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Social Policy and Old Age Provision
Social Security and Public Insurance
This project is devoted to an article in the Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging edited by John Piggott and Alan Woodland. It sets three accents: (a) Public pensions have large positive/negative impacts on macroeconomic performance: If well designed, they prevent poverty, yield incentives for labor force participation and stabilize consumption in times of crises; if ill designed, the opposite is possible. The macro implications are still underestimated in actual international pension policy decisions. (b) The main channels for large macro impacts are behavioral impacts on labor supply, saving and intergenerational exchange. We know a lot about these micro implications; often, they are nevertheless ignored in policy decisions. (c) The underestimation/ignorance of micro/macro implications is an example why economic design cannot abstract from political economy aspects. This project has been successfully completed with a chapter published in the Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging edited by John Piggott and Alan Woodland.


text: Matt Galeotti and Michael Quinn have been practicing carpentry, construction and timber frame building for over a decade now. Both growing up in Haywood County, they have been involved in the community with local projects, groups and sports. Their work can be found in many homes and businesses around the county, and have many references available upon request.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hiperfire PDI RG Drop-In Trigger
110% Money Back Guarantee
HIPERFIRE's customer base has clamored for an AR drop-in trigger that features the "feel" and hard-hitting hammers its triggers are known for. Most aftermarket drop-ins are notorious for Light Primer Strikes (LPS). To get the pull weight down, designers have compromised their hammer fall. Not so with the new PDI line of triggers. These drop-ins pull at around 2 lbs. and sport HIPERFIRE's unique HIPERSHOE that now mounts onto a curved bow, not just straight. The hammer strikes surpass SAAMI's copper crusher spec and hit harder than MIL-spec M4/16 hammers. Wow! The pull? It's single stage. It's short, sweet, and smooth as butter. The "feel" is almost transparent to the shooter. To top it all off, no PCC blowback violence can touch it. The four PDI versions feature a hammer collision bumper. Its disconnector and disconnector spring are impact and crush protected. Is it just for PCC? No way. It's just an excellent trigger. Anyone can appreciate it shooting slow, fast, short-range, or for long-range precision, and on the move, it surpasses SAAMI's rough handling specification.
Product Features
- Power Drop-In
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- Other US Patents Pending
- Curved Trigger Bow with a Backbone™
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Product Information
Manufacturer: HIPERFIRE
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[/vc_column_text][porto_block name="product-arm-or-ally"][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Arm or Ally is a stocking dealer for all Faxon Firearms, Ballistic Advantage, Rosco Manufacturing, Aero Precision, Toolcraft, Elftmann Tactical, HIPERFIRE and more. See our growing inventory of AR Parts and Reloading Components.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]


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BD Entertainment, a division of BD Performing Arts, provides live performance entertainment opportunities in professional settings. The organization has and continues to work with clients in various industries and locations, both domestic and abroad. From movie soundtracks to television commercials, sporting arenas to corporate events, over the past decade "BDE" has played a leading role in the growing pageantry entertainment industry.
For several years, BD Entertainment has provided fun, high-energy entertainment for Bay Area sports enthusiasts as the San Francisco 49ers Niner Noise and the Golden State Warriors "Aftershock" performance ensembles.
This year, the NFL season is kicking off with even more excitement. With the cooperation of Drum Corps International, BD Entertainment is thrilled to introduce the Official Drumline of the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday at the team's home opener at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The drumline will perform for both pre-game festivities and in-game entertainment, featuring sixteen talented performers from the Indianapolis area. The group has been rehearsing at the DCI offices in downtown Indianapolis, utilizing the System Blue drums that were worn by the Blue Devils in the DCI World Championships just a few weeks ago at Lucas Oil Stadium.
If you're enjoying a 49ers or Colts game this season, be sure to look for a drum corps connection through BD Entertainment!


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Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
The proposed budget and budget message, and all supporting schedules shall be a public record in the office of the Finance Director, open to public inspection by any interested citizen. The Finance Director shall allow the proposed budget to be printed or otherwise reproduced and sufficient copies thereof made available for use in all line departments. Interested citizens may obtain a copy of the budget from the Town at a cost to cover the fee for printing or view online.
View the most recent budget (PDF) or past versions of the budget.


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Content ID
USDA Requires Reporting of PEDv
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the USDA will require reporting of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus
(PEDv) and swine delta coronavirus in order to slow the spread of this
disease across the U.S. This is in an effort to further enhance the biosecurity and health of the U.S. swine herd while maintaining movement of pigs.
The virus, fatal to almost 100% of infected piglets less than 2 weeks old, isn't an airborne threat. However, it can spread easily throughout an entire facility by only a small amount of manure.
USDA is taking this latest action due to the devastating effect on swine health since it was first confirmed in the country last year, even though PEDv it is not a reportable disease under international standards. PEDv only affects pigs, does not pose a risk to people, and is not a food safety concern.
Read more about the virus here.
"USDA has been working closely with the pork industry and our state and federal partners to solve this problem. Together, we have established testing protocols, sequenced the virus and are investigating how the virus is transmitted," said Vilsack. "Today's actions will help identify gaps in biosecurity and help us as we work together to stop the spread of these diseases and the damage caused to producers, industry, and ultimately consumers."
Along with requiring the reporting of the virus, tracking movements of pigs, vehicles, and other equipment leaving the premises must be reported. The USDA is working with industry partners to increase the assistance to producers who have experienced the virus outbreaks such as disease surveillance, herd monitoring, and epidemiological and technical support.
USDA's Farm Loan Programs is working with producers to provide credit options, including restructuring loans. In the case of guaranteed loans, USDA is encouraging guaranteed lenders to use all the flexibility available under existing guarantees, and to use new guarantees where appropriate to continue financing their regular customers.
USDA is already providing assistance to researchers looking into this disease. The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is working with the National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa, to make models of the disease transmission and testing feedstuffs. So far, this modeling work is contributing to experimental vaccines to treat animals with the disease. ARS also has a representative serving as a member of the Swine Health Board. USDA also provides competitive grant funding through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative program and anticipates that some applications on PEDv research will be submitted soon. In addition, USDA provides formula funds to states and universities through the Hatch Act and National Animal Health Disease Section 1433 for research activities surrounding this disease.
Source: USDA


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The random musings of a crafty chocoholic.... Thanks for dropping by my blog. Leave me a comment and let me know you've been here!
Sunday, 31 May 2009
Party on
It's been another gorgeous day here. Very warm! Had a family party for Scott this afternoon which was lovely. He had a good time playing with his friends and got some lovely birthday presents. Managed to make his cards last night (well probably it would be more accurate to say early this morning) Once I find the cable I'll post pictures of them, I was quite pleased with them (for a change). I really need to go tidy our bedroom cos I just moved stuff from other rooms on to our bed so if we want to go to bed some time this evening it had better get done. Also need to wrap Scott's pressies too.
Saturday, 30 May 2009
It's been very very warm today! Summer has come at last. Been at Loudon Castle for the Sunday School trip all day. A great time was had by all. Boys are out playing in a friend's garden just now, you'd think they would be knackered, but oh no, they must have had a second wind. I must go and tidy the house - we're having a wee family party for Scott's birthday tomorrow afternoon although it isn't his birthday till Monday. And I really should get some cards made for him cos I doubt I'll feel like it tomorrow night ;o)
Friday, 29 May 2009
Bad news day
Just got news that a friend's mum died earlier this evening so I'm feeling a bit sad for her. We'd just found out that Mixu has resigned as Hibs manager when we got the other news. Mixu's resignation seems a bit trivial now but I'm sad about that too. Pray that tomorrow is better xx
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Will the 2 small boys in bed
please go to sleep! Grrr, they're both tired, why won't they go to sleep?! The girls are coming round tonight for our usual crafting Tuesday. Got some cards to make so should really get on with them, 4 at the last count (including one for a certain DS who will be 4 on Monday). It's funny but I am the woman quoted as saying "I don't scrapbook", and now, I can't be bothered making cards and just want to get on with some lo's. Inspire me someone. Been a busy day, went out for a very long walk first thing with my friend, Liz. It's great to get exercise in the fresh air and a gab while you're about it. This afternoon I had to go up to the church as it was my week on the gardening rota. I am knackered now after all that fresh air. I'm hopeful of a second wind though cos I really need to get on with these cards. Susan xx
Monday, 25 May 2009
How you remind me...
I can't believe I haven't posted this already but Nickelback were amazing! I hope there was no one of a nervous disposition there as there was a lot of banging with fireworks going off!! Never a dull moment eh? Sunday was the Sunday School promotion and prizegiving service at church. As Craig is going in to P4 he was promoted to a different class. The friend I was sitting beside kindly provided me with a packet of hankies but (and this is very unlike me) I didn't need them! We had intentions of getting up this morning and going through to visit Edinburgh Castle but we never made it. Don't think DH or I had the energy to get there. Ended up going to see Bolt at the Odeon kids club. We met Sandra, her mum and the kids there so the 4 kids pleaded to be able to play together after lunch and being the lovely parents that we are we agreed so Sandra and the kids came down after lunch which was good. I've managed to upload some more pages, some are finished, some are not. This is a lo of my mum aged around 2-3(I'm guessing), she's on a beach somewhere carrying her potty. Can't think of a title and am thinking of embellishing it a wee bit further with some more flowers (poss nesties) under the photo. Scott and his friend Igglepiggle on a sea front ride in Scarborough on holiday last year. Still a title to go on it but haven't thought of it yet. This is a photo of my Dad (in the middle), his cousin and his uncle. Just to add the journalling.
Saturday, 23 May 2009
The sun has come out...
at last! It's been a bit of a dreich old day here. Craig has had a friend round to play this afternoon and Scott went round to play at Sam's house, so it's been a bit of a quiet one round these parts. Went round to Sandra's last night for a couple of lemonades... felt very very dodgy this morning. Must have been the onion rings ;o) Off to see Nickelback tonight which should be good. As I sit here I look at the mess that 2 boys have caused and I should probably tidy up but hey, ho. I'll leave it til later. Not much crafting done this week apart from a truly horrible card I made for a friend's sil's wedding. My friend asked for a Cath Kidston style card, which I have achieved but it is so not to my taste. It's pink and flowery, should have put some butterflies on it too, that would have made it even more horrible!! So, I will not be posting that effort up here. Got some ideas for some pages so hopefully will get some crafting done over this long weekend.
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
Check out Debbie's birthday blog candy on Passion for Crafts!
No time for housework...
After yesterday's exertions I have done no housework today :D My friend came round for me at 9.20am this morning and we went for a very very long walk. So long, in fact, that I only just made it back here in time to get the car and collect Scott from nursery at 11.15. Think that should do on the exercise front till next week ;o) So, that's housework and exercise covered for the week. More time to devote to crafting.... I wish. Kirk Session meeting tonight and it was predicted to be a long one so I had to postpone our usual crafting session until tomorrow night. The prediction came true and I got home from the meeting at 9.55, so I had a cuppa and a read of my book. Don't think I'll be doing any crafting tonight though.
Monday, 18 May 2009
Monday Monday
And what a busy bee I've been! With the boys at school and nursery I decided to tackle the mess that was the cupboard in our bedroom. There is now space to put everything in it and we don't need to have the ironing table, washing basket and hoover every time we need in to the cupboard. I even found my driving license (which has been missing for ages). Scott went to a friend's house after nursery and then around 12.30 his wee friend's mum phoned to ask if it would be ok to take Scott to the transport museum! I accepted her kind offer and had time to myself up till 3 when I collected Craig from school. I'm now going to settle down with a cuppa and DCI Gene Hunt. What could be better on a Monday?!
Sunday, 17 May 2009
Rain rain go away...
Where did the summer go?! It's been raining for a few hours non stop now (at least I got the washing in before it started though) Turned up at the swimming pool for Scott's swimming lesson, got him changed and then discovered that there were no swimming lessons on today. Grrrr!! They said "oh we told you last week", er, if you had I don't think I would have turned up! Lovely roast dinner tonight, thanks to my aunt for bringing it and to DH for cooking it. Lovely. Showed my aunt the page I've done of my dad and a couple of other men and the one I've done of my dad, my aunt and my grandparents. She was able to tell me some stories behind the photos and gave me an idea for the title of one of them :D I hope I can capture the stories in my journaling. And as that's in my mind maybe I should go craft. My lovely friend Sandra made me a beautiful ideas book for my birthday (which was in April) and today I actually wrote something in it! Better late than never eh?!
Saturday, 16 May 2009
It's the weekend!
And thank goodness for that. Busy week at work even if I do only work 3 days. Wasn't in the office at all and spent Thursday and Friday in the Edinburgh office. Still haven't managed to title those lo's I did the other night *hangs head in shame*. Maybe tonight ;o) I had to make a birthday card last night for my friend's birthday today. I do like to put pressure on!!! Never make a card today when absolutely last minute will do. Went shopping earlier this morning with my £10 Braehead voucher so I bought myself some books in the 3 for 2 at Waterstones, I'm a happy bunny :D As the weather was so rotten this morning, after I came back, we went back to Xscape and took the boys bowling (Craig got a bowling voucher for his birthday and this was us just getting round to using it). We finished there and went for lunch to the China Buffet King (kid's suggestion), bleugh, I hate that place! Any road, I've uploaded some more photos.... these ones are just of Craig.
Thursday, 14 May 2009
An award
From the lovely Cass, thank you xxx Go to her blog and check out her gorjuss cards ;o) And, as kind of promised - these are the only lo images I have on the laptop, didn't manage to title Tuesdays work yet and my camera seems to be acting up a bit :o( This is the boys on holiday a couple of years ago with giant chocolate coins!!
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
Productive Night
I was very productive last night. Did 4 layouts, they just need their titles putting on them and they'll be ready for show! Now, all I have to do is get myself up out of this seat and get the pages out and I really have no excuse for not doing it as DH is away out to watch the Hibs game.
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Busy day
Can't believe it's Tuesday already - I hate Tuesdays like people hate Sundays as Wednesdays are my first day at work :o( Had a picnic in the garden at lunchtime with Scott and then we went to collect Craig from school. Craig got his eyes tested and my friend looked after Scott while we went - the chances of monkey boy sitting still while Craig was getting his eyes tested were slim to non existent. Out early this evening for a Pirates and Princess sponsored walk for Christian Aid. Boys had a great time and they were absolutely knackered, however, they both seem to have had a second wind and they are currently chatting in bed.... I'm off shortly round to a friend's for some crafting. Usually the girls come to me but we're having a change of venue this week. I'm sure it will be a late one as usual and then work tomorrow.....booooooo... :o(
Monday, 11 May 2009
It's summer!
Well, it feels like that when you get a bit of sun in Scotland and lets face it we don't often see it that often. Been at a parent council meeting tonight at the school. Hadn't been for a while so it was good to catch up. The head was telling us about her budget per pupil for this year. Shocking! We were discussing, amongst other things, about arranging stuff for the kids for the end of term. Wish i was still at school, they sound like fun. Not much done in the way of crafting for the past couple of days. That said I did throw together a card for a friend's daughter who will be 14 tomorrow. Got some old magazines out last night and made some sketches of lo's I'd like to try - got this month's Scrapangels kit last week and within a day I'd produced a fab lo (even if I do say so myself) but when I tried to do another it just wouldn't come together. Hoping the sketches will help.
Sunday, 10 May 2009
Woosh, the weekend's almost gone..
and where did it go?! Busy day yesterday - went to the Spring Papercraft Extravaganza at my local craft shop (Craftology) first thing. Bought some goodies (couple of Hello Kitty sizzix dies, Hero Arts coupon stamps and the PB Dino Party stamps). After I came home from there the boys and I went over to my friend's house for lunch and a play. She has 5 boys so my 2 were loving it!! Then, very late last night, I decided to sort out my paper stash. Bad idea. I gave up around 1am having only achieved a mess on the living room floor. Church this morning and then swimming lessons to get to. While DH was at lesson with DS2 I managed to sort the paper!! Wayhay ;o) I went for pattern and then colour sorted within the pattern. Yes, I know that's very sad, but I did discover lots of things I'd forgotten about. Thinking of going to do some crafting now. And maybe, if I work out how to do it, I'll upload some photos later (or tomorrow).
Saturday, 9 May 2009
Dipping a toe in...
to the world of blogging. Never done anything like this before, wasn't even good at keeping a diary as a child!!
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Time for a Brew?
Hello. Today's card for Whimsy uses a Meljen's image - Cinnamon Harvest Mug. I'm not sure about Cinnamon/Pumpkin etc type co...
Morning. It's time for another challenge at Christmas at Sweet Stampin'. This month our theme is Travel/Transport ...
Merry Christmas. A jolly Santa Whimsy card today - although I'm sure that he's now tucked up in bed having a well earned rest! ...


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Visio Training:
San Jose Online
Visual diagrams are essential in communication in the work place. If your company needs to do a rollout, implement a new procedure, or train employees to perform new and old tasks, a Visio flowchart can summarize this workflow succinctly. Need to map out your company's employee hierarchy? Visio also makes creating an organizational chart easy. This Visio Intro training in San Jose is taught by instructors with real-world, consulting experience that bring industry experience to the classroom. As a part of this course, you will learn to:
- Navigate and optimize your efficiency using keyboard shortcuts and features on the Ribbon.
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- Create a basic flowchart using AutoConnect and other efficient alignment tools.
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- See full outline for Visio Online Training San Jose
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Online Live Training:
Dec 28 9am - 4pm day - register
Visio Training Reviews:
Rated 4.7/5 based on 34 student reviews.
Informative. Helpful. Enlightening.
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Excellent coverage of the basics for Visio.
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Very useful tricks, easy to follow the instructor.
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The class really helped me. The instructor was great!
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It was great! Best class ever!
- Joana , Sacramento
Very Good and helpful. Very professionally conducted. Good learning experience.
- Murali Seshadri, Proteus Digital Health Inc, Redwood City
It was a very detailed visual explanation. The instructor took time to discuss our main questions and issues.
- Juana Tomas, YuMe Inc
Very informative.
- Kim Huynh, County of Santa Clara, San Jose
* Note: This class description is for Visio onlinr training in San Jose. We also offer Visio online classes in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento.


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The easiest, most precise and fastest way to warp layers along a path.
Have ever wished After Effects has a "Spline Deformer"? Then say hello to Boa!
- Warp any source along any mask path
- Rotate and twist along the path
- Full control over start, end, scale and z position along the path
- Mesh definition and sub-sampling for complete quality control
- Extrude and contour in 3D!
- Reacts to comp camera and lights
- Super fast rendering
- Fully native plugin


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Don't look now, but there's something new inside your body. Or, more specifically, something that's now being classified in a whole new way ― scientists just discovered a new organ in 2017, and if you're wondering what precisely its function is and why the decision was made, you're not alone. So, what is this strange new organ known as the mesentery, and what does it do?
The simplest answer is that it holds your stomach and intestines in place, tethered to the inside of your gut, preventing things from sliding out of place in potentially painful and dangerous ways. Up until now, that's basically the only function that's ever been attributed to the mesentery, a double-layered, serous membrane known as the peritoneum, which attaches the intestines to the abdominal wall. Beyond that, up until now it wasn't thought to merit much deeper scrutiny, for the simple reason that it wasn't considered a part of the body's system of organs.
But now, with it finally having been classified as such, the scientific understanding of its function in the body is only going to increase, and that's very good news for anyone suffering from hitherto unsolved or difficult-to-diagnose abdominal ailments. More research into the mesentery as an organ (and in particular, what role it plays in disease) can only lead to more knowledge for medical researchers and practitioners to bring to bear.
So why does something like the mesentery suddenly get classified as an organ, when for centuries it was never considered as such? The answer lies in the enterprising work of Professor J. Calvin Coffey of the University of Limerick in Ireland, whose microscopic research of the mesentery revealed something that had gone unrealized throughout centuries of internal medicine.
Namely that rather than being comprised of a series of individual, fragmented structures that adhered the intestines to the abdominal wall, the mesentery is a single structure, wrapping and folding around in one long, continuous piece of tissue. While many people think of organs in the human body as being a relatively narrow list ― things like the heart, brain, liver, and so forth ― there are actually dozens of them. They're not all vital in the way the major organs are, but they're still centrally tied to health and wellness.
In fact, with the addition of the mesentery, there are now 79 officially classified organs in the human body. As BBC News notes, the world's leading medical textbook, Grey's Anatomy, has already been updated to reflect this new addition. And as Coffey himself states in the release by the university's research administration about the discovery, the implications for abdominal and digestive health, and for the proper classification of mesentery-related diseases, are considerable:
This is relevant universally as it affects all of us. Up to now there was no such field as mesenteric science. Now we have established anatomy and the structure. The next step is the function. If you understand the function you can identify abnormal function, and then you have disease. Put them all together and you have the field of mesenteric science … the basis for a whole new area of science.
Obviously, it's too early to know all of the eventual outcomes from Coffey's discovery ― the full weight of it will likely take countless hours more research, and investigation into whether the body's newest organ plays a role in a slew of abdominal and intestinal conditions. But for the time being, that a new realm of scientific study has merely opened up is terrific news.


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Guest Blogger: Seth Victor
Today I discovered the "Fur Is Green" campaign, sponsored by the Fur Council of Canada. I don't think anyone who reads this blog will find this campaign anything less than absurd. While I could possibly see someone buying the "Respect for the Land" and "Respect for the People" prongs, I find immense tragicomedy in the "Respect for Animals" section. Adorned by earthy tones and trendy phrases like "eco-conscious," and the particularly nauseating Beautifully Canadian link (to be clicked at your own risk), the site proudly proclaims, "Nothing is wasted!" The Fur Council wants you to know that we already use animals in practically everything we do, and that the fur trade represent less than one percent of the animals killed in the name of human use. Beyond that, they take care not to trap outside of the regulations developed by Agriculture Canada, and that no endangered species are every used; apparently, they are either never caught by advanced, discriminating traps, or they simply are not used, whatever their actually fate may be.
I think most environmentalists looking at "Fur Is Green" will recoil from its message and not be swayed into purchasing fur lined boxers over environmentally destructive synthetics. I am, however, aware that there are campaigns that emphasize the eco-friendly aspects of hunting, which have their own merits, so perhaps I am wrong. What disturbs me about this campaign is not how effective it may be, but how quickly this decade's environmental movement is being eroded into a pop culture term devoid of meaning. If the Fur Council can adopt its butchering as a green alternative, I hesitate to think what other environmental disasters could be given the stamp of approval. Prof. Cassuto already mentioned Orwell's comment about how words matter, but it bears repeating.
Moreover, this campaign illustrates how anthropocentric environmental concerns can be. If fur is good for the environment, we must be excluding other mammals from inclusion in this sustainable world. What kind of world are we saving from pollution by not choosing synthetics? Often when people talk about factory farms as an environmental disaster, they are addressing the methane and waste pollution, but not the cows who are deprived of a full life.
Lastly, I wonder how many people are disturbed by the Fur Council's reasoning, but are not bothered that the exact same reasoning underlies the laws that keep farmed animals in the atrocious conditions in which they exist. Fur Council assumes that since we are already using animals, we should continue to do so, and that it is actually something of an accolade that they do not come close to destroying as many lives as food production does (I must say that this is the first time I have seen that percentage spun in this manner). How, I ask, is this any different from state laws that allow current industry norms to dictate legal standards for animal treatment, or the underlying philosophy that animals should be denied legal rights because they do not have legal rights? Furthermore, what does that say about Fur Council's aforementioned standards of care? There is no difference, and yet I am willing to bet that many people who are outraged by this site will not think twice about their next hamburger.
Filed under: animal advocacy, animal cruelty, animal ethics, environmental ethics, factory farms, Uncategorized | Tagged: animal abuse, animal cruelty, animal ethics, animal suffering, animal welfare, environmental advocacy, environmental law, environmentalism, factory farms, farmed animals, fur, Fur Council of Canada, fur farming, Fur Is Green | 3 Comments »


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Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
The Sebastian Police Department's Awards Program is designed to recognize and honor the meritorious, exemplary and heroic service of members of the Department.
If you wish to commend the actions of any Sebastian Police Department employee, complete the Awards Nomination Form (PDF) and:
Nominations will be reviewed by the Awards Selection Committee for consideration and presented to the employee at an Awards Ceremony or in a manner as deemed appropriate, a copy of which is placed into the employee's personnel file.


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Riot Games has announced First Strike, a new major tournament for its game Valorant.
The game developer revealed First Strike in a blog post on the official Valorant website. Whalen "Magus" Rozelle, Senior Director of Global Esports at Riot, explained that First Strike will officially establish regional champions for the game and described how the tournament will be conducted.
"First Strike will be the first tournament produced by Riot Games and an important foundational step to establishing regional legacy," Magus said in the blog post. "As we continue to plan ahead for the future, our approach will continue to be heavily driven by the core principles shared earlier this year."
First Strike will launch in the second half of October with regional qualifiers. Generally, players who are 16-years-old and older with the rank of Immortal 1 (which is the bottom tier of the second-highest rank in the game) are eligible to compete, but Magus advised prospects to closely follow Riot in the coming days for details on the tournament's rules. The matches will take place in North America, Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Turkey, Asia, Oceania, Brazil and the Middle East.
Prior to release, Valorant was one of the most hotly anticipated games of 2019. When Riot began developing the game in 2014, it was only known through rumors and whispers as Project A, one of the several secret projects in production at Riot.
The game's official reveal at the League of Legends' 10th-anniversary event sent shockwaves throughout the industry. Not only was it Riot's first big game announcement since League of Legends (which continues to be the gold standard of esports games since its release in 2009), it also turned out to be a tactical first-person shooter, pitting it directly against Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
CS:GO and its predecessor Counter-Strike, both developed by Valve Corporation (sort of — it's a long story), have been the dominant FPS esports games for the past 20 years. With Valorant, many viewed Riot as Valve's first serious challenger for influence in the space.
Some prominent players from other scenes have already begun swapping over. Jay "sinatraa" Won announced his switch to Valorant a year after winning the Overwatch League Grand Finals in 2019 with the San Francisco Shock and being declared MVP.
Riot began establishing Valorant's esports with the launch of the Ignition Series in July. With the announcement of First Strike, Riot seems determined to keep the spark going.
If you enjoyed this story, check out In The Know's article about the time Tyler1 tried Vegemite for the first time and had his face frozen in horror.
More from In The Know
Cyberpunk 2077 campaign will be shorter than Witcher 3's because of flaky players
This pan is great for small spaces and 'can do basically everything'
5 Kindle books In The Know editors can't put down
Your WFH space need this wireless keyboard that's $60 less than Apple's


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In February it was revealed that renaissance man, HitRecord honcho himself, Joseph Gordon-Levitt was mounting his first feature-length directorial effort. A comedy starring actor and Scarlett Johansson, to anyone who's ever paid even a modicum of attention to Gordon-Levitt's HitRecord operation — a open-collaboration production company/burgeoning multi-media mini-empire of short films, music, media of all trades — the actor turning feature-length filmmaker is no real surprise.
A romantic comedy about a modern day Don Juan who goes on a journey to become less of a "selfish dick," the film appears to be trucking along nicely as one more actor, Julianne Moore, has joined the fray.
While described thus far as an untitled effort, and penned by JGL, the script has been floating around with the title "Don Jon's Addiction," but presumably that's not the picture's final title. Variety says Moore will play an unlikely mentor to Gordon-Levitt's lead character. It's unclear if this project is next for the cast, as Moore is expected to shoot Legendary Picture's "The Seventh Son" later this year, so it may mean "Don Jon's Addiction," or whatever it eventually goes by, has to wait a beat before it can go before cameras. We haven't read it yet, but clearly we have a comedy that's going to revolve around sex, romance and men being asshole lotharios, which should be a nice change of pace acting-wise for JGL.
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While most of us would run at the sound of gunshots coming from a bank, a mother's instinct prompted one woman to head toward the danger: 48-year-old Kathleen Khalid ran into the bank because her son was there cashing a check.
Upon her arrival she found a security guard struggling with a suspect with a gun. She helped him wrestle the man and detain him for police. For that act of bravery she's being honored with the district attorney's Courageous Citizen Award, it was announced today.
It happened in July of 2008. The suspect eventually pleaded guilty to a count of attempted robbery and was sentenced to 28 years to life. We imagine the son could never live down the fact that his mom saved the day, but we're sure he's grateful.
The D.A. is also recognizing two men who helped a woman survive an attempted murder and a man who stopped the beating of an elderly man in a traffic altercation.
Ryan Bertrand, 37, and Jeff Beaudoin, 38, helped a woman who had just been stabbed in North Hollywood in 2007. Beaudoin pursued the suspect unsuccessfully while Bertrand, a former U.S. Marine with first-aid training, helped to stem the victim's bleeding. The woman survived and in spring a jury convicted the defendant of attempted murder.
Reseda's Ronald Thompson, 24, intervened in the beating of a man who had just been rear-ended in a traffic collision. The suspect got out of his car and punched the victim. Thompson was on a bus and instructed the driver to pull over so he could help. The suspect drove at Thompson and hit him in the leg, injuring him slightly. The suspect, in turn, got a lifetime ban from driving.
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.


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Adventure in Quebec
Are you a trill seeker or an expert of relaxation? For certain, you will have never-forgettable experience with a great variety of activities and outdoor adventures.
Among the natural beauties is Quebec there are plenty of lush parks and reserves.
For the Hiking-lovers Quebec region suggest kilometres of hiking trails which are open all the time during the year. Crystal-clear lakes all around, walks along rivers, forests rich in biodiversity. The Ever-changing beauty of the nature, diversity of breath taking viewpoints overlooking - Haven't you start to backpacking yet?
In the city Area in Quebec, those who are adventure addicted or dreamers can visit marvelous waterfalls, some of it with height taller than Niagara Falls. We are talking about the waterfalls at Montmorency Falls Park.
One of the most amazing national parks, Jacques-Cartier, you can visit incredible glacial valleys or hike to the spectacular summits of Sentier des cap, Charlevoix.


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When Mary Barra testified before Congress she argued that she had no influence on, or knowledge of what was going on in her company. And now she's on the cover of TIME's 100 most influential people list.
Anyone who watched Congress grill Barra will understand why it's so strange to see the new GM CEO on the cover. Question after question, Barra stated that she was not aware of any of the details regarding the Cobalt recall right up until January of this year.
I've put together a timeline right here that gives you a sense of what was known when within GM (according to an incomplete set of public documents). It points out that Barra held important executive positions in engineering while GM's engineering teams quietly shuffled away the issue of a cheap, faulty ignition switch turning off cars while they were driving.
And so Barra testified that she had no idea that was going on, that she was not aware of what her jurisdiction within GM was up to, that she was really shitty at her job. By testifying that since she knew pretty much zilch about anything, she basically said was not influential at all.
This made sense, because if she had said that she did know what was going on but she didn't act on it, she could open her company up to criminal investigation. So she had every reason to argue that she had been a know-nothing for years.
And here she is on the cover of TIME! I guess saying that you've been bad at your job for decades is all it takes to get you on the cover of irrelevant magazines these days.
I could try and reach out to Barra for comment, but I have the feeling she is still investigating whether she is influential or not.


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LEGEND SIROYA office
10 / 05 / 2015
Our design concept revolves around the core of our clients business. A custom designed screen shows a process of developing where small pieces come together to finally form a block and eventually a structure. A tall concrete wall represents a never-ending drive to build. First few steps are designed interestingly and can be used to sit and even have a small discussion. A suspended wooden and metal staircase leads to the director's office. Spaces are layered one behind the other creating a mysterious and dramatic experiences for users and visitors.
Materials like concrete, exposed brick, wood, metal and glass used to design are also key to the business. Rajasthani Jarokha, an age old wooden base from a column add a touch of tradition to this modern office.


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A memory of the Great December Downtime in EverQuest II
It was just about ten years ago.
EverQuest II had be live for a little over a month. There were troubles. After having a couple weeks to itself in the market, World of Warcraft launched and the harsh comparisons began. It wasn't that EQII didn't have some better features than WoW… for example, I have always felt that EQII's version of in-game maps was superior… but in a market that, up until that moment, had been dominated by EverQuest, it was something of a fight to see which of the two would become EQ's true successor. After all, EQ was more than five years old at that point, and who plays a five year old game? It was practically on death's door, waiting to hand off to a new generation.
And in that fight, EverQuest II was not faring well. Some people I knew who came from EverQuest had either gone back or moved on to WoW at that point. EQII was down, but not out. The game was still growing, this still being the age of the slow ramp rather than the sudden spike.
SOE was trying to fix things that were becoming a hindrance to players. We were destined to get floating quest markers over NPCs and changes to the woefully inadequate quest log and the first of many revamps to the crafting system. SOE knew they had to adapt. They could see WoW.
In our guild, a mash-up of players from the EverQuest guild Knights of Force, the TorilMUD guild Shades of Twilight, and a few fellow travelers from the Old Gaming Veterans clan, things were holding on. A few players had dropped out of the game, though they were mostly the non-MMO players from OGV who went back to playing Desert Combat. But for the most part we were holding in there, grouping up to run through zones or crafting away.
On voice coms we mocked those who ran off to Blizzard's cartoon MMO, though there was a feeling that maybe EQII wasn't the true successor to EQ. The early buzz around Brad McQuaid and Vanguard had started. That was going to be the real deal. But for now, EQII was the best we had, so we put up with locked encounters and experience debt and system requirements that burnt out more than a couple nVidia 6800 GT cards in our guild. (I was running with a 6600 GT card, which meant I had to keep the graphic settings modest, but I also didn't need to replace the damn thing… or my power supply… over and over like some. There is probably a post in "video cards I have run" some day.)
We were coming up to a good stretch of game play. The holiday's were coming. Like many people in our guild, I had a stretch of time off and was looking forward to some good, solid chunks of game play time.
Then, as we were headed to that first weekend, SOE applied some updates and restarted the servers.
And they did not come back up.
Here is where the details get a bit vague. I recall the game, or at least our server, being down pretty much Friday night through Sunday, a huge patch of premium gaming time washed away.
But concrete details are not easy to come by.
The SOE forum posts, all the status updates and such, have long since been washed away by changes to the forum software. The conspiracy nut in me suspects that they change the forums every few years just to dump bad memories and excess baggage.
I mentioned that Massive Magazine did an article about the incident in their first issue. That was just about two years after the event, when memories of the whole thing were sharper. I think I still have a copy stuffed away in a box. But we packed up and moved houses since then, so if it is in a box somewhere, it appears well hidden.
Digging around the web, I found some references to what happened. Terra Nova mentions the event, but links the SOE forum thread, long since gone, and a site called MMORPGDOT, also a distant memory. (And looking at the internet archive only shows them making a very brief mention of the event.)
Likewise, there is a mention of the even happening at Slashdot, written by Michael Zenke, which links to a few sources, including the SOE forums, all of which are long gone save the Terra Nova post mentioned above.
Other news sites that cover MMO don't go back that far (Massively) or went through changes or otherwise appear to have purged their archives beyond a certain point.
This is one of those points when I wish I had started blogging sooner. Two years earlier and I would have written something about this, as I wrote about the great Sony hacking of 2011 which brought down both the PlayStation Network and SOE. (Not to be confused with the great Sony hacking of 2014.)
So I started nosing around at various blogs just to see what people were writing about when the downtime occurred. A lot of the self-hosted blogs from that era have disappeared, or have had database problems, but a few still linger. (My Great Survey of Linking Blogs post helped out. I will have to do another of those at some point.)
However, it did not seem to garner much attention. The event coincided with Raph Koster's book, A Theory of Fun, hitting the shelves. There was a discussion of niche games in the MMO market, which still seems relevant today, and something about what WoW would mean to Dark Age of Camelot. (Or something of a contrary view.)
The only real mention I could find amongst the few blogs remaining from the time was by Tobold, for whom the server down time meant moving to WoW ahead of his initial plan. (Poking around also got me to this then-so-current WoW vs. EQ2 post at GameSpy.)
So here I sit, vague memories swirling, wondering how big of a deal the whole thing really was at the time. Certainly evidence of the event has faded from the internet and worse things have happened. Didn't Arche Age just have a similar incident.
I think our own guild was emotionally entrenched in EQII at the time, so we just carried on once things were up again.
Do you remember the Great December Downtime of ten years ago?
Can you find anything else about it on the net? If you find something I'll add a link to the end of the post.


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Slide Text
Welcome to the Department of Spanish and Portuguese
The Department of Spanish and Portuguese stands with all who are advocating for racial justice. For our full statement and additional resources, please click on the "SPPO's Statement on Advocating for Racial Justice" button below.
Read our Newsletter!
Spanish and Portuguese releases an annual newsletter detailing all of the current happenings and events within the Department. If you want to keep up with the latest research, news, and stories out of your favorite department, then check out our newsletter!


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Bulimia Nervosa in Adolescents
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Aug 31, 2022.
What is bulimia?
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder. You eat a large amount of food in a short period of time. This is called binging. You then vomit, use laxatives, starve, or exercise for hours to prevent weight gain. This is called purging. You do this at least 1 time each week for several months.
What increases my risk for bulimia nervosa?
Bulimia usually begins between the ages of 13 and 28. The following may increase your risk:
- Being overweight or thinking you are too heavy
- Not feeling good about your body
- A need to be perfect, or setting high goals
- Participation in a sport or activity that values thinness, such as gymnastics, wrestling, or modeling
- A history of anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive thoughts
- A family history of an eating disorder, obesity, or problems with substance abuse
- Not having good relationships with family members, or stress or trauma
What are the signs and symptoms of bulimia nervosa?
- Not being able to stop eating, usually secretly or when you are alone
- Worrying that you are fat even if your weight is healthy or too low, or your weight goes up and down often
- Often being bloated and having constipation or diarrhea
- A sore throat and tooth decay caused by vomiting
- A puffy face and throat, dehydration, or thinning hair
- Calluses or cuts on your knuckles if you use your hand to make yourself vomit
- In girls, monthly periods that are irregular or stop completely
- Feeling cold all the time, or tired, weak, dizzy, or lightheaded
- Being moody and depressed, believing self-worth is tied to weight, or talking about food and weight all the time
How is bulimia nervosa diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will examine you and check your height and weight. Your provider may ask you to fill out forms about your eating habits. You may have a hard time talking about your weight or about bingeing and purging. You may also have trouble asking for help. Your provider may recommend you work with an eating disorder expert who specializes in working with adolescents. The following tests can help your provider understand how bulimia may be affecting your body:
- Blood tests will show if you are getting enough iron, calcium, and other nutrients.
- Urine tests may be used to check for signs of dehydration.
- Bone density pictures may show bone loss that bulimia can cause. Your risk for bone loss is higher if you are female and no longer have a monthly period.
- An EKG may be used to check your heart's electrical activity. Bulimia can lead to heart rhythm problems.
How is bulimia nervosa treated?
Bulimia is a life-threatening medical condition. Treatment may need to take place in a hospital or clinic. Treatment will be more effective if you understand the seriousness of the condition and truly want to get better.
- Counseling is an important part of treatment. You may work with healthcare providers alone or in a group. Group counseling is a way for you to talk with others who have bulimia. Counseling may center on helping you replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Family sessions can help everyone in the family understand bulimia and what to do to help you.
- Nutrition therapy means you will meet with a dietitian. Others in your family may also meet with the dietitian. Together you will develop a healthy meal plan. It is important to eat 3 to 5 structured meals a day to reduce the urge to binge. You might need to learn how to prepare healthy food. You might also need to relearn what it feels like to be hungry and full. You may be asked to keep a food diary and bring it to future visits.
- Medicines are sometimes used to help treat bulimia or the health problems it causes. You may get medicine to help improve your mood, control mood swings, and decrease obsessive thoughts. Vitamin or mineral supplements may also be needed if your nutrient levels are low because of bulimia.
Treatment options
The following list of medications are in some way related to or used in the treatment of this condition.
What can I do to help myself?
- Be patient. Recovery from bulimia is a process that takes time. You may have a binging and purging episode after a long period of healthy eating. This is common. Work with family members and healthcare providers to get back on track with healthy eating and healthy exercise. Try not to be angry with yourself for the episode. It might help to talk about your feelings with someone you trust.
- Focus on a healthy self-esteem. Think about everything you like about yourself. For example, you may be a talented artist, or you may write well. Focus on those skills or talents instead of on appearance. Ask others not to comment on your weight or shape. Your healthcare provider can tell you healthy weight ranges for your age and height. It may take time before you are comfortable knowing your weight or seeing your weight as healthy. Remember your goals to build a healthy self-esteem. Be patient with yourself as you change your thinking.
- Have regular family meals. Help plan and cook meals. At mealtime, do not focus on your choices. For example, do not worry that you should take a larger portion or another helping. It may take time before you are ready to eat like others at the table.
- Spend time doing things you enjoy. Ask your family to make family time about being together, not about meals. Try to go to places other than restaurants, movies, and other places that feature food.
Where can I find support and more information?
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Office of Science Policy, Planning, and Communications
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 6200, MSC 9663
Bethesda , MD 20892-9663
Phone: 1- 301 - 443-4513
Phone: 1- 866 - 615-6464
Web Address: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
- The National Women's Health Information Center
8270 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive
Fairfax , VA 22031
Phone: 1- 800 - 994-9662
Web Address: http://www.womenshealth.gov
Call your local emergency number (911 in the US) if:
- You want to harm or kill yourself.
- You have pain when you swallow, or very bad pain in your chest or abdomen.
- Your heart is beating very fast or fluttering, or you feel dizzy or faint.
When should I seek immediate care?
- Your muscles feel weak, and you have pain and stiffness.
- You cannot stop vomiting.
- You vomit blood or see blood in your bowel movements.
When should I call my doctor?
- You are constipated.
- You have tingling in your hands or feet.
- You have pain in your teeth, mouth, or gums.
- You have new pain in your abdomen.
- Your monthly period is very light or has stopped completely.
- You have questions or concerns about your condition or care.
Care AgreementYou have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your healthcare providers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment. The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.
© Copyright IBM Corporation 2022 Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes. All illustrations and images included in CareNotes® are the copyrighted property of A.D.A.M., Inc. or IBM Watson Health
Learn more about Bulimia Nervosa
Treatment options
Care guides
Symptoms and treatments
Further information
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.


text: YESTERDAY was the inauguration of Kim Young Sam as president of South Korea. Government officials have promised an amnesty for criminal and political prisoners to mark this occasion. However, it has been reported North Korean sympathisers and prisoners accused of attempting to overthrow the government will not be included. Group Four of Amnesty International in Hongkong is working on the case of a respected Korean dissident who was arrested in August 1992 and accused of spying for North Korea. Kim Nak Jung was reportedly arrested without a warrant and then held incommunicado for at least 10 days, physically abused and deprived of sleep. On his inauguration as the first civilian president of South Korea it would seem appropriate for Kim Young Sam to act on this case and ensure a prompt and fair trial for Kim Nak Jung. C. HOMFRAY Ap Lei Chau


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PayJay – Get Paid Earlier!
What Is PayJay?
PayJay is an exclusive benefit of Changing Seasons Federal Credit Union. With PayJay, your direct deposit money is available to you as soon as your paycheck or government check initiates funds. PayJay gives you access to your money up to two days faster than other area banks and financial institutions. Click HERE for a quick video
Why Is There A Two Day Difference?
Traditionally, direct deposit funds are held as 'pending' for up to two days to verify funds. PayJay removes the pending status for Changing Seasons members and makes direct deposit funds available immediately.
How Much Does PayJay Cost?
Nothing! There are no fees to enjoy the benefit of PayJay. It is automatically included as a benefit of membership to Changing Seasons and enjoyed by those members who have direct deposit set up with us.
How Do I Sign Up For PayJay?
By simply becoming a member of Changing Seasons Federal Credit Union and setting up your direct deposit with us. All members automatically receive PayJay benefits. Not a member? Well, let's change that!
How Do I Become A Member At Changing Seasons?
Becoming a member is easy. Open an account online or visit our branch at 115 Mecaw Road in Hampden, Maine.
We're here to help. Give us a call at 207-945-6264, Monday – Wednesday from 9:00am – 5:00pm, Thursday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm.


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I often crave dips to go with my extensive collection of Gluten Free Crackers and since I am also not doing dairy, I've gotten somewhat inventive about making tasty spreads and dips to go with them. Today I decided to use several very ripe tomatoes and make something that is halfway between a spread I had in Israel that had roasted red peppers in it and Indian Tomato Chutney. It was a simple concoction seasoned with cooked onions, garlic and cumin seeds. I added just a hint of sugar and for me it turned out just right. It's simple to make and wonderful on crackers! I think it would also be good as a Bruschetta topping and also with goat cheese. It's tastes even better the next day and my son spread it on his English Muffin before putting his fried egg on top and thought it was delicious. During the winter, I am sure it would be good made with canned San Marzano Tomatoes too but it will likely need more sugar. I'm definitely going to serve this as an appetizer for a dinner party soon.
Tomato Spread with Cumin
3 large Tomatoes, stem removed and chopped
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 large Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped Red Onion
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
In a large frying pan, heat the oil and add in the onions and cook until they are soft. Then add in the Garlic and the Cumin Seeds. Cook until you can smell the Cumin, then add in the Tomatoes and the Sugar. Cook stirring until the Tomatoes break down and soften - about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and continue to cook, stirring frequently until the if becomes a paste. Serve warm or cold with Crackers or Grilled Baguette slices.
Five Element Analysis
Tomatoes belong to the Fire Family as they are so beautifully red. The Onions and Garlic Contribute the Metal Element as do the Cumin Seeds and the Rice Crackers, if you are serving these. The Olive Oil and the Grilled Bread (or Wheat Crackers) contribute the Wood Element. Only the small bit of Sugar brings in the Earth Element and the Water Element is missing completely. So, be sure to serve this before a meal that contributes those elements.


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Every year, the Peoples Gas Holiday Market brings festive seasonal cheer to our community of apartments in downtown Pittsburgh, PA in the form of a European-style winter village. From now through December 23rd, head to Market Square in downtown Pittsburgh to experience the winter wonderland come to life. Peruse through Alpine-style wooden chalets to find local vendors and unique holiday gifts, try your hand at seasonal karaoke, and check out exciting performances and light shows in the evening.
This year, over 25 vendors from near and far will be offering everything from custom-made jewelry to artisanal treats. Browse handmade wool jackets, gloves, hats, and scarves from Himala Home, Pittsburgh-themed coasters, dishes, trays, and magnets from Linda Barnicott Art and Gifts, and holiday-inspired wines spiced with traditional Gluhwein from R Wine Cellar. You can even pre-order a holiday dessert platter from Fabulous Homemade Cookies to bring to your family's seasonal gathering this year.
Every Monday and Tuesday evening through December 17th, you can try your hand at the annual Holiday Karaoke Contest, where you'll compete with fellow Pittsburgh residents to move on to the grand finale competition on December 23rd. The winner of the competition takes home a $1,000 grand prize, but you also have the chance to win exciting nightly prizes, and each competitor receives a gift for their bravery. Walk-ups are welcome as long as space allows, and you can learn more about preregistering here.
If you're more interested in being a member of the audience, the Market hosts daily performances on the main stage. Come down and check out dance groups, school choirs, acoustic artists, and local musicians.
The Peoples Gas Holiday Market is open daily starting at 11 a.m. For a full list of vendors, events, daily hours of operation, and more, head to their website. We hope to see you out there this season!
If you're looking for a home this holiday season, reach out to us today at The Cork Factory.


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Bhuvan Bam collaborates with Rekha Bhardwaj for song 'Saazish'
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 25 (ANI): YouTube sensation Bhuvan Bam has teamed up with veteran singer Rekha Bhardwaj for the new song 'Saazish'.
Written and composed by Bhuvan, the soulful track is sung by Rekha Bhardwaj alongside Bhuvan. Also, 'Saazish' has been featured in the seventh episode of Bhuvan's web show 'Dhindora'.
Talking about the track, Bhuvan said, "The song is about love and loss. It's about living some dreams and letting some go. And it's about how making this choice can be the most difficult thing to do. It's was truly a pleasure to have Rekha ma'am lend her voice to my composition."Rekha Bhardwaj has also expressed her happiness on collaborating with Bhuvan.
"Singing Saazish with Bhuvan was a wonderful experience. He's a very talented artist who has so much to offer to our industry. Saazish is a beautifully composed track and I'm looking forward to seeing how the audience responds to this soul-stirring song. I've enjoyed working on it and listening to it - I hope they will too," she shared.
Bhuvan has earlier crooned the 'Heer Ranjha' song. (ANI)


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Fear Free is an individual certification attained by staff members. Our entire staff is dedicated towards this movement and strives to provide the most positive experience for all pets. We currently have 2 Full-time and 1 Part-time Fear Free Certified Professionals. As staff members become certified they help others in our practice utilize the procedures and tactics to administer Fear Free Protocols in our every day at the animal hospital.
Click the logo to the left to learn more about Fear Free.


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The desire to share KNOWLEDGE and information is clearly innate. The production and dissemination of new forms of knowledge is highly useful for society and individuals in problem solving, and its various forms are widespread across different cultures.
Humans share a strong desire to understand the unknown. The search for understanding is a uniquely human characteristic that provides a profound survival advantage. The more we intuit and understand the world around us, the better we are able to adapt to our surroundings.
The quest for knowledge and understanding may have begun as a response to the biological imperative of the absence of a shared purpose. Each of us must discover his or her own purpose in life. And to do that, we must be able to gather enough knowledge and information that will lead us to ourselves, and help to explain the world around us.
Yet, often, societal pressures, personal bias, outright deception, and an unwillingness or inability to share information for one reason or another, prevent us from discovering and maintaining a sense of truth and reality in our lives. One way of coping with this problem is to pretend that there is no absolute truth, that truth and reality are unique human perceptions; that the truth is different for everyone. When what we really know is that 'you can have your own opinions, but you can't have your own rules'. Most of us suspect deep down that there are some truths, and that we can know them.
So where do we discover reality, if there is such a thing? What are the rules that define truth?
Edgar Allen Poe said, 'Truth is a pattern of consistency.' Fundamental laws and principles define truth.
The Universe contains all forms of energy and matter, including human perceptions.
Reality is a word that is synonymous with universe. It means the same as truth; you may think of truth and reality as one and the same, independent of human perceptions.
It must be what English author David Mitchell meant when he wrote that 'There is only one truth. All other truths are half-truths.'
Truth is unchangeable, while the understanding of truth changes with person, time, and circumstance.
Often the search for truth falls short. Sometimes it succeeds. Knowing the difference between half-truths and reality depends on our accumulated knowledge of the way things work. But for now, most of us must rely on our relative judgments and information gathering abilities in search of knowledge and truth.
The world is flat. The world is round. The former was thought to be true for centuries. The latter is known to be true today.
We are often told that there are no answers in life, only good or better questions. Yet we know there are simple, fundamental truths that exist, as well as insightful answers to a variety of thorny questions.
It has been a popular idea among philosophers for over a century that our brains do not have the capacity for 'objectively' representing the world. It has also been fashionable to suggest that 'reality' does not exist outside of individual perception; that, in practice, each of our brains 'creates' its own reality.
Of course, there is no way to prove or disprove this argument. It is true that we are prisoners of our own thoughts and feelings, and that we can't be sure what someone else is experiencing. It is also true that each of us develops a unique 'psychology' based on our experiences beginning with childhood and continuing throughout our lifetime. My pain or joy may not feel exactly the same as yours.
Not surprisingly, experiments show that individuals may experience reality in different ways. What I see as the color 'red' may be different from what you see as 'red'. That's why personal experience, known as empirical knowledge, is not always an accurate or reliable judge of reality or truth.
Yet there are many inferences that can be made about the way a human brain represents the world. Consider eyes for example. Our eyes have evolved to capture light in the visible spectrum and channel it to our brains for processing. This allows us to 'see' objects and events in our field of vision. The same is true for other senses, such as ears, nose, and skin. Even without strict evidence, we can be reasonably certain that light, sound waves, pheromones, and other sensory stimulants are fundamental characteristics of a universal reality that is independent of our perceptions. We have acquired this explanatory knowledge because of our ability to observe, analyze, and explain phenomena such as light, sound, and molecular motions of the air.
In addition, we are able to observe that when someone dies, when a person's brain no longer functions, the world continues on its course. It is more than reasonable to predict, then, that when plants and animals die, when we die, or if life on Earth would cease to exist altogether, that matter and energy, and the forces that influence them, will continue to proliferate throughout the universe.
Many animals, including humans, engage in elaborate forms of deception, self-deception, mimicry, and camouflage, within the social context of various partnerships and allegiances. Though useful weapons in the battle for survival, these strategies create what social biologist Robert Trivers calls a 'bias of information flow,' and complicate the search for truth.
Historically, iron rule, public consensus, organized religion, and courts of law have been arbiters of truth within society. Today, truth is verified through consensus, by internal feedback mechanisms, evidence checking, persistent information gathering, and analysis.
The scientific method, first employed by Galileo in the 16th century, functions as the primary verifier of truth in today's developed world. The process of generating scientific evidence and theory, which persists in all branches of science, is accountable through peer review and repeatable experiment. The rest of us must use careful explanations (when we can find them), our wits, common sense, intuition, and information gathering skills in our search for answers to meaningful questions.
Knowledge is knowing, the known. Like love and pain, knowledge accumulates and is processed in the nerve centers of our brains.
Knowledge is not information or data; it is not found in books or on the Internet. Knowledge is the product of converting information into meaning. This requires a long-term commitment to a certain degree of intellectual rigor along with trusting our basic instincts, which turns out to be something of a tricky charge in our fast-paced and get-what-you-can-now society.
Our basic instincts include Common Sense, which is a form of empirical knowledge. It is simple logic. If you don't want to get wet, stay out of the rain. Logical. Yet too often common sense can be overwhelmed by emotions, ideology, or over-intellectualizing. It can easily slip away from us when we most need it.
Intuition is an internal sensation, another instinct. It is incomplete knowledge, partial knowledge of something or someone. We may sense that something is important or awry, and not be able to explain or understand it exactly. Or we simply may not have enough information to convert it to use. Or we may act upon our intuition and find that we are exactly right in our assessment, or discover that it leads to a creative solution of a problem. Creative minds often use intuition to trigger a different way of looking at something, or to jump-start a new pathway toward discovery.
Common sense and intuition are useful in the everyday, but are often short-lived and have limited reach. Reliable explanations – explanatory knowledge – have widespread implications and are key to solving long-range goals and eliminating unnecessary pain throughout the world.
For most of us, it is often easier to act, or to feel strongly about something, than to think. Yet thinking is arguably the most important thing we do. Thinking widens our options.
It is thinking that produces knowledge. Thinking requires a certain amount of solitude. Finding time alone each day to consider things, or to solve a problem, is a big challenge in our current environment of busy life-jobs combined with the distractions of widespread media and entertainment. Constant distraction reduces our thoughtfulness and curbs our attentiveness.
Thinking critically is the foundation on which knowledge is built. Thinking deeply is a key to understanding the world. It not only can provide a big picture, but it forces attention to details. And it can change your mind.
The daily habit of thinking prevents others from telling us how and what to do, or doing the thinking for us. (see Pier Forni's book The Thinking Life: How to Thrive in an Age of Distraction)
INFORMATION is data. Data can be simple patterns of information, or they can be facts, depending in what form they exist and how they are used. Data are organized in many different ways, ranging from programmed systems that run your smart phone or computer to the inner workings of a human brain. The short history of computers is a tale of learning and developing the most optimal ways to program machines for human use. Similarly, brains have evolved to process sensory information and to make sense of it. Brain information is organized in many different ways, resulting in outcomes ranging from dedicated reflex actions to great works of literature, art, and music.
The reason that the world of Artificial Intelligence (machine intelligence) has been slow to realize its long-term goals of making machines that think, 'feel', and act like humans is that the difficulty in teaching a machine to convert information to knowledge has been hugely underestimated. Brains have had millions of years to evolve its complex functions. Computers are not even 100 years old. Still, due to persistence and combined human knowledge, we are closer than ever to achieving a true machine intelligence.
Working at Bell Labs in the 1940's, Claude Shannon discovered that any quantifiable information (letters, numbers, sounds, image pixels, etc.) could be represented by a series of digits. It was called Information Theory and created the foundation for the digital revolution. Shannon's theory, among other things, showed that digital information could be made nearly error free by a process of simple error correction. This formula was used to create high-resolution Audio CD's and DVD's. Along with many others, especially Alan Turing, Shannon's theories were responsible for the early development of the digital computer.
Today, collecting, storing, and processing massive amounts of information is known as Big Data. Large companies, organizations and institutions utilize giant data bases collected from satellites, smart phones, the Internet, banks, etc. comprising hundreds or thousands of interactive computers that are used to keep track of, analyze, and manage complex problems in experimental science, computer science, government, finance, and business.
Crowdsourcing is a form of Big Data where thousands or millions of independent Internet users around the world are dedicated to a single task, such as using a downloadable screensaver to Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) in space, or helping individuals or small groups to fund a creative idea or project (Kickstarter).
How we classify, manipulate, store, retrieve, and disseminate information in today's world is a subject of interest and concern for almost every discipline, business, nation, and individual. The Internet, Schools, Media, Private Industry, and Government all share public information. All of these cultural institutions have their special biases that make it difficult to sort out truths from half-truths, reality from deception. Also, sharing information publicly while at the same time preserving individual privacy is a difficult balancing act. Possessing useful information and knowledge is possessing power. Knowledge is power, and it is as powerful as anything we know. It is also power without authority or restriction, and therefore can easily be used for devious or destructive purposes. With scientific knowledge growing exponentially, with the widespread use of the Internet, and with an increased personal interest in understanding the world around us and how it works, it will become necessary to pay close attention to who controls the information, who is selling it, who is buying it, who is hoarding it, who has it, and who doesn't.
Here is a short dramatic sketch that may help to clarify the human dilemma concerning truth and reality:
(A small room with a window overlooking the ocean; Z. and A. sit across the table from one another; a vase containing flowers rests on the table.)
'Reality, and the experience of reality, are separate phenomena. Reality exists outside the boundaries of perception.'
'I agree. (pointing to the vase of flowers) The flowers in the vase, the vase on the table, the table, the window, the ocean, will live out their lives separately from our perceptions of them.'
'Yet, we only know what our perceptions tell us.'
'So then, what can we really know about the nature of a thing, such as the flowers on the table?'
'We cannot know for certain that the flowers are in the vase, on the table. Only statements about things are true, or false. And just how true or false a statement is depends on the precision of the words as they relate to the thing in question.
We can make statements about the flowers in the vase, on the table, etc. And we, or others, can attempt to determine the merit or truthfulness of the statements through available means of verification, such as consensus, critical analysis, evidence checking, or peer review. But we cannot simply assume that the flowers are in the vase, on the table. We cannot verify that things are true, outside of the context of language.
It is language itself that provides us with means to consider whether something is true or false. There is a significant difference in stating that something is true or false, with its implication of flexibility, and maintaining that it is true or false from an inherently determined position.'
'Naturally, this is an intriguing idea, and one with philosophical precedent. I especially appreciate the emphasis on the precision of language.'
'For myself, I consider anything that is real to be true. The many and varied activities taking place around and within us define reality, independent of human perception, and are therefore true.
All things, events in the universe are both real and true. The act of deception, for example, in an ironic twist, is part of human nature, part of reality, and therefore true.
Discovering truth is another matter. All known creatures are limited in their understanding. Humans, who speak and think, must rely on representational systems of verbal and written language, mathematics, and visual symbols to explore and define reality. We use these symbols to great advantage for the purpose of communication. At the same time, symbolic language presents formidable challenges in the pursuit of truth.
In the end, we must rely on our perceptions. And our perceptions are not always a reliable gauge of reality. However, when I look at the vase of flowers on the table in front of me, the window, the ocean, I enjoy a more or less true account of those things, depending on how closely my symbolic brain represents the patterns of energy and matter that define them.
A statement about an event may be true or false, but the event itself is consistent with nature, real, true.'
'So, do you think this puzzle on the nature of truth and reality is one in which we may ever agree?'
Click below to view a detailed essay on knowledge and anti-intellectualism in American Culture:


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E-retailers raked in the dough in what was one of the busiest online shopping seasons in recent years. According to research firm comScore, cyber shoppers in the U.S. spent over $35 billion from November 1 to Christmas Day – a 15 percent increase over last year's figures.
Individual shopping days also blew away 2011 numbers, said comScore. Thanksgiving Day saw an 18 percent boost, and Cyber Monday spending jumped 22 percent. Even Black Friday, traditionally a retail-focused shopping day, proved busy for cyber shoppers, seeing a 26 percent increase for a total of $816 million in sales.
"Holiday e-commerce spending has remained strong throughout the season, and we have now reached a record $35 billion in U.S. online sales for the season-to-date," said Gian Fulgoni, comScore chairman. "We can now say with certainty that the $1.25 billion spent on Cyber Monday will rank it as the heaviest online spending day of the season for the second consecutive year, but we should also note that it was accompanied by nine other billion dollar spending days this year."
The group's research also revealed that the purchase of digital content – apps, songs, e-books – on Christmas morning grabbed 20 percent of total e-commerce spending. On average, such items only contribute around 3 percent during the holidays, comScore added.
That's a lot of iTunes gift cards.


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This section contains 270 words
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The Beast in the Jungle Summary & Study Guide Description
The Beast in the Jungle Summary & Study Guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to help you understand the book. This study guide contains the following sections:
This detailed literature summary also contains Bibliography and a Free Quiz on The Beast in the Jungle by Henry James.
Literary critics generally agree that Henry James's career can be divided into three periods, the first from 1876 to the mid-1880s, the second from the mid-1880s to 1897, and the third from 1897 to his death. James's "The Beast in the Jungle" was written and published in the final phase of James's career (1903). Like other works composed during this period, this story's style is the product of James's desire to minutely render the permutations of an individual consciousness, in this case the mind of the story's protagonist, John Marcher. Thematically, this story can be linked to one of the greatest novels of his later period, The Ambassadors, which was also published in 1903.
Both "The Beast in the Jungle" and The Ambassadors, even if in different ways, present the reader with the idea of the failure to live life. "The Beast in the Jungle" is the story of John Marcher, who believes he is destined for a special fate. This conviction is so profound that instead of delving into life, Marcher chooses to live at life's fringe, waiting for this special event to occur. When, at the end of his life, Marcher decides that he was mistaken in his conviction, and that nothing of momentous import was in fact to be his destiny, he is left a broken man. He realizes that his exceptionality is of a purely negative aspect: "The fate he had been marked for he met with a vengeance—he had emptied the cup to the lees; he had been the man of his time, the man, to whom nothing on earth was to have happened."
Read more from the Study Guide
This section contains 270 words
(approx. 1 page at 400 words per page)


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Defence deal could open the door to weapons sales to Ukraine
Ukrainian defence minister says country only seeks 'defensive' Canadian-made weapons
The Trudeau government has signed a defence co-operation agreement with Ukraine, a seemingly mundane bit of statecraft that could have far-reaching implications for the eastern European country's bid to buy Canadian-made weapons.
The bilateral deal, signed this week by Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and his Ukrainian counterpart Stepan Poltorak, increases mutual co-operation in the areas of defence policy, education, defence research and development, as well as production.
It also opens the door for more direct Canadian military and defence industrial support for Ukraine, Poltorak said in an interview with CBC News.
- Canada extending military mission in Ukraine to 2019
- Ukraine looks to Canada to help modernize military
- Ukraine seems headed into protracted on-and-off war
Prior to the last election, the former Conservative government began examining whether to add Ukraine to Canada's automatic firearms country control list, which would allow Canadian exporters to sell the country so-called prohibited weapons.
Global Affairs Canada studied the request and conducted consultations for almost two years without coming to a conclusion.
Poltorak says his government views the new co-operation agreement as a step towards eventually getting on the list.
"I do hope this agreement will serve as the foundation for the future dialogue on the possibility of this sort of assistance to Ukraine," Poltorak said Tuesday in an interview conducted through a translator.
He emphasized the weapons his country is seeking would be defensive in nature and meant to repel attacks by Russian-backed separatists who have been using sophisticated, heavy weapons such as artillery and tanks.
"We are a peaceful country," he said.
Two human rights groups, Project Ploughshares and Amnesty International, expressed their opposition to the notion of Canadian companies selling weapons to Ukraine.
Aside from meeting Canadian political and military officials, Poltorak met Tuesday with defence industry representatives.
He also pushed his country's case for more aid and equipment.
Canada has donated a bevy of non-lethal military equipment, totalling about $16 million, according to access to information documents obtained by CBC News.
The support is in addition to the roughly 200 military trainers who are helping instruct Ukrainian army troops, many of them conscripts, in the finer points of close combat.
Overall Canada has provided $700 million in economic and stabilization assistance to Ukraine since Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula and backed a separatist insurgency in the east of the country.
Tweaks to Canada's Ukraine deployment
A briefing prepared for Sajjan last year says Canada has seen from Ukraine a "large volume of requests for military assistance."
The documents show there was an extended, inconclusive internal debate about providing armoured ambulances to evacuate casualties off the battlefield, something the Ukrainian government is still hoping will be coming through.
Poltorak declined to list what kind of equipment his country was seeking, but did say he pitched both Sajjan and Gen. Jonathan Vance, the chief of defence staff, on tweaking the newly extended training mission.
The proposal would not involve additional troops, but would reconfigure some of the training and perhaps sprinkle Canadians across two other training centres that are under construction.
"It would mean that instructors from Canada are engaged in training our personnel in different military exercise areas and the training programs they provide could also be diversified," said Poltorak, who did not explain what skills he believed could be added to current regime. "This is still a matter of discussion."
But he noted separately the Canadian military has a sophisticated system of command and control over its soldiers — something the Ukrainians could adopt.
As of mid-December, the United Nations estimated the death toll in Ukrainian conflict — both civilian and military — stood at 9,758 with another 22,779 wounded in the fighting.


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As well as inferior specs and a design that's hardlies 'mini', the LG G2 Mini also looks to be vastly overpriced as European retailers post it at €349.
LG raised more eyebrows than smiles when it launched the LG G2 Mini earlier this year, thanks to the seriously cut-down specs and not-exactly-dinky 4.7-inch screen. Attitudes towards this mini mobile are set to sour further now the €349 price has been outed, a serious slab of cash for a simple smartphone.
The trouser-browning price tag popped up this weekend on a couple of German online retailers, Saturn and MediaMarkt, and while of course it's possible that the price will update before the LG G2 Mini's release next month, €349 is looking like the grim conclusion. If this really is the case, we're anticipating sales to be less than amazing.
We actually quite liked the LG G2 Mini when we had a play at MWC 2014, and anyone with smaller hands should get on with the smaller design, even if 4.7-inches is far from mini (that's the same size as the original HTC One). The qHD screen is colourful and bright, but it's also a significant drop over the LG G2's 1080p display, while the processor and camera have also been downsized.
The resulting phone appears to be a respectable entry-level handset comparable to the Motorola Moto G, or the Nokia Lumia 625 (both the G2 Mini and the 625 support 4G). However, at €349, the LG G2 Mini is hugely overpriced in comparison – that's over twice the price of the Moto G, which boasts a sharper screen and similarly sleek design. You can also pick up the excellent Xperia Z1 Compact, the first mini phone to retain almost all of the original mobile's specs, for just £100 or so extra.
If we hear any updates on the G2 Mini's price, we'll let you know – in the meantime, feel free to vent in the comments below.


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Most gutter drainage issue are relating to the yards around the house. It can keep on causing problems until the Issue is resolved. You will end up with a huge mess in the gutter that needs cleaning. This is often due to excessive rain or frequent wrong disposition of water in the gutters.
The Issue Related to Yards Around The House
The yards around the house is the area outside the building till the walls or the boundaries of the house. Most problems are due to the slope of the yard which diverts water away from the house. The gutters in the front will get accumulated in that area with rain water mixed with mud. This is why you need to ensure that the yards are sloped according to the positions of gutter in the house.
The Walkways at The Front
Most people make this mistake and make walkways that do not let water be diverted away from it. Rather all the excessive water starts accumulating at the front or starts flowing in one direction only. You might ignore this but this will serious issues. That gutter will get accumulate with mud which will annoying issues like bad odor and spillage as well. This is why you must ensure that the walkways are made in a way that they divert water away from the house.
Why You Must Ask Your Plumber to Ensure There Are Downspout in The Front Yards
Downspouts are created in a specific drainage area so that rain water is not diverted away from it. Plumbers often don't make downspouts at all or just make them in the wrong places or the wrong gutters. You can learn about more issues related to this on many websites such as this one called https://www.plumbdog.com.au.


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Art is subjective. Everyone interprets art in their own way, and it may be different than what the artist's vision is. Here is one of the most captivating photos of the Srebrenica Genocide Memorial we have seen so far. The following photo, taken by Nicole Tung, is reminiscent of a grim road leading to the concentration camp where tortured souls of the Srebrenica Genocide victims rest in peace. You may have a different view of what the photo represents. After all, different views of art contribute to the beauty of art.
Click to Enlarge ↓
NICOLE TUNG -- The photo of the Srebrenica Genocide Memorial in Potocari was taken by Nicole Tung - a talented and beautiful photographer and writer studying journalism and history at New York Univeristy. She has been recognized for her work by Women in Photojournalism (juried exhibition, 2009), and received the James Fenimore Cooper Memorial Prize for excellence in journalism from NYU (2009), the Hearst Photojournalism III Award, the 2009 NYPPA.
Please visit Nicole Tung's official web site www.nicoletung.com!


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Today I was asked what a lender is looking for in a borrower and why is it so hard to qualify anymore for a home loan?
It may seem like a complex question but really it's comes down to the FOUR C'S OF CREDIT LENDING!
This is like your report card for lending. Your evaluation according to the Four C's ..goes like this!
Character... Refers to your financial history and if you are financially healthy. What is your credit scores? The lender will look at a two year history to determine your stability for income, job history. Your income is averaged over a two year period. Alimony and child support can be used but is averaged over three years. Here are a few items considered when a lender evaluated your risk factors.
- Have you made all your payments on time
- Do you have any delinquent accounts or collection accounts
- How much available credit do you have
- Total debt
- Income vs. debt
Capacity... This refers to amount you can afford and of course can you repay the debt. Lender's look at your income verse your debt to see if you are already tapped out or if you can support any new debt and if you can how much. With the new QM in effect your total Debt to Income with housing and other debts cannot go over 43% of your income. I have seen very few exceptions to this rule since QM took effect back in January 2014.
Capital... How much money do you have in savings and what has your ability in the past been for saving. Do you have a retirement or pension plan, do you have investments, properties or other assets that could assist you or be sold if needed. Having these types of reserves proves you can manage your money.
Collateral... This refers to the value of the house or property you are looking to buy and if this asset will be enough to pay back the debt should you default on the loan. In some cases you may be asked to pledge other assets to secure the debt.
As you can see this can be risky if all Four C's are not in place. No one wants to put you in a home if there is a high risk of you losing it and the bank foreclosing. They are not in the business of acquiring real estate and when they do, it has to be included back in their inventory as bad debt. This limits how much money they can then turn around and lend out. So there is good reason they follow this evaluation of your ability to repay the loan.
I hope this helps you in your preparation to buy a home.
I offer FREE Mortgage Coaching and a FREE Appraisal when you are ready to buy a home and when you are using my loan services, this credit is given at the time of closing.
Here is the link To Learn more about my FREE Coaching Program
I hope you will follow my blog, ask questions and commenting is always welcomed and appreciated
Thank you for stopping by today
Roxy Redenbaugh
ACMC Loan Consultant
Certified Mortgage Coach
Branch Manager


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Over 7,000 Bras Strung Up At Rivers Casino For Breast Cancer Awareness
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and many local organizations are doing their part to educate people about the disease.
That includes the Rivers Casino.
In all their glory, in different colors and sizes, over 7,000 bras were strung up along the River Walk.
The Susan G. Komen Foundation in Pittsburgh said the reminder should be that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the fight is going on for so many women and families.
The inspiration for this comes from those women.
"We have a lot of team members and a lot of guests who have a personal connection to this cause and we're just out here to support it and find a cure," Rivers Casino Assistant General Manager Bud Green said.
Rivers Casino started this event last year. They've been collecting bras for a couple of weeks, sweetening the deal by offering vouchers to play at the casino for all that donated. But, to help the cause even more, a large donation was made to Komen Pittsburgh.
"We were going to donate a dollar for every bra that was donated, but we rounded that up to $20,000 just to support the cause. It's a great cause and we're definitely glad to be part of it again," Green said.
Representatives with the Susan G. Komen Foundation said the money is certainly being put to good use.
"Anyone in the City of Pittsburgh or in the region actually, 34 counties, can get a free mammogram because of the Mammogram Voucher Program. And it's because of donations because of events like this that allow this to happen," Judy Herstine saod.
"And to keep the good deed going all of the bras will be washed and donated to charity.
More Local News
More Reports From Heather Abraham
Susan G. Komen Pittsburgh
for more features.


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A HOT new meat coupon is available on Coupons.com! Just go to Coupons.com (click here) and look for the $1/1 any Foster Farms Boneless Skinless Chicken and $2.50/2 Fosters Farms Boneless Skinless Chicken coupon! If you don't see it, use zip code 99218 to display the coupon and then click the print button on the coupons.com site.
You may be prompted to install a toolbar don't worry there are no virus's or malware with their toolbar it is 100% clean and just enables your printer to print coupons that can be scanned at your local grocery store. Keep in mind some of these coupons go fast so if you see a coupon you want to print then print it now as it may be gone tomorrow. Plus what's great is that you can print each coupon (2) times by hitting your browsers back button.
Go here to learn more about how to save money with coupons using Grocery University!
**This post contains my affiliate link. Thank you so much for supporting this site by using my links. Your support helps keep this site FREE and also helps support my families goals of becoming debt free and serving as international missionaries. To learn more about my affiliate links, please read my disclosure statement.**


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16,956 Posts
Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Performance nutters may grouse but car manufacturers can't really deny the high-efficiency end of the automotive market. For September's Frankfurt Motor Show, each of the German heavy hitters pulled out a lightweight and super efficient concept and in Audi's case it was both coupe and spyder version of the Audi Urban Concept. That Audi wasn't the only Volkswagen Group brand exhibiting such a car in Frankfurt likely suggested that the group as a whole was considering some sort of sub-MQB and sub Up! platform for these little city cars. Further, recent intel from various sources including CAR Magazine's Georg Kacher suggest Audi will build a limited run of the little car in series production.
As part of a story published this week by CAR, Kacher details his driving impressions of a non-show stand yellow-painted prototype dubbed Engineering Experience Module. Kacher sounds positive on the car's production potential though doesn't reveal much detail about the platform save it shares components with VW's XL1 concept (and likely the Frankfurt VW Nils concept).
Other intel in the media (we found at GermanCarBlog.com) suggests more detail, including a plan to build 999 copies and sell them for 9999 Euros each.
So What Do We Think?
We're unable to confirm the news published by GermanCarBlog, and they found it further in the European press. Undoubtedly though, we'd be surprised if Audi wasn't making moves to build out its e-tron line of electric cars and such a city car makes sense at least for Europe.
Read more of Kacher's report and also the GermanCarBlog piece after the respective jumps.
Full Story - Georg Kacher Driving Impressions at CAR Magazine
Full Story - Production Intel via GermanCarBlog.com