text:
Stereoscopic video camera
A stereoscopic camera system is disclosed for producing an "over-and-under" format suitable for stereoscopic video transmission and presentation. The stereoscopic camera system utilizes conventional 60 Hz cameras which are slightly modified in order to utilize only half of the horizontal sweep lines to form the respective left and right subfields in the over-and-under format fields.
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This invention relates to an improved stereoscopic video camera system, and more particularly to one which has a great deal of compatibility with the existing commercial television infrastructure requiring only minor modification to existing video cameras.BACKGROUND ART
U.S. Patent Application, U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,226 filed Jan. 19, 1983 describes a stereoscopic video system which utilizes a standard television field of 262.5 lines but which has two subfields in an "over-and-under" format, one above and the other below, each having 131.25 lines. Each subfield contains an image with the appropriate left or right perspective view. When displayed on a normal 60 Hz monitor the images are anamorphically compressed by a factor of two in the vertical direction, because half the number of lines is scanned for each subfield compared to that which is scanned in a normal field. However, when played back on a 120 Hz monitor, 120 fields per second are displayed, each field having 131.25 lines. Accordingly, when viewing the image through the appropriate selection device, each eye sees 60 fields per second. Since the number of fields per second is above the critical fusion frequency, flicker, which has been evident in prior art systems, is not present.
To accomplish this, left and right cameras which are modified to run at 120 Hz are utilized. When used with the appropriate switching electronics, the cameras produce the "over-and-under" format of 131.25 lines above, and 131.25 lines below. Cameras which produce 120 fields per second are uncommon and, generally speaking, not provided by manufacturers. In order to produce the needed left-right-left-right sequence of fields in one stereoscopic frame within one thirtieth of a second, for a flickerless image, cameras need to be modified for a field rate higher than the usual 60 Hz. This modification is generally simpler for black and white than color cameras, since certain color cameras, especially those with a single tube, are difficult to operate at 120 Hz while producing a good color signal. Such modifications entail the significant expense of conversion and calibration.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved stereoscopic video camera.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved stereoscopic video camera which produces 120 video fields per second.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved stereoscopic video camera system which utilizes standard video cameras with only minor modifications.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved stereoscopic video camera system which provides an "over-and-under" field format.
In accordance with the invention, standard 60 Hz left and a right video cameras are employed. However, only one-half of the horizontal scan lines, scanned consecutively and containing a complete picture, are utilized from each camera.
In one embodiment, only the scan lines which provide information from the central half of the camera tube (or solid state pickup) light sensitive surface are employed. Only the image which is scanned in the central half of each light sensitive surface of each camera is utilized. In otherwords, the middle 131.25 lines or half the number of lines scanned in each field are employed, and they contain a complete left or right picture view. The other 131.25 lines are unused.
Electronic combining means, external to the respective left and right video cameras, then combine the left and right camera views, each containing one-half of the normal number of horizontal scans, into a single field in the over-and-under format described in co-pending patent application U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,226.
In another embodiment, the entire light sensitive portion of each video camera is used. However, each camera is altered so that only one-half of the normal number of horizontal lines scan the light sensitive portion. To enable only one-half of the horizontal scan lines to traverse the light sensitive part of the camera, it is only necessary to double the slope of the horizontal scan lines by increasing the slope of the vertical sweep. With some cameras this can be done by merely adjusting a gain control knob. But even if this option is not available, it is a simple matter to modify the left and right video cameras to increase the gain.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a schematic illustration of the first two subfields produced by the left and right stereoscopic cameras of the present invention; and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of the second two subfields produced by the left and right stereoscopic cameras of the present invention.
FIG. 2A shows the over-and-under stereoscopic video format from the stereoscopic camera system of the present invention as it appears on an unmodified 60 Hz monitor; and FIG. 2B shows the present stereoscopic video format as it appears on a 120 Hz monitor.
FIG. 3A is a block diagram of the version of the present stereoscopic video camera system described in the patent application cited above; and FIG. 3B is a block diagram of another version of the present stereoscopic video camera system, with the camera optical system employing cylindrical lenses.
FIG. 4A schematically illustrates the light sensitive surface of the pickup device of a left video camera showing only the central portion scan lines being utilized; FIG. 4B schematically illustrates the light sensitive surface of the pickup device of a right video camera showing only the central portion scan lines being utilized; FIG. 4C shows the light sensitive surface of the pickup device of a left video camera after increasing the slop of the horizontal scan lines so that only half the usual number of scan lines traverse this light sensitive surface; and FIG. 4D shows the light sensitive surface of the pickup device of a right video camera modified in the same manner.
FIG. 5 is a timing diagram showing the appropriate delay for the vertical sync for each camera in relationship to the composite output video signal.
FIG. 6 is a timing diagram of the left and right camera vertical sync and video signals.
FIG. 7 is a block schematic diagram of the signal combining circuits of FIG. 3A and 3B.
FIG. 8 consisting of FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D and 8E, is a detailed schematic of the block diagram of FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a part of the circuit of a Sony DXC-1800 single tube color camera.
FIG. 10 is a timing diagram for a modified camera system configuration.
FIG. 11A is a signal diagram for the plate voltage of an unmodified Sony DXC-1800 color camera, and FIG. 11B shows the plate voltage for the Sony DXC-1800 color camera modified in accordance with the wave form shown in FIG. 10.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1A and 1B show four successive subfields which make up a pair of video fields 10 and 12, which in turn make up a stereoscopic frame in accordance with the "over-and-under" format described in U.S. Patent Application U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,226. Each of the four subfields L.sub.1, R.sub.1, L.sub.2, and R.sub.2 contain 131.25 lines. FIGS. 1A and 1B are essentially timing diagrams, with time in the vertical axis. The vertical blanking areas have been omitted in these schematic representations for didactic purposes.
The four subfields are presented in one thirtieth of a second, or in the time that two 60 Hz video fields are presented. Accordingly, L.sub.1, R.sub.1, L.sub.2, R.sub.2 make up one stereoscopic frame. L.sub.1 and L.sub.2 form an interlaced pair of fields, and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 form another when displayed on a 120 Hz monitor, as explained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,226.
As is well known in the art, the odd number of lines per frame in the NTSC protocol produces a two-fold interlace; this is because each field contains 262.5 lines. Half a scanned line written at the bottom of one field starts the next scan line for the next field at the midpoint of the first horizontal ine.
Thus, subfields in the stereoscopic "over-and-under" format with a quarter line "leftover" produce a four-fold interlace. This being the case, alternate similar "eyed" subfields, as L.sub.1, and L.sub.2, for example, have a two-fold interlace. For this reason the fields are presented L.sub.1, R.sub.1, L.sub.2, R.sub.2, and not L.sub.1, L.sub.2, R.sub.1, R.sub.2. If L.sub.1 and L.sub.2 followed each other directly, these subfields would not be properly interlaced.
FIG. 3A shows a camera system 14 as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,226. Left and right stereoscopic cameras 18 and 19 with lenses 20 and 21 respectively, are converged along extended lens axes 16 and 17 on object 15. Each operates at 120 Hz. vertical scan rate. Accordingly, each subfield has 131.25 horizontal lines. The subfields are switched alternately by combining means 22 to form an output video signal with the "over-and-under format" as shown in FIG. 2A and displayed on monitor 23 display screen 24. To provide the stereoscopic effect, the fields are viewed through appropriate selection devices, in this case electro-optical shutters 26 and 27 located in spectacles 25. Shutters 26 and 27 are in synchronization with the subfield rate. The observer views a flickerless stereoscopic image through spectacles 25.
When observed on a standard 60 Hz monitor display screen, the image appears as shown in FIG. 2A. Assume that the picture view is that of a circle. The display screen 24 has an image of an elipse whose horizontal axis is D in each subfield. The images of circles are anamorphically compressed in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the vertical axis of the elipse shown in subfield 32 (L.sub.1) is D/2, as it is for the elipse shown in subfield 33.
FIG. 2A shows subfield L.sub.1 in the upper half of the image, and subfield R.sub.1 in the bottom half of the 60 Hz image. It should be understood that the description given above and to follow could just as well be given in terms of an upper right image and a lower left image.
The vertical blanking area 35 separates the two subfields 32 and 33. The usual 60 Hz blanking area is shown as 35' in FIG. 2A. Added blanking area 35 is the same interval as 35', the usual NTSC field blanking area.
Referring to FIG. 2B, when displayed on a 120 Hz monitor, as described in co-pending patent application U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,226 the screen 24' provides two images (circles) which appear to be nearly superimposed. The images of the left and right circles are shown in subfields 32' and 33', respectively. The images in these subfields are alternately presented so rapidly in sequence that when viewed without the aide of selection device 25 the images appear to be superimposed. When viewed through a selection device 25, subfield 32' is visible through electro-optical shutter 26 while subfield 33' is occluded, and vice versa. This produces a stereoscopic effect to the viewer.
In accordance with the present invention, cameras 18 and 19 operate at 60 Hz, rather than 120 Hz as will now be explained. Two examples of camera systems are described to produce an undistorted image on a 120 Hz monitor screen of the usual aspect ratio, utilizing 60 Hz cameras.
In FIG. 3B, cylindrical lens elements 40 and 41 are incorporated with lenses 20' and 21' of each of the two 60 Hz cameras 18' and 19' respectively. The cylindrical lenses produce anamorphically compressed images in the vertical direction, to produce subfields 32 and 33 in FIG. 2A. Preferably, the compressed images from the cylindrical lenses 40 and 41 are centered on the light sensitive portion of the respective cameras 18' and 19'.
FIGS. 4A and 4B show the light sensitive surfaces 42 of the pick-up devices of the left and right cameras 18' and 19'. The dimension h, is the horizontal extent of the image, and v is the vertical dimension of the image. Accordingly, the aspect ratio is given as h/v. In the case of the usual video system, this is 1.3:1.
In accordance with the present invention, however, only the central portions 43 and 45, each with 131.25 lines, is utilized. The lines scanned in areas 47 and 49, and 51 and 53, are not used. Heretofore 262.5 lines scanned the height. Thus the new height is h/2, and the new aspect ratio is 2 h/v. Combining means 22' then switches at 120 Hz between the two subfields of 131.25 lines each. However, the reader will understand that the aspect ratio of the subfield images is approximately 2.6:1.
Accordingly, the output of 60 Hz cameras 18' and 19', when played on a 60 Hz monitor, produces the images as shown in FIG. 2A. Such vertically compressed images are in complete conformity with the video format described herein, and in U.S. Patent Application U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,226. When such an image is displayed on a 120 Hz monitor, adjusted to produce the full 1.3:1 aspect ratio, the image appears to be properly proportioned. An alternative to cylindrical lenses, which in most cases is preferable because of the optical drawbacks encountered when employing these optics, is now described. The configuration is the same as in FIG. 3B, except as that the cylindrical lenses 40 and 41 are omitted as explained below. FIGS. 4C and 4D, also show the light sensitive surfaces 42 of left and right cameras 18' and 19'. Here, however, no portion of either of the light sensitive surfaces 42 is left unscanned. Instead only one-half, or 131.35 horizontal scans, sweeps the light sensitive surfaces 42. One-quarter of the remaining horizontal sweeps occur above the light sensitive surface 42 and one-quarter below. Neither of these horizontal sweep areas are utilized; they go unused.
The means of accomplishing the foregoing is straight forward. What is necessary is to increase the slope of the horizontal scan lines by a factor of two. With a video camera, this is easily accomplished by increasing the sweep vertical amplitude. On some cameras this is accomplished merely by adjusting existing gain control knobs. In most other cameras this can be accomplished by very simple circuitry changes.
When cameras 18' and 19', operating at 60 Hz, and modified as described above have their video outputs switched through combining means 22' and are displayed on a 60 Hz monitor, the images are anamorphically compressed in the vertical direction by a factor of two as shown in FIG. 2A. When displayed at 120 Hz, on a 1.3:1 aspect ratio screen, a geometrically undistorted stereoscopic image is displayed when viewed through selection device 25 as shown in FIG. 2B.
Operation of the electronic combining circuit 22' for operation without the cylindrical lenses, is now explained. The display shown in FIG. 2A represents a field of NTSC video having a duration of 1/60 sec., which is a video display of a video frame of the output of the combining circuits 22'. The standard vertical interval 35' coupled with picture 32 form the first portion or subfield of a stereoscopic pair. Added vertical interval 35 and picture 33 form the second portion or subfield of the pair.
Thus, the first image must originate in one camera and the second in the other. They will arbitrarily be called left for the first image 32 and right for the second image 33. No loss of generality occurs if the first camera is right and the second left. The first 131.25 horizontal lines come from camera 18' and the combining means 22', comprising a sync generator and switching circuit, then switches to the second camera 19' . The circuit 22' adds the blanking area 35 to the start of the second subfield 30.
The 131.25 horizontal lines from each camera must be centered on both the horizontal and vertical optical axes of the respective lenses 20' and 21'. If the central lines are used without increasing the sweep vertical amplitude, the pattern of FIG. 4A and 4B results. On the other hand, if the raster height is increased, by increasing the sweep vertical amplitude sufficiently to double the horizontal sweep slope, the result is illustrated in FIGS. 4C and 4D. This achieves the desired 2:1 anamorphosis without an anamorphic lens.
It is desirable to utilize a vertically centered image from each camera rather than the top of one and the bottom of the other. This allows the use of standard lenses on each camera.
In one approach to achieve this result, the vertical sync signal from combining circuit 22' to each camera is delayed a specified amount of time, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. The left hand column in FIG. 5 represents the output from the combiner circuit 22'. Outputs from the left and right cameras are illustrated in the middle and right hand columns, respectively. Circuit 22' provides vertical sync signals 55 to left camera 18' and vertical sync signals 56 to right camera 19. It also provides the output vertical sync signals 57 at the beginning of each "over-and-under" field.
It can be seen for example, that field 91 having the composite "over-and-under" format is made up of a left hand image L.sub.2 taken from the central half 62 of field 60, the photo sensitive area 42 of the left camera 18', as well as a right hand image R.sub.2 taken from the central half 72 of field 70, from the right camera 19'. Field 60 must start about 1/4 of a field before composite field 91, so that the desired central part 62 starts and forms the upper half of field 91. Similarly, field 70 must start about 1/4 field after the beginning of field 91 to form the bottom half of field 91.
Combining circuit 22' generates all three sync signals 55, 56, and 57 to produce these results. All are produced using the same subcarrier generator and horizontal sync to keep all the signals phased together. Only the insertion point of the vertical sync pulses differ. The horizontal sync and blanking burst signals are omitted from FIGS. 5 and 6 for clarity. The end result is a composite video signal 140 that is compatible with existing standards such as NTSC.
The combining and sync generator network 22' is shown in block form in FIG. 7 and in schematic form in FIG. 8. Master oscillator 306 operates at 14.3818 Hhz, 4 times NTSC burst frequency, and is divided to provide the subcarrier and the master sync generator clock. Master sync generator 303 utilizes a National MM5321 sync generator chip to create the master composite sync, burst and blanking signals. A line rate multiplier utilizes a phase locked loop circuit which serves as an 8 times multiplier from the H sync to create the 8H clock for the delay counter chains 304 and 305 respectively. The vertical index from the MM5321 sync chip starts the delay counters 304 and 305 and they count at 8 times H rate to provide a delay of 1/4 of the field period for counter 304 and 3/4 of the field period for counter 305. These delayed pulses reset slave sync generators 307 and 308 respectively, which provide all the signals needed for the left and right video cameras respectively. The two slave sync chips 307 and 308 are both National MM5321 circuits and share the master clock signal with master sync generator 303 and are thus always in syncronization.
Master sync section 303 provides a subfield select signal to video switch 301 to select the correct camera as a non-composite video source in sync with slave sync generators 307 and 308.
Blanker, mixer and amplifier 302 mixes the multiplexed noncomposite video from video switch 301 with the sync, color burst and blanking signals from master sync generator 303 to produce an NTSC compatible output composite video signal the "over-and-under" format.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the vertical deflection pulse generator circuit of a Sony Model DXC-1800 single tube color camera. All that is required to provide the doubled slope of the horizontal scan lines is to change the following resistors:
R61 change from 750 Kohm to 180 Kohm
RV7 change from 10 Kohm to 47 Kohm
RV6 change from 47 Kohm to 500 Kohm
R62 change from 62 Kohm to 0 Kohm
Another approach to provide the necessary timing to achieve the "over-and-under" format is best understood by reference to FIG. 10 which illustrates the separate and combined output of cameras 18' and 19'. In this embodiment the entire photosensitive area 42 of each camera 18' and 19' is scanned in 8.33 milliseconds one-half the usual time of 16.67 milliseconds. This is illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B, which show the change in voltages on the vertical deflection plates of the camera tube over time. The slope of the vertical sweep (FIG. 11A) is doubled (FIG. 11B) and thus the entire image is scanned in 1/2 the usual time.
Because the entire photosensitive area is used, the quarter, and three-quarter delay offsets of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are not needed.
Each camera 18' and 19' scans the image in 131.25 lines after vertical sync. The first one-half of the field is provided by camera 18' and the second one-half is provided by camera 19' which is triggered by a delayed vertical sync. Each field is now comprised of first the left image and then the right image which is the desired "over and under" format.
The Sony DXC-1800 single tube video camera is modified to produce the deflection shown in FIG. 11B by a simple change.
Referring to FIG. 9, it is necessary only to change C39 and C40 to one-half the original value i.e. 0.0235 uf, to achieve the scan of FIG. 11B.
The desired 2:1 vertical compression at 60 Hz is inherent because the camera scans the entire image in the time the 60 Hz display would only scan half the screen. Thus ordinary video lenses may be used on the cameras.
It should be understood that while the invention is described in terms of the NTSC protocol, the invention is equally applicable as for PAL, SECAM, or other protocols for both broadcast or non-broadcast applications.
It will also be apparent that the present invention is equally applicable to other types of video cameras, such as charge-coupled video cameras.
1. A stereoscopic camera system comprising:
- a left video camera which provides a video field at a standard video field rate and with a standard number of horizontal scans per field;
- a right video camera which provides a video field at a standard video field rate and with a standard number of horizontal scans per field;
- means for generating a complete left picture image in substantially one-half of the horizontal scans, scanned consecutively, of said left video camera;
- means for generating a complete right picture image in substantially one-half of the horizontal scans, scanned consecutively, of said right video camera; and
- means for combining the left and right picture images into a single composite video field of standard video field duration with one of the picture views in the upper half and the other in the lower half of said field.
2. A stereoscopic camera system as in claim 1 wherein each of said picture image generating means provides the respective left and right picture images in the middle sequence of the horizontal scans.
3. A stereoscopic camera system as in claim 2 wherein each of said generating means comprises means for substantially doubling the slope angle of said horizontal scan lines so that substantially only one-half half of said scan lines scan the light sensitive portion of said camera.
4. A stereoscopic camera system as in claim 3 wherein said slope angle doubling means comprises means for increasing the sweep vertical amplitude of each of said cameras.
5. A stereoscopic camera system as in claim 4 wherein said combiningmeans has means for providing a first vertical sync pulse before the upper and lower picture views.
6. A stereoscopic camera system as in claim 5 wherein said combining means provides a second vertical sync pulse for one of said video cameras about one-quarter field before the start of each composite video field and provides a third vertical sync pulse for the other video camera about one-quarter field after the start of each composite video field.
7. A stereoscopic camera system as in claim 1 wherein the standard video field rate is 60 Hz and wherein the standard number of horizontal scan lines is 262.5.
8. A stereoscopic camera system as in claim 1 wherein each of said picture view generating means comprises optical means for compressing the picture by a factor of two in the vertical direction before it is directed at the respective left and right cameras.
9. A stereoscopic camera system as in claim 8 wherein said optical means comprises a cylindrical lense.
10. A stereoscopic camera as in claim 3 wherein each of said generating means comprises means for substantially doubling the slope angle of said horizontal scan lines so that substantially only the first half of said scan lines scan the light sensitive portion of said camera.
|October 1962
|January 1970
|October 1972
|June 1974
|November 9, 1976
|November 16, 1976
|May 5, 1981
|August 25, 1981
|August 16, 1983
|June 11, 1985
- Masers, C. T., IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 8, #1, 6/65, "Generating A 3-D TV Signal With One TV Camera" p. 134.
Type: Grant
Filed: Jul 17, 1984
Date of Patent: Apr 15, 1986
Assignee: Stereographics Corporation (San Rafael, CA)
Inventors: Lenny Lipton (Pt. Richmond, CA), Lawrence D. Meyer (Mill Valley, CA), David B. Lee (San Rafael, CA)
Primary Examiner: Howard W. Britton
Attorney: J. William Wigert, Jr.
Application Number: 6/631,894
International Classification: H04N 1300;


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Come and join us as we celebrate 'National Tell A Fairytale Day' with local storyteller Michael O'Leary. A dynamic and warm storyteller, he will bring alive tales of adventure and mystery! In the first half of his session, he will be weaving a magical world of stories and inspiring the children (as well as their grown-ups!) In the second half, he will hold a tuition session for the adults, with tips and advice on how to develop your own inner 'storyteller', to help you with your own children. During this time, the children will have a chance to do a craft activity or read stories in our beautiful Gallery space.
Michael O'Leary 'Hagstone Storyteller' - Tales for The Young & Young At Heart
Age suitability:
Aikman Lane
West Totton
Phone: 02380 667683

subset: commoncrawl


text: Your video will begin in Cheap Blackout Contacts Posted on Wed, 05 October 2016 in General by admin 25 Views Check this link right here http://magicangeleyes.com/Halloween-Contacts/LN-BLACKOUT for more information on Cheap Blackout Contacts. The initial types of Black Contact Lenses Cheap are those designed to cover just the iris. A few of these kinds of contacts are created to still enable the pupil to show; others are so dark that both the student as well as the iris are either concealed or exceptionally hard to see. The last makes the eye appear like a large student within a normal-looking sclera. They are larger, harder to insert as well as slightly a lot more unpleasant than iris-covering black contact lenses as well as they could only be used for four or five hours. Follow Us: https://tackk.com/@crmsreading7student1


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This antique Harden settle was in the old house, then sold at some point. A sweet neighbor gifted it back to me on my birthday a few years ago, and I couldn't be happier to have it back home. It's my only piece of Mission furniture, but it blends nicely with everything else.
Friday, March 24, 2017
Bohemian chic spring home tour
This antique Harden settle was in the old house, then sold at some point. A sweet neighbor gifted it back to me on my birthday a few years ago, and I couldn't be happier to have it back home. It's my only piece of Mission furniture, but it blends nicely with everything else.
26 comments:
your home is so full of color, texture, and music! love it!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you Cassie!!Delete
Anita I adore the elegant bohemian theme in your home. I would love to feature an image later today on IG.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks so much Laura!Delete
You have such a beautiful and eclectic home and I always enjoy your tours. Happy Spring Anita!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you Julia! Happy Spring to you as well:-)Delete
Ilove the story of all of your antiques and family treasures. you have collected and arranged them into such an amazingly beautiful home. Thanks so much for joining the tour. Your home is always one of my favorites.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you Marty! And thanks so much for inviting me to be part of this amazing tout and for all your work putting it together:-)Delete
As always Anita, your colorful and eclectic vibe just shines no matter the season! Love all the inspiration your home gives us all! So honored to share this home tour with you!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you Vel! I'm so happy to be part of it with you as well:-)Delete
oh my GOSH. i love all the layering and boho vibes. the plants! what a truly personal space.ReplyDelete
Thank you so much!Delete
Your home is so interesting and beautiful.. but your voice! Nothing I've seen or heard this week has moved me as much. Thank you!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you so much Cindy -- music is where my heart is:-)Delete
anita, your home is such a breath of fresh air full of color, sentiment and love. The history, the handmade furniture and your ability to put it all together seems so effortless. I grew up in Palm Beach county and use to go to the beach in Hypoluxo. Happy Spring.ReplyDeleteReplies
Small world for sure!! Thanks so much Laura!!Delete
I adore all of the saturated color in your home. We love Kilim pillow store over here too!! Thanks for sharing your beautiful home.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Jennifer! Yes, I could just rotate in and out pretty much their whole stock:-)Delete
Your home is full of color, family heirlooms and most of all, welcoming:).ReplyDelete
Kathleen in AzReplies
Thank you Kathleen for always encouraging no matter what I do in my home:-)Delete
I like your style, my accent color in our family room is the same color of pink as yours. Your place is fun...ReplyDelete
Beautiful !!!!!!ReplyDelete
I love ho9w your style and home have evaolved over the last few years that I've been reading your blog. Your voice is just beautiful! I enjoyed the video! You mixed periods and styles for a really vibrant and cohesive look. Just love your home!ReplyDelete
Beautifully done it all, the meble is beautiful. I admit that you inspired me.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 25, 2017 at 6:12 AM
What a beautiful home! So glad I stumbled onto your blog :-)ReplyDelete
What a seriously amazing home tour! As a home decor blogger, music teacher and vintage lover, I thoroughly enjoyed this tour. Just awesome!ReplyDelete
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text:
Portlaoise AFC Girls lose out to last-gasp goal in season opener
Portlaoise Under-13 Girls got their season underway in what was a thriller at Rossleighan Park over the weekend.
Portlaoise AFC 3
Real FA Swans 4
MSL Girls U-13
This was the first time that both teams fielded 11 players and played a full size pitch and the pace of the game was relentless.
In the early exchanges both teams had goal chances however it was the Swans who took the lead with a lovely goal that went into the roof of the net from outside the six yard box and goalkeeper Eire Delaney couldn't do anything about it.
As the game went on Portlaoise had several chances to equalise – and despite having most of the possession in the first half and over a half a dozen corners, Portlaoise could not capitalise.
The Swans went two nil up against the run on of play with a nice show of football, passing well and creating a shooting chance that was taken well.
In response, Portlaoise made a tactical change moving Ada Byrne into holding midfield and Divine Samuel into centre-forward and almost immediately the move paid off.
A through ball from Portlaoise Centre Back Ava Coleman that penetrated the Swans defence and perfectly weighted for the oncoming Divine Samuel to bury into the bottom corner to grab a goal back just before half-time.
Dominating the possession, Portlaoise created the majority of the chances but yet again, against the run of play and as a result of some small defensive errors the Swans got a great goal further stretching the lead to 3-1 putting the Portlaoise girls really under pressure.
The girls showed a never give up attitude that stood to them as they continued to press and play football. Woman of the Match, Ashlee Buchanan, continued to drive forward on the right wing creating chance after chance.
A tactical switch in the second half saw the then left-back Zanab move to centre-forward and Aoda Graham to take the slot at the left of defence. Aoda took up where Zanab left off making some superb defensive tackles and clearances.
Another spectacular through ball, this time by Sophie Cullinan, put the first time striker Zanab through and with the speed, strength and composure of a pro she buried the ball into the back of the net taking Portlaoise to within one goal of the lead.
Portlaoise dug in and really took the game to the Swans who were a little rattled at this stage – again brilliant determination from Ashely gave her a chance to pop the ball into a packed box and it fell to Sophie Cullinan who sweetly stroked it passed the Swans keeper to draw the match with seconds left on the clock.
With the match all but done, the unthinkable happened, the Swans broke from tip off and their striker went down outside the box after a hard tackle.
Expecting the referee to give a free kick, the referee instead played advantage and the unthinkable happened as a Swans midfielder struck the sweetest shot that no keeper would stop, winning the game for them 4-3.


text: There is a risk to presuming that the first few minutes of a fishing outing will portend how the entire day will unfold. How often do we struggle early, and then rally? How often do we dominate early and then fade? But we often can't help ourselves, which is part of why I got a … Read more


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The Environmental Protection Agency is pouring nearly $40 million into the rehabilitation of a former Ridgewood factory that once produced radioactive materials for the Manhattan Project.
More than three years after the EPA first declared the plot of land on the Ridgewood-Bushwick border between 1125 and 1139 Irving Ave. a federal Superfund site, the agency announced last Friday it plans to spend $39.4 million on extensive, long-term remediation efforts there.
"Today's comprehensive cleanup proposal addresses potential long-term risks through a combination of response actions," the EPA's announcement reads, "including permanent relocation of commercial businesses, demolishing contaminated buildings, excavating contaminated soil and cleaning or replacing contaminated sewers."
To further discuss the plan, the EPA will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 16 at the Audrey Johnson Day Care Center, located at 272 Moffat St., just one block south of the site in question.
The Wolff-Alport Chemical Co. occupied the plot of land in question from 1920 until 1954 and processed imported monazite sand among other chemicals.
Monazite contains up to 8 percent thorium, a radioactive element that the company sold to the federal government for use in the Manhattan Project, the top-secret program aimed at developing the atomic bombs that were eventually dropped on Japan during World War II.
During and after Wolff-Alport's aiding of the Manhattan Project, the company regularly dumped thorium waste into the sewer system and on its property until 1947, when the Atomic Energy Commission ordered it to stop.
Wolff-Alport continued to sell thorium products to the government until 1954.
The EPA began investigating the level of contamination at the site in 2012, with the agency discovering radon gas leaks at two locations in and around it — in addition to higher than normal contamination levels below public sidewalks and in the sewer system.
About $2 million in short-term remediation efforts to curb the leaking of the harmful gas was spent at the time.
To further rectify the situation, the EPA plans to permanently relocate five businesses -— including a deli, a pair of auto body shops, a construction company and a warehouse — before tearing down the former factory buildings they reside in.
The EPA said it will "support and assist" the relocation of those entities.
Once that is complete, the agency will then excavate about 24,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and dispose of it off-site, eliminating the potential threat of long-term health impacts posed by the radiation.
That solution is something Community Board 5 Chairman Vincent Arcuri Jr. advocated for years ago. Citing Wolff-Alport's role in the secretive Manhattan Project, he told the Chronicle in 2014 there may have been operations at the former factory that weren't ever made public — resulting in more contamination than believed.
"The real approach is to demolish and excavate the entire site," Arcuri said, "in order to see what the extent of the contamination is."
Also in 2014, the EPA released a 39-page report about the hazards at the Ridgewood site. While it was strongly worded at times, the report said radiation levels of 1,133 picocuries per gram were observed during one on-site visit.
That amount equates to about one-millionth of a millicure. In comparison, a heart scan produces about 30 millicuries of radiation.
Despite the seemingly low levels of hazardous materials, the EPA plugged a hole in an unoccupied storage area of nearby IS 384, from which radon gas was seeping, in addition to placing lead and steel shields underneath area sidewalks and building floors.
The agency said last Friday that those actions have sufficiently brought down the levels of radiation, while EPA spokesman Elias Rodriguez said the school will not be subjected to any further remediation efforts.
"Our sampling and assessment shows that IS 384 is not being impacted by the contamination at Wolff-Alport," Rodriguez said in a Monday email.
In addition to the Aug. 16 meeting, the EPA is accepting public comments on the proposal through Aug. 28.
They can be emailed to EPA Remedial Project Manager Thomas Mongelli at email@example.com.


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Brave Now Launches Version 1.0 Of Its Privacy-Focused Browser
In 2014, Brave, the company co-founded by ex-Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich after his ouster from the organization, at this time launched model 1.0 of its browser for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. In a browser market, the place customers are spoiled for choice; Brave is positioning itself as a quick possibility that preserves users' privateness with robust default settings, in addition to a crypto currency-centric private advertisements and fee platform that permits customers to reward content material creators.
As the corporate introduced the final month, it now has about eight million monthly active customers. It's Brave Rewards program, which requires choose-in from customers and publishers, at present has about 300,000 publishers on board. Most of those are customers with small followings on YouTube and Twitter, however giant publishers like Wikipedia, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Slate, and the LA Times are additionally a part of the ecosystem. Using this technique, which not each writer goes to love, the browser will present a small variety of adverts as a notification in a separate non-public advert tab, based mostly on the consumer's searching habits. Users then obtain 70% of what the advertisers spend on adverts, whereas Brave keeps 30%.
As customers view these adverts, they begin incomes Basic Attention Tokens (BAT), Brave's cryptocurrency, which they will preserve or give to publishers. In its early days, Brave truly began with Bitcoin because the foreign money for this, however as Eich noted, that shortly turned too costly
Trying past model 1.0, the Brave staff plans to implement higher sync, with assist for tab and historical past syncing, for instance. Brave additionally, goals to make participating in Brave Rewards experience with a lot decrease friction for the user.


text:
(This article was part of an original award-winning story from 2012.)
5 things to stop doing now
- Whining. The only way things will change is by getting to work.
- Listening to critics. Change brings out the worst in a small percentage of your audience. Do not listen to them.
- Procrastinating. Waiting till next year actually means never.
- Playing to the lowest common denominator. Change leaves some people behind. So leave them. Pander instead to people's intelligence and willingness to improve.
- Thinking your attendees can't handle change. You're the one that cannot handle it.
7 things you can start doing today
- Make a plan. You have to decide what changes you want to make, so do it today.
- Get rid of paper. Join the green-meetings revolution. Simply decide you will stop printing handouts and brochures, and find a new way to distribute information.
- Find better friends. Maybe the people you hang out with are stuck in the past. Reach out and contact those in the industry who can help you look to the future.
- Create a Facebook page. If your event is not social (yet), this is the easiest place to start.
- Throw away the podium. Want to make the most difference with the least amount of effort? Enough said.
- Get off the PowerPoint drug. Tell your presenters that there will be no PowerPoint this year. They may go through withdrawal, but they will figure out how to deliver the message more creatively and conversationally.
- Make the electronic move. Tell attendees that the only way to register this year is online — no more phone, fax or in-person sign-ups.


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Donald Trump Jr. blasts Russia investigation coverage: The media is 'a blight on our republic.'
Donald Trump Jr. slammed the MSM over its handling of the Russia investigation saying that "it became a business model for most media to attack Donald Trump and to buy into this narrative."
He's spot on.
Washington Examiner:
Trending: New Jersey Makes it Illegal to Call Cops on 'Blacks'
Donald Trump Jr. says the media's coverage of the Robert Mueller investigation into whether his father colluded with Russia was a "blight on our republic."take our poll - story continues belowCompleting this poll grants you access to Godfather Politics updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to this site's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
"They did a terrible disservice to this country, to journalism as a profession. I think they've done irreparable damage to the faith that the average American is going to have in terms of mainstream journalism," said Trump Jr. in an interview with Fox News's "MediaBuzz," which aired Sunday. "I think it's a blight on our republic on democracy and on our Constitution – that's not going to come undone very quickly."
Trump Jr's comments follow the conclusion of the Russia investigation led by Mueller, who looked into whether President Trump's campaign colluded with the Russian government to win the 2016 presidential election.
After Mueller submitted his final report to the Justice Department, Attorney General William Barr shared a four-page summary of Mueller's findings with Congress last weekend which stated the investigation found no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. According to Barr's four-page summary, Mueller declined to determine whether Trump obstructed justice, and Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein concluded there was insufficient evidence to show the president committed such a crime. More
I've been generally impressed with how Don Jr. has navigated his way through the murky swamp waters. He's stuck to his guns and doesn't back down to the incessant agitators and fabricators.
The Left has already pivoted from collusion to corruption because after all, it's all about keeping the smear going. It's the same tactics used by the Communists in Russia, China, and every place else that the radicals sought to take over the government.
Don't forget to Like Godfather Politics on Facebook and Twitter, and visit our friends at RepublicanLegion.com.
I agree, the way the Russian collusion case was investigated and reported on by many networks was an absolute disgrace.
— Nikita marie (@Nikitam37415117) March 31, 2019
Become an insider!
Sign up for the free Godfather Politics email newsletter, and we'll make sure to keep you in the loop.


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by User.com
Who Uses User.com?
A Marketing Automation solution that helps Small businesses, Startups, Enterprises, Agencies, and more automate and manage users across an omni-marketing dashboard.
What Is User.com?
User.com is an all-in-one marketing automation platform aimed at boosting engagement and improving conversion by using a single data source for your customers.
Reach clients through a wide range of communication channels: email, live chat, chatbot, push notifications, dynamic page content, and many more - all available in one place.
Interested in Marketing Automation? Get a free 14 day trial with no upfront payment
User.com Details
Founded 2015
User.com Pricing Overview
User.com has a free version and offers a free trial. User.com paid version starts at US$49.00/month.
Starting Price
See pricing details
Pricing Details
Price is calculated based on number of stored contacts inside the system.
Free Version
Free Trial
Yes, get a free trial
Cloud, SaaS, Web
Mobile - iOS Native
Mobile - Android Native
In Person
Live Online
Business Hours
User.com Features
Account Based Marketing Software
- Analytics
- Campaign Personalisation
- Customer Segmentation
- Engagement Monitoring
- Lead Nurturing
- Lead Scoring
- Progress Tracking
- Prospecting Tools
- Target Account Identification
All-in-One Marketing Software
- Behavior Analytics
- Dynamic Content
- Landing Pages/Web Forms
- Lead Management
- Multi-Channel Marketing
Appointment Scheduling Software
- Appointment Reminders
- Automated Scheduling
- Calendar Sync
- Client Database
- Group Scheduling
- Mobile Access
- Multi-Location
- Online Booking
- Online Payments
- Recurring Appointments
- Room Booking Management
CRM Software
- Calendar/Reminder System
- Document Storage
- Email Marketing
- Internal Chat Integration
- Lead Generation
- Lead Scoring
- Marketing Automation Integration
- Mobile Access
- Quotes/Proposals
- Segmentation
- Social Media Integration
- Task Management
- Territory Management
CRM for Small Businesses
- Business Card/Badge Scanning
- Calendar/Reminder System
- Document Storage
- Forecasting
- Lead Scoring
- Live Chat
- Marketing Automation Integration
- Quotes/Proposals
- Segmentation
- Social Media Integration
- Task Management
- Territory Management
Call Centre Software
- Blended Call Centre
- Call Logging
- Call Recording
- Call Scripting
- Campaign Management
- Escalation Management
- Inbound Call Centre
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
- Manual Dialer
- Outbound Call Centre
- Predictive Dialer
- Progressive Dialer
- Queue Management
- Real-time Chat
- Reporting/Analytics
Email Management Software
- Archiving & Retention
- Canned Responses
- Data Recovery
- Email Monitoring
- Queue Management
- Response Management
- Routing
- Shared Inboxes
- Signature Management
- Spam Blocker
- Whitelisting/Blacklisting
Email Marketing Software
- A/B Testing
- Auto-Responders
- CAN SPAM Compliance
- Customer Surveys
- Drip Campaigns
- Dynamic Content
- Event Triggered Email
- Image Library
- Landing Pages/Web Forms
- List Management
- Mobile Optimised Emails
- Reporting/Analytics
- Subscriber Management
- Template Management
- WYSIWYG Email Editor
Lead Generation Software
- Contact Database
- Data Import/Export
- Lead Capture
- Lead Database Integration
- Lead Nurturing
- Lead Scoring
- Lead Segmentation
- Lead Verification/Validation
- Pipeline Management
- Prospecting Tools
Live Chat Software
- Canned Responses
- Customisable Branding
- Geo Targeting
- Offline Form
- Proactive Chat
- Screen Sharing
- Third Party Integration
- Transfers/Routing
- Website Visitor Tracking
Marketing Automation Software
- A/B Testing
- Analytics/ROI Tracking
- Customisable CTAs
- Drip Campaigns
- Dynamic Content
- Landing Pages/Web Forms
- Lead Scoring
- Sales Intelligence
- Search Marketing
- Segmentation
- Social Marketing
- Website Visitor Tracking
Online CRM Software
- Cataloguing / Categorisation
- Customer Service Analytics
- Customer Support Tracking
- Email Response Control
- Knowledge Management
- Live Chat
- Performance Metrics
- Search
- Self Service Portal
Push Notifications Software
- A/B Testing
- Analytics
- Campaign Segmentation
- Contextual Targeting
- Device Targeting
- Expiry Notifications
- Geo Targeting
- Mobile Notifications
- Notification Scheduling
- Visual Notifications
- Web Notifications
Real Estate CRM Software
- Campaign Management
- Client/Property Matching
- Contact Management
- Email Marketing
- Interaction Tracking
- Lead Management
- Property Alerts
- Referral Tracking
- Segmentation
Remote Work Software
- Collaboration
- Electronic Signature
- Employee Activity Monitoring
- Live Chat
- Meeting Management
- Remote Access
- Remote Support
- Softphone
- Task Management
- Time Zone Tracking
- Video Chat
- Web Conferencing
Retargeting Software
- A/B Testing
- Audience Targeting
- Behavioural Targeting
- Conversion Tracking
- Geo Targeting
- Mobile Retargeting
- Personalisation
- Recommendation Engine
- Social Media Retageting
SMS Marketing Software
- 2-Way Messaging
- Contact Management
- Mass Texting
- Message Personalisation
- Mobile Coupons
- Mobile Keywords
- Polls/Voting
- Reporting/Analytics
- Scheduled Messaging
- Shortcodes
- Text-to-Win
User.com AlternativesMore User.com alternatives
User.com Reviews for UK UsersRead all reviews
Overall rating
Average score
Review software
Share your experiences with other software buyers.Write a Review!
Marcin J.
Overall Rating5 /5
Ease of Use5 /5
Features & Functionality4 /5
Customer Support5 /5
Value for Money5 /5
Likelihood to Recommend9/10
- Reviewer Source
- Reviewed on 10/04/2020
"Marketing machine that can boost your effectiveness with no need of IT team"
Pros: If you know basics of Google Tag Manager, User.com is a very flexible tool that can broaden your range of possibilities when it comes to marketing efforts. For marketing teams in startups, it's a great way to do more things without waiting for IT team to do it for you.
Cons: Some features aren't so flexible as they could be.
Vendor Response
by User.com on 20/04/2020
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this amazing review. It's a pleasure to work together with you.
- Reviewer Source
- Reviewed on 10/04/2020
Monika S.
Overall Rating4 /5
Ease of Use4 /5
Features & Functionality4 /5
Customer Support5 /5
Value for Money4 /5
Likelihood to Recommend7/10
- Reviewer Source
- Reviewed on 24/08/2016
"Some fedback"
Comments: Hey. Wanted to share my quick feedback about userengage experience. Actually, the idea is cool, guys, your customer service is awesome, after few days i've already understood how to use the main functions, love testing your actions everyday. It needs to be more functionable, but the idea is great.
Pros: Customer support is pretty quick! Nobody wants to waste their time for waiting answers. I hate asking something from Customer support service, cause almost all of them are not answering at all or it took ages waiting, but you made me change my thoughts, Bravo)) Love design, that everything in right place
i took a look at some Youtube videos on your channel, good idea, it's better for me to actually SEE your functions in action without explaining in chat.
and there was some difficulties with building the ACTIONS, need more time to analyse it deeper.
Vendor Response
by UserEngage on 24/08/2016
Thank you for your feedback! Appreciated!
- Reviewer Source
- Reviewed on 24/08/2016
Sheikh S.
Overall Rating5 /5
Ease of Use5 /5
Features & Functionality4 /5
Customer Support5 /5
Value for Money5 /5
Likelihood to Recommend9/10
- Reviewer Source
- Reviewed on 12/10/2020
""All in one solution for Marketing Team""
Pros: The Overall setup is really easy. Email Automation, CRM, Analytics features that l liked most. Also, I like the simple UI design of this tool. It also provides many integrations as well.
Cons: Lack of some of the features like Magicmap, in App video call.
- Reviewer Source
- Reviewed on 12/10/2020
Verified Reviewer
Overall Rating3 /5
Ease of Use2 /5
Features & Functionality4 /5
Customer Support5 /5
Value for Money2 /5
Likelihood to Recommend3/10
- Reviewer Source
- Source: GetApp
- Reviewed on 10/03/2018
"Software with a lot of potential but significant number of errors"
Pros: It surely offers a lot of functions - chat, email campaigns, CRM, marketing automations. It has potential to became an all-in-one platform. Support team, yep, UserEnagages support is AWESOME. Other companies could learn from them.
Cons: UX is simply TERRIBLE, to tell the truth it took me a lot of time to get around some features like sending email campaigns. Mobile app is almost non-functional, so it is safer to assume that there is no mobile app. Web app is SLOW, terribly slow. Chat has a lot of bugs, sometimes it is hard to get ahold which conversation is new.
Vendor Response
by User.com on 07/05/2020
Thanks for the feedback!
Over the last two years, we've made vast improvements to UX, mobile, fixing bugs, and speeding up the entire database to make functionality and usability key for our users.
We would love to invite you back to check the software and see what we've done since you last used it. Thanks!
- Reviewer Source
- Source: GetApp
- Reviewed on 10/03/2018
Anna O.
Overall Rating5 /5
Ease of Use5 /5
Features & Functionality5 /5
Customer Support5 /5
Value for Money5 /5
Likelihood to Recommend9/10
- Reviewer Source
- Reviewed on 20/07/2020
"A full-stack marketing automation tool"
User.com is an all-in-one tool that is great to collect all data about each website visitor. It helps you automate segmentation and personalize communication. I really like that I can have all in one place: emails, live chat, call center, text messages, pop-ups, push notifications, and even dynamic page content. They have a great CRM that saves time by doing all the repetitive tasks. Report modules let you have full control over the team's performance. Thanks to this tool you can provide fast and automated support on your website.
- their support is awesome! They help to solve problems immediately
Cons: Nothing to dislike at the moment, if something appears, I will get back to this review.
- Reviewer Source
- Reviewed on 20/07/2020


text:
About Parse Pay
Parse Pay was founded in 2018 with a vision of making payment processing easier, more secure, and more effective. Our integrated point-of-sale platform provides retail and quick-service merchants with a unified, data-centric platform to simplify payments, streamline operations, and improve customer engagement.
What We Do
Intuitive POS Software
Sell more, save time, and grow your business with powerful point-of-sale software.
Reporting & Analytics
Make informed decisions with real-time reports on sales, P&L's, payroll, and more.
CRM & Loyalty Program
Boost engagement, drive sales, and retain customers with a loyalty rewards program.
Employee Management
Track employee payroll and view sales by employee to see who's performing best.
Company Information
5701 Lonetree Blvd, Ste 121, Rocklin, CA 95765
Telephone: +1 800-771-1469
General inquiries: firstname.lastname@example.com
Marketing/Press: firstname.lastname@example.com
Support: firstname.lastname@example.com
Executive Management Team
Jared Story: Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Ex: Chief Technology Officer
Brandon Blankenship: Chief Experience Officer
Mark Hardwick: Chief Marketing Officer


text:
- +1 624 518 1345
- firstname.lastname@example.com
- Browse By Subject
- Top Destinations
- Online Schools
- Featured Schools
- Helpful Articles
What is Health and Medicine?
The health care field refers to the hundreds of professions that support humans' physical and emotional well-being. Depending upon what kind of degree a student pursues, training in this field may qualify the graduate to perform a wide variety of tasks in a number of different settings. For example, a doctor or nurse provides hands-on service in a hospital or clinic, while medical researchers conduct experiments in laboratory settings, and medical administrative support personnel ensure the secure storage of patient information and facilitate the transmission of important medical information.
Who Should Study Health and Medicine?
If you're considering a degree in health, nursing or medicine, you may ideally answer "yes" to the following questions:
Ideally, you may also answer "no" to the following questions:
Types of Health and Medicine Careers
Those interested in a career in health, nursing and/or medicine have plenty of paths from which to choose. Individuals who would like to work in direct patient care could consider the following jobs, among others:
We would like to invite you to study in one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Europe.The Medical Faculty which started in 1364 offers you programs of undergraduate training at the Sch
The Medical University of Warsaw offers both a six-year MD program; and a four-year MD program for students already possessing an undergraduate degree and who have completed the pre-med requirements o
The total number of staff is about 320, including about 90 medical officers, pharmacists, scientists and other workers with University diplomas.
The Faculty comprises: Institute of Biochemistry, Institute of Botany, Institute of Geography, Institute of Microbiology, Institute of Geological Sciences, Institute of Zoology.
Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum is the youngest and smallest public medical university in Poland, which constitutes its major advantage – we concentrate on an individual-focused appro


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Well, I can't leave you with just words so i'm going to end with a photoshoot :)
Felicity in fall weather :)
Hope you enjoyed :)
Very pretty pictures! :)ReplyDelete
Love the third picture!ReplyDelete
Wonderful photoshoot. You used the fall foliage very well!
Enjoy your break. Look forward to seeing more later.
Enjoy your break!
-American Girl Doll Crafter
These pictures are beautiful.:) Felicity looks great. You did a fantastic job with the photos.:)


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Dog Walking
Is Fido fidgety? Long working hours and lengthy commutes can mean a long day for your dog as well. Let us give your best friend some midday exercise and attention. Daily walks help to ensure a high quality of life for your dog and gives your pet a much needed bathroom break. We offer midday dog walking Monday through Sunday. From puppy care to dog park excursions, our dog walkers cover it all! We understand that many professionals have varying schedules. We are here to walk your pup any time. We offer morning as well as evening walks for your pup.
All dogs need exercise, socialization, and potty breaks. However, no two dogs are alike. Their energy levels and needs differ depending on breed, age, general health, and yes – their personalities. These differences are why Metropawlitan offers a variety of options for your pet. We can help you determine which is best for your pup.
Midday Walking:
We offer midday dog walking Monday through Sunday. Whether you need a walk during the week or weekend due to work or fun, we have you covered. Our walkers will either walk your dog(s) in a small pack or privately and on leash. We offer 20 min, 30 min, 45 min and 1 hr long visits. Our popular walks are 20-30 min. The 20 min visit allows your pup to stretch their paws and have a potty break in the middle of the day. The other walk options allows for more exercise for the high energy dog. We are happy to help you figure out which option best suits your situation.
Dog Park:
For pups with a bit more energy, we offer the dog park adventure option. We can take your pup to a local gated dog park. The pup will have the opportunity to run around and burn energy. Our dog park adventures includes exercise, fetching, potty breaks, socialization, human and canine play time. The benefit to having your pups get a dog park adventure is socialization. Your pups will enjoy meeting new pups and humans and learn to feel comfortable around them. The other benefit is that you get to come home to a tired pup. We will have your pup out for at least an hour.
Senior Dog Care:
We understand that when a pup gets older, their care is much different. Whether your older pup needs help with the steps, or takes his time to potty but doesn't enjoy walks, we can customize our visit to fit your needs. Contact us to discuss your situation.
Backyard Let Out:
We understand sometimes your pup doesn't need a walk. A backyard let out may be a great option. We can come by your home to let your pup out and offer play time in the yard.
Post Surgery Care:
We offer after surgery care. If your pup needs extra attention while recovering from surgery, we are happy to help. We can help with walks, administer meds, cleaning and bandaging any area, and providing comfort to your pup.
Day Stay Companionship:
Do you have a pup who has a hard time adjusting to being alone? Do you need someone to spend extra time with your pup? We offer companionship during the day. Our extended stay visits are 2,4,6 hours. Please contact us to discuss your needs and pricing. Please link the contact page to the above contact.
Special Occasions:
Are you getting married and need to get your pup to the wedding, or to a photoshoot? We can assign a trusted dog handler to care for your pet. We can manage transportation and handling while at the event with your pup.
We ask all clients to make sure that their dogs are current on their shots, have an I.D. tag, obey basic commands.
- Happy and content dog
Reguarly scheduled Walks ( 3 days or more)
|20 minute duration
|30 minute duration
|45 minute duration
|60 minute duration
Extra pet fee: $5 for both services
Dog Park Excursion(1 hour min): $31 for regular schedule; $35 as needed
Backyard let out: starting at $15( up to 2 pets)
Early Morning and Late Evening visits that include walk and feeding are subject to pet sitting rates
Weekend walks follow the pet sitting rates
There is a surcharge of $10 for Major Federal Holiday visits: New Year's, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas
As needed walks
|20 minute duration
|30 minute duration
|45 minute duration
|60 minute duration
Puppy Care
Too young for pack walks or dog runs, our caring walkers will give your new family member the extra special, individualized care needed at this critical stage of development and socialization. In addition to covering the basics of feeding and walking, we will adhere to particular protocols to reinforce training.
Introducing a new puppy into your home is one of the greatest pleasures in life. It's so great to see them explore their new surroundings and form a bond with their new parents. Puppies need so much care and attention in the first few weeks, but you still have to work, right? That's where Metropawlitan comes in. Our puppy sitters can help get you through the period where your puppy is too young for outside walks but needs someone to stop by to feed them, clean up any accidents and work off some energy. Most of all, your puppy just needs big friendly hugs to reassure them that they haven't been forgotten about. This is what we do!
On each visit, your puppy will be fed, given water, medication and cleaned if needed. Sometimes puppies have accidents either inside or outside of the crate and cleaning it up is all part of the service! The remaining time on the visit will be spent playing with your puppy and giving them all the affection they want. Whether it's a game of tug with their favorite toy, chasing a squeaky ball around the room or just a good belly rub, we will be their for you pup.
A puppy's learning pattern (and training) depends on consistency, an established routine, and ample mental and physical activity. Once your puppy is acclimated and ready to go for regular walks, we will help with basic command training. We will gear our visits more towards leash training and walks
We offer puppy care packages and are happy to help you determine which is right for your furbaby.
2 walks/daily $30 (20 min visits)
2 walks/daily $34 (30 min visits)
1 visit daily 30 min $18
1 visit daily 20 min $ 16
As needed Visits:
20 min $17
30 min $21
- Happy and content dog
2 x 20 minutes visits daily
|Per day
1 x 30 minute visit daily
|Per day
Pet Sitting
All of our care is done in the comfort of your own home – to keep your pet in a familiar environment. Pet sitting offers an attractive alternative to boarding your pet at a kennel or cattery. Our pet sitters will provide personalized and loving care tailored to your pet's needs. We are a 24-hour service and will make visits at any time of the day, as needed.
We understand how difficult it can be to leave your furry baby behind when you travel for vacation or business. By offering peace of mind, our professional and reliable pet sitting service takes the worry out of traveling from home. Pet sitting offers an attractive alternative to boarding your pet at a kennel or cattery. Our pet sitters will provide personalized and loving care tailored to your pet's needs. We are a 24-hour service and will make visits at any time of the day, as needed. Dogs, cats, rabbits, reptiles, birds, hamsters, and other small animals are all part of our Metropawlitan family.
Dog Sitting
Are you going on vacation and need someone to care for your dog or puppy? We offer 2-4 visits daily. We offer 20 min to hour long visits/walks. The visits are tailored to keeping your pup to their regular routine and minimizing the stress of you being away. Your pup(s) will be walked, fed, given fresh water and lots of TLC.
Cat Sitting
Cats prefer to stay home and not deal with the stress of being boarded or having to travel. Let one of our cat whisperers care for your kitty. Our goal is that you come back to a happy and healthy cat.
With a former vet tech on staff, rest assured we can safely administer insulin, subcutaneous fluids and any other medication to your kitty. We have no problems with giving difficult kitties meds as well.
Small Animal Care
We love rabbits, birds, hamsters, iguanas and all the pocket animals. We will make sure they are fed and their crated area/litterbox or cage is cleaned out and fresh bedding is added.
Day Stay (Companion Care)
Does your pet need extra attention and a drop in visit isn't enough? They may have just had surgery and need extra help or have separation anxiety. One of our trusted sitters can stay with your pet for an extended time. We offer 2, 4 and 6 hour visits to ensure your is happy and comfortable. Please contact us to discuss your situation and pricing. ( For contact, please have it ling to the contact page).
Litterbox and Cage Clean Out Only
We are here to help. We will come by during the day and clean the litterbox or cage. We will scoop out the waste, add fresh litter and clean up surrounding area. We can also do a full scrub of the litterbox. For cages, we will clean out area, add fresh bedding and clean surrounding area.
This service is perfect for:
• Women who are pregnant and concerned with contracting taxoplasomis
• People work a lot of hours or have a busy schedule and unable to tend the litter box or pet cage regularly
• Families with pets who are ill so the litterbox needs extensive cleaning more often.
• Families who go out of town but has someone staying at the home who is uncomfortable cleaning a litter box.
• Someone who has an injury that prevents them from being able to clean the box properly
• Or Just unable to clean the litter box
Feed your pets per your instructions and provide fresh water with every visit
- Take dogs for a walk to get exercise, fresh air and a chance to go to the bathroom. (If your cats enjoy walking, we will walk them on a leash, too!)
- Brush your cat
- Administer pet medication, even insulin and subcutaneous fluids for an additional fee
- Clean litter boxes and patrol for accidents
Bring in mail, newspapers and look out for deliveries
- Check that your home is secure and safe from obvious hazards
- Dispose of pet waste per your instructions
- Alter lights and draperies
- Turn on radio or television
- Clean out small animal areas( i.e.rabbits, hamsters, lizards)
Clean out bird cages
Per visit
|20 minute duration
|30 minute duration
|45 minute duration
|60 minute duration
There is an additional $5 pet fee.
Overnight Care
We offer overnights for dogs and cats. Although most of our pets feel comforted knowing they are checked on regularly throughout the period you are out-of-town, half-hour pet sitting visits, even multiple times per day, might not be adequate for your pet care needs. Some pets might not be accustomed to being left alone overnight while other pets become destructive or howl/meow if they are alone during the night time hours. Puppies require extra attention and opportunities to relieve themselves throughout the night as they become potty trained.
With the overnight service, they will get their daily walks and feedings, then we sleep over with them at night to keep them company! And like regular pet sitting visits, we can also attend to some of your other daily requirements like your mailbox and your plants.
Metropawlitan Petsitters offer comprehensive and compassionate vacation care for animals of all shapes, sizes and species. Dogs, cats, rabbits, reptiles, birds, hamsters, and other small animals are all part of our Metropawlitan family.
If you have a family with a dog we can offer three visits a day (breakfast 7-9 AM, afternoon 12-3PM and late night 8-10 PM).
If your dog needs to go out more often (senior and young dogs) we recommend four visits a day (breakfast 7-9 AM, late night 8-10 PM and two other day time visits up to your preference).
For cats and small animals, we can visit daily or every other day at an anytime during the day.Our normal window is 7am-7pm. If you need a more specific time block for visits due to health reasons or eating habits, please ask.
- The comfort and security of being in their own surroundings
Tons of exercise
Potty breaks
Lots of playtime
Fresh water. Meals and snacks – especially bedtime cookies.
UNLIMITED cuddles, love, belly rubs and TLC
A pet experienced professional with your furbaby for the full night
Regular communications and updates from your pet sitter
Photos of your pets at home and saying good night and sweet dreams mom and dad.
If you select the option of overnight + a break, you will receive a report after the walk detailing where you pup went, what he saw and did. Your walker even includes photos in your daily report.
The extra security of having your home occupied while you are away
All the services we offer for pet sitting are included if a Metropawlitan Petsitter stays at your home
Peace of mind
Happy and content dog
Overnight for up to 2 pups
|Midday play and potty break
|$105 per 12 hours
|Without midday play and potty break
|$90 per 12 hours
If you have 3 or more pets, there is a $10 additional fee per dog.
House Sitting
Would you like your home to be cared for while you are away? We provide daily security checks and maintenance to your home while you are traveling.
We can collect mail and packages, water indoor/outdoor plants and maintain a lived in look while you are away.
Not all Metropawlitan fans have furry pets. Really. Having a caring and reliable person check on your home while you are away keeps plants happy and thriving plus serves as an additional safety measure. Metropawlitan Petsitters and staff are bonded and insured for your peace of mind.
Do you have a plumber, painter, or technician coming and suddenly you've been called out of town for business? Avoid the hassle of rescheduling them when a Metropawlitan home sitter can let workers in, handle all the details, make sure the job is done properly and then lock up when the job is completed.
We can't be you – but we can make your life a lot easier.
Open and close drapes
Program lights and the TV to turn on and off at differing times
Check that heat, A/C, and water is set appropriately and functioning as intended
Bring in the mail and newspapers
Take the garbage to the curb on the appointed day
Water and chat with your indoor and outdoor plants*
Turn lawn sprinklers on and off for the amount of time you prefer
Offer security and peace of mind that an alarm system just can't equal
Per Home Check Visit
|20 minutes
|30 minutes
|45 minutes
|60 minutes
One time need
|Plumber/painter, technician, etc.
*For other than a normal amount of house and outdoor plants needing specialized care, please contact us with specifics; we will send you a personalized quote.
Pet Taxi
Work has you skipping on Fido's appointments? Don't worry, we can help. We provide your pet and you with safe and dependable transportation to and from anywhere in the DC metro area. We transport for emergency and non-emergency situations. We can take your pet to the vet, grooming and trainer appointments, boarding facilities, doggy daycare, airport (BWI, Dulles and Reagan International) and other pet related locations. Our goal is to ensure that your pet has a stress free move and given the luxe treatment!
We know normal taxi services are do not transport animals due to health rules, dander, and other issues. But we're pet people and love doing it- even when it's snowing.
Wherever in the metro area your vet, groomer, trainer, family, doggy day-care facility, or doggie play-date is located, we get your pet(s) there in comfort and hassle free.
Need to get your pet to BWI, Dulles or Reagan International for travel or a move? Metropawlitan specializes in transporting and relocating pets safely and stress-free. We can arrange for your pet(s) to travel safely and in comfort. We work closely with you on everything from logistics to needed vaccines if you're going abroad. Let us know your pet relocation needs and we'll work with you to find the best solution.
Airport transportation from your home, office, or hotel
Metropawlitan's driver will pick your traveling pet up at the front door, load your luggage and dog or cat kennel into our van and drive you and your pets to the airport in plenty of time catch the flight.
If you need a ride home from your return flight, let us know in advance. We will need airline, date, and time of your estimated arrival and a quick confirmation call prior to your boarding for your return flight.
Whether you are moving to or from the DC metropolitan area. We can help you with the process. Relocating pets is an important service. With pet parents around the world needing to move for home relocation, new job, job relocation, rescue and shelter pick ups and adoptions. There are many reasons why you may need us. Our goal is to minimize the stress that occurs when moving in or out of an area.
Here are a few things we do:
• Make sure that all necessary shots are current and that all paperwork is in place.
• Make sure all international requirements are met including import permits.
• Pick up your pet at your house and deliver him to the airport.
• Meet him at the destination airport and deliver him to your home.
• Provide assembled travel kennels.
• Provide ground transportation for state to state relocation.
Contact us to discuss your needs and pricing.
Per trip
|Round trip transportation service to your pet's appointment
|One hour /one way transportation to or from the airport
One time need
|Plumber/painter, technician, etc.
Please note any additional time (wait time) is charged at $15 for up to 20 minutes and $20 for up to 40 minutes. From that point on, we log an hourly price of $30 for the next 60 minutes.
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Batala Bar has mastered the Momol—and other happy hour staples
We're talking local mojitos, beers, and some good bambanog
- Batala Bar
- Bar
- 2F 830 Arnaiz Ave., Makati City
- 3 p.m. to 12 a.m. Tuesdays to Sundays
- 0918-9082262
- @batalabar
Is there any way to make happy hour even happier? Getting drinks at a cheaper price is always a good thing, but Batala Bar's found a way to make it even better.
"Everything here is local. The concept of this place is to really highlight Filipino products and make sure we do them well, and give them the justice that they're due," says Batala Bar owner Bryan McClelland. The Bambike founder established this new bar as part of the Philippine Artisan Trade, a lifestyle gallery that offers a platform for Filipino artisans and crafts to be displayed and showcased to more people. "People might come to check stuff out, and then they'll stay for the drinks," McClelland says.
Not only do they make the products of quality Filipino craftsmanship more accessible, they also put the spotlight on local spirits and ingredients through their selection of cocktails and craft beers.
For something classic, go for the Momol—"Mojito mojito lang," McClelland explains, when asked what the cheeky cocktail name stood for. Made with fresh mint (picked from their hydroponic system), fresh calamansi, white rum, and soda water, Batala's mojito is cleaner, leaving you with no feelings of "what is this drink even supposed to be?", just letting you enjoy the drink, with its eco-friendly bamboo leaf stirrer, too.
You can also take it to the next level, if you know what I mean: The Momox (Mojito mojito extreme) has a double portion of everything, including the mint, so the flavor and the liquor do not overwhelm.
A more citrusy drink, which is sure to bring to mind the mid-afternoons of summer, is the aptly named Flores de Mayo, which has gin, pineapple juice, calamansi juice, and a shot of bambanog. You can also order a shot of bambanog—bamboo-infused lambanog—on its own.
You can also just sit and unwind with a cold beer, as Batala Bar has a dozen options available. They don't get the similar brews from different breweries, as they aim to have a clear variety. "We want our taps to have a spectrum, so we have different brands," McClelland says. He also aims to promote more local beers, as the creativity in them run deeper than just the brews, but in the entire branding as well. "Filipinos are very creative, they have different animals and characters created to tell the brand identity (on the beer bottles and other packaging). And there's so many good beers."
Pair the craft beers or cocktails with some bar chow. Batala Bar may switch up the menu every so often, so be sure to catch the gazpacho while it's there. A hefty bowl of cold tomato soup, served with crunchy toasted bread on the side—it's something so surprisingly addicting, you might want to ask for more bread. (McClelland shares that it's his mother's own recipe.)
The quesadillas, stuffed with Vigan longganisa, do not disappoint either. A good idea: opt not to dip it in the sauce and instead drizzle some (insanely chemical) hot sauce from Garapal. An even better idea: Down it with some ice cold local beer like Engkanto's lager.
For a space meant to push a socially relevant cause, it sure knows how to do it in a way that's easy to appreciate and enjoy.
TAGS: bambanog Bar batala bar beer cocktails craft beer local philippine artisan trade
They use fresh and local ingredients for their cocktails. Try the Flores de Mayo, which has a mix of gin, bambanog, and pineapple and calamansi juice, or the Momox, a double strength mojito with also twice as much mint.
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Attention beer fans: You can now buy tickets to this year's Oktoberfest at a discount
Laing can be fun snacks, too. Here are 3 easy ways to do it


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I bought this cherry diamond from Open Source Minerals absolutely ages ago and am embarrassed to admit that it had been sat languishing in a draw with no plans for what to do with it. Then along comes a customer. Continue reading "Cherry Diamond Simplicity Ring"
Tag: simplicity collection
Square Moissanite Simplicity Ring
I'd be wanting to make a square version of my simplicity rings for a while. And, as is often the way, I don't get round to it until a lovely customer comes along and requests it as a bespoke commission! On this occasion the customer was looking for a large cube with a square moissanite set in it. Continue reading "Square Moissanite Simplicity Ring"
White Gold Simplicity Collection Ring
My Simplicity Collection features softly brushed silver & gold with gold discs and moissanite gemstones as subtle accents. Up until now I've made the moissanite engagement rings in yellow gold so it was a lovely to be commissioned to make the moissanite engagement ring in 9ct recycled white gold with a 9ct recycled yellow gold wedding band to contrast…
The mix of white and yellow gold together is one I love as it's so simple but effective.
Simplicity rings are designed to be worn stacked so you can mix and match them how you like and create your own unique ring set. All of the silver & gold in this collection are 100% recycled & moissanite is an ethical lab created gemstone.
I have some Simplicity Collection rings that are ready to ship or if you are interested in commissioning a piece of jewellery from this collection please contact me.


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A Republican state senator apologized on the Senate floor Wednesday for what Democrats called "bigoted, racist" remarks he posted on his Facebook page, including one that implied President Obama is related to members of a terrorist group.
The comments by Sen. Michael Willette, R-Presque Isle, on race, Islam, immigration and the president have drawn national media attention.
The president was the primary target of a conservative meme that Willette posted March 1, touching off calls by the Maine Democratic Party for his resignation and a request from Democratic senators that the Republican's remarks be publicly repudiated by Senate President Michael Thibodeau, R-Winterport.
The Portland-based chapter of the NAACP also called on Thibodeau to remove Willette as chairman of the Legislature's State and Local Government Committee, and to examine whether he committed any ethical violations as a state lawmaker.
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!


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A new wind energy development company, Weom, has been started by a director of NedWind Holding, Dick Kooman. Kooman is also a former director of wind turbine company NedWind, a subsidiary of NedWind Holding. Weom has been set up to develop, build and especially finance wind farms in Holland and elsewhere. According to Kooman, Weom was established to reduce the financial risks of such activity for NedWind. Although an offspring of NedWind, Weom is completely independent and Kooman says that if a wind turbine other than a NedWind is seen to be more economic, Weom will not hesitate to use it. At the moment WEOM is involved in twelve projects in Holland and abroad.
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Why social media is not a good comparison of success in business
Apps such as Instagram have made it easier to weigh up metrics with competitors, but is this always healthy?
Instagram started a testing phase a few months ago that involves hiding the number of likes a post receives. The test rolled out in countries including Canada, Ireland, and Japan. Last week, Instagram chief executive Adam Mosseri announced that Instagram will start hiding the number of likes for US users.
Number of likes for a post will be visible to a user on a personal account, but not to those following them. Instagram is undertaking this as part of its efforts to make the app a safe place online for people to engage and communicate, and to compare themselves less to others based on the numbers of likes a post receives.
Social media apps have made it easy for businesses to check out the competition, explore the latest marketing trends and connect directly with customers. But it has also made it common to hear comments from many entrepreneurs along the lines of: "How come they receive more likes?" or "They have so many likes. I'll never be liked like that". It had resulted in a number of entrepreneurs and users continuously comparing how they are doing in business and in life with the curated feed that others post online. This continuous comparison has resulted in depression and loneliness.
A study by the University of Pennsylvania, published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, explores this aspect. Researchers randomly assigned 143 undergraduate students to two groups: either to continue using social media apps the way they do, or to limit their time on Instagram, Facebook, and SnapChat to 10 minutes per app a day. Those who spent less time on their social media apps, reported significant reduction in loneliness and depression.
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A study by the University of Pennsylvania, published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, explores this aspect. Researchers randomly assigned 143 undergraduate students to two groups: either to continue using social media apps the way they do, or to limit their time on Instagram, Facebook, and SnapChat to 10 minutes per app a day. Those who spent less time on their social media apps, reported significant reduction in loneliness and depression.
When building a business, looking at competitors and evaluating how they operate is necessary, but don't let it take over your life. Comparing your business to other businesses online could quickly lead you to feel discouraged. Part of my job entails me to always be on social media and to keep up to date with how different platforms and influencers operate, but that unintentionally made me feel overwhelmed. I thought I needed to do this or do that, or maybe customers would be interested in this service. My brain was on alert the whole time and it wasn't healthy.
Luckily there are two ways you can break free from the comparison cycle, for you to keep focused on your business development and growth, and to use the apps in a more positive way.
Even if your job requires you to always be in the know when it comes to social media, it is necessary to dedicate certain times in your day to doing that, and to go online with the intention of expanding your knowledge. For my work, I've dedicated an hour in the morning for my social media update session, and then it stops at that. I'm also trying as much as possible to break the habit of checking my social media feed when I'm waiting in queues. Instead, I read blogs, and other news. When I dedicated a specific time each day, I found that I was still connected and up-to-date, without letting the apps take over my life and feeling that I'm always online.
When on social media, you may find yourself comparing the first day in your journey to someone's day 1,000, and that is not fair. A lot of times we see people posting about their milestones and achievements online, but what we may not see are the hours and efforts they've invested to reach where they are. We need to always keep in mind that what people post online is curated content, and doesn't necessarily reflect the entire reality. Focus on your own efforts, on your journey, and always look at how far you've come.
It is natural to be constantly on the lookout to compare yourself to other businesses and see how they are evolving. Realising where you are in your journey, limiting your social media feed intake, and not letting others' success and what they post on social media overwhelm you are important steps in your journey towards achieving your goals.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati journalist and entrepreneur, who manages her marketing and communications company in Abu Dhabi
Updated: November 17, 2019 10:51 AM


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Thanksgiving Feast at Peace
28th Nov 2013
Yes, that's Mrs. Molzahn, the Pilgrim! The pumpkin pie was a hit in Mrs. Proski's class. Ms. Geneva's class read a book called "This is the Turkey." Be sure to ask your child about this funny story where the turkey ends up in the fish tank. What a fun day!


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State Taxation department lawyers and others have spent a lot of time developing a work-around, proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, that is supposed to blunt the impact of tax deduction limits in the GOP/Trump tax cuts. These limits, says Cuomo as well as other Democratic governors, will hit Blue States particularly hard due to their higher property taxes and the subsequent reliance on big income deductions to defray that cost. It's an especially big deal deal in Long Island and other New York City suburbs where school taxes can easily exceed $10,000, which is the new federal deduction limit.
Here's the story:
Even as a number of school districts are looking at doing so, the federal government is warning against creation of charitable trusts and other measures designed to counter new federal limits on tax deductions that came with the Trump/GOP tax cuts.
As a result, efforts by some high-tax school districts to ease the deductibility loss may be on hold.
"Our recommendation is to take a wait and see approach given the uncertainty surrounding their legal status, especially given the IRS's recent pronouncement," Michael Borges, executive director of the state Association of School Business Officials said in an email Thursday, after the federal Internal Revenue Service's warning came out earlier in the week.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo in April signed legislation that would let school districts set up charitable trusts that homeowners could donate to. Since such donations can be deducted from income taxes, the idea was to retain the historically large deductions that people get when they write off their school taxes.
That was needed because the new federal tax cuts came with a $10,000 cap on the deductibility of state and local taxes. Numerous homeowners, largely in the New York City suburbs of Westchester and Rockland counties as well as Long Island, pay annual school property taxes above $10,000. Losing that deductibility would be equal to a substantial tax hike and there are fears the increase could spark an exodus of people to lower-tax states.
The IRS, however, is now warning that it plans to scrutinize and issue guidance on the use of charitable contributions.
"Despite these state efforts to circumvent the new statutory limitation on state and local tax deductions, taxpayers should be mindful that federal law controls the proper characterization of payments for federal income tax purposes," the IRS warned in a notice issued on Wednesday.
There is no timetable for developing the new guidelines, however.
Municipalities as well as school districts could also set up charitable trusts under New York's plan, but much of the interest has focused on school districts since they typically consume a good two-thirds of most homeowners' property tax bills.
Cuomo and other governors of Democratic-led states including New Jersey and California have repeatedly described the $10,000 deductibility limit as a political attack. Such states tend to have higher taxes and therefore use the deductions to a greater degree.
In addition to creation of charitable foundations, lawmakers in New York also want to allow employers to pay an added payroll tax in lieu of the state income tax paid by employees who earn more than $40,000. That could counter instances where high earning employees would see a higher tax bill if they could only deduct the first $10,000 of income tax payments.
All of these proposed workarounds have drawn criticism from observers who view them as overly complicated and legally questionable.
"As we have made clear in our research, state workarounds are legally dubious and make the tax code more complex and regressive," said Jared Walczak, senior policy analyst for the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C. group that studies tax policy.
Among the problems cited by Walczak is case law that says contributions are supposed to be for charitable reasons, which wouldn't include public school systems.
On the other hand, experts like Borges note that other states allow federal credits for donations to private or charter schools. Voiding school contributions in general could endanger that.
New York budget officials have tacitly admitted their workarounds may not fly. The 2018-19 state budget references what could be a "material expense" to the state if the IRS disallows the plans.
Politics aren't far from the surface in these discussions. Several mostly Republican-led states including Florida, Georgia and Arizona allow tax credits for those who donate to private or charter school scholarship funds.
New York doesn't allow such credits, although state Republicans as well as some school reform activists have long pushed for that.
email@example.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU