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My 20+ page study on verifying crowdsourced information is now publicly available here as a PDF and here as an open Google Doc for comments. I very much welcome constructive feedback from iRevolution readers so I can improve the piece before it gets published in an edited book next year.
False information can cost lives. But no information can also cost lives, especially in a crisis zone. Indeed, information is perishable so the potential value of information must be weighed against the urgency of the situation. Correct information that arrives too late is useless. Crowdsourced information can provide rapid situational awareness, especially when added to a live crisis map. But information in the social media space may not be reliable or immediately verifiable. This may explain why humanitarian (and news) organizations are often reluctant to leverage crowdsourced crisis maps. Many believe that verifying crowdsourced information is either too challenging or impossible.The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that concrete strategies do exist for the verification of geo-referenced crowdsourced social media information.The study first provides a brief introduction to crisis mapping and argues that crowdsourcing is simply non-probability sampling.Next, five case studies comprising various efforts to verify social media are analyzed to demonstrate how different verification strategies work. The five case studies are: Andy Carvin and Twitter; Kyrgyzstan and Skype; BBC's User-Generated Content Hub; the Standby Volunteer Task Force (SBTF); and U-Shahid in Egypt.The final section concludes the study with specific recommendations.
This blogpost was originally posted at http://irevolution.net/2011/11/29/inform… on November 29, 2011.


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A "Notice of Controversion" is, simply put, a denial of your workers' compensation claim under the Defense Base Act (or a claim under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act). If you received a Notice of Controversion in connection with a Defense Base Act claim, then you should read on. There is a whole process that you need to be aware of that will help you get the evidence and information you need to hopefully get past the Notice of Controversion.
In this blog, we will take a moment to give you an overview of the major things you need to know, and some things that you should keep in mind if you made a Defense Base Act claim and you received a Notice of Controversion in response. Of course, the most important thing you need to know in connection with any Defense Base Act claim – above all else – is that your best bet for objecting to a Notice of Controversion and getting the best shot at maximum compensation under the Defense Base Act is to hire an experienced Defense Base Act attorney.
At RITE law, we have been handling the Defense Base Act claims for decades. We understand the "who, what, when, where, and why" with regard to any Defense Base Act issue. That is the kind of expertise that will result in maximum compensation for you, so you can heal from your work-related injuries. Receiving a Notice of Controversion is just one speed-bump in the many challenges that face a Defense Base Act claimant.
We take these cases very seriously, and we are passionate about helping injured victims receive the necessary compensation they deserve. That is why you should at least consider speaking with a RITE law attorney today. It is no cost to you because our professionals offer a free case review. That way you will be able to assess, at no cost, whether we can help you before you need to decide whether legal representation is necessary. We invite you to call us today at 904-500-7483. RITE law, Attorneys at Law, are the top practitioners in Florida when it comes to the Defense Base Act.
The Initial Claims Process
If you have been injured working for a U.S. contractor overseas, then you know that you get immediate attention from a doctor. You know that you also must notify your employer right away, and eventually filed the necessary work-related-injury claim with the Department of Labor. Typically, if your employer is assisting you with the claims process, and you are advised to file an LS-203 form, called an "Employee's Claim for Compensation," then you are likely filing a Defense Base Act claim.
Once you file the LS-203, your employer must file with the Department of Labor an LS-201 form, called a "Notice of Employee's Injury or Death." Of course, you will be asked to file, along with your LS-203 or otherwise, additional documentation about your injuries, your initial medical treatment, and your earnings. At this point, having a seasoned Defense Base Act attorney in your corner can be invaluable so that you can provide the information in a way that will maximize your benefit.
Then Comes the Notice of Controversion of Right to Compensation
If your employer (which is really your employer's Defense Base Act insurance company at this point) files an LS-207 form, called a "Notice of Controversion of Right to Compensation," that means that your employer is disputing your claim. Essentially, it is denying the Defense Base Act workers' compensation benefits.
There are many reasons why the employer may be disputing your claim. The employer may:
- Believe that the injury did not occur at work,
- Conclude that there was no Defense Base Act coverage when you were injured,
- Find that there is no medical evidence to conclude that you are disabled, or that there is a conflict in the medical evidence, or
- Determine that it needs to investigate further.
At RITE law, we have seen many cases where employers seek to dispute a claim and will take the easy route which is to claim that further investigation is needed. That can occur even if you, the claimant, have solid and clear evidence that you were indeed injured while doing your job.
What to Do If You Receive the LS-207, Notice of Controversion?
The employer is required to provide the reasons for the denial of your claim on the LS-207 form. So, your first order of business if you receive the LS-207 is to review it carefully to figure out the reasons the employer is giving for denying the claim. Knowing what the employer perceives are the problems with your claim that will inform you of how to move forward.
Depending upon the deficiencies noted in the LS-207, you will need to gather information and evidence (particularly medical evidence) to show that the reasons for denial on the LS-207 are incorrect and do not hold up based upon the record of evidence you have established. Having an attorney at this point is advisable because attorneys who have handled a number of Defense Base Act claims will know best how to refute denials stated in an LS-207 form.
Getting a Third Party Involved
Once you have received the LS-207 and gathered evidence to refute the employer's disputes, you will next take part in an informal conference at the Department of Labor district office most convenient for you. The parties – you, your employer, and any attorneys – may appear either in person or by phone. At the conference, the office will hear from both sides on the claim, review the evidence provided, and issue a recommendation that is not binding. You and your employer can agree to follow the recommendation or dispute the issue further.
The next step is to request a hearing before the Office of Administrative Law Judges (ALJ). The hearing before the ALJ is more formal and, in the end, the ALJ issues a binding decision.
There is one additional step for appeal, however. That is the Benefits Review Board. Suffice it to say, however, that there are several levels in which an employer's denial of a claim can be disputed.
Employ the Skills of Experienced Florida Defense Base Act Attorneys
Now knowing the kind of process involved if you receive a Notice of Controversion with your Defense Base Act claims, the take away from this blog is that you need to get the advice of a capable Defense Base Act attorney. Schedule a free consultation with one of our Defense Base Act attorneys at RITE law today. Call 904-500-7483.

subset: commoncrawl


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You are chosen of a god or goddess and are now a pawn in a much bigger game. Some gods care for their chosen, while some gods let their chosen survive or die on their own wits and strength. Chosen are chosen from several backgrounds as street rats to nobles are all called to some purpose. Who has chosen you changes who and what you are or could become.
Choose a god/goddess of your campaign. You are a chosen of this god.
Skill Proficiences:
Religion, one other skill of choice
Chosen power
Choose an arcane or divine cantrip. This represents your god infusing you with power. If a save or attack roll is needed for that cantrip, you are considered proficient with the spell and must chose a class that gives that spell as a cantrip to determine save DC and attack attribute.
Choose an equipment package from another background. This reflects your former life before you realized you were chosen.
Personality Trait:
1-Arrogent- YOU were chosen by the god, why WOULDN'T others bow to you too?
2-Blue collar-You might have been chosen by the god, but you're just here to do a job.
3-Mousy-You have been controlled all your life, now you just are quite and follow out of habit.
4-Out of this world-You see and hear what the god shows you, but that doesn't mean that it's something others can see.
5-Demanding-You have been give order to follow all your life. When you give a command, you expect obedience too!
6- Driven-You have a mission, and you will do it!
1-Follower-You follow your gods wisdom.
2-Contrary-You hate your divine patron, and will do anything to fight against him/her.
3-Prove yourself-You're not sure you're worthy, but you will prove to everyone you are!
4-Money-Being chosen doesn't pay well, but adventuring does.
5-Larger plans-Something grander is in motion, and you're driven to be are part of it.
6-Nonconfrontational-You've been a cog in a machine all your life. Now you just want to be left out of everything.
1-You're chosen, but you don't have to be a pawn, and these others are fighting for the same cause you are.
2-You see your god's hands in these people fates.
3-One of these people follows your god, and you will help that person. They have a purpose that only you can help with.
4-You know another in this group is chosen and will help that person realize it.
5-Another person here doubts your commitment to the faith. You'll prove them wrong.
6-There's a whole bunch of people here who are out to make a whole bunch of money. As long as the gold keeps flowing, you'll stay with these people
1-Domineering-You expect the world to listen to you, because you have a gods interests at heart.
2-Out of it-all too often you get instructions from your god that move you in ways that make no sense, but it makes complete sense if they only could see the complete picture!
3-Contrary-You spend more time fighting your friends than the monsters.
4-Paranoid-You've lived on the run so long, you suspect everyone is out to get you.
5-Quite-You just want to be left alone, but you know you can't be.
6-Mean-Not all gods are nice, and that goes for their chosen.


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Works of Thomas Goodwin - Volume 05, Thomas Goodwin, hard cover
Stock Level: 89
The Works of Thomas Brooks (6 volumes) Considered the definitive edition of the Works of Brooks, this set was published by James Nichol in 1866. It was edited by A. B. Grosart. At that time, Charles Spurgeon commented in The Sword and the Trowel,
"The volumes now before us are by that marvelously rich author Thomas Brooks, whose wealth of imagery surpasses all others of his age. The mere marginal notes of Brooks are more valuable than pages of ordinary writers; we take pleasure in the stones of his temple, and the very dust thereof we favor. Of all the Puritans he is the most readable, if we except John Bunyan; and if he cannot display the depth of Owen or the raciness of Adams, he leaves them far behind in excessive [unusual] sweetness and sparkling beauty of metaphor. There is a clear, silvery, refreshing sound in the name 'Brooks', and as is the name, such is the man. Every reader who can afford the money should purchase this incorrupt, unmutilated, unchanged, well-printed and perfectly edited copy of Brooks."
VOLUME 1 Memoir of Brooks by A. B. Grosart Precious Remedies against Satan's Devices Apples of Gold The Mute Christian under the Smarting Rod A String of Pearls
VOLUME 2 An Ark for All God's Noah's The Privy Key of Heaven Heaven on Earth
VOLUME 3 The Unsearchable Riches of Christ A Cabinet of Jewels
VOLUME 4 The Crown and Glory of Christianity, or, Holiness the Only Way to Happiness (58 sermons on Hebrews 12:14)
VOLUME 5 The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures Paradise Opened A Word in Season
VOLUME 6 London's Lamentations The Glorious Day of the Saints' Appearance God's Delight in the Progress of the Upright Hypocrites Detected A Believer's Last Day His Best Day A Heavenly Cordial The Legacy of a Dying Mother Glossary and Indexes
Turn to Brooks and find a veritable fountain of good counsel. If he doesn't hit you with his first application, watch out for the next one, even to the thirteenth. Oh how he knew the human race! Yea, and the wiles of Satan were not so elusive that Brooks could not expose them and issue an antidote for them.
Brooks (1608-1680) is the liveliest of the Puritans; he entertains as he teaches the deep things of God. His thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, coupled with his extensive learning, deals great help to his readers through his many books.
Product Code: 158960251X
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A two-time All-American out of LSU Aaron Nola was regarded as one of the top amateur pitching talents in the summer of 2014. In addition to his dominance of the SEC in his 3 seasons for the Tigers, Nola was named national pitcher of the year and a finalist for the golden spikes award as the nations best collegiate player following his Junior season. With the 7th overall pick in the 2014 MLB draft Nola was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies as one of their pitchers of the future.
Following the draft, Aaron Nola spent the summer of 2014 and early part of 2015 working his way up the ranks of the Philadelphia Phillies farm system. Nola was called up by the Phillies on July 21st, 2015 and would go on to put together a 6-2 win-loss recording while pitching to a 3.59 ERA in 13 starts.
During the course of the 2016 and 2017 season's Aaron Nola would show flashes of brilliance as one of the bright spots for a rebuilding Phillies club. In 2018, Aaron Nola was named the Phillies #1 and the opening day started. Paired with former Cy Young award winner and world champion Jake Arrieta, the Phillies have accelerated their rebuild behind Nola, Arrieta and other budding stars Rhys Hopkins, Carlos Santana, and Odubel Herrera.
In June 2018 It was announced that Aaron Nola signed an exclusive autograph memorabilia agreement with Steiner Sports, the leader in authentic hand-signed collectibles and memorabilia.


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Sagittarius August 2017 Love Horoscope
What Does August 2017 have in store for your love life?
Sagittarius August 2017 Love Horoscope:
Waiting until the middle of August to make any major changes in your romantic life will pay off for you. You will approach new relationships or changes in current relationships with a sense of ease. You can let yourself feel excited rather than overwhelmed. Some of the best things are worth waiting for.
Love doesn't have a strict time limit. If you try to make big changes or start something new in romance at the beginning of August you will just be adding another thing to an already full plate. Hold off on any major decisions until later in the month when you can give them the time and consideration they need.
Sagittarius August 2017 Love Horoscopes
Sagittarius August 2017 Love Horoscope - Single:
This month, your Sagittarius Love Horoscope reveals that the first week of August is a bad time to start a relationship Sagittarius. With so many other things going on in your life right now adding romance may feel overwhelming. If you find that at the beginning of the month you feel stressed rather than excited for a date just reschedule.
Your date will completely understand because they've probably been there too. Give yourself time to sort out other aspects of your life that are causing you stress first, then in a week or two, you'll be ready to actually enjoy your date. You'll be in a much better mood for romance towards the end of the month.
Sagittarius August 2017 Love Horoscope - In A Relationship:
August will be a very busy month for you in your work and personal life. If you feel that you also need to make changes in your current relationship you may not have the full time that these decisions require. Take you time and wait till later in the month when there is less going on so that you can make decisions that you have fully considered.
SHARE your horoscope with your friends!


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SSC Learning Session: Permaculture
Presented by Laura S and Lucy on Saturday 27 October 2018
10am – Mansions of the Future, Lincoln
So you thought Duplo® bricks were merely innocuous kid's toys, huh?
Take a look-see below:
See those seemingly innocent stacks of bright and friendly looking bricks; they actually had the ability to cause not only a fully-fledged, and at times, heated debate, but also a personal reminder of what matters in life…
The stacks of bricks were a visual representation of average addition to climate change per capita in the UK alone. However, not necessarily accounted for, were also:
- Trade off emissions (particularly between countries – usually the developed over the developing world)
- Waste
- Economics
- Cows
- Transport
- Home energy wastage
Further brick stacks illustrated the cost to the earth of using air travel…
But, what has this got to do with Permaculture?
In providing a detailed, well researched referenced background, Laura S informed us of the principles, purpose and ethics of Permaculture:
Earth care, People Care, Fair Share
Permaculture: as a definition
"Permaculture combines three key aspects:
- An ethical framework
- Understandings of how nature works
- A design approach
This unique combination provides an ethical framework that is used to design regenerative systems at all scales – from home and garden to community, farm and bioregions.
The word 'permaculture' comes originally from 'permanent agriculture' and 'permanent culture' – it is about living lightly on the planet, and making sure that we can sustain human activities for many generations to come, in harmony with nature.
Permanence is not about everything staying the same. It is about stability, about deepening soils and cleaner water, thriving communities in self-reliant regions, biodiverse agriculture, and social justice, peace and abundance".
(Permaculture Association: retrieved November 2018 from https://www.permaculture.org.uk/knowledge-base/basics)
A learning resource in the form of handwritten statements citing the two of the main Permaculture protagonists (Frost and Stevens?) were passed between scholars. Laura explained that although at first the authors were in agreement on the fundamentals of permaculture, eventually their philosophy diverged as they separately considered what ultimate outcome was required and proposed how to achieve it:
A picture illustrating example of the written statements
Based on the learning resources provided, scholars discussed and debated the local, national and global impact of our lifestyles on the earth's resources. Arguably, the passionate exchanges in relation to Carbon Offsetting caused the most intense and divided opinion, but as an observation, also expertly illustrated the depth and breadth of knowledge and all consuming interest in the subject matter by the scholars present, regardless of their own political persuasion.
It was stated that: "Capitalism is eating itself" i.e. by disrespecting and abusing the very resources it actually needs to survive…
The counter argument contended that: "Yes, but we are ALL buying in to it"
Scholars offered suggestions for alternatives, but on observation, did we ultimately blame others and shrugged off our responsibility by using Capitalism and its fanatical proponents as scapegoats? Are we as individuals, daily buying into and knowledgeably using the exact same system, whether we 'buy' green products or not, just as guilty of 'Greenwash' as those businesses who claim to be mitigating the decimation of nature through utilising technological advancements that rely on as wind, solar, water power instead?
A video on 'Carbon Offsetting' is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM0RrobKcrk
Lucy then brought Permaculture as an alternative lifestyle into vivid focus through deftly sharing her own experience of recently spending several months living and working 'off grid' at The Grange near Thetford Forest in Norfolk. In relating how permaculture principles were enacted at The Grange, Lucy illustrated how self-sufficiency not only created a much-needed haven for nature, but also provided a refuge for refugees through weekly work details (Workday Wednesdays) that professed to deliver physical, mental, emotional and spiritual support. A large team of support agencies/partner organisations aimed to assist those attending The Grange to build their own personal resilience, and in the wider and longer term, advocates of The Grange, (and of such places of a similar ilk around the UK), aim to create a network of places of sanctuary equally for the benefit of all animal and human kind…
A link to The Grange website is available, but please do take time to find a guest post on the website from a young Egyptian Refugee here: https://www.thegrangenorfolk.org.uk/index.php/blog/34-salah-s-article (Lucy kindly provided a printed copy of the post to each of the SSC scholars present at the Permaculture learning session).
Laura S and Lucy also spoke of newly-establishing permaculture principle-type projects and protagonists that were beginning to emerge in and around Lincoln/Lincolnshire and elsewhere such as Transition Towns, City of Sanctuaries, etc.
As a personal observation, I felt this learning session enabled scholars to consider how the SSC could be involved and/or support local projects considering permaculture as a way forward in terms of providing breathing spaces for, and of hope, as well offering an attempt to explore an alternative solution i.e. Communities of the Future


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Cauliflower salad with white beans, feta and pine nuts
The Year I Learn to Love Cauliflower continues to challenge me, and nothing scares me more than the prospect of raw cauliflower, undisguised by potatoes or hot sauce. Recently I decided to take the plunge, with this salad that pairs the vegetable of the year with creamy white beans, salty feta and crunchy pine nuts. Not a disguise, exactly. More like a distraction, with so much texture that I really didn't concentrate on the cauliflower.
If you're a cauliflower lover, adjust the proportion of ingredients to highlight the vegetable. If you're a cheese-a-holic, add more feta. The lemon vinaigrette wraps everything together. The longer it sits, the more tender the cauliflower becomes, thanks to the mustard in the dressing. My husband Ted approved this salad for you; I can't say I'm in love with raw cauliflower, yet, but I'm working on it.
Cauliflower salad with white beans, feta and pine nuts {vegetarian, gluten-free}
From the pantry, you'll need: canned cannelini (or small white) beans, feta cheese, pine nuts, lemon, Dijon mustard, olive oil, parsley.
Serves 6.
2 cups roughly chopped cauliflower florets
15-oz can cannellini or small white beans, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Greek seasoning
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup feta, broken into chunks
2 Tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 Tbsp pine nuts
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cauliflower and white beans.
In a small measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard and Greek seasoning. Slowly add the oil, and whisk until the dressing emulsifies. Pour it over the cauliflower and beans, and toss gently to make sure everything is coated. Set aside and allow the cauliflower to marinate for 15 minutes.
Set a small nonstick frying pan on the stove over low heat. Add the pine nuts, and spread them into a single layer. Toast, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes, until the nuts are lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat.
Add the feta and parsley to the cauliflower mixture, and then stir in the nuts. Taste, and season with black pepper if needed.
Serve at room temperature or cold. Can be made a day ahead.
More cauliflower:
Roasted cauliflower and potato soup, from The Perfect Pantry
Pasta with cauliflower, walnuts and feta, from Smitten Kitchen
Edamame and cauliflower pasta salad with feta, from The Kitchn
Chili roasted cauliflower and feta salad, from Bron Marshall
Need more ideas for how to create salads with pizzazz? Get Dress Up Your Salad, my e-book packed with easy mix-and-match recipes, full-color photos and a few fun videos. Exciting salad recipes from everyday ingredients can be just one click away, on any computer, tablet or smart phone, with the FREE Kindle Reading app. Click here to learn more.
Disclosure: The Perfect Pantry earns a few pennies on purchases made through the Amazon.com links in this post. Thank you for supporting this site when you start your shopping here.


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Android this week: Candy Crush on your wrist; SMS in Hangouts; Twitter for tablets
The ability to modify Android(s goog) devices is a key feature that tinkerers can appreciate. Take the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch, for example: Ron Amadeo of Ars Technica found it was relatively easy to sideload Android apps on the small wearable device. Aside from installing a few apps and watching a video, he can use the tiny touchscreen to play Candy Crush.
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The process for app installation requires the Android SDK on a computer and enabling "USB Debug" mode on the Galaxy Gear. After that, a simple command will push and install the .apk app file of your choice. While the usefulness is limited, this speaks to how flexible Android can be.
Speaking of flexible, the Google Hangouts app looks to be gaining a new feature in the near future. A leaked image shows SMS integration into Hangouts. The app has already taken the place of Google Talk and Messages, so it appears Google is pushing to consolidate various communication types under the Hangouts name. If this change is in the works, I'd expect it to be a part of the Android 4.4 KitKat launch. This would leave Google Voice standing alone, but perhaps that would follow in the future.
Also new this week is a revamped Twitter app for Android tablets. Actually, make that for an Android tablet. The updated app is better optimized for large screen devices; something that would benefit owners of any Android slate. However, Twitter worked out a deal with Samsung to make the app initially exclusive to the new Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition tablet.
I can understand why Samsung would want some type of exclusive on its most recently launched tablet. New features in Twitter support the unique functions on the new Note. For example, you can annotate or draw on images before tweeting them. And Twitter is now one of the few apps that's approved for the multi-window view on Samsung devices: You can run Twitter and another app at the same time on the screen.
Twitter says the new app will be available for other Android tablets by year-end, meaning the wait on your particular tablet won't be long. Even so, I'm not a fan of exclusives such as this. They never benefit the customer; the sole intent is to push consumers towards a single product or service, i.e.: Exclusives are simply marketing ploys. It's a shame that an app used daily by so many is part of such a ploy.


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|System: X360, PC
|Review Rating Legend
|Dev: Valve Software
|1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
|4.0 - 4.4 = Great
|Pub: Electronic Arts
|2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
|4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
|Release: Nov. 17, 2008
|2.5 - 2.9 = Average
|5.0 = The Best
|Players: 1-2 (8 online)
|3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
|ESRB Rating: Mature
|3.5 - 3.9 = Good
by Jonathan Marx
Valve has given us a zombie shooter unlike any other. In fact, I hesitate to even call it just a zombie shooter. Maybe arcade shooter or action shooter is more appropriate - I can't decide! That's because Left 4 Dead has as much in common with games like Gauntlet and Smash T.V. as it does with Resident Evil and Silent Hill.
For good or ill, this is not a game that challenges your gaming skill. Rather, it's a title that plops you into the scariest parts of your favorite zombie/horror flick - think 28 Days Later meets Army of Darkness - and never lets go. As such, players will go through the entirety of the game guns-a-blazin' and on the edge of their seats. This is definitely one of the most exhilarating and heart-pounding experiences I've had in video games, though somewhat hollow and empty in retrospect. Regardless, this title was built for co-op and multiplayer action from the outset, so grab a buddy and start playing! Because Left 4 Dead is too intense to play alone!
The game's opening cutscene sets the tone. Hordes of zombie minions run at four Survivors with reckless abandon, while hulking Tanks, bloated Boomers, sneaky Smokers, pouncing Hunters, and sobbing Witches try and corner them. The only way the humans can survive is by sticking together and blasting through the seemingly endless onslaught of infected and mutated brain-munchers. This five minute opening cinematic does a great job of familiarizing players with the characteristics of the varied enemies they'll face and giving a glimpse into the personalities of the Survivors. Also, core tactics like staying away from car alarms, not shining a flashlight on a Witch, and proper grenade use are introduced.
You and your friends will take on one of these four characters unfortunate enough to find themselves stranded in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. Whether playing as Francis (the tattooed, bar fight specialist), Louis (the disillusioned Systems Analyst), Bill (the savvy Nam vet), or Zoey (the horror film-loving student on probation), each character, despite their very different backgrounds, has quickly adapted to their new world and is very efficient at decimating the threat.
The main story in Left 4 Dead follows the advance of these Survivors through four expansive environments made up of five chapters each. The group's goal is to simply wade through the labyrinthine levels and waves of baddies, surviving long enough for rescue to arrive. The Campaign mode can be played alone with A.I. support, with a friend via split-screen, or taken online with up to three others (up to two others if you're already paired with a buddy locally). This is definitely a game to be shared friends (it's just that much more fun and teamwork is essential), but playing alone is certainly possible due to the excellent friendly A.I. Your supporting cast knows how to handle weapons and will even ensure your survival with timely administration of first-aid. But, unlike many other games out there, Left 4 Dead was explicitly designed with the multiplayer experience in mind - it's not simply a tacked-on afterthought. Four Survivors will be present throughout the story, so you might as well enjoy it with other players. Plus, the game's so darn intense that you'll likely feel better about having someone on the couch next to you or at least on a headset reassuring you with their own thrill-filled hoots.
As previously hinted at, enemies in Left 4 Dead are made up of six varieties of zombie; each of them are worth detailing because their distinct behaviors make up the tactical draw of the title, and four of them are playable in competitive multiplayer. The Horde is the most prevalent. As the name implies, The Horde is made up of large groups of super-fast, enraged zombies that rush at and surround the Survivors. The Horde can frequently be circumvented by remaining quiet (don't touch the alarmed cars please!) or moving past them without any sudden movements. If you do agro them, get ready for the blitz. Thankfully, they can easily be put down by unloading clips of bullets into them, but if you allow them to encircle you, you're in for a lot of hurt.
Boomers are fat-slob zombies that amble toward you spewing a font of Horde-enticing bile. If you are coated with the green ooze, you'll not only be blinded for about ten seconds, but The Horde will cling to you like stink on well, you know. If you are able to explode a Boomer before they can puke on you, be sure it's far enough away, as exploding bits of Boomer are every bit as attractive to The Horde as getting coated by a steady stream of puke.
Hunters and Smokers are lone wolves. They both try and hide in the shadows and ambush their prey. Hunters have a spring attack that allows them to pounce from long distances. If you are knocked prone by a Hunter, you will have to suffer the ensuing beating until a fellow survivor can rescue you (I told you teamwork was important!). Likewise, Smokers have a tongue-snare ability that entangles their victims, leaving them dangling and helpless - ripe for The Horde to rip apart. If smokers are dealt with by the Survivors, a noxious green gas will be left in their wake.


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After the holidays and the plethora of sweets and desserts that come with that special time of year, I had to find a recipe that wouldn't add to my blood-sugar level. I seriously indulged in cookies, candies, and cakes, oh my! Well, if I'm going to be honest (which I really should be), I indulged in ALL that was sweet and savory.
But this morning was all about the buttermilk biscuit. I swear I must have southern roots somewhere in my lineage because I can't get enough buttermilk biscuits.
These are light, savory parmesan pillows. Even though they're a drop biscuit which makes them just about the easiest thing to bake, their flavors are subtle and build as you enjoy.
They would be perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, a side for dinner ~ especially soup which is my plan for later in the week.
Give these a try. You will not be disappointed.
Black Pepper, Parmesan & Rosemary Buttermilk Biscuits (recipe care of stellacheese.com)
INGREDIENTS: 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons baking powder, 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper, 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary (finely chopped), 1-1/2 sticks nbsp (6 oz.) unsalted butter (cold and cut into small pieces), 1 c. (divided) loosely measured grated Parmigiano Reggiano® or Italian-style cheese about 2 oz. total (Note, do not use the shakable, canned parmesan cheese. It is too salty and will not produce a tender biscuit.), 1-1/2 cups cold buttermilk
DIRECTIONS: Preheat the oven to 400° F, adjusting racks to center and lower third of oven. Prepare two baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Attach blade to food processor and then to bowl. Add flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and rosemary; pulse to combine. Add butter pieces and 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano® or Italian-style cheese to bowl over flour mixture. Lock lid in place and pulse until butter is completely cut into flour mixture (about 25 to 30 pulses). Mixture will look like lumpy sand. While pulsing, drizzle in buttermilk. Continue to pulse until dough just comes together (about 55 pulses). Mixture will be lumpy at first and then come together. Do not over mix. The dough will be a bit sticky. Use spoon to drop biscuits onto prepared baking sheets, about size of small golf ball. If you are making larger biscuits, adjust cooking time accordingly. Leave about 1 inch between each biscuit. Place into preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove biscuits from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano® cheese. Serve warm or at room temperature.


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…..just can't be separated, as shown clearly by Allan Ahlberg's stand last week. Booktrust, the feel good children's book charity, have sidled up to Amazon, the big business book leviathan. Or perhaps Amazon was the one doing the spidery come-hither, a bit difficult if you're a leviathan.
Ahlberg objects to tax avoidance.
But it's hellishly difficult to avoid Amazon. Many small internet booksellers are linked to Amazon as Amazon Associates. I fear I surreptitiously support Amazon by posting my book reviews on Goodreads. So if you read one of my reviews and want to buy the book please try to source it elsewhere and save my conscience. You could try hive.
I'm pleased to be able to say that Allan Ahlberg grew up in Oldbury, next to Smethwick, the centre of the universe, or at least the cradle of the industrial revolution (one of them). He has probably stood shivering in the shallow end at the magnificent Rolfe Street Baths, now available to be admired at The Black Country Living Museum.
He has written an autobiography. I've not read it. However, 'Each Peach Pear Plum' has been a mainstay of my career, and I think I may have gleaned some biographical background from the wonderful 'Peepo'. Both books are illustrated with humour and delicious detail by Janet Ahlberg.
In honour of Ahlberg's principles I will read and review his autobiography, not sourcing it from Amazon, as well as 'Each Peach Pear Plum' and 'Peepo'. I might try getting hold of them via the trusty Sandwell Library Service. His autobiography is called 'The Bucket, Memories of an Inattentive Childhood'. Watch this space …..


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Golfers raise money for children's charities
Golf is doing its part to help underprivileged children. The President's Cup of Russia has taken place near Moscow for the 15th year running to celebrate International Children's Day and raise money for kids' charities.
The President's Cup of Russia has become an important part of the country's golfing calendar.
The tournament doesn't feature top golfers from around the world, or even from Russia. But the event, which has been running since 1996, isn't about winning. It's all about taking part, and helping children in need.
"This tournament always takes place on the same day – the last day of May. And there is a reason for this: it's done to coincide with International Children's Day," Viktor Liyaskin, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative, commented.
The event would go on to raise $50.000 for charity, but the President's Cup also has another vital purpose – to get more children playing golf.
26 international teams – a mixture of amateurs, businessmen and ambassadors – took part, with each side containing at least one youngster.
16-year-old Maria Volkova, who has already been playing golf for four years and hopes to turn professional, says this tournament is a great way to get more young people interested in playing the sport.
"It was a complete coincidence that I took up golf. When I was at school I had an opportunity to play it. I really liked it and became hooked. And I loved to play golf ever since," she said.
Golf has yet to take off in Russia as it has done in countries like China and South Korea. A major factor is the lack of courses, which means membership prices remain high.
But if the sport is to truly take off, then more youngsters have to start playing.
"Golf today and around the world is an expensive sport to play – the membership, the upkeep of the course and the equipment. This course [for the President's Cup], for example, costs around three or four million dollars just to maintain for one year. So it is supported by business people who play a lot of golf, but without having juniors and younger people. Our programs here at this course actually encourage the juniors to play. We have a lot of tournaments for them here," golf enthusiast Cliff Gauntlett explained.
With golf becoming an Olympic sport in 2016, there is every chance that more and more courses will be built, which will make it easier and cheaper for youngsters to take up the game.
But the President's Cup of Russia will continue to play a vital role, helping children both on and off the golf course.


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Welcome to the Lincoln Volunteer Fire Brigade's website.
Here you'll find information about the Brigade, the jobs we attend, the community we serve and wider fire safety issues. There's also information on what it takes to become a volunteer firefighter. We have a significant photo gallery that we will regularly update.
And, remember to check out our Facebook and Twitter sites as well as our YouTube video resource.


text: Hot Classical Tickets Il Volo Tickets Buy Tanglewood 75Th Anniversary Celebration Tickets Tanglewood 75Th Anniversary Celebration Tickets Tanglewood is a renowned music venue and estate located in Stockbridge and Lenox, Massachusetts. It is home to the yearly summer Tanglewood Jazz Festival and Tanglewood Music Festival, where the former has been held since the beginning of the nineties with performances by artists from the likes of Hiroma Uehara, Ray Charles, Freddie Hubbard, Jimmy Smith, Roy Hargrove, Roy Haynes, Nancy Wilson, Donal Fox, Ahmad Jamal, Natalie Cole, Wynton Marsalis, Diana Krall and Miles Davis. The latter festival includes a concert series comprising of several genres such as pop music, jazz, contemporary music, musical theater, choral music, chamber music and symphonic music. Tanglewood is also home to Boston Symphony Orchestra, which has been performing there in the summers since 1937, and the Berkshire Festival. The venue has been hosting concert since as early as 1936 and is now proud to hold Tanglewood 75th Anniversary Celebration. Classical music aficionados alongside music fans of other genres consider Tanglewood 75th Anniversary Celebration tickets to be a promising opportunity to watch the biggest contemporary musical acts at this event. Although we have run out of Tanglewood 75Th Anniversary Celebration Tickets, we would like to invite you to view tickets in the following places Il Volo Tickets Tanglewood draws its name from the works of American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne, who on taking advice from his publisher at the time, William Ticknor, decided to rent a cottage in the region in 1850, from owner William Aspinwall Tappan. During his stay at the cottage, Hawthorne wrote one of his most famous works called Tanglewood Tales, which was a re-written version of several Greek myths. As an ode to this book, the cottage's owner renamed it Tanglewood, while the name went on to further inspired neighboring estate owned by the same family. Being prized for one reason or another, the place and its associated events has now come to inspire Tanglewood 75th Anniversary Celebration. Tanglewood 75th Anniversary Celebration looks back seventy five years to 1936 when its concerts had only just begun with Boston Symphony Orchestra first played its works in the Berkshire festival. The earliest series of three concerts in a row was arranged under a mere tent with a crowd of fifteen thousand. Only a few months after, owner Mary Aspinwall Tappan, who was a descendant of the venue's original owners, handed the family's Tanglewood estate to the orchestra. Then in 1937, the orchestra came back for a Beethoven show, which was presented on the two hundred and ten acres of Tanglewood property. The following year saw the construction of a shed in the shape of a fan, with about five thousand and one hundred seats, thus providing the orchestra with a permanent venue to play at. In 1941, Serge Koussevity, the conductor began a summer school there with three hundred musicians enrolled, which today is known as Tanglewood Music Center. The BSO, which too will be performing at the upcoming Tanglewood 75th Anniversary Celebration, has been performing in the Music Shed since every summer, with the exception of 1942-45 years, during which time the trustees had called off the summer school and concerts owing to the Word War. In 1959, this Shed was given a renovation that included BNN Technologies' acoustic designs. By 1986, the BSO had purchased its nearby Highwood estate, furthering the area with almost forty percent. On this new property expansion, the current Seiji Ozawa Hall was constructed in 1994. Tanglewood 75th Anniversary Celebration features all characteristics long held by Tanglewood festivals with particular emphasis on having a parade-style show. The program is said to include performances by The Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, Tanglewood Festival Chorus and Boston Pops, which will all be presented with conductors Keith Lockhart, Andris Nelsons and John Williams. The show will be further joined by soloists Anne-Sophie Mutter, James Taylor, Peter Serkin, Emanuel Ax and Yo-Yo Ma. The delightful gala is planned such as to encapsulate seventy-five years of Tanglewood glory, so get hold of Tanglewood 75th Anniversary Celebration tickets and be there to experience classical music at its best. View All Tanglewood 75Th Anniversary Celebration Tickets Frequently Asked Questions Q:Will I be charged for any increase in tanglewoord celebration tickets prices if it happens after I have booked my tickets?A:No, you will not be charged for any increase in Tanglewood 75Th Anniversary Celebration Tickets prices once they have been booked.Q:Can i pay for tanglewood 75th anniversary celebration tickets by cash?A:No, you can only pay for Tanglewood 75Th Anniversary Celebration Tickets by American Express, Visa, Master Card and Discover.


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Turn a pine cone into a turkey? No, it doesn't take any special magic, just a pine cone, some supplies and a bit of creativity.
If you prefer, you can also decorate a drawstring canvas bag with fabric markers, paint and glitter.
Join us for an afternoon of turkey crafts in celebration of Thanksgiving from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 26 and Wednesday, November 27.
Please note: children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Reserve Activity
or call (559) 692-8985
Photo copyright Marco Verch, 2018 and released under the Creative Commons 2.0 license.


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Though Chuck Lorre currently reigns as the unofficial king of sitcom, he admitted during the TCA session for forthcoming CBS comedy "Mom" that his new show sprang from a desire to finish something the decorated scribe had "tried and failed to do on several occasions."
"It's about a woman starting her life over," Lorre explained. "And I'd tried it with 'Grace Under Fire,' and I left that show…well, just because. And I tried that with 'Cybill,' and…" Lorre smirked. "Moving on."
"Mom" star Anna Faris sees the new Lorre laffer, which centers on a mother who is a recovering alcoholic, as a "Cinderella shoe" opportunity for her to play a character that has "dimension." Faris said that after her breakout role in "Scary Movie," it was "difficult to re-identify as something other than a spoof gal."
"Getting your first job is hard, but it's not nearly as hard as getting your seventh job," Faris explained to journos at the Beverly Hilton confab. "That's when you have to prove it to people…I've played a lot of one dimensional characters in my career, and [this role on 'Mom'] has dimension. Playing those one dimensional characters like Cindy from 'Scary Movie' is actually really difficult because it's not someone you really know….I felt I was in a place in my career where I was like, I want to do something a little more rewarding."
During the panel, Lorre said he is looking forward to character arcs from Octavia Spencer and Justin Long. Spencer is set to play a woman even more "messed up" than Faris's character, and Long will be a romantic interest for Faris on the show.
Supporting actors Matt Jones and French Stewart also drew on past showbiz experience during the panel for "Mom."
Jones, who is best known for his role as drug dealer Badger on "Breaking Bad," quipped, "This character doesn't sell drugs that are that severe." And Stewart, for whom his role on "Mom" represents his first significant spot on a series in several TV seasons, remarked, "Chuck Lorre talks about Los Angeles as the city of second chances, and man is he right."


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Johannesburg: Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has insisted that his side are more than a one-man team after Sergio Aguero's brace helped them to deny defeat against spirited West Ham.
Earlier, star striker Aguero scored twice to rescue the visitors from the jaws of defeat and to settle with a 2-2 draw against West Ham in their Premier League clash.
Pelligrini said that his side were not just reliant on Aguero and there were many more players in the team who had spent more time on the field than the Argentine, Sport24 reported.
Describing the 27-year-old as a `top` player, the Chilean manager, however, admitted that it was important for him to be fully fit in order to return to his best form.
City have won just one away game since September 12 and are now three points behind surprise league leaders Leicester City in the second place.
City will next lock horns with Sunderland on February 3. (ANI)


text: We stock both stylish and durable branded and non-branded fabrics from Italy, England, Turkey, Hong Kong, Japan and China. You can choose from a wide selection of colours, patterns and designs. With options starting from premium blends and 100% wool to luxury high-performance materials, there's a choice for everyone. What's more, our expert stylists make deciding easier.


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Brian Maes' music studies began at the age of eight when he began trumpet lessons with Louis Pascucci which lasted until the age of fourteen when he switched to playing baritone horn at the request of Lynn Public schools senior band director, Fancis Pagnotta. By the age of sixteen, Maes had decided to focus primarily on singing and playing the keyboard. Private instruction from North Shore organist, Marie Fairfield as well as piano studies from jazz pianist, Joe Carlton prepared Maes for his audition and acceptance to Berklee in 1975. While at Berklee, Maes studied classical piano under Emanuel Zambelli and scored an A- on his senior recital, performing an hour of memorized classical pieces and an hour of memorized original material.
After graduation from Berklee, Maes began touring with Boston-based pop rock group American Teen as keyboardist and vocalist. In 1982 Maes auditioned with RCA recording artist, Robert Ellis Orrall, and was hired to tour in support of the release of the "Special Pain" album on RCA Records. In 1983 Maes travelled to Wales to play keyboards and sing backing vocals on the follow-up album, "Contain Yourself."
Maes was commissioned to return to the United Kingdom to work on other recording projects, acting as arranger, performer and conductor with Orrall bandmates, Charles (Kook) Lawry, David Stefanelli and Don Walden.
In 1984, Maes began his long-standing relationship with Barry Goudreau when he successfully auditioned for the keyboardist/backing vocalist chair with Orion the Hunter. The band toured as the opening act for Aerosmith on the "Back in the Saddle" tour during the summer of 1984. After their first tour, Orion the Hunter disbanded. Maes and Goudreau made the decision to stay together and work on new material.
In 1985, while still writing and recording with Barry Goudreau, Maes began collaborating with Peter Wolf, The J. Geils Band frontman, doing pre-production and arranging work in the recording studio for Wolf's solo record "Come As You Are". Maes, Lawry, Stefanelli and Waldon all worked together in the studio recording the songs that would later be on this record and all received credit on the label. This collaboration between Wolf and Maes began a long-standing personal and professional relationship that would bring them together on numerable musical endeavors. It was during this time that Maes presented Wolf with the song "Until Your Love Comes Back Around" for consideration but Wolf passed on the song. Brian and Peter would come together again in 1993 to tour the United States and Japan in support of Peter's Long Line album. The band was then called "Peter Wolf and the House Party 5" with Tim Archibald on bass, David Stefanelli on drums and backing vocals, Johnny A. on guitar, Doug Dube on Hammond B3 and backing vocals, Brian Maes on keys and backing vocals and Peter Wolf on lead vocals. Maes was also a member of RTZ.
Latest activities
Maes released the solo album Songs for Madeline in 2004, dedicated to his daughter.
Maes was currently the lead singer and keyboardist for Ernie and the Automatics which features original and former members of the band Boston, Barry Goudreau on guitar and Sib Hashian on drums. Fellow RTZ and Peter Wolf's House Party Five bandmate, bassist, Tim Archibald is also a member of Ernie and the Automatics, along with tenor saxophonist, Michael "Tunes" Antunes from John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band. The Automatics' new album, Low Expectations, was produced by Brian Maes and was set for release on February 17, 2009 on "Open E" Records, the new label owned by Ernie Boch, Jr, who is also a guitarist in the band.
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Just added to the blogroll is the Villiage Idiots weblog, hosted by Merritt Johnson and Hugh Farrish. Hugh has been a frequent e-mailer in the recent Kos days and his insight is much appreciated.
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- WhatsApp also testing to bring back Contact List on iOS
- The recall feature will let tyou delete a message till up to five minutes
- It is also testing to bring the new Status feature on WhatsApp Web
WhatsApp has been testing the Recall feature since the start of the year, but it hasn't been enabled in the stable version yet. The feature allows you to recall your sent message from a chat till up to five minutes. Now, a fresh leak suggests that the Recall feature is imminent to arrive, and may come as soon as WhatsApp v2.17.30+ for iPhone.
Just what does the 'recall' feature mean for the user? Well, several other chat applications already provide a feature that allows you to recall or revoke a message that has yet to be seen by the recipient – something that would be displayed as a single tick in WhatsApp. Some, allow you to to delete the message on both your phone and the recipient's phone, regardless of whether the message has already been seen. An edit message feature is also often available. In its current form, WhatsApp doesn't allow users to edit, delete. or recall messages sent to the recipient.
Tipster WABetaInfo has tweeted that the Recall feature will be remotely enabled in version 2.17.30+. However, WhatsApp has already rolled out version 2.17.30 for iOS, and the feature does not seem to have been added. WABetaInfo adds that it isn't certain when WhatsApp will enable the feature, but it would be with version 2.17.30 or higher. The tipster wrote, "This does not exclude that it will be enabled in a future update (so I wrote "+"). The .30 update is perfect to see enabled it."
Furthermore, the tipster also claims that the Contacts tab that was removed from iOS ever since the Status feature was introduced may be slated for a comeback. WABetaInfo suggests that the Contact section will show up under the Status section, and WhatsApp is currently in the phase of testing it. There is no tangible timeline as to when this will roll out though.
The same tipster also suggests that the newly introduced Status feature is set to arrive on WhatsApp Web as well. The tipster shared screenshots of the feature in testing, and claims that you will be able to see, and even reply to them just as it is on the app.
WhatsApp has been working on a number of features, and thanks to WABetaInfo, we get to be excited about them even before they arrive. Some other new features in the pipeline include the 'Change Number' feature that will notify your friends and family about your number change for you, without the need to lose chats or send a broadcast. Separately, it is also working on bringing the Live Location sharing feature, that was recently introduced by both Facebook and Google, to the chat platform as well.
For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.


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The managerial skills, attitude, and approach are very important aspects for the success of a profit and nonprofit organization. The managers of nonprofit organizations have to know a lot that will help me to find the actual motive and skills behind the success of these organizations. I will conduct the interviews with five top managers from nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit organizations work for the betterment of society, and their success depends greatly on their managers' capacity and their efforts to obtain the funds. Therefore, in an attempt to understand how these organizations work and what managerial requirements are there, I will take wisdom from the successful nonprofit managers that are in the top management of nonprofit organizations. I will conduct the interviews with managers of nonprofit organizations regarding general management to find the key factors of their success and how they manage these organizations to success.
The intent behind this project is to find the actual key factors that keep these organizations working for a longer period of time without involving their personal financial sources. The gestures, attitudes, and vision of a successful individual cannot be fully understood without direct interviews. Consequently, this has become the reason to have a direct formal interview with these managers to see satisfaction on their faces. The interviews will help me find the characteristics of managers that assist them in obtaining funds, thus leading these organizations to success. I hope to learn about the motivation that workers in nonprofit organizations have to continuously make efforts to better society without having much financial benefits and how managers motivate and develop their workforce to enhance social impact of their organizations.
As I have personal interest in social work and want to be an employee in this field in the future to start my political career, these interviews will help me understand the mechanism of nonprofit organizations and how it will help me reach my political and social goals.
I will conduct interviews with five managers from nonprofit organizations. The first interviewee will be Captain Paul J. Matthews, the Founder and Chairman of Buffalo Soldier National Museum. The second interviewee will be Ms. Ruth Githumbi, the Executive Director of Trees of Hope. The third interviewee will be Ms. Janette L. Cosley, the Executive Director of the Ensemble Theatre. The fourth interviewee will be Mr. Charles Savage, the Executive Director of Fifth Ward Enrichment Program, Inc. The fifth interviewee will be Ms. Cherry Steinwender, the Executive Director of Center for the Healing of Racism.
I will conduct the interviews with few preconceived questions; and further, I will add some questions as per the responses of the interviewees. I have chosen and prepared a set of nineteen questions that the interviewees will be asked; and then, further questions will be added to discover additional information. The set includes the following questions:
I have chosen the above mentioned questions to ask the managers of nonprofit organizations, and these questions will help me understand the managerial requirements to run these organizations and how a nonprofit organization can gain success. The set of questions is not rigid; the questions will be further modified as per the responses of each interviewee. Further, I will add other supplementary questions to get the complete response. The additional questions for the interview comprise the ones presented below:
The interviewees' responses can be used to summarize and conclude the major skills and characteristics that managers of nonprofit possess to successfully lead these organizations. The major findings of the report show that managers in nonprofit consider the mission as the major aspect of success. If they get the mission accomplished, it is success for them. One of the major issues and challenges is to receive the funding to increase the activities. While being a new manager in nonprofit organization, multitasking is needed and self mentoring is the best way to learn and manage the nonprofit organizations as each day brings new challenges with it. The managers in nonprofit organizations provide space to their employees for implementation of creative ideas and motivate them to enhance the social living standards. Recruiting the right employees with the required skills and assigning them to the right tasks improves the performance and leads these organizations to success.
Being a business student, the interviews that I have conducted in regard to nonprofit organizations will help me much in my professional life. I may not work in nonprofit organization, but managing people and funds in globally diversified business world needs observations and experience from different environments. One of the important aspects that I have learned from this task is "people management," which is the core of all interviews that I have taken. Managing people in different work environments when they do not have much benefit from the task at hand is difficult, but it can be achieved by motivating them with inner happiness and social benefits, which will help me in the future.
Unlike business organizations, working for nonprofit organizations may not be attractive. However, once a social goal is set, like it was done by many respondents, getting it achieved with personal learning and personal insight is mandatory for me in the future. One more lesson that I have learned from this task is that learning from personal experience and self-mentoring is the process that each manager needs as it enhances the skills and experience of the manager and guides them to manage staff and financials in tough times. Creative thinkers must be motivated and given power to implement their ideas in nonprofit and profit organizations.
There are five interviews conducted and the first interview was conducted with Captain Paul J. Matthews. He is the manager of the nonprofit organization that has a mission to educate and make the nation aware about the history of their Buffalo Soldiers who fought for America in different wars. As per this interview, the mission is most important for the success of the nonprofit organization; and if the firm is following its mission, the vision is automatically achieved. Resources to run the organization are scarce as per the response of the interviewee as peoples may not easily consider the museum for donations, which makes it tough. Working for a nonprofit organization needs no mentoring as the experience from profit-earning firms assists the captain in managing nonprofit. Getting people informed is the excitement of this task. The respondent said that he learned much from this experience; and every day was new, and he needed to adjust himself as per the tasks. The employees' perception of the manager is important to get the mission accomplished; and as per the response, Paul managed smaller staff size with micro-management and large staff with less micro-management. Employees are given the opportunity for creative thinking in this organization, and then they are accountable for their ideas; however, it is mandatory to give individuals the space and time to create something. In this interview, I found that mission is very important in guiding employees through the vision and designing the core values. The history lessons and on-job internship is used as a tool to make employees familiar with the organizational culture. The vision must be clear to the managers in nonprofit organization so that they could do everything to get it achieved.
The second interview was conducted with Ruth Githumbi, the Executive Director in Trees of Hope, which is a nonprofit organization that voluntary takes care of homeless people in Houston. Those who are not able to have a home and live on the roads are provided with an opportunity to have a home and live a prosperous life. The summary of the interview demonstrates that Ruth believes in results and outcomes more than efforts, and she wants her staff to work as a well-oiled machine so that more social work can be done. Balancing the opinion and decision of board with the needs and terms of donors is considered as the toughest thing in this organization. It is not always needed to have a mentor for any work that you do, but being your own mentor and learning from mistakes is the best learning and experience. Getting related education and enhancing skills with time is needed. Working in this organization has taught the respondent that it is necessary to know the people that you are servicing and take the accountability. Micro-management in managing staff helps run the work smoothly and take the maximum out of them. The creative workers are allowed and welcomed to propose the idea; and if they have a real idea, then they will get time and control to implement it. Vision is the actual target of a firm; and once the vision is known to every employee and each of them is following it, the success is mandatory. The organizational culture is implemented with the help of training for each new and old worker. The respondent tackles the board with kindness and emphasis on the logistics and funding to keep running.
The third interview is conducted with Jannette L. Cosley, the Executive Directors in The Ensemble Theatre. The respondent replies that the hardest thing in her organization is to manage and maintain the building of the theatre and obtain the funds as this is the nonprofit theatre that makes the society aware about its rights. The success, in her point of view, is mostly monetary in terms of revenue and good reviews in the media. Jannette acknowledges that her mentor helps her run the nonprofit organization like the Ensemble Theatre. Money and funds are the blood and fuel of nonprofit organizations; and any effect on the economy creates the impact on donations. The donors need to take care of their society and the theatres like the Ensemble Theatre; therefore, they must donate funds so that peoples could get benefit from it. It is vital to coach new employees about the culture of organization and train them as per the best practices. Each employee is an asset for a nonprofit organization, and giving them a chance to speak and give ideas during meetings is one of the most efficient ways of getting creative things in operations. The candidates for the vacant positions who show their interest in social work and nonprofit business are given preferences, but the knowledge of the mission and the way to achieve it is most seen in interviews. Respondent advises the future nonprofit managers to get ready to do anything while managing these firms, and they must be ready to do extra tasks along with maintaining flexibility at work.
The fourth interview conducted was with Charles Savage, the Executive Director of Fifth Ward Enrichment Program, Inc. The organization works for the leadership development in the youth male population in Houston to make them a productive part of society and save them from bad habits. The respondent demonstrates that managing this organization does not only help him become a good teacher, but he becomes mature as a father to manage his son. The respondent measures the success in terms of productivity of their programs: if the boys enrolled graduate from their programs successfully, their organization will be successful. The cycle of success will keep going if the boy from this graduate program becomes a professor and continues doing the work that they are doing today. Getting the revenue and funds for this program is the major challenge for the manager. The founder of this organization Ernest McMillan guides and prepares Charles for responsibility and helps him become a social activist, which shows the importance of mentoring for the manager. Multitasking and accountability are the major things to tackle in nonprofit organization as sometimes the manager has to do the work of the subordinate. For the nonprofit organizations, people management becomes more typical for the manager as compared to the corporate world due to tough responsibilities and less financial benefits. However, helping employees with their needs improves their responsibility and performance. Soft skills, business skills, multitasking, writing, speaking, and negotiating are the required skills for future managers of nonprofit organizations.
The fifth interviewee is Cherry Steinwender, the Executive Director in Center for the Healing of Racism. The organization works to remove racism from society as they consider racism as a disease that can damage the actual essence of society. The organization operates to remove the negative consequences of racism from society and enhance the productivity of society and the nation. The responses of the interviewee show that new managers in nonprofit organizations must learn about their organization; and they must observe, listen, and learn what is happening and how the job is required to be done. Regular meetings with employees actually remind them about the goals, mission, and the way they selected to reach them. The respondent feels that working long on the issue of racism is the success. Arranging enough funds to implement programs and make people aware is the major challenge for nonprofit organizations as per this respondent. Being consistent with employees and becoming a role model helps the employees follow you, and that approach leads to success for the organization. Emotional stability is the key while working in nonprofit organization. Managing employees like responsible and accountable adults enhances their capability to perform and reduces the burden for the manager.
During these interviews, I found other characteristics and practices that are mandatory to be a successful manager. A successful manager expects excellence from the staff in each activity, and time management is the key characteristic of being a successful manager as employees follow the manager in doing things. In nonprofit organizations, successful managers always acknowledge and praise employees' performance to keep them focused and motivated, and give credit to the team, not an individual performer. Successful managers should be a role model so that employees followed them without force; this is best way to get the things done by the successful manager. Both strengths and weaknesses exist in the organization, but using the strengths by maximum and converting a loss into the win is the actual attitude that successful managers adopt. IQ may not be too high, but a successful manager must be great with his Emotional Quotient to manage the issues, specifically those of the nonprofit organization. Therefore, the manager with high EQ always manages things efficiently. Managers are the leading people of a team; so, a successful manager must enhance personal skills and develop the personality continuously to remain upgraded all the time. Consequently, he will be able to direct the employees through challenges of the modern ever-changing world. Collective efforts and effective task delegation along with collaboration with internal and external stakeholders are the activities of successful managers in nonprofit organizations.
There are numerous nonprofit organizations working in Houston area that deal with different fields of social welfare of society. Further are some other nonprofit organizations that operate in Houston.
Hope Stone, Inc. is the nonprofit organization that has the art-related purpose; it obtains the funds from volunteers and teaches the art to youth and other groups of population to enhance their imagination. Hope Stone's kids program is designed to select the children from different schools and conduct the programs for them in the art of dancing, painting, and acting.
United Way of Greater Houston is the nonprofit charity welfare organization that works to improve the lives of many needy people in the area. The major operation of United Way is to improve the standard of living in the community, enhance the academic opportunities for poor children, support financially 100,000 families and peoples who lost their jobs, and assist the students with no finances in pursuing their academic endeavors.
Houston Food Bank is the nonprofit organization that works to provide food to the needy part of the society. They provide food to children, youth, and senior citizens as per the nutrition and proteins required. Other nonprofit organizations include Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Community Family Center, Children at Risk, etc.
The above mentioned nonprofit organizations are those that also operate in Houston, but they get the funds easily as they work for education, food, homeless peoples, entertainment, and art, which increases their funding options. More volunteers fund them due to the nature of operations that these organizations have. I have selected organizations that have challenges in getting funds to know the obstacles and motivation behind their work. I preferred the organizations that I visited before personally and gave some donations to after getting attracted by their mission. The efficiency of their managers and the ways to manage the issues of the organizations that work with less familiar social welfare programs have been studied. Working with this kind of organizations will be more useful as I can discuss their issues and efficiencies with my social networks to enhance awareness.


text: While Dave may be new to the auto industry he has a substantial background in financial services making him the perfect fit for a Financial Services Manager. When he's not in the office Dave can typically be found playing basketball, football or hockey. He also occasionally travels with his wife, which is his all-time favourite past time.


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December 7, 2013 | celebrity | Lex Jurgen | 0 Comments
Somehow I missed the live re-singing of the Sound of Music on NBC last night. I vowed never to watch anybody sing again ever on TV, the same day my girlfriend threw out my admittedly barbaric VHS collection of midget fights. I thought I was punishing her, but then I realized I was really just helping myself. I guess the Von Trapp great-grandkids weren't too fond of Carrie Underwood portraying their mom because they all went on different news outlets to Von bitch:
"It's just upsetting that this could potentially be the final broadcast of our story. And although her voice is amazing, she doesn't have acting experience…. It's just the overall image, she's a country star, she won 'American Idol,' she's very public in kind of a tabloid way." — Myles von Trapp Derbyshire, super petty great-grandkid
Who doesn't get upset about how their great-grandmother they never met is portrayed in the movies? Especially when those same shiny Von Trapp great-grandkids are using the family name to look semi-attractive and yodel in concerts around the world. I'm down with the Carrie Underwood can't act hate, and I'm even willing to accept a bunch of kids trying to eke out a showbiz living based on three generations ago family events. But then the idiot kids went and said they held a secret meeting to collectively decide they wished Anne Hathaway would've portrayed their dead great-grandmum. Now I'm just rooting for the Nazis to take them all away again.


text: When architect and interior designer Paul Ochs purchased this penthouse at 2 Charlton Street in the '90s, the neighborhood, on the border of Soho and the West Village, was much different. But it doesn't seem like two decades of changes have made him any less fond of it, the same being true for his apartment, as 6sqft learned when he provided a tour of the space, currently on the market for $1,975,000. Ochs custom designed every element of the home, from the polished concrete floors to the hidden bed that was added when he and his wife welcomed their son.


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BrittanyAnnPhotographyAsked on July 19, 2017 at 01:08 PM
I am offering sign up for a class, with 2 different dates. I have one form, they can select the date. I need to be able to disable the form after 5 from each date, not just 5 total, and I can't figure out how to do this.Page URL:
John_BensonAnswered on July 19, 2017 at 02:47 PM
Please try our Gift Registry widget or Quantity Gift Registry widget. After that, set the Form Status to Disable on Submission Limit.
Here's the Demo Form of the Gift Registry widget: http://form.jotformpro.com/form/51301543278955
I hope that helps. If you have any questions, please let us know.


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Traditional large-scale automation systems used by high volume laboratories are not practical for smaller facilities, such as those found in hospitals. As a result, laboratories of this size are forced to process samples manually. This significantly increases the risk of sample contamination, repetitive strain injury, and could potentially expose staff to bloodborne pathogens.
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Did the Byrds Replace David Crosby with a Horse?
Rumor: The Byrds fired David Crosby in the middle of recording an album, then replaced him with a picture of a horse on its cover.
- Published
Claim: The Byrds fired David Crosby in the middle of recording an album, then replaced him with a picture of a horse on its cover.
The Notorious Byrd Brothers
In 1967, the Byrds recorded one of the finest records of that landmark year: The Notorious Byrd Brothers, a
shimmering, flowing, eclectic collection of songs, all bound into a magnificent cohesive work that incorporated disparate styles while still maintaining a unity of sound. The album is all the more remarkable for having been produced under the most tumultuous of conditions: by the time it was completed, the group that had begun recording it no longer existed.
By mid-1967, the Byrds had been operating as a quartet for over a year (original member Gene Clark having departed the group over a year earlier, just after the release of "Eight Miles High," for a variety of personal problems): founder and electric twelve-string virtuoso Roger (formerly Jim) McGuinn, rhythm guitarist David Crosby, bassist Chris Hillman, and drummer Michael Clarke. Throughout the year, tensions between David Crosby and the rest of the group slowly grew to a climax that eventually ended what was left of the original Byrds. Crosby had become an increasingly dominant figure during live performances, announcing all the songs, taking the majority of the lead vocals, and steadily influencing the choice of material to be played. The other members were put off by the lackadaisical performances Crosby offered when he was in a bad mood, his frequent pontifications to their audiences, and his tendency to stop playing in the middle of a song and spend long periods of time tuning up on stage. Crosby, for his part, was disillusioned with what he saw as his partners' unprofessionalism, arrogance, and lack of enthusiasm for live performances.
Troubles at Monterey
Matters came to a head during the three-day Monterey Pop Festival in June of 1967, where the Byrds were one of the acts in a
(STP, or Scientifically Treated Petroleum, was a popular motor oil product of the time, and STP stickers could be found on walls, notebooks, skateboards, cars, and surfboards all over the country; however, the initialism also represented "Serenity, Tranquility, and Peace," a nickname for the drug dimethoxyl amphetamine.) Moreover, Crosby prefaced the playing of the song "He Was a Friend of Mine" (McGuinn's tasteful eulogy to
The Recording Session
Despite the controversies at Monterey and elsewhere, the Byrds managed to begin work on their next album, The Notorious Byrd Brothers, several weeks later. Almost from the beginning, however, David Crosby was disenchanted with its course. The Byrds' most recent single, "Lady Friend," had been composed and sung by Crosby (who had wiped his bandmates' vocal contributions from the track and replaced them with his own), but it had failed to sell well or receive much airplay in either the US or the UK, and it seemed doubtful that the track would be included on the upcoming album. Crosby was upset about his bandmates' lack of support for "Lady Friend" and his other songwriting efforts, including their disapproval of his recent composition, "Triad," a song about a ménage à trois (later recorded by Jefferson Airplane and issued on their Crown of Creation LP). Crosby's dissatisfaction boiled over into an infamous
When the Byrds resumed work on the song "Goin' Back" a couple of months later (with Jim Gordon filling in on drums), Crosby decided that the recording of a sentimental composition about the innocence of childhood (especially one written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, a professional husband-and-wife songwriting team from New York) wasn't worthy of his talents (particularly as it would likely be displacing one of his own songs from the album) and refused to participate in its recording. McGuinn reportedly had had enough of Crosby's antics by that point and kicked him out of the studio, and shortly afterwards McGuinn and Hillman paid him a visit at home and informed him that he was no longer a Byrd.
Events took some even more surprising turns. As an undaunted McGuinn and Hillman set out to finish the album by themselves (with assistance from a variety of studio musicians), original Byrd Gene Clark rejoined the group as Crosby's replacement but lasted only three weeks before quitting the Byrds for a second time. Drummer Michael Clarke returned to the fold to play on (and
The Cover Shoot
In the meanwhile, when the The Notorious Byrd Brothers album was finally issued in
Pictured (from left to right) were Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn, and Michael Clarke. Although Clarke hung around long to participate in the album's cover shoot, Crosby had been fired from the group months earlier; so even though Crosby had played and sung on half the album (and
The three Byrds posed on horseback during the Notorious cover photo session with photographer Guy Webster, and afterwards they lined up in the windows of the stone house/stable for a few shots. As Webster explained, the inclusion of a horse in some of those window shots was mere happenstance with no symbolic intent behind
The group was going through changes. I got a call to shoot the album cover. They wanted to go out to the country, since their first album cover was shot in a studio. So I found this abandoned barn with four open windows. There was a horse in the field. I put each one of the guys in the windows. And in the last window I put the horse. I was mistakenly accused of denigrating David Crosby. It wasn't to replace Crosby, who had been fired; it wasn't to insult anyone. It was just to balance the composition. It was just a space and a
I get asked about this cover shot for The Byrds all the time. This was shot a couple of years after I first worked for them. The picture was done up in [Topanga] Canyon.
The group was going through changes. I got a call to shoot the album cover. They wanted to go out to the country, since their first album cover was shot in a studio.
So I found this abandoned barn with four open windows. There was a horse in the field. I put each one of the guys in the windows. And in the last window I put the horse.
I was mistakenly accused of denigrating David Crosby. It wasn't to replace Crosby, who had been fired; it wasn't to insult anyone. It was just to balance the composition. It was just a space and a
Other accounts of that occasion maintains that Michael Clarke's horse had wandered over and poked its head through the remaining window on its own, and Webster thought the happenstance made for an interesting shot. Either way, the finished LP sleeve featured a picture of three Byrds and a horse, and David Crosby was insistent that the equine image was no coincidence, exclaiming in a 1980 interview with Byrds biographer Johnny Rogan: "An accident? An
The debate over the horse's meaning (or lack thereof) continued for several more years. The original five Byrds reformed to record an album (for which David Crosby served as producer) in 1972, and five years later Roger McGuinn mentioned in an interview that, during the recording of that reunion album, "[Crosby] stated as a joke, but I believe he meant it, that he wanted to put everyone on the cover except me and wanted to put a horse in my place."
When informed of Roger McGuinn's remark some years later, David Crosby (a famously unreliable interview subject) denied he had said any such thing, even as a joke: "I didn't say it. Never. That's [McGuinn's] style, not mine. That particular 'joke' was not funny to me, and I wouldn't have said that to him. I didn't, and I wouldn't have anything to do with it. McGuinn I think was paranoid because he had done it, and I hope he was ashamed of himself."
Some arguments are just too good to ever be settled.
Last updated: 18 April 2015
Crosby, David. Long Time Gone. New York: Doubleday, 1988. ISBN 0-385-24530-0. Einarson, John. Mr. Tambourine Man: The Story of the Byrds' Gene Clark. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 2005 ISBN 0-879-30793-5. Kubernik, Harvey. Big Shots: Rock Legends and Hollywood Icons: The Photography of Guy Webster. Insight Editions, 2014 ISBN 1-608-87240-8. Rogan, Johnny. The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited: The Sequel. London: Rogan House, 1998. ISBN 0-95295-401-X.