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Democratic Party Vice Chairwoman Dottie Guman has bid farewell to the city in which she became a nurse, raised her children, observed campaign life from her political warrior husband John D. Guman Jr. and then followed in his footsteps after he passed away, albeit a much more reserved approach to politics, if just as dedicated to the candidates she chose to support. Guman, the Mother Goose of the city's Democratic Party, has sold and moved out of her house on Hickory Street in the city's Upper East Side where she built a political base.
Guman, who currently resides with her son in Trumbull, will soon tender her resignation as a party officer. Guman is a rarity in the cutthroat world of city politics, when it's often difficult to sort out friends and enemies. She's reliable, honest and her word is steely solid. She served as an important bridge between Democratic Town Chair Mario Testa and party regulars. When Mario was unapproachable, taking his daily afternoon siesta, fighting with a district leader, Dottie was always available. Mario could hand off an assignment to Guman, a political party fundraiser, a campaign event, a headquarters opening and it would get done.
Some party regulars questioned Guman's friendship with Mario with whom she's had her differences from time to time, but she wasn't bashful telling the political leader how she felt about a political or government concern. Some people are built on loyalty. Never was it more tested in Guman's relationship with Mayor Bill Finch. Guman was the godmother of Finch's political career, the one who looked after him when he needed someone the most. Sadly, her political career in Bridgeport ends with Finch serving as her biggest disappointment, in how he governs, in how he treats people, in misplaced priorities and missed opportunities. Five years on the job, Guman says, and what has Finch done to advance the city economically?
In the early 1990s when Finch was out of work and could not find work with two young boys to feed, it was Dottie Guman who stepped up for Finch, even in the face of opposition from her husband who viewed Finch as unfocused, unreliable, undisciplined, a stubborn know-it-all with a habit of sticking foot in mouth. Dottie Guman had a maternal bond with Finch. She saw him as a talented person who was hurting. Finch had bounced around from job to job, fired from this one, lost that one. Bill Finch, as a member of the city council, was a heartbeat away from homelessness. Financially, he had nothing. Late on mortgage payments, late on tax payments, late on child support payments, chased by bill collectors. "We have to help Bill," she'd say. And she did. Campaign work, city work, transit authority job, economic development job. Dottie Guman expended her political capital on Finch.
Some financial stability came to Finch in the late 1990s when he was hired as executive director of the Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation, followed by his election to the State Senate, both efforts aided by Dottie Guman. If not elected to the State Senate, Bill Finch would not be mayor today.
When political developments positioned Finch for the mayoralty, Dottie Guman was there again. Power can do strange things to people and shortly after his election as mayor in 2007, Finch became unrecognizable to Guman, much more like her late husband had predicted. Worse was when Finch directed apoplectic, curse-filled rants at Dottie Guman because she dared to question mayoral decisions. Understand that Dottie Guman's way of cursing is uttering "He's full of prunes." A trend was developing for Finch. He kicked people in the teeth and expected unconditional love in return.
The only thing Dottie Guman wanted from Finch was respect, true word and a little more common sense in his approach to governing. On the campaign trail in 2007 Guman called out Finch on his pledge to cut taxes $600. She knew it was a lie. He ended up raising taxes $600 his first year. Then he attempted to double dip his mayoral check and State Senate pay, something that blew up publicly. Finch got off to an awful start as mayor. To Guman's way of thinking, Finch was more interested in what the job could do for him, than what he could do for the job.
A flashpoint occurred in the Guman-Finch relationship when Dottie's son, John, became treasurer of Mary-Jane Foster's campaign for mayor. Bottom line: John Guman would never have become treasurer of the Foster campaign had he thought Finch was an effective mayor. Foster, too, would not have run had she thought the same, irrespective of Finch's hostility toward the University of Bridgeport where Foster serves as vice president. Finch won the 2011 Democratic primary, but Foster who had low name recognition when she started her campaign in early 2011, and had not sought public office prior, received 43 percent of the vote on the machines being outspent two to one. Finch managed to win his home school Beardsley by just a couple of votes. Guess Dottie Guman's home precinct? Had Finch been a popular mayor he'd have blown out Foster by 50 percentage points.
Dottie Guman did not openly support Foster but if she had Finch would have lost his home school. For the most part she treated the race with benign neglect.
Further erosion came with Finch's support of a mayoral-appointed Board of Education. Dottie Guman was against giving Finch more power. Voters agreed.
So Dottie Guman leaves her Bridgeport political life with sweet and sour memories. Sweet for the friendships she built, the people she helped and sour for at least one person too stubborn to know the difference.


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Cape Cod girl, 1, in stable condition after pit bull bit her face
EAST FALMOUTH — A baby who was severely injured by a pit bull terrier Sunday morning at her family's home on Brick Kiln Road was in stable condition at Boston Children's Hospital on Monday, according to Falmouth Police Chief Edward Dunne and an online fundraiser site for the child.
Doctors performed the first of what will be multiple surgeries on 1-year-old Remmy Goulart, of East Falmouth, on Sunday night, according to a GoFundMe campaign called Rally for Remmy.
"Remmy is stable this morning after undergoing surgery last night. She is recovering well," a posting read Monday on the Gofundme site, which raised more than half of the goal of $10,000 the first hour it was online.
Remmy was playing in the kitchen of 29 Brick Kiln Road with her father nearby when the family dog bit her face, causing major trauma, according to the Falmouth Police Department.
Unable to get the dog to let go, Remmy's father, Reece Goulart, grabbed a knife and stabbed it to death, according to police.
Rescue personnel responded to the attack at 8:54 a.m.
Remmy was brought to Falmouth Hospital for stabilization before a medical helicopter flew her to Boston, according to Falmouth police and fire officials.
The GoFundMe site says the blue-eyed child will require multiple surgeries.
The family had owned the pit bull terrier named Blue for about five years, according to police.
"This dog has no history at all" of aggression, Dunne said.
A neighbor and a family member each said Sunday that Blue was a well-behaved and friendly dog, and that they were mystified by the attack.
A pit bull named Blue that bit a man May 12, 2016, in Falmouth is a different dog, according to Falmouth police and animal control officials.
"It is not the same dog even though it had the same name," said Gregg Fraser, director of Falmouth's Marine and Environmental Services.
Debriefing sessions were held Monday for police and fire department personnel who responded to the traumatic scene, Dunne said.
During the attack, Reece Goulart grabbed a pistol from another room to shoot the dog, but resorted to a knife when he realized the gun wasn't loaded, police said.
No charges are being pursued in the case, Dunne said.
"At this point we just think it's a tragic accident," he said.
Remmy will be at Boston Children's Hospital "for an undetermined amount of time," according to the GoFundMe site.
Donations will help with medical expenses, as well as accommodations for Remmy's parents, Goulart and Stephenie Schauberger Goulart, the site says. By 5:45 p.m. Monday, the site had raised $8,000 toward a $10,000 goal.
— Follow Cynthia McCormick on Twitter: @Cmccormickcct.

subset: commoncrawl


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There is no issue of greater consequence in running an agency than talent. The best people run the best agencies and the best agencies attract the best people. The best clients want to work with the best agencies because they offer the best talent and – surprise, surprise – that combination makes for the best work too.
Every success in this business flows from talent. And, right now, there is no other conversation of greater importance for our industry than the future of our talent and our access to talent in the future.
The decision to trigger Article 50 means many things but the clear and present danger it represents for our talent should be of concern to us all. Even now, months after the referendum, we have been given no reassurance, no certainty and no clarity about the rights of our people if we leave the European Union in two years' time.
This, we are told, is part of a hugely clever game of "chicken" between the government and our EU partners, not to worry that we are talking about real people's lives and the lifeblood of one of the UK's most vital and vibrant global industries.
Even if the government should act with clarity and our talent from the EU is allowed to remain and work here, there is no certainty about future freedoms. The rhetoric of the moment plays up the idea of a more global UK but it seems highly unlikely that freedom of movement is on the cards for any of the talent that we crave.
Without doubt, bringing the best people to London, whether they are from Buenos Aires or Berlin, will become far more expensive, far more bureaucratic and far more painful for agencies and talent alike.
This is because the government ultimately believes in a Trumpian vision of "British jobs for British people". They acknowledge that our talent is global at present but they regard this as a problem that needs to be solved and an issue we need their help in solving. Not as the source of our power and prowess on a global stage.
Their view is that, if we are dependent on people from the EU or anywhere else, this is because there is a "skills gap" in the UK that has forced us to draw in talent that we don't ourselves possess. And that, they believe, is something that should be resolved through education and training.
Without doubt, bringing the best people to London, whether they are from Buenos Aires or Berlin, will become far more expensive, far more bureaucratic and far more painful for agencies and talent alike.
This is the heart of the total misunderstanding of the creative industries by our political mistresses and masters. The idea that there is a "skills gap" is both fundamentally incorrect and hugely insulting.
Across fashion, architecture, design and advertising, the UK is world-leading, offering some of the best raw talent, best education and best opportunities on Earth. There is no "shortage" of skills that needs filling from abroad.
What we have is an insatiable appetite for creativity and originality wherever it comes from. This is what fuels our creative leadership and this is why the world beats a path to our door to take advantage of it.
We employ people from outside the UK not because we have to but because it makes us better, after all, my own agency was founded by two Iraqi immigrants.
Access to the single market, that other casualty of the planned exit, is important to us but the red line for industries like ours is freedom of movement. And that's ultimately why the interests of the creative industries in general and advertising in particular are totally irreconcilable with what increasingly appears to be on the table – the hardest of Brexits.
Richard Huntington is the chairman and chief strategy officer at Saatchi & Saatchi London.


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Ready. Set. Sail!
Good news everyone, I have finally picked a winner for the Featured Blogger Contest! Believe me, it was a REAL CONTEST!! The entries dealt with stigma, suicide, depression, mania, anxiety, and family: all key issues in the mental health realm. I was amazed and happy for the thought-provoking and beautifully written and honest posts. Thanks to everyone for their submissions. I'll have to do this again sometime.
Anyways… Drum roll please…
… it's Aidan O'Connell from End The Stigma.ie!! Here is his winning entry:
17.4 When my Girlfriend killed herself
All of the entries were wonderful but this one won because of how raw and honest it was. It's a story of a man who lost his girlfriend to suicide a few years back. His vulnerable and poignant portrayal of a wonderful woman taken in the prime of her life by Depression was absolutely moving. It made me tear up. I want to say, "Thank You" to Aidan for being so honest and really letting us get to know his experiences with mental illness. I Would sincerely hope you follow his blog and his social media and help us end stigma, not just in Ireland, but ALL OVER THE WORLD!!!
Here you are Aidan. You've been awarded The Warrior Child Blog Award and The Official Bipolar Compass Stamp of Approval ("Bipolar Tested. Compass Approved"):
Aidan–Feel free to put them anywhere on your site or social media–
Stay tuned for a special blog post interview with the man himself (Aidan email me so we can get your post going)!! Congratulations AOC!!!


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When an interviewer asks this open-ended question, you have to structure your answer carefully. Although it seems quite simple enough and you may be inclined to give out just any information about yourself that you can think of, such as your favorite dish, music, and color, it really is not as simple as you think. If you want to impress the interviewer with your answer, you need to know exactly what to say when asked this rather tricky question.
Show Your Best Qualities
You probably do not realize it but the question, "Tell me three things about you, which are not found in your resume" is a question that an interviewer would ask to really get to know you. Of course, it is important that their impression of you would be something that would help them decide that you are suitable for the job. This being said, you should focus your answer on the good qualities that you have; qualities that would prove to be valuable to the job position you are applying for.
As an example, if you are applying for the job of an assistant manager in a department store and you happen to be the kind of person who likes to work with people and possess good people skills then you should mention that in your answer. Make sure to support your answer with examples too because this will prove that you are telling the truth and that you know what you are talking about.
Be Clear and Concise
It goes without saying that if you are not clear in your answers, the interviewer might not be able to understand what you are trying to say. Or worse, you would be completely misunderstood and instead of making a positive impression, your answers could impact you negatively. When giving answers, especially for the above question, use words that are simple and easy to understand. You are not trying to impress anyone with your flair for words so do not even attempt to go in that direction. And since the question requires "three things" about you, then stick to it only. You can use ordinal numbers when enumerating your answers so that you will be easier to follow. Start with "first" and then proceed to "next" and followed by "lastly."
Keep It Short
Nothing can bore an interview more than a very lengthy answer. This person would prefer listening to brief answers rather than to hear you talk about yourself for a long period of time, so make sure to keep your answer short. A 2-minute answer is sufficient and should be able to give your interviewer a good idea of whether or not you are the perfect candidate for the job, based on the qualities you possess.
One tip to help you achieve this goal is to practice answering this question at home. Time yourself so that you would know if you could stick with 2 minutes and be conscious about not over-explaining or giving out unnecessary information to the interviewer.


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Wergo presents first recordings of chamber music works by the Israeli composer Chaya Czernowin. The eponymous series of works, Shifting Gravity, from 2008 connects the string quartets Anea Christal with the compositions Sheva and Sahaf. The second part of the CD consists of the Winter Songs III (2003).
Allegria (it.) betyr festlighet og glede, og det var nettopp gleden ved det å spille sammen som førte til at en gruppe musikkstudenter startet opp orkesteret i 2007. Allegria is Italian for merriment and enjoyment, and indeed it was the pleasure of playing together that led a group of music students to launch the orchestra in 2007.


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Your Engineer
Ryan Conway is an engineer, producer and musician living and working in Denver Colorado. Recently some of his productions have been featured on Rocky Mountain PBS, MTV and VH1, as well as garnering excellent reviews from WestWord magazine. Ryan is also an accomplished pianist, the musical director at New Nation COGIC, and has performed at many local venues including Denver University's Magness Arena, The Gothic Theater, The Boulder Theater and The Fox Theater. "A great work of art is made out of a combination of obedience and liberty" -Nadia Boulanger.
From an early age Ryan was attracted to all the sonic possibilities that the onslaught of technology has brought to the arena of music, sound and recording. This attraction led him to the study of engineering, synthesizer programming and production. As he began to learn how to create specific sounds and blend those together to create a complete soundscape, he also quickly became aware that he would need to understand something else, the music itself. Immediately Ryan began to log long hours in front of the piano, learning how to read and write music, the theory behind it and the technique required to realize a musical vision.
At the University of Colorado at Denver, Ryan was one of the top students in the disciplines of recording arts, scoring and arranging, and both classical and jazz piano performance. It was during this time that Ryan began to work professionally, first as a musician and then increasingly as an engineer, producer and composer. While managing and directing the commercial band, JellyRoll, little by little he transformed ConwaySound from a small project setup, to a state-of-the-art professional facility with high end acoustics, microphones, cables, pre-amplifiers, compressors, equalizers, convertors, patchbays and monitors. Over the years, he has engineered dozens of full length albums, hundreds of demos, and countless singles and specific compositions.
It is this combination of experience, education, dedication and talent that allows Ryan to provide you with a time efficient, relaxed and well-organized recording session that will give your project a professional edge.


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Police are investigating an alleged assault at a Larnaca school on Tuesday.
According to philenews, police received a report that on Tuesday noon, an 18 year old pupil attacked a 17 year old pupil, hitting him on the head.
Then he assaulted two teachers, injuring the one on the hand and breaking the other's teeth. He then allegedly attacked other people at the scene.
The incident was reported to the police by relatives of the 17 year old pupil.
The 17 year old pupil and the two teachers were taken to Larnaca General Hospital.
Police are continuing investigations.


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As European rail travellers ourselves we've collected a large number of pictures of trains, train stations, cities and landmarks over the years. We thought it might be nice to share these with our visitors so that you can get an idea of what your European rail adventure will be like before you board the first train, we hope you like them.
Use our trip distance planner to put together your list of destinations to visit on your trip.Open Trip Distance Planner


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"Luck is of little moment to the great general, for it is under the control of his intellect and his judgment."
Titus Livins
The Allies just lost over 10,000 service members at the Chosin Reservoir in late 1950 and retreated back to the original positions they held before the battles began. The blame for such tragic losses was attributed to poor leadership—more specifically, at the generals in charge. To put it bluntly, there was a lack of generalship.
On the heels of this devastating defeat our nation's most senior leaders knew they needed to make a change. Enter General Matthew Ridgway.… Read the rest


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CV, Curriculum Vitae and Online Resumes Search
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Were you looking for Handset job results?
Click Here to search for Handset in our 2.4M jobs.
Online Resumes with "Handset"
Product Trainer
Professional Summary Technical/software training professional with successful sales and management experience. Outstanding ability to train novice and experienced users on highly technical content. Skilled in a variety of training settings, modalities and methods, as well as the development of course materials. BS Degree
Ideal Companies: Small company less than 1000 employees
Tags for this Online Resume: Microsoft Software, Adobe Software, Virtual Training, VMWare, FirstDoc, ISI Software, LMS, WWAN, VLAN, RIM, POS, Senior Sales, Sales Management, Contact Mgr Software, Citrix, Remedy, 3G, PDA, UMTS, CDMA, Java, trainer, instructor, Instructor, Trainer, Facilitatator, WWAN, Wireless, WiFi, ILT, VLT, Help, Support, ASTD, PMP, MCT, FirstDoc/Documentum, ISD, ADDIE, Mentor
Mobile Handset Veteran - 16 years experience leading and developing Mobile Client Software
Marketing, sui generis
An innovative marketing executive with a demonstrated track record in new customer acquisition and profitability enhancement programs. Possesses the insights and first-hand skills of being a solid contributor in start-up environments that matured into Fortune 100 companies. Over 15 years of experience in marketing to consumer and business markets.
Ideal Companies: growth companies
Tags for this Online Resume: marketing, M.B.A., masters, product marketing, generalist, channel marketing, product launch, product, channel, distribution, campaign, agency, creative, brand management, launch
A Leader in Excellent Customer Service
Resourceful Customer service professional, manage pressure well, courteous to fellow employees and customers, strong work values, teamplayer, use words well, have a great understanding for computer technology
Ideal Companies: sprint, comcast, verizon, american express, visa
Tags for this Online Resume: customer service, office assistant, adminstation, sales, retail
Telecom Leader
Extensive experience in wireless/landline telcommunication ranging from Network infrastructure architecture to handset design, integration, testing and support.
Consumer oriented with fantastic management skills.
I am looking for a career with the chance to excel based on my performance and/or the performance of a team. I can handle a large amount of responsibility and I am great at motivating people.
Ideal Companies: AT&T, Microsoft, Google
Tags for this Online Resume: PHP, HTML, MySQL
Experienced customer service professional who loves to help people.
Outgoing customer service representative who loves to talk to people and help them with whatever needed. I have exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.I am loyal, creative and above all, i put the customer first.
Ideal Companies: i just moved here to jacksonville so im not sure just looking for employment
Senior Director / VP
Bing H. Chen 3841 Ambassador Court, Lisle, IL 60532 (630) 665-6685 (Home), (630) 979-4731(Work) firstname.lastname@example.com OBJECTIVE VP/Senior Director of Product Marketing and/or New Market Development & Management SUMMARY - MBA, Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University - Extensive knowledge in telecommunication technology, industry, market, network, and services - Extensive experience...
Ideal Companies: Medinum to Small size companies in a growth industry
Tags for this Online Resume: Vice President, Director VP, Director, VP, Business Management, Technical Marketing
President of Operation, Market Develeopmen, Business Planning & Strategic Management
I'm seeking an environment where I can lead a team or execute directives entrepreneurially with Consultative deliverables that entail Market Planning, Sales Management & Corporate Development with travel internationally and local as well as work from my home office!
Ideal Companies: Deloitte, Bain & Company, Accenture, IBM, Mercer, McKinsey, Young & Rubicam, Proctor & Gamble, Samsung, Sony and or fairly new Start ups!
Operations Professional with Global experience
Dynamic Operations Manager with proven history of success in a global environment. Extensive experience in Assembly/test, Customer Support, Supply Chain Management, and Project Management. Proven track record with a Fortune 500 company in leading teams in implementation and support of major systems and infrastructure. Also experienced in identification and management of outsource manufacturers.
Ideal Companies: open
Tags for this Online Resume: VP, Director, Operations, Manufacturing
Product Manager
Telecommunications or Marketing Communications
Ideal Companies: Verizon, Honeywell, Novartis, Merck
Tags for this Online Resume: Telecommunications, Account Management, Leadership, Project Management, Medical Education, Pharmaceutical Marketing, Team Player, Decision Making, Problem Solving, Technical Communications, Sales , Resource Management, Troubleshoot, Project Planning , Technical Project Liaison, Technical Sales Support, Vendor/Contractor Relations, Database Management, Problem Resolution
Top-Tier Production Supervisor
Demonstrated strong leadership and rapid advancement over 17 years in 3 unique fields (Military Electronics, Mobile Phone Remanufacturing, Home Improvement Sales)
Ideal Companies: Strong, successful companies seeking strong production leaders to help them continue to grow and succeed. All offers will be given consideration.
Tags for this Online Resume: Production Supervisor, Manufacturing, Remanufacturing, Production Manager, Group Lead, Team Leader


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Brand Development
Brand Development
Your Brand Is Your Value Statement
A company brand is more tangible than you may think. It's the value statement that positions your company in the marketplace among your competitors. It's your company persona and story, told through color, imagery style, logo, tagline and writing style - all working in unison to deliver a positive perception.
Many of our new clients have not fully developed their brand yet, and it becomes a clear need when they invest in a larger project with us, such as a website, tv commercial or print campaign. In that case we recommend Brand Development as an add-on service.
Your brand should ALWAYS be your starting point, and EVERYTHING ELSE should follow and respect the brand guidelines. We take a simple approach. There is no need to overthink it, but you should never undervalue it. We always work with you to ensure you hit the mark with the following basic steps.
4 Steps to Jump Start the Process:
- We listen to you and your team, and assess your goals
- We research your target market and evaluate your competition
- We recommend a plan, design a logo, develop a tagline
- Once approved, we execute the plan across all of your media channels
We prepare a simple guideline and deliver it with your logos and supporting graphics files, formatted and ready for use within your company.
Jump Creative is a full-service digital design group, equipped for today's fluid marketing environment. An experienced, award-winning team of designers and brand specialists, with a broad set of creative skills. We work intelligently, engaging our network of specialized talent as projects demand. Our goal is to create targeted design and marketing that builds brand recognition, credibility and increased engagement.


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Extended Arlo Jacket
$ 495.00
$ 297.00
Unlined safari-style jacket with unstructured raglan shoulders, dropped underarm seams and flared sleeves. Button front closure with removable waist belt and sleeve-ties. Buttoned chest patch pockets and waist pockets with side seam access. Single rear vent, cropped at low hip. Bonded interior seams throughout. Cut from breathable tencel and organic cotton.
Origin & Care
77% tencil lyocell, 23% organic cotton woven.
Made in India.


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Dino-Lite Edge AF4515-FVT 1.3MP Digital USB Microscope 10X-220X UV (400nm)
+ State-of-the-art 1.3MP color imaging sensor
+ iOS (iPad, iPhone) and Android OS compatible
+ Flexible Lighting Control (FLC)
+ 10x-220x zoom magnification
+ 8 UV (400nm) LED lights
+ Automatic Magnification Readouts (AMR)
+ PC, MAC and UVC compatible
+ USB 2.0 Output (or Wifi with optional WF-20)
+ Recommended for professional use
Optional Adaptor
Megapixels: 1.3 MP
Working Distance: Standard
Resolution: 1280 x 1024 Pixels
Body Material: ABS Plastic
Flexible LED Control: FLC Included
Frame Rate: 30 FPS
LED Lights: 8
Connections: USB 2.0
Dino-Lite Digital USB Microscopes feature a two-year warranty, and include free U.S. based tech support for the life of the product. Microscope.com is the largest Dino-Lite authorized reseller in the U.S., so you can buy your Dino-Lite with confidence. Since we carry a large inventory, the Dino-Lites and accessories you need are always in stock. Get your Dino-Lite from Microscope.com for swift free delivery, quality guarantees, and expert support every step of the way.
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AF4515-FVT USB Microscope Summary
The AF4515-FVT is the newly-introduced WIFI-Ready edition of the 1.3MP Edge series UV lineup, with 10x-220x continuous zoom magnification, Flexible Lighting Control and Microtouch image capture. The new modular design offers USB2.0 outut, or a quick swap to wireless with the optional WF-20 adapter, making for a conveniently cordless and portable digital imaging solution.
This new model also showcases a brand new Dino-Lite feature - Automatic Magnification Readouts. This allows users to repeatedly "dial in" to a desired magnification setting simply by moving the thumbwheel and monitoring the Magnification display in the software.


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What You Need to Know About Personal Training
Aug 16, 2017
When you think of personal trainers, if you don't have personal experience with one, what comes to mind? Hulk-like disciplinarians who take delight in your pain? Or perhaps overbuilt comical figures who sound like Arnold Schwarzenegger? Well, if you've never actually experienced personal training, let alone personal training through Fitness Together, here are a few things you might want to know:
- You can come as you are. No need to "work up" to training. No fancy workout garb needed, save for a decent pair of athletic shoes. No planning or organization on your part. Right NOW is a perfect time for you to start personal training. And when you show up for your session, we'll have your exercise program planned and ready. Because, honestly, do you really want one more thing to have to think about and plan?
- You can get in, get working and get out. Did you know that our clients have access to their own private fitness suite? This means that your trainer starts your session right away with warming up, and that the entire workout is focused on you and your goals. No standing around to wait for equipment, no idle chitchat, and no distractions.
- We get personal. Getting in shape is definitely not a one-size-fits-all experience. Everyone has different metabolic rates, different personal goals for how they want their body to look, and different past exercise experiences. Our trainers know how to work with you exactly where you are; to get you were you want to be. Plus, we check in with you on a regular basis, in addition to completing a progress report every 6-8 weeks, to make sure that the program is working for you.
- We know health is about more than just movement. We get that food can all at once serve as fuel, comfort, stress, joy, and sustenance. Food can also be a huge thorn in the side of a well-intentioned health-seeker. Not only that, but eating in a way that supports your health goals can be surprisingly confusing. That's why we're excited to offer our clients nutrition-based education. Sessions cover the relevant food-related issues that you want to discuss, and will offer tips and advice that you can put into practice right away.
- Do you suffer from low motivation or poor follow-through when it comes to exercise? Many people do. That is, many people who aren't us. We help keep your enthusiasm strong, hold you accountable for the appointments you make, and do all of the tough guesswork for you. Oh, and also? We watch you like a hawk to make sure you're doing the exercises right, to help you avoid injury and to increase affect it has on your body.
As professional fitness competitor Stephanie Chapa stated, "It's not about being the best. It's about being better than you were yesterday." Give us a call or come in today to start on your path to improving your health, which will help you be able to enjoy a lot of better tomorrows.


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Organic cotton t-shirts are back for a limited time! My t-shirt supplier is phasing out the ever popular Alternative Apparel organic cotton t-shirt. Since I've been getting a lot of questions and comments about these tee's, I decided to bring them back while I still can. Check out new color & design combinations, and some one-of-a-kind items here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/
Also back in stock: Organic cotton + bamboo aromatherapy eye pillows: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheLotusRoot
•Hand screen printed with uplifting designs. •Filled with organic lavender & flax seeds (or just flax for those with sensitivities to scents)
Use for relaxation, restorative yoga, meditation, to help you fall asleep, or as a cold pack • generous size and weight – blocks out light and helps relax your eye muscles. • handmade with love
Washable covers also available to purchase on their own.
Sign up for coupon codes, giveaways, eco-friendly + healthy living tips here
After a long wait I'm so happy that I have a new print to share with you!
The Sri Yantra is an ancient Indian symbol and a meditative tool (more on yantras in a later post).
Use it to deepen your meditation practice, or spruce up your space with some uplifting artwork.
I put my mark onto this design by hand carving it into a piece of linoleum (which is always a very meditative process for me). It was then burned onto a silkscreen and hand screen printed onto paper + organic cotton shirts. Find them here: http://www.thelotusroot.com/store/
See some video clips of part of my process below:
The design is available on paper, mens / unisex shirts ( Small – 3xl) & women's scoop neck tees (Small – XL)
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Detroit native Tee Grizzley is back on the attack with the new single, "2 Vaults," featuring Lil Yachty.
Produced by London On The Track, the track debuted on April 24th but is already a fan favorite with a million plus streams on Spotify alone.
On the track, Tee Grizzley focuses on just how much money he has, rapping, "Too much money, I need two vaults." Throughout the single Grizzley comments on his nerd friends who do his taxes and importance of keeping his money in tack.
Collaborator Yatchy gives the single a matched tone to Grizzley's vibe and raps about how he's under 21, however, has choppas in his name and a host of other materialistic things including $65,000 in his jeans.
These brothas are without a doubt paid, and to accompany all this money, they are in need of two vaults.
Tee Grizzley is back and far from letting up so check out the new single below and be on the lookout for Grizzley's Activated dropping May 11. Pre-order is available for the project now.


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Tax Watch: Rush is on to prepay property taxes
Tax Watch columnist David McKay Wilson explores the rush to prepay property taxes in preparation for federal tax reform.
Harrison homeowners lined up 10 deep in Town Hall on Wednesday afternoon, gripping their green property-tax bills in one hand, and their checkbooks in the other.
To find a way around federal tax reform for at least one year, they visited the tax receiver's office to prepay their 2018 town taxes, which was made possible by Gov. Andrew Cuomo's late-December executive order, and action by town officials.
"It seems straightforward," said homeowner Barrie Hedge. "I'll pay more this year, but will be better off next year when my deductions are cut."
NO PREPAY: No prepayment of Westchester County taxes
ROCKLAND:Prepay property taxes? Rockland will allow it
Q&A: Can I prepay my 2018 taxes?
EDITORIAL: Tax overhaul a lump of coal
The line of taxpayers in Harrison was replicated throughout the region as homeowners queued up in Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties to pay their taxes in advance, in preparation for the federal tax bill's limitation in 2018 on deductions for state and local taxes.
By noon Wednesday, more than 1,000 Harrison property owners had paid early, said Mike Giordano, the town's newly elected receiver of taxes.
"There's a lot of money coming in," he said.
Town officials scrambled to get their tax warrants issued to comply with Cuomo's executive order. They also let property owners know they could prepay the second half of their school taxes, which in many jurisdictions are due on Jan. 31.
There was one big tax that won't be prepaid: That's the $560 million due Westchester County for its 2018 budget, which was passed over County Executive Rob Astorino's veto. His office announced Tuesday that the time frame to produce the tax warrant was simply too cramped to get it done this week.
Harrison homeowner Don Cecil wasn't pleased.
"Astorino wouldn't let us pay," said Cecil, shaking his head.
Astorino spokesman Ned McCormack, in his announcement, cited a "whole host of legal, operational and practical reasons" for not issuing the warrant. Time was especially tight. The warrant has to be drawn up by Feb. 1, so pushing up the process five weeks could be difficult.
Other counties were able to get their tax warrants issued. Putnam, Rockland, Dutchess and Ulster counties did it. Ulster County Executive Mike Hein, former chairman of the New York State County Executives Association, said he cracked the whip in Kingston to make it happen.
But he only pushed up the warrant by a week — not five.
"It was all hands on deck," said Hein. "After I read the executive order from the governor, we were going to do everything in our power to help our citizens."
Westchester Democrats pounced on the Astorino administration's inaction.
"It's unfortunate for our residents, and seems like one more final blow from the Astorino administration to the taxpayers of Westchester," said county Legislator Catherine Parker, D-Rye. "Westchester county residents are going to be really pummeled by the federal policy, so I wanted us to do everything in our power to make the burden a little bit less for 2018."
Getting the Westchester warrant in place proved more difficult than its surrounding counties. First, there's an additional step in Westchester because the county does not collect its taxes, as does every other county in New York. Instead, Westchester cities and towns collect the county tax.
Astorino spokesman McCormack said there were tax levies for 17 special districts, and 259,000 tax parcels to get right.
"Our professionals said it just wasn't feasible," McCormack said. "If you get it wrong, it can't be fixed for an entire year."
Towns, meanwhile, did what they could.
In Eastchester, the town tax receiver's office will open Saturday morning for last-minute payments. But town Supervisor Tony Colavita warned those wanting to pay in person on Saturday could only prepay their school taxes. Town taxes had to be paid in person by Friday, or postmarked by Dec. 31.
"People are so confused about what is going on," he said. "We're figuring out the best we can, but, ultimately, will the IRS entertain, allow these deductions. We don't even know if they will accept the deduction."
The problem in the Lower Hudson Valley is the federal tax law's cap of deductions of $10,000 for both state and local income taxes, and local property taxes. It's a provision that would hit a wide swath of homeowners in the region. Congressional Republicans inserted the cap to limit the impact of the bill's huge tax cut for corporations, with the top rate declining from 35 percent to 21 percent, and for shifts in tax brackets, with the top rate declining from 39.6 percent to 37 percent.
How it all shakes out remains to be seen. With the standard deduction doubling from $6,000 to $12,000 for single filers, and from $12,000 to $24,000 for married filers, there's a chance that some filers here won't be itemizing for their 2018 taxes, so some taxpayers decided it was best to frontload their deductions into their 2017 taxes.
The deductibility of mortgage interest still remains, though the size of the mortgage eligible for the deduction was lowered from $1,000,000 to $750,000.
Those on line in Harrison were trying to make the best of what could bring a financial hit to homeowners here — especially those in homes valued at more than $1 million, where property taxes can exceed $25,000.
"At least they are making these early payments available," said Harrison resident Emily Marriott. "I'm prepaying the second half of my school tax in time."
David McKay Wilson writes the Tax Watch column for The Journal News/lohud.


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Urban Fantasy authors are a tricky bunch. They like anthologies, they like contributing to anthologies and if they are authors with a series they LOVE to write anthology-stories based in their established universes. This can be tricky for readers – most of us don't really want to spend money on a collaborative book in which only one of our favourite author's stories appears. It's more likely we'll try and borrow the anthology book from the library or just settle with never reading it at all. But it's frustrating when one little story in an anthology ends up impacting on an author's established series.
Case and point is Charlaine Harris. Charlaine wrote the Sookie-based short-story 'One Word Answer' for the 'Bite' anthology. Only problem was in the story 'One Word Answer' Charlaine introduced the back-story to a minor character who would go on to have a big impact on the 6th Sookie Stackhouse book; 'Definitely Dead'. Cousin Hadley. Many Sookie Stackhouse fans complained that 'Definitely Dead' had a confusing plot because Charlaine wrote it expecting that her readers were familiar with the short-story 'One Word Answer', which was the starting plot point for 'Definitely Dead'.
To aid confusion (and because 'True Blood' has seen the Sookie books blow up!) Charlaine has released a book compiling all of her Sookie-based short stories. Hallelujah!
There's five all together; "Fairy Dust," "One Word Answer," "Dracula Night," "Lucky," and "Giftwrap". Not all of the stories are as important to the overall Sookie series as 'One Word Answer'.
'Fairy Dust' gives a lot of back-story to Claude, Claudine and their dead sister, Claudette. But the other stories are just a bit of frivolous Sookie fun.
My favorite is 'Dracula Night', in which Eric Northman throws a Halloween party for Count Dracula in the hopes that the famous vampire will make an appearance at Fangtasia.
I love Charlaine Harris – I've read all of her books and would gladly pre-order her grocery list from Amazon if she were so inclined to publish it. This collection of short stories is a real treat for die-hard Sookie fans. And there's the added bonus of accompanying illustrations by Lisa Desimini for each of the five short stories.
I have only two complaints about the collection. The first is the ugly 'True Blood' promo on the front cover that detracts from Desimini's beautiful illustration. My other grumble is the fact that there's no new short story. After paying for the hardback collection I would have appreciated one new Sookie story for my money.
If you're a big Sookie fan you've probably already figured out the cousin Hadley dilemma in 'Definitely Dead' by visiting chat boards or Charlaine's FAQ page. And if you're a mega-Sookie fan like myself, you've probably already read all these short stories. So 'A Touch of Dead' is probably not going to impact on your enjoyment of the series. But it's nice to have the stories in one book, and they are Charlaine Harris stories, so they're guaranteed to please.


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Download Episode!
Hey, lovely radicals… podcast time!
This week on the "Life. Unrestricted." podcast, I get to talk to Erica Leon from Westchester County, New York.
Erica holds a Bachelor's degree in nutrition from Cornell University and a Master's degree in clinical nutrition from New York University. Erica works with clients all over the globe – by all technical means necessary -, people who struggle with food, their body, and people who want to overcome years of dieting or being stuck in disordered eating. She meets people where they are at and guides them to a better relationship to food and their body with a non-diet approach. She has 25 years of experience under her belt and her career has included working in hospitals, corporations and colleges. Ultimately combining all of her skills and interests, she established a private nutrition practice over 15 years ago. As a Certified Eating Disorders Registered Dietitian (CEDRD) she also volunteers on the Board of the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals, she has written professional articles on nutritions, she frequently gives talks, and she has often been quoted in the media on topics such as eating disorder prevention and childhood weight issues.
Today, you'll hear Erica talk about:
– How she remembers being in a body felt like as a child
– Where she internalized the message that her body was too big
– What the role of her family was in the development of her relationship to food
– What counting and tracking points/calories can do to our self-image
– Why it is so important to curate your social media feed, and to look at bodies in all shapes and sizes
– Why striving for "a flat stomach" is complete BS, and why having belly-fat is, in fact, important for a woman's overall health as she gets older
– Why it is crucial to realize that we are all so much more than a body
– How it can be helpful to think about what we would love our legacy to be
– How long she lived with her own internal diet-mindset
– How she got into the field of nutrition
– Why she was working in the marketing department for a weight-loss company (and what memories about her connection to one of Oprah's many weight-loss incidents still make her cringe)
– How she herself unknowingly contributed to diet-culture and its message that "thin is better"
– What made her realize that something was not right
– How working with eating disorders helped her on her own journey
– What she would tell her younger self with the knowledge she has now
– Why women often automatically objectify themselves according to what they see in the media and in ads
– Why she loves the "Poodle Science" video of the Academy of Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH)
– The problem with today's celebrity worshipping culture and the unfortunate influence they have on our children's self-esteem
– How she's helping one of her clients with exercise bulimia
– What the key ingredient is in the journey to give up lifelong dieting, as well as recovering from disordered eating or eating disorders
– Why it takes time, self-compassion, patience and community to heal our societally damaged body image and how we relate to food and weight
– How she curated her social media feed and left all the groups (and unfollowed/unfriended people) that were repeatedly engaging in of diet- and weight-loss-talk
– Why social media opened up a whole new world for her and made her realize that she wasn't the only one AT ALL who was preaching the non-diet approach to health
– Why it is so hard for the old paradigm-believers to change their minds
– What kind of transformations she gets to witness in her practice…
… And so much more!
Check out Erica's website:
Here's the link to the wonderful "Poodle Science" video of the Academy of Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH):
Make sure to support the podcast by becoming a "Patreon", so that I can keep producing it and help as many people as possible. Thank you! Here's the link:
If you want this sort of badassery to come to your phone automatically, please DO subscribe on iTunes (Apple):
or on Stitcher (Android):
********* Don't forget!*********
Feel free to join my tribe and meet some of the most supportive, loving and kind people of all shapes and sizes, including great coaches and leaders! We're right over here at: http://www.lifeunrestricted.org/join/


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Straighten Smiles with Invisalign® in Arlington
If you're interested in straightening your smile but you're not interested in walking around with a mouth full of metal brackets and wires for months or years, Invisalign® clear braces from James T. Gray, DDS and his Arlington, TX dental team may be the right solution. Unlike traditional bracket and wire braces systems, Invisalign® uses a series of clear, plastic alignment trays to gently move teeth into their ideal alignment over the course of about twelve months. If you're interested in finding out more, contact our team to schedule an Invisalign® consultation today.
If we determine that Invisalign® is the right orthodontic option for your smile, the process is simple. We start by using bite impressions and x-rays to design each set of alignment trays. Each of the aligners in the series represents one stage closer to the ideal alignment. You'll simply wear each set of trays for about two weeks. Then, you'll exchange them for the next set in the series. Every four to six weeks, patients will need to visit our office for checkups to ensure their smile is progressing as planned. Between ten and eighteen months later, patients should achieve their desired results.


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I was having a discussion with a friend last week when our conversation turned to the housing market. Bleak news upon bleak news for some people, but not for my friend.
Instead, he has been eagerly scouring the area for foreclosed homes and is of the mind to buy one or two at deeply discounted prices, fix them up, and selling each at a substantial profit. Though the local housing market isn't as strong as it was just a year ago, people are in the market for a nicely kept ranch or colonial that costs less than $250,000, a price that is common in our area of the country.
On the surface, such an idea seems interesting especially since my friend knows how to fix just about anything and has an eye that can assess what it will take to get a home market ready. What our conversation also revealed was some inexperience in locating foreclosed homes and the best process to snag one at a price that was sensible.
Though I am no expert in the buying and selling of foreclosed homes, I have found some resources and tips to streamline the process, information I have forwarded to my friend and am willing to share with you as well:
Search Online — Several websites provide information about real estate owned (REO) properties, bank-owned foreclosures available where you live. Redfin.com, RealtyTrac.com and Foreclosures.com each feature listings of homes banks would rather not own. As the saying goes, "banks are in the habit of managing money, not property." Therefore, if you do your research right you could offer the bank substantially less than the home's market value especially when calculating the cost for repairs.
Repairs, Maintenance — My friend has an excellent grasp of what costs are associated with making repairs and has a good eye to inspect and find problems. Not every person in the market for a foreclosed home has that talent, necessitating that a home inspector be retained to help find these problems for them. In addition, a contractor will probably be needed to help oversee this type of project.
Use a Broker — Unless you have the skills to bid for a foreclosed home at an auction, you would be better dealing with a broker when searching for a foreclosed home. Some banks will only deal with professionals in the first place, while a broker can give you access where none would be available otherwise.
I do not know whether my friend will go ahead and snap up a foreclosure or two, but I have no doubt that he is now better equipped to handle this type of transaction if and when the opportunity arises.
end of post idea for home improvement
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I'm one of those people who falls in the "never will win any freebies ever" category. When FM first hit Mumbai and held contests to meet Bollywood stars or cricketing sportstars or any damn freebie – I never won! I knew the answers but my sms never won me anything ever! Hell I never even got through the phone line to dedicate a number!
So when you know you have such an awesome record, you still decide to try but without any expectations and Viola! You are on air! Not only do you win tickets to a movie but also get an added bonus to meet the leading actors of the movie.
There is a slight problem though– you are not a huge fan of either , in fact you can't stand one of them! But not everyone gets the opportunity to meet the biggest stars in Bollywood, so you decide to go and check out what the big deal is all about. You take time off work and your boss is kind enough to let you go for 3 hours and you head to the hotel to meet the biggest stars of Bollywood.
You have a blast with the RJs from the radio station and realise an endless wait is in the offing. Your husband who has a great experience with stars and events tells you that the wait is inevitable. After a group snap with the RJs you head quietly to your seat while the rest of the winners are busy getting photographed with all the RJs. One of the winners wonders what is wrong with you cause you don't seem to want any snaps! You wonder if there is something wrong with you since you don't seem to be in awe of the entire drama going around you.
After an hour you are taken upstairs to the lounge and are told that the stars will be late as the flight got delayed. In the next hour you realise that you are sitting among celebrities themselves – a woman who has met every star in Bollywood making you wonder why is she not a celebrity herself, a bloke who enters radio contests only if they excite him and when he enters he always wins, another woman who can't seem to get over the leading lady and is shocked that you seem to hate her,another one who supposedly is not in awe of the stars but has yet got her 3 year old with her to meet them, and most are decked up to the extent that they might just outdo the stars! You by the way have landed there alone while the rest of the winners have atleast 3 people for company!
Sigh! Who needs celebrities when you have such these people around – it makes you realise you have such a dull, boring life – and after meeting them you are pretty much thankful for it!
Another hour passes by and the hosts are kind enough to offer you coffee and drinks. The radio channel people begin to get a bit embarrassed with the wait but they still keep you entertained. What a fun bunch of people from City101.6 FM here in Dubai.
Well 3 hours pass by and still no signs of the stars. Apparently the lady wanted to get ready for the entire day and was having a bath (For 2 hours we heard the same excuse, who takes 2 hours for a bath, or atleast give a better excuse!) and the gentleman preferred to come with her!
So you decide that you've been stupid to waste 3 hours, and that work, Diwali & Premiere are your priority later in the day and head off. It's amazing how sweet the radio channel folks are to you– apologising profusely for the missed opportunity, and wondering if you can get back in couple of hours when the stars will actually come down. You turn down politely and before leaving, end up having a blast with all RJs , and getting a snap clicked with the cutest guy among the bunch.
As you are heading off – the head of the channel tells you that you resemble Mandira Bedi. You let out a shriek expressing your resentment and explain reasons for your hatred – a woman who knows zilch about cricket doing cricket shows! But the head says she is so hot and then you realise you should've just shut your trap and accepted the compliment;-)
You head off to work not seeming to miss anything, leaving the other winners shocked that you did not wait to meet Aishwarya Rai and Akshay Kumar who were here in Dubai for the Action Replayy Premiere Show.
You knew the wait wasn't worth it and it would be more fun catching the movie later in the evening! You also realize that this is as far as luck can go with you.
Well thank god atleast the premiere took place and you actually got to utilise 50% of the first freebie you won!
P.S: The stars arrived 5 and 1/2 hrs late and yes apart from 3 of us the rest 12 did wait and meet them! Sigh – people have all the time and patience in the world and I cannot understand why we treat the Bollywood stars as some celestial beings!


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Shortly after the Iowa Straw Poll was wrapped up this weekend, Tommy Thompson was out of the presidential race. The 67-year-old former Wisconsin Governor and Bush cabinet member had been unusually honest in playing the expectation game beforehand.
"I've said all along that if I don't come in first or second, I'll drop out of the race,'' he reminded the media last week.
Well, when the votes were in and tallied, Mr. Thompson came in sixth.
This death-by-straw-poll, in Mr. Thompson's case, can be considered a mercy killing. His campaign had been hard to justify all along: There had been no clamoring for him to run; his welfare reform glory days in Wisconsin came more than a decade ago; and his soporific style and generic message made him an invisible presence at debates.
Saturday, August 11 marked the fourth renewal of the Iowa G.O.P. presidential straw poll, a tradition of questionable integrity that was conceived in 1980 and now serves as a quadrennial test of early organizing strength and volunteer energy for candidates in the lead-off caucus state. George H.W. Bush used a surprise victory in 1979 to establish himself as Ronald Reagan's chief rival for the nomination; Pat Robertson notched a stunning triumph in 1987 that foreshadowed his second-place caucus showing months later; Bob Dole failed to meet expectations in 1995, foreshadowing his weak three-point win on caucus day; and George W. Bush cemented his front-runner status with a commanding win in 1999, sending three candidates packing within days.
The 2007 straw poll, though, was not about who would win—that slot was ceded to Mitt Romney when Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and soon-to-be candidate Fred Thompson all declined to participate.
Still, Mr. Romney spent lavishly, and his campaign sought to downplay expectations in the run-up to Saturday, hoping to generate media coverage of a "surprisingly strong" showing. Whether the media will take the bait is unclear, but the 31 percent he won seems perfectly in line with the financial and organizational supremacy he brought to the event.
The real drama was the undercard—the scrapping by the seven non-Romney candidates (eight, if you count businessman John Cox, making a rare on-stage appearance with the G.O.P. contenders) to free themselves from obscurity with a stand-out showing and to avoid the fate that Mr. Thompson now likely faces.
Perhaps the most riveting sub-contest was between Mike Huckabee and Sam Brownback, each seeking to be the standard-bearer of the religious conservatives who hold disproportionate sway in the caucuses (and at the straw poll as well). Neither has raised substantial money and both struggle in polls, although Mr. Huckabee, an ordained minister with a quick wit and knack for public performance, is now creeping up near 10 percent in Iowa surveys. (Mr. Brownback, meanwhile, was seen as better organized for the straw poll.) Saturday was seen a potential elimination match between them.
Mr. Huckabee, whose cash-strapped campaign was unable to provide the kind of flourishes others did, seemed to bank on his compelling oratory swaying "soft" delegates who had been shipped to the straw poll by other campaigns. (It is a secret ballot, after all). "I can't buy you—I can't even rent you," he told the crowd. The preacher man's words did seem to strike a chord, as he brought the hall to silence with an account of the visit he and his daughter took to Yad Vashem, the Israeli Holocaust memorial.


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Low pay, high dependency
In these posts here and here we discussed the wealth disparity between Wales and the rest of the UK, most notably London.
We looked at wealth creation and disposable income.
But what about the actual amount of money our workers take home each week?
Luckily this week the Office of National Statistics released their 'Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings: 2016 provisional results'.
The headline figure is stark. If you work full-time in Wales you will be earning nearly £3,000 a year less than the UK average, or over £9,000 less than the London average.
As one twitter user put it,
Now this isn't a case of lies, damned lies, and statistics. It's not an average figure based on everybody of a working age in Wales. These are figures that the ONS have drawn together from the number of actual full time workers.
71.3% of all of those working in Wales work full-time, compared to the UK average of 72%, and 72.3% in England.
That one percent difference might seem trivial. But that one percent represents 8,200 workers in Wales (Wales has 1,150,000 people in work, 820,000 of them in full-time employment).
The average full-time gross pay in Wales, based on £492.40 a week is £25,604.80 – well below the Higher Rate of Taxation, let alone the Additional Rate. With tax free allowance currently at £11,000, that would mean the individual's tax pay (income and NI contribution) would be in the region of £5,000 and the employer's contribution around £2,400 – a total of £7,400 (averages).
That one per cent difference in full-time employment between Wales and England therefore represents £60,000,000 lost in taxation from Wales.
Again, this £60m might seem trivial considering the £15bn budget at the Welsh Government's disposal, and the circa £10bn deficit, based on current UK Fiscal policy.
But add to this the fact that just under a third of the working age population in Wales do not work – with 25% considered economically inactive, the highest in the UK except for the north East of England and northern Ireland – and 5.9% unemployed (ONS) and you'll realise that our outgoings per head of the population is far more than the UK average, and our income per head is far less.
Also, in Wales 28.7% of the working people work part-time earning an average of £179.80 a week. That's an annual income of £9,349.60, well below the tax free allowance, and so low in fact that many require in work benefits to top-up their income in order to make ends meet.
Truth be told, Wales is sadly not alone in the part-time low paid work UK league table. Part-time workers (at least those who are forced into part-time work) are being screwed right across the UK, with the highest paid part-time work unsurprisingly to be found in London, at £191.60 a week (median average), or £9,963.20 a year.
Finally it's worth noting that the area recognised as West Wales and the Valleys – one of the most deprived regions in the whole of the European Union – continues to suffer amongst the lowest wages anywhere in the UK.
Of the 430 Local Authorities listed, these are all in the bottom 100:
Blaenau Gwent, £433.90 p/w
Gwynedd, £439.70 p/w
Merthyr Tydfil, £447.80 p/w
Pembrokeshire, £459 p/w
Ceredigion, £462.20 p/w
Denbighshire, £468.90 p/w
Anglesey, £469 p/w
Newport, £470.30 p/w
Swansea, £470.80 p/w
Neath Port Talbot, £480.80 p/w
Caerphilly, £483.90 p/w
Conwy, £485.50 p/w
Contrast these to the top 100.
at 100, East Northamptonshire, £585.80 p/w
at 50 Epping Forest, £636.30 p/w
and the top 15,
|Kingston upon Thames
|Kensington and Chelsea
|Wokingham UA
|St Albans
|Richmond upon Thames
|City of London
In addition to this our rural regions are far more dependent on part-time work (Pembrokeshire – 37.5% part-time, Powys – 37.5% part-time, Ceredigion – 33% part-time, Denbighshire 31.4% part-time, Gwynedd – 30.7% part-time).
This isn't the politics of envy.
Wales doesn't need to be another London or a Monaco.
But the low-pay compared to the cost of living, coupled with the high number of people who are economically inactive means that we are consequently dependent on grants from Westminster. We don't want it to be like this.
Both the economic and fiscal policies of Westminster are not designed to match the strengths and needs of Wales.
Westminster policies work exceedingly well for London and the south east of England. These figures show that clearly. But they are working against Wales and our interests.
There's nothing innate in Wales to say that we should suffer economically.
If Wales were given the powers to develop her own fiscal and economic policies, then taxes, spending, investment, could be set according to the needs of our communities.
Is it right that 15,000 people in Pembrokeshire are earning only £177 per week? Pembrokeshire has so much going for it with it's mixture of industry, agriculture and tourism. Yet the wealth that flows into Pembrokeshire flows straight back out.
Is it right that those working full-time in Blaenau Gwent are today earning only £433 per week, when previously it had such a wealth of natural resources which could have been invested in developing industry for the future, but which instead made a very few families extraordinarily wealthy?
Where are the policies to suit our economic needs in Wales?
Are we envious of London's wealth? Speaking personally no, not particularly. But we are envious of the fact that they have a Government willing to develop policies to suit them, and focused on ensuring their economic success.
Wales' needs are different to the needs of London and the south east of England.
An independent Wales would not threaten London's financial hegemony (Brexit is already threatening that, in any case). But given the correct powers we could develop an economy here which could complement that of the rest of the UK.
With Wales being an exporting nation, a strong Welsh economy would also benefit the regions of England, improving their wealth and status. It would mean that instead of concentrating on the strengths of one small region of what is currently the United Kingdom (London and the SE) other parts would also strengthen, benefitting the whole.
Welsh independence would be good not just for Wales, but also for our brothers and sisters in England.


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Holy SHIP!!! 2014
Posted on January 30, 2014
Imagine being stuck on a deserted island in the Bahamas, palm trees swaying in the breeze with turquoise waters in the background. You hear a sound, a bright red helicopter flies overhead then you hear the sound of the bass. You start walking towards the beat, you see a sea of people partying then you approach the stage and notice they are dancing to some of the best DJ's in the world. Welcome to Holy Ship.
It's a 3 day music festival on a luxury cruise liner. We were lucky enough to sail on the MSC Divina. I'd never been on a cruise ship before. I don't even know how we heard of Holy Ship and still to this day I meet people who don't know about it. The ship sets sail from port Miami and cruises to the Bahamas for 3 nights. You and your crew make up a total of 4,000 punters and some of the hottest dj's from around the globe. Ship mates become family and if you search the hashtag #shipfam ya'll know what I'm talking about. There's so much love and happiness and everyone is there to have a good time and dance to some decent music.
Think the likes of Dillon Francis, Skrillex, Bauuer, A-Trak, Diplo, Flume, Boys Noize, Armand Van Helden, Skream, Cyril Hahn. I was actually in the lift with A-Trak at one point and was dancing at the beach party with none other than the creator of this amazing festival Gary AKA Destructo!
When you're not on the private island dancing barefoot on the beach, you're back on the boat, either checking out the main stage artists where you dance on top of where the main pool is, or perhaps you're up in the discotheque which is intimate but amazing and usually where the Special Guest plays as well as some mind blowing random B2B sets like, Claude Von Stroke, Skrillex and What So Not.
If you're a rap fan then you'd appreciate A-Trak's Fools gold party in the Pantheon Theatre. Lots of space to shake yo booty.
Aside from the music yogi's can catch an early morning class with Gina Turner or if you like to have a bit of a gamble there's a casino where you can play poker with some of the elite.
I was 2 seconds too late to join Pharrell on stage but ending up bumping into him anyways as we were departing the ship.
Met so many amazing people some of which I'm still in touch with these days.
I love how music brings people together.
♥ Nossy


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North Korea launches missiles ahead of Xi's Seoul visit
Seoul (AFP) – North Korea on Sunday fired two ballistic missiles into the sea, Seoul's military said, the latest in a series of launches staged in an apparent show of force ahead of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the South.
The North fired the missiles into the East Sea (Sea of Japan) from the country's east coast Sunday morning, a defence ministry official told AFP.
"Both landed in international waters beyond its sea border," the official said.
He did not elaborate on the type of the missile. But Yonhap news agency, citing a military official, said they were short-range Scud missiles with a range of about 500 kilometres (300 miles).
In Tokyo, Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera also told reporters that North Korea had launched a number of ballistic missiles.
He added that the Japanese government had lodged a protest with Pyongyang through its embassy in Beijing.
The launch came three days after Pyongyang fired what were believed to be three short-range missiles into the sea on Thursday.
The North did not officially confirm Thursday's launch, revealed by Seoul's military. But a day later, the state-run Korean Central News Agency hailed what it called the successful test of "cutting-edge" and high-precision missiles, watched by leader Kim Jong-Un.
– 'Warning message' from North –
The launches come only days ahead of Xi's state visit to Seoul to discuss issues including the North's disputed nuclear weapons programmes.
The July 3-4 trip — Xi's first presidential journey to the Korean peninsula — also marks the first time in almost two decades for a sitting Chinese leader to visit the South before having been to the North.
China is the isolated North's sole major ally and major economic lifeline that offers precious fuel and food to its wayward ally.
But ties have been tested by the North's pursuit of nuclear programmes in defiance of pressure from the international community including Beijing.
The North staged its third atomic test — its most powerful so far — in February 2013, triggering new sanctions and condemnation by UN Security Council members including China.
The latest missile launches were aimed at increasing pressure on Xi and South Korean President Park Geun-Hye ahead of their talks, said Shin In-Kyun, head of Korea Defense Network, a Seoul-based think tank.
"The two leaders will inevitably discuss how to curb the North's nuclear ambition and how to punish Pyongyang if it pushes ahead with the weapons programme," Shin said.
"And the North is sending a message of warning in advance, to prevent the leaders from criticising Pyongyang too harshly," he said.
Seoul and Washington have persistently called on Beijing to exert more pressure on the North to abandon its atomic weapons programme.
But despite China's growing frustration with the North, it fears the instability — and flood of refugees — that a collapse of the regime would bring.
The North has often launched short-range missiles or rockets to express anger at perceived provocations, including military drills held south of border.
In March, it conducted multiple launches of Scud missiles and rockets to coincide with annual joint army drills between Seoul and Washington.
The North also test-fired two medium-range ballistic missiles that flew 650 kilometres off its east coast, prompting a stern reaction from Washington and Seoul.
South Korea had condemned the missile launches as a "reckless provocation" but stopped short of calling for UN sanctions.
Source Article from https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/world/24343815/north-korea-launches-missiles-ahead-of-xis-seoul-visit/
North Korea launches missiles ahead of Xi's Seoul visit
test of japanese – Yahoo News Search Results
test of japanese – Yahoo News Search Results


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My name is Cameron Hodges and I am a sophomore at Southern Adventist University. Next school year I have decided to dedicate a year of my life to serve as an English teacher for grades preschool-sixth in Honduras. I will also be helping at a local orphanage that is run by REACH International. When I first went to Honduras, I immediately felt a calling. After three years and four visits, it is finally happening.
Approximately 60 other Southern students and I will have the honor of serving in different places throughout the world as teachers, nurses, deans, Bible workers, and in many other positions. As a group, we are helping to raise funds to support the Student Missions program so that we can share the love and word of God with others.
I have agreed to raise $3,200 for Southern's Student Missions program . The funds we raise will help cover our airfare, visas, insurance training, and care packages. I am excited to serve as a student missionary. Will you help me reach my goal? Whatever you are able to give is greatly appreciate by the 2017-18 student missionaries, the people we will serve, and also myself.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
If you have any questions, you can contact me at email@example.com
All gifts are tax deductible and nonrefundable. Southern Adventist University accepts contributions, whether by gift, device, or bequest, consistent with its general tax-exempt purposes. These contributions may be given directly to any official university organization or activity. However, they may not be directed for an individual employee or student use.
Contributions made for an intended purpose, such as a mission or service trip, will be used as specified. However, all contributions shall become the sole property of Southern Adventist University and are non-refundable under all circumstances. As such, the university reserves the right, in the event that the intended purpose is delayed or cancelled, to use the contributions as it may deem best in its sole and complete discretion so as to ensure that the funds will be used consistent with the tax-exempt purposes of the university.


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by Shawn Phillips
Change Your Life!
Life Changing Health Program & Process
Building Health Program
After going through this process personally, I've illustrated our process step by step so that it is easier to understand. In order to achieve optimal health, you must have the right frame of mind before you begin. This is a basic sample of our process:
Step 1 (Day 1) Nutritional Consultation: 1.5 hour nutritional consultation which covers nutritional concepts, grocery list, meal planning, lifestyle coaching, stress management, sleep, cooking and eating out, exercise, restoration vs. stimulation, recovery, expectations and goals, and internal and external stressors that cause a variety of symptoms.
Step 2 (Day 10) Follow up Consultation. Send you various health questionnaires and lab kits and have the client send in their food journal. Also, lab kits are sent to your home. For more on testing please click on the following link: "Testing".
Step 3 (Day 25) First Lab Consultation: Review questionnaire, labs and 90 day targeted supplement protocol and answer any general questions. At this point there could be some follow up testing to continue the investigation of internal adrenal stressors.
Step 4 (Day 40) Follow up Consultation: Discuss supplements, nutritional program, lifestyle changes and sleep quality.
Step 5 (Day 100) 3 ½ months to 4 months after testing, send out test kits and run labs again – check to see how the first supplement protocol did.
Step 6 (Day 121) Second Lab Consultation: Review Labs and go over new targeted supplement protocol.
Step 7 (Day 140) Follow up Consultation: Discuss supplements, nutritional program, lifestyle changes and sleep quality.
Step 7 (Day 210) 3 ½ months to 4 months after testing, send out test kits and run labs again.
Step 8 (Day 231) Third Lab Consultation: Review Labs and go over new targeted supplement protocol.
Remember, this is just a sample of our process. Everybody will have their own unique experience within this process. Some might test a little sooner, some might test much later, and some might need more testing while others need less. Much of this depends on the client's needs and what shows up on various labs.
Please note the consultations could be used sooner if there are any necessary follow up tests. This would really depend on the client and their individual tests.
The Goal
The goal is to continue quality nutrition, lifestyle changes, testing, and supplementation until a client is optimized in the following 4 categories: immune function, digestion, detoxification, and hormones. This could take from 6 months to 2 years depending on the severity of the client's health challenges. To learn more about what causes adrenal fatigue click here: "What causes Adrenal Fatigue"
Ready to get started today? Call now for a free telephone consultation at 310-720-8125 or email us at email@example.com.
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This is the subject question which was closed for being POB -Are US detention centers in the US-Mexico border "concentration camps"?
The question has room for improvement, but I feel it is fundamentally on topic. I'd like to see the Ocasio-Cortez quote properly put in context. And regarding the terminology, delimit which of the government's detention centers we are talking about and correctly identify the government agencies involved in operating these facilities. Would these changes pass the bar?
The quote was apparently directed at an effort to reopen a facility at Ft Sill to house unaccompanied youth that have illegally immigrated to the US.
The funding for various programs such as healthcare and education at these facilities is in the public domain and has been reported on by nation media.
The Department of Health and Human Services is on record regarding this and other proposed sites such as Malmstrom AFB.
In the minds of many, the term concentration camp has been inseparably linked to the genocide perpetrated by Nazi Germany since those atrocities became public knowledge after WWII.
The government has coined a new euphemism for these places, calling them "temporary emergency influx shelters", the adoption of which has been spotty at best, and making it impossible for me to not reference George Carlin's classic routine euphemisms.
Can we tighten up this question a bit and get it back open?
Can concentration camp be used today in a way that doesn't invoke Nazi Germany's genocide?
Is there a better way to opt out of the currently proffered euphemism? If so, how?


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Schafer: No early CRP opt-outs
If you were hoping to kick enrolled acres out of CRP and not have to pay the required penalty, a Tuesday announcement may disappoint you.
Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer announced Tuesday afternoon that no penalty-free opt-outs for acres currently enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will be allowed this year.
"We believe the decision that we are announcing today strikes best balance between supporting programs to protect natural resources and meeting the demands for grain production," Schafer said Tuesday.
In his announcement, Schafer cited recent reports that indicate this year's corn and soybean crops have bounced back from a harsh early spring, as well as the recent downturn in the grain trade, as the main reasons for the CRP decision.
"Indications so far are that the impact on this year's corn and soybean crops will be less than what was originally feared," Schafer said of early-season weather, including the major flooding that hit parts of the Midwest earlier this summer. "The markets have reacted to encouraging reports on crop conditions. The strength of America's farmers in meeting demand has reassured the markets that there will be adequate supplies this year."
Schafer said USDA numbers indicate that, despite crop problems in parts of the country, U.S. corn farmers are still expected to raise the second-largest crop in history on around 79 million acres. And, livestock producers -- the ones who have been most affected by high grain prices and tight supplies -- have and will continue to recoup some losses they incurred from record-high prices in recent weeks, the Secretary said. In the corn trade in recent weeks, prices have declined by 25% from highs set earlier this summer, he added.
Even without penalty-free opt-outs, Schafer said this spring's passage of the '08 farm bill will still dictate a smaller CRP. The new law will lower the cap on CRP acres, he said, from 39.2 to 32 million, with between 1 and 5 million acres coming out each September for the next three years (1.1 million this year, 3.8 million in 2009 and 4.4 million in 2010). This will make it possible for many farmers to make use of those acres for crop production after contract expiration.
USDA Farm Service Agency Deputy Administrator John Johnson said Tuesday a higher percentage of the land coming out this fall is in the Great Plains where winter wheat is grown and a smaller amount is in corn- and soybean-growing regions.
Schafer said that farmers can take CRP out early on their own if they're willing to return rental payments and pay a penalty. Over the past 19 months, Johnson said, farmers have opted for an early out and penalties son 288,726 acres that were in the CRP, averaging about 15,200 acres a month. The spike was last spring, when farmers took out some 34,000 acres in April and almost 37,000 acres in May.
"Large blocks of land will be available for other uses if landowners choose to pursue them," Schafer said Tuesday. "Participants can still take land out in exchange for repaying payments. Where this option makes economic sense for contract holders, they are clearly choosing to use it."
Schafer said that with the farm bill allowing fewer acres than currently in the program, USDA has no plans for another general CRP signup (continuous signup is available for buffer strips and other targeted protection).
If you were hoping to kick enrolled acres out of CRP and not have to pay the required penalty, a Tuesday announcement may disappoint you.


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Sundry Ballades
François Villon.
San Francisco: Grabhorn Press, 1922. Quarto. Brown paper-covered boards, paste-down with titling on the upper front board, vellum spine. Unpaginated. One of 210 copies printed letterpress by Edwin and Robert Grabhorn & James McDonald. Near fine.
Though little is known about Villon, what we do know indicates that he is one of the baddest animals on record: during the span of time he published his derelict poetry, he also drank heavily, frequented brothels, beat a priest to death, and captained a roving band of thieves. For his crimes he was imprisoned, tortured, sentenced to hang, and eventually forced to live in exile. An influence on Bertolt Brecht, Bob Dylan, Hunter S. Thompson, Klaus Kinski, and many others. The publisher, San Francisco's Grabhorn Press was a letterpress institution and a national treasure. One of the 50 notable books of 1922, this is an uncommon Grabhorn title prepared for special complimentary distribution, in the variant vellum binding.
"In my own country I am in a far-off land
I am strong but have no force or power
I win all yet remain a loser
At break of day I say goodnight"


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Hydraulic fracturing has boosted U.S. energy production while coming under scrutiny for its potential environmental impacts, mostly related to the wastewater the method generates. Now, a report in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters takes a look at solid waste from horizontal gas wells. The study found that some well waste from the Marcellus shale in Pennsylvania contained radioactive material not previously reported, with the potential for leaching from landfills into the environment.
Drilling horizontal wells for hydraulic fracturing operations results in a large amount of gooey solid waste, or drill cuttings. In 2011, natural gas exploration and extraction in the Marcellus Shale formation produced an estimated 2.37 million tons of cuttings in Pennsylvania alone with almost all of it ending up in landfills, according to a review published in Environmental Practice. A few studies have found naturally occurring radioactive materials in the solid waste, but the research only focused on several long-lived radioactive isotopes including uranium-238 and radium-226. Andrew W. Nelson and colleagues wanted to investigate whether other radioactive isotopes might be in drill cuttings and whether they could impact the environment.
The researchers devised a method to test the drill cuttings from horizontal wells in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania. In addition to uranium-238 and radium-226, the researchers report the samples contained elevated levels of the environmentally persistent radioactive isotopes uranium-234, thorium-230, lead-210 and polonium-210. A simulation of leaching over a range of acidity levels suggested that at low pH, uranium isotopes readily leached from drill cuttings, which raises questions as to whether uranium will seep into the environment from a landfill. Other isotopes appeared less leachable under the conditions tested. Leaching for all radionuclides declined as pH increased. The researchers say that because they were only able to obtain three samples from one well, the findings aren't generalizable. But, they add, their study demonstrates that further testing is needed to understand what is in solid waste from the country's proliferating horizontal wells and whether it might pose any environmental risks.
The authors acknowledge funding from the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research at the University of Iowa.
The abstract that accompanies this study is available here.
The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With nearly 157,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact email@example.com.
Environmental Science & Technology Letters


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|In Sherbrooke Forest, Victoria, Australia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Best Friend a Steam Room Ever Had, Eucalyptus Oil, Comes from a Tree that Provides the World with a Long List of Benefits
Everyone loves the scent of eucalyptus oil in the steam room at the local spa or gym. Many are now finding that they also like to bring it home to their home steam unit or shower. We know about some of the reported benefits to our skin, olfactory system, respiratory system, and even emotional and spiritual health, but the oil and the tree that creates the oil are amazing on many, many levels.
1. Biomass is a potential source for generating power around the world. Biomass can be derived from renewable, sustainable sources like plants and trees. While we currently use corn, sugar, and switch grass for biomass applications, better might be fast growing hardwood trees planted and harvested for energy production, but also supplying wood and fiber.
2. The eucalyptus tree is one of the fastest growing hardwood trees in the world. It already represents 8 percent of all planted forests. Grown in 90 countries, the eucalyptus is easy to grow in many climates. In 2003, global Eucalyptus pulp demand was 8 million tons and it represented 40 percent of the world's hardwood pulp market.
3. Dryland salinity is becoming a serious problem in many parts of the World. In Australia, almost 50% of the divertible water supply is either undrinkable or marginal because of salinity. Scientists believe that this may be due to the removal of deep rooted trees to make room for shallow rooted food crops. The water table moves up, bringing salt that has been in deposit for millennia closer to the surface. A solution for this has been to plant eucalyptus trees in the farm areas, whose deep roots will then lower the water table. Early experimentation seems to be showing promising results.
4. Eucalyptus oils derived from the leaves of some species of eucalyptus provide commercially viable products for cleaning and disinfecting. The oils are known to be antibacterial and antimicrobial. Thus eucalyptus oils are used for cleaning virtually any surface and can even be used in the wash. Great for smelly shoes.
5. Eucalyptus oils are used in pure form and in combination with other products to produce excellent remedies for colds, flu, dry skin, itchy feet or scalp.
6. Essential oils are used in many applications as aromatherapy to sooth the nerves and help with relaxation, either by themselves, or in conjunction with massage, sauna or steam baths.
7. There is evidence that merely thinking about the smell of eucalyptus may be helpful in arresting cravings for chocolate or cigarettes. Good idea for the cigarettes. Leave my chocolate cravings alone.
8. Combined with Tea Tree Oil, Eucalyptus may be effective with Lice and Nits.
9. Eucalyptus oil has been studied and is being studied at universities around the world, and there is a growing body of evidence that shows multiple medicinal uses, including: cure for athletes feet, relieve muscle pain, control airway inflamation in COPD patients, prevent staph infections, and more.
May we recommend that you consider our 100% pure, pharmaceutical grade, eucalyptus oil for your commercial steam room or for your home steam bath or regular shower? Please visit http://eurospaareomatics.com for more information or call 800-395-6478


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By Chris Aldridge, Tribune Staff Writer | Huron Daily Tribune | November 8, 2014 | www.michigansthumb.com
HURON COUNTY – Land area within three miles of the Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay shorelines deserves to be protected from wind energy development, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in a letter addressed to county commissioners.
The federal conservancy agency has submitted data for nocturnal migration of birds and bats in Huron County, which it says may be of value as officials revise the county's wind energy ordinance.
County planners say it's the first time in eight years they've received anything formally in writing from the agency.
In the Oct. 20 letter, the Service says it has been studying nocturnal migration of birds and bats along the Great Lakes shoreline for the past four years. Findings show "heavy concentrations of nocturnal migrants" – songbirds and bats – "utilizing the first three miles of shoreline along both Lake Huron and the Saginaw Bay."
"We believe that the land portion of this area is particularly important to migrating birds and bats and deserves to be protected from wind development," writes Jeffrey C. Gosse, regional energy coordinator for the Service.
In the study, avian radar and acoustic monitors were stationed at two sites in Huron County – one northeast of Sebewaing, the other near Port Hope. Measurements were taken between three miles inland of the shore to about one mile offshore, and more than 100 nights of data were collected.
"(We) have learned a great deal about nocturnal migration in your county," Gosse writes.
Avian radar units collected data 24 hours a day, tracking birds and bats as they passed through the airspace, according to the study. Results also show "many targets (birds and bats) are flying well within the swept zone of a turbine through the sample period, with heaviest activity during the night hours."
"Passerines (songbirds) and bats need to land as dawn approaches or as they become tired," the letter states.
Researchers say they tracked migrations of as many as 3,000 birds and bats per day at the testing site near Port Hope.
The letter concludes with the Service recommending that Huron County "include in its ordinance a three-mile buffer inland from the shoreline that precludes development of wind power projects." Pending further evaluation, early results indicate that the protected area should possibly be larger, according to the letter.
"We are confident in the need to protect the first three miles from shore," Gosse writes.
Planning Commission Chair Clark Brock said he has briefly looked at the 14-page report, replete with charts, graphs, methodology and explanation of findings. Brock said he doesn't necessarily think the information in the letter is new, though it is the first time the Service sent correspondence directly to the planning commission.
"We take official documents from government entities always into consideration when looking at that," Brock said. "We're not in a position of saying yes or no to any of their direction. When you look at the miles of shoreline we have, they're not all the same, in terms of environment (and) human population."
Brock said he doesn't know how much the recommendations will factor into revision of the county's wind energy ordinance. As far as including the recommended three-mile buffer zone in the ordinance, "some situations may call for it and others may not," he said.
Although the Service advocates for the shoreline setbacks, a provision in the letter states "absolute prohibition" of wind development in the three-mile buffer "may not be necessary."
"We would suggest the ordinance also state that development could occur if developers had concurrence from the Service that based upon pre-construction studies, siting, operational measures, and post-construction studies, the development would not pose an undue risk to wildlife."
Such may be the case for Geronimo Energy, which plans to build its 50-turbine Apple Blossom Wind Farm in Winsor and McKinley townships, on the western edge of the county.
Geronimo officials say at least 20 of the 50 turbines are planned for within two to three miles of the shoreline. Eleven alternate locations are set "in the event we run into environmental issues," Project Manager David Shiflett said.
To avoid disturbing migrations, Geronimo says it has worked with the Service to decide that the best approach is installing a box radar unit near turbines that looks into the sky to detect migrations and shuts down automatically if something is detected.
"I would certainly like to see a letter from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in terms of their mitigation plan," Brock said.
Planners are scheduled to further review Geronimo's site plan at 7 p.m. Dec. 3, at the Huron County Building.
While most wind parks in Huron County do not approach shorelines, a couple turbines are installed and operating at just under three miles from the shoreline, according to Jeff Smith, the county's director of building and zoning.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/11/09/agency-urges-greater-wildlife-protection-from-wind-turbines/
Click here to print.