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First, click the "Customers" link in the left-hand navigation menu, select the customer you wish to take a payment from and then click "Payments" in the sub-navigation menu.
From there, click the "Take Payment" button at the top-right of the Payment History panel. Enter the amount to bill in the "Amount" field and make sure the "Provider" field is set to "GoCardless". The "Collection date" is an optional field, clicking the field will present you with a calendar that you can select a future date from and the payment will be taken on this date. If you wish to take the payment immediately, leave this field blank.
NOTE: The "Collection date" is only usable with providers that support the ability to set collection dates in the future.
Following this a payment will appear in respective Payment History lists with the status of "Pending Submitted" with a charge date based on the "Collection period after invoice issue date" value in Payment Collection Settings.
To access your Payment History for all your customers, click "Payments" from the left-hand navigation menu. For customer specific Payment History, click "Customers", select the customer whose history you wish to see and then click "Payments" in the sub-navigation menu.
To access your Payment Collection Settings, click "Settings" in the left-hand navigation menu and then "Payment Collection" in the drop-down menu that subsequently opens.


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Good morning friends! So often I'm speechless over how a designer has used some of the things I create. Because of this, we are beginning a new feature here at Amazing Paper Grace by asking some of our sweet creating friends to join us for a month with their creations. I'm tickled to introduce our first Guest Designer – Kathy Clement. She is headlining my blog today with one of her creations using Vintage Treasures and I'm so proud to show you what an amazing designer she is, as well as what she has made with my dies. Be sure to join her on her blog (http://www.kathybydesign.com) every week of June for a new creation using Amazing Paper Grace dies. Let me officially introduce our Kathy Clement!
In other news, join us tomorrow for the release of a new die of the month! Can't wait? Peek here!!
My website – www.kathybydesign.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/
Kathy created a beautiful folio using the Vintage Treasures Collection. There's so much dimension to this lovely project with so many layers and pockets to tuck ephemera. I'm swooning over what an absolute keepsake she has created. Take a look!
Stamps: None
Paper: Stamperia Ceremony Paper Collection
Ink: None
Accessories: Spellbinders Bella Luce Oval, Spellbinders Infinity Border Dies, Amazing Paper Grace Dies by Spellbinders
Thanks for peeking in today – isn't Kathy and her creation amazing? We think so too! I'm tickled to be creating behind the scenes, as always, and tomorrow I'll be tickled to show you new projects you can make with the Amazing Paper Grace Die of the Month. I'll be honest, I love designing what I haven't been able to find on the market and I love to design it in a way that will let you use it in multiple ways. Come back tomorrow and I'll show you :-)

subset: commoncrawl


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In the wake of the EU referendum last year and Jeremy Corbyn's takeover of the Labour party, several men have tried to start centrist political movements on Twitter. The latest comes from an unlikely source: the Berlin bureau chief of The Economist.
On Tuesday night, Jeremy Cliffe unveiled the name of a new pro-EU political movement he called "The Radicals" and asked his followers to contact an email address if they were interested.
According to Cliffe, within minutes he was inundated with people emailing saying they were indeed in.
"It was a bit of speculative kite flying to be honest," Cliffe told BuzzFeed News over the phone from Germany on Wednesday morning. "I was sitting around depressed about the state of Britain, depressed about the state of Brexit, and wondering how much better the country would be doing with different leadership."
In case you're wondering about The Radicals' platform, Cliffe also wrote a manifesto that includes reversing Brexit, abolishing VAT and the House of Lords, and moving the capital from London to Manchester.
It did have the effect of lighting up a corner of Twitter, with the likes of left-wing activist Owen Jones both taking the piss and also completely dismissing it.
Within an hour, the British movement had recruited a Germany-based campaigner named Jon Worth, who organised a beautiful new logo, website, and Twitter account.
Like any of history's great political movements, The Radicals began with very clear specifications for colour scheme and fonts.
"There's a gaping chasm in the middle of British politics that could be filled," Worth told BuzzFeed News. "The Liberal Democrats are not filling it. So could some new movement fill it? With the right organisational backing, the right people, and proper planning, it could."
Both Cliffe and Worth said they're inspired by the French president Emmanuel Macron, who built his centrist pro-EU En Marche political movement from scratch.
Centrist political movements springing out of British Twitter are actually part of a bizarre trend recently. A few months ago, former Daily Mail political editor and Cameron adviser James Chapman announced he was starting "The Democrats".
Prominent barrister and vocal Remainer Jolyon Maugham also briefly pitched a new movement called "Spring the Party".
Cliffe acknowledged that The Radicals were just one of several would-be centrist movements: "I am aware of other initiatives but none have gotten off the ground yet.
"Some of them are run by people who don't have the resources or connections to get this going."
He also thought that Twitter was "disproportionally pro-tech, pro-EU", which was the reason the platform had been the ground zero for the new British centrism.
"Twitter obviously is used by people in urban areas, who've gone to university," Cliffe said. "I am under no illusion that this is representative of the British people. Twitter is good at spreading the word to people who know how to get things done. It's a concentrated core of influencers."
Cliffe also was quick to point out that The Radicals are "completely independent of my day job at The Economist".
"If it becomes something, I'm more than happy to hand over the mailing list to someone who knows how to do this stuff," he said.
His employer was clearly not so convinced by the distinction, however. In an email obtained by BuzzFeed News, The Economist told staff that Cliffe had "accidentally" launched a political party, and urged journalists not to endorse it.
"As you may have noticed from his Twitter feed, Jeremy Cliffe has accidentally started a political movement," the email said. "It has nothing to do with The Economist. To avoid giving any impression to the contrary, please do not tweet or in any other way comment on it."
And it was therefore perhaps inevitable that at lunchtime on Wednesday, just 15 hours after launching the movement – and shortly after talking to BuzzFeed News – Cliffe published a Medium post resigning from leadership of The Radicals and acknowledging that "taking this forward would not be compatible with my job as Berlin Bureau Chief for The Economist".
However, all was not lost, and he declared the launch a triumph: "In any case it is clear that the initial goal of this exercise — to show that there is an appetite for such a party — has been met, and exceeded."


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Thursday, December 24, 2009
Jacob's Creek Reserve 2007 Chardonnay Sponsored Wine Review by Billy
Nose:Slightly off chardonnay nose. Lightly green and citrus.
Palate:thin and acidic, not quite crisp. Buttery on the back of the tongue.
Finish: Grape stem.
Overall:This wine was sent to The Wine Cask Blog free of charge to review. I have seen it retail for about $13. Meh. 2007 was not the best year in Australia overall and I have tasted much better Jacob's Creek wines at or below this price point. That they made something as good as this is testament to their drive for quality no matter what they have to work with. Still I would pass this year up.
Raise a Glass!
Labels: 2007, australia, chardonnay, Jacob's Creek
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Let us now praise strange men.
If tragedy plus time equals comedy, then sleaze plus time equals respect. This is not to say that William Lustig's 1980 horror film Maniac is now respectable per se, but in the past decade it's received not one but two restorations. See? Restorations aren't just for pretentious foreign films like Wings of Desire, which only exist to make critics feel smart! Movies that you don't have to be a snooty artfag to enjoy also get restored.
The first Maniac restoration was a 2K transfer of "the original uncut and uncensored negative," released on Blu-ray by Blue Underground in 2010. The latest, also on Blu-ray by Blue Underground and released in December 2018, is "a brand-new 4K Restoration from its recently discovered 16mm original camera negative." But no matter how many pixels or how shiny, Maniac is a rough, rough film.
The titular maniac is a big slab of sweaty, hairy beef named Frank Zito (Joe Spinell) who kills women on the streets of New York, scalps them, and staples their scalps to his menagerie of mannequins. The squick factor is as high as you might expect both due to the basic concept and the gore effects by Tom Savini, produced during an unparalleled run which also included George Romero's Martin and Dawn of the Dead and Sean Cunningham's original Friday the 13th.
Maniac was shot on 16mm for not much money, and like so many low-budget films from that era, high definition makes it feel like a documentary of its own making. If we're being honest, the splatter effects don't have quite the same visceral, forbidden power they once did in squalid theaters or on smudgy VHS tapes. Now, when Frank shoots a man (Savini himself!) at point-blank range with a shotgun through a windshield, the fake head now looks very much like what it is. But that also adds to the … um, charm, let's say? But even if the gore were removed you'd still want to take a shower after viewing Maniac, and it's very much worth seeing on the Drafthouse's big screen, especially since director Lustig will be there in person.
In addition to having been famously controversial at the time — Gene Siskel was not a fan, to put it mildly — Maniac is perhaps best remembered as the passion project of its writer and star, the late Joe Spinell. The seed for Maniac's budget was Spinell's salary from William Friedkin's Cruising, speaking of problematic New York serial-killer movies, and Spinell himself was sort of the B-picture version of John Cazale. He was good friends with Sylvester Stallone and Steven Spielberg, and in the room with the latter when the 1976 Oscar nominations were announced, as were cameras from an unspecified news program.
When Jaws is nominated for Best Picture — but Spielberg isn't for Best Director — he steps back and lets Spinell, resplendent in a Jaws T-shirt, vent all the frustrations Spielberg himself cannot. It's on YouTube as "Steven Spielberg watches Oscar nominations in 1976," and whether you're able to make it to (or through) Maniac itself, the clip is guaranteed to be the best 3:29 of your day.
Five Other Films and Film Festivals We're Excited About
Have You Seen My Movie?
Jan. 29, at the Roxie
A celebration of the experience of moviegoing as seen in the movies, culled from clips from over 1,000 films spanning 80 years.
COVEN Film Festival
Feb. 9, at the New People Cinema
A day of short films by female filmmakers from all over the world.
NY Cat Film Festival
Feb. 16, at the Roxie
The festival returns from the East Coast with more short films about our betters.
Chesley Bonestell: A Brush with the Future
Feb. 22-23, at the Roxie
A documentary about the artist whose mid-20th-century paintings of space travel you've seen, even if you've never seen them.
Captain Marvel
March 8, opens widely
As though being about one of the female Captains Marvel won't ruin enough childhoods, her breast size is proportional — and she's fully clothed from head to toe! MRAs just can't catch a break these days.


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Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
TN native. Common Ash tree with an original range that included every eastern state and even up to Montana and Canada. Has a compound leaf containing 7 to 9 elliptical leaflets which turn a fair to moderate yellowish in Fall. The wood is tough and hard and not decay resistant. A novice tree person may confuse hickory leaves with ash. All ash species are presently being watched closely due to a threat of being killed by a disease carried by the Emerald Ash Borer.


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Boom, there goes the bomb in the busy street.
The wife who to her husband did not bid farewell,
is now forever gone.
With so many tasks undone, so many dreams unfulfilled.
The lass with books in her bag, and dreams in her eyes,
lays down closing her eyes not to open again.
So many people seeing their own fate change in a moment
Where they belonged and where they are…..
Did they deserve it?
Noone knows…
The country sleeps as if nothing happened
Morning has come and yesterday gone.
Life is once again normal.
People coming and people leaving,
rushing in the busy vans and buses.
They sit awaiting for a cause
to stir their blood of patriotism.
May be some reasons so strong…..
which may lie only in a leader's word.


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Was the "the seventh Python" screwed out of profits on the hit musical Spamalot?
A trial is underway in London where Mark Forstater, a producer on the 1975 film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, contends he's due money on "spin-offs" under a 1974 agreement between him and the Pythons, including surviving members Michael Palin, Eric Idle and Terry Jones.
STORY: TV Broadcasters Tell Appeals Court to Shut Down Aereo
Forstater's lawyer said during opening arguments that he was getting a one-seventh share until 2005 until his share was allegedly reduced unilaterally to one-fourteenth.
According to Reuters, "Forstater sat with his lawyer, with the Pythons behind him. They did not talk. The Pythons listened with serious faces and exchanged occasional whispers."
In other entertainment and media law news:
- Shakira is being sued by her ex-boyfriend, Antonio de la Rúa, who alleges that he had a standing oral agreement with the pop star to share in the fruits of her success. Claiming at least $100 million in damages, the plaintiff alleges, "The combination of de la Rúa's business and marketing talents with Defendant's artistic talents, beauty and sex appeal succeeded in propelling the value of the partnership far beyond anything either had previously achieved or believed possible."
- The 9th Circuit Court of Appeal ruled Friday that Disney doesn't have to pay attorneys fees to the family of the owner of Winnie the Pooh rights in their long-running feud. The ruling upholds a 2010 denial of attorneys fees to Stephen Slesinger.
- The Coachella Music Festival can keep its name. Organizers of the annual musical event had been locked in a fight at the Trademark Office with the makers of Coach luxury handbags. Was "Coachella" likely to confuse consumers of purses? No matter. Earlier this month, the two parties struck a deal. Full terms of the agreement haven't been made public, but as part of the settlement, Coach Services Inc. agreed to back down on the music festival's attempts to register a trademark on goods that included plastic water bottles and hooded sweat shirts.
- Mary J. Blige is being sued by a bank for allegedly defaulting on a $2.2 million loan. The R&B singer and her husband allegedly executed a promissory note in October, 2011. Blige is also dealing with a separate lawsuit that contends her charity mishandled payments to musicians performing at a charity event.
STORY: 'Expendables 2' Stuntman Sues Over Injuries in On-Set Explosion
- A show about a veterinary office featuring Crystal the Monkey as "Dr. Rizzo" wasn't the best idea. NBC's Animal Practice was canceled after just six episodes this autumn. But even bad ideas can spark idea theft lawsuits. On Monday, Duckhole, Inc. sued NBCUniversal, contending that the TV show was a misappropriation of a work entitled "PETS," registered as a treatment to the WGA by Paul J. Andre. His show would have featured "Bud," the resident pet of the veterinary office. The plaintiff is seeking injunctive relief against distribution of Animal Practice — again, the show was canceled — and disgorgement of all ill-gotten profits, saying his "copyright [work] is unique and valuable property having market value impractical to assess."
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Snowy path
Staff Writer
Ellwood City Ledger
Fresh snow covers a trailhead on the North Country Trail off Snake Run Road in Wayne Township. It's part of a 4,600-mile trail that runs through seven states from New York to North Dakota. The North Country Trail is America's longest scenic trail and was formally established in 1980. Blue blazes mark the trees along a portion of Snake Run Road, where the trail follows the roadway. The National Conference for the North Country Trail Association will hold it's annual meeting for 2013 at Slippery Rock University.


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New to KonMari? Find out What Works and What Doesn't!
A year ago I borrowed a book from a friend. I told her I need some inspiration to really de-clutter and set my house right once and for all. She handed me 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up' and I raised a wary eyebrow. It didn't seem like my kind of book. My friend convinced me to give it a try, so I took it home. When I was done reading it, I remember kinda mocking the flowery prose on Facebook. I didn't quite call it silly or ridiculous, but I did feel it was a tad unbelievable. For one thing, you were not going to catch me bowing down and talking to the household spirits. Uh,uh, no way. It DID give me the inspiration to tackle the clutter with renewed vigor. I can even admit-I fell in love with the way she folded and stored clothes! So I guess in a way you could say Marie Kondo changed my life.
A year later the Netflix series launched and I jumped at the chance to watch her in action. She gave people hope and helped them to tune into their needs. Then she provided structure to support those needs. At that moment I realized why her style of doing things was not a fairy tale to her. She believed in what she was doing with all of her heart and soul. She was inspirational by simply being to true to herself.
I also saw in that moment why the KonMari Method could not work for me. Ever.
Why Does it NOT Work for Me?
We gather our material belongings in a cyclic way. They represent pieces of who we are and who we want to be. We create a psychological bond with our stuff! Which makes it hard to get rid of something-unless you make your peace with it first. The things we are ready to let-go, the things that no longer serve a purpose, we have no problems carting it out to the curb in gusto. The stuff I struggle with? The things that represent potential purpose. I might need it in 6 months…or even in a year! If I throw it out right now, I feel like I am shooting myself in the foot. 6 months later, when I had the time to process it, I can face reality and actually put a plan together to remove it from the home.
The KonMarie Method focuses on 5 categories. It is very strict about not moving on until you have fully addressed the last category.
- Clothes
- Books
- Papers
- Miscellaneous Items
- Sentimental Items
When I initially tried to implement the method I ended up getting stuck at the second step. I am a person who thinks books have souls. If a book finds its way to me, it means something. I was already waging a battle before I read her book. There was nothing anywhere in those pages to help a person like me. If I had followed the plan faithfully it would have meant discarding the books in a flash or being stuck at step 2.
So What Does Work?
The KonMarie Method starts with taking everything off the shelves and out of drawers and throwing it in a big pile.
An overwhelming mountain of stuff, at least half of which I knew was in the right place before I began? That would kill me.
Your home is not only a place you happen to be at the end of the day. It is a place that welcomes you and invites you to celebrate your life. It is a place that serves to remind you of your values and what is most important to you. It helps if there are areas or elements of your home you already feel good about. Start by thinking about why you feel good about these spaces. Test out your idea in a small area. It can be a shelf or a corner of a room.
Cultivating your Chaos
I like think of the best use for that space. I think about what I need to make this area work for me. Then I take everything out of that space and ONLY put back what will work there. Dealing with what is left takes a bit more time. If there is a pile, it is usually a small one and I leave it right there until I can figure it out. Don't move it anywhere else. Refuse to hide from it.
Summoning the energy to de-clutter huge areas requires a strong motivator. For me I love the idea of traveling in an RV full time! That and micro-house living appeals to me. You already know how attached I am to books. And you know I love to travel, so something has to give. I make a conscious effort every year to slim down the amount of books I have, and while it does get easier every year, it is still painful. The idea of letting go of a book before it is read makes we feel queasy. The first goal was to par books down so they weren't double stacked and I could actually see what is there. For my next goal I removed a bookcase and it forced me again to reevaluate what was worth keeping. This doesn't keep me from enjoying new books! When I am ready to buy something new, I am also ready to let at least one old one go.
Don't Lose the Most Important Thing In the Room!
You are actually the most important person in the room. All that stuff, it tells a story about you. Our homes are one of the windows we can use to do a little soul check. How much of you and what you think is important, actually shows up and throughout the house? Before you purge your story. Think about what is meaningful about your home to you. If you have a messy eclectic style, Cool. Embrace it. This is you. Here is how you can tell that mess or style is not working for you.
When your home doesn't feel like a sanctuary.
Despite the perceived chaos, if everyone living there feels safe, acknowledged, and love-it becomes a cozy den where they can thrive. If one of those factors are weak or missing, it can be because we are too distracted by our mess.
This is the reason I prefer the show Queer Eye! They notice things about the people they are helping and look for ways to incorporate them into the home…so they feel like they belong there. Make sure you do the same for yourself!
Yes. There are benefits in intentionally choosing to live with less stuff. I simply do not think your life has to become sterile in the process. When sorting out your mess, which do you prefer?
Extreme Makeover or Curated Chaos?
If you missed the original post for this series you can read it here: How to Live More Intentionally this Year


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A savoury and sweet selection of local cheese, salami, relish, cheese sables, chocolate and fudge. Something for everyone.
Durrus Farmhouse Cheese 360g (approx.)
A mild flavoured semi-soft cow's milk cheese hand -made and cured on the Durrus family farm.
Gubbeen Smokehouse Salami 100g approx.
Artisan made cured pork, using only quality ingredients, time and care.
Manning's Chutney for Cheese & Wine 210g
Awarded gold at the Great Taste Awards, this delicious chutney has body, bouquet and spicy overtones perfect with wine and an Irish cheese board.
Seymour's Savoury Cheese Sables 100g
Small batch production and truly hand-made using the finest ingredients these savoury bites are wonderful.
Mellas Fudge 200g
Luxurious and decadent, this old-fashioned fudge made by multi award winner Mella McAuley is crumbly, buttery and bursting with flavour.
Lorge Chocolates 150g
Multi award winning handmade artisan chocolate bites with dark and milk chocolate discs.
Presented in a classic gift box with personalised gift tag


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The phone kept ringing in my hand but I couldn't answer it due to the shock paralysing my body. Strange noise filled the shaking room and then part of the roof was just torn away, disappointingly Tony and Roman were the first ones out rush the door. Another part of the roof fell inside the room, but thankfully Luna moved me out of the way saving my life and snapping me out of the shock. Some part of it must have struck me because my bracelet has broken and lost in the chaos. As I noticed the bracelet is gone I alow saw that the box from the game had a hole town in it with a faint light shining through it. And then really grotesque hands coming out of it and reaching in my direction. Luna fainted at the sight and I just cried looking at the long fingers protruding in my direction. I felt the hand grip my wrist and at the same time, the front door burst open under the foot of my father rushing in together with my mother.
"No! we are too late.."
"Mom! help, I'm sorry I didn't know!"
"William, quick, the tracker!"
I was being constantly pulled towards the shining hole in the game, my father pulled out a small square black device out of his back pocket and threw it at me. I barely managed to catch it as the hands yanked me harder now, losing my balance and falling towards the light the last thing I heard was my mother trying to say something that was cut off.
"Find your gr…"
I relive these events often in my dreams hoping I could remember more details but to no avail. It has been ten years now of waking up hungry and cold, thankfully through my childhood, my grandfather often took me for camping in the woods where I learned how to make shelter and find food in case of an emergency, and now I'm glad I never tried to thwart his efforts to teach me.
I have one stealthy shack on the ground and one on a tree if I need to run away from animals or the Ha La Lau, I see them sometimes wandering nearby alone or in packs. I avoid contact with them fearing they will kill me on sight like many animals they do. Maybe they won't, after all, we have practically the same shape, but then that's all we have in common.
As for the food, I found the most similar plants to what we have on earth and planted them nearby, occasionally I hunt for small animals, mostly hope they will fall into my trap. I try to search for some more resources during the day but I'm still afraid to wander off too far. Tonight I was awoken by a branch being broken close by, I instinctively clutched a sharp piece of metal I once found and used as a knife and peeked out. I heard a rustle and then silence. It wasn't the Ha La Lau because they glow at night and I haven't seen or heard an animal…
If you know someone suitable for this challenge feel free to let them know about it maybe they will join us. Or maybe you? do you want to write another part of this story? let me know in the comments.


text: As a local organisation we very much rely on the support of our local community, and continue to support people flexibly to have greater choice and control and remove the barriers that disabled people and children experience in their everyday lives. We support over 2,000 people every year. But we need your help.


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The British Embassy Rome launches its first questionnaire for British expats in Italy
As part of our campaign to learn moreof British nationals living in Italy, we are proud to announce the launch our first online questionnaire.
We will run the online survey until 10 December 2016 with the aim of finding out more about your experience of living in Italy: we want to use this information to ensure that our website is up to date and that our information on Twitter and Facebook is relevant and useful.
So please, share it as widely as possibly with your British friends and family!We value every single response!
On launching the questionnaire, Ambassador to Italy, Jill Morris,said:
"Our Consular team in Italy is always keen to understand and address the challenges that British expats face. Since you are all so well integrated into Italian society, we sometimes find it difficult to reach out to you or know what your needs are.
It is with great pleasure that I present this new initiative: an online questionnaire which we are sharing with all of you living here. We want to understand what your difficulties are, and how we can best work for you and our Italian partners. We look forward to hearing from you."
British Embassy Rome
Easy Milano, Ask an Expat in Italy
Easy Milano offers private coaching and consulting for expats planning to live in Italy. Save time researching and ask someone who lives here. Get practical tips that will help you prepare and plan out your relocation to Italy. Learn about key information and essential insights about living in Italy that will help make your transition smoother. Schedule a call.
You must be logged in to post a comment.


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2018 The Offering Magnum
In Stock
Wine Specs
Santa Barbara County
19 months in French oak: 3% New Puncheons, 11% Second-Fill puncheons, 17% Neutral Puncheons, 4% New Hogshead, 2% Second-Fill Hogshead, 18% Second-Fill Barriques & 45% Neutral Barriques
Alcohol %
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Scents of cinnamon bark, graphite, white pepper and cocoa dust hang in the air of the warmly lit room as you enter. A glass of framboise and cedar bowls filled with green olives and wild strawberries are set out. Though the day was long & arduous a smile spreads on your lips as you see the anxious little faces before you. "Shall we begin where we left off?" you ask, settling into a soft suede armchair with the storybook.
Vineyard Notes
Grenache: Alta Colina, Santa Barbara Highlands - Alta Mesa, Derby, Jack Creek, Spanish Springs, Zabala. Syrah: Old Potrero, Slide Hill, Spanish Springs, White Hawk, Zotovich. Mourvèdre: Alta Colina, Santa Barbara Highlands - Alta Mesa, Derby.
Winemaker Notes
39% Grenache, 36% Syrah, 25% Mourvèdre.
Other Notes
Serving Recommendation: Decant 1+ hours, serve slightly above cellar temperature (60F) Aging Potential: 7-9 years. 1.5L bottle


text: By Steve Newton In the Year of Our Lord, 1974, Mountain was one of my favourite bands. Back then I played the crap out of their new live album, Twin Peaks, marvelling at how totally rockin' a cowbell could sound on "Mississippi Queen". And Leslie West's guitar playing wasn't too bad either. Four years later another American … Continue reading That time Leslie West told me that Eddie Van Halen inspired him to get back into guitar after rehab


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Educational segregation of people with a migrant background appears to be an under-explored issue, exacerbated by the lack of detailed data. According to figures from the Fundamental Rights Agency[1], about half of the EU's Member States struggle with educational segregation. Further evidence suggests that segregation affects educational outcomes and integration perspectives for children.
Educational segregation falls under the responsibility of both national and local authorities following the corresponding fundamental rights and non-discrimination requirements as laid down in Council Directive 2000/43/EC. In an attempt to contribute to tackling this complex policy issue, the Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees Partnership dedicates one Action to preventing educational segregation by way of supporting local-level actions contributing to desegregation of segregated educational facilities, including measures developing quality early childhood education and care.
The Action consists of two concrete measures: Following the Partnership's request, an expert reviewed sixteen local integration strategies and has tried to assess the scope of school segregation. Building on this, the Metropolitan Research Institute published methodological guidance paper in May 2018. The Partnership is happy to invite interested cities to try out pilot actions in the field of desegregation. The European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, DG REGIO, together with the Joint Research Centre, is in the process of launching dedicated exercises to collect data on segregation in educational facilities at the local level.
DG REGIO leads on this Action.
More details on this Action can be found in the in the Action Plan. To stay up to date, please consult the Partnership website regularly and follow the Urban Agenda for the EU on Twitter @EUUrbanAgenda.
The Partnership has also produced a short video on this Action:
[1]Fundamental Rights Agency (2017), Together in the EU Promoting the participation of migrants and their descendants. Available at: http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2017/migrant-participation
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So, Michael here. I just called Adoption for All Children and found that if we were able to get our formal application in today, we would be #26 on the list. The receptionist also told me that from the time the formal application is process the current average wait time would be 15 to 18 months. THAT IS CRAZY!!! Just really wish the army would give the bonus that I was supposed to receive in June!! We are trying to pay as much as we can with our money prior to getting any loans!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
If the Army would just give me that bonus!
Posted by Lucky Mama at 4:43 PM
Labels: Adoption Journey, By Michael
1 comments:
- ROBYN -N- KEVIN said...
Good luck friends! I wish I had the amount you need sitting in my pocket because I would loan it to you. Keep us posted! It's so exciting to see how close you are getting! (9 months and we get to start again YAY)
- October 8, 2008 at 10:51 AM
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Description : The Little Sailor Difference Game
The Little Sailor : This is the story of the little caterpillar that could. Find and click 7 differences in each scene to see how, despite emerging from his cocoon without beautiful butterfly wings, this caterpillar still seizes the day. Work fast for a time bonus, clicking the lightbulb for hints along the way.
You are playing The Little Sailor . Do not forget to play one of the other great HiddenObject Games at www.StarSue.Net


text: Thank You To St Brigid's College A special big "thank you" to everyone at St Brigid's College. You have supported me over the years; I would like to take this opportunity to tell you all how much I appreciate your kindness, patience and above all friendship. You have been so thoughtful and supportive. You were always prepared to go the extra mile to help with the Aspire Programme and nothing was ever any bother to you. I am moving on to a new project, Families Connect with Save the Children, but I am still based at Greater Shantallow Area Partnership. I am excited about this wonderful opportunity. However, it is tinged with sadness because I am leaving a wonderful team of people and fantastic students, who over the last 6 years have allowed me to be part of their life's journey. It has been a privilege to see our wonderful young people blossom. I want to take this opportunity to tell each one of them, that I am so proud of all that they are and all that I know they will become. They are smart and gifted, but above all kind, thoughtful and caring. I loved being their "Granny" over the years and know that they all have the potential for greatness. Every one of the students treated me with such kindness and care and will always be my "children". I wish every one of them a wonderful, happy, healthy, fulfilling life. A new Co-ordinator will be continuing the work of Aspire and I know whoever is appointed, will be as impressed as I have been with the St Brigid's family and will continue this fantastic programme in an innovative and exciting way. To you the parents and guardians of St Brigid's College, I would like to say a big thank you also. You have supported me in everything I have done over the years. You are very special people and you must be so proud of your children. They have grown in kindness, through the love they have received at home, in school and in their community. I have a very special thank you also to all of the parent volunteers (who I stalked, phoned and called on constantly), you have helped make Aspire what it is today. You gave of your time and energy to support the delivery of the programme and not one of you has changed their phone number yet! To me you were not just volunteers on Aspire, you have become my friends and that will never change. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Have a happy safe, fun summer, you deserve it. Love and God bless Pat


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We're back! And we've got a brand new venue.
Get it in your calendars as 6th February 4-6pm is our first Frist Friday of the year and it's downstairs at the Whiskey Jar on Tariff Street in Manchester City Centre's Northern Quarter.
We're in a new venue but it's still the same First Friday we all know and love – a relaxing networking environment allowing you to mingle with other FM supporters over a pint. The first 50 attendees will also receive a free drink token on arrival.
As always, spaces are limited so register early using the form below to avoid disappointment.
See you on the 6th!


text: "One of the cool things about being an optimist is that quite often I believe I have come up with an idea that will change the world. This is a wonderful feeling that lasts from the moment I think of the idea until the moment I realize I'm full of shit. That's why I often keep my best ideas to myself. That way I can savor their splendidness longer, free from the brutality of reason and information. But ultimately I must set each idea free, so that it might take wing for about a minute and a half before someone shoots it like skeet and stomps on it with a manure-scented boot." – Scott Adams


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The George W. Bush book, "Decision Points', has been released. To the American reading public.
Safely after the midterm elections.
And get this: It's a book with
I know, right?
Now, did Bush write his memoirs by his own self? If he did, I'll be interested in seeing the word 'nookular' in print. Also 'turr'. As in the 'war on turr.'
Dubya can't say the word 'memoirs' without it soundin' like 'them WARS.'
But anyhoo ...
Among other things, Literary Dubya takes us back to the day in 2005 when he landed at Brookley Field here in Mobile several days after Katrina devastated New Orleans, Mississippi and Lower Alabama. Rested and clueless, he got off the helicopter, arms spread from his side like a Texas gunfighter, and strutted for the cameras like a rooster.
The first stupid remarks to fly from his mouth were about how he'd heard Mississippi Senator Trent Lott had lost his house.
"We're gonna build Trent Lott an even bigger house," he reassured an American public, for the better part of a week, had been horrified by images of people drowning and dying in New Orleans and Mississippi, and destruction up and down the Gulf Coast.
The Rooster-in-Boots flies in to save the day and the only comforting thing he can say is how he's gonna make sure a rich, white, corrupt Republican Senator will be fixed up again in no time. If he was trying to be funny, he shoulda researched the mood of his audience a little more.
Then came his praise of FEMA's overwhelmed and under-qualified leader, Mike Brown.
Turns out, he didn't know enough about the situation to come up with his own line.
From his book, Bush says: "I asked Bob (Riley) and Haley (Barbour) if they were getting the federal support they needed. Both told me that they were. 'That Mike Brown is doing a heck of a job,' Bob said. I knew Mike was under pressure, and I wanted to boost his morale. When I spoke to the press a few minutes later, I repeated the praise.
'Brownie,' I said, 'you're doing a heck of a job.'
And now he's passin' the Brownie buck to Gov. Bob Riley. If Bush had been on top of things, maybe he could have come up with his own lame material.
In Riley's defense, he said he gave a thumbs up to the president for the job FEMA had done in Alabama.
Still, I think Riley was just making a joke. And he probably delivered it in private way better than Bush did in front of the microphones.
It's not Bush's fault, of course. How'd he know the line he stole from a respected Republican governor was gonna go nookular?


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[ACNS, by Bellah Zulu] This year's Anglicans Ablaze held in Cape Town, South Africa, was an opportunity to explore and discuss various spiritual and social issues pertaining to the Anglican Church and the country as a whole including inequality and poverty. But it was the themes of education and leadership that formed a constant thread throughout the four days conference. The conference itself took place at a time of growing unrest and protests for free university education in some of South Africa's notable universities which has prompted several institutions to temporarily close, just when students are preparing for end-of-term exams.
Christians have the answer
"Twelve million children are in state schools here in South Africa and nine million of them are in need of support," revealed Mike Darby, an education activist from South Africa. "Anglicans have always been known to provide integral support to human beings, and with unemployment rate at 55 per cent in South Africa, the Church and the civil society organisations need to step up."
He added: "Black people here in South Africa don't have equal opportunities as their white counterparts and like in many other places around the world, white privilege does exist here in South Africa, and as Christians we need to help come to place where people are treated the same."
Mr Darby explained the unique position that Christians have and the difference they can make in the country. "We're in touch with the creator of the universe and it's up to us to make a difference through prayer and action and only then can we help build a solid foundation for our children," he said.
When your faith is under fire
South Africa's public protector, Advocate Thuli Mandonsela, whose office is mandated to strengthen constitutional democracy by investigating and redressing improper and prejudicial conduct, maladministration and abuse of power in state affairs, gave a talk at the conference and reflected on her job as how she has been able to exercise her "faith under fire."
She was thrust into the limelight when she won her petition asking the court to cite President Jacob Zuma in violation of the constitution for misusing up to $16 million USD (approximately £12.9 million GBP) of public money to renovate his private home, something that even brought about threats on her life.
"The time to think that politics is for people with no jobs is long gone," said Mrs Mandonsela during a question and answer session with the youth. "Find out what your purpose in life is and do something you are passionate about. Be the light of the world and never think that you're too small to make a difference."
Earlier she reflected on why she chose to remain in office and not resign despite the threats she had received on her life. "People who are elected to public office should be trustworthy, competent and should never allow their self-interest come against what they have to do. I was appointed to lead a team which ensures that government conduct is constitutionally and legally compliant," she said.
South Africa's public protector, Advocate Thuli Mandosela, addresses the Anglicans Ablaze conference.Photo: Bellah Zulu / ACNS
Unlocking way for mission and ministry
"Good leadership is about having a vision, being self-driven and working towards a goal often far greater than yourself, but often we mistake good managers as being good leaders," said the Rector of the College of the Transfiguration, the Revd Dr Vicentia Kgabe. "A good leader should be able to move the hearts of the followers and not their mind."
Dr Kgabe added that the church is in need of leaders whose life mission is all about making disciples and multiplying ministries. "Leadership is about multiplying disciples and good leaders should also seek the help of the Holy Spirit," she said.
Another speaker, Jeremy Koeries reflected on the concept of leadership as being about passing of the key to someone else. He spoke of how in his own culture a further gives a young person a symbolic key as an indication of trusting them with their own life and of other people around them.
"There is need to understand the concept of community in order to understand Godly leadership and what it's meant to do," he said. "It's hard to raise a generation of Godly leaders if you're not connected to God who is the source of life, and his people."
Sex and drugs a challenge for young people
The conference had specific sessions that dealt with issues of sex and drug and substance abuse among young people. "We've a societal norm who says that drug addicts are morally weak people but we need to change that perception," said the director of the Cape Town Drug Counselling Centre, Ashley Potts. "In this country we don't know that such people also need medical help."
But it was the candid session on sex among youth conducted by a Christian married couple, Peter and Janine Cornelius, which captivated the young minds. "Remember that the word of God says that you're his temple and something sacred resides in you," Janine Cornelius reminded the youth. "We do what we do because we have desires which we allow to be driven by the wrong messages leading to undesired action."
Peter Cornelius explained that the current culture is rooted on the invasion nature of sexuality. He explained the value of sex when done within the confines of marriage but also the pain it can bring when done outside marriage. "Most of us have made monumental mistakes in our lives but remember the Bible reminds us that we cannot out do the grace of God," he said.
This year's Anglicans Ablaze was, according to the organisers, something different. "The audience and Anglicans Ablaze itself is maturing," said the director of Growing the Church, the Revd Trevor Pearce. "But it's important to note that we're simply God's people bound by a common love for God, each other, for the church and for the world."
Published by the Anglican Communion Office © 2022 Anglican Consultative Council
To learn more about the Anglican Communion visit www.anglicancommunion.org Find out how to embed Anglican News on your website here
Built thanks to the generosity of the Church Mission Publishing Company and the Compass Rose Society


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A new study released by online commenting platform Disqus has found that people make a conscious decision to use pseudonyms depending on the topic.
In general, people say they're more inclined to use a fake name when discussing private matters. These include views on politics, opinions about religion, or details about personal finance. Meanwhile, people say they're more likely to use real names while discussing pets, food and drink, and health and fitness topics.
Disqus says the people it surveyed use pseudonyms 41% of the time when they comment online, and men are more likely than women to mask their identities.
Though the possibility of anonymity might lead commenters to be more aggressively negative, a 2013 study from the University of Wisconsin showed there's a network effect when it comes to nasty comments. In short: If the remarks start out mean, the ones that follow will probably be worse.


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This article first appeared on Mashable…
Once again, London Fashion Week is aiming to prove it has just as much muscle in the digital department as its counterpart in New York.
Innovation kicks off at Topshop. Newly installed chief marketing officer Justin Cooke, formerly vice president of public relations at Burberry, has developed an interactive, shoppable livestream experience for its Unique show on Sunday afternoon.
On Topshop.com, viewers will be able to browse product shots and color options for certain apparel and accessories as they come down the catwalk. Viewers can then place orders for delivery in six to eight weeks. Beauty products worn on the catwalk will likewise be available for purchase with delivery in 48 hours. And each look will be instantly shareable with Facebook friends thanks to a "shoot the show" feature developed in conjunction with Facebook engineers.
Jonathan Saunders is similarly offering fans the chance to pre-order his collection, this time on social platform Motilo, which allows users to shop together through live video and chat.
Ten of the looks from Saunders's Spring/Summer 2013 line will be made available immediately following the livestream, which is being hosted in a specially-created hub on the Motilo site.
Visual diaries
The British Fashion Council (BFC) will be hosting livestreams of 47 shows at londonfashionweek.com/live this season, including those showing apart from the main catwalk venues, such as Christopher Kane, Mulberry and Paul Smith. The BFC's in-house team will also be narrating the LFW story with behind-the-scenes snapshots on Instagram via the "BritishFashionCouncil" account.
Meanwhile, designer Anya Hindmarch, taking inspiration from Oscar de la Renta's bridal and spring shows, is working with the BFC to bring fans all the live action of her show via Pinterest.
Her experience throughout London Fashion Week, as well as of her show itself on Tuesday, will be pinned to the BFC's board, providing a real-time visual diary for fans to engage with. Inspiration shots, backstage prep, even seating plans and invitations — not to mention the collection as it hits — will all be included. The Osman show on Monday will also be live-pinned.
The recently relaunched Net-a-Porter Tumblr promises to give a comprehensive overview of Fashion Week from both the front row, the street and, increasingly, backstage. The e-commerce site's Fashion Fix blog meanwhile is equally as strong, hosting all manner of daily video insights and editorial content about trends.
Blogger, illustrator and photographer Garance Doré is also creating a series of videos for Net-a-Porter from each city, introduced in New York with an inside look at her prep for the week, and continuing through London with a second release on Tuesday.
Expert commentary
For those looking for some more expert analysis and professional insight on the collections, the place to head is SHOWstudio. Here, an exciting dose of live commentary and conversation is taking place alongside the livestreams on a number of key shows.
Hosted by SHOWstudio's Lou Stoppard and writer Camilla Morton, you'll find panel discussions with fashion experts including journalists, stylists, buyers and image-makers. "It's about communicating fashion in a raw, unedited and honest way… and bringing the excitement of the front row to a broader audience," the team explains.
SHOWstudio founder and director, Nick Knight, adds, "There is so much potential to cover the fashion shows in an entertaining way that can involve and excite a huge range of people. Sport events, for example, are always explained to their public by a panel of 'experts,' whereas fashion is just presented as if its only audience is the industry. Fashion coverage is also so inoffensive; everyone is too scared to rock the boat. Any art form benefits from a strong and robust critical forum — including fashion."
Whistles CEO Jane Sheperdson, writer Colin McDowell, filmmaker Ruth Hogben, artist Daphne Guinness and more will all be featured. The initiative is occurring throughout fashion month (so New York, Milan and Paris too) from the company's headquarters in London. LFW will see three shows covered: Burberry, Christopher Kane and Fashion East.
The BFC is looking to Twitter as always too, continuing its #AskLFW conversations from @LondonFashionWk with guest tweeters this season, including New York socialite Olivia Palermo, designers Matthew Williamson and Roksanda Ilincic, and Grazia magazine's style director (and soon-to-be fashion director at Harvey Nichols), Paula Reed.
Geo-tracked transport
And finally, Vodafone is set to help LFW VIPs get about the city more easily throughout the week, thanks to an innovative bespoke app.
Each of the Mercedes-Benz cars VIPs travel in will include a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet pre-loaded with "fleet management technology" so they can track their progress in the city. In other words, they'll be able to view their location and speed — similar to how you would on an airplane — in relation to the press and photographer buses, helping them judge how long they have until the next show begins.
As Rosanna Falconer, digital marketing executive at the BFC, explains, "It lets them know how quickly they need to be there, and whether they have time to stop off for that all-important cup of coffee."
The app also includes a calendar of the show schedule, a list of PR contacts, a Twitter feed displaying relevant hashtags and a stream of post-show videos from YouTube. The initiative helps ensure those all-important attendees remain as on the ball so as to keep providing content for the rest of us.
Despite being a city largely comprised of young, independent designers — with therefore decidedly low budgets — London's support network sees it once again upping its game for Spring/Summer 2013, cementing itself as a true contender in the digital space. Of course, we will have to see what Burberry has planned for us on Monday.


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up/down volume ratio(redirected from Up/Down Volume Ratios)
Up/Down Volume Ratio
In technical analysis, the trading volume on a security on days when its price increases, divided by the trading volume on days when the price decreases. This indicates whether more investors are buying the security or selling it. A high ratio is a bullish signal, while a low ratio is considered bearish.
Farlex Financial Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All Rights Reserved
up/down volume ratio
A stock's aggregate trading volume during days when the price increases divided by the aggregate trading volume during days when the price declines. This technical tool attempts to provide guidance as to whether a stock is being accumulated or distributed. A high up/down volume ratio is considered a bullish indicator.
Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott. Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. All rights reserved.


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In decision T 625/11, an EPO Technical Board of Appeal considered two different approaches to determining inventive step which produced opposite outcomes. The difference between the approaches consisted in whether the technical effect of a simulation method arose only from the interaction of the method with the computer system or whether (non-technical) aspects relating to the implementation of the method could contribute to technical character and thus support the presence of an inventive step.
The application in question related to a method and system for determining a threshold value of a nuclear reactor operating parameter. The Examining Division had refused the application on the ground of lack of inventive step pursuant to Article 56 EPC.
In particular, although the Examining Division had accepted that the subject matter of claim 1 ("a computer-implemented method for determining at least one threshold value of at least one nuclear reactor operating parameter") was technical in nature by virtue of the method being performed by a computer system, the Examining Division concluded that the claimed method did not involve any teaching that went beyond the routine practice of the person skilled in the art and, therefore, lacked inventive step.
In section 7.1 of its decision, the Board referred to Technical Board decision T 641/00, which sets out that "where a feature cannot be considered as contributing to the solution of any technical problem by providing a technical effect, it has no significance for the purpose of assessing inventive step". Therefore, as the Board elaborated in the present case, it is only possible to determine a technical problem to be solved if at least one technical effect resulting from at least one claimed feature is acknowledged.
In the present case, the Board held that there was no doubt that steps b), c) and d) of the claimed method were performed by the computer system referred to in the claim and hence that, notwithstanding the technical character of the claim as a whole, steps b), c) and d) were themselves technical. However, the Board pointed out that this was not sufficient to establish whether or not the claim was inventive pursuant to Article 56 EPC.
The Board considered two approaches to determining the presence of an inventive step: the one taken by the Examining Division and the other favoured by the applicant. In the first approach, the technical effects of the claimed method were limited to the interaction between the claimed simulation method and the computer system. However, in the second approach, the aspects relating to the implementation of the method were also considered to contribute to the technical effect.
The Examining Division held that the method could not be considered inventive since the use of a computer system to implement the method was the sole technical aspect of the invention. The use of a generic computer system to calculate a value was considered obvious.
However, the Board recalled that, according to the precedent set in T 641/00, when a claim refers to an object to be achieved in a non-technical field, that object may legitimately be stated in the formulation of the problem to be solved, in particular as a constraint to be observed. Therefore, the Board formulated the technical problem to be solved by the invention as follows: "implementing a method enabling the determination of a threshold value of a nuclear reactor operating parameter, the determination including [the method steps]" [emphasis added].
The Board acknowledged that it was not possible to solve the posed problem by theoretical methods alone owing to the complexity involved. It added that the volume of data to be processed and the nature of the required calculations meant that the processing could not be done without suitable means. In consequence, the only option available to the skilled person would be to use a computer system with sufficient processing power.
The Board pointed out that, as a result of not taking into account the nature of the data to be processed or the object of the claimed method, the first approach would lead to the conclusion that the subject-matter of claim 1 of the main request lacked inventive step pursuant to Article 56 EPC. It was also noted that this approach is a priori independent of the technical field considered and almost systematically leads to the conclusion that a claimed method which is distinguished from the prior art only in being automated would not be inventive.
However, the applicant argued that the technical character of the present invention resulted not only from the use of the computer system but also from the data being processed and the objective targeted by the invention, even if the latter was not included in the claimed method. The applicant also argued that the Examining Division had not followed the precedent set by an earlier decision, T 1227/05, in which it was decided that features which, in isolation, were non-technical did, in the context of the invention, contribute to producing a technical effect serving a technical purpose.
In the present case, the Board stated that recognition of a technical character connected with the use of the threshold value resulting from the simulation for proper operation of a nuclear reactor would lead to a significantly more specific redefinition of the objective technical problem solved by the invention, namely determining at least one threshold value of a nuclear reactor operating parameter in order to allow better use of the reactor [emphasis added]. Since the claimed solution was not disclosed in any of the cited prior art documents, the Board considered that this second approach would lead to the conclusion that the claimed method did involve an inventive step.
After considering both approaches, the Board concluded that the determination of the value, being a threshold value of an operating parameter for a nuclear reactor, conferred a technical character on the claim and, further, that the technical character went beyond the mere interaction between the simulation algorithm and the computer system. Ultimately, the Board decided that the claimed method did involve an inventive step and, consequently, revoked the decision of the Examining Division to refuse the patent.
It is worth noting that an adaptation of the case concerned in the T 1227/05 decision has recently made its way into the Guidelines for Examination (Part G, Chapter VII, 126.96.36.199) as a successful example of the contribution of a mixture of technical and non-technical features of a claim in the determination of inventive step. The present decision appears to show that the Boards of Appeal are being consistent with the precedent set in T 1227/05 and it remains to be seen if the Examining Division will adapt their approach in future in light of the recently updated Guidelines.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.


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Note: Since the writing of this review, the title of this book seems to have been changed to Galaxy Man.
Electra Galaxy's Mr. Interstellar Feller by Candace Sams
About this time last year, a kerfluffle erupted on the internet concerning Candace Sams' futuristic romance Electra Galaxy's Mr. Interstellar Feller. The drama aroused my curiosity, and I had the urge to seek out the book and see for myself what all the fuss was about. My TBR pile objected, glaring menacingly at me and muttering about how I didn't have time to read space romances when I had shelves full of fantasy to read.
All that changed when I took a good long look at FanLit's challenge list. Here at FanLit, we strive to read and review every author listed on the site. Earlier this week I happened to notice Candace Sams was still on it. Finally, an excuse to read Ele... Read More
Candace Sams(1956- )
Candace Sams graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS in agriculture. She worked as a police officer with the State of Texas, the San Diego Police Department, and in a teaching capacity for the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Candace is the senior woman on the US Kung Fu Team (three black belts), and has been awarded the Medal of Putien and the Statue of Tao by the Chinese Martial Arts Confederation in Quanzhou, China. She holds international martial arts titles. Read excerpts of her novels at Candance Sam's website.
Galaxy Man (Electra Galaxy's Mr. Interstellar Feller): Doesn't succeed
Note: Since the writing of this review, the title of this book seems to have been changed to Galaxy Man.
Tales of the Order — (2000-2008) Publisher: Druid Warrior, Gryphon O'Connor must retrieve the Rune Stones of the Tuatha De Danan, which were stolen from an ancient Irish burial site and will allow a person to shape shift. By the time he gets to New York where the stones have been taken, they've been used to commit a hideous murder. At the Manhattan Museum of Antiquities, Heather Green is an Acquisitions Assistant. To find the stones within the cavernous museum, Gryphon approaches her for help. His story about stolen rune stones is just too unbelievable, and Gryphon isn't the kind of man Heather can trust. But if Gryphon reveals too many of his secrets it will cost him and Heather their lives
Night Watchers — (2000-2008) Publisher: Sean Reilly never asked to be a vampire. But when he's mortally wounded and turned during World War II, he uses his new abilities to fight evil as part of the Night Watch organization. He's also called in when someone needs to be turned. Sean's oath to never mix business with pleasure takes a hit after he changes a dying but extremely sexy Morgan Grady. Against his will he's drawn to her, but her penchant for disobeying orders makes him want to file his fangs. Morgan, a Los Angeles undercover police officer, never considered vampires might actually be real until she's shot and left for dead… and awakens an immortal. But just because the hot and sexy Sean changed her doesn't mean he gets to call the shots. She's her own woman and plans to do what she always does and on her own terms — fight evil. When confronted with an entity bent on destroying them, Sean and Morgan must fight together, facing not only their enemy but also the terrifying possibility that they were meant to be together forever.
Darkstar Guardian — (2010) Publisher: Ann Foster is alone in the world, looking for any way to augment her college bank account. Her dream is to study archeology. Taking an extra job as a dog walker, she's led to the old English manor known as Darkstar. Cade Maguire and his sister Maggie have a dog in their household that needs tending. Ann comes to them highly recommended. She's so focused on accruing funds for her education that she won't ask questions concerning her employers' unusual nighttime schedule. But Ann soon finds herself embroiled in a dangerous, mythic world. Her bosses are far from normal. They have secrets that are thousands of years old and one of those secrets has come back to haunt Cade. Ann soon finds herself in the middle in a vampire battleground that's fueled by revenge. Since she's now a member of the Darkstar household, there's a target on her back. For her, there's no place to run or hide. Death may be a sunset away.


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I am broadly interested in understanding the factors that influence species' distributions typically over large spatial extents, but increasingly use spatial and temporal data of varying resolutions to capture the importance of factors operating over multiple scales. Multiple global drivers of species' declines including climate change and habitat loss are resulting in species' range shifts in some cases and not in others. Understanding which factors constrain species' responses to these drivers is critically important from both theoretical and applied perspectives. Gaining inferential insight and the development of ecologically-informed predictions of the consequences of multiple threats is needed to both advance our understanding of systems and to develop scientifically based management strategies. Below highlights my dominant research themes.
Please be in touch if you are interested in discussing potential collaborations. Email: ilona.naujokaitis-lewis [at] canada [.] ca
Research themes
1. Improving predictions of species and community responses to climate change and land-use change
Projects, collaborations, relevant publications
- Factors influencing species range dynamics
- Climate change vulnerability assessments for terrestrial wildlife
- Drivers of native pollinator declines: role of landscape and climate change in agroecosystems
- Pollination potential modeling: national assessment
NAUJOKAITIS-LEWIS, I, JMR Curtis, L Tischendorf, D Badzinski, K Lindsay, M-J Fortin. Uncertainties in coupled species distribution–metapopulation dynamics models for risk assessments under climate change. Diversity and Distributions 19: 541–554. Special issue: Risks, Decisions, and Biological Conservation. DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12063
2. Climate change adaptation strategies for biodiversity conservation
Projects, collaborations, relevant publications
- Importance of timing of conservation actions under climate change
- Systematic conservation planning
- Prioritisation of resources for conservation
Tulloch, AIT, P Sutcliffe, I NAUJOKAITIS-LEWIS, R Tingley, L Brotons, KM PMB Ferraz, H Possingham, A Guisan, JR Rhodes. 2016. Conservation planners tend to ignore improved accuracy of modelled species distributions to focus on multiple threats and ecological processes. Biological Conservation 199:157-171. DOI: dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.04.023
3. Accounting for uncertainties to improve biodiversity conservation
There are many types of uncertainty. Imperfect or incomplete information is one type of uncertainty that can affect conservation. Rarely do we have perfect knowledge. And while having more information may be better, decision-making for conservation needs to occur despite this. My research on this types focuses both on methods for accounting for uncertainties (Naujokaitis-Lewis & Curtis 2016), understanding species responses to threats in the face of uncertainties (Naujokaitis-Lewis et al 2013), and evaluating when and where uncertainties are affecting threatened species recovery and management (Naujokaitis-Lewis et al 2009).
Projects, collaborations, relevant publications
- Advancing global sensitivity analyses of population viability analyses for threatened species recovery planning and management
- Partitioning variation associated with multiple types of uncertainties in the context of climate change
- Effect of spatial and temporal resolution on species distribution modeling
- Simulating (uncertainty in) landscape-level habitat dynamics
NAUJOKAITIS-LEWIS, I. and JM Curtis. 2016. Advances in global sensitivity analyses of demographic-based species distribution models to address uncertainties in dynamic landscapes. PeerJ 4 e2204. DOI: doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2204
NAUJOKAITIS-LEWIS, I, JMR Curtis, J Rosenfeld, and P Arcese. 2009. Sensitivity analyses of spatial population viability analysis models for species at risk and habitat conservation planning. Conservation Biology 23: 225-229. DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2008.01066.x [PDF]


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From Palms to Passion
Palm Sunday is soon. I always marvel at the story.
As he rode along,
the people were spreading their cloaks on the road;
and now as he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives,
the whole multitude of his disciples
began to praise God aloud with joy
for all the mighty deeds they had seen.
They proclaimed:
"Blessed is the king who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest."
Luke 19: 36-38 (also in Mt. 21 & Mk. 11)
Praise. Joy. Jubilation. The prophet has come to Jerusalem! But. But. More than a prophet. More than a prophet's proclamations. Yet prophets die in Jerusalem: 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you, desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord." ' (Mt. 23: 37-39). More than just a prophet's death.
How quickly we go from welcoming to condemning. Sunday we welcome, by Friday we condemn. This movement is captured in our liturgies, echoing almost eerily our own lives. "Praise God! I bring my children to church and we know Christ is in the Eucharist!" and in the same breath "I chose my own aims over that which God might provide me in my daily life" But we're here on Sunday. Excuses. My own. Others. Sinners we all are, and all gathered before Christ, who died for us while we were yet still in our most sinful state. Even while I still make these choices that separate Christ from myself, Christ is dying for me. He chose death, painful, humiliating death, for love of me. Of you. Of his people, everyone. Cosmically. I praise him and I make choices that separate me from him in the same day, the same hour; and in all of this, all I can do is stand in awe of this gift so freely given and make reconciliation with my God so that I can freely choose Love. For it is abundantly poured out.
Free download for Holy Week: From Palms to Passion – an image for your desktop during Holy Week. We crown him Hosanna on Sunday and replace that crown with thorns on Friday. In solemness let us enter into this week reminded of that great glory raised high for us and how our cup overflows with his mercy.
Right click and 'Save Image As', or whatever is similar on your desktop.
Easter week I will be doing a couple giveaways! Keep your eyes peeled for them, you won't want to miss them!


text:
Kena Vidre
What Was Frida Vigdorova Like?
I liked the articles of hers published in Pravda the year before the war. I was then in the tenth and final grade at school.
There was already something special about these early articles. They were bereft of the usual Soviet phraseological coating. They showed an understanding of the psychology of teenagers and a respect for their individuality, and there was not a whit of edification and treacle in them.
We met on May 1, 1941, at the birthday party of my schoolmate Lena Konyus, a relative of Frida's.
How sweet she was! Still girlish in appearance, she was short, had a lovely upturned nose, shining brown eyes, and dark hair cut short, a stray lock of it jutting across her forehead. The strand remained in place for the rest of her life, going grayish only towards the end.
It is quite easy to understand Kornei Chukovsky, who when he first met Frida in the hallway at the Pravda offices, took her by the chin and asked, "And what grade are we in?"
"I teach tenth grade," she replied.
Chukovsky was taken aback and apologized profusely.
According to Frida, this was how they met. The encounter would grow into a passionate friendship. Chukovsky survived Frida by several years.
Continue reading "Kena Vidre: What Was Frida Vigdorova Like?"