clearly the first time, I worried maybe they'd purposely cut me out. But they definitely didn't. Would have been hard, as I was in the perfect spot--I remember looking right at that camera, with the batter's helmet right below it. I knew I was in the right spot, I just didn't know if they'd be using batter clse-ups or if they'd stop once they saw me. But I was on. In stunning HD. Sometimes blurry, but as you can see, sometimes clear as day. So I'm gonna go ahead and say the anti-Boston Sports Media sign weekend was officially a success. # posted by Jere : 7/11/2012 03:40:00 PM 1 comments Tuesday, July 10, 2012 What If? My pal "DC in DC," who you might remember from such shared photo galleries as "the time the Red Sox went to the White House," sent me a link to an entry from what appears to be a new blog, which attempts to answer the question: What would happen if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90% the speed of light? It ain't pretty. I'll give you my favorite line below in comments, as it's a major spoiler. # posted by Jere : 7/10/2012 08:50:00 PM 1 comments D.D. I didn't see all of the Dong Derby, but I'd just like to let it be known that I'm very happy that Cano got 0 homers, and was booed to shit. In fact, it was perfect--the AL dominated, but the Yankee had nothing to do with it. Maybe Canonchalant should have picked that Royals guy instead of himself. # posted by Jere : 7/10/2012 01:27:00 PM 1 comments Monday, July 09, 2012 Yankee Fan Logic On my way to Fenway Sunday, I listened to Boston sports radio for hopefully the last time in a while. Butch Stearns was on, and a Yankee fan called up with the following BULLSHIT: "Mickey Mantle was my idol. When he hit his 500th home run, he was already a legend by then, and the Yankees did NOTHING for him. Meanwhile, Papi hits his 400th, and they're rolling out the red carpet for the guy, all this pomp and circumstance...what the hell are they doin'?" And Butch said nothing, except to briefly say that "yeah, they've gotta honor every little thing" before moving on. I don't know who to be more angry at. Can you imagine, a long-time Yankee fan making fun of someone else for going over the top with celebrations and honors? I thought it was a practical joke at first. And as a bonus, the Papi "celebration" was about 3 minutes long! They ran a brief highlight reel, then had him come out to the field and get a little plaque. And Mr. Monument Park is appalled! Did he turn off the Chad Curtis Yankeeography to call in? And Butch Stearns says fucking nothing except to mildly agree with the guy! Now let's take a closer look at the "nothing" that the Yankees did for Mickey Mantle when he hit his 500th home run: AP, 5/17/1967: The New York Yankees announced Tuesday that a plaque commemorating Mickey Mantle's 500th home run would be placed in Yankee Stadium at the spot where the ball cleared the right-field fence. But wait, there's more! In a brief ceremony before the Yankees' game with Cleveland, club president Michael Burke also presented Mantle [...] with a $500 savings bond for each of his four sons. Still not satisfied? Let's read on! The Yankee outfielder will also be given a trophy honoring the event. And the Yanks did "nothing" for their fans, too! New York Times, 5/17/1967: the 500th customer to pass through each turnstile was given a baseball autographed by Mantle. So to sum up, all of New England hears a Yankee fan complain about the current Red Sox ownership for doing something that didn't happen, but if it did it wouldn't be the way the Yankees did it, which they did, and the host lets it go. And that's exactly how WEEI likes it. "What is wrong with this team??" # posted by Jere : 7/09/2012 04:27:00 PM 5 comments A Cartoon I Didn't Make Thanks to James MacLeod for making a cartoon related to the recent media unpleasantness: # posted by Jere : 7/09/2012 02:55:00 PM 1 comments Tommy Lee Jonesin' Into The Break I opted for the t-shirt sign tonight. I had "The Media is Toxic" on the front and "Ignore WEEI" on the back. I went in for early BP with my Nomar shirt on the outside. Once the main gates opened, though, I slipped into character in the men's room, and headed right down to the camera well by the Sox dugout. It's great how the photographers thought it was hilarious, while the writers got all pissy. This guy told me I was painting them all with a broad brush. I told him how I was talking about certain people and that I had to keep the message short and to the point for a t-shirt. Later I realized I should have said "Well I'm tired of Red Sox fans being painted with a broad brush as panicking reactionary assholes who hate the team." Anyway, I looked in the dugout and there was Robert Stanbury Olney--the man who called our clubhouse "toxic" in the first place, the reason I had that phrase written on my person. I followed him around the field, and did all I could to get him to see the shirt. I think he might have, because when he finished this report, he just looked at the ground and escaped right into the dugout. I know Josh Wilker is friends with the guy, and I don't think I ever had a problem with him, but we needed that toxic shit like a hole in the head. I hadn't even thought for a second that I'd be showing my "toxic" shirt to Mr. Toxic himself--should have known, though, since it was an ESPN game. Duh. Back over in the first base well, in the purple shirt, is Jessica Rinaldi. She thought my shirt was hilarious and took a bunch of pictures with it. I caught her name from her tag and looked her up. She works for Reuters and has a photography site which has really good stuff. I liked seeing the R2-D2 building behind the Bud Deck. And it kinda looks like that guy is wearing a crown. Kinda. I walked all around. (Had a standing room ticket.) I showed that shirt to every fan at the game. Or at least 15-20,000 of them. Here I am out behind section 6, trying to get a good shot of this guy in the Yanks' bullpen sitting on two of those containers that people seem very worried a baby will die in, and using a chair to put his feet on. You can't see the chair. It was either show you a blurry chair, or a focused non-chair. I finally made it to the good seats in the 8th--specifically the spot where I'd be in the background of the close-ups of righty batters. I'll have to check the recording to see if I got on. This "It's the Great Pumkin, Charlie Brown"-y moon was one of the highlights of the game, as we pretty much shat the bed tonight. The other highlight was Jeter dropping an easy pop-up, then making a bad throw, then not being quick enough to get Punto on a grounder. I later looked at the board and thought, "How do the Yankees only have ONE error when Jeter has THREE?" But you know scorers today. My mom also called me to tell me that Ciriaco indeed slid under Jeter's tag--therefore, he did two things he "never" does. Screwed up the easiest of plays, and tried to sneakily "sell the call" when the runner was safe. Yeah, that's the guy I want to "teach my kids to play like." She also told me I missed a lot of Jeter worship on the broadcast, something the Joy of Sox thread confirmed. How many mistakes does this guy have to make in a game before people admit he's NOT a god? Here's more of that moon. And more. Fair or foul? Another Ciriaco shot. Midnight in Boston. I don't know why a Yes cameraman was there, but he stowed his camera beneath his seat. And more of the moon--I hate that this is a Bud commercial but what am I gonna do? The shirt went over pretty well. I had two different conversations with slightly drunk people. And usually random fans don't start talking to me. The shirt did it. I had a few others tell me they were with me, but mostly I feel like people didn't get the "toxic" reference. I also didn't see any other anti-BostonSportsMedia signs. Oh well. With all the people that linked to my posts about it, I think we got a lot of people reading about the protest and realizing some of us are pissed. And that probably went further than any signs at the park. Anyway, thanks to everyone who took part or supported the campaign. I feel like I'm ready to go back to fully ignoring these mediots again now. I tried as hard as I could to get my point across to as many people as possible, and now, like Tommy Lee Jones at the end of The Fugitive, "I could use the rest." As can the Red Sox. I am so done with this first half. Bonus first-half-ending video: This is right after the final out, a third of a mile from Fenway. Most people go to Kenmore. I don't. It's just so weird to be that close to where thousands are gathered and are dispersing into the night, yet there are zero people, and only a few cars. At some point I stopped filming by accident. I went all the way to my car, and ended it with a "so that's your cousin." But that got cut off. Oh well. # posted by Jere : 7/09/2012 03:41:00 AM 4 comments Sunday, July 08, 2012 Gratuity Included Check out my new video series, "The Producers,"* done entirely in response to the gratuitous Jeter shots (not just on the Yanks' network, but on national ones and NESN too) we've all come to love. Here's one from last night on Fox, using the patented "we must see what Jeter's doing when someone else hits a home run" device: And here's one from Friday on NESN--it's the classic "here's a recap of the inning that Jeter wasn't involved in, so here he is anyway, doing nothing in the dugout" device: One last game in the big anti-media weekend, tonight at 8 on ESPN. Have your signs and t-shirts ready.

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Yesterday I did a Facebook game where it gave a picture review of the year. I had been thinking the year had been kind of yucky but looking at the pictures and reflecting back, the Moles had a really good year. I decided to highlight the positives. Of course having a blog makes remembering things so much easier. January started with Brian finally getting a TV that hangs on the wall. He also lost a dollar bet in that the TV would be gone from his friend’s apartment trash site before the trash came. He didn’t even get it unloaded before someone took it off of his hands. February was the worst headache I had ever had in my life. I call that a ten out of ten pain because I prayed for almost eight hours straight for God to take me to heaven to be with my grandparents. I would have shot up heroin if it would have taken the pain away. No matter what drugs were given to me, nothing touched it. Only when my primary did a neck manipulation did it start to go away. This would be important later on. March was when Emily moved back home from Kansas City. It was her last Physical Therapy clinical’s in the burn unit at Mercy. She loved it and I loved the fact that I worked there when I was pregnant with her and now she was there. I also officially announced that I had to postpone the fifty mile run that i had planned for April. I actually cried the first time I said it out loud but my boss Emily said “oh you will run it in the year you turn fifty and that counts”. She is so smart. In April I would finally finish a crochet granny square blanket. All my life I wanted to learn how to make granny squares. My Grandma Carty had a pillow made out of them and an afghan. Finally thanks to you tube I was able to understand the pattern. Little did I know that at the end of the year, I would give this blanket to my best friend for baby number eleven. May brought my fiftieth birthday and my oldest graduation from Rockhurst. Emily is the first in the family to have a doctorate degree. It was such a proud moment when she walked across the stage and received her diploma and hood. June brought our last family vacation as a family of five. We spent a week in Tennessee and had an absolute blast. I don’t think there was anything funnier than me on the high ropes trying hard not to fall off or lose my balance. I never laughed so hard in my entire life. Of course Emily took one of the funniest pictures ever in which every one of us was wearing red but her. She called it Mole roll call so no one gets lost. We also went on a wild goose chase for moonshine. The first place we went not only didn’t have it but was shady and in a shady neighborhood. We did eventually find it and then discovered where it can be purchased in St. Louis. July was the month Emily moved to California. She took her first job as a travel Physical Therapist. Luckily she was only three hours from our good friends Gary and Heidi. Even though she didn’t think I needed to drive out with her, she was glad that I did. We had a great road trip and even saw Mike the Headless Chicken. August was the fifty mile marathon and Brian and I had a great vacation just the two of us. We spent a week in South Dakota and had a lot of fun. We even trespassed and saw the Flintstones RV park that had closed. September was my twenty-one day food detox and I felt so good afterwards. I must admit I fell off the wagon in just two short months. It’s a lot of work to make every meal and I started making excuses right and left. Maybe this coming year I will get back on as I never felt so good. October was the month I got out of my comfort zone. I signed up for a Pokemon walk and met up with other Pokemon people. I didn’t know a single person and I survived. It was also the month of one of my favorite 5K’s. It was the Run for Ovarian Cancer. November brought my moms fall and surgery. It was a rough month for her. Allyson started her job at the Local House and has made quite a bit of money. Her goal was to pay for her server and have money this summer when she goes out to stay with Emily. She has already met both goals. My headache returned and since Western medicine did nothing earlier in the year I went to a Chiropractor and was greatly improved and able to work within twenty-four hours. December was the month God almost slapped me upside the head with the Christmas Angel. I really did question if I had picked the right person, even though I knew he had told me it was. I had the most awesome photo and post placed on my wall by the person I had angeled. I have never felt so blessed in my life. Mole Moral ~ It is so easy to focus on the negative and forget all the positive. Just like one negative comment takes twenty positive ones to make up for.

Life coaches have seen it all! We ask some of our life coaches to recount one of their many unusual, wacky or fun experiences with their clients. Coach 1: My client asked me to go skinny dipping with him. He was aiming to build up his courage and worked with me to come up with a list of wild and wacky things to do. We drove to a nearby swimming pool early one morning and took a dip – stark naked – into the cold waters for a good 15 minutes! Coach 2: My brother asked me to coach him on love relationships, which was completely unexpected because I didn’t think that he would ask me of all people to coach him. To put it in context, he was also being coached by my fellow colleagues at that time. Moreover, he understood that relationship coaching tends to be a bit tricky since you can’t be biased towards either party, and him being so closely related to me could have resulted in an unbalanced assessment. But he trusted me to remain neutral and told me that he had one of the most productive and eye-opening coaching sessions in his life. Coach 3: I had a client who spent years in and out of prison, not because he was a bad person but because of his desire to help the people around him that got him ending up on the wrong side of the law. He once called me up to ask me to lend him some money since he was flat broke after serving another jail term. I asked him what he needed it for. He said, “I need some change to take a bus. I’m going to a seminar to find out if I can be a real estate agent.” As a coach, you can’t give money to your clients, so I said, “No.” But I continued, “Here’s your chance to be creative. Do you wear a watch? You could sell it. What skills do you have? Can you clean houses or cars for your neighbours?” He replied, “Ok, sure. I can do that.” 2 weeks later, he called me and said, “I just wanted to thank you. I’m a very happy man!” He had just sold a property and earned a commission of $35,000! Coach 4: My client wanted me to busk with him in the train station as a counter-challenge to my challenge to him. As a coach, I couldn’t back out of this request so I did. He played the ukelele while I sang. We did it for 15 minutes and earned a grand total of 20 cents – not bad for such a short session for newbies in the busking scene! Have any other requests for your coach? Find one at www.liveyourmark.com to challenge yourself today for a more fulfilling life! LIVE YOUR MARK Live Your Mark offers transformational and advancement work for individuals in a safe community setting. Combining personal development techniques with customized training and life coaching through a series of masterclasses, transformational programs and ongoing community and self work, our programs support many in creating meaningful impact in the world. Interested in becoming a coach? Visit our coach training sister company, Executive Coach International, for the Professional Coach Training Program™. Be a part of our vibrant, evolving community and receive the latest news and updates on personal evolution.

Stirling became an important settlement because it is the lowest crossing place over the River Forth. Furthermore, it has a rocky outcrop, which was a natural place to build a fort. (The name Stirling is derived from Striveling, meaning place of strife). By the 11th century, a royal castle was built on the crag. On its slopes was a village of wooden huts. Sometime in the 1120’s the king made Stirling into a town by granting the townspeople a charter. (A charter was a document, which gave them certain rights). Stirling became a royal burgh with a weekly market and its own local government. The merchants of Stirling elected a provost to run the town. Soon Stirling became a busy and important town. As well as a market it had an annual fair. In the Middle Ages fairs were like markets but they were held only once a year. Buyers and sellers would come from all over central Scotland to attend a Stirling fair. After 1447 Stirling had 2 fairs. The main industry in Medieval Stirling was weaving wool. Stirling was also a small inland port. (The small ships of that era could sail up the Forth). However, by modern standards, Stirling was tiny, with a population of only several hundred. Stirling was probably fortified by a ditch and earth rampart with a wooden palisade on top. About 1145 Cambuskenneth Abbey, an Augustinian abbey, was founded on the other side of the River Forth from Stirling by King David I. Then in the 13th-century friars arrived in Stirling. Friars were like monks but instead of withdrawing from the world, they went out to preach. There were 2 orders of friars in Stirling. The Dominicans were called Blackfriars because of their black costumes. There were also Franciscan friars known as grey friars in Stirling. Like many medieval towns Stirling also had a leper hostel outside the walls. Stirling castle was originally built in wood but in the late 13th century it was rebuilt in stone. In 1174 it was handed over to the English in return for the release of William I who had been captured in battle. The English handed Stirling Castle back in 1189. At the end of the 13th century, a long war began between the Scots and the English. During the war, Stirling castle changed hands several times. The English invaded in 1296 and captured Stirling Castle. However, they were severely defeated at the battle of Stirling bridge the same year. The Scots recaptured Stirling castle in 1297. Then in 1298, the Scots were defeated at the Battle of Falkirk. William Wallace retreated north. Stirling castle fell into English hands. Stirling castle changed hands once again in 1299 when the Scots recaptured it. Stirling castle fell to the English in 1304 but the Scots recaptured it in 1314 after the battle of Bannockburn. At first, Stirling had a wooden bridge but in 1415 it was replaced by a stone one now known as The Auld Brig. Furthermore, the Church of The Holy Rude was built in the late 15th century. Stirling in the 16th century and 17th century In 1507 a man named John Damien tried to fly from the walls of Stirling Castle. Luckily for him, he landed in a dung pile and escaped with only a broken leg. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Stirling continued to grow in size and prosperity. By the middle of the century, it probably had a population of around 1,500. Although it would seem tiny to us by the standards of the time Stirling was a respectably sized market town. However, in the 17th century, Stirling declined in importance. That was partly because the king moved to England and Stirling castle gradually ceased to be a royal residence and became a barracks. In 1530 Robert Spittal, a tailor, founded a hospice for poor people in Stirling. In 1547 after the Scots were routed at the battle of Pinkie a stone wall was erected around the town. When the Reformation swept Scotland the friaries were closed and in 1567 their property was given to the town council. Mars Wark (work) was built in 1572 by the Early of Mar. Cowane’s Hospital (almshouses) was built with money left by John Cowane, a merchant who died in 1633. (They were completed in 1649). The Argyll Lodging was built about 1630 by William Alexander Ist Earl of Stirling. Archibald Campbell Ist Marquis of Argyll purchased it in 1655 and gave it its name. Like all towns in those days, Stirling was dirty and unsanitary. There were outbreaks of plague in 1606 and 1645. The 1606 outbreak killed over 600 people, which at the time, was a large part of the town’s population. The 1645 visitation also left Stirling depopulated. But each time the town recovered. Stirling in the 18th century For most of the 18th century, Stirling was a fairly small market town with a population of around 4,000. It was still a minor inland port. Stirling Tolbooth was built in 1704 by Sir William Bruce. Fortunately, Stirling escaped any damage in the Jacobite risings of 1715 and 1745. At the end of the 18th century, the industrial revolution began to transform Scotland. However, it largely bypassed Stirling, which remained a quiet market town. However, the traditional wool weaving industry continued. There was also a carpet weaving industry. Some cotton was also woven in Stirling. The first bank in Stirling opened in 1777. At the end of the 18th century, Stirling began to grow geographically. For centuries Stirling had been limited to the slope of the hill below the castle. In the late 18th century growth spread to the Port Street and Dumbarton Road area. Raploch also began to grow at the end of the 18th century. In 1799 10 new houses were built there. Soon more followed. Also in the late 18th century, Stirling gained a piped water supply (for those who could afford to be connected). Stirling in the 19th century In 1801, at the time of the first census, Stirling had a population of 5,271. By the standards of the time, it was a fair-sized market town. By 1821 the population of Stirling had grown to 7,333. In the early 19th century new streets were built north of the old town, Cowane Street, Irvine Place, and Queen Street. In 1826 Stirling gained gas street lighting and in 1833 a new bridge was built. However, like all towns in the early 19th century, Stirling was dirty and unsanitary and there was a disastrous epidemic of cholera in 1832. Partly as result sewers were dug under the streets of Stirling in the 1850s. The old town jail was built in 1847 and in 1857 Stirling gained its first modern police force. The Wallace Monument was built in 1869 and an infirmary was built in Stirling in 1874. Also in 1874 horse-drawn trams began running through the streets of Stirling. The Smith Art Gallery and Museum also opened in 1874. The Old Arcade was built in 1882. Furthermore, the Mercat Cross was restored in 1891. In the 19th century, Stirling remained a market town and it did not become an industrial center. However, in 1848 the railway reached Stirling and the town began to grow more rapidly. This was partly because well-to-do people moved to the town and commuted to work in Glasgow. For the middle-class new houses were built west of the old town at Abercromby Place, Clarendon Place, Victoria Place, Victoria Square, and Queens Road. New streets were also built north of the old town such as Wallace Street, Bruce Street, Douglas Street, and Union Street. Because of its strategic position as the ‘gateway to the Highlands’ Stirling began to develop as a tourist centre. In 1871 Stirling had a population of 11,788. By 1881 that had risen to 14,000. Stirling in the 20th century The first electricity was generated in Stirling in 1900 and by 1901 the population of Stirling was over 18,000. The first public library opened in 1902. The first cinema in Stirling opened in 1912 and the last horse-drawn trams ran in 1920 when they were replaced by buses. In 1922 a war memorial was erected in Stirling. In the 1920s and 1930s, the council began slum clearance in Stirling and built council houses to replace the slums at Raploch and the Riverside. Many more council houses were built in the 1950s and 1960s. Furthermore, in the 1950s many old buildings were demolished in the oldest part of the town. Stirling University was founded in 1967. A swimming pool was built in 1974. The Thistle Centre opened in 1977. During the 20th century, Stirling was still a market town rather than an industrial centre but there were some industries such as financial services, food processing, and electronics. Castle Business Park opened in 1995.

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At the point when you play the Undertakings of the Cosmic Gopher you can see various things on the reels including a wide assortment of space traveler creatures like monkeys, canines, snakes and chickens. Balancing the reel images are the standard kaisar888 fill-ins of pros, lords, sovereigns, jacks, tens and nines. The designs are exceptionally cheerful and funny to oblige the subject as a super sensible setting for this specific gambling machine would truly have been improper incredibly. As you’re partaking in the view from this gaming machine, there will be numerous different things for you to find yourself mixed up with, for example, the Cosmic Gopher wild image that can significantly increase your rewards and the boat dissipate image that can take you from nothingness to wealth in only one appearance. The Experiences of the Cosmic Gopher is certainly a gaming machine that can permit you to loosen up from an extreme day at work and even chuckle a couple of times to fail to remember every one of the difficulties you could have. With the headway of diversion offices on the web, the internet based space games are getting an expanded support from individuals from varying backgrounds. Due to the accessibility of changed decisions in web-based spaces, it remains at the top, when contrasted with different wellsprings of diversion. There exist umpteen number of opening web-based which are being presented by a few facilitators of space programming. Additionally, the ordinary updates and surveys on the most recent games empower the players to pick the best opening game from the current as well as the most recent games. Bring in cash through opening played on the web In excess of a diversion, these openings played online are a wellspring of bringing in cash when individuals are confronting troublesome times monetarily. The benefit of these games is that you want not have huge experience on playing the game. One can without much of a stretch play the game through getting to the different sites in the web, offering such web based games and the benefit is that you can play the game either from your home or from a gambling club. Prior to endeavoring to play the internet based opening from home, one needs to guarantee whether the site is solid and real and not a trick. Additionally one needs to ensure whether the game destinations are really paying out the award sum. Despite the fact that, triumphant the internet based space games requires your essential applications, it has a component of karma likewise which empower you to collect a favorable luck. There exist a few sorts of internet games which are incredibly respected by space players. An extremely popular among the internet based space are the Big stake opening and the 3 Reel openings. Here the opportunity of your triumphant is brilliant as the quantity of individuals taking part will be more and the award cash will be immense. What’s the contrast between free endlessly space played in gambling club? The free openings are basically the same as playing other web-based space or playing in a club. These games are enormously depend insect on possibility. In any case, the possibility winning or losing in free opening games additionally depends on the player’s methodology, particularly risking everything and the kitchen sink. For playing the free space one need not down load the game programming. The vast majority of the free opening are played for the sake of entertainment just without paying cash. The free opening games can be played at the solace of your home gave you approach the web. Various sites offer an assortment of free opening games likewise separated from the paid web-based spaces. The free space games are one technique embraced by the web based games suppliers to drawing in individuals to such games and foster a tendency to play all the more at first liberated from cost and later on foster a lucrative mentality among individuals and step by step pull towards the paid web-based opening games. Play cautiously Whether you play a free openings or paid web-based space games, you need to remember that you shouldn’t get dependent on it, yet confine playing the games generally for no particular reason. On the off chance that you mean to go in for paid games, you should remember your impediments and shouldn’t move past excitement and bet more cash lastly get lost. Coins clunking their direction through the spaces and the boisterous ringing of the big stake chime are sounds suggestive of the most well known club game in the world. Believe it or not; spaces have overwhelmed the betting scene for a surprisingly long time now. Its appeal lays on its straightforward principles: “Get the right mix to win the bonanza”. This game has tracked down its direction on the web also. Online gambling clubs offer a few assortments of the game to make it seriously captivating and fun. For a spaces fledgling, there isn’t anything more energizing than the main noisy ringing of the bonanza ringer. So for those expecting to bring back home the top award, it would be generally useful to get familiar with the normal kinds of gambling machine games to have the option to form a few systems. We should get everything rolling. 1) Free space games – Free openings are generally alluded to as training games as it is explicitly made for that reason. These games are reenactments of the genuine spaces and are useful in giving the players a thought and experience on how the game goes. You can stir things up around town obviously you gain nothing financial. 2) Customary space games – These games are ordinarily played utilizing a machine containing three reels, suggestive of the first gambling machines that were designed during the nineteenth 100 years. To stir things up around town, you should get the sole winning line. Single and numerous coin choices are accessible for the players. Playing numerous coins increment the payout. Instances of conventional openings are Wow Pot and Money Sprinkle. 3) Five-Reel space games – As the name suggests, a five-reel machine is utilized in the games rather than three-reel machines. The extra reels can frequently improve the excitement of the game. The additional images permit the making of new winning blends. Genie’s Diamond is an illustration of this kind of games. 4) Multi-line space games – Dissimilar to customary opening games, multi-line gambling machine games have a few compensation lines. These compensation lines can be skewed, warped or crossed beside the normal straight-line directions. Blossom Power is an illustration of multi-line spaces. 5) Moderate space games – While playing moderate openings, the bonanza increments as additional games are played. What’s more, since loads of individuals really do play spaces, the award can arrive at up to great many dollars. 6) Reward opening games – In some space games, especially online opening games, a series of extra games offer the opportunity to increment (twofold, triple) your award. Extra games are potential chances to do exactly that. That’s essentially it. The six normal sorts of gambling machine games including a few models have been examined. The expansion of online spaces makes the game more open to a more extensive organization of players. Profit of free web-based space games to test your techniques prior to going after a genuine game. As you become more skilled at the game, remember that the gambling machine games very much like some other games are planned basically for diversion. So enjoy some time off once you get its hang particularly whenever you’ve stirred things up around town prize. All things considered, ravenousness breeds inconvenience and obviously you don’t need that. Online space games at Karamba give you various openings to put down your wagers, turn the reel and win the best mix. Working haphazardly, it is an unadulterated toss of the dice and possibility. Neo Games have assembled the space games utilizing most recent variant of Blaze innovation that permits the player to play for quite a long time without the need to download it. The dynamic and great graphical highlights are sufficient to give the best result permitting the players to go through hours playing spaces. Tycoon Club is a monstrously visited internet based opening game which permits the player to play up to 20 lines. Pay line wagers are duplicated by the sum bet per line with payouts showed through pay table. Important mission at hand is an astounding game to dominate money and prizes by shooting warriors. The 25 line space can be won assuming at least three dispersed Logos show up on the screen. Reward is gotten for annihilating vehicles and barrels. Sub-Sailor has most noteworthy win sum paid on each pay line. The Defender and Swim highlights are added to give greater diversion. The popular Brazilian Samba has found its space too on the gaming machine with as much as fifty lines. Here, twenty free games are granted and all prize cash is multiplied. The Spiderman’s uncovered in the wonder bonanza opening where prize cash gets multiplied when the Spiderman substitutes in the triumphant mix. At the point when Specialist Octopus enters the game, prizes are granted in type of free games and multipliers. The Mythical beast Blade of China is again a round of 25 line spaces. Here, fifteen free games are granted and all awards during this time are multiplied. Club Meister is a thirty line opening game where an award is multiplied when personification substitutes in winning blends. The free game beginning with all prizes significantly increased. At Karamba, multi-line space games are accessible in twelve unique dialects. In every one of the European nations, these games can be played utilizing genuine cash. The genuine cash can be picked from seven distinct monetary forms (US dollar, English pound, Euro, Brazil Rial, Danish Krone, Norwegian Kroner and Swedish Krona). With immense monetary reward cash in type of special offers gave everyday and unbelievable measure of reward, the opening games have progressively turned into a fury among the guests. Bonanzas going from 200,000 pounds till 1,000,000 pound are proposed to players. The greatest aspect to play opening game at Karamba is that it offers a non-moderate bonanza of 1,000,000 pound which isn’t given anyplace on the int

Wrongful death and survival claims may both be brought when a loved one dies in an accident which was caused by someone’s negligence or even intentional act, but they are not the same. A wrongful death claim is brought by the family of the deceased person for their own individual damages and include their pain-and-suffering, the current and future income they will lose because of their loved one’s death, and funeral and burial expenses. A survival claim on the other hand is a claim that the deceased person could have brought for his/her own damages had he/she not died. These damages include the deceased person’s pre-death medical bills, pre-death pain-and-suffering and loss of enjoyment of life, and pre-death lost wages. Who can file a wrongful death or survival claim? Louisiana law defines who can file wrongful death and survival claims. Individuals who may be allowed to assert these claims include the surviving spouse and children of the deceased person, the surviving parents, their surviving siblings and even their surviving grandparents. Louisiana law also sets a very strict time limit as to when these claims can be asserted. This is why it is important that if you have a loved one whose death was caused by someone else’s fault, you need to contact an attorney with Luneau & Beck, LLC to see if you are entitled to file a wrongful death and/or survival claim. How much does Luneau & Beck, LLC charge? The attorneys at Luneau & Beck, LLC work on a contingent basis. This means that our clients do not owe us anything unless we obtain a financial recovery on their behalf. While many cases settle without going to trial, the attorneys at Luneau & Beck, LLC have experience going to trial in city, state, and federal courts before both judges and juries. While a settlement may be your desired outcome, sometimes insurance companies refuse to settle cases. When this happens, the attorneys at Luneau & Beck, LLC have the expertise to stand up to the insurance companies and to present your case in the best possible light to get you the compensation that you deserve. If someone you love died because of someone else’s fault, request a free consultation with an attorney at Luneau & Beck, LLC.

Dropshipping is a great way to expand your retail business and cut the costs associated with manufacturing, warehousing, and shipping products. However, this method comes with certain risks. You may not have full control over the quality of your products or the shipping time and might experience delays, which will affect your profits. Fulfillment errors can also occur, such as when a large order is placed and the supplier runs out of stock. You need to understand your costs in order to maximize your Dropshipping business’s profit. Dropshipping is cheaper than other businesses, but you still need to invest money in marketing and advertising. Paid ads, domain names, and web hosting plans will all require an upfront investment. You may also need to invest in custom packaging and customization. Dropshipping businesses will also need a website. To use your website, you will need a domain, hosting plan, extensions, and other requirements. These costs are important to understand before you start your business. You can adjust your pricing accordingly. You should choose niches that will maximize your profits in the initial stages of your Dropshipping business. Start with smaller retailers. You can even contact manufacturers and wholesalers directly to find their list of distributors. As long as you choose a reliable wholesaler, you should be able to make a decent profit from your Dropshipping business. And as the demand grows, you should start looking for niches that offer higher margins. There are thousands of suppliers to choose from when starting a Dropshipping business. Make sure to do your research to avoid falling prey to unscrupulous suppliers. Some suppliers prey on newer, less experienced ecommerce entrepreneurs. Others may not have professional websites or marketing, making them appear less legit. In addition to being low risk, Dropshipping is a good way to test new products and market segments. You don’t need to store excess inventory. Dropshipping is a great business strategy for retail, even though there are some drawbacks. It allows you to save time and money and increase profits. Dropshipping offers international shipping flexibility. It allows you to sell to customers from around the world since dropshippers partner with local companies and are able to ship products to customers in any country, including countries where you don’t have a storefront. You can communicate with suppliers and customers while you focus on generating more sales. You won’t have the hassle of packing and shipping your products, which is an important part of an online business. While Dropshipping may seem like a perfect business model for many online entrepreneurs, it’s important to consider the pros and cons. For one thing, dropshipping is incredibly easy to do. Your competitors will probably be able to copy your products and you won’t have the ability to differentiate yourself from them. You will need to be able to differentiate yourself from the rest by providing exceptional customer service and an unforgettable ecommerce experience. The disadvantages of Dropshipping include low margins. Low startup costs are a huge advantage, but you will also face high competition and high product returns. But the upside is that it can boost your profits if you choose the right products. Dropshipping allows you to do what you want, without the need to maintain inventory. It’s important to remember that dropshipping doesn’t guarantee success overnight. Another advantage of Dropshipping is that it requires minimal capital. Dropshipping is a much more cost-effective alternative to traditional retail. You don’t have to make large upfront investments in inventory, storage, or labor. Instead, you only pay your partner when the items sell. This allows you to focus on other aspects of the business such as building your brand and increasing sales.

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Apple ads business is growing fast. Since 2016, Apple has quietly been encroaching on the ad market, now offering front-page ads in the App Store and advanced targeting capabilities. Short-term thinking? Incentives are already mixed up within the company. Apple’s advantage partly comes from its counter-positioning against other tech giants who collect data to sell ads. Just take one of Apple’s latest marketing pushes, Privacy on iPhone. The App Tracking Transparency (ATT) rules have severely damaged competitors like Meta and Snap. Apple forces its competitors to target with limited information while it offered more granular tracking for its own search products. Maybe this is an anticompetitive scheme by Apple execs, but Occam’s Razor — it points to directly competing incentives across business units at a large company. Apple continues to squeeze its largest apps — advertisers on Facebook or Twitter that purchase “boosts” for posts will be taxed at the 30% rate. There’s probably a line where enough small businesses (the majority of whom buy through mobile) and consumers lash back. Already there’s been a sort of consortium of disgruntled companies between Meta, Shopify, Spotify, and other mobile-first apps that are affected. It’s not just Apple — Amazon’s ads business hit $31 billion in revenue last year. But I wonder if Apple is risking decades of consumer trust by chasing an ads business for growth.

Thanks to the Boston Globe for talking about my 2022 Highwayman travels. You can read their interview with me at https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/08/04/metro/pembroke-musician-takes-highwaymen-road/ I've had an incredibly busy music summer that continues on in August. In addition to playing a boatload of Highwaymen gigs, I also released my new album, Gently Used, in June. The album has received some really great reviews and airplay. I'm looking forward to performing a few gigs this month performing some of the songs from the album. You can listen to the album at https://album.link/i/1615681248 I did a full band show (with my wife on bass) at Heritage Days in Scituate this past Saturday. I haven't done a full band gig since before COVID and I've always enjoyed attending Heritage Days, so it was cool to be a part of....cool is the wrong word though, because it was about seven million degrees onstage. Nonetheless, this picture above of me singing Willie Nelson's "On the Road Again" with my daughters was worth the heat stroke. I'll also be doing solo gigs at Levitate Backyard in Marshfield on Friday, August 12nd and at Bridgewater Music Alley on Thursday, August 25th I've included a couple of links to recent performances that I did in July. The first one is a performance at the beautiful library in South Hadley, MA. We had a great crowd and it was a fun night. You can watch it at https://vimeo.com/channels/shctv15/730165089 This second video is from an outdoor performance on a beautiful summer night at the Ames Library in Easton, MA. I had done the Highwaymen there a year ago and it was the first time I've returned to a place and done it a second time https://youtu.be/syCD20-qCjE I should have the book available on Amazon soon. In the meantime, if you're interested in purchasing one, you can do so at this link. One of my favorite Willie Nelson songs is a song called Me and Paul". It was written about his longtime drummer/best friend Paul English. When I was younger, I had a music friend named Paul and we did a lot of growing up together traveling around playing music. Paul was not only Willie's drummer, he was also his enforcer. If Willie wasn't getting paid after a gig or someone was giving him a hard time, Paul handled it. Anyways....this article about their relationship is something that might be of interest to some of you. https://oxfordamerican.org/magazine/issue-87-winter-2014/watching-willie-apos-s-back

Online slot machines are one of the most popular forms of gambling. They are digitized and have randomized software, making them great money makers for both gamblers and casinos. But what’s so great about online slots? How do you ensure you won’t lose money? This article will explain how to identify a legitimate online slot machine and what to look for when playing it. And what about legal issues you should be aware of? You might want to read the following before signing up for any new online casino. Firstly, read the paytable. This is an extremely important feature of any online slot. This table will tell you how much each line will pay and how the bonus rounds will work. The Pay Table will also tell you how many winning lines the machine has. Some games have 20 lines, while others have thousands. It’s important to read the Pay Table carefully before you play! If the paytable is a little complicated to read, try playing with a free demo version first. Another important feature of online slots is random number generators. These software programs generate between zero and four billion random numbers every second. They are linked to different outcomes of the reels on each spin. Whether the game is fair is a matter of opinion. However, independent software testing agencies regularly test the RNG software to ensure fairness and ensure the highest quality. This way, you can be sure that you’re playing the best online slot possible. If you’re looking for a traditional arcade machine, you can try classic slots. They are ideal for beginners and purists alike. Basically, classic slot games have three rows and columns of symbols. The payline in a classic slot is the middle row. Other slots may have as many as five paylines. Traditional paylines go across the top, middle, and bottom lines. However, classic slots have diagonal paylines. If you want to try out a different game, don’t be afraid to change the payline on your existing slot machine. Another important factor when choosing an online slot is the payout rate. While you may win a lot of money on one slot, you’re better off choosing a game that has good paytables. While choosing an online slot, make sure you’re not spending too much, and don’t forget to manage your bankroll wisely. You’ll want to keep your bankroll under control – but the fun is worth it! So, get started today! Online slots are easy to play, and there are many different variations of each game. You can even play progressive jackpots, which promise huge payouts if you hit the right combination of symbols. Playing these games will help you develop your skills and boost your confidence, which will lead to bigger bets and larger prizes. Remember that you should only invest a small amount in a single online slot game, and you can increase your stakes as you gain more experience.

The brain is a wonderful and mysterious part of our body. If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably wondered more than once what happens to our brain during the different states of consciousness it can enter. We’ve decided to tackle this subject head-on and have put together an in-depth guide to cover all your burning questions. In our guide, we’re going to cover how your brain responds to stimuli, what processes do and don’t occur, the activity that goes on within your mind, and much more. We’ll be explaining how the states of sleep and coma can affect your brain and what goes on inside your head during these periods. First up, however, we’re going to be looking into meditation and how our mind functions during various states of meditation. As something of a controversial subject (many people disagree with common beliefs surrounding meditation), this is an extremely interesting area to begin in. What happens in your mind during meditation? For years, people have practiced the art of meditation – looking to find a peaceful place within themselves and gain inner stability. It has been a long-held belief for some time now that the activity occurring within our brain during these periods is different from when we are awake and active. Recently, studies have suggested that meditation (specifically of the nondirective variety) can produce electrical brain activity typically associated with relaxed attention and wakefulness. We’re going to explore this peculiar phenomenon and learn about the different states our mind can enter while meditating. Our brain is continuously functioning with some level of electrical activity. Meditation helps our mind to move between states of electrical activity and increase perception and alertness – depending on which state we are in. These are the five main states of electrical activity that our brain will enter during various phases of meditation: Gamma state (30 – 100Hz): This is when our brains are most active and are in a state of hyperactivity. Your brain is at maximum stimulation, and electrical levels are at an all-time high. This is certainly not associated with meditation, and actually, prolonged gamma state can lead to nervousness and anxiety (amongst other negatives). Beta state (13 – 30Hz): Most of our waking day is spent in Beta state, it’s how we best function. Our mind is alert, and the prefrontal cortex is firing on all cylinders. When we’re working, thinking, planning, etc. – this is the state our mind is most likely to be in and the frequency our brain is operating on. Alpha state (9 – 13Hz): Alpha state is a much more relaxed phase of electrical activity within the brain. Most often, this state is achieved after an activity that helps relax the brain (like meditation). Our mind is much more balanced in this state, and we are reflective, lucid, and feel peaceful and calm. Theta state (4 – 8Hz): This is very often the end goal in meditation. Once our brain reaches the Theta state, we become much more aware, and our capacity for strengthened intuition and problem solving is functioning at peak performance. Much visualization and meditation are performed at this particular level of electrical activity. Delta state (1 – 3Hz): In meditation, scientific studies don’t yet have much information on how our brain is affected in delta state. We know that it’s the phase most commonly associated with deep sleep and is a very deep form of relaxation. It is said that higher practitioners of meditation – such as Tibetan monks with decades of experiences – can actually reach this state via meditation and outside of normal sleep. Of course, there are many views on the effect of meditation on brain activity, and it would be dishonest to ignore the fact that some opponents of the beliefs above do exist. All parties do acknowledge that further studies are needed in the field, however. Most recent studies have indicated that nondirective meditation is the way to go if you’re looking to enter deep (and attentive) stages of meditation. Nondirective simply means that no concentration on breathing or mantra is required (or very little, at least). This is quite different from meditation techniques that many practitioners commonly engage in, as most classes and guides encourage focusing on breathing and repeating mantras to concentrate the mind. Seemingly, however, letting your mind wander in a spontaneous fashion is the best way to dive deeper into a more relaxed state. If nondirective meditation is the best way to achieve peacefulness and quell the levels of electrical activity in the brain then it’s something that can be learned by anyone with a little bit of time on their hands. Don’t worry about knowing what words to think about or what breathing techniques to use – simply sit somewhere quiet and comfortable and relax. Close your eyes and try not to focus on any one thing in particular. Merely observe your thoughts as if they are passing in front of you, without directly interfering with them or influencing them. It’s thought that this particular state of mind can be immensely useful in visualizing solutions and solving problems. This intuitive, spontaneous problem-solving can be a brilliant way to lower the electrical activity in your brain and truly relax. Although you probably won’t reach Delta state anytime soon, if opponents of these theories are to be believed. Whatever side of the argument you fall on, it’s important to acknowledge that much more research should be performed on the brain activity of meditation practitioners. Knowing how this art affects your mind could be immensely useful for future practitioners and help us better understand our own brains. How does your brain perform in a coma? Coma, in many ways, is a state of consciousness very similar to deep sleep. The main difference between coma and deep sleep is that no external stimuli (that we can perceive) can wake up the body from a coma. This means that even loud noises and aggressive sensations cannot wake up someone who has fallen into a coma. As many of you will already be aware, entering a coma is a dire medical emergency. If someone is to fall into this state, they must be rushed to the hospital immediately (or the emergency services should be called straight away). Only trained medical staff can deal with a situation such as this as a number of procedures must be performed before the body becomes stable. There are many traumatic events that can cause somebody to enter a coma. We’ll list a few of them here before we move on to how your brain functions during this period. Causes could be: Head injury Stroke Cardiac arrest A brain tumor Electrocution Stroke Hypoglycemia Hyperglycaemia Hypothermia Alcohol poisoning Drug overdose Kidney failure Liver failure As you can see, the list of possible causes is extensive, and we’ve only covered a few of the more well-known ones. These causes are usually divided into one of two main events; intracranial (occurring within the skull) or extracranial (from an event outside of the skull). Of course, entering the state of a coma isn’t always due to an accident. In some instances, people can be medically-induced into an artificial coma. This is usually because they are at risk of brain injury, and this is the last-chance option to save them. These types of comas are very different from the typical variety and are brought about by doctors utilizing a controlled dose of a barbiturate drug (usually pentobarbital or thiopental). However, the patient will present as if in a coma to the untrained eye. When your mind enters an unconscious state, the most commonly held belief is that external stimuli won’t affect your brain and won’t be received by your mind in any way, shape, or form. Recently, much like with meditation, studies have shown that this belief might not be entirely true – but not in the way that you think. Apparently, there have been many misdiagnoses (nearly half – by some reports) in the medical field that have lumped in people living a vegetative state, or locked-in syndrome, with genuine coma sufferers. These findings were discovered through the use of MRI scans during outside stimulation to patients who were diagnosed as comatose. What these studies found certainly shocked many, as it appears to show that some people who were previously thought to be in a comatose state actually can react to certain external stimuli. Their brains show signs of robust electrical activity, meaning that they’re not actually real comas. When the brain enters a comatose state, activity slows down dramatically, and the reticular activated system is not firing correctly. People in a coma simply cannot receive or respond to external forces (or so we believe). The new findings discussed above point to there existing a lower level of comatose, where minimally-conscious patients may actually be able to communicate (or at least receive outside messages through exterior stimulation). These findings are an ethical minefield for many in the medical field as it could indicate that certain patients who were previously thought to be in a coma could actually be still functioning on a somewhat normal level – all of this hidden beneath the appearance of their brain being in a deep state of inactivity. Currently, the Glasgow Coma Scale is one of the ways that doctors and first responders can assess what level of consciousness a patient is currently in. The scale is a straightforward points-based system. If a person scores 15 on the scale, then they can be determined to be fully conscious. Anyone on the opposite side of the spectrum will be in a deep coma. Here are the tests that make up this scale and the points system in place: Eye Opening Spontaneous – 4 To loud voice – 3 To pain – 2 None – 1 Verbal Response Oriented – 5 Confused/disoriented – 4 Inappropriate words – 3 Incomprehensible words – 2 None – 1 Motor Response Obeys commands – 6 Localizes pain – 5 Withdraws from pain – 4 Abnormal flexion posturing – 3 Extensor posturing – 2 None – 1 Although this scale is widely accepted around the world, it is clear that some minimally-conscious patients are being misdiagnosed. Many more studies are required to fully understand how this problem can be tackled, how comatose patients can be more effectively diagnosed, and what the future holds for people in this state. It is exciting to think about the possibilities that may arise in the future if doctors and scientists can find a way to interact with minimally-conscious patients in this form of “light-coma.” It’s also deeply worrying to think about what may be going on beneath the surface within their minds, and just how much brain activity is really happening. What goes on in your mind while sleeping? While we sleep, our mind switches between states much more often than during waking hours. The study of sleep has been researched and documented in a lot more detail than coma and meditation, so we have many more details about how our brain operates than in other states. We’ll explain further below just what kind of brain activity goes on during sleep. First, let’s take a look at the various stages of sleep and what states our mind can enter throughout the night (and day): Early morning wakefulness – Many of you can profess experience in this particular state of sleep. When you wake up in the morning, you might feel especially sluggish, still tired, and not at your best. This is because your brain is stuck between sleep and wakefulness still. Some people experience this far more than others and can find themselves lapsing between sleep and wakefulness for extended periods of time. REM sleep – REM sleep (rapid-eye-movement) is the period of resting when our minds most often experience complex dreams. This is due to the high-effort “rewiring” and “archiving” of memories that is going on in our head during this state of sleep. Most of the body’s self-healing is done during this time. Deep sleep – The state of deep sleep is most often experienced during the first part of the night, not long after we initially fall asleep. It’s interesting to note that deep sleep is the phase of our nighttime routine when we are technically closest to being in a coma. Growth hormones are released during deep sleep, and this is when our body grows. Microsleep – This is one of the more peculiar states of sleep that can occur and is often experienced at late night (while extremely tired) or of a morning after a broken sleep. You’ve probably experienced it yourself at one time or another as your head jerks up on the bus when you didn’t even realize you’d been asleep for a second or two. Delerium – Being in a state of delirium is very similar to microsleeps and can sometimes be brought on by exceptional tiredness. The leading causes of delirium are intoxication (through narcotics – both legal and illegal – or alcohol) and elderly age. You’ll find delirious people to be in a fluctuating state of consciousness, which can be very confusing for them. Our consciousness, during both wakefulness and sleep, is a fluid and constantly changing series of states. Many people move in and out of these levels several times during the day and night. You’ll probably already be familiar with many of the stages we listed above, but how do they affect your brain activity? First and foremost, although we are sleeping and in a resting state, our brain is very much still awake during deep sleep. It frequently oscillates between different levels of activity, but recent studies have shown that it still has many tasks to accomplish during our sleep and can still be thought of as “awake.” One of the most commonly accepted theories regarding brain activity during deep sleep is that our mind is performing rigorous maintenance. The primary purpose of this maintenance is thought to be a form of memory consolidation. Our brain is actively filing thoughts away and learning while we rest. This is an extremely interesting aspect of how our mind operates during different states and provides a great insight into how it functions. By consolidating memories and actively learning while our body sleeps, the brain is ever-improving and working away during the night. Although we have studied brain activity during sleep extensively, there is still so much left for us to learn. New and more in-depth studies are being continuously performed, and the further into the future we head, the more knowledge we’ll have on how our brain works during the various states of sleep. Meditation, coma, sleep: The conclusion Now that we’ve covered the various states that our mind can enter throughout life (both purposefully, naturally, and through external factors), what have we learned? Let’s look at some of the facts we’ve covered in this final conclusion and review the information we now know. Meditation – Our final conclusion on meditation is that it does provoke significant changes in the electrical activity occurring within the brain. Studies (of which many more are still needed) pinpoint how nondirective meditation can help our mind achieve deeper states with less electrical activity and more spontaneous problem-solving than normal wakefulness. This information is very useful to us, as it shows that meditation does have tangible, recordable benefits – aside from the ancient and modern ones which are regularly touted by its proponents. Knowing more about brain activity and function during meditation can only help further the art and open it up to a broader audience while improving the techniques commonly associated with it. Coma – For us, the jury is still out on the number of stimuli that the brain can receive during what appears to be comatose states. It’s an interesting thought experiment and involves a lot of ethical quandaries that must undoubtedly be dealt with more seriously in the medical field. The possibility certainly exists that there is much more about the state of coma that we need to find out before a final conclusion can be drawn. We do believe, however, that minimally-conscious (or vegetative state) patients are owed a lot more care than they already receive. If the mind truly is still functioning beneath the surface of a “coma,” then we must do all we can to further research in this field and promote more reliable scales and systems which can diagnose the state a mind is in after a traumatic event. Sleep – As the most well-researched and studied, sleep is definitely the state of mind that we know the most about. Even with all of this knowledge, many functions that occur during sleep are still a mystery. We do know, however, just how much effort the mind puts into growing, healing, and organizing our mind while we sleep. In the future, we can expect to see even more mysteries about brain activity during this state unravel before us. It might take years, decades, or even centuries – but sooner or later, we will fully map the mind and understand how this bizarre resting period functions. We hope that this article has helped you better understand the functions and actions that our brain can experience during various states. Shining a light on the activity that goes on within our mind throughout our life is an important task, and we’ve tried our hardest to cover as much information as possible in this guide. As we have previously stated, proponents and opponents of many theories and beliefs exist in hotly-contested fields and areas such as this. Brain activity during various states is an area of research that has many contrasting views. Because of this, we have tried to be as impartial and unbiased as possible during our creation of this guide. Hopefully, you can perform further research of your own on this complicated subject before coming to a conclusion that satisfies you entirely.

This project has to be completed by tomorrow. I still need to make a doctor’s appointment and at home, there is the bathroom waiting to be cleaned. Tasks and responsibilities as far as the eye can reach! This was one of the many moments in my life when my head started spinning and it became hard to breathe. Sometimes, life can be so overwhelming that we don’t really know which way to turn. And stress is a vicious circle! As soon as you let it take the upper hand, this feeling of helplessness becomes even stronger and very hard to conquer. That’s when I realized that something had to change. I needed to find back my inner balance, or the challenges of my everyday life would overpower me. Since it’s difficult to change the external conditions, I decided to work on myself, on my way of looking at things and dealing with stress. Sport and physical exercise are one way to let off some steam and fight the stress hormones, so I started my transformation by adding some workout to my weekly schedule. Not much, I didn’t want to lose weight or become a bodybuilder, but just enough to feel exhausted in a positive way now and then. This was already a good start, but exercise only brings a selective moment of relief. I needed more, something with a long-term effect. Fact is, that mental and emotional sanity is at least as important as bodily health. Only if the body and mind are working together as a unit can you find inner peace and learn how to cope with demanding situations. Meditation helped me to take a step back, calm down, and see things as less threatening. It gave me new energy to confront the challenges of everyday life with confidence and a clear mind. I started with only five minutes per day, without exactly knowing how it works and what to expect. It became my little ritual, my personal haven where I could let things be and focus on nothing but myself. Step by step, I increased the time frame, and I noticed the effects on my behavior. Especially right after the session, but even during the whole day, I could feel that I was more relaxed. There were still moments when the stress became too strong to ignore, but this happened remarkably less often. In those cases I just take a deep breath and bring a smile on my face, knowing that stress as everything else is only a transitory phase and that I can find peace in my personal haven whenever needed. 2 – The Important Things Before I started meditating, the high-stress level came along with a notable decrease in concentration. My brain felt like a sieve with enormous meshes; my thoughts were anywhere but in the present moment. I forgot important information within the blink of an eye, I could not even remember my seat number on the way from the entrance of the train station to the tracks. I was shocked and worried at the same time, wondering if this state was the new me and if it would stay this way forever. It felt as if my mind was constantly working at full blast, processing a huge amount of information without being able to differentiate between those who really mattered and those who could be forgotten without any regrets. In brief, it felt as if I were about to lose sight of myself. In our modern world, where everything has to be better, faster and even more efficient, where we are exposed to an overload of news, messages, and information all day long, we’re forgetting about our personal needs and well-being. So did I. When people were asking me about my dreams and plans for the future, I had no idea what to tell them. In fact, I knew less about myself than about the struggles in some celebrity’s relationship or about the latest cat video. This was alarming, and it made me sad! I didn’t want to watch my life passing by without consciously being a part of it, so I started looking for the emergency brake. For me, meditation became a way out of the hamster wheel, a chance to step away from the overstimulation, from social media and other distracting factors. The meanwhile firmly established meditation sessions are my obligatory “me-time”. A time where I can close the door behind me and connect with myself, listen to my thoughts and my body. At first, I felt naked without my phone. I was longing for news like an addict for his cigarette. But after trying several times and finally staying seated and focusing on my breath, I started feeling an incredible relief. Nowadays, I’m looking forward to my little islands of peace during the day, wondering how I could ever do without them. Because fading out the turbulent world from time to time and creating space for a little contemplation opens the view for the truly important things in life. Things that no type of media could ever tell you about.

Pnina Tornai is living her own American dream and sharing it with others. The Israeli-born fashion designer creates sumptuous wedding gowns and accessories to make everyone feel special on their big day. Now, she's launched her first official fashion jewelry collection with Jared, so everyone can sparkle no matter the occasion. “These jewels are a piece of me," Tornai says, "and my heart is so full now that I can share this piece of me with you.” Tornai sees the beauty of a necklace and the elegance of a great gown as a source of strength and empowerment for the wearer. She got her start crafting wedding gowns in her own small shop in Israel. A feature in the Israeli newspaper brought a flurry of bridal requests, and her persistent efforts were eventually noticed by Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City. See also: Mike Posner Talks 'Amor Fati' with Clif Bar, A Song You Have to Move to Hear Carrying the largest selection of bridal gowns and accessories in the world, Kleinfeld is the shop featured on TLC's hit reality show Say Yes to the Dress, and Tornai has now featured in all 19 seasons as one of Kleinfeld's top-selling designers. The new collection of Jared jewelry is a continuation of Tornai's efforts to bring beauty and confidence to all. Offering bold yet elegant necklaces, rings, earrings and bracelets designed to make your heart soar, Tornai’s collection is very personal for her, and now it can be yours. We connected with Tornai to ask about her experience on Say Yes to the Dress, her new jewelry collection with Jared, her connection to jewelry and fashion, and more. How were you introduced to the empowering nature of fashion and jewelry? I have always been drawn to beautiful things and have always loved creating. Throughout my life, even in my lowest moments, I always expressed myself through fashion and took comfort in the way it made me feel. I ended up starting my business at a time when I needed to support myself and found myself drawn to what I know best—fashion and self-expression. Fashion was my way of moving forward, and I discovered that the feeling of power and confidence it gave me was a feeling I could give to others through my creations. What have you learned from being on Say Yes to the Dress and getting to connect with brides? Say Yes to the Dress has brought me recognition in 140 countries around the world, and it allows me to share my message of love not only with my brides but also with everyone watching the show. But my job, whether it’s at Kleinfeld, at my atelier in Israel, or elsewhere in the world—with or without cameras—is to be there for my brides at this very special time in their lives and to fulfill the purpose I am meant to serve. Sometimes that means helping my bride see how beautiful she is when she never thought of herself as beautiful. Occasionally, that means telling the bride something important I see about her relationship with her fiancé or her loved ones that she needs to hear in that moment, whether it’s good or bad. Just about a month ago, a bride came in with her father, and he was so supportive. He was arranging her train for her and telling her how beautiful she was. He reminded me of my own late father. The bride told me that her sister couldn’t be there to shop with her because she was just about to give birth, and her mother was in the hospital struggling with a health issue, and she had really wanted them to be there to help her find her dress. I told her that I truly believed that her mother would recover—but that she was meant to choose her gown with her father. It was so clear that he was the one who was meant to accompany her for this part of her journey. Can you tell us more about your new jewelry collection with Jared and the inspiration behind it? Collaborating with the Jared team over the past year or so on my women’s engagement rings, anniversary bands, and then the men’s rings has been such a wonderful experience. The Jared team truly understands and embraces my vision. Creating a fashion jewelry collection in partnership with Jared was a natural continuation of that, especially since I have been designing jewelry for myself and my clients for years. Each piece in the collection feels like a piece of me, and each has its own special meaning. It means so much to me to finally share these jewels with the world. Jewelry is such a wonderful way to celebrate milestones and special moments in life, and I can’t wait to see more of those special moments celebrated with my designs. Are there particular pieces in your collection that served as inspiration when creating your own line? A large portion of my fashion jewelry collection is based on jewels I have designed for myself over the years and wear regularly. The lace ring, for example, is an exact copy of the original I created for myself, inspired by the beauty of the lace fabrics I use in my bridal and evening gown collections. We also created a large black diamond hamsa just like mine, as well as a smaller white diamond version for those who prefer more delicate jewelry. Which piece is your favorite from the collection and why? The jewels in this collection are my babies, and it is so hard to pick a favorite! They each have their own special meaning for me, but I do especially love the rose ring. It is based on the first ring I ever designed, inspired by a real rose from my mother’s garden. She always grew roses herself and took such good care of them, and the rose ring reminds me of her. What other projects are you currently working on? Right now, I am working on my new 2022 couture collection! Designing my couture gowns is always exciting but also challenging, because I always want to outdo myself every year with a collection even more spectacular than the one before. I am also working on new ring styles for my bridal and men’s ring collections, and some other exciting projects that I can’t share yet. What is your advice for someone that wants to work in the fashion industry? The most important thing is to believe in yourself and to love who you are. I am always my own toughest critic, but I also know that my calling is to make brides’ dreams come true. Even when I hit roadblocks on my journey to where I am today, I knew that I had something unique to bring to the world. If you never give up on yourself, you will get to where you are meant to be. To look through the collection, check out Jared's website. To learn more about Tornai and her designs, visit her website.

State Conference time is an exciting time for MN FCCLA members and advisers. The opportunity to come to a comprehensive leadership conference, share what you have learned with STAR Events, hear dynamic speakers and learn from other chapters is awesome! Advisers and chaperones have an important role to the safety, impact and the accountability of the members to make the most of the experience. Travelling to a state or national conference takes some forethought by the advisor. Tips for an awesome conference experience. 1.Provide training for your chaperones. Review the expectations, schedule and specific needs of students with all of the chaperones. 2.Know the advisor role. Many times advisers have extra responsibilities at state conference. Make sure this is clearly communicated to your chaperones. Schedule a nightly meeting of your chapter group. Determine a schedule for your members. Make them accountable for attending sessions and report back – both formally and informally. 3.Build a buddy system. Most likely, the students who are coming have earned the opportunity to be at the state conference and are great delegates. Give them a buddy system and clear expectations. Be consistent with discipline and follow-up. 4.Communication system. Give one chaperone the role of “lead” and provide a phone list. Student paperwork and code of conduct forms, permission forms to them. Make sure every student has a cell phone number to call you. Enter the student’s and chaperone’s cell phones into your phone. 5.Present a united front. Make sure chaperones have clear expectations of the disciples and tactics to use. Talk in private about any decisions that are unclear. Do not be afraid to call in the advice of your principal if needed. Bring this administrator into the conversation early and keep them abreast of situations needing attention. Sending a student home early may be a difficult call, but may be the best thing for future trips. 6.Develop a “report back” system. What do you expect of your members? Do you expect attendance at sessions? Do you expect they take their roles seriously? Do you expect participation? Do you expect a written or oral report be given after the event? Do you expect that they attend competitions and learn as much as possible for the chapter? Be clear that this is a learning experience and you will be pleasantly surprised about their ability to network, to learn and to share information with the chapter, the school board and with your

Umm Salal coach Aziz Ben Askar spoke to the media ahead of their 2020-21 season QNB Stars League Week 11 match against Al Gharafa. “Al Gharafa are strong competitors and one of the two best teams in the league this season, not just because they are ranked second in the table. We are preparing strongly of course because it will be a strong match. We work hard every day and this is most important to me. “In our current situation, every point is important. We put up a strong performance in our drawn match against Al Sailiya, who are good opponents. For us, there is no easy match. All matches are difficult. “We entered the current season with the aim of remaining in the QNB Stars League. As I said earlier, this season will not be easy as we are building a new team and therefore it is not easy to achieve positive results at the beginning. “The point we scored against Al Sailiya gives us confidence and makes us believe in our project and the work we do every day. “All points are important for us. We, as usual, focus on ourselves, and for us every match is a point and we need to work until the last minute of every match we play. I remind the players to focus throughout the game,” said Ben Askar. Umm Salal goalkeeper Sami Habib said, “I am happy to play as the main goalkeeper of the team. I was nervous in the first match, but my team-mates stood by me and gave me more confidence. “We played a good game against Al Sailiya and the two teams deserved the point. Now, we will face Al Gharafa and I expect the match to be strong, but we aspire to win the three points, especially since we have been achieving good results of late.”

Forget the UN, natural disasters, or alien invasion. World peace only requires a hostel. Anyone who has hit our lonely little planet on the cheap knows that lifelong friendships, hot romances, and soul-searching insights take place in these humble places to hunker down. After all, where else can you sleep above someone from Japan, eat breakfast with someone from Australia, and find traveling partners from Finland who are headed conveniently to Eastern Turkey too? Young entrepreneurs Harmony Marin and Juliana Zhen who met through a mutual friend spent their share of time in hostels and liked them so much that they decided to open one of their own — the Unik Hostel. The Unik Hostel is… well… unique because it brings the local art scene into the hostel, allowing guests and locals to meet and bond. Juliana Zhen and Harmony Marin “It provides all the usual hostel amenities,” says Marin. “It has typical hostel accommodation in shared rooms, a kitchen, a living room/common area, computer access, and information about Montreal. We provide breakfast in the price of the stay. Except, we are going to offer the opportunity for travelers to meet locals and experience Montreal through its artistic facets.” Marin and Zhen know what makes a good hostel. Zhen came to Montreal via Brazil and China, traveling along the way. Marin comes from Romania and has traveled through 12 countries, taking off for four months at a time and staying until the money runs out. While traveling, a hostel in Lisbon made a strong impression. “The people at reception made it look so familiar and so caring that I loved the atmosphere inside,” she says. Similarly, Unik Hostel intends to put the traveler first. “We want to put the guests first. They’re not customers. They’re guests and we want to treat the guests as guests. They’re family and friends. They’re there to have fun. We want to talk to them, share with them, and enjoy each other’s company,” says Marin. “We couldn’t travel all the time, so we wanted to bring the unique international family to us,” she says. Marin wants to showcase the best parts of the city: it’s art. “Montreal is very artistic city. Its full of all sorts of art currents and artists from all over the world,” she says. Nadine Cinq Mars To do this, the walls of the hostel will be painted periodically by local artists. At the moment, two artists in particular have been recruited for the hostel: Nadine Cinq Mars and Adida Fallen Angel who works with Fresh Paint Gallery. The indiegogo campaign is intended to raise funds to pay for the artists. Adida Fallen Angel Marin and Zhen also intend to feature temporary exhibitions and bring musical performances to the hostel. Improv nights and movie nights are also in the works. Crowdfunding Discussion for Uniq Hostel “It’s been a lot of work,” says Marin. “The most challenging thing is finding the location. What was the hardest was the waiting. Waiting for answers from financing and location. But, it’s been an amazing experience and we’ve been learning so much.” “Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I’m like what am I doing?” she says. “But, it’s totally worth it. It’s the most amazing experience ever.” Unik Hostel’s fundraising campaign can be reached HERE. The hostel opens in late March – early April 2014.

Concussion is based on the actual life of Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith), a brilliant resident alien working for the Philadelphia Coroner’s Office. Bennett brings with him all of the attributes an audience associates with being an American – hard worker, compassionate, ambitious. These are the things that get him into trouble and this story starkly delineates the difference between what we think an American is, and how we actually can be. When the narrative turns to NFL vs Omalu, the NFL is scared for the wrong reasons. They’re terrified releasing this information will destroy the national franchise. From Pee-wee leagues to College teams, how many future players will move on to safer sports? It certainly contrasts from the braggadocio of owning a day of the week and commanding the nation’s attention four days a week for 20 weeks. The nation even discusses football in the off season, and some would argue football has no off season. They failed to realize that Omalu’s discovery of CTE wouldn’t bring football to its knees unless the problem was ignored. Omalu’s motives were more altruistic – bring it to their attention so they could work towards saving future lives, to save future ailing players from misdiagnoses and treat them like the revered heroes the sport held them to be, instead of homeless messes that are an embarrassment to the sport. Unfortunately, it was easier to accept that former players spent fortunes on hookers and blow while simultaneously destroying their families than to admit the organization fundamentally screwed up, by letting them play to the roars and dollars of millions with catastrophic head injuries. The terror experienced by the NFL not only over the revelation of these findings but their previous knowledge is certainly enough to make any organization shudder, which is why they handled it so poorly, nearly destroying a man’s life in its own flailing efforts to cover it up. Even today the ripples of their sloppy handling can be felt, with “Concussion Protocol” being announced every time a player hits his head. It’s over the top, necessary, and a way for the NFL to say, sure this movie made us look like jerks, but we’re talking care of it. They were willing to ignore it completely until high-ranking players began not just dying, but dying badly. It’s telling how an organization can command what is known as the holiest day of the week, and still so completely fail its players. But this story is still about Bennett, and his own struggle to be an American and be accepted by his peers, despite being railroaded and ignored and vilified in the press. He manages to hold it together, spending his own money more than once to prove his case. He is diligent and dogged, and as an audience, you’re torn between wanting him to give up and just be a normal American by keeping his head down, and rooting for him to tell what he knows to save lives. He meets a girl, settles down, works hard, makes something important of himself and is torn down for his efforts. If that’s not what being an American is all about, I don’t know what is. You can’t not like this movie, for its humor, for its dark but necessary subject matter, and for its secondary and tertiary characters which make this more a universal story. From the decline of Mike O’Malley (David Morse) to the compassionate turn by Dr. Julian Bailes (Alec Baldwin), former team doctor and conspirator turned believer (the Louisiana accent was surprisingly honeyed and subtle) to his wife, Prema Mutiso (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). Special shout out to Albert Brooks, who brings the acerbic Dr. Cyril Wecht to life, with the give ‘em hell attitude the movie really needed to prevent it from wallowing in feel-good territory. Concussion is told in your standard three-act format, infact my companion was even able to call them out,and the score – something I only notice when it’s obvious and jarring – accompanied the film like a faithful if quiet friend. There isn’t anything about this film I flat out hated. It’s not about the condition of CTE, save that for NOVA, that made this movie hard to watch, but an exceptional David and Goliath story. The exception of course being Goliath’s injury wasn’t immediately fatal, and like CTE, the effects are long term and debilitating. Feature Author Articles by MontiLee Stormer Movie Reelist Contributor: MontiLee Stormer MontiLee Stormer is a writer of horror, dark and urban fantasy. She’s also is a troublemaker, concocting acts of mayhem and despair for her own selfish pleasure. An avid movie watcher, she prefers horror but will see just about anything if you're buying. Poltergeist (1982) is her favorite movie and she actively hates The Shining (1980) due to its racism, misogyny, the butchering of the source material. She could host a TEDtalk on this single subject. Writing about herself in the third person is just a bonus.

I grew up ignorant to the extent of mental health problems that men face. I grew up with “strong” men around me who went to work 6 or 7 days a week, never complained and if I am honest, hardly spoke of their feelings. If they were sad, I wouldn’t know it. They would withdraw and the little communication that was visible, would not be so visible anymore. It deeply saddens me to know that for so many men, this is the only option they feel is viable. What saddens me further is that this response seems ingrained in them. That over time it seems to have been constructed from the pressure to generate and deliver the most money to the household, at any personal cost. At any amount of physical sacrifice, and at any mental sacrifice. This I now know, because I have watched my husband battle with the societal expectation of what a man of the house, and a father, is expected to contribute to a family. To the detriment of his mental wellbeing. Desperately wanting to be present for our children and being limited to, if lucky, a 10-minute timeframe per day to spend with them. Sacrificing time to be the main breadwinner of our house so that I need not work full time and can be there for our boys. Then at least one of us can watch them grow up. Eventually it has taken its toll. Work. And work harder. Be tougher. Don’t complain. Have a drink if you feel shit about something. If you still feel shit, have another. It is a cycle that I can say I have watched through many generations of men around me. As a “mum blogger”, as a wife, a mother of boys, and as a woman who is surrounded by amazing men that stay quiet when there is so much to be said (yet maybe they just don’t know how to), I feel that voicing depression and anxiety in men is just as important as voicing women’s. Because my family and friends are a team. And when one player is on the bench, we don’t simply delist them without a second thought. We guide them on the path to recovery. We want to face the next game with our strongest side. The rate of male suicide shocks me. The statistic really is jaw-dropping. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2017 about 75% of people who died by suicide were males. In a perfect world there would be 0% for both sexes, of course. But this information is telling us something. As hard as parents try to educate their sons about the range of emotions and developing tools in their tool box to cope with them, maybe it just takes time and perseverance of this to undo what evolution has itself done. Maybe it takes society speaking more of the challenges that men face. That fathers face. Where they are to accept that for many years their gender was required to work while women raised their children and if they felt the urge to be with them then they need to stow it away. Just suck it up because nothing will change. After writing blogs about mental health, particularly post-natal depression and anxiety, and seeing how many women can voice their issues (not all women, we each have our own cross to bear) I exist online in a space where men’s mental health is not discussed as much. I simply wanted to give some air time to acknowledge the men in my life that are feeling deflated, feeling lonely, or that something is missing in their life but they can’t quite pinpoint it, feeling as though they aren’t enough for their family or feeling guilty for the lack of time they may spend with their babies and other halves. Feeling full of emotion and feeling it is unacceptable for them to express it. By showing there are some guys out there able to get in touch with emotions, becoming aware of how to process them and how to use words in order to manage and express them, you are showing future generations of boys that they can do it too. While times are slowly changing with a broader range of diversity in household roles, from where I sit men are still pigeonholed as less sensitive and that they can “deal” with working away from family. Men are still generalised as being tougher emotionally because the culture of acceptance is still shifting. I can only hope that with continual education of this in our schools and through openness with family and friends, that our children will be raised in a different world. I hope that as a result the rate of stress, anxiety and depression in men reduces dramatically. ***Special mention to my husband who has been so brave and allowed me to write about his experiences. Love you babe. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Law plays an important role in all aspects of our lives. It gives us some living guarantees and protects our total safety. However, these statements apply to such types of law as civil rights law, family law, and so on. Try it free However, what about intellectual property law? Can it protect the rights of the creators properly? Let’s take an example. We have a best-known streaming service Spotify which contains millions of songs. On the other hand, there are some DJing apps that work in strong cooperation with music streaming services like Spotify. However, what about their law regulation? Is it illegal to use Spotify to DJ apps? In accordance with Spotify terms and conditions, music can’t be used from Spotify to DJ apps. Due to Spotify policy, the company grants users a limited license to use music content for non-commercial purposes only. Long story short, you can use Spotify’s content to DJ apps for your own entertainment only. However, it’s prohibited to use it at commercial gigs. To avoid legal battles with Spotify, it’s better to find another platform that will allow you to use music content legally. There are thousands of platforms where you can find millions of songs for free. Try it free However, if you have used Spotify for years, it would be easier to transfer all your saved songs, or playlists to another platform by using the special service MusConv. It’s your personal assistant in the matter of music transferring. Rely on the MusConv and welcome your favorite songs on another music streaming service in some minutes. Other tutorials Other tutorials How to move from Spotify to Apple Music How to move from Apple Music to Spotify How to move from Spotify to Amazon Music How to move from Spotify to YouTube Music How to move from Deezer to Tidal

Today's landscape demands a culture where there are no barriers between technology, production, creative and strategy—where the same people you hire to ideate and create will be the ones who make and build. Agencies who want to push their clients' brands forward must go beyond a response to a brief and instead deliver work that is inventive, solves a business problem and exceeds expectations. I believe the key to hitting that sweet spot is by fostering an invention mindset not only with technologists and creatives but throughout an agency. To do that, we need to keep stimulating and challenging our talent with projects that get their hands on technology, and break them out of their comfort zones and daily routines. In my 25 years in the industry, I've taken a few key takeaways and learnings in all my endeavors: Encourage a DIY Environment When people on your team are encouraged to have an invention mindset, they are pushed to be curious, ask questions and to try things for themselves, sparking further creativity. While agency billable time is sacred, team downtime is a gift that should be embraced as well. Whenever it is possible, look for possibilities to mix staff interests with internal projects and learning opportunities. When staff are engaged with passion projects, they are more likely to be receptive to pushing themselves and possibly making use of a new emerging technology. At Barbarian, we have a program called "Maker Mondays," where we host internal classes for people to work with electronics and emerging technologies. It exposes our creatives and even our strategists to scenarios they might not normally deal with. Cracking open a new skill, like basic coding, or soldering, has a way of building confidence in an unexpected way. People think, "Wow, if I can do this, maybe I'd be able to do that, too." The reality is it has never been easier to learn a new skill, as there are thousands of free tutorials on the internet and project ideas to get people started with anything they might want to learn or do. Encouraging DIY attitudes in an office can empower staff to push forward with their own ideas and even motivate others without waiting for formal permission. No Comfort Zones Creatives always need to tackle a project from different angles and in fresh ways. If you're constantly using the same tools, you tend to fall into old patterns and won't feel the necessity to break out of that. You also need to find new ways to work that are more efficient or powerful. Our "Strangers in Residence" program is an ongoing quarterly effort that allows our team members to work with artists and gives them new kinds of work, getting involved as much as possible in that project and performance. We've also hosted "VR Fridays," where our team leverages emerging technology to get a better understanding of what's happening in the world through a new and compelling medium. Agencies need to be inventive not only in the creative work they pump out but in the ways they are approaching that work, which in some cases means trying something new and unconventional. Focus on Agency-Wide Invention Invention is quickly becoming the highest performance metric for any business in our rapidly changing landscape. But encouraging an invention mindset among technologists and creatives won't be enough. Rather, agencies need to cultivate invention mindsets throughout all of their teams, and across the entire agency. The goal is to achieve an entire organization that is brainstorming together and continuously thinking outside of the box. In order to create such an environment, agencies must start at the leadership level, ensuring leaders are demonstrating bold thinking, open communication, and communicating trust in their entire team base. Leadership sets the tone, and if they focus on embracing original thinking, challenging the status quo, experimentation and creative intuition, this will go a long way in cultivating an atmosphere that fosters innovation organically, across teams and across departments. Be Aware of Your (and Your Teams') Motivation Levels We all go through cycles of feeling inventive, curious, productive or less so. If you feel like you have fallen into a pattern or are going through the same motions, it's important to break out of it. It's OK to spend some time going with the flow, but eventually you need to push yourself and your teams to make things happen beyond the typical work. This can be very difficult when there just isn't time or resources, but rewarding and celebrating what team members make, and sharing those projects in the gaps between paid work, will make all the difference in the world. These efforts are the seeds of bigger and more interesting opportunities that can be embraced when time and resources free up. Looking Forward An inventive mindset is more than just implementing a program into the workplace—it's about encouraging an agency culture with an inventive mindset. To accomplish this, leadership must demonstrate bold and innovative thinking themselves, and they must communicate to their team members across the board that they're trusted to think independently. We've all encountered the kind of stellar creative work that sparks sheer astonishment and awe. With the right environment and the right dynamics at work, every agency has the capacity to harness innovation and brew up the next game-changing idea or campaign.

If you need music marketing service in Escondido, we can help you. Call us today for more information. As one of the most popular and relied on mediums for communication, music is all over. It is typically the first form of communication for individuals and is utilized in all kinds of activities from organization to entertainment. A lot of us have had the experience of listening to music and enjoying a movie or program and wanting more, even if we have to wait up until the remainder of the episode has actually ended up. Music is a powerful medium and comprehending some basic music marketing tips will help your organization tremendously. If you’re looking for legit music promo Muisc and Marketing can help. First of all, understand your audience. You need to understand their likes and dislikes and know what they are not. Exists a particular kind of music that they are not thinking about? Would they be upset if you played a tune about eliminating someone if they were not fans of death metal? The kind of music you select is extremely important when it pertains to music marketing. Do not just base it on the reality that the audience is female. Another one of the important music marketing tips is to get included. Get yourself associated with music events such as contests, fan conferences, and various kinds of music-related festivals. Music is a powerful medium, so it is very important that you use it to promote your organization. Let your involvement inform your audience that you are an involved and enthusiastic music fan. Ensure that your website and music files are enhanced. Online search engine like ‘good music’ and will provide your website higher rankings. The right keywords and tags can also bring in more customers, which causes a possible boost in sales. Music files that are not well-optimized are most likely to be skipped by prospective customers, so make certain you hang around and effort in this area of your organization. Music that is not proper for you or your target market ought to definitely be removed. There are websites that concentrate on music content and can offer you with great deals of information concerning this area. Music that angering is typically disregarded or penalized by music websites, so constantly inspect your files prior to submitting them. You might even wish to ask the music website to remove the file if you feel it’s being utilized in a manner that is improper. A great music marketing tip is to produce music that is relevant to your website and customers. If you are offering children’s music, your file ought to not have any offensive words or content. It ought to connect to kids or parents, so you can be ensured that your customers will appreciate and delight in the mp3 files that you send them. If you are a new artist, attempt looking for regional music shows or competitions in your area. Register for regional radio stations or talk shows, and contact music blogs and record labels to inquire about upcoming gigs. Calling them is a good way to develop contacts, which in turn will help you produce a bigger fan base for your music. You might also wish to think about working with a music press agent or music supervisor. These people are experts in the industry and can help you promote your music. You can provide a call to discover more information about music marketing tips. You can also learn from their successes. Music representatives normally won’t cost you much cash to utilize. In fact, it might be more budget friendly than working with a press agent and the representative can do most of the work for you, leaving you to focus on recording your next album or gig. If you choose to invest cash on a music artist’s music, make certain it is something you will delight in listening to. Remember that if it isn’t something you truly delight in listening to, chances are, you will not hang around singing or playing it. Your audience requires to be able to relate to your music and enjoy it. There are lots of talented musicians out there who aren’t very popular with the public. Advertising and marketing your music can take time, especially if it is an established band. However, there are several ways you can market your music. You can perform live, write music for hire, produce music for others, and record music yourself. With the Web, you can advertise your music all over worldwide at any time. When you understand music marketing, it will be much easier for you to succeed in the music organization. Advertising and marketing can imply the difference between a hit single and a losing tune. If you don’t have the understanding, it is all right to hire a music supervisor or an agent. However, a good understanding of how the music organization works is a must. It is possible to have your cake and eat it too, however you will need to understand which one is which. Good luck!

When I write non-photography pieces for this blog, I realize I make some people angry, and it causes some to dislike me. That is never my goal. I always expect people who I consider to be bad people, to have those reactions. I also expect good people who disagree with me to feel some of those same emotions. Recently it has come to my attention that some of you who often agree with me and may even like me, have been angered at some of my writings. That is certainly not my desire but upon much reflection, maybe I am actually accomplishing what I should be. As the saying goes, you can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs. All of us have so many preconceived truths of what’s right and wrong, and who’s good and who’s bad, that anybody who comes along to shake that up, is perceived as a villain themself. Those so-called truths, are written by self-proclaimed leaders of movements, in America and throughout the world. We go through life accepting these declarations as truth, when often they are as far from the truth as those who proclaim them. Bad People Do Good Things I know, your saying to yourself that I must have meant to state that good people do bad things. I mean, we’re all human and even the best of us screws up. That is true, but I did mean to say, Bad People Do Good Things. The famous gangster Al Capone was quite a guy. He rose through the “gangster ranks” by killing. He was a favorite hit man of another gangster during prohibition. When he became the top man, after killing dozens of people, he turned to “farming out” the work to others. That included street side killings in Chicago in which innocent bystanders were killed. He once threw a house party and then in front of his guests, pulled out a baseball bat and beat two of his own employees to death. He thought they might have sold him out. He raped his own prostitutes. While he was in prison but still running the organization, prohibition ended. He okayed his gang moving full force into the heroin business. He came up with the idea of giving away the first fix for free at college campuses and in poor neighborhoods and selling the second fix cheap. He reasoned, that the users would become hooked and then they would raise the prices steadily for the next year. Al Capone was a loved man in Chicago. He gave money to youth groups, paid doctor bills for poor people and much more. He had his cake and ate it too. He destroyed thousands of lives in Chicago and they still loved him. Poetic justice defeated Capone many years later when he died in prison in the pain and misery of syphilis, which he caught years earlier from one of his own prostitutes. Was Al Capone a good guy because he did good things, or was he a bad guy that did good things? Billy the Kid was loved by Mexican Americans in New Mexico because he hung out with them, gave them money when they needed it, and learned Spanish. He was 21 when he was shot to death by a Sheriff. He had killed, and in some cases murdered, 21 men by that time. Jesse James was worshiped by the Missourians around his home town. He was considered a hero of the south in the post Civil War era. Jesse was a selfish murderer and a thief. He stole money and kept it, and killed some in the process. He was a bad guy who did some good things. Just recently in Fox Lake Illinois, a police officer was killed. He was a hero to most and certainly the most popular man in this small town. He was a community organizer. He gave his all not only to his job, but to a youth group he championed and other charitable organizations. The entire county mourned when they heard he was dead. Three young thugs were the culprits. That was ascertained by a distress call from the hero himself. Eventually we found out that he was stealing from the youth group, and everywhere else he could. He had his cake and ate it too. It turns out that even his murder was a con. Trying to save his reputation, which all bad people who do good things value, and maybe even attempting to save his family embarrassment, he orchestrated his own murder while committing suicide. Our inner cities of America are filled with good people attempting to help out by trying to do the right thing. Those same cities are filled with bad people who do good things. They are in it for themselves, they do more harm than they do good, yet they are idolized by many. Government, religion, charities and more have bad people who do good things. One thing that changed my political and social beliefs in the early 1990s was when I realized just how many bad people doing (or supposedly doing) good things there were. How politically incorrect it was to speak the truth. Someone other than us decided this person was good, and we were supposed to just shut up and accept it. I no longer stay shut up. That rankles the feathers of some, including some good people, and I am grateful for that, not ashamed. The Missionary This next section may only be of interest to people who belong to a church or ministry, or at least consider themselves Christians. Missionary work by Christian churches or organizations, is not all about doing good works like schooling children, feeding people, delivering people from drugs, finding homes for the homeless and health care. There are tens of thousands of secular organizations, many of them very good, who do that. If you are a Pastor and you need this told to you, maybe you best check whether the word Christian should be connected with your church. Christian missionary work is about feeding the souls of the hungry. It is about introducing those without the knowledge of the Bible, to the Word of God. It is about introducing those people to Jesus and what he did and why. It is about salvation and how it will happen. We are to be like Jesus. No small task for most of us. Jesus, first preached the Gospel, before he multiplied the fish and bread and fed the five thousand. He first, spread the Word of God. As a missionary, your first job is to spread the Word of God, and glorify God. Doing good works is a part of Christian Missionary work. It is often properly referred to as Christian Charity. It is the fruit of your salvation. If you only want to help people, that is good, but you needn’t pretend to be a Christian missionary. It is the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ that separates Christians from others doing charitable work. I am afraid that much of what passes as the church today, is merely secular organizations or clubs draped in religious looking buildings and filled with religious feeling ceremonies. Being Consistent In the past I have commented on the uproar about police shootings of black males in America. I have often taken the side of the authorities. Yesterday a police car dash-cam video was released of an officer shooting of a black male teenager in Chicago. I feel the need to comment on what I saw, and was told by the new media. I fully expect to anger people on both sides of this issue. I guess that’s why this article is called breaking eggs. Judging once again by what I know right now, the officer in question should be charged with a crime in this shooting. The suspect was armed with a pocket knife but was approximately 20 feet from the officers, and could have been dealt with a little further by those officers without endangering their own lives. He did not lunge at the officers. I believe that when that officer squeezed the trigger the first time, he decided to just keep shooting and end the whole thing. He shot the suspect 16 times. The Chicago DA has charged this policeman with 1st degree murder which will almost assuredly result in his acquittal. They are trying to placate an angry minority population in Chicago and despite a lynch mob mentality, it will likely result in the officer walking free in the end. With all of that being said, it is time to make sure everybody is angry with my point of view. There was nobody in this crime, that was more capable of saving this young man’s life, than the young man himself. He made one bad, potential lethal decision after another. Once again I can only go by the information that has been provided by the police, the media, and the police car dash-cam. That young man did not have to illegally enter junkyard, or slash the tire of a police car. Those were the original crimes. They are certainly not capital crimes, but he would be alive today if he had not done that. He did not need to walk down the center line of a four lane Chicago street. Do you walk down the middle of large streets in major cities? It would be hard not to argue that slashing a tire on a police car and then walking down the middle of a four lane street, could be construed as someone attempting to provoke the police and promote a confrontation. Last but certainly not least, he only had to drop his weapon, and get down on the street as the police always order under those circumstances. He had many decisions to make, all of which could have led to a long life, he chose the worst of the possibilities. I have heard some say that it was not his fault because it appeared as though he was clouded by the effect of drugs. That is just one more thing he could have done to prevent this, not take those drugs. It is not the job of the police to be a drug counselor, and certainly not to let themselves be killed because “oh he can’t help coming at me with that knife, he’s on drugs“. There is little doubt that the inner city do-gooder phonies, the political, media whores like the Jesse Jackson’s, the Al Sharptons, and what I am sure are numbered in the hundreds, all of those Chicago based self-described advocates (bad people do good things), will wind up promoting anger and violence to add-on to an already torn nation. Now go out and break a few eggs. —————————————————————————————————– Normally I would never publish a serious hardcore article like this the day before a holiday. Sometimes we (at least me) are so moved to say what we gotta say, regardless of the timing, that it takes precedent over celebration. Whatever your views are on the issues of the day, I wish each of you a very warm and Happy Thanksgiving.

Over 100 students from Newburgh Free Academy were hired at Legoland this summer. Pictured, NFA students visit Legoland in May. (Photo by NFA teacher Gina Carbone) Nearly two-hundred high school students traveled from Newburgh Free Academy to the Legoland New York Resort in Goshen to learn about and interview for various jobs in the rapidly growing hospitality industry. Of 180 students offered positions, 109 students eagerly accepted and have begun work at Legoland for the summer. This opportunity was made possible through the committed partnership of Legoland, Newburgh Free Academy’s (NFA) Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, SUNY Orange, and Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall (MSLC). Thanks to the collaboration, free transportation will be offered to all student employees both to and from their shifts. Various jobs within the hospitality industry were offered to students based on their age. Students who are 16 years of age and older, could apply for jobs in admissions, retail, lifeguarding, park presentation, resort experience, and stage performance. Students who are 18 years of age and over could apply for those jobs as well as positions in public safety/security and attraction. After the positions were offered, Legoland sent a team of people to help the high school students complete the necessary paperwork to make their employment official, supporting their learning and understanding of a crucial step of the employment process. “Some students will be gaining valuable experience and a skillset that will enhance their marketability for future employment while other students are eagerly beginning their career. The assistance of consistent transportation will remove a significant barrier for our students who are eager to engage in the competitive and growing field of the hospitality industry – right here in the Hudson Valley. We are hopeful that this process will serve as a model to facilitate partnerships with employers throughout Orange County, further exposing and developing our students to various employment opportunities.” Mr. John Etri, Director of Career and Technical Education for Newburgh Free Academy Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall recently spearheaded job placement as part of its commitment to healthier communities. In his first six months as MSLC’s President and CEO, Mr. Dan Maughan affirmed his commitment to creating healthier communities through the initiation of creative partnerships that led to meaningful summer employment for more than 100 Newburgh Free Academy students. Mr. Maughan credits the success of this initiative to the leadership of LEGOLAND New York Resort, the Newburgh Enlarged City School District, and SUNY Orange. “As an anchor for our communities, we must work just as hard outside of the hospital, as we do inside, ensuring we provide a holistic approach to the health and well-being of our communities, and connecting our community to meaningful employment does exactly that,” said Mr. Maughan. “I am thankful to our partners across LEGOLAND, the Newburgh Enlarged City School District and SUNY Orange for their collaboration. I look forward to reaching out to other community employers through these creative partnerships, giving those we serve opportunities they may otherwise not have had.” “LEGOLAND New York Resort has always been a strong supporter of improving transportation options in Orange County and the Hudson Valley,” said LEGOLAND New York Resort Divisional Director Stephanie Johnson. “We are proud to fund this initiative that will help give hundreds of our Model Citizens (employees) the opportunity to build a rewarding career in the Hudson Valley’s burgeoning tourism and hospitality industries.” Dr. Kristine Young, SUNY Orange President, shared, “The tourism and hospitality sectors are booming in Orange County, and creative partnerships like this are just one way we can assure our young workers can fill jobs locally that may lead them to long and rewarding careers.”

The quickest way to the hearts of our staff is through their stomachs, so we kicked off the day with breakfast- yogurt parfaits, fruit, and yummy pastries. As a token of our appreciation we also kicked the regular uniform shirts to the curb and brought in a t-shirt for EMS Week only! Nothing but smiles from our crews for the “out of uniform” week. For lunch, Firehouse Subs- McGowan Park, delivered us a variety of boxed lunches, complete with chips and a cookie! We appreciate the kind gesture, Firehouse! It is always great to be shown appreciation from the community. We also got to see a new side of some of our crews… WOW! Food really does bring out the best in everyone! Luna and Roxie love to celebrate our employees! Happy EMS Week! Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: #teamnewmans, EMSWeek2022, Happy National EMS Week, Thank you

Clacton based digital marketing agency, Top In Local, has launched new services for local businesses. The team helps companies in any niche to grow their web presence, bring in more leads, and make more sales. - October 25, 2019 /PressCable/ — Top In Local has launched new digital marketing services for clients in Clacton, Essex, and the surrounding areas. The team works with businesses in any niche to improve their web presence, get better Google rankings, and bring in more sales. More information can be found at: http://topinlocal.com The site explains that Top In Local eats, sleeps, breathes, drinks, laughs and cries over local internet marketing. They bring this passion to each project they work on with clients in any field. Each of the newly launched services is backed by proven-to-convert campaigns and effective results. Interested parties can get in touch knowing they will get expert guidance on any aspect of their marketing campaign. One of the benefits of working with Top In Local over other marketing agencies in Essex is that they pride themselves on their relationships. The team gets to know each client, their goals, and their vision, and works with them to get the best results. This leads to long-term relationships and Top In Local strives to ensure reliable growth over time. The all in one digital marketing company offers a full range of marketing solutions, including web design, SEO, “Google My Business”, lead generation, Google AdWords, reputation management and more. They state: “We will help your business grow to new heights through qualified online exposure. We put you in front of thousands of potential customers. We provide our clients with high-quality campaigns, strategies and proven conversion techniques.” Working with a local digital marketing agency is one of the best ways to attract new customers. It’s also important for ranking well with proven and results-backed strategies. Hitting the top of Google’s rankings is more important than ever before, because most web searches never make it past this first page. Consumers searching in Clacton for products and services are likely to only browse the top results, so hitting that first page can lead to drastically more leads and sales.

Several Chicago Public Schools could be consolidating with neighboring schools, if residents in at least two Chicago communities are able to convince the district to take action. CPS is in the process of updating its School Action Guidelines to consider community-driven processes for consolidation. Thanks to our sponsors: View all sponsors One of those communities is Austin, where the Austin Community Action Council is planning to request that the district consolidate three schools which are already on the same campus: Austin Business and Entrepreneurship Academy, Austin Polytechnical Academy and VOISE Academy. Each of the three schools has its own principal but is under-enrolled and on intensive support. Organizers say a consolidation would rebrand them under one new school. Residents on the Near North Side have been considering a similar proposal to merge two seemingly different elementary schools. Brandis Friedman has that story. TRANSCRIPT A Jenner Academy of the Arts parent: You're not diverse when it comes to class, and there's a sense of snobbiness there and, 'Why are you here?' And I do believe that. I have witnessed myself the shut out. I refuse to bring my child and any other child into an environment where they have to experience that. Brandis Friedman: Protective parents are in an impassioned discussion over where their children attend school. Rebecca Wells Rebecca Wells, Ogden International parent: What's happening tonight is really what my personal fear has been. Right? It's the arguments between our families, between our adults. It's not between our kids. BF: On the table at this parent’s meeting is a proposal to merge two neighboring elementary schools on the Near North Side: Ogden International and Jenner Academy of the Arts. Each school is led by a young, energetic and fairly new principal. Robert Croston, principal of Jenner: I am trying to position our school to get into a position to be successful. BF: When Ogden Principal Mike Beyer started the job in August, he found a school overcrowded at 103 percent capacity. Mike Beyer Mike Beyer, principal of Ogden: And we found that there are 3,700 students in our attendance boundary who are school aged and yet we only enroll 1,600 total. So there's a massive number of students in our attendance boundary. BF: The two schools are only a mile apart. Jenner is under-enrolled, with only 250 students in a somewhat new building built for up to 700 students. The solution seemed simple: merge the two elementaries, with lower grades attending one campus and older students at the other. Sandeep Sorrya Sandeep Sorrya, Ogden parent: A merger between Ogden and Jenner would result in a 71-percent increase in classrooms for the Ogden community. And from a student perspective, that would be a 21-percent increase in students. BF: Though the schools are geographically close, they are academically and socioeconomically far apart. Ogden is a level one-plus school on the Gold Coast. Barely 21 percent of students are considered low income, and it has a mostly minority diverse student body. More than 50 percent of the student body is a mix of Asian, black and Hispanic students. BF: Though it’s improving, Jenner is a level two school, having been on intensive support for the last nine years. Ninety-seven percent of students are considered low income, and nearly all of its students are black. It sits across the street from the former Cabrini Green housing development. And despite its new principal working to turn the school around, it’s still underachieving academically. Though Chicago Public Schools has asked principals Robert Croston and Mike Beyer not to speak to the media, Jenner Principal Croston tells parents the merger is about a better education and survival. Robert Croston RC: We have 240 students right now. That school last year was projected to have 207. That's how we lost our $310,000, and so if we don't increase enrollment, how do you convince the board to keep our school open? So for me, from where I sit, the future looks grim without being very proactive, without being solution focused. BF: Jenner’s history of poor performance is why Ogden parent Rasha Gad is leading the effort against the proposed merger. Sasha Gad Rasha Gad, Ogden parent: You can't take a high performing school and expect to mix – sort of consolidate with Jenner – in less than a couple of months and expect that the Ogden students, or the community at large will not be affected. BF: She and other parents are also concerned that the merger would only be a Band-Aid, not a long-term fix for the overcrowding issues at Ogden. Amy Hoffmann Amy Hoffmann, Ogden parent: Now we’re talking about possibly merging with Jenner. The difficulty with that is that Jenner only has about 300 spaces available. BF: But parents in support of this idea at both schools say the time is now and the district is otherwise occupied. Rosa Rodriguez, LSC president at Jenner: It's gonna be bumpy at first. Rosa Rodriguez Everything that changes isn't always the perfect thing, but it doesn't hurt to try. RW: We're trying to take this to the Board of Education. This is unprecedented what we're trying to do. I don't care what color you are. I don’t care how much money you make or you don’t make. We’re trying to do something that’s unprecedented in this nation. And our public school system is not doing this for us! BF: A schools’ task force – made of members from each community – has considered other options, including delaying the merger, adding more space at Ogden or even advocating an entirely new school in the Lakeshore East neighborhood. In the end, both principals and the task force have agreed to wait until the 2016-2017 school year to present the district with a plan to merge. In the meantime, Jenner will have to fight to maintain or increase enrollment, while class sizes swell at Ogden. Though the district is in its third year of five-year moratorium on school closings, consolidations are still possible. A spokesperson for Chicago Public Schools says it has no comment on any of these proposed consolidations.

Few phrases ring sweeter to the classroom teacher’s ear than the words ‘Winter Break.’ But for many, the anticipation of two weeks off competes with anxiety over a lengthy To Do list. What about the lessons that need planning, the thick stack of essays that needs grading? Surely it couldn’t hurt to bring home just a little bit of work for when the break gets boring. That’s how it starts. Unfortunately, all too often that ‘little bit of work’ turns into hours and hours of school-related duties completed off the clock at the expense of friends, family, and, most of all, yourself. The expense may be higher than you realize. According to a 2018 University of Pennsylvania study, 44.6% of teachers quit within the first five years of their career. The relatively high attrition rate for beginning teachers has been holding steady since the 1980s. The study also found that the number one reason given by teachers who leave is dissatisfaction with school and working conditions. Those conditions include a variety of factors such as low salaries, classroom resources, student behavior, and school leadership. They also include workload. Unreasonable workloads are often imposed by others, but as teachers we regularly impose them upon ourselves as well. Taking on more than we should is driven by a desire to help that child who is three grade levels behind in reading to catch up as much as possible in the one year we have with them. By the understanding that detailed, personalized feedback is the best way to improve student writing. By the fervent belief that our own hard work is the most important key to opening doors of opportunity for the children we serve. The intense pressure we place on ourselves is a recipe for burnout if we don’t couple it with healthy boundaries and regular, intentional self care. So this holiday season, please say no to the To Do list and give yourself the much-deserved gift of a real break. Leave those papers on your desk where they belong. Delete your school email account from your phone. Go out for drinks with your friends, and sleep til 10 the next day. Take that hot yoga class you’ve always wondered about. Instead of brushing up on the latest pedagogy, read a book that has nothing to do with education. Take time to completely unplug from your professional life without the slightest pang of conscience, believing to your core that what you accomplish during school hours is absolutely enough. Because taking care of yourself is essential to a long and successful teaching career. Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply The most important learning isn’t measured by standardized tests Posted on December 19, 2019 by JustinParmenter Reply a sampling of my students’ work As Winter Break approaches, students in my 7th grade Language Arts classes are wrapping up work on their second quarter projects. They have spent more than three weeks writing short stories about a picture they each chose from the Chris Van Allsburg book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. During that time they have learned the following things: Strategies for opening hooks How to write vivid descriptions using sensory details How to develop dynamic characters Effective plot structure including resolution of conflicts and tricks like flash forwards and flashbacks Tense shifts and how to avoid them How to write and punctuate dialogue correctly How to use online tools to create visual storyboards Students have participated in peer editing and learned to give targeted feedback that builds their classmate’s writing up without making them feel small. That exercise has helped us to create a more positive classroom culture and strengthen the relationships that form the foundation of everything we do in class. The stories reflect the individuality of my students themselves and are anything but standardized. They run the gamut from historical fiction to romance to fantasy to horror and everything in between. One of them includes a demonic platypus, and another explores the meaning behind the magical sunglasses from the 80s cult classic science fiction film They Live. Over the past month I have watched students come alive through unbridled creativity. I’ve seen children with learning disabilities work twice as hard as their non-disabled peers to make their brilliant story ideas come to fruition in print. I have watched writers, unprompted, conduct research for their projects so that they can add authentic details and make their stories richer. I’ve been blown away by the deep level of engagement I’ve seen in them all. My intent is not to boast, as this type of profound learning occurs in countless classrooms around the country every single day. Rather, I bring it up to make a larger point. Much of what my 149 students have gained while working on this story project will not be measured on our standardized tests. It won’t be reflected at all in the data which is supposed to capture successful teaching and learning in our schools. But I guarantee that for the majority of them it will be the learning experience that has the biggest impact on them in 7th grade English. This project has shown my students how their writing can shine when they are hardworking and intentional, and it’s my belief that the lessons they have learned will shape their approach to writing in the future. I’ve been talking with a lot of colleagues lately about the urgent need to reimagine how we gauge the success of our teachers and schools. Besides just plain getting it wrong, our current measures serve, intentionally or not, to drive a privatization agenda that starves our public schools of the resources they so desperately need. In North Carolina, those measures include “value-added” EVAAS ratings for teachers as well as school report card grades that assign an A-F letter to each school based on students’ ability to answer multiple choice questions. The WestEd Leandro report which was released last week calls for the same change over and over: a broadening of our definitions of school progress to incorporate other important indicators which are currently ignored. I believe that most educators want to be evaluated on more than just their test scores. That’s not because we want to hide our failures. It’s because teachers want the world to know what we are doing right. Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply Leandro report finds NC’s current principal pay plan harms high-need schools Posted on December 14, 2019 by JustinParmenter Reply This week the much-anticipated Leandro report by WestEd was finally made public. The report is the result of a comprehensive, year-long study by non-partisan education consultants who were appointed by North Carolina’s courts to take a systematic look at whether the state is living up to its constitutional mandate to provide a “sound basic education” to each child. It provides a detailed road map for improvements that need to be made to ensure that we are meeting the educational needs of our students, including how we pay our school leaders. One critical area of need WestEd identified is providing “a qualified and well-prepared principal in every school.” That need echoes existing research which finds that having an effective principal in place is crucial to the success of a school, especially those that serve our most disadvantaged students. Clearly one of the most important ways we can ensure we have the right principals where they are most needed is through an effective compensation model. North Carolina’s principal pay system was overhauled in 2017, after our ranking had slipped to an embarrassing 50th in the nation. The new pay plan, which was crafted with intense lobbying by pro-business education reform organization Best NC, compensates school leaders based on how much their students grew on standardized tests at the end of the year, with overall pay fluctuating accordingly on an annual basis. The Leandro report finds that North Carolina’s system for paying principals “works against the state’s meeting the requirement of a qualified principal in every school” because it “creates a disincentive for effective principals to work in underperforming schools, which often take more than one year to improve and meet or exceed targets for growth.” As it currently stands, if a principal who has been rated ‘effective’ moves into a low-performing school, he or she has a very short period of time to bring test scores up before seeing a reduction in salary. Of principals who were surveyed for the Leandro study, 24% said that, as a result of the new principal pay policy, they would “seek to retire as soon as possible,” “leave to obtain principalship in another school,” or “leave the principalship.” A whopping 44% said they “oppose” or “strongly oppose” the compensation model. WestEd’s recommendation is for a major overhaul of principal compensation. Instead of tying pay solely to test scores, the report calls for broadening indicators of progress to include measures related to things like teacher recruitment/retention and school working conditions. It suggests that North Carolina create “incentives, rather than disincentives, for working in high-need schools,” potentially including the following: *A meaningful supplement for principals who take a position to turn around a persistently failing school *Protection against principals having a salary reduction if they go to work in low-performing, hard-to-staff school in order to enable multiyear efforts to improve these schools The WestEd report should serve as a major wake up call to state lawmakers who must now take action to ensure compliance with the Leandro court decision. There’s no better place to start than working toward ensuring stable leadership in our neediest schools. You can read the section of the WestEd report on principal compensation below. WestEd-report-NC-principal-compensation Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply It’s official: Representative Craig Horn is running for NC State Superintendent. His record on education should concern us all. Posted on December 11, 2019 by JustinParmenter Reply According to the official State Board of Elections Candidate List, Union County Representative Craig Horn filed yesterday to run for NC Superintendent of Public Instruction. His record on education as a state legislator shows that he’s not just unqualified—he’s anti-qualified. Horn has never been a public school teacher or worked in education in any capacity whatsoever. That lack of first hand understanding of the dynamics of a classroom or the day-to-day operations of a school district is problematic in and of itself. But it’s what Horn has done rather than what he hasn’t done that should concern educators the most. Representative Horn has consistently voted for corporate tax cuts–six in the last seven years–which have deprived our public schools of billions of dollars in potential revenue. He has voted for budgets which have slashed the numbers of teaching assistants we have in elementary classrooms by more than 7,000 over the last decade, making it much harder for teachers to manage behaviors and differentiate instruction for our youngest learners. He has voted for budgets which have reduced funding for supplies and materials by 55%, leaving underpaid teachers to buy classroom resources on their own. Horn likes to portray himself as a great supporter of teachers, but he has voted AYE on many policy changes which have directly harmed the teaching profession in North Carolina. They include, among others: Stripping master’s pay for North Carolina teachers (first state in the country to do that). Abolishing career protections for North Carolina teachers, meaning any teacher can be fired at any time without opportunity to speak on their own behalf. Eliminating retiree health benefits for any teacher hired after Jan 1, 2021. Folks hired after that date will be forced to purchase private insurance on their own. This change makes it much harder to recruit new teachers at a time when North Carolina is experiencing a major shortage. Cutting all funding for the NC Teaching Fellows Program, a highly successful 25 year teacher development program which gave scholarships to high school students who committed to teaching in NC schools. Craig Horn’s actions as a state legislator demonstrate his callous disregard for the teaching profession, and his backwards priorities on funding have contributed directly to the conditions which have prompted thousands of fed-up educators to fill the streets of Raleigh and march to Horn’s own state legislature both of the last two years. The last thing we need is to put one of the people who’s actually responsible for North Carolina’s current education 💩 storm in charge of our school system. Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply Leandro report sharply at odds with Dan Forest’s dubious claims on NC education funding Posted on December 11, 2019 by JustinParmenter Reply Late last week, Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest ruffled feathers by sending a highly partisan, self-serving campaign email to all 100,000 of North Carolina’s teachers. In the email, Forest, who just filed to run for governor in next year’s general election, blasted Governor Roy Cooper’s vetoing of the state budget and an educator salary bill. Forest made disingenuous references to cuts in education funding that occurred under Democratic rule as a result of the Great Recession and boasted about pay increases and efforts on overall education funding that have occurred since Republicans took control of state government in 2011. Yesterday the much-anticipated Leandro report was made public. The report is the result of a comprehensive, year-long study by non-partisan education consultants who were appointed by North Carolina courts to take a detailed, systematic look at whether or not the state is living up to its constitutional mandate to provide a “sound basic education” to each child. The report is 300 pages long, and it’s going to take time to digest. But it’s clear that the consultants’ view of North Carolina’s funding of public education differs sharply with that of Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest: North Carolina was recognized during the 1980s and 1990s as an example of how state policymakers could turn a state around by making strong investments in teachers’ knowledge and skills and in early childhood support and education and by establishing standards for students and teachers. The state was extensively studied by the National Education Goals Panel when its efforts resulted in sharp increases in student performance and reduction in the achievement gap… However, cutbacks that began during the recession after 2008, along with much deeper legislative cuts over the last few years, have eliminated or greatly reduced many of the programs that were put in place and have begun to undermine the quality and equity gains that were previously made. Specifically, the WestEd report finds the following changes have crippled North Carolina’s ability to serve the needs of students, particularly those of our economically disadvantaged children: Cuts to funding for DPI’s District and School Transformation have hampered efforts to improve low-performing schools. The state has failed to provide adequate funding for student support services (e.g. counselors and social workers). The Teaching Fellows program which was so critical to providing motivated, high quality teachers to North Carolina classrooms was discontinued by legislators and subsequently restarted at a much smaller scale. Funding for professional development of teachers has decreased. Budget cuts have reduced the total number of teachers employed in NC by 5% from 2009 to 2018. During that time, student enrollment has increased 12%, meaning much larger class sizes. Over the last decade, changes to curriculum have occurred as part of an effort to prepare students for a rapidly advancing society. However, there has not been adequate investment by the state in providing the professional learning needed to implement those changes effectively. The number of English language learners more than doubled from 2000 to 2015 (from 3% to 7% of students), creating a need for an educator workforce that employs more culturally responsive teaching approaches. State funding for education has not kept pace with this growth, as per-pupil spending in North Carolina has declined by 6% over the last decade when numbers are adjusted for inflation. Education is going to be the most important campaign issue in the 2020 election. It’s critical that we elect leaders who believe in adequately funding our schools so we that can provide North Carolina’s students with the opportunities they deserve. The WestEd report can be found in its entirety below: Sound-Basic-Education-for-All-An-Action-Plan-for-North-Carolina Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply NC Department of Information Technology issues scathing rebuke of Superintendent Mark Johnson’s Istation procurement process Posted on December 9, 2019 by JustinParmenter Reply On Monday, the Department of Information Technology issued a scathing rebuke of NC Superintendent Mark Johnson’s handling of the troubled Istation contract award process. The entire order is posted at the bottom so you can see it for yourself, but read on for the most important highlights. In upholding its stay of Istation’s contract while it conducts a thorough review of the procurement, DIT noted the following: 1) DPI didn’t fully consider the required evaluation factors of the procurement as mandated by state law. “There is sufficient information before the undersigned presented in the parties’ filings and during oral argument to indicate that NCDPI failed to fully consider the minimum required factors listed in N.C. Sess. Law. 2017-57 § 7.27.(c), and instead, relied on other evaluation factors.“ 2. DPI changed the evaluation criteria in the middle of the procurement process in a way that benefited Istation. “There is sufficient information before the undersigned presented in the parties’ filings to indicate that NCDPI not only changed the evaluation criteria, but altered the ranking of the importance of remaining criteria in a way that benefited Istation.“ 3. DPI altered the scope and intent of negotiations without notifying DIT. “According to NCDPI’s Request for Cancellation completed on 21 March 2019, NCDPI communicated to NCDIT that it would use the evaluation criteria contained in RFP No. 40-RQ20680730 in its negotiations with Amplify and Istation. There is sufficient information before the undersigned presented in the parties’ filings and oral arguments to indicate that NCDPI materially altered the intent or scope of the solicitations during negotiations and did not notify NCDIT of these changes in violation of 09 NCAC 06B .0316.“ 4. DPI removed all evaluation panel members who voted for Amplify’s mClass tool, retaining only those who had previously voted for Istation. “There is sufficient information before the undersigned presented in the parties’ filings and oral arguments to indicate that NCDPI removed all evaluation panel members who voted for Amplify in the fall of 2018 during the RFP process, and in selecting a vendor during subsequent negotiations, NCDPI retained only those evaluation panel members who had previously voted for Istation.“ In summary, DPI “failed to comply with applicable statutory law and information technology procurement rules…and jeopardized the integrity and fairness of the procurement process.” DIT did deny Amplify’s attempt to block the Memorandum of Understanding between Istation and DPI which allows Istation to operate in North Carolina free of charge pending the outcome of the ongoing review. That decision allows Istation to get more and more firmly entrenched in North Carolina’s schools while DIT’s review continues. Still, it appears that the writing could be on the wall for Istation and its North Carolina contract. The week of January 13 a hearing will be held which should determine whether this case is decided in Istation or Amplify’s favor. Hours after DIT issued its decision, Mark Johnson released the following official statement referring to the hearing officer that made the ruling as incompetent. It’s the same officer that will rule on the case next month. Brilliant move, Superintendent Johnson. Order-on-Motion-to-Reconsider-the-Stay Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply Lt. Governor Dan Forest’s rabidly partisan email to 100,000 teachers–sent two days after he filed to run for governor–is highly unethical Posted on December 9, 2019 by JustinParmenter 3 On Friday, North Carolina Lt. Governor (and candidate for governor) Dan Forest released an open letter to “North Carolina teachers and school personnel.” The message was sent directly to all teachers via their school email addresses by Forest’s Director of Communications Jamey Faulkenbury. In the rabidly partisan letter, Forest smears former Democratic leadership for “incompetent mismanagement” and cuts to education funding which were made during the height of the Great Recession. He praises Republicans for what he frames as significant investments in education since they took over in 2011. He blasts Governor Cooper for vetoing this year’s budget and education-related funding. Finally, he mocks the North Carolina Association of Educators’ membership numbers and says the teachers’ association has fought “tooth and nail to ensure you do not receive a pay raise.” You can read the letter for yourself here: Open-Letter-to-NC-Teachers Forest’s diatribe followed a letter that Governor Roy Cooper sent to public school principals on Thursday, updating educators on the budget situation and calling for negotiations on salary increases. After Cooper’s letter was sent, conservatives raised ethical and legal questions about the governor’s use of state email for what they perceived as political activity. It’s unclear whether they have the same questions about Dan Forest’s communication, which upped the inflammatory partisan rhetoric ante considerably and also reached each teacher directly rather than leaving distribution to principals’ discretion. Forest’s email may not technically violate State Board policy or state statute, but for a Lieutenant Governor to use the power of his office and state email to spread blatant campaign propaganda lambasting Governor Cooper to 100,000 potential voters just two days after filing to run for governor is extremely unethical. On a related note, it’s fair to wonder how Lt. Governor Forest could have gotten his hands on the email addresses of all of North Carolina’s teachers. Who would possibly be in a position to supply Forest with that information? Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Replies NC education software giant SAS paying for state legislators to attend anti-public school ALEC’s annual meetings Posted on December 4, 2019 by JustinParmenter 1 The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is an infamous legislation factory which is notoriously hostile toward traditional public schools. Its model bills are passed into law–often word for word–by state legislatures around the country. ALEC’s education platform claims the nation’s K-12 education system is “failing our students, leaving them unprepared for college, careers, or life,” and the policies the organization writes for lawmakers offer a smorgasbord of legislative pathways for defunding public schools, especially those that serve high-poverty students. That’s why it’s so disappointing to learn that one of North Carolina K-12 public education’s most high-profile partners, SAS Institute, is paying for members of North Carolina’s General Assembly to travel to ALEC’s annual meetings, where viewing and discussing the group’s suggested anti-public school policies is one of the primary activities. SAS Institute is a privately held analytics software company based in Cary, NC. Its founder and CEO James Goodnight’s net worth is estimated at more than $13 billion, making him the richest person in North Carolina by a wide margin. SAS has an extremely cozy relationship with the NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI). Just last month, for example, SAS hosted an event where company software specialists and professional educators including DPI Deputy Superintendent of District Support Dr. Beverly Emory presented on how to use SAS data in public schools. Millions of North Carolina taxpayer dollars go to SAS every year for a variety of software-related education contracts. The company provides K-12 teachers with EVAAS ratings, which employ a secret algorithm to measure individual teachers’ effectiveness using DPI’s standardized test data. It also produces the North Carolina School Report Cards. North Carolina’s School Report Cards assign each school a single A-F letter grade representing its overall performance. The report cards have been controversial since state legislators introduced them in 2013 as the grades are highly correlated with levels of poverty and sometimes have the effect of pushing families away from traditional public schools. Probably not by coincidence, ALEC has been peddling its “A-Plus Literacy Act” to lawmakers since early 2011. The model bill recommends a statewide A-F school report card system with a special focus on reporting results for students who score in the lowest 25th percentile, and it refers to the grading system as a “lynchpin for reforms.” One such reform is also included in the bill, as ALEC recommends students who attend F schools be given an opportunity to enroll in private schools instead. According to filings with the NC Secretary of State’s office, in August of 2018 and August of 2019, SAS Institute paid for meals and travel expenses for 19 members and staff of the North Carolina General Assembly to attend ALEC’s annual meetings. A leaked copy of the attendee list from the August 2019 meeting in Austin, TX, shows the North Carolina delegation included Senators Chuck Edwards and Todd Johnson, both of whom serve on the Senate Education Committee. It’s not particularly surprising that members of the North Carolina General Assembly would attend an ALEC meeting where they can learn about the latest cookie-cutter legislation with their buddies from around the country. What is objectionable is that SAS Institute, a company that positions itself as a friend of public education, is taking taxpayer dollars in exchange for services to our K-12 public schools, then using some of that money to ensure that our legislators are spoon fed policies that are ultimately damaging to those same schools. Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Reply Subscribe and receive latest posts straight to your inbox Email* Recent Posts Human Capital Roundtable member privately blasted NC teacher merit pay plan as “undercooked goulash” Initial North Carolina teacher merit pay vote reveals sharp differences over path forward Former PEPSC chair, Human Capital Roundtable member: Principal evaluations too subjective for use with performance pay Hijacking teacher licensure: Documents reveal early plan to insert merit pay reform into PEPSC’s work despite lobbying concerns

You are interested in learning more about trigger and naked massage. Read on to learn more about what to expect with a pressure point massage, what the difference is between a trigger and a pressure point, and how to perform a trigger point massage. What is Pressure Point Massage? Whether you’re a professional massage therapist or simply want to relieve your own neck and back pain, trigger or pressure point massage therapy can provide relief. A massage therapist will use massage techniques to find and release the tightest muscle fibers in your body. This can help relieve chronic and acute muscle pain, improve posture, and boost energy. A trigger point is a small knot in muscle fibers that has become very tight. These knots can be tender and painful to the touch. This can be caused by injury or overuse of muscles. These painful knots can be found near nerve endings and can cause generalized pain in the arms, legs, neck, and back. Trigger points can be linked to many conditions such as sciatica, low back pain, migraine headaches, and low back pain. They are also frequently involved in other common conditions like plantar fasciitis and frozen shoulder. The therapist will apply gentle pressure to the trigger point. You may experience some discomfort during this process, but you’ll know that the massage has been successful if your muscle feels less tight. Typically, you should only need to massage the trigger point for about 5 minutes. Trigger point massage therapy should not be used by people who have certain medical conditions such as blood thinners or cortisone. Similarly, if you have recently had surgery, you should consult your doctor before booking a treatment. If you are experiencing pain, tell your massage therapist. The therapist will then use a variety of techniques to help relieve the pain. Some massage therapists will focus on a particular area first, while others will work around the problem area. Trigger point massage therapy can often be used to relieve pain in the neck and lumbar spine, lateral hip, hip, and thigh. It can also be used for headaches. This type of massage can also help alleviate tension and help your body heal quicker. Trigger point massage therapy is a combination of physiotherapy and medication. It can also help to ease minor aches or pains. What is the difference between Trigger and Pressure? During a massage session, the therapist will use a variety of techniques to reduce muscle tightness and pain. One of these techniques is called trigger point therapy. This therapy involves applying sustained pressure to a muscle knot to reduce the pain and inflammation that is caused by the knot. There are many benefits to trigger point therapy. For instance, the release of pressure increases the flow of blood into the triggered tissue. This in turn nourishes the muscles and reduces muscle pain. It is important to note that trigger point and pressure point massage therapy have different approaches. One of the main differences is in the way the therapy is carried out. Typically, a trigger point therapist will apply pressure to the affected area and hold it there until the tissue changes. A trigger point is a small tight area of muscle tissue that is tender to touch. Often, these areas of tension are far away from the area of pain. However, they are also known to be implicated in conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, frozen shoulder, plantar fasciitis and low back pain. Trigger point massage therapy and pressure point massage therapy are different in that they use a variety of techniques to stimulate the knots and relieve the pain. It also aims to identify the cause of the pain. It can be used in combination with other forms of treatment such as physiotherapy and medication. Pressure point massage therapy is used to treat trigger point-based pain and other physical ailments. A qualified massage therapist will apply pressure to the affected area and hold it there until the pain subsides. A qualified massage therapist can use a variety of techniques to relieve the knot without making it more stressed. The best way to avoid a trigger point is to prevent its formation in the first place. This can be achieved by using the BLACKROLL(r) foam roller to soften the tissue. Stretching the affected area can also help to relieve the pain. What to expect with a pressure point massage A trigger or pressure point massage can be a great way of relieving pain and improving posture. However, it is important to know what to expect with the treatment before undergoing it. Trigger points are tight, small areas in muscle fibers. They are usually caused by injury or overuse of a particular muscle. They can also form from nerve entrapments. They can be very sensitive and can cause severe pain if they are pressed on. Trigger point massage can be a safe and effective method to relieve pressure from tight muscles. Apply a light amount of pressure to the trigger point and then work it out using a series back and forth strokes or circular motions. You can use a hand or massage gun to apply the pressure, or you can use a tennis ball. A trigger point massage may be able to relieve headaches, according to some studies. Others have suggested that it can alleviate pain and inflammation associated with muscle overuse. A group of researchers with a high degree of bias found that trigger point massages can be effective in relieving pain. The study was flawed. The best part of the treatment is that it is inexpensive. The downside is that you may get sore. You should not perform trigger point massage for more than five minutes at a time. Trigger point massage therapy can be used to help with headaches, shoulder pain, and other pain conditions. It is not recommended for those with certain medical conditions or who are taking blood thinners and corticosteroids. It is best to hire a certified massage therapist. A good massage therapist will know how to apply the right amount of pressure on the trigger point. They will also ask you about your lifestyle and medical history. They can also help you if you’re having trouble making progress. Trigger or pressure point massage therapy should be tried at least once a week. You may need additional treatments if you suffer from chronic pain. Learn how to perform a trigger point massage Trigger point massage therapy can be used to relieve muscle knot pain. This massage is beneficial for people suffering from back, neck, and shoulder pain. However, it is important to note that trigger point massage therapy is not for everyone. Before you start therapy, it is best to consult a professional. Gentle pressure is the best way to massage a trigger area. Using your hands or a tennis ball, apply a slow, steady pressure to the area. Do not overdo the pressure; you want to be gentle and avoid pressing too hard. Trigger points can be a source of pain in the back, neck, shoulder, and even the fingers. They are usually painful areas that are tender to the touch. They can develop from injury, overuse, poor posture, or trauma. They can be caused by a variety of conditions, including fibromyalgia, low back pain, and migraines. A trigger point is a grouping of muscle fibers that have contracted, become thicker, and are painful to touch. They are often found near nerve ends. They are thought to form when muscle fibers become overused, and then tensed. The reduction in blood flow causes the muscle to irritate and starve. Remedial massage therapists will target the trigger point by applying pressure to it. The therapist will then apply pressure to the trigger point for a time until the tissue changes. This will allow the muscles to lengthen again. Once the muscle has returned to normal length, pressure on the collagen sheath is released, easing the pain and discomfort. Trigger point massage therapy can be performed by yourself, or with a friend or partner. You can also use a foam roller to massage the trigger point. These methods are safe and effective. If you want to try trigger point massage therapy on your own, it is recommended that you practice on a smaller area first. You should also limit the pressure that you apply to the trigger points to no more than five minutes. You may also want to avoid the massage for more than five minutes if you are experiencing pain.

A revocable trust, as can be seen from its name, is a trust whose provisions can be revoked by the grantor (the creator of the trust) at any time before his death. In a revocable trust, the grantor can change the trustee, the beneficiary, or any of the provisions of the trust. This gives the grantor complete control over the properties of the trust. The revocable trust becomes irrevocable when the grantor dies. If you’re searching to know what a revocable trust is, you’re probably interested in transferring property upon death to avoid probate while retaining control in your lifetime. This is the most common reason for establishing revocable trusts. Revocable trusts are not used to decrease your assets on paper and protect it from creditors, to minimize taxes, or to be eligible for Medicaid. How is a revocable trust set up The most common set-up of a revocable trust is the grantor being both the trustee and beneficiary. This allows the grantor to retain control over the property. Yet, even if the grantor is the trustee, in order for the trust to be effective, the grantor still needs to transfer the property from the grantor to grantor, as trustee of the trust. For example, John executes a revocable trust agreement called XYZ Trust, naming himself as trustee and beneficiary. This is the most common set up of a revocable trust: the grantor, trustee, and beneficiary are one and the same person. In order for this XYZ Trust to be effective, John has to transfer property to the XYZ Trust. So John transfers his house to XYZ Trust. John will deed the house from himself to John, as Trustee of XYZ Trust. This transfer makes it known that John is now holding the house as a trustee and not in his individual capacity. In order to avoid probate, John will name successor trustees and beneficiaries in case he dies. When John dies, the successor trustee only needs to submit an affidavit and a death certificate to the county records where the property is located in order to transfer the property to the successor trustee. In this way, the house under the revocable trust avoids probate. This makes the revocable trust a suitable alternative to the execution of a will. If John wants to change the beneficiaries or the trustees or any provision in XYZ Trust during his lifetime, he can. He can also remove assets from the trust and back into his own name. He does this by transferring the house’s title from John, as Trustee of XYZ Trust to John. This is the essence of the revocable trust. It gives the grantor complete control over his property during his lifetime. What are the setbacks of a revocable trust? It does not allow the grantor to decrease his assets for purposes of minimizing estate tax or becoming eligible for Medicaid. It also does not protect his assets from creditors or Medicaid recovery. Revocable trust avoids probate A revocable trust is a flexible trust that provides the grantor with complete control over his properties, and at the same time, makes his properties non-probate assets that can avoid probate upon the grantor’s death. Because of the flexibility a revocable trust gives the grantor, the properties in the revocable trust are still considered the assets of the grantor. The income from the property is still reported using the grantor’s social security number. Upon death, the revocable trust’s assets are still counted for purposes of payment of the grantor’s estate tax. The trust assets can still be used to pay for the grantor’s debts. One primary benefit of a revocable trust, however, (and this is the reason why many execute it for estate planning purposes) is that the trust assets in a revocable trust avoid probate. Probate is the court process of admitting the will as authentic and genuine. Because probate is a court process, it generally requires the services of a lawyer. This makes probate a more expensive and longer process than the transfer of assets in a revocable trust. In a revocable trust, when the grantor (who is also the trustee and beneficiary) dies, the successor trustee can simply submit to the county records where the property is located a certified copy of the trustee’s death certificate and an affidavit to immediately transfer the property to the name of the successor trustee. The successor trustee will thereafter manage it for the benefit of the successor beneficiaries. Although there can be some paperwork involved, the transfer of trust assets is generally faster in a revocable trust than through a will. The costs of setting up a revocable trust, however, are more expensive than a will. It is also more time consuming because of the transfer of properties to the trust. In contrast, a will is a relatively straightforward document providing for the disposition of assets upon death. The trust agreement, on the other hand, provides for trust assets, the powers of the trustee, the designation of trustees and successor trustees and the designation of beneficiaries and successor beneficiaries, to name a few. After the execution of the trust agreement, there is also the additional step of transferring assets to the trust. For these reasons, a revocable trust’s initial costs are more expensive than a will. Revocable trust allows management of property and not immediate distribution upon death Another reason a revocable trust is preferred than a will is because it allows the grantor to manage the property after his death rather than make an immediate distribution. In a will, the executor or administrator is tasked to immediately distribute the property after payment of the decedent’s debts. In a trust, when the grantor/trustee/beneficiary dies, the grantor can have a provision in the trust agreement allowing for the management of the assets (for a period of years or even a generation) and the distribution of the income and some principal to the beneficiary, instead of an outright lumpsum distribution. This type of provision is used for beneficiaries who are either disabled, minors or young adults who the grantor might feel are not ready or mature enough to receive a large amount at that time. Revocable trust does not protect assets from creditors Does a revocable trust protect my assets from creditors? This is a common misconception about revocable trusts. Only irrevocable trusts can protect assets from creditors. An irrevocable trust agreement, once executed, cannot be amended anymore by the grantor. Once properties are transferred in the name of the irrevocable trust, the grantor cannot take it back anymore. These assets are now administered in favor of the beneficiaries (who cannot be the grantor). The grantor cannot amend the trust without the consent of the beneficiaries. When reporting the trust’s income with the Internal Revenue Service, the trustee will have to get the trust’s own Employer Identification Number. The irrevocable trust will pay its own income taxes. Because of the irrevocability and the difficulty in amending an irrevocable trust, properties in the irrevocable trust are not considered properties of the grantor’s anymore. For this reason, the grantor’s creditors cannot reach the irrevocable trust’s assets anymore. Some examples of irrevocable trusts are Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts and Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts. In contrast, assets in a revocable trust, whose provisions can easily be amended by the grantor, is considered assets of the grantor’s. The grantor pays for the income tax of the revocable trust and reports it using his own social security number. Because of the flexibility the revocable trust gives the grantor, the assets in a revocable trust are not protected from the grantor’s creditors. Avoiding taxes in a revocable trust When a revocable trust is set up to be multi-generational, what a revocable trust can avoid are transfer taxes for the succeeding generations who will be beneficiaries of the trust. In New York, a trust can live for up to 21 years after the death of a beneficiary living at the time the trust is created. For this reason, a trust can span generations and can avoid transfer taxes. For example, upon the grantor’s death, the grantor appoints a bank as its successor trustee. The bank manages the trust assets for the benefit of the grantor’s successor beneficiaries. When these successor beneficiaries die, there is no need to transfer assets anymore and pay any taxes. The corporate trustee can simply recognize the new successor beneficiaries based on the revocable trust agreement (that has become irrevocable upon the grantor’s death) and immediately manage the trust assets in favor of the successors to the successor beneficiaries. Multi-generational transfer taxes can be avoided in this way. Revocable trust as a suitable will replacement People often hear that what a revocable trust is is a suitable will replacement. Although this is correct, a revocable trust can do much more than a will. A revocable trust can provide for management of a person’s assets upon his or her disability. A will or power of attorney cannot be signed anymore once the person is not of sound mind. A revocable trust avoids this problem by creating an agreement that not only provides for management and disposition of a person’s assets upon death, but also includes management of his assets when he becomes disabled or mentally incapacitated. A revocable trust can provide for the appointment of a successor trustee when two physicians of the grantor can issue a certification regarding the mental incapacity of the grantor, and this appointment of a successor trustee can be revoked once the grantor regains mental capacity. As opposed to a will, a revocable trust can also provide for management of assets for the beneficiaries upon the grantor’s death. A will calls for the immediate distribution of the grantor’s assets upon death and after payment of taxes and debts. In contrast, a revocable trust can provide for management of the trust assets for a number of years. In fact, under New York law, the trust can manage and not distribute the assets for up to 21 years after the death of a beneficiary living at the time the trust is created. In addition, a revocable trust is a proper alternative in estate planning when the person is uncertain who his beneficiaries will be. The grantor can already establish the trust and make changes to the names of the successor beneficiaries easily in the future by simply executing a trust amendment or trust restatement form. If you want to know what is a revocable trust, what your options are in planning your estate, if you are considering drafting a will or thinking about executing a trust, we, at the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin, are here for you. We have offices in New York, NY, Brooklyn, NY and Queens, NY. You can call us at 718-509-9774 or send us an email at attorneyalbertgoodwin@gmail.com.

The Many Symptoms, One Solution Overeaters Anonymous Group meets every Monday evening at the Good News Fellowship Church located at 891 St. Mary’s Road, in the large meeting space found on the left as you enter the main doors. There is a convenient parking lot available for those attending and the building is also within steps of a main bus route. The location is wheelchair accessible. A popular coffee shop can be found just north of the meeting location for those wanting to bring their own beverage. The meeting time is from 7:00 – 8:00 pm and the door is unlocked at around 6:40 pm. We have anywhere from 4 to 10 people usually attending, with some long-term members and sponsors present at most meetings. Monday Night uses both The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous and the AA “Big Book” (Alcoholics Anonymous), completing one book and then beginning the next in rotation. The first Monday of the month is usually either a speaker meeting (when one member shares his or her OA story) or a special topic meeting (Chair for that Monday chooses). We are pleased to welcome newcomers with stories of our own experience as overeaters, the strength and hope we have found in OA, and the reading of Step 1 if we have time.

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Growing up, I learned about Greek myths and plays before I’d even started school—how could I not, with a mother who loved the Greek epic poems and myths? The Odyssey was my first experience of Homeric poetry, and it’s remained a favourite story throughout the years, through various adaptations and translations. But while I’d read fiction by women that had jumped off from the original text of the poem, I had never read a translation of that text by a woman before. There was none to read. Enter Emily Wilson, the British classicist whose translation of The Odyssey (published on November 7) not only modernizes the text into a invitation to every reader, but also marks her as the first woman to completely translate the poem into English. I spoke with Wilson about the project and her own history as a translator, and her enthusiasm and passion for the work and the story is clear in every answer. What was the first translated text that drew you in, when you were growing up? Emily Wilson: It’s hard to remember. I know that when I was a kid, pre-adolescence, I really loved all those children’s retellings of myths. That’s a different kind of genre from translated texts, and I didn’t really start reading those until I was a teenager. I know I read Homer in translation as a teenager, I think the first translation I read was the Penguin one, but I don’t remember. I remember having a sense from reading the translation of being excited about the idea of the Homeric gods and the way that the whole complexity of the story—which you don’t really get from the abbreviated kids’ versions—and I think the cruelty of the gods begins to come through once you read translations. How did reading that work start shaping your interest in translation and what is required of someone who wants to be a translator? EW: I’m not really sure I thought about translation in that way through reading translations. I think it took me a long time to do that in those terms. Learning other languages—I started learning Latin and Greek in high school and also French—and being aware as a teenager of how very different the structures of language and how you put things together in another language is totally different. It’s a realization that you have to have before you realize what it is to do a translation. If you don’t already know what it would be to know another language very well, you can’t get a glimmering of that. Just reading translations didn’t in itself get me to that realization but learning other languages did. {{#message}} {{{message}}} {{/message}} {{^message}} {{/message}} Please complete the form to enter the giveaway. View full giveaway rules In a recent interview, you spoke of wanting to “spend a little bit longer with Euripides” during your time at Yale. What was it about those particular early Greek dramatists that kept you coming back to their work? EW: A combination of literary aesthetic attachment—that I loved the different literary styles, poetic styles of Sophocles and Shakespeare and various authors I’m in love with in an artistic literary way. But also the sense that Greek tragedy seems to be so obviously engaged with issues of life and death and issues of the individual and the community, and these central, core issues that come up with any human life. How am I going to fit into society? How am I going to deal with the fact that I’m going to die? I love that Greek tragedy is absolutely engaged with these questions. You’ve spoken quite often about the word “polytropos” and the challenges and questions that it posed to you, and to many translators of The Odyssey. What were some other instances that were similar to this while translating the text? EW: What I was trying to achieve in this translation is narrative pace. So if one is arguing about a particular word, then I’ve kind of lost you. I wanted to be able to do a close reading, but I also don’t want it to be every single word, we’re going to stop. “Polytropos” is one epithet, and what I did with the epithets was to repeat it over and over and over, and I tend to do different things with them every time, ’cause it’s a marker of the fact that we don’t live in an oral culture. The ways we describe something are very different when you’re reading a text. When Odysseus is telling his own story of his wanderings and how he dealt with the Cyclops and the sirens, he’s referred to as polymetis. We always have a choice of what element we can emphasize in an epithet, so I called him “Odysseus, the Lord of Lies.” I wanted to clue readers in on the possibility that this is not going to be naturalistic, that it’s a tall traveler’s tale. It hearkens back to the first bit of Book 1, where the poet asks the muse to “find the beginning.” We ask: where is the beginning? EW: In that line, I used “modern times” for the Greek kai hemin “also for us.” So what does “also” mean, and who are “us?” I spent a huge amount of time grappling with how to deal with that. Because I could have just said “also for us,” but that doesn’t evoke anything particular. I wanted it to be clear that this—the conjunction kai, or “and” [denotes it]—has been something that has been told over and over again, but we, whoever we are, are going to get it. There have been other times this poem has been told, and now again for us, here is this time. It’s an invitation to both the muse and the reader. EW: Right. Something that has always drawn me and many other readers to The Odyssey is seeing characters like Penelope and Circe. You’ve talked about how when we laud figures like Penelope in past translations, there has been a tendency to dismiss women who are not in positions of power or who are of a different class. How did you approach translating the scenes that involve the female characters who serve Penelope? EW: I think the narrative voice of The Odyssey is far more flexible and the vocalization of the narrative has much more richness than is usually brought out in translation. It’s going to be told from one particular point of view and you’re going to be told what to think about it. I wanted the reader to be aware that the [women in Penelope’s household] weren’t servants, they weren’t free. To use the word “servant” or “maid” suggests otherwise. In that terrible passage with the hanging of the women, I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t doing what I think a lot of translations do, which is to invite the reader to gloat at something horrifying. I wanted to do whatever I could to bring out the way I think the original text handles it. [The original text] allows you to see the perspective of the people who are being killed. I’ve talked about the words “sluts and whores” [in past translations]. There weren’t any abusive words in the original poem. Telemachus explains the “reason” he wants to hang these women. He doesn’t actually in that moment call them anything. He describes them as women who spend the night with Penelope’s suitors. I wanted to make clear in the language of the simile that these women are fully human. This is bringing out the horror of what happened to these women. It gives them back some dignity and the reader should be able to feel whatever they feel in that moment. What has translating this particular poem taught you as someone who has loved the classics for a very long time? EW: It’s taught me not just as a reader, but also as a writer. I’ve learned a huge amount from this project about how to write, and writing this many lines of iambic pentameter—how do I create the emotional depth, the verbal play, and the clarity? How do I find the kind of voice that I wanted? I wanted it to be both clear and magical. Just learning how to do that, I learned a lot about both Homeric Greek and English. There’s a groundedness and a richness to Homeric characters that I don’t think I fully appreciated before. For instance, Telemachus is characterized as so deeply immature and his teenage hostility towards his mother is dealt with in a way that’s fully human. There’s quite a lot of humour in this poem as well. Even though [the poem] is all this regular rhythm, it can be so different, and it can touch on so many different relationships.

I would dare to say that a Your face makes my pussy dry shirt Mars landing aboard Starship can happen even earlier than 2029, perhaps in the first half of 2027. Why? In the first place, the rapid unscheduled disassembly of SN9 we saw today is nothing more than one of the possible results of testing a prototype to its limits. Sure, we all wanted to see that rocket land in one piece. But to be fair, the act of launching a stainless steel giant silo into the air, bringing it down to earth with a wonderful bellyflop maneuver, and relighting its massive engines just a few hundred meters above the ground is a great achievement in itself. I feel the big media news sites are not being fair with the development of this vehicle, putting too much emphasis on the “booms,” and making people believe that Starship is just a big flying bomb. But those of us who have been following the progress of this rocket for years know that SpaceX is achieving the impossible with Starship. (Your face makes my pussy dry shirt) That’s a tough act to follow. And Richie Petitbon was the “lucky” guy to attempt to fill those shoes. The Redskins promoted their 55-year-old, long-time defensive coordinator to the Your face makes my pussy dry shirt coaching position. And that pretty much destroyed the dynasty that Joe built. Just 15 months before Petitbon was hired, the franchise that had won a Super Bowl with 17 wins in 19 games. Petitbon would only coach one year, going 4–12, and never coached another football game for the rest of his life. The organization faltered after that. In the 26 seasons since Petitbon, Washington has only had three 10-win seasons, and has become the laughingstock of the NFC East. Your face makes my pussy dry shirt, Hoodie, Sweater, Vneck, Unisex and T-shirt Best Your face makes my pussy dry shirt Britain and France have a combined population not much over 1/3rd of the US, and Rugby Union is very much second fiddle to Football (soccer) in both countries. The big clubs typically draw 15,000 fans to a Your face makes my pussy dry shirt, but can pull 50,000+ to a different stadium for a special occasion, whilst the biggest NFL teams are pulling 70,000+ average crowds, so there is less money playing rugby as a result. The England national team sell out their 82,000 seat stadium every game and could probably do so 3 times over for the biggest clashes — club rugby is not the peak of the game, but it’s where the bulk of a player’s income is made. (Your face makes my pussy dry shirt) When Christmas decorations are taken down varies from person to person in my experience in the United States. It seems to have a Your face makes my pussy dry shirt tradition component, I do believe. It least that is what I’m postulating. Many take everything down the day after Christmas. One who I lived with for 34 years wanted everything left up until into January. Some people literally have decorations up all year outside. So at least here (USA), where I have lived it varies. There is the church calendar with some people, like the person I once lived with, and they use that as a guide. Again, it’s a personal choice I do believe in a free country, so make up your own mind. You can vary it as well, depending upon if you’re enjoying the decorations still and the people you share your life with agree, more or less. If things are too structured they can lose significance to a person. Decorations are an art form, somewhat. In all art there are usually general guidelines, but to put your individual stamp on it tends to make it more valuable to yourself. It will also most likely prove more meaningful to others as well. That is my general thoughts on any kind of creative endeavor. Think of your decorations as such a thing and let your heart make some of the decisions. Happy Holidays.

Join us for our first annual Christmas on the farm event. Christmas tickets will be sold online, if an evening is not sold out, walk up tickets maybe available at the farm gate. The time you select is the time for you to ride on the Santa Hayride. Please arrive at the farm a minimum of 20 minutes before your scheduled time to check in and pick up your hayride tickets. If you miss your assigned time, you may not have another opportunity to ride the Santa Hayride. You are welcome to arrive before the hayride to explore the Christmas activities on the farm or explore after your hayride. Note: The farm will close at 8pm and 7:30 on Sundays. We will have some snow effects and Christmas tunes to heighten the holiday spirit. Hayride, slides, playgrounds, elf dressing, and other activities are included in your admission. We will have special characters in attendance each evening. Those characters will include Santa, Twinkles the Elf with her farm animal friends and the Grinch. Each character may not be available every evening. Current Santa Schedule 12/ 2,4,16,17,18,19,20 5 pm to 7:30 pm Please be prepared to pay for additions, including snacks, animal feed, souvenirs, gem mining etc with cash. The farm will open at 4 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday beginning December 2nd - 18th. We will also be open Monday and Tuesday, December 19th and 20th. The farm will close at 8 pm, except for Sundays when the farm will close at 7:30 pm. All the elves are working hard to create our holiday experience. It is possible that we may have a soft opening the weekend of Thanksgiving. The farm facebook and IG have the last minute updates.

When the white energy made contact with Lei Yu’s unique brand… “Aggghhh!” Lei Yu’s whole body started shaking non-stop. “Endure it! Once you pass this critical moment, perhaps your strength will increase by leaps and bounds!” Sweat was pouring out from Lei Yu’s entire body. Once could clearly see that his muscles and bones were shaking giving off a strange buzzing noise. Another burst of internal energy belonging to the White Scaled Giant Crocodile coursed through Lei Yu’s bones and muscles. His internals were already unable to endure any more pressure yet with this new wave of energy, they started shaking even more. One could now clearly see that within every pore of Lei Yu’s body, there was a bead of blood coming out. Lei Yu continued clenching his teeth to endure it. This energy was already different to his own internal energy, and the difficulty level was increased since the blood of a demonic beast cultivators were naturally tyrannical and hard to tame. Lei Yu had tried many times to control it with his spirit but found that it wasn’t easy at all. It looks like he would have to allow it to slowly adapt inside the infant’s body before it would become a power he could use within his dantian. After breathing out some turbid air, Lei Yu gradually opened his eyes. There was a brief flash of white light in his eyes before disappearing – his refinement had succeeded! Lei Yu started withdrawing the internal energy that he had wrapped around the White Scaled Giant Crocodile’s infant body. The Nascent Soul that was originally the size of two palms had disappeared without a trace leaving only starry dots that immediately dispersed into the surrounding environment. These were waste remnants of the Nascent Soul which was of no use to Lei Yu. “We can continue onwards now!” The Devil King’s voice rang out. Lei Yu stood up and started taking off his clothes. Looking at his whole body covered with beads of blood was quite a terrifying sight to behold. Lei Yu made a simple shaking motion and the blood beads scattered outwards and not a single drop was left on his body. His powerful body was like an obvious contrast in this gloomy looking Forest of Fog. Lei Yu pulled out some new clothes from his Universal Pouch and put them on before he could calmly pay attention to the changes inside his body. The White Scaled Giant Crocodile’s energy wasn’t something he could easily tame, but when compared to the Devil King’s green energy, it was like a docile kitten. Although this new power wasn’t something Lei Yu could control right now, at least it was behaving itself while sitting in a certain corner. It would occasionally shiver in that corner because Lei Yu’s internal energy would pass by to provoke it. Eventually that giant crocodile’s energy will cave in and by that time, Lei Yu could easily subdue it for his own use. The portion of internal energy Lei Yu had used up in the previous fight had now been recovered. He also saw some slight growth in his strength within the late Soul Splitting stage. The increase wasn’t particularly obvious but if this was normal circumstance within the Devil King’s castle, it would have still taken him at least one or two weeks to gain this. One could see the benefits of refining a Gold Core or a Nascent Soul, but this way of cultivating wasn’t something to Lei Yu’s taste. It was way too painful for people to handle! Refining a Gold Core was better since it was less difficult and less complicated. Refining a Nascent Soul was completely different – the Nascent Soul itself contained a portion of the original owner’s soul so one had to first destroy that before suppressing the tyrannical power it possessed, that’s why it was way more troublesome. Once again opening his eyes, Lei Yu began to travel deeper into the forest. There were no living creatures here nor did any dare to step into this region. Even if it was the terrifyingly powerful existence bull-head, he too would not dare to enter this region without a good reason. If he was to find out that within the most inner depths of the forest was a Sky Devouring Rat acting as a guardian, most likely the bull-head would not step foot here by himself. One can’t say whether it’s easy or hard to deal with the rat because just its speed alone would give anyone a headache. Of course if Lei Yu requested the bull-head’s assistance, he probably wouldn’t even hesitate and outright agree to come. The second protective barrier was also similar to the first one where it was transparent in nature, except that it was a different color – this one was yellow. The pressure this barrier gave off was much more obvious. Lei Yu cracked his neck and other joints giving “pak pak” sounds. With a single thought, a yellow and black striped infant body encased in purple internal energy appeared in Lei Yu’s hand. According to the Devil King’s instructions, Lei Yu injected his internal energy into the infant body before suddenly dashing forward with all his might. The next moment, Lei Yu had disappeared from the spot. “Boom!” “Bang!” Those continuous explosions caused the entire outer periphery of the Forest of Fog to shake. The huge barrier had disappeared, and the Swordback Tiger’s Nascent Soul had disappeared along with it amongst the explosions. Lei Yu was currently standing back where the first barrier of the Forest of Fog was located at, which showed how fast his speed was! The huge explosion had caused those rotten trees to disintegrate into wood ash before scattering all over the place. The previously dense area near the barrier was now open land, giving Lei Yu some difficulty to adapting to the sight. Lei Yu moved forward without reducing his speed. Even if it was deaf, this huge explosion would clearly alert the second barrier’s guardian – the Great Dahl Ape. Sure enough, beyond the second barrier location revealed a small firm mountain! As one looked closer, this wasn’t a mountain but a huge black ape! “That’s the Great Dahl Ape?” Lei Yu asked in shock to no one in particular. What appeared before him was an ape that was over a hundred meters! ¹ Its height was seriously no different from a small mountain! Raising his head, Lei Yu started carefully observing it. It was no different than your typical ape except for its much, much, larger stature. Its arms and chest seemed to be also larger than normal… Its blood red eyes appear to be looking down at Lei Yu with disdain while sharp fangs could be seen protruding from its mouth. One could also see the great ape spray white mist out of its nostrils as it breathed out heavily. The Devil King’s voice was heard: “You have to attack its eyes before it goes berserk or else you’ll be in big trouble!” The Devil King’s advice was necessary because Lei Yu didn’t want to entangle himself with this huge creature for too long. Even if he was able to dodge its attacks at high speeds, it still required a large amount of time to escape the vicinity of it, not to mention if it went berserk. Lei Yu took a deep breath before taking out a purple bead from his Universal Pouch. He injected a trace of internal energy into it before tossing it out. The moment it neared the great ape, Lei Yu activated the internal energy inside the bead to detonate it. Suddenly, an overwhelming amount of lightning that covered the skies started crashing down. The violent booming noises it caused had caught the attention of the great ape. And this happened to be Lei Yu’s last Heavenly Thunder Bead! “Now’s the time!” Lei Yu roared out before rushing up. He was using the great ape’s lower limbs as leverage before heading towards its head a hundred meters up. The Devil King had mentioned before that the Great Dahl Ape’s defense was unbelievably strong. Even if it encountered a super expert at the Mahayana stage, it was capable of holding its own for a few rounds. Its defensive attributes could almost compare with the Black Tortoise Divine Beast, and the only difference was one’s a divine beast while the other was a demonic beast. Lei Yu’s climbing wasn’t slow at all. The Great Dahl Ape’s fur was very long which allowed him to have an easier time scaling it. With the overwhelming amount of lightning striking at the great ape like it was tickling it, it had actually drawn the great ape’s full attention. And it was precisely this reason that it didn’t detect the approaching danger to its huge head!

At least 80 form four candidates from Matungulu Boys High have walked out of school claiming they are tired of studying. According to Standard, the students reportedly walked out of the school on Wednesday evening without staging any form of a riot and left behind only 36 students. They had earlier boycotted meals during the day. Apparently, a section of the students had interviews with journalists stating that they were tired of the school’s administration which they referred to as very strict. They also raised concerns over the poor diet offered at the school and the recent withdrawal of entertainment sessions that ran on a weekly basis. “We are tired of studying. The principal has been too strict and has been denying us our rights. We prefer to stay at home and only come to do our examinations when the time comes,” a student is quoted by the publication. The school’s principal, Joseph Makau has however condemned the actions by the students terming the move as misconduct and indiscipline. Makau further revealed that before the closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some students had been on counseling due to the use of hard drugs. “Those who walked out of the school are suffering from ‘freestyle’ kind of living where they don’t want to adhere to basic regulations for conducive learning. We will remain firm and as a school, we will not entertain any indiscipline that threatens smooth learning.” Makau said. The parents of the students have been notified of the incident and a way forward will be sought with the inclusion of parents and the school administration.

Technology has infiltrated nearly every facet of our lives, and that certainly includes our experience at restaurants. While running a successful restaurant has traditionally been about serving delicious food and investing in top-notch customer service, technology has introduced an entirely new framework for doing business. Customers expect their dining experience to reflect the same convenience and personalization they experience in their everyday purchasing journey, so depending on your target market, you want to keep up with the latest trends and integrate technological advancements that will make your customers’ lives (and yours) easier. Technological advancements are made at a rapid pace for nearly every industry imaginable, but let’s zoom in on technology that’s directly changing and enhancing the restaurant industry as we know it. Social Media People are now the media, and people’s ability (and desire) to share their dining experiences on social media, leave reviews, and make recommendations has revolutionized the way a restaurant operates. Now the opinion of one person doesn’t just impact the local community—it can be broadcasted online for everyone who looks up your business to see. A bad review on Yelp and negative stories shared on social media can significantly impact someone’s decision to go eat at a restaurant. Millennials frequently share their dining experiences online, and 60% of Gen Z say that other people seek out their opinion online. So it’s important to not only ensure that every customer has a positive experience, but also to actively manage your digital footprint. Respond quickly to reviews, engage with customers on social media platforms, and always be transparent and honest. Automatic Biodiesel Converters People are increasingly concerned about sustainability and maintaining the health of the planet. Restaurants can do their part by recycling when possible, using sustainable packaging, and even turning used cooking oil into fuel for their cars. Automatic biodiesel converters aren’t a cheap investment—at nearly $10,000, they’re certainly not the first purchase a start-up should make. But for eco-friendly establishments that have the budget for it, automatic biodiesel converters can take 50 gallons of vegetable or animal oil and turn it into 50 gallons of biodiesel. These machines are even equipped with a gas pump so you can fill up your tank. Conversational AI A significant portion of interactions with restaurants now happens without ever speaking to a human being. In fact, research shows that 89% of consumers will choose to interact with businesses via text, and 64% of those consumers are left with a positive impression. You can now order online, receive a text confirmation of your order, and thanks to contactless delivery, receive another text message when your food has been left at your door. Some restaurants are taking it a step further and investing in AI to streamline ordering, maximize efficiency, and create a positive experience. Dominos’ fans can now order with Dom—their newest interactive chatbot that walks you through every step of the ordering process. People who have an online account set up can choose between an “easy order” (their favorite), or a recent order. Customers can talk with and order from the chatbot through Facebook Messenger and 14 other platforms. Contactless Payment The implications of COVID-19 are still unfolding, and restaurants will have to continue evolving to meet new safety concerns and changing consumer behavior. But one thing is for sure—restaurants now have to offer either contactless ordering, or they have to dispose of a menu after it’s used. Giving customers the ability to browse your menu online and order from their own mobile device is a game-changer. Technology now allows customers to do just that, and the process is seamless for the customer, the servers, and the cooks who immediately get updates on new orders. LED Alert Systems The idea behind technology has always been to make people’s lives easier, and LED alert systems can enhance efficiency in the kitchen so you can serve your customers faster. The colored, LED alert systems are silent and unobtrusive. They illuminate kitchen areas that need attention, such as the wall above the deep fryer when food is done frying, or the floor underneath the dishwasher when dishes are clean. This way, kitchen staff can be notified of items that need attention without being interrupted by a loud alarm. Leveraging Technology To Thrive Whether you’re ready to follow in McDonald’s tracks and invest millions in kiosks, or simply want to keep pace and offer online ordering, investing in technology is a smart move. New technological advances can help you improve customer service, boost productivity, maximize efficiency, and keep customers and employees safe and healthy. Choosing the right technology for your restaurant will involve a process of assessing your target market, your goals, and your budget. Don’t be scared to take a risk on something new. COVID-19 has accelerated the necessity of technology, and there’s no doubt that emerging online and virtual trends will become the new norm.

We can make many kinds of links at One Hour Backlinks, and we add support for more link types as we can. Some link types - such as forum profiles, bookmarks, or wiki - will be brand new pages. This means they won't be indexed yet and will not have PR. Others - such as blog or image comments - will be on pages that already exist and some will have PR and be indexed. Those pages also tend to have a lot of links already on them. Since we post on any site that allows it and we don't own the sites, some may include content that is objectionable. If this worries you, don't buy the links. We're more than happy to delete links out of our system that are objectional so future runs do not include them, so just let us know as you find them What type of links are the best? We get this one all the time, and the answer is "it depends". Each site and each backlink profile is different, so there is no one right answer. Our stock answer is it's always best to have great link diversity (different link types) as well as amazing anchor diversity (40 keywords instead of 4). As Google changes their algorithm - and they will - your ranking impact should be minimized. One point that is often overlooked is that all the link building you do is worthless if you aren't letting Google know those links exist. This is especially true if the links you build entail new pages being created (forum profiles, stat sites, wiki, bookmarks, etc). Because of this we started Linklicious, which forces Google to crawl your links and impact your rankings. What is the value of a nofollow link? Both nofollow and dofollow links impact your ranking and PR. As you build links, realize that some links are generally dofollow (forum profiles, wiki), while others are typically nofollow (blog comments). It's nothing to worry about because we aren't overdelivering one type (which would be unnatural). If you are an advanced link builder you may want to experiment with your nofollow/dofollow balance, but unless you're being very careful with link building it's not worth the trouble. Google says that nofollow doesn't pass link juice, but it avoids saying how it uses nofollow for other ranking factors. It is well known that TrustRank, link and IP diversity play a role in ranking, and nofollows work perfectly well for that. In other words, you can improve your rankings with just nofollow links so it shouldn't be a concern. Some of the pages have butt load of other spammy links already on them. Does that have an impact on value? According to Matt Cutts in an interview with SEOMOZ, the number of links on a page has a negligible amount of impact on the value it transfers. While the original Google patent does say that more links = less value, Google obviously has made many changes along the way. You can see the question answered about three quarters into the interview. It's a very good interview so if you have time, check it all out. Dude, it took more than an hour! Sorry about that. We make it a goal of delivering ASAP, but sometimes our headquarters has a fire drill and we can't deliver on time. Let us know if you are REALLY pissed and we'll apologize. Seriously though, we do our best to deliver fast but sometimes it may take a day or more for delivery. Does the comment area support mutli-level spintax? Yes. Just be careful you enter it correctly or your blast will go out with bad info. If you enter malformed spintax we'll just replace it with default generic text of our own. I enter 5 keywords and 10 URLs. How do you build links? We take a random keyword and match it with a random URL. We keep doing this until we hit the number of links you bought. It is likely that the distribution of links and URLs won't be perfect because we do totally randomize it. I see multiple links from the same domain in my report. Is that bad? We pull a random set of sites out of the database to comment on and sometimes you'll have your links on a couple of pages on a given site. This is normal and nothing to worry about. We usually over-deliver by a bit to account for 5-10% duplicate site posts. Can this service cause my site to get put in the Google Sandbox (AKA get penalized)? Yes. We don't recommend building 1000 links a day to a new site, nor do we recommend using the same keyword for a 1000 link purchase. Mix it up and tailor the volume to the site. Test yourself to find the limits you feel comfortable pushing. Can I use only this service to rank my site? Yes. But keep in mind we recommend a balanced approach using multiple link types to protect against Google algorithm changes. How in the HELL do you make the links so fast?!?! You know those sweatshop stories you see on the TV? Double it, and that's how we roll. A literal army of monkeys (no labor-laws around monkeys) at keyboards, typing furiously to build your links for you. :) What is the Rapid Indexer link type? These are a variety of link types that are on authority sites and are able to quickly show authority for your site. These include stat sites (such as those on Alexa.com), whois sites showing information on your web site, and redirect sites that simply provide a raw backlink to your site from a (typically authority) site. This link type typically only includes the URL and we're not able to include your keyword very often. Keep this in mind when ordering.

The amount of time a container sat at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach last month have reached “a new average high” of nearly six days, according to new data released by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. The averaged high of 5.94 days set last month is the highest since the association started tracking dwell time in May 2016, PMSA said. Before the pandemic-related volume increases, average dwell time for containers usually stayed below three days, shipping association data show. The average dwell time for rail however, was better, improving from 8.2 days in August to 5.5 days in September, PMSA said. “While the September figures are alarming, preliminary data for October show some terminals with dwell times of over nine and 10 days,” PMSA President John McLaurin explained. “Terminals are drowning in imports. The need for cargo owners to pick up their containers in a timely manner is greater now than ever before.” Because of longer dwell times, terminals are more congested and unable to continue unloading vessels at the usual speed, McLaurin said. “PMSA members have added additional gate hours and leased out additional space but relief at ports will come when containers are picked up in a timely manner,” he said.

THE passing of the Public Finance Administration (Accounts) Regulations 2021 in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, 4th August 2022, enables Tonga to continue to be guided by the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) especially with preparation of Government financial statements. IPSAS are a set of accounting standards issued by the IPSAS Board for use by public sector entities around the world in the preparation of financial statements. After its third reading in Parliament, all MPs in Parliament unanimously endorsed the Public Finance Administration (Accounts) Regulations which relates to Government’s public accounts and financial reporting. In applying the international accounting standards, section 4 of the Regulation states that Government financial statements should be prepared within six months at end of the fiscal year according to section 35 of the Public Finance Management Act 2002. It is the Finance Minister’s responsibility to prepare and present a report to Parliament no later than 6 months after the end of the fiscal year. If Parliament is not in session, the submission of a financial statement must be done in the next session. In section five of the Public Finance Administration (Accounts) Regulation 2021, it requires that the presentation and format of the public accounts to be determined by the Finance Minister, guided by the appropriate application of IPSAS. Hon. Tatafu said from past experience, Treasury find it exceedingly difficult to provide an accurate estimation of Government’s assets and liabilities. But, through a closer partnership with donor partners, Tonga was recommended to adopt the easiest financial reporting and IPSAS to guide its preparation of Government public accounts and financial statements. In recognising the requirement of section 5 of the Public Finance Management Act, financial statements must therefore be prepared in accordance with Part 1 of IPSAS: Financial Reporting Under the Cash Basis Accounting. Hon. Tatafu thanked Parliament for supporting the Regulation especially with efforts to promote improved government transparency and accountability.

In a speech announcing her departure from the House Democratic leadership, Nancy Pelosi took a shot at former President Donald Trump. In her speech, the House Democratic leader praised her time working with former presidents George Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. She also noted that they were able to make significant investments in clean energy. During her time in office, she worked with several former presidents. There were also disagreements between her and Trump, who had a rocky relationship. In a speech on the House floor, she said that she would not be seeking the position of House minority leader, but noted that she would still serve out her term in the House. She has led the Democratic caucus for over two decades. Her departure from the leadership ranks increases the competition for the position of House Democratic leader. In her speech, she referred to the Capitol as a beautiful building that represents the ideals of democracy. She received a loud and emotional response from the Democrats in attendance. She also stated that the building is a temple to the Constitution.

GlobeSt. – REIT returns ended last week down nearly a half a percentage point, underperforming the S&P 500, according to a new report from BTIG. Yields on 10-year Treasuries increased 5 basis points to 1.31% and the average implied cap rate hit 5.65%. The spread between the implied cap rate and the 10-year yield is now 434 basis points. City Office, Medalist Diversified, Soterly Hotels, Ashford Hospitality, and CorEnergy Infra were the top REIT performers for the week ending August 27, with returns in excess of 12% and as high as 24%. On the flip side, Urstadt Biddle, GEO Group, Cown Castle, CIM Commercial, and Bluerock Residential were the bottom five performers. Led by top performer Host Hotels, the hotel sector outperformed, with prices up 3.6% for the week. Average daily occupancy, a key driver for the sector, was above 2019 levels for the seventh week in a row, though occupancy and RevPAR were both beneath those levels. But a recent analysis from Fitch Ratings notes that the sector’s long-term RevPAR recovery “remains on track, despite the recent sharp uptrend” in COVID-19 infections. “We have raised our expectation for 2021 RevPAR to 68% of the 2019 pre-pandemic level, compared with our previous forecast of 62%, but maintain our view that a full recovery will occur gradually through 2025 as safety concerns ease and group and business travel resume,” Fitch notes in its analysis. Lower price-point economy and midscale hotels are outperforming luxury hotels, which remain 10 to 20% below 2019 levels, but Fitch predicts RevPAR will reach 80% of 2019′s level by 2022 and 100% by 2025. Meanwhile, industrial sector REITs underperformed last week and saw prices dip 2.3%, with Prologis standing out as the sector’s worst performer. And on the retail front, BTIG adjusted its price target for Simon Property Group to $177 from $125, noting that SPG’s second quarter results were ahead of projections. “Although 2Q’s bottom line was boosted by a major one-time item, the FY guide was raised well above the one- time’s impact, indicating that retail sales, demand for space in malls, and revenue growth for the portfolio are all contributing to a faster recovery than previously assumed,” the BTIG report notes.

Every day, 130 Americans die from overdosing on opioids. It is a national crisis that impacts public health and social welfare across the entire spectrum of age, race, and class. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the annual economic burden of prescription opioid abuse at more than $78 billion in healthcare costs, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and crime. Obviously, what we are doing as a nation to address this crisis is not working. The need is huge for a revolutionary approach in radically new ideas, products, and services to stop the cycle and prevent these tragic consequences. It is indeed time for a new day in the fight against opioids. It is exceedingly rare for a publicly listed company to drastically and dramatically reinvent itself into an entirely new endeavor. But that is exactly what is happening here. Shifting course from its principal legacy business, the core leadership team of Appliance Recycling Centers of America will turn its vast arsenal of management expertise, entrepreneurial vision, and private-sector resources toward ending the opioid epidemic. As a newly reimagined NASDAQ-listed company investing across a wide range of advocacy initiatives, technology, and pharmaceutical opportunities, JanOne seeks to become recognized as the leading pioneer and provider of innovative solutions to help end the opioid epidemic by any and all viable means. JanOne is the new day we have all been waiting for. Our task was to visualize a brand identity that effectively conveys a bold new enterprise capable of this level of inspired innovation. Solution The name JanOne is the embodiment of hope for the future: it is the first day of a new year—a day of resolution, optimism, and commitment to change. We wanted to allow that powerful metaphor to speak for itself. The strong, clean lines of the logotype were intentionally chosen to create a straightforward simplicity that doesn’t get in the way of the name’s meaning. The signature color palette reinforces the theme of hope, warmth, and optimism. The bold orange and gold colors are the vibrant hues of dawn, unmistakable and immediately recognizable to anyone on the planet. The logotype also blends the J and 1 into a distinctive standalone icon strong enough to carry the company identity on its own. This can be used as a highly effective branding tool in a wide array of applications. The result is an overall visual system that is bold and memorable but also provides a neutral canvas broad enough to allow the JanOne identity to evolve in new directions as the company grows. JanOne’s mission is to end opioid use in our lifetime—and to make sure that one day soon, society will be able to rely on effective drugs that kill only pain, not people.

Andy is the former Programme Leader of the MSc in Science Communication and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. His areas of research include: The challenges and opportunities presented by the communication of science online, including misinformation. How people use online information to inform their opinions and behaviour in relation to topics as diverse as COVID-19 and food waste. Applying Social Practice Theory to the use of online platforms such as social media. Science journalism practices. Andy was UWE Bristol's PI on the European Commission-funded RETHINK research project (Horizon 2020), which is exploring digital science communication across Europe. The project team also involved VU Amsterdam and Ecsite, the European network of science centres. Andy is a member of the judging team for the Max Perutz Science Writing Award run by the Medical Reseach Council (MRC). Before starting at UWE Bristol, Andy spent nearly 20 years as a journalist, including a spell as Deputy Editor of BBC Focus magazine. Prior to that, he worked in local newspapers as a Reporter and News Editor. Andy continues to be a practicing journalist, writing predominantly for BBC Science Focus as well as New Scientist. He has also written for The Economist and Men’s Health among other publications. As well as writing for and editing print publications, Andy has extensive experience of digital publishing, particularly on tablet computers. While editing BBC Focus’s interactive iPad app, it was named specialist publication of the year twice at the Digital Magazine Awards (2011 and 2012). Andy was also named Editorial Person of the Year in the BBC Magazines Awards for Excellence in 2010.

We woke reasonably late following the feast and free flowing wine the night before. After gathering ourselves and our packs, we headed down to our homestay family’s small dining room for breakfast. Refreshingly, what was expected of her was the same thing that was expected of Lara Stone: to take a beautiful picture. We were making our way to the Rila Mountains, where we were visiting the Rila Monastery where we enjoyed scrambled eggs, toast, mekitsi, local jam and peppermint tea. Adderall and flirting with bulimia in an attempt to whittle herself We wandered the site with other tourists Yet strangely the place did not seem crowded. I’m not sure if it was the sheer size of the place, or whether the masses congregated in one area and didn’t venture far from the main church, but I didn’t feel overwhelmed by tourists in the monastery. City Guide for Vienna Headed over Lions Bridge and made our way to the Sofia Synagogue, then sheltered in the Central Market Hall until the recurrent (but short-lived) mid-afternoon rain passed. Feeling refreshed after an espresso, we walked a short distance to the small but welcoming Banya Bashi Mosque, then descended into the ancient Serdica complex. We were exhausted after a long day of travel, so we headed back to the hotel and crashed. I had low expectations about Sofia as a city, but after the walking tour I absolutely loved the place. This was an easy city to navigate, and it was a beautiful city – despite its ugly, staunch and stolid communist-built surrounds. Sofia has a very average facade as you enter the city, but once you lose yourself in the old town area, everything changes. Clothes can transform your mood and confidence. Fashion moves so quickly that, unless you have a strong point of view, you can lose integrity. I like to be real. I don’t like things to be staged or fussy. I think I’d go mad if I didn’t have a place to escape to. You have to stay true to your heritage, that’s what your brand is about.

That is Texas now: Whereas the Lone Star State has prolonged been a bastion of Republican politics, new regulations and insurance coverage policies have taken Texas further to The biggest In current occasions than it has been in many yrs. Elected officers and political observers Inside the state say An monumental problem Inside the transtypeation Might be traced again to West Texas. Two invoiceionaire oil and fracking magnates from the area, Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, have quietly bankrolled A pair of of Texas’ most far-proper political candidates — serving to retype the state’s Republican Celebration Inside their worldview. Over the previous decade, Dunn and his spouse, Terri, have contributed Greater than $18 million to state candidates and political movement committees, while Wilks and his spouse, Jo Ann, have given Greater than $11 million, placing them Amongst The numerous prime donors Inside the state. The beneficiaries of the power tycoons’ mixed spfinishing embrace the farthest-proper members of the legislature and authors of In all probcapability the most extreme-profile conservative funds handed In current occasions, Based mostly on a CNN evaluation of Texas Ethics Fee knowledge. Dunn and Wilks furtherly primarytain smethod over the state’s legislative agfinisha by way of a internetwork of non-income and advocacy groups that push conservative coverage factors. Critics, and even some typeer associates, say that Dunn and Wilks demand loyalty from the candidates they again, punishing even deeply conservative legislators who cross them by bankrolling primary problemrs. Kel Seliger, An extfinishedtime Republican state senator from Amarillo who has clashed with the invoiceionaires, said their affect has made Austin really feel Barely like Moscow. “It is a Russian-type oligarchy, pure And simple,” Seliger said. “Actually, really rich People who discover themselves prepared to spfinish Some large money to get coverage made The biggest method They want it — They typically get it.” Dragged to the ‘exhausting proper’ Dunn and Wilks Did not Reply to repeated requests for remark. In previous interviews and opinion gadgets, Dunn has argued that his political spfinishing Is Concentrating on making Texas’ state authorities extra accountable to its voters, while Wilks has described his donations as Aimed in the direction of electing principled conservative leaders. Former associates of Dunn and Wilks who spoke to CNN said the invoiceionaires are each particularly focused on education factors, and their final objective is To commerce public education with private, Christian education. Wilks is a previousor On the church his father based, and Dunn preveryes On the church his househprevious attfinishs. Of their sermons, they paint An picture of a nation beneath siege from liberal ideas. “The cornerstones of our authorities are crumbling and Starting To reflip aside,” Wilks declared in a 2014 sermon at his insular church, the Meeting of Yahweh Seventh Day. “And It is BeRationalization for lack of morality, The scarcity of notion in our heavenly Father.” Texas’ far-proper shift has nationwide implications: The candidates Dunn and Wilks have assisted have fliped the state legislature Right into a laboratory For a lot-proper coverage that’s Starting To understand trmovement throughout the US. Dunn and Wilks have been much less revenueable Inside the 2022 primary elections than in previous yrs: Virtually All of the GOP legislative incumbents opposed by Deffinish Texas Liberty, a political movement committee primarily funded by the duo, gained their primaries this spring, and the group spent hundreds of hundreds of dollars assisting a far-proper opponent to Gov. Greg Abbott who misplaced by A huge margin. However specialists say the invoiceionaires’ current struggles are Partially a symptom of their previous success: A lot of the candidates they’re difficult from The biggest, from Abbott dpersonal, have embraced More and more extra conservative places, on factors from transgfinisher propers to weapons to voting. “They dragged all the common candidates to the exhausting proper So as To primarytain from dropping,” said Bud Kennedy, a columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper who’s coated 18 durations of the Texas legislature. “I do not assume common Texans are as conservative as their elected officers,” Kennedy said. “The rationale that Texas has moved to The biggest is as a Outcome of The money’s there.” Political investments paying off Over the previous decade, Lots of In all probcapability the most conservative funds Inside the Texas legislature, on primeics from LGBT propers to weapons To Private school vouchers, have been killed by the common Republicans who held smethod Inside the state House. That modified final yr, Because Of individuals like Valoree Swanson. Swanson was a Sunday school teveryer and political activist when she problemd a 14-yr incumbent Republican, Debbie Riddle, in 2016 in a district overlaying Houston’s Republican-dominated northern suburbs. Swanson, who ran to Riddle’s proper, shocked political observers by outelevating the incumbent — an unusual feat for A primary-time candidate. Her hugest donor: Empower Texans, a political movement committee created by Dunn and hugely funded by him and Wilks. She defeated Riddle Inside the Republican primary by Greater than 10 proportion factors and went on To merely wInside The general election. Last yr, Swanson gained A critical legislative victory: She authored the transgfinisher sports activities invoice, which blocks trans college students from having fun with on K-12 school sports activities groups That are not aligned with their gfinishers at delivery. Whereas completely different funds about transgfinisher factors had failed in earlier yrs, the sports activities invoice was accredited by a legislature now agencyly administrationled by the GOP’s proper flank after the common typeer House converseer retired. Observers noticed it as a validation of the invoiceionaires’ early investments in Swanson’s first advertising campaign, paying off yrs later. “They’re influenceively investing their money They typically’re shifting the wantle on coverage in Austin,” said Scott Braddock, the editor of Quorum Report, a publication that’s been overlaying the legislature For many yrs, referring to Dunn and Wilks. “These are extreme individuals investing Some large money in our politics to retype Texas, such that it matches up with their imaginative and prescient.” Swanson is exhaustingly an outlier: All 18 Of The current Republican members of the Texas Senate, and almost half of the Republican members of the Texas House, have taken A minimal of some money from Dunn, Wilks or groups thOn they fund. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Lawyer Widespread Ken Paxton have furtherly been primary beneficiaries of the invoiceionaires’ spfinishing. Texas is Definitely one of simply 10 states that permit individuals to make limitless contributions to state political candidates, Based mostly on the National Convention of State Legislatures — letting Dunn and Wilks have extra affect than They might elsethe place Inside the nation. Whereas Dunn and Wilks Think about state politics, they’ve furtherly acquiredten involved in nationwide races. Wilks, his brcompletely different Dan and their wives have been Amongst The numerous hugest donors to super PACs assisting GOP presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz in 2016, contributing An complete of $15 million. And Dunn has given hundreds of hundreds of dollars to super PACs assisting typeer President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans In current occasions. In A press launch to CNN, Cruz referred to as the Wilks brcompletely differents “the epitome of the American dream” and “fearmuch less champions of conservative causes, a lot to the consternation of the corrupt agency media.” So far in 2022, Dunn’s and Wilks’ political investments Have not been as revenueable as in previous yrs. Deffinish Texas Liberty, the group they fund, gave Greater than $3 million to Don Huffines, a typeer state senator who problemd Abbott in his Republican primary and gained simply 12% of the vote. Regardmuch less of his loss, specialists leveled out, over the course of the advertising campaign Abbott embraced A pair of of the places Huffines had staked out, collectively with strong opplace to transgfinisher propers and assist for deploying National Guard members to the US-Mexican border. Deffinish Texas Liberty’s second-hugest beneficiary this yr has been Shelley Luther, an unrevenueable far-proper legislative candidate who attracted nationwide consideration after she was arrested for refusing To close dpersonal her Dallas hair salon to Adjust to coronavirus restrictions. In an interview with CNN, Luther — who proposed banning Chinese language college students from Texas universities and declared she is “not snug with the transgfinishers” — said that Dunn and Wilks had been integral to her advertising campaign. “With out them, I Might not have even run,” Luther said. However she added thOn the spfinishing Wouldn’t have given the invoiceionaires affect over her votes or selections: “He wants me to do what I say that I recurrent,” she said of Dunn. Implementing the ‘regulation of the jungle’ Dunn and Wilks Do not simply use advertising campaign donations to play A process in state politics. Additionally they fund a internetwork of groups Which have been influential at increaseing conservative causes. Texans for Fiscal Obligation, a non-revenue chaired by Dunn, has launched a “Fiscal Obligation Index” every legislative session grading state regulationmakers based on their stances on conservative funds. The scorecard, which Is usually cited in election advertisements that current up in voters’ mailboxes, Is beneathstood in Texas political circles for its capability to make and break Republican primary advertising campaigns. “Do You’d like to Don’t current up properly on the scorecard, You are going to have Some large money spent in the direction ofs you,” Seliger said. Texas Republicans say that even a deeply conservative doc Does not shield somebody from a primary problem funded by Dunn, Wilks and groups they bankroll. State Sen. Bob Deuell had gained elections for yrs in his northeast Texas district and racked up a conservative doc — collectively with co-authoring a 2013 abortion invoice that was thought-about Amongst The numerous strictest Inside the nation On the time, and was struck dpersonal by the US Supreme Courtroom. However in 2013, Deuell, A doctor, assisted a invoice that overhauled Texas’ finish-of-life procedures. Texas Right to Life, A gaggle whose hugest donor over its historic previous is Wilks, falsely claimed the invoice would “strengthen Texas’ demise panels.” The subsequent yr, Deuell was problemd by Bob Hall, a tea party activist. Texas Right to Life spent Greater than $150,000 on mailers, voter guides and political consultants for Hall and completely different candidates in 2014, airing a barrage of advertisements claiming Deuell had “fliped his again on life and on disabled sufferers.” Hall gained the Republican primary in a runoff by 300 votes. Since that first advertising campaign, Hall has acquired Greater than $900,000 from Dunn, Wilks, and groups That they are primary fbeneaths of — A few third of his complete donations. “All this West Texas money is what made him Right into a by way ofble candidate,” Deuell said of Hall, who Did not Reply to requests for remark from CNN. Seliger, Deuell’s typeer colleague Inside the Senate, has furtherly staked out conservative places on many factors, and Dunn gave his advertising campaign $1,000 all by way of his first yr in office in 2004. However after Seliger decided he couldn’t assist efforts to divert funding from public schools To Private school vouchers, Dunn fliped on him, he said. In The final decade since, He is found himself repeatedly working in the direction ofs a problemr agained by groups funded by Dunn and Wilks. “That is the regulation of the jungle now in Texas,” Seliger said. “Almost all of Republican Senate members simply dance to no matter tune Tim Dunn Desires to play.” Dunn has deffinished his spfinishing and his group’s advertising campaign methods. “Empower Texans reprimarys outdoors the swamp, and the group intypeationrms voters who want their recurrentatives to do in Austin whOn they promised all by way of election season,” he wrote in a 2018 op-ed in The Dallas Morning Information, responding to criticism of the group’s methods. “If all of us outdoorsrs stick collectively, We will draInside the Austin Swamp.” Zachary Maxproperly has had an inside view of the invoiceionaires’ affect. He labored for Empower Texans, Dunn’s PAC, and served as advertising campaign supervisor and chief of staff for then-state Rep. Mike Lang, who acquired Greater than 60% of his advertising campaign donations from Wilks and PACs he and Dunn have been primary fbeneaths of. Maxproperly tprevious CNN in an interview thOn there was “no method” Lang could have acquiredten elected without Wilks’ money. At one advertising campaign fundraiser, he said, Jo Ann Wilks handed Maxproperly a look at for Greater than $100,000. “I used to be like, ‘Are you able to even write a look at that huge?’ ” Maxproperly remembered. “I about had a coronary heart assault.” Huge sums like that assisted buy Wilks affect as quickly as Lang took office, Maxproperly said. “Wheby no means (Farris Wilks) referred to as, he anshave beend,” Maxproperly said of Lang. “There was A lot of administration.” Lang Did not Reply to requests for remark from CNN. West Texas upbringings Texas has An extfinished custom of oil and gasoline magnates using their fortunes to type politics. Hugh Roy Cullen, Definitely one of Houston’s wealthiest philanthropists, assisted The expert-segregation Dixiecrat movement Inside the Nineteen Forties, and H.L. Hunt, who personaled An monumental swath of the East Texas Oil Area, funded a conservative radio program that aired throughout the US Inside the ’50s and ’60s. What mannequins Dunn and Wilks aside, political observers say, is how they’ve spent Tons money pushing not simply enterprise-frifinishly insurance coverage policies that increase their backside line However in addition socially conservative funds That seem designed to retype Texas Inside the picture of their far-proper Christian values. Both are merchandise of humble West Texas upbringings who earned large fortunes in Texas’ power enterprise. Dunn, 66, lives in Midland, the childhood home of George W. Bush and A center of the state’s oil enterprise. He grew up in close by Big Spring, the son of a farm and problemy worker, and studied chemical engineering at Texas Tech earlier than working for Exxon and completely different oil and banking corporations. He started his personal oil agency, now named CrpersonalQuest Operating, in 1996. The agency operates oil properlys round West Texas’ Permian Oil Basin and past, and pumped 31 million barrels of oil in Texas in 2021, making it the state’s Twelfth hugest oil producer, Based mostly on authorities data. Dunn turned extra involved in Texas politics in 2006, when he opposed a tax measure that embraced A mannequin new tax on enterprise partnerships — collectively with some that fund oil properlys, Texas Month-to-month reported. He started An group to oppose the measure, Empower Texans, which continued to fund conservative causes even after the tax legal guidelines handed. The group’s PAC shut dpersonal in 2020, and the invoiceionaires extra currently pivoted to funding Deffinish Texas Liberty. Wilks, 70, grew up in a transformed goat shed in Cisco, Texas, a metropolis Of three,700 the place sleepy streets are dotted with Greater than a dozen church buildings. He and his youthful brcompletely different Dan have been the sons of a bricklayer And commenced their careers as apprentice masons. After a quantity of completely different enterprise ventures, in 2002 they based Frac Tech Providers, An group that provided trucking services for fracking operators. It was good timing: Fracking was about to take off in Texas and elsethe place Inside the US amid a progress in shale gasoline. Decrease than a decade later, in 2011, the Wilkses purchased their primaryity share of The agency for Greater than $3 invoiceion to A gaggle that embraced worldwide buyers. Since then, They’ve been buying for up land in Texas and Across the Western US, becoming a member of the ranks of America’s hugest landpersonalers — and getting involved in politics. Farris Wilks is the previousor of the Meeting of Yahweh Seventh Day Church, which operates a sprawling compound outdoors of Cisco and was based by his father. In sermons, he has denounced homosexuality and abortion propers in vitriolic phrases. “A male on male or a feminine on feminine is in the direction ofs nature,” Wilks declared in a 2013 docing Of 1 sermon posted on his church’s internet website, which is Not publicly out there. “This lifetype is the predatorial lifetype in thOn they want yOur youngsters. … They want yOur youngsters.” Dunn furtherly preveryes at his church, the Midland Bible Church, the place he serves as a member of the congregation’s “pulpit group.” “It Does not matter what guidelines you grew up with, nDefinitely one of them are enforceable in God’s kingdom,” he declared In a single 2018 sermon. In a 2004 interview with The Times of London, Dunn tprevious a reporter he believed that, Since the mannequin newspaper put it, “his oil has existed For much less than 4,000 yrs, the time decreed by Genesis, not 200 million yrs as his geologists know.” That spiritual fervor has affectd Dunn’s and Wilks’ political strikes. In A gathering with typeer Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, Who’s Jewish, Dunn declared that solely Christians ought to primarytain management places Inside the chamber, Texas Month-to-month reported. Straus declined an interview request with CNN. And each Wilks brcompletely differents have donated hundreds of hundreds of dollars by way of their private foundations to conservative Christian groups, collectively with disaster being pregnant facilities, Based mostly on IRS data, which work to dissuade women from abortion and in some circumstances share deceptive medical intypeation. ‘The objective is to tear up, tear dpersonal’ People who’ve labored with Wilks and Dunn say they share an final objective: changing a lot of public education in Texas with private Christian schools. Now, educators and college students are really feeling the influence of that conservative ideology on the state’s school system. Dorothy Burton, a typeer GOP activist And non secular scholar, joined Farris Wilks on a 2015 Christian talking tour organized by his brcompletely different-in-regulation and said she spoke at occasions he attfinished. She described the fracking magnate as “very quiet” but approachable: “You’d Take A look at him And also you would by no means assume that he was a invoiceionaire,” she said. However Burton said that after a yr of listening to Wilks’ ideology on the talking circuit, she turned disillusioned by The solely-mindedness of his conservatism. “The objective is to tear up, tear dpersonal public education to nofactor and rebuild it,” she said of Wilks. “And rebuild it The biggest method God meant education to be.” In sermons, Dunn and Wilks have advocated for spiritual affect In education. “When the Bible plainly teveryes one factor and our tradition teveryes ancompletely different, what do Our youngsters Have to know what to do?” Wilks asks In a single sermon from 2013. Dunn, Wilks and the groups and politicians they each fund have been elevating alarms about liberal ideas Inside the classroom, targeting teachers And school directors they see as too progressive. The invoiceionaires have particularly focused on essential race concept, in what critics see as an Try and make use of it as a scapegoat To interrupt voters’ notion in public education. In the summertime of 2020, James Whitfield, The primary Black principal of In all probcapability the principally White Colleyville Heritage Highschool Inside the Dallas suburbs, penned a coronary heartfelt, early-morning e-mail Inside the wake of George Floyd’s homicide, encouraging his school to “not develop weary Inside the battle in the direction ofs systemic racism.” The againlash acquired here months later. Stetson Clark, a typeer school board candidate whose advertising campaign had been agained by A gaggle that acquired its hugest donations from Dunn and groups he funded, accused Whitfield all by way of A school board assembly final yr of “encouraging all members of our group To Wind up to be revolutionaries” and “encouraging the destruction and disruption of our district.” The board placeed Whitfield on depart, and later voted To not renew his contract. He agreed to resign after coming to a settlement with the district. Clark Did not Reply to a request for remark. Whitfield said he noticed the rhetoric pushed by Dunn and Wilks as A critical Rationalization for his being pushed out. “They Have to disrupt and destroy public schools, as a Outcome of They might a lot pretty have schools That are religion-based,” Whitfield said. “All of us know what has occurred over the course of historic previous in our nation, and if We will not tevery that, then what Would You want me to do?” In the meantime, the legislature has furtherly been Taking over the dialogue of race in lecture rooms, passing a invoice final yr that bans schools from making teachers “converse about A hugely debated and presently controversial problem of public coverage or social affairs.” The legal guidelines was designed To primarytain essential race concept out of the classroom, Based mostly on Abbott, who signed the invoice into regulation. Some of the co-authors and sponsors of the invoice And typeer variations of the legal guidelines acquired vital funding from Dunn and Wilks. The invoiceionaires “Need to destroy The general public school system as we Know it and, Instead, see extra home-education and extra private Christian schools,” said Deuell, The earlier senator. The Texans really feeling the influence embrace Libby Gonzales, an 11-yr-previous transgfinisher woman dwelling Inside the Dallas suburbs. She and her househprevious say they really feel like targets after The mannequin new regulation proscribing trans college students’ participation In school sports activities went into influence final yr — handed by Swanson and completely different legislators bankrolled by Dunn and Wilks. Now, Libby Will not Be In a place to play for The women’ soccer group that she’d Want to hitch. “We do not have factors in our neighborhood, among our frifinishs,” said her mcompletely different, Rachel Gonzales. “It’s when our legislators meet and decide that They are going to leverage their political power in the direction ofs A pair of of In all probcapability the most marginalized youngsters in our state.” Gonzales has started volunteering for political advertising campaigns in an Try and level out the tide on anti-trans insurance coverage policies. Libby said sHe is been following The mannequin news about Texas’ conservative flip — and worrying what’s coming subsequent. Last month, the Texas Public Policy Basis, a assume tank that Dunn serves on the board of, referred to as on the legislature to ban the prescription of puberty blockers and hormone cures for minors. “I am beneath assault,” Libby said. “I Do not know why individuals Do not understand that I am Only A woman: an 11-yr-previous woman dwelling in Texas — with superb hair.”

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“Can you help me with my camera?” I get that a lot, as I’m sure do most camera weenies whose geek credentials are a little too obvious. And most of the time I’m happy to co-operate. Ideally, I get the warm, fuzzy feeling of knowing somebody is going to have legible images of a key moment in their lives. At worst, at least there’ll be one less uncontrolled on-board flash to blind me. In some cases, though, my instinct is more along the lines of yelling out, “Hey, I got problems of my own here, buddy!” Like trying to get a reasonably sharp image of the Northern Lights and establishing foreground from a ship moving at a steady 14 knots through the frigid Nordic night. While wearing every piece of warm clothing I own. And trying to memorize the button layout of a new camera. With gloves on. In this case, I spent about two minutes exploring the options menu on the semi-panicked lady’s little silver P&S before figuring out a nice way to tell her it was hopeless. Little bugger didn’t even allow ISO setting. All the while semi-panicking myself about whether the astromagnetic show would last long enough for me to squeeze off a few keepers. Afterwards, I started wondering about how other alpha geeks handle such situations, especially those with more meticulous shooting habits and/or without my enhanced Midwestern Lutheran sense of guilt and responsibility. Does respecting the medium of photography somehow obligate one to assist others in its service? Or is more honest to focus on your own work and allow/invite others to do the same? Image credits: “Confused” by Jeffrey Kontur, “How Does This Thing Work?” by Lotus Carroll, “Northern Lights” by David Becker, “What the…???” by Jerry Bowley

The Solv[ED] Youth Innovation Challenge is an opportunity for you to submit your tech-based solution that: Improves learning opportunities and outcomes for learners across their lifetimes, from early childhood on Supports financial and economic opportunities for all Accelerates healthcare access and health outcomes, reducing and, ultimately, eliminating disparities in health Takes action to combat climate change and its impacts Addresses an unmet social, environmental, or economic need not covered in the four topics above.

This helps investigate to be easy to learn to your readers and organized. Even though other designs like MLA or Chicago model may be utilised to assist for this, because it’s employed the many APA-style seems to be the ideal choice. The two chief parts of a research paper in APA design are the author’s name and also the day of the research paper. Yet another facet that is ordinarily used by investigators would be the abstract of the paper. This element give a description of the notion of the newspaper and also will summarize the paper’s overview. It will assist you summarize the notion of this book finishes, while scanning this specific section. It will also provide viewers an thought about what sort of creating the writer does within their day daily life. Thus that the first point to bear in mind is to guarantee that the name of the author is spelled out correctly. It is critical to be certain the names of authors game. The current date of the study paper is just one of the absolute most crucial components of the paper editing service analysis paper in APA style. This part should likewise be split into smaller portions as mentioned earlier in the day. For example, the au thor’s name is divided into parts that focus on the creator’s https://www.alquds.edu/en/staff-profiles/faculty-of-science-technology/178-department-of-chemistry.html first name. Each part may then be broken down into segments that are relevant to the study newspaper in general. There can be A chapter an unaffiliated section that is used to split up a chapter in In a chapter the section of the title is broken down to sections and also the part could be that the chapter name and also the next part could be that the chapter outline. Every single paragraph of the write-up is followed. In finish paragraph should follows themain paragraph of the write-up. This can be a overview of the post. This can assist readers maintain with the information presented from the article. These paragraphs must perhaps not survive more than a single lineup. The audience will have the ability to find it time that is effortless maintaining with this study and will have a lot of advice to digest. This makes this article easy to browse and you need to just work with about a few paragraphs in complete. It will help the reader to know the content and can keep carefully the articles concise. The following portion to break down should really be the tables and figures. Figures are part that breaks down the thoughts of this report. Statistics and the desk ought to be easy to read so they can be referenced through the duration of the report. The amount of amounts will rely on the amount of the short article. The subsequent section is the overview. This portion includes the review of the short article. It will also incorporate the date of this research paper and also will consist of information. It will help audience don’t forget the info that is contained in the post, by incorporating the day the short article is printed and important site the number of times the guide has been accessed. The summary really should finish together with the bibliography. The bibliography can be a listing of all of the authors and testimonials which is found from the study newspaper. When browsing for research which can be contained in the 15, That really is essential. The element is your table of contents. The dining table of contents may divide the study paper’s major topic. This really is an important element because it really is precisely just what will provide information for subscribers as soon as it has to do with referencing in the research document. After creating the book, the author has to mention that section. Articles must be calibrated the same manner when they’re published within the subject of review they have been referring to about. Making the writer title, the author’s primary thesis and name, this research paper’s date and the chapter’s title helps form the format possible.

The week before the festival we gather to prepare together the space, help with harvesting and jaming in the evenings. Food will be self organized and made together. The Contact Camp is for Festival and Somatic Flow participants only. To be together and dance in wonderful rural situation close by the sea. There will be no program but plenty to do and play together. The dance space & pool is available throughout all time. In the week before the festival we will build facilities and community, welcoming the people coming in day by day. We co-create the place and help our hosts Monica and Samuel with the harvest of carobs, figs, vegetables, grapes and almonds. Accommodations will be the same like during the Festival and Somatic Flow Journey. You can bring your own tent, matress and sleeping bag, or rent a tent and mattress from the hosts. Most luxury is of course if you taking one of the beautiful rooms with a friend or family for real economical price Price on self costs base, in own tent 7 € night, rental Tent 15 € night, bed in room 20 €. The nights between Camp-Festival-Somatic Flow-Camp will be organized and charged like this as well.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 placed new restrictions on business deductions for meals and entertainment expenses associated with meeting current or potential clients, customers, consultants and other business contacts. In response to ongoing confusion about the new rules, the IRS recently offered additional guidance and proposed regulations governing these deductions for recent and future tax years. As a broad rule, business owners and self-employed taxpayers may deduct up to 50% of the cost of meals directly related to conducting business. Examples might include meeting with potential clients over lunch, purchasing meals during business travel, or ordering food delivery for an after-hours employee meeting. Deducted meal expenses must not be lavish or extravagant. In addition, the taxpayer, or an employee of the taxpayer, must be present for the furnishing of food and beverages. Therefore, sending pizzas to a potential client’s office would generally not qualify for the business meal deduction. The recent IRS notices and proposed regulations emphasize that meal expenses incurred while traveling are subject to the TCJA’s expense substantiation rules. Therefore, these costs must be carefully documented with detailed records. The IRS has also clarified that whereas certain employer-provided meals for employees may have been fully deductible prior to tax year 2018, these meals are now generally subject to the 50% meal deduction limit. Most importantly, with a very few rare and complicated exceptions, the TCJA eliminated the business deduction for entertainment expenses. In the past, potentially allowed entertainment expenses included tickets to concerts and sporting events. These expenses can no longer be deducted in any amount, and taxpayers are expressly forbidden from attempting to circumvent the law by reclassifying the expenses as “advertising,” “research,” etc. The IRS recognizes, however, that certain entertainment activities also include food and beverage expenses. The proposed regulations affirm 2018 IRS guidelines, which state that meal expenses related to an entertainment activity may only be deducted if the food and beverage expenses are clearly separate from entertainment costs.

It's really beautiful to be able to come together again and listen to some satsang. Because this place looks like what mind does sometimes, running around completely; everybody is just running all over the place and it's just that it's so important for us to understand what is the importance of satsang, what is the importance of service, what is the importance of meditation. Because the way the human body is, it prioritises things. Whatever happens to be the priority, that is the thing that it wants to accumulate. That's the thing that it really wants. Just to be able to understand, just to be able to listen because so many doubts and so many confusions always persist. You know, a lot of people think it's the fear of the unknown. That's what fear is, that's what a phobia is, what you don't know. Yet Knowledge is something that sustains you. Knowledge is what people call breath. To doctors, maybe, breath is something that just -- you know, lungs pump out and in and out and in and out and in! And yet that's not it, that's not the life-force that is sustaining us. Because if that is the life-force -- you know, people are put on an iron lung, people are put on artificial lungs and they can survive till a certain period of time and after that they'll kick the bucket. It's like the medicine and the doctors and the engineers and the electricians and -- the whole group has been able to force an assembly. When I was in Rome for Hans Jayanti, I was reading this German magazine; of course, I don't know German, but I was just going through it. All of a sudden my eyes just stuck on this thing and there was this body of a monkey, and there were two heads and one body. I looked closely and it was like the head was separated from the body and the other one was connected to the body. Then I asked some German- speaking premies who were there, "Why don't you translate this for me? " They said, "Oh yeah, this is about this doctor who is experimenting with a head transplant. You know, if you get wrecked up, and if your body gets completely out there, all cut up, and you want a new body, but you want your brains and you still want your head, then this is possible." You can have kidneys replaced, you can have a heart transplant. What is there left to the body? Hardly anything, and yet there is an essence. Until we realise the essence, we can change, literally be able to change bodies as the modern science can. Yet it's like that joke, you know. I mean, it depends from where you are and to whom you're telling the joke, but there is this joke about dumb people. "How many dumb people does it take to unscrew a bulb from ceiling? " And the joke goes "Five - one to hold the bulb, four to turn the ceiling! " And this is what I see is happening in this world. They're changing everything, they're trying to grasp, they're trying to get hold of, they're trying to get on top of everything, except the source of this life, except the source of our origin, except the source from where we really come. And every day that we neglect -- because of our ignorance, if you want to call it, because of our naiveness, if you want to call it, because of our stupidity, if you want to call it, because of our laziness, if you want to call it every step that we take into this materialistic world we are going further and further and further away from where we are supposed to be, from that reality. What is the materialistic world? A saint in India said, quite clearly, that wherever your eyes can perceive, that's all materialism, that's all maya. That's a flat answer whatever you can see, that's all maya. Whatever you can touch, it's all maya. It's all an illusion. And so, more we step into that illusion -- and maybe to some people there is a question; they say, "Why do you call that illusion? " OK, so what is an illusion? What is an illusion? There is a little box that I have and in this box, you slide out this thing, you put a coin in there and then you slide the tray in and then you slide it out and the coin disappears! Then you flip the slide and you slide it in, slide it out and the coin appears. What is an illusion? A magician being able to pull a dove out of his sleeves? Or a rabbit from his hat? This is all what they call magic, this is all what they call an illusion. Why is it an illusion? Obviously that rabbit is hidden somewhere and that rabbit is alive and what you see is not fake, because you see that rabbit coming out of that hat! I mean, you see the coin being put into this little box and how can possibly just sliding a tray make the coin disappear? But it does, and you see it and to you it's real. But in reality, in the true sense of reality, you know that rabbit does not come out of a hat. You know that. You know that a rabbit comes out of a mother, a mother rabbit, a mother bunny. And therefore, when you see this bunny coming out of a hat, it's completely illogical. And so, what appears to be true, but in fact is not, is an illusion. What if rabbits did come out of hats? I mean, there are people in farms and maybe there is a boy, you know, 12, 13, 14 years old, and his chores are to go clean up the barn, and make sure that the animals are OK, just to feed them, just to take care of them, to play! And he goes there one day and he sees a calf coming out, a calf being born. The other day he sees a horse being born. The other day he sees a bunny and so on and so forth. And in his life, all he can do is say, "Oh yeah, another animal is being born". But then say a fair comes to town and he goes to the fair and he sees a bunny being pulled out of the hat and that's completely like "Wow! " And that's the way it is. So to human beings, to us, what appears to be true, but in fact is not, is an illusion. OK, but to a person who has realised what reality is, wouldn't this whole world become an illusion for him? Automatically? Because he knows that reality is not this microphone, that this microphone appears to be real. And it's not based upon just this microphone, or a watch, or a fan, or a clock or anything like that. It is based upon the fact that even this body that you see, is only there for certain time. Its reality, its existence, is very relative. So automatically, to saints, to people who have realised this Knowledge, to them it's quite obvious -- yes, this world is an illusion. Because it appears to be true, you look at your family and your family appears to be true and real. Your test of reality is "Touch it, touch it and it's true". You go around touching it and "Yeah this is true man! " I mean, it's just like, "How can you call this an illusion? " And the intellectuals get on top of that case and they say, "Well, this is completely absurd, how can you call this an illusion? Can't you see it? Can't you touch it? " Oh yes, you can go touch that rabbit that just got born out of a hat, that just came out of a hat; and you can touch the hat. It's like, "Seeing is believing." Seeing what? Is believing what? Man today is just so confused and so far away from that total reality, that it becomes quite obvious that without the help of a Perfect Master this world has no hope, this world has no chance. Because its reality starts to become: what's not reality becomes even more reality to him. And it's like this - can you imagine for one instant, if babies coming out 5 6 of their mother, apples on a tree, flowers on a plant, clouds in the sky, moon at night-time, stars at night-time, ocean going back and forth, was all an illusion? OK? But turning on a TV and watching a picture there -- all reality. Going to a theatre and watching a movie -- all reality. What would happen? Reverse the process, what would happen? I mean, all that becomes an illusion. And all of a sudden, all that is illusion becomes reality. What would happen? What would humanity do? You pose this question to somebody who's got a dime's worth of brains and he'll go, "Well, of course, it would be absurd. It would be ridiculous. How can you even imagine something like that? " But the fact is, that's the way this world is right now. That all is an illusion, that all is just unexplained phenomena, and all this the picture of TV and theatre and whatever man really gets into,that's all real -- can't you see it? And in this confusion, who gets lost? You can see that there is something from inside of us that wants to join, wants to merge, with that completeness, with that wholeness. And there is a process that has to take place. We all know it. I mean, you can't hide yourself away from it, you can't kid yourself away, because to know, to feel that peace is such an incredible bliss. We all want that; we all pursue it, maybe in different things in this world, but we all want it always there we always want it. And that's what Guru Maharaj Ji is. Guru Maharaj Ji brings that peace to you. Guru Maharaj Ji opens that door for you. For you to be able to enter and realise Knowledge. I mean, yeah, OK, this is all simple; then what's the problem? The problem is our effort! Because, like I was saying, we always get attracted to something that we are going to get something out of. We get attracted. It's just like the brain wants to go towards this illusion, it wants to go in this craziness, because in this craziness it sees something and wants it. And man just chases it, runs after it. And Guru Maharaj Ji says, "Now wait, you have to make an effort, you have to divert your cords, your connectors, that you have connected to this illusion and from this maya you have to remove them and plug them into that reality! " And Guru Maharaj Ji says that's the effort that you have to make. At least the amount of effort that you have to make is that you have to unplug those cords from this maya and hand them to me so I can plug them into reality. I mean, to even cut the things in half - but the mind comes in and says, "No, wait a minute, how do you?" I mean, it's like Stuart Macdougal was saying, we want to test it, we want to try it out. "What if this is real, what if this is not real? " And how can we make the decision of this is good or this is bad when we don't even know what's good or what's bad? What is good in this world? What is so great, what is so good, what is so bad? It's like that one example I give to Hindus. They can't eat a cow. That's a "no-no," it's a sin, it's a crime. Cow is holy, cow is sacred! If somebody is really born in India and he really believes in the Hindu religion, he'll say, "No, no, I never touch that." OK. And through doing that you are going to attain salvation. In the Muslim religion, it's quite the opposite. Don't touch the pig! That's very sacred, it's a "no-no". Cow is OK. How through that … all these little concepts that are there … is it really possible that through those concepts, is that how we arc going to realise God? Through those concepts that we have? There is our good and bad. That's our good and that's our bad. And did really God say, "Listen, let's separate all this. I'm going to make the same cow, but I'm going to make two different kinds of people. For one person it'll be OK and for one person it won't be OK? " I mean, to me, that's not the way it is. Our judgement of that kind of good and bad is completely -- that we don't even know what's so good or what's so bad. And we get completely lost in that. So this is how far away we are in the process or realisation. I mean, it's just like you look at it and they have churches and mandirs and mosques and gurudwars and everybody goes there, says their prayer. Of course, in a mosque you won't find a statue. They have nothing to do with it. In mandirs you will find a statue, definitely. While in a church you will find a pedestal, a podium, and then a little cross on top. It's just like through all these means we're supposed to realise peace. When Christ came in this world what did he go to? Did he take to the podium, or to the bells of the mandir? What did he take to, what did Mohammed take to? This is the concept that we live in. But Guru Maharaj Ji comes to reveal something that is above and beyond these concepts, because it is reality. Just like Christ didn't come to form Christianity. He says, 'Oh yeah, after me this is what's going to be -- Christianity." He came to reveal the Truth, and Truth is an experience, is an inner experience and it's not tied or related to anything. It's complete, it's whole, it's perfect. But in our path of realisation now, today, we have to have that implicit faith in Guru Maharaj Ji. Today we have to really understand where we are at. To some people, yes, two minutes of satsang, two minutes of service and two minutes of meditation is plentiful, but is that it? I mean, the mind says, "OK, listen. You have to do meditation, certainly." I mean, to me, whenever there's a flight that I have to catch or get up at a certain time, and I happen to get hold of an alarm clock and I set the time on it, way before that alarm clock ever rings, I'm up -- way before it ever starts to buzz or anything like that. Usually I go ahead and turn it off, because I'm up. After a little while the anticipation oh yeah, how many more minutes? How many more minutes? And, I really don't want to be awakened up by an obnoxious sound. So you just go ahead and turn it off and you're up and that's it. Mind says, "Look, Guru Maharaj Ji says … " You know, this is the kind of mind trick that is there. "Jai Sat Chit Anand, how are you today, how's your meditation, how's your family, how's your house, how's your ironing?" And of course it includes everything in one thing, into one package for the mind. Mind can't have you thinking too much about Guru Maharaj Ji, so it'll move right along. "How's Guru Maharaj Ji how's satsang, how's your wife, how's your cars? Oil filter, have you changed it recently? Jai Sat Chit Anand, how are you? Guru Maharaj Ji says you should do meditation, so, certainly do meditation." It's just like all that happens, and you say, "Man I feel so great, I feel so incredible, I feel so beautiful, let it all walk in," and you just let the mind come in and mind says, 'Look, you should do meditation, you should do meditation for an hour flat! But the thing is you have to get up after that, so why don't you go get yourself an alarm clock." At one time I was in the garage and I opened up this little box and I pulled out this thing from it and it was like a little timer. There was a note accompanying it; that it was a meditation timer. I mean, this is the limits of mind unlimited. "Very simple, just sit down, relax, you don't have to bother about anything. Just crank up this timer and just meditate full force ahead, and when the time comes for you to wake up, this thing will go 'Ding' and you can get up. It will be all done." We use that meditation timer now in the garage; sometimes we spray something and after 15 minutes it needs another coat, so we turn it on. That's what we use it 7 for! But it's the same meditation timer,it's a really old one. But it's either used for that or mixing something. I mean, not for meditation; it's used for all the other things that I guess it's supposed to be used for. And this thing makes an obnoxious tick - tick, tick- tick, tick-tick, tick-tick noise! Whenever the time comes for the bell to go off -- that happens much later -- but till the same period of time, it goes on: tick-tick, tick-tick, tick-tick, tick-tick. And tell me, when you sit down for meditation, you have no problems whatsoever? So you can take on a little tick-tick? No problems? You're an absolute, perfect, really realised soul. It doesn't matter, a little tick-tick won't bother you! "You see, you are trying to make effort, aren't you? " This is what the mind tells you -- "Listen, you are making an effort. Because you really want to sit down and do meditation for an hour. Look you even got a timer that'll let you know that you have done meditation for an hour." And you just buy that. You walk yourself right into it. You talk yourself right into it. When the purpose of this life is to realise God, then how can anything else stand in a man's way? I mean, I can't understand that. Yes, of course, a lot of people are saying, "But Maharaj Ji, do you know about our boss? If we get there late, he's going to fire us." Of course, there are all these different problems: he's going to fire us, he's going to hire us, he might get mad at us, he might not get … We bother about everybody in this whole earth, except the person we should really bother about, and that's Guru Maharaj Ji. We go, "I'd better not have too much ice-cream, my doctor might scold me." Or "I'd better not have too much sugar, I've got diabetes, my doctor might get really mad at me." And when the mind comes in, we don't even think, "Well what about Guru Maharaj Ji? What's Guru Maharaj Ji going to say? " We let this mind walk all over us, we let this mind trample us down, we let this mind beat us up. It's just like, "That's my business': And our effort is that useless, our effort becomes completely useless. We are trying to make that effort and it's just like trying to take a plastic spoon and trying to dig a well with it. Before you know, that plastic spoon will break. So where will your effort be? I mean, aren't you making an effort -- it's so easy to sit down and start digging a hole in the ground for a well with a plastic spoon. I mean, that takes a lot of effort! It takes a lot of patience. But that patience, that effort is not going to do you any good, because that's the wrong kind of effort. First of all you have to understand, why are we here? First of all you have to ask yourself the question, "Am I really going to surrender to Guru Maharaj Ji, or for the rest of my life is this mind going to walk all over us? Am I really ready to make a commitment and not to pass it on? Listen, if you can make a commitment in one year, you can make it right now; there's no difference. Age factor has nothing to do with it. Commitment is a commitment. You can make it three years later, but you can make it right now. And that's what you have to do, because we are here, everything is here. Everything is here and now. That's it, that's what counts, that's what's important. And if we completely keep spacing out,spacing out,spacing out, spacing out … because look, how many chances do we get in a day to space out? You can't even count them. Every chance, every chance, every possibility, we can get spaced out and Guru Maharaj Ji says, "No, wait. All those chances that you put into spacing out, all that time that you put into spacing out, put that time in me. Then when you put that effort, when you give your hand to me, I will pull you out. I will pull you out of the water." Because in this ocean, our situation is not merely that we are on the surface, but our situation is more like the mind says, "Listen, Guru Maharaj Ji has told you not to jump overboard, so why don't you tie a huge lead ball to your feet." This is the whole saga that the mind starts. "When you have this huge lead ball tied around your feet, then it'll be very hard for you to get over the rail to be able to jump." Then you say, "Oh yeah, that makes a lot of sense, it makes a lot of sense." So you take a huge lead ball and wrap it around your feet and you walk all over the place with this lead ball and Guru Maharaj Ji says, "What have you got there? " And you say, "Oh, it's OK, it's OK, this is my effort towards what you have said, this is going to keep me in your boat." And Guru Maharaj Ji says, "Well, just enjoy yourself, that's all I want. Just relax, just be." Then all of a sudden the mind says, "But, wait a minute. You know, this boat is really starting to rock all of a sudden isn't it?" You look out there and see "Wow, it really is rocking." And it's just like maybe what's really rocking is you're sitting on a vibrating chair. Or what's really rocking is you're going like this on purpose, because you're imagining that the whole boat is rocking. Then the mind says, "Well, you'd better take the ball and put it outside the rail; then you will lighten the burden. Then you will lighten yourself." And you say, "Huh, that makes a lot of sense." You take this big ball that's tied to your feet andyou throw it in the ocean. 'Till a little while, nothing happens; you're standing there and you're going "Oh, wow, man, this is so incredible, such inspiration." When all of a sudden you get tugged and before you know, as soon as the line runs out, you find yourself going under and under and under and under and under and under. You look up, "Wow man, what's happening? What's going on? What happened? " Then slowly you say, "Oh man, I just … I just blew it; I just really, really blew it." Even to say to yourself that you really, really, really blew it, doesn't even make sense to you. Because who's going to listen to you underwater? I mean, there you are and this ball is attached and your whole body wants just to bob up and there you are. You reach down to undo the chain and you can't undo it, because it's tied so closely. Because it was a smart idea, to have lead ball around your legs, your feet, so that you wouldn't go off from that boat, so you tied it so securely; but now you can't even get it off. What are you going to do? Your air is already running out, starting to choke the pressurisation. Then all of a sudden you spot this thing in the water, and your imagination again goes wild. The mind says, "Don't bother, don't bother, it's OK." You say "Shut up." Then you really realise, "Wow, I just really made a stupid mistake." And then in all sincerity, maybe then you'll yell out "Help". Not a verbal "Help". But when you, in all sincerity yell out "Help," Guru Maharaj Ji says, "I heard that." Before you know, he throws you a rope down and you can tie yourself up to that rope. You come up, you see Guru Maharaj Ji and you say, "Guru Maharaj Ji, what happened? " Guru Maharaj Ji has a very simple answer. Maybe you think Guru Maharaj Ji has a very sophisticated answer, but Guru Maharaj Ji has a very simple answer in fact. The answer is, "You did what you thought, you didn't do what I told you to do! I didn't tell you to tie a lead ball around your leg. I just told you to be, to be in that boat, to enjoy the boat, to relax in the boat, to make that little effort; just don't go getting into your mind. Don't go around throwing up on either side of the boat because that in fact is not going to do you any good." How many times does this happen in our life? OK, maybe, you look at this example and you say, "Well this is kind of an outrageous example." Maybe it is an 9 outrageous example, but it's true. We always do get ourselves in trouble, we always do get ourselves in the pits. When we really are there, then who's going to save us? It reminds me of that one story where there was this king and he was very, very, very drunk, completely crazy. He was on top of this elephant and he was beating the elephant, he was beating the elephant, he was heating the elephant, and all of a sudden the elephant got really mad. He threw the king off his back and the king flew across and as he was falling into this well, into this dry well, he grabbed on a branch. After a little while he realised, "Well what happened? " And he looks down to where he is and he sees snakes and scorpions, I mean everything, down there, just waiting to just chew him up, just completely ruin and destroy him. And on the other hand he looks up, and it's just like to him it's a comfort. Because "Oh man, I'm saved, I'm glad I don't have to fall down there because I'm hanging onto this branch." Then he looks up and he sees two rats. These rats are chewing away at the same branch that he's hanging onto. This is true, this is our condition, that in this illusion -- you look at how much illusion there is in this world, you look at how much craziness there is in this world that we subject ourselves to. Well, to me it's a real experience in one way. Because I've seen Wadi, seen Hansi, seen Navi, seen Daya, and it's just been like that progression. When Wadi was little, when she was a baby, to her nothing mattered, just nothing mattered. All of a sudden it was "pink." Everything had to be pink; the room had to be pink, the clothes had to be pink, everything had to be pink. If it wasn't pink, it was no good. Then Hansi came; and to Hansi, he was a baby, it didn't matter. Then all of a sudden, "Hecocka", you know. Helicopters, helicopters, helicopters, helicopters, helicopters. He would see a helicopter, or he would hear a helicopter and he would just completely go wild. He'd just start making his finger go really fast and start making these noises like a helicopter and that's it. And then Navi was really little, and to her nothing mattered. Now she wants a rice cake and she wants to play and she wants this and she wants that. And now to Daya nothing matters. I mean, everything is beautiful. She just lies there, she just talks, and she just looks around and it's all beautiful. She enjoys the beauty. Her appreciation for the beauty is in her own way perfect. You look at the difference between Daya, that little baby, and an adult, so-called adult, so-called the intelligent one. I mean, that humbleness, that understanding completely goes away. And to people, it's just like kill, kill, you're crazy, you're this, you're that, protest, do this, do that. And, I mean everything has a significance except the main purpose, the main thing. Why we are here, has no significance! You look at people, how indulged they are. It's like there's people I have the sound of the other cars in the front starting to go; that's what makes them go. They're completely relaxed in their cars. They know if they are not moving and the traffic is moving somebody is bound to honk, so it's OK. They're not even looking outside; they're looking down at the newspaper, drinking their coffee, having their sandwich. It's just like this is going on and when the time comes they just look up, move those few steps, they know the traffic is going to stop. I mean, this is it and then they go to the office. You know the cycle. I don't go to an office, but you guys, a lot of you premies do. And you probably see that craziness. So how far away are we and how much effort do we really have to make? How much effort are we willing to make right now? How much effort have we in fact made till now? If you add up, we 10 haven't started to do anything. Because what does Guru Maharaj Ji want? Guru Maharaj Ji wants love. In that love, in that pure love does he thrive, does he survive. Yet you look at the love that this man, this mankind has to give to Guru Maharaj Ji. It's completely dispersed, it's completely -- like I don't even know. "Love? How can I give you Guru Maharaj Ji, how can I give you love, Guru Maharaj Ji? I don't even know what love is". But that's what Guru Maharaj Ji wants. That's the trade, that's the value, that's his price. He says, "Give me love, give me your pure love and I'll give you, in fact what you really want, what you really need." You know, and we keep regressing, we keep regressing, day by day, hour by hour, hour by hour, because we listen to our mind. Because we get into our mind, we get into our trips, we get into everything that we are not supposed to get into, leaving aside that beauty that Guru Maharaj Ji has to offer. Because who can ever, which artist can ever imagine or even start to imagine, regardless to put it down on a piece of canvas, the beauty of Knowledge. I mean, it's impossible. It's very, very, very impossible. It cannot happen. Because it's an inner experience. Only Guru Maharaj Ji has the key to open up that experience. Not our concepts; our concepts don't have the key to open up that experience. Our mind does not have the key to open up that experience. Only Guru Maharaj Ji. I just recently watched this movie called 'Oh God.' That's what it's called -- 'Oh God'. It's about God. And God comes down to earth.It's completely outrageous (laughter and clapping). I don't know what you're clapping about. (he laughs). But you look at this whole array of explanations, you look at this whole concept involved of how God is going to come on this earth. And it's out of one concept into another one. Because this guy says, "How do I know you're God? Why can't I see you?" God goes, "Why should you see me? I can do whatever I want to do, can't I?" It completely goes into it and into it and into it and into it and into it. It's just like such a paradox and you can just really see the concepts just starting to build up and build up and build up and build up and build up and build up. I'm not surprised that after some of the people who watched the movie 'Oh God' got up, they went to George Burns' house and said, "Oh God". Because it was really putting the squeeze on the brains, it was really putting the squeeze on the mind. Because all the illusions -- I mean, it's just so outrageous that in the end, to prove that he in fact is God, the whole thing ends up in a court, and so he has to prove to the judge that he is God. And he walks up and then he disappears. Why does God have to disappear to prove that he is God? It's just like out of one concept into another one. Yes, God can make himself disappear! This is where we are. To us, relatively, everything else matters. "How about a miracle? How about a miracle?" It's just like, "How about some bibbitty, bobbitty, bibbitty, bobbitty, boo." This is it. Knowledge in itself, the experience in itself, is the most incredible miracle. I'll tell you what's a miracle: us having Knowledge is miracle. It's an incredible miracle. It's such a miracle that this whole Earth was made for it, we were made for it, everything was made for it. It's such an incredible, incredible, miracle, that what is the necessity of a miracle, of a mere illusion? What is the necessity? But Guru Maharaj Ji does give us that incredible miracle. He gives us the Knowledge. Reveals us us. I mean, maybe to people this whole world is fun and fair all the way, but that's not really the truth. That's not really real. That's not it. Fun and fair, that real fun that we seek outside, really is within inside of us. Us, not. Joe, Bill, Michael, this and that. But us, the unidentified us. The incredible us -- not I, or even us, -- not even us. I don't know what the word is, because it doesn't exist in English or any other language, for the true Self. I mean, you can say I for I, us, we 11 them, they. What is the word for the true Self? Above and beyond that I? Beyond all imaginations, beyond all concepts, beyond everything, exists this beautiful, this incredible realisation, and by Guru Maharaj Ji's Grace, only by Guru Maharaj Ji's Grace. You know, there is that saying that the first grace is that we are here. OK, that's a grace; but to me the most incredible grace is to be able to have that Grace of Guru Maharaj Ji bestowed upon us. To be able to experience that Knowledge. To be able to experience Guru Maharaj Ji. Because in Guru Maharaj Ji lies that experience. And to be able to understand. Because there are people who arc listening to satsang, there are some people who are not listening to satsang. They're doing their own things. Either they're looking through the camera … everybody moves. Or they're looking through binoculars, trying to focus the binoculars, or passing the binoculars. Or looking up at that video screen and wondering, "Oh wow, look at this thing. This is huge." All these different things that we're doing, nobody is really listening to satsang. Because in the essence of satsang, the whole world disappears. Because satsang is, in fact, "Sat" -"Sang" -- the company of Truth. The company of that experience which is Truth, which is within inside of us. To experience that realisation, to be able to experience an experience. Everybody can just get lost in that beautiful, beautiful, beautiful river of satsang. Lost in the sense of this world, of this fake world, and found in the sense of the true world, found in the sense of Guru Maharaj Ji's world. You're not lost, you get found in Guru Maharaj Ji's world. And really premies, all the craziness of this world, what has it brought us? All the promises that mind has made, what has it brought us? Which promise 'till now has the mind fulfilled? None! Guru Maharaj Ji said, "Come to me, I'll give you peace. I'll give you that Knowledge." That one promise that Guru Maharaj Ji made, Guru Maharaj Ji kept. The thousand promises that the mind made, it kept none of them and we still believe mind. It's just like you look at Three Stooges, or you look at a comic, or you look at a cartoon, or you look at a comedy, and somebody does a stupid thing and everybody laughs. What is there to laugh about? You're this lifetime, having Guru Maharaj Ji right there, having the experience of Knowledge right there, not to make that effort to fulfill the destiny, to merge with Guru Maharaj Ji. That's the most ridiculous thing, that is the most stupid thing! But we keep believing in that, we keep having faith in that. You look at that love; like I guess there was a little over a five-hour Darshan line, and it was beautiful, it was incredible. The premies were coming and that love was just there, that was manifesting. And where does that love come from? Guru Maharaj Ji. Yet we don't want to believe in that. Anybody who was standing there cannot deny it -- because it was there, they needed no proof. It was a beautiful, beautiful love and that is the love that Guru Maharaj Ji wants to share. That is the love Guru Maharaj Ji says I will give you. And that is the pure love. We just have to make a little effort, just a little bit of effort. Guru Maharaj Ji says, "Look, you have to cross this mountain, but I'll make you a deal. The deal is I'll draw a line at the very bottom of the mountain, at the very, very bottom of the mountain, and if you can cross that line I will, in fact, pick you up, take you across the mountain and put you where you should be. The only thing is that instead of having you crawl across the whole mountain, all you have to do is just cross this line. It's not even up a hill, it's nothing, it's a flat surface, it's just right there. Just go beyond that line and I'll pick you up and I'll take you where you really want to be." And it's a simple, simple, simple, simple, simple, simple deal. It's about as simple a deal as it can be - just to 12 cross this one line and that's it. And we say, "Oh yeah I can do that, sure I can do that. Tomorrow I can do that; watch me do it tomorrow. I'll show you how much guts I have; just be there tomorrow, I'll do it" It's just like that tomorrow keeps being postponed, and keeps being postponed, and keeps being postponed, and keeps being postponed, and keeps being postponed and that's it -- everytime. And Guru Maharaj Ji says, "No, no, no. Now, now is when you need to do it." And premies, there is so much satsang to share, to experience, there is so much service that has to be done. I mean, there's so much to grab, there is so much for the taking. When are we going to start taking it? That opportunity for the service, for us to just he able to flow in that beautiful river of satsang, just to be able to merge in that beauty of meditation. It's all for our taking. When are we going to make that effort? Guru Maharaj Ji is there, everything is right there. When are we going to start doing it? I suggest, very strongly, that we start doing it now, make that little effort now, cross that line now and not depend and rely everything on tomorrow. Because all mind has ever done is blow it. That's the kind of promise that mind makes, and blows it, and blows it, and blows it, and blows it, and blows it, and blows it. If that's all we intend to do, completely blow it, then of course, the option is yours. If you never get to that line, Guru Maharaj Ji says, "Look, this is it. This is the deal, This is the line that you have to cross, no more, no less." And, of course, it's your option, if you never cross it that's that, but you can't just leave it to "that's that." You can't just say, "OK man, I'm not going to do it, that's it." That doesn't solve anything by you just saying; "Well, so what? " It's not the matter of "So what? " We have to do it, that's why we are here. Do you really think we were put on Earth to go to moon? If that were the case, we would have been directly installed on the moon. Do you really think we came here I mean, doesn't two and two make sense? Just a simple, simple sense … there's this whole world, beautiful Earth … and on this Earth there's fruits and plants and vegetables and beautiful things. And we are placed on this Earth. I'm talking about the most significant things. To me bombs, wars, the so-called geniusness, is nothing significant. But this Earth was here, man was put in it. Mankind, humanity, whatever you have to call it. And then Perfect Master comes. Can't you put two and two together? Isn't that simple enough? We're here to stay, to live, and then a Perfect Master comes to reveal us something, to give us something and that's what we have to take, that's it. Oh yes, we get involved in wars, oh yes, we get involved in this, and we get involved in everything, but that is not why this humanity is here. The Creator that created this world is very, very smart. Don't think that you are smarter than the Creator, and that's why you have re-modified His creation. You can just take a few apple trees and plant this and you can just do this and take from here and put it there and take that and put it there, just do whatever you please. You just can't; I mean, that's stupidity. But to people that's, "Oh yeah, I'm really smart ain't I?" But that's not the way it goes. We're here for that realisation and that's the realisation that we want and that's the realisation we need to have. And Guru Maharaj Ji is here for nothing else but to give us that realisation. That's a very simple story, that's the beginning and that's it. The simplest story that could be. So premies, it's so beautiful because we've still got one more day to go for this program and then the Dortmund program is coming up very soon. Well, anyway, it's just: open yourself up to that experience. Thank you very much.

Commencement season is here – my favorite time of year! At educational institutions across the country, graduates are enjoying a well-deserved moment in the spotlight. As our country begins to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic, those who achieved their goals during these trying times deserve extra praise and adulation. At Lorain County Community College, we celebrated the class of 2021 with unforgettable tributes to our remarkable graduates. The graduating class includes 1,854 students earning 2,234 degrees and certificates, and an additional 365 graduates earning associate, bachelor’s or master’s degrees through LCCC’s University Partnership – the largest class in the 25-year history of the program. The class of 2021 also includes 94 students who earned an associate degree during the same year that they are graduating from high school through the Lorain County Early College High School and College Credit Plus programs. What’s more, 46% of this year’s graduates are the first in their families to earn a college degree. National and state leaders congratulate LCCC graduates Our LCCC celebration kicked off virtually on May 15 with our 57th LCCC Commencement Ceremony. This streamed event featured keynotes by U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona and Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Randy Gardner. Having the nation’s and state’s senior higher education leaders speak directly to our students is an extraordinary testament to the fortitude and academic achievement of this year’s graduates. In his highly personalized and heartfelt remarks, Dr. Cardona told LCCC graduates, “Go forward with courage, creativity and confidence.” It is sage advice for any graduate, and especially relevant for community college graduates at this moment in time. U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona In reaching the milestone of graduation, our students demonstrated courage. They saw the opportunity of education and stepped boldly toward their futures. As they adapted to a new normal of zoom calls, virtual advising and so much more, they revealed a creativity that no other class in history has demonstrated. And by setting a goal and achieving it, they gained the confidence needed to tackle any challenge they may find ahead. In short, the class of 2021 is remarkably resilient and will make an impact on our world like no other. Three graduates uniquely poised to impact our world are the first graduates of LCCC’s bachelor of applied science in microelectronic manufacturing (MEMS) program. In 2014, LCCC became the first community college in Ohio authorized to deliver an applied bachelor’s degree, and the only community college in the country to offer an applied bachelor’s in MEMS. Chancellor Gardner recognized this extraordinary milestone in his keynote remarks to the class. “You are making history today,” Gardner said to the MEMS graduates. “To the class of 2021, congratulations on your emerging life of value as a college graduate.” Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Randy Gardner Students’ success inspires our community As we celebrate the class of 2021, I’m inspired by our students’ stories, which are as diverse as the community we serve. There are traditional students who came to their community college after high school, like Akua Agyemang – who will transfer to Yale University in the fall. There are adult students who are creating a bright future for themselves and their families, like Sienna Wright; those who were laid off due to COVID and decided to take advantage of retraining programs, like Gregory Stocker. And students who decided it was time that their career aligns with their passion, like Lyn Bruno. Each of these students came to LCCC with their own goals. By meeting them where they were, our LCCC faculty and staff were able to help them get where they want to be. Clockwise from top left: Akua Agyemang, Sienna Wright, Lyn Bruno and Gregory Stocker Doors of Opportunity open to bright futures In honor and celebration of our diverse graduates and their accomplishments, LCCC built a large-scale public recognition display we call the Doors of Opportunity. These 21 full-sized doors line a grassy median stretching nearly 450 feet – longer than a football field. Every propped-open door bears a different word, symbolizing the unique journey each LCCC student took to reach graduation day. LCCC’s Doors of Opportunity By walking through the door, students not only found the right opportunity on LCCC’s campus, but the support and confidence to lead them into the next chapter of their lives. Every door includes an augmented reality video that shares the personal story of a graduate from each academic program. This innovative tribute celebrates each student’s resilient journey to become a college graduate. Many of our students face incredible challenges, and I’m honored that LCCC was there to help them reach their goals with services and support, delivered with an ever-present focus on equity. With the graduation of the Class of 2021, LCCC is now 55.3% of the way toward achieving Vision 2025 strategic plan goal of 10,000 individuals earning degrees and certificates by the year 2025. These graduates are more prepared than ever to carve out their path in a new and changing world. Earning a college credential is a reliable way to move up the socio-economic ladder. With nearly half of our Class of 2021 graduates the first in their families to earn a college degree, the future of Lorain County and our entire region is looking brighter than ever.

For a smaller school, just getting enough bodies on the court to have a proper practice squad is usually an uphill battle. This season for Lakeside, that has not been an issue. Even before they returned to full strength recently, the Warriors had a hoard of options at every position. Depth is a huge asset in high school basketball. The difference between high school and college basketball is the ability to press. At the college level, usually the ball-handlers are too skilled to be eaten up by a trap. In high school, programs are built on their ability to press. Red River, Lakeview, Bossier, Peabody, the list goes on of teams who pressure you full court the entire game. Lakeside have the ability to pick up full court, and they like to do it. Pressing up on teams creates turnovers and gets them out in transition, where players like Travion Sanders shine. In the half court on defense, Lakeside is very good at switching screens and jumping passing lanes. Again, providing opportunities to get out in transition. As the Warriors head into district play, they are still sorting out there identity. They had a big win over Minden earlier in the season and have handled up on inferior teams with ease. As I look at their remaining schedule, every game is winnable. The district isn’t loaded. There is a huge opportunity for Lakeside to build some momentum and get back to the playoffs in order to make a stir. To get there, they will have to establish an identity. With so many talented players, it can be hard establishing roles. Who is the go-to scorer? Who is our main ball-handler? I absolutely love Trey Sanders as a point guard. Aldravion Taylor has made a splash since returning. Austin Sims has had some big scoring games already this season. A key to their success in the new year will be the play of Branthony Brown. He is big, long and fast and can score in the post. He is tenacious on the boards and plays hard. Lakeside came within three points of beating Red River last week in the Holiday Classic. It was a sign of how good the Warriors can be. Red River is a fantastic team, and Lakeside played with them stride-for-stride. As they look ahead to district play, the Warriors should play to their strengths and solidify their roles.

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I am a makeup junkie ... Yves St. Laurent, Christian Dior, and anything else that looks good. — Julia Barr Sometimes I think it's better to be a diva. — Julia Barr I know my husband really loves me because he takes me to have ribs. He says I'm the only girl he ever took out who actually ate anything on her plate, as opposed to pushing it around. — Julia Barr I don't have a directorial overview, which sometimes is very helpful. — Julia Barr We love to be with our family and friends and I can tell you that lots of eating will be involved. — Julia Barr This profession has fed me creatively and allowed me to have a home life and a private life. — Julia Barr No one is ever really dead unless we find the body. — Julia Barr Don't know about a cabaret act right now, would actually prefer a role in a broadway musical. — Julia Barr We have a puppy named Lucy ... two cats ... goldfish ... and Louis, our lop earred rabbit. — Julia Barr And I've had vocal training on and off for years. — Julia Barr I get paid to not laugh. — Julia Barr The CD is dedicated to our dog Nell, who passed away last year. — Julia Barr Working with my husband, I thought we would be at each other. As close as we are, our styles are so different. But it didn't happen - we were surprised. — Julia Barr

Arousal is an intimate feeling of getting turned on sexually, and when a person experiences this feeling, his body undergoes many emotional and physical changes. The men’s clitoris or penis becomes erect or hard, sensitive, or engorged, and women feel wetness on their vagina or vulva. People get aroused either with a partner or with sexual stimulation alone. They also get produced when they have sexual thoughts or fantasize about sex. At times, people become aroused when they watch, listen to, or read erotic materials, such as porn. Feeling aroused results in many physical reactions and a few changes that happen to a person’s body: A person’s heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and temperature go if a person becomes aroused. The nipples, clitoris, and labia get filled with blood. Hence, a woman becomes highly sensitive. A man’s penis becomes tough and stands up, and this process is called having an erection. The vagina of a woman lubricates and expands. An overview of libido gummies Women use many gummies that assist them in bringing their sexual desire. The majority of these gummies comprise stress-reducing components, such as L-theanine or Ashwagandha. Many gummies work to boost the hormones like testosterone to increase arousal. Sexual arousal and marijuana are interlinked lustfully; hence, women find many Gummies For Female Arousal. Factors you need to check when you buy gummies for arousal To ensure a safe purchase, women must hunt for some vital factors when they purchase edibles for sexual arousal: Recognize the strain – Though cannabis is reputed for lessening nervousness and anxiety, a few cannabis strains, at times, worsen these conditions. Hence, when you choose a gummy, you must be mindful of the strain factor. Always select delta eight gummies that have been produced from strains that have a higher ratio of CBD to THC. Components – Always check the CBD product you are buying for sexual arousal. Ensure that the edible does not comprise synthetic ingredients, additives, allergens, preservatives, etc. Again, you must not select products that have terpene, varinolic cannabinoids, and p-cymene. The procedure of production – It is imperative to pay heed to the procedure of production that your preferred brand follows. For buying gummies for female arousal, you need to remain stuck to the US-grown FDA-sanctioned products only. Your edible ought to utilize hemp that goes through a CO2 extraction procedure. According to a recent study, it has been concluded that 68.5 percent of individuals discovered sex to be more pleasurable after they consumed cannabis. Hence, women who look for a solution that can assist them with augmented sensitivity select the leaf way.

Rays Up is all about striving to be the best we can be and giving life everything we have. It’s about implementing a consciously driven, healthy lifestyle and facing challenges with open eyes. It comes with a drive to inspect the small details that make up the fabric of the universe and a willingness to decipher the meaning of it all. You’ll find many philosophical self-love type articles by browsing through the Inspiration section. If you are interested in “poetry for the soul” as I call it, head on over to the Poetry page. Mandalas! I started creating mandalas in 2016 after reading about Carl Jung and the subject of psychology. After creating the first mandala, the practice evolved to something amazing. Have you ever thought you lost your creativity? No sir/maam, it’s there. We have been given so much structure over the course of our lives. Mandalas allow this free flow of creativity and release to fill the page. See this post for more on why this is such a theraputic form of art for me. There was a time when I thought I’d be an astrology writer. Funny! It’s still an interesting topic nonetheless. Do you know your sun sign, moon sign, all that jazz? Do you like fancy vintage/antique items? Look no further! Soon, I will be restocking the Rays Up! Vintage Shop with items for purchase. (You can also view/buy prints of my artwork in the shop!)

Attitude is everything! No matter what challenges you might be facing, keeping a positive outlook is so important which is why we created Happy Stacks. These one-of-a-kind stacks feature uplifting accents to serve as a reminder to smile daily. Each of our stretch Happy Stack bracelet stacks are made from a variety of stunning beads that can include gemstones acrylic, crystal, glass, and more and can be beautifully worn alone or mixed and matched with any of our other coordinating awareness stretchies, traditional stretch bracelets, or leather cuff bracelets. Each stack is one-of-a-kind, so once it's sold, it cannot be recreated. This listing is for a set of 6 bracelets Stretch Bracelet Stack Features: - Hand strung beaded bracelet featuring a variety of beads: gemstones acrylic, crystal, glass, and more - This stack is strung using teal blue hues and can even be coordinated with our other Ovarian Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Juvenile Diabetes, and other awareness bracelets honoring the colors to raise awareness and support patients, survivors, friends, family, and caregivers. - One-of-a-Kind - Hand strung with quality beading elastic for durability
 - Designed to be one size fits most at 7" - These versatile bracelets can be worn as a set or individually.
 IMPORTANT ABOUT SIZING: Unless otherwise specified, all bracelets will be sized at 7". If a different size is preferred, please message us at the time of ordering. (PLEASE NOTE: The average size for a woman is 7" and for a man 8".) Please take the time to measure your wrist. If the size you select does not fit, you can mail the bracelet back to us for resizing by messaging us. However, as per our store policies we do require the customer to cover the cost of both shipping the bracelet to us and then back. As with all stretch bracelets, to avoid overstretching and breaking, place your hand thru the bracelet and roll on and off
 Each Reckless Spirit design is carefully handmade with the utmost care and attention. Our designs are edgy yet sophisticated, passionate yet fiery, each with its own personality to match your own. Therefore, minor imperfections are a part of each unique design and contribute to the overall character of the piece itself. Because all our pieces are hand assembled with love and care, our creations should not be subjected to water or rigorous treatment. Please do not clean with harsh chemicals as this could cause damage to the pieces. Use a soft, slightly damp cloth to clean your piece.

A New Hampshire Republican lawmaker announced that he had done extensive research into the field of education and at the State GOP convention Monday night he presented the conclusions of his study. He results...kids who went to kindergarten are responsible for higher crime rates, according to Representative Bob Kingsbury. Kingsbury told the Belknap County Convention that his research has been ongoing for more than 16 years and make no mistake about it kindergarten leads to higher crime rates the Laconia Daily Sun reported. Kingsbury, a Tea Party favorite, sad his analysis was based on comparative studies between the crime rates of those areas with kindergarten programs and those without. Kingsbury, who said that higher crime rates were also the result of a lack of boxing classes in high schools said of his kindergarten findings, "We're taking children away from their mothers too soon," Kingsbury has a history of supporting legislation that some consider a little bit controversial. In January, he partnered with two allies of birther queen Orly Taitz in which Senators would first have to be chosen by State representatives before they could go to the people for election. Kingsbury's comments have become an issue in New Hampshire's gubernatorial race, both Democrats who are running for Governor have condemned Kingsbury's research and have wondered why the Republican has not done the same. Republican gubernatorial frontrunner Ovide Lamontagne took a question about Kingsbury and he said, without venturing an opinion on the remarks themselves, "Well, everybody is entitled to their opinion. This is America, after all. And what we need to be doing from the point of view of government and government leadership is enabling people to make decisions at the local level and their families, and so forth for the best services available to their children, whether educational services, health care, and so forth, and that is what I am going to be looking at, and certainly as governor of the state of New Hampshire I am going to stand with New Hampshire families across the board."

Although the biggest news of the night was the resignation of the mayor, other news at Thursday’s city council meeting included the business of street repair, addressing ADEQ violations and waste water plant equipment. Public Works Director Ken Swilling reported to the council that he could recommend a company to provide materials for street repair. After discussions, the council decided to save money by hauling the material themselves and to purchase five tons. City recorder/treasurer, Becky Walker, who served as an overseer of the meeting, reported that the pumps initially ordered for the waste water plant were not compatible. These correct are much more costly at $8,450 each. This price included a pro-rated warranty, however it did not include the cost of frieght. The council voted to proceed with the purchase as it is delaying the progress of getting the plant up to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Equality’s code. Additionally, Landmark Engineering’s services would be needed to clear other issues with the plant. These issues include discharge monitoring reports or DMRs, non compliance forms and photos of the repaired tanks. None of these have been submitted to ADEQ. The cost for the city to implore their services was estimated at $600-$700. At ten till eight the council went into executive session to discuss personnel matters. Upon reconvening, they approved some increased raises for employees in an effort to show employee appreciation and boost morale. “We must take care of our people,” Walker said “they are the most important of all.” The next weekly meeting of the city council will be postponed and moved to Thursday March 29th. Business slated for that meeting includes more discussion on the waste water plant and updates on the street repairs.

This week's flu report from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services shows a dramatic increase in reports of the flu across Michigan. This week, multiple West Michigan schools closed due to illness or flu-like symptoms including: Glenn Public Schools in Allegan County, Hope Academy of West Michigan in Grand Rapids and Muskegon Public Schools. Statewide flu levels are approaching the highest we've seen since the 2009-10 pandemic flu season. The report tallies flu-like symptoms reported by participating doctors and hospitals across Michigan. The top chart below shows the regional activity of flu-like symptoms across Michigan this year. The bottom chart shows how this year's statewide flu activity compares to four recent flu seasons.

Long length relationships have a large number of challenges, nonetheless they can be in the same way strong every other marriage. If you can efficiently overcome longer distance relationship challenges, you can be simply because happy every other few. The two of you becomes stronger and even more in love because you have already get the problems you experienced together. In fact , you might find it easier to overwhelmed these problems if you have some tips and help. These tips will let you make your extended distance relationship last a whole lot longer. One of the biggest challenges within a long range relationship is that you have to manage all your own responsibilities. Checking up on the bills and co-parenting alone can be tricky. If you have children together, you will need to work out a parenting agenda for the kids, which could be difficult while you are separated. However , it is important to hold a positive attitude and a very good mental state in order to avoid any prolonged distance relationship struggles. The physical separation from your partner can be very hard. It can make you feel possessive or suffocating. This fear is understandable but you must control it in and show your companion that you nonetheless love them in spite of the distance. Moreover, changes in professions, lifestyle and residence could also affect your relationship. No matter the distance, your love for your partner can not be lost. So , make sure to keep in mind that the physical separation will be temporary and you may soon come back together. Additionally, it is important to communicate with your partner about an everyday basis. You will be spending too much effort on the phone and necessarily enough time collectively. Besides, the phone may not do the job and your net might be running away of data. The pc might also crash during a crucial video phone. In addition to these problems, additionally important keep in mind that for anybody who is not frequently communicating with your companion, your relationship will be in danger of becoming stalled. When it comes to conversation, it’s critical to be honest with your https://asiansbrides.com/bharat-matrimony-review/ spouse. You might not manage to tell when your partner possesses a secret, which may exacerbate longer distance romance struggles. When you are honest, your spouse will understand and try to help. However , you afraid expressing your feelings, as it might make you truly feel insecure. Whether or not your partner is definitely far, he or she will attempt to help you through it. An additional struggle of long range relationships is the desiring the presence of your lover. You’ll find that you miss these people terribly, along with your longing could last many months. Your partner could even feel omitted. Despite all these challenges, various LDR couples have beat them, and in addition they say they have all worth it! The extended distance relationship is harder to keep, but it is possible if you stick to the tips previously mentioned.

RV Rally Hub was created with one simple goal; to inform RV enthusiasts about upcoming rallies. As RVers ourselves, we struggled to find an online resource that gave us a snapshot of the year's events. That's why we decided to create one ourselves. Welcome to RV Rally Hub, where our mission is to get your wheels turning! Have a suggestion, comment or question? We'd love to hear from you! Use the form to send your message and we will be sure to follow up promptly. Thank you for visiting. Contact Us Privacy policy About Us RV Rally Hub was created with one simple goal; to inform RV enthusiasts about upcoming rallies. As RVers ourselves, we struggled to find an online resource that gave us a snapshot of the year's events. That's why we decided to create one ourselves. Welcome to RV Rally Hub, where our mission is to get your wheels turning! Have a suggestion, comment or question? We'd love to hear from you! Use the form to send your message and we will be sure to follow up promptly. Thank you for visiting. Contact Us Privacy policy About Us RV Rally Hub was created with one simple goal; to inform RV enthusiasts about upcoming rallies. As RVers ourselves, we struggled to find an online resource that gave us a snapshot of the year's events. That's why we decided to create one ourselves. Welcome to RV Rally Hub, where our mission is to get your wheels turning! Have a suggestion, comment or question? We'd love to hear from you! Use the form to send your message and we will be sure to follow up promptly. Thank you for visiting.

If you love playing the lottery, you might be wondering if you can purchase your lottery tickets online. While the answer depends on your state, many states are legalizing online lotteries. In the United States, lottery websites are currently available in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Online lottery websites are still not as popular as land-based lotteries, but the trend is increasing rapidly. In addition to buying lottery tickets online, you can also play online games. Some lottery sites feature iLotto, an instant-win game similar to real scratch-off games. These games can also be purchased for a lower price. Some even offer a match-up bonus on your winnings or 2 tickets for the price of one. These promotions can improve your overall lottery experience. Lottery enthusiasts believe that by buying more lottery tickets, they increase their chances of winning. However, this is a gambler’s fallacy, which is based on the belief that random events affect each other. They often use “hot” and “cold” numbers to make their predictions for future draws. For example, a hot number may come up next in a lottery drawing, but a cold number may come up after a long time. Throughout history, governments have used lotteries as a way to raise funds for important projects. For example, during the Han Dynasty, a government-sponsored lottery helped finance the construction of the Great Wall of China. During the Roman Empire, lottery games were a popular way to entertain guests at dinner parties. The Emperor Augustus even organized the first commercial lottery to raise money for the City of Rome. Today, the legal lottery market has grown to the point where many states and territories are participating. The biggest national lottery games are the Powerball and MegaMillions. These games often offer grand prizes over $1 billion. Although a US Department of Justice opinion on the federal Wire Act in 2011 clarified that the opinion only applies to sports betting, the legal landscape is favorable for lottery players. Some states have launched lottery websites online, including the New Hampshire Lottery. These sites allow you to view winning numbers and find lottery locations. Some also offer Instant Games, which are casino-like games that allow you to place a bet. Those games can be played on the web or on mobile devices. These sites are free and available to all US residents. In addition to traditional drawing games, the US lottery also has a multi-state lottery. The Powerball is offered in 21 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. Players can purchase tickets online and purchase tickets for a chance to win $40 million. The winning numbers are chosen from a pool of 69 and a Powerball from a list of 26. In May of 2012, three winners won a $1.586 billion jackpot, which is the largest in US history. While online togel singapore sites are popular with many people, Nevada does not offer a state lottery. However, the state lottery is available in other states and is a popular option for many residents.

Milton Keynes Council has commissioned Sarah Staton to develop and deliver a new public artwork for Willow Lake, Newton Leys, Buckinghamshire, UK. Staton has created ‘Alphonso’ – a unique three-sided shape shifting structure that has the capacity to disappear twice - when viewed from its narrowest angle the sculpture appears as a narrow construction, its length and breath removed by the effect of foreshortening. Alphonso disappears again when viewed from across the lake, its blue and white tiled facade merges into the sky. The sculptural form includes two decorative walls connected with an archway and incorporates a bench overlooking the beautiful environment across and around Willow Lake. Taking inspiration from local heritage, in particular the former brickworks. Sarah describes developing the design process as ‘….beginning with imagination and once the idea of the form appeared in my mind's eye, I began to think about the images that would adorn the sculpture. How to include elements from Newton Leys today, and also refer to the brick making history of the site together in one place? Early on in the design process, I thought Alphonso would look most interesting if handmade bricks were used on the east elevation, creating a richly nuanced speckled brown surface, and this to be complemented with fresh blue and white tiles on the west side. Using these materials that connect past to present, the fishing lake is referenced pictorially. I had been very struck by the way that blue and white tiling is used on cathedrals and churches in Portugal to create the illusion of transparency when viewed from a distance against the sky’. Staton worked closely with the Newton Leys Public Art Commission Steering Group. Early in the design process the Steering Group visited the brick maker and were shown the various measures put in place to increase sustainability, including extracting clay on site, harvesting wood locally, and the use of state of the art wood fired kilns. A second group visit took in Rushton Lodge, the artist was able to share her enthusiasm for this delightful triangular building, designed by Sir Thomas Tresham (father of one of the Gunpowder Plotters) and constructed between 1593 and 1597. It is a physical symbol building of Tresham’s Roman Catholicism: the number three, symbolising the Holy Trinity, is apparent everywhere. There are three floors, trefoil windows and three triangular gables on each side. The building was designed when Tresham was imprisoned for his Catholicism, and was defiantly constructed on his release.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's dream to make United of India. They were known for his Iron will and indomitable courage. They brought about the merge of 565 of princely states with the Indian Union and became the architect of the integrity of India. Honest in word and deed, they were hero among heroes, lion among men. Today we require this kind of thought and determination to make India powerful again and fulfill his dream. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is a historical figure who moves you to tears. Mostly these are tears of joy, for he achieved a thrilling Indian unity. Yet some are tears of pity, for the Sardar suffered and sacrificed much. This man of steel learnt early to be tough, for he was born as a middle child in a family of impoverished peasant proprietors. As Vallabhbhai would himself recall, his parents' hopes seemed centered on the eldest two sons, Soma and Narsi, and their affection on the youngest two, Kashi and the only daughter, Dahiba. The ones in the middle, Vallabh and Vithal, were remembered last when clothes or sweets were to be distributed, and at once when a chore had to be done. The rough schools he went to as a boy, and the courts where he defended alleged criminals, also contributed to Vallabhbhai's mental muscle and stern appearance. Yet this tough man smiled at the world and at gloomy moments helped others to laugh. Also, he did not hesitate to step aside for another for his older brother Vithal when the latter wanted to use his passport and ticket to London, and, years later, for Jawaharlal Nehru, when Mahatma Gandhi desired that Nehru should sit in a chair to which Patel seemed entitled. And this strong man before whom rajas and maharajas trembled, and to whom rich men gave large funds for India's national movement, did not allow a rupee to stick to his fingers, and he saw to it that his children, a son and a daughter, lived simple lives during and after their father's lifetime. His strength of character, the sharpness of his mind, his organizing skills, and all his energy were offered up for achieving the freedom of India under Gandhi's leadership, and after independence for India's consolidation. We admire a man who rises to a political or financial peak, but are moved by one whose sole purpose in life is the strength and wellbeing of his compatriots. And we are moved even more when we discover that next to the steel in his soul is tenderness for colleagues and a readiness to accept whatever results God ordains. In successive phases of his life, Vallabhbhai Patel showed the defiance of the oppressed, a trial lawyer's brilliance, the daring to give up a flourishing career, the discipline of a soldier in freedom's battles, the strategies of a General, indifference as a prisoner of the Raj, the generosity of the strong, the firmness of a patriot, and the farsightedness of a statesman. If times are depressing or daunting, Sardar Patel reminds us of India's and Indians' potential. When times are good, we can think of him with glad gratitude. Yet knowing about him is not enough. We ought to study him. We will be encouraged when we do.

As I delve deeper into the world of virtual reality, the more challenges I find, and the more I fall in love with it. For starters, (as I’ve already blogged previously) motion sickness is a serious problem, and there are certain things you can do in your level design to avoid getting sick. For one, you can have a wide variety of colors. I know that the artistic style of the mid 2010’s was greyscale/monochrome art with a dark finish, but that is going to confuse the player when teller have to try adjusting their eyes to an object. Not only does the player have to have accurate depth perception in the game, but also the player has to focus on the pixels instead of the screen (and sometimes particles on the screen if not cleaned properly). Also, reflective surfaces are super tricky. Not only does the game have to render calculations for accurate reflections for TWO cameras, but sometimes the reflections (and motion in the reflection of you have ripple effects) are a little too much for the player to handle and leads to motion sickness very quickly. Unfortunately, it seems like good level design for VR includes making large landscapes instead of small rooms. If the player has to adjust their focus from an object that’s up close to an object that is very far away, it not only takes them longer to adjust (which takes them away from their immersion), but it also triggers a little bit of motion sickness. I’ve noticed this more going from long-distance sight to looking at something close by. Another thing that I just recently learned is to really try to nail down the dimensions and pavements of your cameras. Do your best to measure the size of your character in relation to the player, and guesstimate the distance between cameras to match the actual eyes of the player. Doing this will hopefully make it so the player isn’t playing cross-eyed. The last and biggest problem that I’ve yet to overcome is motion in virtual reality. What is the best way to control a character in-game? Eventually I’d like to get rid of the controller and just use my hands/body. Is there an efficient way to do that? Not that I can tell yet. More on that after Mark and I finish our next project– I think we’ve come up with a super solid solution.

The 196-m-high Huaye information software industrialisation base is currently under construction in the city of Hangzhou, China. This 43-storey office building, slated for completion in August 2021, will be a new addition to the skyline of Hangzhou high-tech industry zone. Contractor on the project is Zhejiang Zhongnan Construction Group. Here, an 18-t version of 21CM335 tower crane from Spanish manufacturer Comansa was chosen to help deliver the project. This flat-top model has been upgraded to a maximum capacity of 20 t, providing a tip load capacity of 2,700 kg or 2,970 kg with PowerLift. According to the manufacturer, the 21CM335 is one of its most popular crane models thanks to a wide range of mechanisms, which allows the unit to work at high speeds and on very tall projects. Comansa’s China factory supplied the crane to the project, and also provides maintenance and servicing. “Due to the high construction difficulty and tight construction period, the contractor selected the 20-t 21CM335 as the core equipment of the project,” explained Comansa. The 21CM335 has been working on site for the past two years. The external climbing system was used to mount the crane, which has a tower height of 210 m with a 74-m reach radius. Comansa, which also has a headquarters in China, offers a variety of options beyond the standard lifting mechanisms. These include the ultra-high lifting cable capacity drums that enable the crane to work at high speeds and on very tall projects, such as this new skyscraper. In this project, a 50-kW mechanism was used, with 790 m of cable capacity.

LEFT OF THE DIAL In a parable that opens one of the best-known speeches by the late great David Foster Wallace, two young fish are swimming along when an older fish passes them. “Morning boys,” says the (sentient, verbal) fish. “How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a while, until one of them looks over at the other and says “What the hell is water?” Living in the Bay Area, especially, water is a constant: Our travel routes often entail tunneling under or gliding over the Bay; white sheets of fog roll out in a damp coat over city daily, even in June; the Pacific, with its cold, gray version of the beach imagery most Midwesterners probably think of as “Californian,” provides our most obvious grounding point — I can’t un-learn directions based on the way I learned them growing up here. “Well, the ocean’s that way, so that’s west.” This was problematic when I lived in New York. The ubiquity of water in our lives — and the corresponding ease with which we take it for granted, until, you know, we’re in a major drought that severely threatens California’s agricultural and therefore economic well-being — is part of what made H20 such a natural theme for this year’s Soundwave Biennial, a festival of music, science, visual and performance art thrown by the arts nonprofit Mediate every other year. Throughout July, August, and September, in museums and music venues throughout the Bay Area, on beaches, in bunkers and even aboard a boat or two, more than 100 different artists across all different media will explore water and its relationship to sound. “We’re the city by the bay; water’s all around us, literally, but we don’t really talk about it, or what that means to us,” says Alan So, the festival’s executive and artistic director. “We’ll talk about drought or climate change, but it can be myopic — water makes up 70 percent of our world, and there are so many kinds of life we don’t get to see; there’s still so much that’s mysterious about it.” After kicking off the evening of July 10 with a party at the California Academy of Sciences’ Nightlife featuring special interactive water life exhibits and live music from Rogue Wave (get it?) and Kasey Johansing, the festival continues with a somewhat overwhelming menu of happenings. On July 19, SOMArts will host Pool, a video installation by Fernanda D’Agostino that plays off the idea of pairing memory with place, projecting watery images — a choreographer, Linda Johnson, submerged in water; salmon swimming upstream — via a two-channel generative video system. July 26 will mark the opening night of Water World and no, that doesn’t mean you have to sit through any Kevin Costner dialogue. A multi-media exhibition that will take over SOMA’s Alter Space gallery through Aug. 30, Water World is a combination of sound and light installations, a collaboration between seven artists, designed to take the visitor through different sea levels that mirror humans’ levels of consciousness. Viewers begin with “Ark and Surroundings,” a foggy seashore designed by Jeff Ray that features boats and bridges as interactive beings, including a 15-foot sailboat that’s been outfitted with a pipe organ. “Sirens,” by Reenie Charriere, aims to connect ocean pollution with the siren songs that nearly did in Odysseus, using sounds and fabric and barnacles and man-made tapestries, while “El Odor del Agua” explores the importance of access to clean water from the perspective of women living in rural Mexico. On Aug. 26, a musical performance called Flooded at Intersection for the Arts will see, among other artists, SF’s experimental musician Daniel Blomquist exploring the experiences of floods and flood victims, using video footage and audio from tapes that have literally been flooded — recordings that were discarded after being exposed to water. Maybe most interesting, however, are this year’s site-specific installations. Those willing to bundle up for a trek out to Ocean Beach on July 27 will hear “music for a changing tide,” listening to an original composition by Seattle composer Nat Evans (attendees are encouraged to download the music ahead of time onto an iPod) whose ebbs and flows were designed specifically for watching the tide recede, with one group listening scheduled for twilight and one at sunset. And on Aug. 3, a program that has Soundwave partnered with the National Parks Service will explore the potential water actually has to create music and art. Travis Johns’ hydroprinting instrument features an invented instrument that makes prints using a sonograph, measuring underwater sound reverberations in the battleship gun pool to create the water-equivalent of a seismograph line, while Jim Haynes — an artist whose bio often begins with “I rust things” — will delve into water as a chemical agent and sound conductor, making music out of amplifying processes like water turning to steam. The festival will wrap up in late September with what So called “without being cheesy — a love letter to San Francisco,” featuring concerts (artists still TBA) on board an “audioboat” that takes participants around the Bay, with a cruise by the Bay Lights. Soundwave has done concerts on buses since about 2008, says So; this time it was only nature to make the jump to water. (This event is especially worth noting if other offerings like, say, Sept. 21’s Exploratorium performance that includes a meditation on the fear of water and/or drowning isn’t for you.) “I’m always surprised by what comes back [from the open call for artists’ submissions],” says the director. “I think we don’t want to tell people what to do. There are some social, political pieces here, and some that aren’t at all. But if we can get people to appreciate water, what it means in terms of our daily lives — we drink it, we buy it, we swim in it — we can appreciate it for what it is, and not take it for granted. And we have researchers and city planners and scientists and artists of all kinds coming together for the closing symposium [at CCA Sept. 27-28]. I think the exciting part for a lot of people is ‘Where do we go from here?'”

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Ps. 1:1-3). Tu B’Sh’vat (lit. “15th of Sh’vat”) is a rabbinically ordained holiday also known as the “Festival of the New Year of Trees.” Though no biblical basis for this festival exists, Tu B’Sh’vat has long been important to the Jewish people. With the Roman defeat of the Jewish nation and the corresponding destruction of the Temple in AD 70, Tu B’Sh’vat developed into a minor festival for liturgical purposes. Ashkenazic Jews in the Diaspora (the dispersion out of the land) developed a custom of eating fifteen different types of fruit on Tu B’Sh’vat, especially emphasizing those native to the land of Israel. Since the rebirth of the nation of Israel in 1948, Tu B’Sh’vat has taken on an entirely new characteristic—that of Israel’s Arbor Day. Symbolizing the renewing and reclaiming of a deserted land, children across the country sing songs and help plant scores of trees in celebration of the festival. The tree, a symbol of physical life, growth, and strength, also appears in the Bible to symbolize one who delights in God’s Word. We who are born-again believers have been planted in God’s vineyard and have a God-ordained obligation to reach out to Jewish friends and neighbors (Rom. 11:11). Though some natural branches have been broken off the olive tree, it is up to those who have been grafted in by the grace of God to reach out to the lost sheep of Israel so that they would not be cast off. God is able to graft them back in again! “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:1-5).

Michael “Mike” David Stump, 73, Collins, Mo., died Wednesday, August 14, 2009, at his residence, following an illness of several months. He was born August 11, 1947, in Overland Park, Kan., to Pressley Jacob Stump and Ada Grace Shatto Stump. He was raised in the Warsaw and Wheatland area. He lived in Liberty, Mo, Kansas City, Missouri and Deepwater, Mo. before residing in Collins. He served his country by being a member of the US Coast Guard from 1966 -1970. Mike spent most of his career working for Missouri Gas and Energy before retiring after 30 years in 2006. Mike loved spending his time surrounded by nature. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and drinking cold beer with friends. His down time also included reading books about true crime or watching tv shows based on American true crime stories or for laughs watching the tv show, “the big bang theory”. Mike is survived by his wife Jean of the home, one sister, Sylvia Jane Higginbotham, Collins, Mo. and his daughter, Summer as well as 3 other kids, 11 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildfren. Per Mike’s wishes, no funeral or memorial service will be held. Condolence(1) REPLY Cathy Stump says August 28, 2019 at 2:29 pm Mike also had a brother, Jacob Stump formally of Cameron Mo, and a sister, Nanette Neeley of Walker Mo who preceeded him in death. Mike also has three nephews who survived. Mike was a very good person who had a good heart. My condolences to his family and those that loved him. I am sure he is with the Lord.

by Eli Walker | Feb 28, 2022 | Blog, Mental Health Integrated, Mental Health Interpreter | 0 comments Is it caramel or caramel? Pecan or pecan? Potato, potato? The ability to read those words as sounding differently in our heads points to the amazing truth that we are all able to adapt and appreciate a different perspective. (Even if the silly Brits pronounce everything wrong! 😉) Dialects and individual understanding make our culture rich. We could never grow and flourish if we were all the exact same, thinking and feeling and operating in the same exact way. In mental healthcare, it’s the same; we see things through different lenses. So how do we keep from things being too chaotic in the midst of all these allowed alternatives? How can we make sure we’re on the same page to address and treat patients? The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is a living document meant to make all of this work. It’s living because it can change (and does change; this is the fifth iteration of the manual since 1952). Cited as the culmination of over 10 years of revision efforts by hundreds of experts from across the globe, the DSM-5 is the current authoritative volume that defines and classifies mental disorders in order to improve diagnoses, treatment, and research. As we grow and learn more about ourselves and others, the DSM allows these discoveries to be documented and utilized in treating patients. So is it tomato or tomato? Who’s more right? We all are. As the world continues to change, so do our behaviors and thought processes. These alter our perception of reality, so delegating specific language and definitions to make sense of our experiences helps us to properly address, communicate about, and treat mental disorders in all of their nuance and complexities. How can we really grow and change and improve our collective mental health if we are still utilizing the language and understanding of psychiatrists from 75 years ago? The DSM is the flawed but necessary tool to help “herd cats” towards a common understanding of mental and emotional health. To be able to classify, both broadly and specifically, diverse mental health disorders and their varying treatments, is critical to reintegrating mental health into our modern lifestyle. Is the DSM-5 perfect? Absolutely not. In fact, there is a new edition currently in the works. As we evolve and change, we need a living document to evolve and change with us. How could we find healing for all if we don’t adapt and change and learn from the newest discoveries in mental health research? Potato, potato; tomato, tomato. No matter how you say it, the meaning remains the same. And The DSM is available to all so we can enjoy the same clarity whenever it comes to navigating mental health and treatment. Together, united, we are better. The DSM is one step along the journey to integrating mindfulness into all that we do. Learn more at the American Psychiatric Association’s website.

After a long and tiresome 2 year battle, a caravan of Sinixt-Lakes descendants and supporters went to Victoria with Hereditary ll'mix'm Francis Romero to repatriate ancestral remains. The Sinixt-Lakes Nation received a Transfer of Title document along with six (6) ancestral remains from the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria BC. It was at this moment Lakes people became the first indigenous group in BC to repatriate remains, the date was September 25, 1990. This led to finding more ancestral remains through various museums, private and public collections. Over the last 25 years the efforts of the Sinixt Nation and supporters has led to the repatriation of 64 burials. The last reburial took place in the Summer of 2012 after a small box was retrieved by an ally from an anonymous source and was returned to Sinixt Nation spokesperson Marilyn James. All 64 repatriated ancestral remains are reburied at our ancient burial grounds in Vallican, British Columbia, Canada. Cultural Site Preservation For the last 25 years Sinixt Nation has actively been engaged in efforts to protect the few remaining cultural heritage sites in the Columbia River Headwaters. Sinixt Nation has been involved in consultations, legal challenges, direct action, and public education to aid in the protection of our ancient cultural sites. Sinixt Nation works closely with archeologists and local school districts to help educate people to the great cultural significance of the ancient sites by leading cultural information tours and by working as liaisons in studies. The Sinixt Nation land reclamation in Vallican BC started after road building plowed right through the heart of the old village and burial grounds. Guided by our elders and spiritual leaders we started the effort to protect what was left of our ancient cultural sites in the Slhu7kin'-Slocan Valley. Robert Watt was appointed caretaker of the burial grounds by a council of elders and Lakes descendants in the early 1990's. He upholds his duties and obligations to his ancestors to this day in an honorable way, in a way that would make any one of them proud. Pithouse Construction at Vallican With the help of the local community Sinixt Nation has completed a very large pit-house at the Vallican Heritage Site. The pithouse is used for educational tours with teachers and students from the local school districts, for Sinixt Nation meetings and gatherings, for shelter for visiting Sinixt families, and for hosting the Sinixt Nation's annual winterdance ceremonies. The pithouse was constructed in a rocky area to prevent any damage being done to any existing house-pit depressions or burials in the area. Community Events and Public Speaking Sinixt Nation has been part of hundreds of community events in the last two decades. Marilyn James herself has been the guest speaker and/or opening speaker at numerous community events recognizing the Sinixt Nation as the First Nation group in the area. Marilyn is also a local storyteller at schools and storytelling gatherings in Sinixt Territory. Robert Watt has also spoke on behalf of Sinixt Nation at events and teach ins. We will be adding a detailed list of Sinixt Nation Community involvement over the last 25 years. Education Initiatives Marilyn James has a masters in education and has helped develop aboriginal curriculum with sinixt cultural information for local school districts in the territory. Herself and her daughter, Taress Alexis, continue to work closely with School district 20 to devolope positive educational initiatives between the Sinixt Nation and the schools in the district for the benefit of all children in the region. Sinixt Nation has worked to get the Frog Mountain Story into classrooms through the school districts in Sinixt territory. Robert and Marilyn have both been on speaking tours into classrooms throughout the territory to teach children about Sinixt people and the ancient history of the lands we all live on. Marilyn until recently worked closely with Selkirk College as the aboriginal liaison person. Sinixt Nation elders held ceremony and blessed the grounds used for the aboriginal gathering place at the college. Unfortunately Selkirk College broke traditional Sinixt protocol and disrespected the now deceased elders who blessed their buildings. Marilyn James was fired by Selkirk College and they no longer work with the Sinixt Nation but only with members from the ONA and Colville Business Council. This is a major blow to creating quality aboriginal educational services and initiatives to Selkirk students in Sinixt territory. Sinixt however maintain healthy relationships with individual students and teachers and hopes that the politics dictating the quality of education at Selkirk can move beyond the perspective of business first, education second. Please Check back soon.... we will be adding a timeline and archive for the hundreds of documents and news clippings covering "our work."

Thank God it's online, because it deserves to be online, if only to make it linkable, spreadable, digestible by the blogosphere. If you haven't yet, go read David Foster Wallace's introductory essay to the 2007 edition of Best American Essays. In it, he compares the task of being "the decider" on the collection of essays to the task of filtering the "Total Noise" of U.S. culture. It's worth quoting this graf at length, where he's working through a list of the pieces he's chosen... And yet Beard's and Orozco's pieces are so arresting and alive and good that they end up being salient even if one is working as a guest essay editor and sitting there reading a dozen Xeroxed pieces in a row before them and then another dozen in a row after them -- essays on everything from memory and surfing and Esperanto and childhood and mortality and Wikipedia, on depression and translation and emptiness and James Brown, Mozart, prison, poker, trees, anorgasmia, color, homelessness, stalking, fellatio, ferns, fathers, grandmothers, falconry, grief, film comedy -- a rate of consumption which tends to level everything out into an undifferentiated mass of high-quality description and trenchant reflection that becomes both numbing and euphoric, a kind of Total Noise that's also the sound of our U.S. culture right now, a culture and volume of info and spin and rhetoric and context that I know I'm not alone in finding too much to even absorb, much less to try to make sense of organize into any kind of triage of saliency or value. Such basic absorption, organization and triage used to be what was required of an educated adult, a.k.a. an informed citizen -- at least that's what I got taught. Suffice it here to say that the requirements now seem different. He goes on at length and with footnotes (it's DFW, after all) about the definition of "Best" and "American" and "Essay," and then comes back to make real the challenges of dealing with Total Noise. Or let's not even mention the amount of research, background, cross-checking, corroboration, and rhetorical parsing required to understand the cataclysm of Iraq, the collapse of congressional oversight, the ideology of neoconservatism, the legal status of presidential signing statements, the political marriage of evangelical Protestantism and corporatist laissez-faire ... There's no way. You'd simply drown. We all would. It's amazing to me that no one much talks about this -- about the fact that whatever our founders and framers thought of as a literate, informed citizenry can no longer exist, at least not without a whole new modern degree of subcontracting and dependence packed into what we mean by 'informed.'

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I’ve always been a reader. I can’t remember a time in my life that I wasn’t reading. Even while in school, when I had to read a lot of assigned material, I made time to read “for me.” My favorite genre has always been mysteries. But, I also love to read biographies/autobiographies and “real life” stories. A few years ago, I made a conscious decision to start reading more non-fiction. I aim to alternate non-fiction and fiction books, but I’ll admit that I don’t always make that goal (often, what I read next is at the whim of what’s available at the library). I tend to read books about business or politics when I read non-fiction (or biographies/autobiographies). I read on a Nook (e-reader). I like always having one (or more) books with me. I like being able to easily read in bed. I like being able to increase the font when I’m tired. Not all books lend themselves to e-reading, though, mainly books with graphics. I had placed this book on hold at the library a while ago and it finally came my turn to download it. “Show Your Work! 10 Ways to Share your Creativity and Get Discovered” by Austin Kleon is a joy to read. It’s a quick book (I read it in about 2 hours) and it’s filled with quotes (like the one the opens this post) and artwork (which actually displays on my e-reader, so kudos for that!). Chapter 4, “Open Up Your Cabinet of Curiosities” contains the quote I posted above and it’s what inspired me to start this blog. Like most graphic artists, I take photos of my works–both completed and in progress. I also save all sorts of things that inspire me. And, like most people running a business, I make notes and keep them everywhere. But, I’m terrible at organizing this “stuff.” My photos are in Google Photos, in my camera, on IG and Facebook, and my notes are everywhere–on computer and on paper. But relying on third parties to host your creative content is dangerous. This book makes that point clear: Remember MySpace? I do some of the things he recommends: I have my own website, for example. I decided that if I posted my work and inspiration on this blog, I’d have a place to see my progress and refer back to things I’ve saved. So, you’re likely to see all sorts of things on this blog: inspiration, my in-progress and finished work, and business tips. “Whatever excites you, go do it. Whatever drains you, stop doing it.” Derek Sivers I’ll edit that to “whatever drains you, outsource it!” LOL I’m lucky to have some great freelancers who assist me in my business. If you find yourself doing all the “day-to-day” in your business with no time to create, think about what you can outsource. From the book, “Fear is often just the imagination taking a wrong turn” (Chapter 8). That sentence made me think. I’m guilty of letting my imagination go to bad outcomes rather than good ones–especially when trying something new. I’ll try to remember this quote next time I go down that wrong path. I have been a fan and friend of George Kao for years, and George advocates giving away content for free. This book makes that point, but cautions, “You just have to be as generous as you can, but selfish enough to get your work done” (Chapter 9). That sentiment resonanted with me. I like to give away my knowledge (and even my work at times), but I also need to remember that time spent sharing is time taken away from doing my work (i.e., creating and making quilts). I’m well educated and consider myself a life-long learner. I hosted an exchange student 12 years ago, and as I was packing to attend a quilt show where I’d be taking classes, she asked, “You’re such a good quilter. Why do you need more classes?” I explained that there’s always a possibility to learn a new technique or learn another way of doing something. From the book, “When you feel like you’ve learned whatever there is to learn from what you’re doing, it’s time to change course and find something new to learn so that you can move forward. You can’t be content with mastery; you have to push yourself to become a student again. ‘Anyone who isn’t embarrassed of who they were last year probably isn’t learning enough,” writes author Alain de Botton'” (Chapter 9). I think back to that conversation with my exchange student and wonder at how much I’ve learned in the past 12 years! From the book, “When you throw out old work, what you’re really doing is making room for new work. … Even if you try to toss it aside, the lessons that you’ve learned from it will seep into what you do next” (Chapter 9). I’ve always used “after-action reviews,” and I’m trying a new planning system this year (The Maker’s Yearbook) that encourages you to review every month and event (e.g., show) to see what you can learn from it. Overall, I was inspired by this book. If you’re looking to expand your own creative business, I recommend that you pick up a copy.

Gambling is a form of entertainment where a person wagers something of value in the hope of winning something else. It entails three basic elements: consideration, risk, and prize. The purpose of gambling is to increase the value of the money that is staked. In some cases, people engage in gambling simply for the fun of it. Fortunately, there are a number of resources for people who have a gambling problem. First, support groups can help a person to quit gambling through peer support. Another great resource for people suffering from gambling is the National Helpline, which is available in all 50 states. Gamblers can call this toll-free at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for help. It is critical that people with gambling addictions seek out help and support when they feel alone. Gambling laws differ from one state to another. In most states, the minimum age to gamble is 21 years old. However, you can gamble as young as eighteen at the horse races and state lotteries. Many states also allow video poker and lottery games, but you may need to leave the state to use slot machines. Some states also allow gambling at charitable events and bingo halls. Treatment for problem gambling includes a variety of methods, including therapy, medications, and lifestyle changes. In some cases, problem gambling may be a symptom of another condition, such as bipolar disorder. Therapy for problem gambling often focuses on changing the person’s false beliefs and unhealthy gambling behaviors. It can also help the person develop coping skills, which can help them manage their behavior. A gambling problem is not a sign of a weak will or irresponsibility. Even people with strong will and responsible personalities can develop a gambling problem. Often, problem gamblers rationalize their behavior, blame others, and avoid taking responsibility. They can also become depressed about their problems. So, it’s important to seek professional help as soon as possible. Gambling should be treated as an addiction. In some cases, it is possible to recover. However, it is crucial to understand that admitting that you have a problem is not easy and may cause you to make mistakes. You’re not alone, but many other people have overcome their gambling addiction. Don’t give up. There are several resources and support available to you online. You can use these resources to seek help and find the right treatment for your gambling addiction. While gambling is a fun way to relieve stress and mental problems, it can also lead to problems. Gambling is a way to socialize with people, and it triggers your brain’s reward system. It can alter your mood and cause you to dream of winning the jackpot. There are also several social and intellectual rewards associated with gambling. Gambling is a widespread activity throughout the United States. It has always been subject to varying levels of regulation. Federal and state laws limit how, when, and where it can be practiced. There are also laws regarding gambling on Native American land.

We are still not over the pandemic. However, the new cases have declined to 75,000 daily. It is estimated that the United States is working towards waiving off several restrictions it brought within the earlier half of 2020. The flight status reveals that people are gradually returning to pre-pandemic travel levels. Today, several kids qualify for the vaccine and are returning to school. The good part is that there is no extreme surge in the covid infections. However, few students get compelled to wear masks as it is always better to stay on guards. Most people today look at vaccination as a promise to return to the life they lived before the pandemic. According to MyBioSource, 69% of people in Colorado, 59% in Indiana, and 76% in New Jersey have felt that the vaccine mandate will not hamper their freedom. Going by the current state of affairs, the pandemic is gradually coming to a halt in the United States in several different ways. However, it is happening without any milestone or a declaration of freedom from the deadly virus. The perspective shift that matters According to Jennifer Nuzzo an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the pandemic might not end. The idea is to stop caring and fretting so much. And she says that by now the virus has started to fade into the backdrop for many people and their lives. Having said that, there might still be a winter surge any year because the respiratory viruses usually start to thrive when people gather in the heated rooms. A few people said they might anticipate a modest uptick in the infections in the past few weeks. The extreme winter infection wave last year, which peaked in January, was one such instance. And even though the aggregate national numbers are less, several states with a cold weather have witnessed an increase in the hospitalization rates. Studies show that Alaska has a dark winter and moved to an increased infection rate for the nation. The Biden administration and the dangerous-disease experts will not make definitive predictions about when the pandemic should end. The medical community by now has realized that the nature of SARS-CoV-2 is opportunistic and slippery. Scientists have shared that the virus is still mutating. And in the past few months, there have been times when it has lost traction and surged again with a new behavior, thereby increasing the contagiousness. The virus trends to expect The deadly virus will thrive as its past variants have shown us the same.Since most people in the United States are vaccinated, and the infection rates are going down, we are walking into a new stage of the pandemic. In this phase, most people in the United States and across the globe are embracing to the constant presence of the endemic, which is a nonlethal pathogen. There hardly is any other choice as the virus won’t go away. Andrew Noymer, an epidemiologist at the University of California at Irvine, asserts that the virus is gradually becoming a part of the home furniture. People do wear the cloth masks in the grocery but don’t wear the N95 masks. He asserts that gradually humans are developing herd immunity. That is not all. Robert M. Wachter, who belongs to the Department of Medicine at the University of California, has another interesting observation. He says that he doesn’t get complacent about the virus. In fact, he went onto social media to warn people about the variants and requested people to exercise more caution so that they don’t get affected by the breakthrough infections. But after he got vaccinated and the booster dose, he came up with new assumptions about the environment. Hence, he says that he would go on leading his life as he doesn’t want to let go of travel and moving outdoors. He further says that the world is gradually moving towards a steady state, with things getting better in the coming years. The fact that herd immunity is becoming a reality will bring about a change. However, Wachter never overlooks the importance of caution. Once he got the booster, he was ready to accept a bit of risk. Having said that, wearing a mask and using a sanitizer is essential. It is also necessary to abide by the safety protocols, such as taking the booster dose once there is a new virus variant. The uncertainties as to what a virus can do in the forthcoming months pose a considerable challenge for the Biden administration. Here the White House urges people to see the virus, which is the root of the pandemic, is real and is a threat to public health. Hence, it is essential for all to exercise continuous precautions along with universal vaccination. The objective here is to take all precautions so that the virus doesn’t win in any case.

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NASA awarded Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contracts to Boeing and SpaceX last September. Credit: SpaceX artist's concept and Boeing WASHINGTON — Despite warnings from NASA that any cuts to commercial crew funding would delay the program, Senate appropriators slashed nearly $350 million from the agency’s request because they believed the program was already suffering delays. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved June 11 a 2016 spending bill for NASA and other agencies that provides $900 million for NASA’s commercial crew program. That amount is $344 million below the administration’s original request and $100 million less than what the House approved June 3. In a report accompanying the bill, appropriators argued that the current round of commercial crew contracts was already suffering delays. “To date, milestones intended to show progress in the development of the ISS Crew capability have already begun to be delayed,” the report states. “More technically challenging milestone completion dates are about to be reached or may be potentially postponed further.” NASA awarded Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contracts to Boeing and SpaceX last September. The contracts feature a series of milestones, with payments attached to each, similar to earlier commercial crew awards carried out under Space Act Agreements. Redacted versions of the contracts released by NASA in March listed 23 milestones in Boeing’s award and 18 in SpaceX’s, each with a planned completion date. A schedule of milestones published by NASA in an April presentation to the NASA Advisory Council showed that some of the milestone dates have shifted for both companies. A readiness review for tests of a structural test article in Boeing’s contract, originally planned for April, was scheduled for August in the presentation slides, while some other milestones shifted by one to two months. The updated schedule for SpaceX features longer delays in its milestones. A “delta” critical design review, scheduled for June in the contract, is planned for December in the updated schedule. Similarly, an uncrewed flight test of the Dragon spacecraft moved from March to November of 2016. However, both NASA and industry officials said the moving milestones did not represent program delays, but rather updates to take into account developments after the companies submitted their CCtCap proposals in early 2014. The updated schedule still calls for both companies to have their vehicles certified by September 2017. NASA spokeswoman Stephanie Schierholz said June 18 that the agency considers those schedule adjustments “changes, not delays,” citing testimony by NASA’s associate administrator for human exploration and operations, William Gerstenmaier, before the House Science Committee in February. “It is likely that there will be a relatively large number of changes because the original contract milestones were established over a year ago when the companies submitted their CCtCap proposals,” Gerstenmaier said in his prepared remarks. “These changes will not be indicative of poor contractor performance, but rather the significant maturity and advancement that has occurred on the partner designs since the proposals were submitted.” Boeing spokeswoman Kelly Kaplan said June 17 she was unaware of any significant delays in its CCtCap contract. The company had made some minor adjustments to the milestones in its original contract, she said, including splitting a safety review originally planned as a single milestone into three parts. Boeing also moved a pad abort test from before an uncrewed test flight of its CST-100 spacecraft to after it. Those arguments, however, did not sway Senate appropriators. A committee aide confirmed that the cut in commercial crew funding in the Senate bill was linked to the delayed milestones, coupled with the belief that schedules would slip further once companies got past initial review milestones and into hardware development. An additional factor in the committee’s decision is NASA’s intent to procure Soyuz seats for flights to the International Space Station in 2018, a year after the commercial crew vehicles are scheduled to enter service. Those plans, the appropriations report stated, indicate that NASA “does not have confidence that even with significant financial and technical support, the availability of a reliable domestic ISS crew capability by 2017 is guaranteed.” The committee aide suggested NASA could solve its commercial crew funding shortfall by diverting funding from Soyuz seats. Unlike the administration’s request and the House bill, which fund commercial crew out of NASA’s exploration account, the Senate bill moves the program to space operations, which also pays for Soyuz and commercial cargo flights. All sides acknowledged the debate about the 2016 budget is far from over. The full Senate has yet to take up the spending bill, and if it passes, it will have to be reconciled with the House version. “It’s too early to tell what the end of the budget process will look like at this point,” Eric Stallmer, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and an advocate for full funding of the commercial crew program, said June 18. “CSF and our members will continue to work with the Congress to find a way to responsibly fund commercial crew.”

Princeton University’s Vertical Farming Project aims to improve the sustainability of vertical farm production systems for commercial growers. The lack of accurate information related to vertical farming production was one of the main reasons that Dr. Paul Gauthier decided to start the Vertical Farming Project at Princeton University in Princeton, N.J. Gauthier, who is Associate Research Scholar in Environmental Plant Physiology and Modeling, began the project in April 2016 after he saw an increasing number of growers considering starting vertical farm operations. Paul Gauthier established the Princeton Vertical Farming Project to study the challenges vertical farm growers would face in the future including manpower, technology and sustainability.Photos courtesy of Paul Gauthier, Princeton Univ. “I noticed that a lot of the information related to hydroponic growing was coming from the 1990s and there was a lot of misinformation,” Gauthier said. “I decided to address some of the issues that growers were having by starting a vertical farm project and showing growers how to improve the production systems. There was a lot of information about growing in greenhouses, but very little information on growing in a vertical farm. With the Vertical Farming Project I wanted to investigate the challenges that vertical farm growers would face in the future including manpower, technology and sustainability, which is one of my main goals.” Training vertical farm technicians While Gauthier was interested in helping growers develop better hydroponic production systems, he was also interested in training Princeton students who could go on to help advance the vertical farm industry. “Because of the interest in vertical farming and more people looking at starting vertical farm operations, there is going to be a demand for high technology jobs to operate these facilities,” Gauthier said. “When I started this project I wanted to create a program for training students about this technology. Nutrient film technique (NFT) and deep water culture are the two most common vertical farm production systems currently being used by growers. These are the systems that my students are working with and doing different projects. Although Paul Gauthier and his students are studying more conventional crops like lettuce and kale, they are also researching crops less commonly grown in vertical farms like wheat and peas. “One of the questions that we wanted to answer when we began the project was how long does it take a grower to break even and to start making money. We began looking at how to create a business plan using a vertical farm inside a building and not a greenhouse. We wanted to determine how long it will take using a vertical farm for a small company to break even. We also wanted to look at energy consumption and water consumption.”While Gauthier has seen a lot of excitement from his students about growing vegetables, he said they don’t necessarily understand the limitations to growing plants. “A typical way that I interact with the students is to have them work on the vertical farm for at least two months,” he said. “They come to the farm almost every day to monitor pH, temperature and EC. I ask them to look at the changes in the plants. I want them to learn how a vertical farm works and how plants react to changes in pH, EC and temperature. “I then ask them to come up with their own projects based on their own interests. Every time we grow a new crop in the vertical farm we collect information on water, energy and nutrient consumption.” Undergraduate student Jesenia Haynes is working on a research project to determine the carbon footprint of vertical farms. Haynes is studying the impact on the environment producing kale and lettuce in a vertical farm versus a conventional farm. “What would happen if there were 10,000 vertical farms?” Gauthier said. “Would that be something that is good for the environment? Jesenia came up with a project to try to determine the impact growing a hydroponic crop could have on the environment. She is working on determining a way to calculate the amount of carbon that is created by producing a kilo or about 2 pounds of lettuce in a vertical farm. Undergraduate student Seth Lovelace is monitoring plant growth with sensors and another student will be studying the production of strawberries in a vertical farm.” Undergraduate student Jesenia Haynes is working on a research project to determine the carbon footprint of vertical farms. Designing an efficient, sustainable production system The vertical farm system that Gauthier designed incorporates both deep water culture and NFT systems equipped with broad spectrum white light LEDs.“Because I’m a plant physiologist, I know that plants use light from a broad range of wavelengths and not just blue and red,” he said. “I was focused on incorporating white light with a full light spectrum. The bottom part of the vertical farm system is a deep water pond used for research. In the NFT troughs we are growing lettuce, basil, cilantro, kale, peppers, snow peas and strawberries. I am also growing wheat, barley and edible flowers. “The reason I am focusing on a variety of crops other than leafy greens is that we can’t feed the world on just lettuce. In order to be able to feed the world using vertical farming, as a lot of people are claiming, then we have to be able to change peoples’ appetites. There are a lot of other crops besides lettuce. If we can change the flavor by altering the taste, we may be able to change the appetite and diet of a lot of people. Then we may be able to change the way we feed the world.” One of the major issues Gauthier is studying is finding solutions that make vertical farming more environmentally friendly. “One of the big issues with vegetable farming is creating waste,” he said. “All of this waste has to be treated. One of the main wastes of this treatment is green water. We don’t want this green water to be released and to pollute more areas.” Another area of interest for Gauthier is to incorporate vertical farming into architectural building design. Paul Gauthier and his students, including Seth Lovelace, are looking to determine the environmental impact aspect of vertical farming before the industry and its operations get too big. “We are cooperating with some of the architects on campus to find a new solution to integrate vegetable farming into architectural design not just for food, but to also integrate vegetable farming into the design of new buildings to make vegetable production a part of our everyday life,” he said. “These buildings provide a controlled environment. Putting vegetable farming into a building could benefit what is already inside the building. “The environmental impact aspect of vertical farming is the challenge for the next five years. It is especially important to do before the industry and its operations get too big. Once the industry grows too large it will be very difficult to investigate. What we are trying to determine and to push is to develop sustainable systems that are affordable for everybody to begin a startup. We don’t want people to have to upgrade to a more sustainable system. We are trying to develop a sustainable system right now.” See also Japan Plant Factory Association workshops focus on plant factory production, business issues For more: Paul Gauthier, Princeton University, Department of Geosciences, (609) 480-2690; ppg@princeton.edu; https://verticalfarming.princeton.edu.

The events that took place in the beginning of Ruby’s life are some no pet should have to experience. Ruby was found as a stray when she was about 18 months old. She had already birthed 2 or 3 litters of pups and was severely malnourished. Luckily, Ruby was rescued, received medical attention and found a forever home. In April 2015, Ruby and her new owner, Jane, passed their first Pet Partners evaluation and started visiting people at St. Francis Hospital. Ruby’s first visit is one worth mentioning. An older gentleman was very angry upon Jane and Ruby’s entry into the room, but Ruby put her head in the man’s hand and he melted. The staff couldn’t believe their eyes or hide their tears of joy. Unfortunately, the man passed away later that week, but his last week of life was peaceful because of the love Ruby shared. That July, Ruby experienced her first seizure and had to take time off from visiting to get treatment. When Ruby experiences seizures, they are typically clusters of 4-5 gran mal seizures in 25-36 hours. Each seizure lasts 4-5 minutes with about an hour of postictal packing and disorientation. In the last cluster, she had 6 seizures in 21 hours; 4 were just 3 hours apart. Ruby is now on a healthy diest and gets lots of massages to keep her body cool. We’re also happy to report that her latest blood work and liver enzyme tests came back “normal.” Ruby is happily back to work after passing her second Pet Partners evaluation in March 2017. Pet Partners recognizes epilepsy as a condition and not an illness, which means Ruby is allowed to do her good work as long as her seizures are controlled, she feels well and an emergency plan is in place in the event of a seizure during a visit. But that is not all. On May 1, Jan and Ruby attended a meet-and-greet event for the Epilepsy Foundation of Indiana with several other Pet Partners teams and was asked to attend the Walk/Run for Epilepsy event as the foundation’s new mascot! Ruby was a huge hit! Kids and their parents stopped to chat with Jan and Ruby, one kiddo mentioning, “Mommy, she has epilepsy like me!” Jan was able to talk with the parents about Ruby’s seizures, symptoms and treatment methods and she says she’s excited to continue to learn more about epilepsy and the ways to help Ruby through their involvement in the Foundation. I guess you could say they were definitely in the right place at the right time. Ruby’s story is remarkable but the work of Jan her handler shouldn’t go unnoticed. Ruby is Jan’s 6th Pet Partner, with two other active therapy animals named Ariel Rose and Gryphon. Ariel and Gryphon are very good at helping calm Ruby during episodes and all together they make one big, happy Pet Partners family. A big thank you to Jan, Ruby, Ariel Rose and Gryphon for sharing this story and for all they do for Pet Partners!

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Whether you are a poker fanatic or just want to test your skills on the internet, there are several options available to you. Depending on your state laws, you can either play online for free or for real money. The results of online poker in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are quite substantial. Increasing the number of states allowing online poker is expected to help both the state’s economy and poker players. Therefore, the time is right to begin playing online poker. Online Poker is faster than live games because dealing the cards and betting chips is automated. There are no tense moments, and the time to act on a hand is fixed. Also, you can play many games at the same time, with fewer interruptions. So, you can play online poker for real money without worrying about the time difference. There are many advantages to playing online. But how does online poker compare to live poker? Here are a few tips to ensure you play at the right place: Mobile devices are becoming the most common way to play online poker. However, playing multiple tables at once is tricky on a small screen. In such cases, you can switch between tables by using tabs or miniaturized table images. However, if you play with a large group of players, you can only play at one table at a time. However, some operators are working on more sophisticated solutions to combat this issue. And, if you play poker on your phone, make sure you know your state’s laws. While online poker has become a worldwide phenomenon, it is still illegal in many US states. As such, there are only a handful of US-friendly poker sites that accept players from the US. However, a few online poker rooms that accept American players have already implemented their own cryptocurrency cashier options. Ignition Poker, for example, allows players to deposit using bitcoin and withdrawals using Litecoin. While this is still unregulated, many online poker rooms are beginning to implement it. In addition to cash prizes, players can also earn reload bonuses. These often coincide with major tournament series and consist of freeroll entries and satellite tickets that can lead to entry into the Main Event. Loyalty programs were a big part of the online poker boom in the early 2000s, and most sites have them. Loyalty programs often work in tiers, and earning points in a tier can accelerate the rate at which you earn future points. In the US, the main lobbying group for online poker is the Poker Alliance. Founded in response to threats to ban online poker in the US, the group now has a membership of over a million people. Its efforts have evolved over the years as the industry has changed. This doesn’t mean that the online poker industry is without legal protection, however. If you’re worried about security, there are several sites that offer a safe environment for players.