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As Russia readies to raise its economic profile in Africa, so also many Russian companies want to get on board. Lukoil, one of the Russia's biggest oil companies, plans to continue an intensive development of oil fields in West Africa in 2019. Last December 2017, it listed Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana and Nigeria among its key priority international projects.
Lukoil's President and Chief Executive Officer, Vagit Alekperov, while visiting Abu Dhabi in November, informed publicly that his company was looking for new projects in West Africa, and particularly, it was in negotiations with Italian Eni the possibility of entering into a joint project in Nigeria.
In fact, it was reported already four year ago, it joined the offshore deepwater project at OML-140 block on the Nigerian shelf. The block with an area of more than 1.2 thousand km2 is located in the Nigerian waters of the Gulf of Guinea, 135 km away from the coast. Water depth at the block ranges from 1.2 to 2 thousand meters.
Like many Russian companies, Lukoil has had a long history, going forth and back with declaration of business intentions or mere interest in tapping into oil and gas resources in Africa.
Lukoil's plans to expand on the Gulf of Guinea, especially that excluded the probability of some additional acquisitions of upstream projects in the waters of other West African states. That related to countries such as Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Guinea, according to Lukoil Overseas' annual report.
According to information obtained, Lukoil began its exploration activity in Ghana in 2010. As a whole, it explored seven blocks, but only two of them, which had commercial reserves of hydrocarbons, have been selected for further development.
But, multiple factors have paralyzed its foreign investment on the West African coastal countries. Besides technical and geographical hitches, Lukoil noted explicitly that "the African leadership and government policies always pose serious problems to operations in the region." It said that the company has been ready to observe strictly all of its obligations as a foreign investor in Africa.
In August 2015, Lukoil pulled out of the oil and gas exploration and drilling project that it began in Sierra Leone. According to Interfax, a local Russian news agency, the company did not currently have any projects and has backed away due to poor exploration results in Sierra Leone.
Earlier in 2014, it was also reported that drilling in West Africa, including in Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone, did not bring LUKOIL the expected results, as preliminary technical results did not demonstrated commercial hydrocarbon reserves. According to official reports, Vice-President Leonid Fedun did not rule out that LUKOIL could withdraw from almost all of the projects in West Africa.
Another senior official told me in an emailed interview discussion that Lukoil has focused on upstream exploration projects in the waters of other West African states. Lukoil's senior management has emphasized on more than one occasion that, if the quantity of the reserves to be evaluated on the blocks proves to be sufficient for their industrial development and exports, intensifying and broadening of the regional program would become likely for consideration.
The company's report said that Lukoil has been active in a number of countries with a high level of political and economic risks that could significantly complicate the work of the company in a particular region, and even lead to its termination. There has been information about Lukoil possibly terminating operations in Iraq, Venezuela, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana and Ukraine.
Given that it has been on the landscape for nearly two decades, Lukoil is yet to be seen making significant concrete foothold in Africa, both foreign and Russian experts said in separate interviews.
Lukoil's main activities are exploration and production of oil and gas, production of petroleum products and petrochemicals, and marketing of these outputs. It is the second largest private oil company worldwide by proven hydrocarbon reserves. Most of the company's exploration and production activity is located in Russia, and its main resource base is in Western Siberia.


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Report: Manny Ain't Gonna Be Manny For The Next 50 Games
According to the Los Angeles Times, Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez will be treated to a 50-game suspension, which starts immediately, after reportedly testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. And while people will focus on the void Ramirez will leave in the Dodgers' line-up, it's time to talk about the grand scheme of things.
If you work for the Dodgers' marketing or public relations department, you're gonna start earning your paycheck as your new job is to spin a positive PED test for the team's most popular and marketable player. There is no doubt Ramirez is the face of the Dodgers ... and now that face has a black eye.
Then, if you're Major League Baseball, is this a good day or a bad day for your sport. "The System" is finally working, as "The System" has finally netted a big fish during the guts of the season. On the other hand, there goes one of baseball's most recognizable faces taking the walk of shame. Bud Selig must be utterly confused.
Through a source, The L.A. Times reports Ramirez will likely "attribute the test results to medication received from a doctor for a personal medical issue." This was confirmed by Ramirez's agent Scott Boras via ESPN's Peter Gammons.
For Manny's sake, here's hoping it's not Dr. Yuri Sucart.
Now, from this point forward will whatever Jose Canseco says be treated as gospel?
- Thursday, May 7, 2009
- Posted by The Ludameister at 10:47 AM
- Labels: Baseball, Manny Ramirez, Suspensions
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subset: commoncrawl


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Can using a weighted blanket for autism therapy be effective? Learn more about the potential benefits of weighted blankets for autistic children.
RELATED: What Type Of Weighted Blanket Is Right For You?
In this article:
- Weighted Blankets and Deep Pressure Therapy
- What Is Deep Pressure Therapy?
- How to Use Weighted Blankets During Occupational Therapy
- The Real Results of Using a Weighted Blanket in OT Sessions
- More Benefits of Using a Weighted Blanket for Autism
Using Weighted Blankets For Autism Therapy
Weighted Blankets and Deep Pressure Therapy
As an occupational therapist, you turn to different treatments to best help your patients cope with and work through symptoms that can often be debilitating. You've likely heard about deep pressure therapy (DPT), but you probably haven't considering resorting to this technique in your practice.
Deep pressure therapy involves using weighted materials to help reduce patients' symptoms. There are several ways to incorporate weighted materials in sensory integration treatment sessions, and you're limited only by your creativity.
In this article, we're going to explore what deep pressure therapy is, and how you can use weighted blankets to help your patients with autism benefit from this type of therapy.
What Is Deep Pressure Therapy?
Deep pressure therapy utilizes evenly-distributed weight as a means to soothe and relax the nervous system.
For someone with autism, the central nervous system can become overloaded by external stimuli, such as noise, light, and different textures. Deep pressure therapy can help to calm the system down, so stimuli can be processed more easily.
So, how does deep pressure therapy actually work?
The deep pressure triggers a release of serotonin and dopamine, naturally occurring neurotransmitters involved in happiness, impulse control, focus, and many other important processes.
This flood of neurotransmitters allows the parasympathetic system—the 'rest and digest' system—to take over the sympathetic system—'fight or flight'—to help better process the environment and calm down.
How to Use Weighted Blankets During Occupational Therapy
For many, deep pressure stimulation is what's needed to calm down enough to become aware of the present environment. Hugs and other interpersonal touches can be very beneficial and can promote bonding; however, people with autism may have a more difficult time connecting in that way.
People on the autism spectrum who also have sensory processing disorder may find certain textures uncomfortable. This makes some interpersonal touching hard to do.
How can you get the benefits of deep pressure therapy without having to personally give the pressure?
There are weighted materials out there to help you give your patients the benefits of deep pressure stimulation without having to directly touch them.
Weighted blankets offer a great workaround. You can incorporate the blanket in several ways, and you can experiment until you find a method that works best for your patient.
Here are a few suggestions for using the blanket during a session. You can try:
- Bundling like a burrito
- Draping across their lap
- Draping across their shoulders
- Covering their body, either front or back, while lying down
Your patients will likely respond differently to the pressure, and you might need to try a few options before you find the perfect match for an individual.
There are certain things you need to remember when using a weighted blanket for autistic children.
You need to slowly ease the child into using an occupational therapy weighted blanket. It's suggested you start with a low weight (around 7-9% of the person's body weight) for shorter sessions (20-30 minutes) and gradually increase the weight and session length until you find a good balance between the two that still provides therapeutic results.
Especially with children who have texture sensitivities, you want to choose the best weighted blanket that won't trigger them. Our minky dot blankets at Sonno Zona provide a soft, soothing experience with raised fabric dots to provide extra stimulation.
RELATED: What Exactly Are Weighted Blankets (And How Can They Benefit You?)
The Real Results of Using a Weighted Blanket in OT Sessions
A holistic approach to sensory integration through occupational therapy can benefit patients with autism. When you address the sensory challenges that are a hallmark of autism, you can begin seeing many benefits.
Some of the benefits observed in children with autism and sensory issues include better sleep, reduced stress and anxiety, and even improved mental performance.
1. Decreased Stress
One study in 2009 showed that when participants were exposed to deep touch therapy, they experienced a reduction in stress and a 31% decrease in their cortisol levels.
Cortisol is the hormone released during times of stress and overstimulation, and it does more than just overwhelm people. Consistently high levels of cortisol have been linked to type 2 diabetes, decreased immunity, irritability, and high blood pressure, among other serious symptoms.
Aside from decreased cortisol levels, using a weighted blanket for autism also helped the patients maintain better dispositions.
The study also showed a 28% increase in serotonin and a 31% increase in dopamine, showing that deep touch pressure promotes a calming effect.
What is Serotonin? This is a chemical produced by the brain that relaxes the body.
What is Dopamine? This organic chemical transmits signals to and from brain cells. It is considered the "feel-good hormone."
2. Increased Focus
A study in 2011 reviewed by the American Occupational Therapy Association showed that using weight in a therapeutic way helped participants with ADHD sit longer in their chairs and focus longer on tasks.
People with autism often have other diagnosed disorders that are comorbid, meaning the symptoms of each are present at the same time. A common comorbid disorder of autism is ADHD.
Using deep touch therapy, such as what you can offer your patients with a weighted blanket, may help reduce many of their symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity, which helps them regulate many of their other symptoms of autism.
3. Reduced Anxiety
Not only is using a weighted blanket for autism effective for children, studies have found that it can help with anxiety in adults as well.
A study in 2008 in the journal Occupational Therapy in Mental Health tested the effectiveness of weighted blankets in adults using a 30-pound blanket. It was shown to reduce anxiety in 63% of the participants. It's also worth noting that 78% of the participants preferred using a weighted blanket as a calming tool.
Anxiety is another symptom that often presents in people who also have autism. Using a weighted blanket during OT sessions can help reduce this anxiety, to open them up for more sensory therapies to manage other symptoms.
4. Improved Sleeping Patterns
In 2014, a study was published in the journal Pediatrics that showed, subjectively, participants with autism had improved sleeping patterns. The study found that using weighted blankets for kids with autism allowed them to get a good night's sleep.
In the self-reported questionnaire, 48% of the children said they liked using the weighted blanket over the control blanket. Parents reported that their children had better sleep with the weighted blanket (51%) versus the control blanket (16%), and their children were calmer with the weighted blanket (35%) versus the control blanket (14%).
In another study published in 2015, researchers found a significant decrease in movement during sleep when participants used a weighted blanket, which promotes a more positive subjective sleeping experience. The study also found a significant increase in participants' sleep time using a weighted blanket.
More Benefits of Using a Weighted Blanket for Autism
Other common benefits to using weighted blankets as a treatment method for patients with autism include:
- Reduced repetitive behaviors or "stimming"
- Increased communication
- Decreased touch hypersensitivity
- Increased body and spatial l awareness
As you can see, there are several benefits to incorporating a weighted blanket in a patient's treatment plan. An added bonus is that there are several ways to use the blanket, so the treatment plan can change according to the patient's needs, whether that's where to place the blanket, the weight, the texture, or the length of treatment.
When you're ready to invest in a weighted blanket for your occupational therapy practice, visit our shop at Sonno Zona to check out the different types and weights of blankets to see which would best support your patients' needs.
Have you tried using a weighted blanket for autism? How did your patients react to weighted blanket therapy? Share your observations in the comments section below.
Up Next:
- How To Use Your Weighted Blanket: Therapeutic Versus Everyday Use
- Can A Weighted Blanket Help Relieve Your Chronic Symptoms?
- Weighted Blanket Review Video
Directly sourced articles/studies:
References that were not directly sourced in the article:
Editor's Note: This post was originally published on October 27, 2018, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.


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This goal has the following fine print specified by gudamor:
I intend to wake up and weigh myself first thing in the morning, so this goal uses units of 'weigh-ins.' My Beeminder goal 'Weight' will derail if I do not have the specified weight-loss. This Beeminder goal will derail if I do not weigh in regularly every morning.
Entering data to my Weight Beeminder goal triggers IFTTT to send a data-point of 1 to this goal, assuming I have set that up correctly.
The IFTTT recipe was based based on recipe "Beeminder beeminder beeminder" by Beeminder.
The IFTTT specifics are:
Trigger: Datapoint added to specific goal (selected my goal 'Weight').
Action: Add datapoint to specific goal 'Wake'
Datapoint value: 1
Datapoint comment: DatapointDate
I should be waking up before 6 am, so the goal deadline was changed to 06:00 AM under the "Terrifyingly Advanced" goal settings.
My current work schedule is six days a week, Sundays off, so the initial rate is 6 per week.


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What Makes Them So Special?
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You can also find them at Target.
Of course, you can always order straight from their website. Discounts are offered to teachers and schools that buy their headphones in case quantities and they also accept school purchase orders! Click HERE to request educational pricing.


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Labor Time Tracker is an employee time clock that monitors the time and attendance of your staff via the web and phone. With this tool, you can be sure to eliminate the common issue of double time entry at work, increase productivity. It even exports to your favorite accounting and payroll solution.
Employers and HR managers who want to experience a smarter and faster way to track employee time for payroll and job costing should consider the Labor Time Tracker app. This tool's telephone and web-based employee time clock system is totally optimized for the web which means it is fast and very easy to use.
Labor Time Tracker automatically charges a monthly fee for every employee you're tracking. There's no hardware or software to set up or license, support or training fees to pay. A free 30-day trial is also available.
Do you have any tips for using Labor Time Tracker? Please add them to this list. Please vote up or down any tips that are already here. Thank you!
Do you know any Labor Time Tracker alternatives? Please add the names of each tool to this list and help others to find them and try them out. Please vote up or down any alternative so we find the most popular ones. Thank you!
We hope you enjoy Labor Time Tracker. To search for any other online tool please use our search box at the top of the page. If you have benefited from what you have learned here we hope you will consider sharing this page with your social media friends by using one of the sharing buttons out on the left. Thank you!
If you have any questions about Labor Time Tracker please ask in the comment boxes below either Google+ or click over to Facebook. If you know lots about Labor Time Tracker or any other tool featured in The Web Tools Wiki then please let us know in the comments as well. We will connect with you and give you editing rights. We often pay regular editors for their time.


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"Project Beast" from developer From Software now has an official title""Bloodborne. The new PlayStation 4 game was officially debuted at Sony's E3 press conference this evening. We also got a good look at the game with a 3 minute trailer.
Bloodborne will be available in 2015 exclusively for PlayStation 4.


text: If you are looking for a way to contact Burger King you have come to the right place! Below is their address and phone number. To view a larger map and get driving directions to Burger King found at 4885 Washtenaw Ave in Ann Arbor please scroll down and click the link below. Find other businesses in the Fast Food Restaurants or Restaurants categories by clicking the links beside "Ann Arbor" above this listing. If you think this business should not be included in Fast Food Restaurants, please click the "New Category" link below to let us know. If you are the owner of this business please click the image on the left to "Claim your free lising now".


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St Patty's Four Leaf Clover Dog Tag
Here is a little luck of the Irish for your pet.
This pet tag is made with a high quality photo of a 4 leaf clover, great for St. Patrick's Day or anytime your pooch needs a little luck. The shamrock photo is set in a round silver frame with clear dome over the top to make it waterproof and it includes the ring and lobster clasp so it's ready to hang on your pets collar.
Available in 2 sizes:
- The small is 1 inch in diameter and fits collars up to 5/8 inches wide
- The large is 1 1/2 inches in diameter and fits collars 3/4 inch to 2 inches wide


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Tossed Salad topped with tuna
Roast beef, turkey, yellow American cheese hard boiled egg & roasted peppers
Iceberg & romaine, tomato, olives, cucumber, roasted peppers & croutons
Ham, Salami, provolone, roasted peppers & anchovies
Tossed salad with fried chicken cutlet
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Mixed greens, walnuts, avocado, apples, tomatoes, olives, grilled on chicken cutlet.
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Romaine, goat cheese, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and grilled chicken
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With roasted peppers, lettuce & balsamic dressing


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Haircut New Braunfels Gallery
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source : mypremiercuts.com
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Departments » Public Works » Shawneeland Sanitary District
Please remember that all requests for mailboxes go through the post office on Pleasant Valley Road at (540) 545-7957. Contact them for new mailboxes or lost keys. You should notify the post office at lease one week prior to moving to Shawneeland. To request a new mailbox or a replacement key, the USPS will need:
It is necessary to obtain a driveway permit from the Shawneeland Sanitary District Office prior to issuance of building permits for all new homes in Shawneeland. Driveway applications and specifications may be obtained by selecting the links below. For questions, please contact the manager at (540) 877-1035.
Shawneeland does not have a water and sewer system to offer as a public utility. However, there is a privately owned water system available in certain areas of the subdivision. The system is owned by Aqua America. For questions and/or comments concerning the water system, contact Aqua America's service department at 1-877-987-2782 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
All homes located within the subdivision are dependent upon individually owned drainfields. For questions and/or comments about drainfields, contact the health department at (540) 722-3480 or visit the Virginia Department of Health's web site.
Fishing permits are required and shall be issued on a yearly basis. Please provide the owner's name, lot and section number when obtaining a fishing permit from the SSD office. Also for Shawneeland residents to enjoy there is Cherokee Beach, a beach pass is not required at this time and there is a list of beach regulations posted at the beach. There is also 2 playground's and a 4-hole golf course located within Shawneeland.
There is no attendant or lifeguard on duty.


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- Publish date:
The most spectacular matchup of Super Bowl XIII will not take place in the body-battering pit, where such big-name, big-bucks players as Pittsburgh's Mean Joe Greene and L. C. Greenwood and Dallas' Randy White and Harvey Martin earn their keep. Rather, it will occur far downfield from the crash of pads and the clatter of helmets, deep in the Cowboy secondary, where the Steeler wide receivers, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, will frequently collide with the cerebrations of Strong Safety Charlie Waters and the Kung Fu clout of Free Safety Cliff Harris.
"We've become a passing team," says Swann. A quick glance at the statistics confirms Swann's statement. In 1975, a season that culminated in a 21-17 victory over Dallas in Super Bowl X, the Steelers made 149 first downs by rushing and 125 through the air. This season the numbers were virtually reversed: 149 by passing and 133 on the ground. Swann caught 61 passes for 880 yards, while his opposite number. Stallworth, grabbed 41 for 798 yards. Between them Swann and Stallworth scored 20 touchdowns—double the number made passing by all of the Steelers' opponents.
But statistics are only results. They cannot explain themselves. To understand how they came into being, one must watch the players whose actions are tabulated. In the case of Swann, it's very hard to figure. Though the Steeler roster lists him as six feet, 180 pounds, it's clear from the first glance that either this guy is a fraud or the roster is lying.
"Well," says Swann, who actually is 5'10", "I like to think of myself as 'about' six feet." A dapper dresser in the Southern California mode, with a cherubic smile and a careful, unemphatic way of speaking, he scarcely comes across as one of the game's most feared and respected participants. Yet to see him leaping half a body length higher than two desperate defenders, or slanting his pass route to the inside where he is bound to be tenderized by a charging safety, one has to agree that he can think himself however tall he wishes.
"I can't remember the last time I ran an outside or a sideline route," said Swann last week at The Tin Angel, a Pittsburgh restaurant where he and Stall-worth were having dinner. "Both John and I run inside nearly every time. Sure, that's where you get hit the hardest. But when you can hang on during the hit, you've gained a lot more than yardage. You've played into the secondary's strength and won, and you leave them with a sinking feeling, you leave them scratching their heads."
Stallworth, like Swann in his fifth year as a Steeler, and also 26 years old, is cast more in the traditional mode of an NFL wide receiver: 6'2" and a lean 183 pounds. Born in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and a graduate of Alabama A&M, Stallworth has been Easternized during his years with the Steelers. Off the field he wears sober, vested pinstriped suits and elegant though unassertive ties. He emulates Swann in the care with which he chooses his words, but there is a definite grain to the timbre of his voice, a deep, loamy reminder of his Cotton Belt roots.
"We're each of us about as quick as the other," Stallworth said, "and I guess we can both jump as high, though Lynn starts a little closer to the ground than I do," and he grinned wickedly across the table at his running mate, "but we catch the ball differently. Lynn always tries to take it against his body, to cushion it during the catch. I have more of a tendency to catch with my hands."
He raised the meat hooks in question, each about the size of a serving platter, and the technique was fully explained. "Lynn usually lines up on the strong side, which will put him opposite Charlie Waters in the Super Bowl, whereas I go to the weak side, against Cliff Harris. But we can and do flip-flop, and we also sometimes line up both on the same side. Depends on the defensive setup."
"Two of the passes I caught against Houston last week, I lined up on the weak side," Swann interjected. One, a diving catch to the inside, set up Harris' seven-yard run for Pittsburgh's first touchdown. The other was a 29-yard bullet from Terry Bradshaw for a touchdown in traffic, and it triggered the 54-second explosion of 17 Steeler points that ended the half and put the AFC title game out of Houston's reach.
"Strong side or weak side, it doesn't make much difference," said Swann. "John and I are both moving targets. It's up to Terry to hit us, and he's been sharp all season." In 1975, the year that produced the second of Pittsburgh's Super Bowl triumphs, Bradshaw averaged 147 yards passing per game; this season, his best ever, he raised that figure to 182 yards.
"What's happened is that we've developed a remarkable, almost undefinable rapport among the three of us," Swann explained. "The art part of any pass route is what happens during the last few moments of it, the last five yards or less. John and I are concentrating all the way out—taking the chuck or avoiding it, letting the route develop along the lines we've planned, practiced over and over, yet trying to make it seem like something it isn't. You have to do it to know what I mean: you don't know where all the defenders are, you only sort of sense them. But you know that Terry—if he's getting the pass blocking he should be getting—is seeing it all.
"Then when you turn and the ball is already in the air, you suddenly see what's been happening all along. I can tell just how much Terry has led me or faded me, just how much he's put on the ball or how much he's laid off. When the defender sees the ball in the air, he can tell those things, too, but not as quickly, because he hasn't been thrown at by a Bradshaw as often as I have. So if the ball comes a bit inside, or a bit short, or maybe a touch high, it's doing those things for a reason—and I go for it without any hesitation."
"What it's like," said Stallworth in the ensuing quiet, "it's like we all been there before."
Indeed, there is a kind of a Zen quality to a good passing combination that defies conscious analysis. How in the world of gravity can a quiet, thoughtful, soft-spoken young man of 5'10" outleap and outdive other men several inches taller and—seemingly—10 times as mean.
"Beats me," said Lynn. "At USC I was a long-jumper, but not all that much of one—about 25 feet. I could high-jump 6'3". I've always played basketball, though not so much recently—I've been too busy with other things. I guess most of it is timing. Again, it's the rapport with Terry: he knows where I'm likely to end up, and I know that wherever he throws the ball is the place to catch it. Speed isn't all that important to a wide receiver. Look at Raymond Berry, or Fred Biletnikoff. The things that count are quickness, concentration, body control and, of course, hands."
The Tin Angel is located on Mount Washington at the top of Pittsburgh's Duquesne Incline. Below, the lights of the city glow as brightly as San Francisco's from the Top of the Mark. At the junction of the three great rivers that provided Pittsburgh with its reason for existence—the Allegheny, the Monongahela and the Ohio—ragged ice floes ground and shattered. A Steeler fan stopped at the table and asked for Swann's autograph.
He signed a paper doily with a ballpoint pen: the capital S of the family name became the neck and back of a Picassoesque swan, its wing feathers spelling Lynn.
Ah, style!
All-Pros Charlie Waters and Cliff Harris, the best safety combination in the NFL, are two of the Cowboys who will try to stop the Bradshaw-Swann-Stall-worth attack. In terms of football erudition, mutual admiration, constructive criticism and simple, good-hearted friendship, the two Dallas safeties are closer than most brothers. They room together in training camp and on the road; they hunt together; they pore over computer readouts of opposing offenses, quiz each other on the minutiae of game plans and act as each other's hardest critic once a game is done.
"We're so much alike," Waters told SI's Ron Reid as the Cowboys began preparations for the Super Bowl, "that we have to spend time away from each other so we can perform right on the field. When we criticize each other, we're hard—we can't kid each other, because our humor is liable to have a needle to it. If we take a verbal shot, we take a shot. We get hacked and really yell at each other. Sometimes the rest of the guys can't figure us out."
They are so much alike, in fact, that the captions under Harris' and Waters' mug shots were transposed in the NFC title game program.
Waters and Harris are company men, members in good standing of Tom Landry's Flex Defense—locally known as "The Machine" or "The System." As such, they submit, as do all good Cowboys, to long hours of homework—studying film and computer readouts. They hear defensive sets come in from the bench (just as Roger Staubach does on offense) and accept them on faith. Yet within those company-created bounds, where every component is supposedly built of interchangeable parts, there are considerable differences between them.
Waters—who like Harris is 30 years old—is an intense, quiet, analytical man who takes the game nearly as seriously as Landry himself. He is, in more ways than one, a "deep" defender.
"Charlie studies that computer output longer than anyone else on the team," says the more freewheeling Harris. "By game time he probably knows what the offense is up to more than they do themselves. He can expect a run and 'cheat' up to the line. Even though he's more restricted, in that he has to cover both run and pass, he studies so much that he can anticipate what a team will do in a given situation and play it accordingly. As the free safety, I have to wait a second before I decide whether to go for the ballcarrier or drop for a pass. He can gamble more than I can."
Waters, who came to the Cowboys nine years ago as an ex-quarterback and wide receiver from Clemson, believes that his balance is his greatest strength.
"It's not how hard you tackle," Waters says, "but how efficiently. If I've got the angle on a running back or a receiver, I'll hit him as hard as anyone can. But if I don't, I'll just try to bring the guy down. I study time-space relationships on the field. If a receiver explodes to a certain point where he thinks I'll hit him, and then I'm not there, I can use his own momentum to bring him down. I feel like I blend well with our defense. I don't do an outstanding job in any one area, but I'm as good as the players around me."
Such 19th century self-deprecation might be pleasing to Landry and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, but it rides like a hair shirt on the back of mustachioed, wisecracking Cliff Harris. A free agent when he came to the Cowboys from tiny Ouachita Baptist University in southwestern Arkansas, Harris takes pride in his ability to hack it with pro football's most demanding team, and his skill at hacking up opposing ballcarriers as well.
Though he communes with the computer on a dutiful, pro forma basis, Harris also relies on some Kung Fu condition that Cowboy coaches call "Tiger's Eye Awareness"—the ability to react instantly to any movement around him. Like Swann in his freewheeling rapport with Bradshaw, Harris is a man who feels a situation more sensitively than he thinks it.
Still, like anyone in The System, Harris does spend some time analyzing the opponent: mainly, he concerns himself with the rival quarterback's head. "I study his emotional responses," says Harris. "How he reacts when he's intercepted, sacked, or after he completes a pass. We have access to tight films shot from the end zone, and watching them is almost like being in the game itself. I try to read the quarterback's emotions, and from that I try to figure out what he's feeling. It helps me."
Waters and Harris complement one another on that score. "Cliff is forceful where I'm yielding," says Waters. "He can often dictate what an offense will do. It's a territorial game for Cliff."
Harris says he loves the fact that Swann and Stallworth run a high percentage of inside routes. "The strength of my play is that I hit hard," he says. "If they run Swann or Stallworth inside, we have to make them pay."
Nonetheless, Harris admits that his job won't be easy. "A receiver is most vulnerable between the time his hands touch the ball and the time he cradles it away. Swann is the sort of receiver who tucks the ball in immediately. So he almost never takes a hard shot when he's vulnerable. The secret of not getting hit is control. O. J. Simpson has that kind of control; so does Tony Dorsett. And so does Lynn Swann."
For all the respect that Harris and Waters have for Swann, they avow even more for Bradshaw. "Bradshaw's smart," says Harris. "And he's strong enough to force a pass into the strength of our defense and still complete it."
This means that the Cowboys are certain to blitz Bradshaw more than is their habit. Can they make it work?
"That's what we did the last time we played them in the Super Bowl," Waters reflects. "But when you blitz, it's critical that you get to the quarterback quickly. If he has more than X plus 2 seconds, or whatever, you're in trouble. If you leave Swann one-on-one, and Bradshaw sees it, then you might as well forget it. And Terry, being the stud that he is, can hang in there like a big oak tree. Other quarterbacks start falling down when you come near 'em, but Terry never gets off balance."
Harris considers. Then he says, "What we'll try to do is confuse Bradshaw so that he'll throw into the strength of our defense. We'll double-cover Swann at times, single-cover him at other times, and we'll blitz!"
Harris assumes a learned, self-effacing demeanor under his piratical mustache. In a plummy voice he adds, self-effacingly, "I haven't studied their tight end, Randy Grossman, on film, but I know Stallworth has a lot of talent. When you double-cover, you hope the one guy you leave to handle the rest of it is strong enough to handle the lone guy. At Dallas we play the percentages. They're going to get X amount of yards through our weaknesses, and if the percentage is high enough we're in trouble."
A typical Pittsburgh pass pattern sends Swann deep, with Stallworth delaying a bit, then cutting across the middle, each coming from opposite sides. The speed of the two Steeler receivers—both run the 40 in about 4.6—coupled with the various kinds of passes Bradshaw throws could very well stretch the zones of coverage beyond the breaking point. Add to that the presence of Grossman, and you have a difficult puzzle to solve.
Harris pauses and contemplates. The mustache twitches. "We better get a great pass rush or our offense is going to have to score a lot of points."
As Waters (41) and Harris well know, Swann likes to consider himself well above it all. His 64-yard catch defeated Dallas three years ago.


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One of the tools that shows up in my classes the most is called Kahoot! Basically, it is a platform for creating your own game show that students can participate in via any internet connected device. Your question and answer choices are displayed on the wall (or your computer) for the students to answer on their device. The answer choices are color and shape coded, but on the student device they only see the color and shapes (which is a perk for the color blind student/teacher).
It has a number of affordances that make it ideal for use with students. First off, the kids' level of enthusiasm for participating in Kahoots is always high. Secondly, you can create your own Kahoot, find someone's already made Kahoot, or take someone else's Kahoot and modify the questions to fit your student's needs.
As you can see here, another affordance is that there are two game modes. Classic refers to each student being able to answer for themselves, while team let's students work together to answer the questions (ideal for when you have a limited number of devices or you want to foster collaboration).
Additionally, if you use classic mode, you can download an XML file with all of the questions and the response each person made for easy data analysis. This makes it ideal for pretests and formative assessments. Side note: if you have students teach the class about topics that interest them, they love to use Kahoot to make their own pretests and posttests using Kahoot.
There are a few constraints that you should be aware of. The first is that due to the way the code is set up (and space restraints) your questions and answers have a limited number of characters. Currently, users cannot combine separate Kahoots into one larger Kahoot without having to redo the whole thing.
As you can see, this tool has tremendous functionality and utility for virtually any classroom. What do you think? How can we use this with our students to further their learning?
All images come from http://www.createkahoot.com


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|"Manners is manners an' I always taught you manners when you was a young one. I wouldn't let you grab for the biggest piece o' pie on the plate an' I wouldn't let you spill, and when you drunk. I made you drink quiet.
A Lesson in Manners
"I wish you wouldn't pa." said the oldest girl. "Wish I wouldn't what?" asked the plain citizen. "Eat with your knife," replied the daughter; "It's so __________." "So what?" asked the old gentleman, knitting his shaggy brows. "So unconventional." "Now, lookee here." said the plain citizen. "I'm 60 years old and getting older every minute, but I'm not too old to learn. If you can show me any way of gettin' gravy up to my month with my fork I'm willing to try it. I've got to use a knife," "People don't do it, pa." "You're mistaken about that I know a heap o' people that do it" "But not refined people, pa." "Ireeny," said the plain citizen, you make me tired. I b'lieve in being polite when there's sense to it."
"Manners is manners an' I always taught you manners when you was a young one. I wouldn't let you grab for the biggest piece o' pie on the plate an' I wouldn't let you spill, and when you drunk. I made you drink quiet. You wasn't allowed to wipe your month on the tablecloth or speak with your mouth full. Them's manners. Juss so long's I keep my own knife on my own vittles, I claim that it's my own business whether I put it in my mouth or not —ain't it?" "Well, perhaps it is, but ..."
"There isn't any 'but' about it. When I took you to the city last fall there was a feller setting at a table in the restaurant where we was, dressed to kill he was, too, and when he got through eating he lit up a cigareet —and wimmin' setting right there— 'member that?" "Yes, but..." "No 'but' about it. If he'd ben a boy o' mine, I'd have jerked him out o' the room and taught him manners. When that fam'ly was stayin' with us last summer you fussed because I sat down to the table in my shirtsleeves. The man he set down without even a vest and that was all right. I think it was all right, too, but why is muslin any more improper than blue and white striped flannel, and how is a belt any better than suspenders? They're both to hold the pants up."
"Why, pa!" "I hope you don't mean to say that pants is unconventional!" "Ireeny, you talk a lot of poppycock. I'm willing to be polite, as I said, but I'm going to use common sense about it, and I'm going to eat with my knife as much as I dern please and I don't want to hear any more out of you about it. Understand that, don't you, Ireeny?" "Yes, pa," replied the daughter. —Chicago Daily News, 1905
Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Moderator and Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia


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5 Product Management Tips To Incorporate Into Your Shopify Ecommerce Store
Keep your Shopify Ecommerce store running in optimal efficiency by practising and incorporating these 5 useful product management tips into your daily routine today! Eliminate minor and time consuming hassles with these recommendations:
1. Featured Products
Place focus on your important and best selling products by marking them as featured so that they appear in the featured products section. To do so, you will have to log in to your Shopify admin panel before locating the products area. Choose the product and select add to collections. You will then be given the option to pick front page collection from the list of choices. Make sure to apply and save the changes.
2. Special Products
Special products can also be customised by setting special prices. To do that, locate the products section once again and choose the relevant product. Scroll to your inventory and variants area and choose edit so as to access the price field. You can then type and adjust the amount you want to charge for the product ( using only figures, omit the currency symbol since the currency used for your Shopify store is set on General settings instead). You can even use a compare price field to compare and reveal how much the current price has been lowered and save once you are done.
3. Best Sellers
Shopify Ecommerce store owners are able to actually share and display a collection of their products under the best sellers section for easy customer accessibility. Before being able to do so, users should take care to add all relevant products into their relevant creations. Once that is done, open up the themes section and choose customise a theme. You will then be able to select the layout/content tab. Scroll and search for the Best Sellers block option. Choose the drop down arrow and select the collection you want it to display. This should do the trick- remember to save once you are done so that the changes stay.
4. Grid to List Product listing view
In order to achieve this, you will be required to perform some editing. Locate your online store and choose themes. You will be given the option to edit HTML/CSS, look for the collection/liquid section under your snippets tab and open it. You will be able to find either [toggle_grid] or [toggle_list]. Change them accordingly and make sure to assign the toggle_list id as active. Move on to locate jquery.collection-sort in the Assets tab and open it so that you can make use of CTRL F and hotkeys to look for default text. Reload, clear your browsers and empty your cache.
5. Product Visibility
Look under the products section and choose a product to edit. You will then be able to locate the visibility section of your chosen product. You can choose to select or deselect the option for online store box to either show or hide your product. Click save once you are done making the relevant changes. For multiple products, choose the products you wish to hide and select the Bulk Actions button.


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Song Sketch
Tareefan – It's Time For Role Reversal – Veere Di Wedding
The first song from the movie Veere Di Wedding was released few days ago and it is soon catching on. The song is called Tareefan and it is sung by Badshah. The leading ladies of the film Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania not only are seen lip syncing the male singer but also doing some major role reversal. These girls are seen doing things like taking out a number of boys for a ride (pun not intended), buying them drinks, checking them out and having a blast doing so. This is actually a kind of a satire and it speaks volumes (without saying anything) about how women are objectified everywhere.
The song is composed by Qaran and is penned by Qaran, Rupin Pahwa and Badshah. This slow dance number maintains its pace throughout the song and has some interesting beats going on in the background. The lyrics are no different than any other peppy song but the interesting part is that the girls are saying this to the boys. Sample this,
Kaanon mein ik dil ki baat sunawan ni
Tainu hassda vekh ke
Jag nu main bhul jawaan ni
This is usually how a boy talks to his girl (or this is how we have seen it until now). But here, the girl says that she forgets the whole world when she sees him smile.
Or listen to this,
Baby mera mind tu kare blow
Baaki karein shine, tu kare glow
Here, she is saying.. no.. she is pampering him (referring him as 'baby') by saying that he blows her mind away every time. If other boys shine, he glows; meaning that he outshines other boys and wins her heart.
The song also has words like booty, sexy, nakhre and bewafa; but all these terms refer to the boys and that kind of like ups the ante in this men-women objectification war.
All the leading ladies are featured in this song but Kareena and Sonam have more screen time than the other two. But nonetheless, all of them look just fab in their roles and we cannot wait for the film to release.
The girl gang totally rules this dance number and raises the expectations from the movie a lot more. The song looks like a promotional video and is high on style quotient. The ladies were styled by Rhea Kapoor and the song is choreographed by none other than Farah Khan who has not choreographed any number in a long time. The film is produced by Ekta Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor.
When there is so much oomph behind the camera as there is in front of it, the song is bound to sizzle!


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at the cabin & nearby
Facilities at the cabin.
📌 Pets and smoking are not allowed.
📌 Our accommodation is not suitable for familys with small children: The stair towards the upper floor and its only bedroom in the main house is steep (almost like a ladder) and has no gate.
- The main cabin has one big bedroom including 1 double bed, 2 singel beds + 1 extra bed.
- The guest cabin consists of a room with a bunk bed.
- 📌 You bring your own bed linen and towels or we can provide it to a cost of 100 kr/person (blankets and pillows are included). Sleeping bags are not allowed.
Heat and fireplaces
- Main cabin: Air system (and electricity wall heaters when needed). Guest cabin: Electricity wall heater.
- Fireplace in the living room and in the guest cabin. One box of firewood is included in the rent. You can easely buy more, price 100 kr/box, from the woodshed.
- Smoke alarms in all bedrooms. Fire extinguisher in the main cabins hall and upper bedroom.
Cooking 🍴 🍳
- Kitchen stove with oven.
- Wood stove.
- Microwave oven, bread toaster, water boiler, coffe machine - disposable paper filter is included. Big refrigerator/freezer (198/111 liter).
- Pots, pans and cutlerys.
- Feel free to use the spices in the kitchen (salt, pepper, sugar etc).
Sanitary 🚿🚽
- WC and Shower
- Shoe dryer
- Wood burning sauna
- Kitchen towel, handsoap, dishsoap, dishcloth and garbidge bags are included.
Garden with outdoor fireplace and griddle for barbecue.
Parking in winter:
- Park the car on the highest spot next to the cabin so you don't have to start uphill. Snow removal on the yard is made mostly in the evenings. Shovels are availble.
- Motor heater outlet (1).
Wifi 20 Gb/week is included.
- Skiing rods can be borrowed (lies in the shed).
- Radio, boardgames (Chess, Cards, Scrabble, Scruples, Risk e.t.c.) and books are available.
📌 Service nearby & important phone numbers - see below.
Facilities nearby
➕ Health care, Pharmacies, Car towing (translated by google).
🛒 Food store:
- Fjätervålen Närlivsbutiken 16 km, open only in winter, roadmap.
- Ica Idre Fjäll 38 km is open the whole year, roadmap.
- Ica Supermarket Idrebua 45 km is open the whole year, roadmap.
♻ Garbidge disposal: 5 km, at the junction between Häggberget and Storfjäten.
🏂 Ski resort where you also can rent ski euqipment:
- Fjätervålen 16 km.
- Idre Fjäll 38 km.
- Lofsdalen 50 km.
🎿 Cross-country skiing (prepared tracks):
- Fjätervålen 16 km.
- Idre Fjäll 38 km.
⛰ Hiking/skiing (detailed info on the page ¨Summer¨ and ¨Winter¨):
- Marked trails on Vedungsfjällen starts at Storfjäten 7 km. Closest peak Fonnfjället 5 km, Sömlinghågna 10 km.
- Fjätervålen 16 km.
- Idre 38 km.
🐟 Fishing: closest 3 km, fishing licence is needed. More info on the page ¨Summer¨.
🌲 Forest: closeby the yard.
🍴 Restaurant:
- Fjätervålen ski resort 16 km (open winter season).
- Idre Fjäll 38 km (open winter and summer season).
⛳ Golf: Idre 46 km.
🚴 Swimming, mountain biking, horse riding, climbing, bowling, etc: Idre 38-44 km.


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You Can Reach Your Weight Loss Goal With These TipsPosted at by DietGeek on category diet
There was once a very wise man who stated that good things come to those who work hard. He was right. This is also true in terms of weight loss. While it is admirable that you want to lose weight, it is not an easy road to travel. But you can find some excellent tips here to help.
A great way to lose weight is by drinking coffee. Although many people drink coffee, not many realize that it has health benefits. Coffee gives us energy and boosts our metabolisms.
One great weight loss tip is to drink water instead of your usual beverages. Beverages like soda and juice are loaded with calories and will only hinder your progress. Water will not only save your calories, it is going to save you money as well.
A great tip is to eat your salad before you eat the rest of your meal. Salad has tons of fiber that can keep you full without having a ton of calories you need to burn off. Avoid adding extra fatty items such as cheese or high calorie dressings to your salad.
In order to lose additional weight, it makes sense to find other ways of traveling about and not rely on driving. Walking, running and other different physical ways to get around help to burn calories. You are burning the calories that have been stored in your body all day long. Burning them can prevent that from happening.
You can lose a small amount of weight fast by increasing your water intake. Reduce your food intake for a few days and drink plenty of water. This will result in a loss of water weight quickly. Avoid these strategies, improve your overall diet and increase your activity level for healthy weight loss.
Yogurt is a great food to eat for weight loss. Make sure you select a low fat product or a plain yogurt. Add some cucumber and seasoning to plain yogurt for a healthy salad snack. Adding fruit to yogurt that's plain will help cut back on sugar and calories. Yogurt is a great source of calcium if you choose the right products.
Whenever possible, walk up flights of stairs. By avoiding the elevator and taking the stairs instead, you are getting a good workout and burning those calories.
Make sure to consume lots of water, since it is part of a good diet. Many people drink about eight glasses daily to remain hydrated. If it is especially hot, drink more to ensure proper hydration. Drinking a bunch of water can keep the digestive system going and you will feel more full.
Eat oatmeal for breakfast if you want to control your weight. Oatmeal contains a ton of fiber and is part of the grains that should be included in your diet. This promotes healthy digestion at the beginning of your day and also gives you protein. You are going to feel full after eating oatmeal as well.
A great weigh loss motivation is acquiring a buddy who shares the same fitness goals that you do. If you are following a diet and fitness regimen with a member of your family or a friend, it will help you to stick with the plan. You can keep each other motivated and will also have someone else to talk with about your weight loss goals.
Don't eat just because you're distracted. Mindless eating can result in hundreds of extra calories in your diet and, because you're not paying attention, it isn't satisfying either. Be aware of how much food you consume with each meal and you can eat less every time.
It is a good idea to make your morning coffee decaf. Caffeine can cause you to retain water and excess weight. Decaf typically contains only a small amount of caffeine, so you can still receive that little bit that you want for your morning burst of energy with it.
Now that you've read these tips, you should see how difficult weight loss is. But, with helpful advice, the challenge should be easier for you. Keep in mind, nothing good comes easy, and the journey you are about to embark on is one that is beyond good, it is great, not only for you physically, but emotionally as well.


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Land Rover announces a limited-edition high-performance version of the iconic Defender, with up to 150 V8-powered examples re-engineered to celebrate the Land Rover marque's 70th anniversary in 2018. The Defender Works V8 pays homage to the early high-powered engines in both the Series III Stage 1 V8 from 1979 and subsequent Defenders including the 50th Anniversary Edition, which are highly sought after by enthusiasts and collectors today.
Defender Works V8 is the most powerful and fastest version that Land Rover has ever created. The 5.0-liter naturally-aspirated petrol V8 powertrain produces 405PS and 515 Nm of torque (the standard Defender delivered 122PS and 360 Nm). The Defender Works V8 will accelerate from 0-100 kmh / 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds, while top speed is increased to 106 mph.
The V8 powertrain will be fitted to 150 specially-selected and re-engineered Defenders for the 70th Edition, complemented by an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission with sport mode, uprated brakes and handling kit (springs, dampers and anti-roll bars), plus exclusive 18-inch diamond-turned Sawtooth alloy wheels and 265/65 R18 all-terrain tires.
Eight standard body colours include two satin finishes – contrasting with a Santorini Black roof, wheel arches and front grille – finished with machined aluminium door handles, fuel filler cap and Defender bonnet lettering. A comprehensive lighting upgrade includes bi-LED headlamps. Full Windsor Leather interior trim covers the dashboard, door panels, headlining and Recaro sports seats. Land Rover Classic's own Classic Infotainment System is also fitted.
Both 90 and 110 wheelbase Defender Works V8 derivatives will be available to purchase direct from Land Rover Classic, with prices starting from £ 150,000 / 171.000 € / 210,564 $ for a 90.
Tim Hannig, Jaguar Land Rover Classic Director, said: "It's fitting that we've been able to release the full potential of the iconic Defender, whose much-loved shape remains synonymous with Land Rover, 70 years since it was seen in public for the first time."
"The idea of reintroducing a V8 Defender was something we were discussing as far back as 2014, when we were still building the Defender in Solihull. We knew the demand was there for a powerful and fast Defender; the Land Rover authenticity is the ultimate finishing touch for discerning clients purchasing these collector's edition Defenders."
Photos: Land Rover
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We're a design collective in love with analytics + AI.
Our Story
We kicked off this collective in 2018 to have some fun with hyper-personalization in digital. In addition to our Lux product experiments, we also consult with businesses, founders and makers of all sorts to collaboratively craft a vision for the best possible future, heavy on the digital culture. Maybe that will look something like virtual assistance to be the very best version of ourselves.
Nearly everyone is thinking about growth in digital product and how these tools might move us closer to our goals. We all wonder what the future of AI has in store, not just in commerce but for the world as we know it and our place within it. We're excited to be leaders in the conversation about smart product design–UX + AI for good.
Bryn McCoy
A lifelong maker, I've been deep in product development with technology since the beginning of UX. Over the past 13 years in Chicago, I've focused on leadership within multi-disciplinary design and engineering teams to create user-centered solutions that support brand position and market strategy. My work may be best summed up as elegant design for complex digital systems, particularly in personalization and product customization.
I've had the honor of product leadership with some of the best brands in Chicago. As a founder of Citizen Made, our work earned accolades in Chicago, SF and NYC's design + tech communities. I've developed teams as head of design at ShopRunner and Uptake; consulted as a director for new product initiatives at Motorola, Threadless and IDEO; and led digital as a product manager for Oprah Winfrey's Lifeclass when we won a Creative Arts Emmy for best use of social media in broadcast television. Though I'm delighted about and grateful for all these amazing experiences, I truly feel that I'm just getting started.
Ivana Taylor
I am a multidisciplinary strategy, innovation, and management consultant leveraging a University of Chicago MBA, 10+ years at E&Y Strategic Advisory Services, CSC Index (now DXC), and Accenture, and longer as an independent advisor. I was VP of Business Development at Ralph Lauren Childrenswear and consult across industries with a specialty in growth strategies and digital innovation. I was also a successful interior design entrepreneur leveraging the Ralph Lauren brand with complex project management including global sourcing and large team integration with vendors, manufacturers, suppliers, architects, and builders. I advise a B2C sustainable luxury fashion start-up and am well versed in the tech/startup space.
Throughout my career, the industries, technologies, products, and services I have worked with vary but the underlying process is consistent. Resourcefulness in research, agility in problem-solving, tenacity to get things done, and seasoned business judgment are all vital to a successful project. As much as I like shiny objects, my focus in LuxLab is to make sure the business objectives still drive our digital and AI-enabled solutions for clients.
Donia Robinson
I briefly considered training a Machine Learning algorithm to write this summary, but ultimately felt the task was better accomplished by a human brain. Deciding when and how to use Machine Learning is particularly interesting to me. Which parts of our daily lives can (or should) be automated in some way? Do these automations really make our lives easier in some way? Is training a machine more trouble than actually doing the thing by oneself? In the case of writing a bio summary, my vote is yes.
the lux collective
Bryn McCoy
Ivana Taylor
Donia Robinson
we've launched products with the best
Alberto Culver
award-winning work
Creative Arts Emmy – OWN Lifeclass
Chicago Digital Startup Grant – Citizen Made
25 Coolest Startups – Citizen Made
L'Oreal People's Choice – Citizen Made
Popular Science Greatest Tech of 2016–Moto Mods
shoutouts in the press
Women 2.0, Oct 2012
Forbes 6 New Female CTOs, Dec 2012
Chicago Sun-Times, Jan 2013
Make Your Mark, Dec 2014
Deskpass, May 2016


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Summer hours and access at PSD sites and schools - JSSC building closed Fridays
During the summer (through July 26), the Johannsen Support Services administration building and the PSD Records Department are open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and closed to the public on Fridays.
Since some staff members and departments may have altered schedules during the summer, we encourage you to first call or email those you want to meet with to confirm that they will be available that day.
PSD's Operations Center is open to the public 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.


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#VEGASSTRONG: THE ROAD AHEAD | Resources
Vegas Strong Resiliency CenterThe Vegas Strong Resiliency Center serves as a one-stop resource and referral hub for residents, visitors and responders affected by the 1 October shooting incident.
Services include:
- Victim Advocacy and Support
- Case Management
- Legal Assistance
- Counseling and Spiritual Care Referrals
- Technical Assistance Accessing Online Resources Including the FBI Victim Assistance Services
Phone:Email: email@example.com
Local Las Vegas: 702.455.AIDE x2433
Outside Nevada: 1 833.299.2433
Local Las Vegas: 702.455.AIDE x2433
Outside Nevada: 1 833.299.2433
1524 Pinto Lane
Las Vegas, NV 89106
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. M-F (Excluding Holidays)
Visit Website
Download: English Flyer | Spanish Flyer
Las Vegas Survivors Project1 October survivors who receive a financial settlement may want to invest that settlement to generate income to provide ongoing support for them and their families. Or, take care of their families in other ways. The Las Vegas Survivors Project provides a list of volunteer financial advisors who have donated their time to work with you to invest — or otherwise use — your disbursement wisely. They do not receive any sort of commission or payment for this assistance. It is offered free to help you and your family.
This program is undertaken by the Institute for the Fiduciary Standard in conjunction with the Investor Protection Clinic at the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
#LOVEWINSA nonprofit founded by 1 October survivors with a mission to honor and remember the 58 lives lost on October 1, 2017 by performing random acts of kindness and remaining a constant foundation of support for the Route 91 Family.
Nevada Victims of Crime ProgramEveryone at the Route 91 Harvest Festival the night of the shooting, where ever they reside, is eligible for assistance through Nevada Victims of Crime Program.
This program will reimburse victims for medical bills, funeral expenses, and mental health counseling that are not covered by insurance. If you have medical insurance, your bills, including counseling, must be billed to your insurance company prior to submitting your bills to VOCP.
Please contact medical providers to ensure they have your health insurance information on file.
Applications for crime victim compensation can be found at http://voc.nv.gov/VOC/.
Visit website
Nevada Victims of Crime Program Instructional Video
The Rape Crisis Center
The Rape Crisis Center strives to provide well informed advocates for those affected by sexual violence to consult with at any time assistance is needed.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Police Employee Assistance Program (PEAP)The LVMPD Police Employee Assistance Program (PEAP) is a crisis intervention / counseling and referral service staffed by LVMPD commissioned and civilian employees.
It is set up to prevent, and when necessary to treat the personal and family casualties which are caused directly or indirectly by the stress of the law enforcement profession. Whatever the source of the problems, the right professional help is often expensive or hard to find and we end up having to cope with problems on our own. This service is available to all LVMPD employees and their immediate family members. Seeking assistance is a sign of courage.


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Why Bitcoin Transaction Speed Keeps Changing?
Bitcoin Transaction Speed is the time it takes to transfer your Bitcoins to another wallet, and it completely depends on several factors. In fact, nobody can control the transaction speed time. If you are just here to know about the current average Bitcoin transaction speed, then you can skip this valuable information which can come handy during your Crypto career by instantly checking the current Bitcoin transaction speed time here.
During the early days of Bitcoin, there was not a large volume of transaction. Maybe, Satoshi didn't think of the circumstances if Bitcoin become popular. Well, the rising fame of Bitcoin makes it a little hard to cope up with Satoshi's calculation of 2009 but we still love it too!
The Scenario
As Bitcoin popularity skyrockets, many people started to use it for their financial needs. Of course, this also leads to Bitcoin having its intrinsic value, which might be something to be happy about, but in turn, it created competition between Bitcoin transactions.
This gives rise to the discussion about Bitcoin's scalability issues and its solution. The issue revolves around the solution for increasing the Bitcoin transaction speed time. Either by increasing Block size or decreasing the average Block time. You can say that the Cryptocurrency is still moving out of its infancy era, and for this, we need to be ready for catering more and more transactions.
In other words, people need their money to transact fast. When you swap your plastic card at a merchant shop, you are likely, not willing to wait for an hour or so to confirm your payment. Same is the case with digital currency. None of us is willing to wait after initiating the payment, but sadly we have too!
Picky Miners!
Miners are people who use their ASIC hardware to confirm Bitcoin transactions. For a second, you might think that more miners mean a higher Bitcoin transaction speed, but certainly, this is not the case. When a Bitcoin transaction makes its way inside the block, a Bitcoin miner confirms and validates the transaction on the network. Moreover, six confirmations on a transaction are the accepted industry practice to determine the flow of funds to the counterparty.
This gives rise to the fact that the miners will pick up the transaction with higher fees. Of course, if you were yourself a Bitcoin miner, you wouldn't want to cut down on your profits. And this is the same with all the miners busy in minting new Bitcoins. Nobody wants to mine your transaction if you send it with 5000 Satoshis fee unless this is the current average transaction fees.
As more transactions with higher fees queue up in Bitcoin mempool, those with lower fee keeps losing their weight to get faster confirmations, which give rise to priority levels.
Bitcoin Transaction Speed
The competition to have your transaction confirmed via Blockchain gives rise to the priority levels of transactions. This priority includes
- Very Low priority – Transaction that will be included within the next 20 Blocks or maybe even more.
- Economy – This will make it to a block within the next 10 Blocks which typically takes an hour
- Normal- To be included within the next three blocks which is likely 30 minutes
- High Priority- to be included within the coming block. Ideally, within the next 10 minutes.
These priority levels might seem a little racist for many Crypto users, but well, it needs to be like this.
So what is next?
If in case, you have broadcast a transaction with very little fees, then instead of bashing the Bitcoin network you can use BTC Tx accelerator tools to get some confirmations easily. Although I have not tried any of them yet since I didn't feel the need to do so, but as per popular ratings they might seem to work. Here are the two famous Bitcoin Tx Accelerator that might come handy.
One of them is ViaBTC Transaction Accelerator and does not require you to register before using their service. But they have a daily limit to accelerate transaction which can be frustrating for many users.
Another service is Bitmain Antpool Tx Accelerator which is free to use but you must signup before using them. The way these Bitcoin Tx Accelerator service works are really simple. All you need to do is enter your transaction hash to begin, and the website will do all the exhaustive work to increase your Bitcoin transaction speed time.


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Drivers Daily Log Program (DDL) - ddlsoftware.com - Trucker's Duty Status Log Software and more. Includes New USA 2005 & Canada 2007 Rules. to see a list of all supported rules go to
Payments Accepted thru
DDL iTruck Log Auditing Software for Companies and Law Enforcement Officers
Need Information before you buy Click here
Drivers Daily Log (DDL) has release a new DDLCustomer record software, that can be used to record Customers Information and directions, along with many other key information about the customer. This is a stand alone version at this time and is not linked to DDL. If you are running the latest version of DDL 3.3.4.05 then you can launch this software by pressing the F11 key on your keyboard, once installed. You can download this software from our download page under other software, towards the bottom of the page. or click here. DDLCustomer should be installed in Drivers Daily Log main folder, (NOT YOUR DRIVERS FOLDER), it will create sub-folder to store all your customer records call DDLCustomersData. We recommend backing this folder up as well as your driving folder daily. Drivers Daily Log has no way to recovers lost files and folders. Please read the help file for more information.
DDL is a trademark of DDL Software. All other products mentioned are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.
Questions or
problems regarding this web site should be directed to "Fritz" at


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I just got back a couple hours ago from the Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project's Advanced Institute 2008 New Orleans Marathon. It was, as always, a wonderful experience. We wrote. We talked about writing, talked about teaching, and just talked about life. We stayed at the lovely Le Richelieu Hotel in the French Quarter. It is always hard to leave my writing friends after such an experience.
Now comes the hard part: finding pieces begun at some time in the past that can be revised and turned into finished pieces. It is a challenge -- but a good one. I am ready!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Back from New Orleans
Posted by Nancy A. McKeand at 6:30 PM
2 comments:
- John said...
It seems you have found something to reinvigorate you. I am curious about what goes on at a writer's project. It's good to see you upbeat.
- teachagiftedkid said...
I AM SO JEALOUS! I have fond memories of our institute experience!
The last few days of school when the announcement came out, I couldn't digest one more thing to think about. Turns out that my husband was on a business trip back to New Orleans at the same time, and I could have easily joined him and stopped by for a write/chat.
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John Thurston
Presented by
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(Beaver Dam) A local historian says Beaver Dam nearly produced a president. Roger Noll says John Thurston was a Beaver Dam High School and Wayland graduate and studied law. During […]
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Being able to identify someone's primary community is an awesome skill to have in India. But sometimes just figuring what name to call them is an even greater feat.
Indian Naming Conventions
Names are complicated in India primarily because there are so many Indias to deal with. So much so that the British Government even issued this official naming practice guide with a lengthy section on India. Here are just a few of the things that go into an Indian name.
Given Name – This is the name people use at work, or the one they give to strangers they just met. It is their basic or 'real' name, but it's just the beginning.
Pet Name – Growing up, very few people were called by their given name. Nearly every Indian given name can be turned into a cute name for a toddler (Subbu, Chinu, Kuttu, Paapa, etc.). Some close friends and family will continue to use this as a nickname through adulthood.
Relational Name – Relational terms are ubiquitous throughout India. This means that any male younger than you may be called 'little brother' (even outside your family). Any female of a generation older than you will be some form of 'auntie'. I was once sitting around with a family where everyone was trying to guess an older man's given name, because everyone only called him 'Uncle'.
Family Name – Westerners call this a 'last name' or 'surname'. The family name might denote a certain community/caste, or the village someone comes from. If they have the suffix -walla (or a variant), it means their ancestors practiced a certain trade, as -walla loosely means 'one who does something' (chai-walla means someone who sells chai). Someone told me they had met someone with the family name Sodabottleopenerwalla.
Father's Name – Many parts of India use the father's given name as a part of the official name. This is chiefly true in Tamil Nadu where many people don't use family names at all. This is one reason why you see "Father's name" show up on many government forms like the visa application.
Official Name – If you ever get a chance to see your Indian friend's passport or PAN card, you might be surprised by the names. An official name may include the full form of a given name, father's name, grandfather's name, family name, or locality name, depending on the community, as well as which local government issued the ID. I had a friend for whom it took several years to get a license in the US because the name on his Indian driver's license did not match up with his passport.
Religious Name – During an important community event, someone may receive a second name. It is not used for official purposes. Either the religious name or the given name might begin with a certain letter depending on the day they were born according to their horoscope.
Married Name – Some women take their husband's family name (or given name) directly into their own name, but not all. It's a load of paperwork to officially change a name, so some women may go by one name, but their official documents are still in their maiden name.
Initials – In the south, many people use an initial in front of their name, such as V. Anand. In this case, the given name is Anand, and the V represents his father's name (Vishwanathan). Therefore you should call him Anand. People from other parts of India also use initials (like M.S. Dhoni). In addition to the father's name, these initials might also refer to the place of birth or community name.
Order of names – The order someone's names appear in can be tricky as well. Sometimes the given name is first, sometimes it's second (or later).
Meanings of names – One unique thing you will find in India is that everyone knows what their name means. Parents put a lot of thought into giving their child a name that sounds nice, and also has a lot of meaning. This can be a great kick-starter to a conversation, especially if they tell you the names of their children.
Now I'm more confused. How do I actually address someone I meet?
Before attempting to call someone by name, brush up on your Indian honorifics (forthcoming article). Simply saying 'Sir' or 'Ma'am' might be enough if the person is older than you or has a higher status.
However, if you are working with a lot of peers or younger Indians, you will need to learn their names. Knowing the above information will put you in a better place to guess what someone's name is. Asking "What should I call you?" will work in some peer-level relationships. But if you are coming in as a Managing Director and asking a junior sales rep, the answer is typically "Anything, sir."
Use your best judgment, don't use initials, but always be aware that you might be calling someone the wrong name. Listen to how others address him/her, and be ready to change along the way.


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We Are albert
Evolutions TV is set to take green issues to task by joining BAFTA albert's affiliate programme, bolstering the number of organisations working together for a greener industry. albert affiliation is aimed at helping companies contribute to creating an environmentally sustainable society. Driven by the Evolutions Bristol Head of Sales and Client Services, Esta Porter, joining the albert initiative has inspired each Evolutions facility to become more environmentally conscious.
Starting small with aims of a much greener future, Bristol has begun with the basics. It has started by initiating changes such as buying supplies in bulk to cut down on unnecessary packaging, replenishing stationery cupboards with pencils instead of plastic biros, and only using air-conditioning in business-critical areas. London sites have swapped out plastic cups to Evos-branded pint glasses, is working towards paperless minutes in meetings and uses motion sensor lights in edit suites. It is by these small adjustments, change by change, that Evolutions intends to snowball into a more sustainable company. As a proud BAFTA albert affiliate, we are excited to be contributing to the industry's green future as a whole! #wearealbert


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Majestic - 1/2 lb bag, whole bulbs (*Will begin shipping approximately the 2nd week of Sept 2019*)
A milder flavor garlic, this hardneck porcelain variety generally prefers colder climates and can produce large bulbs with easy to peel cloves. Majestic garlic and other porcelains generally mature later in the growing season than other garlic varieties and are excellent keepers with a long storage life — sometime keeping until the next spring after harvest. Porcelains are often drought resistant, although they do struggle in warm climates with mild winters and early springs. US/C Premium Label, pesticide free, non-GMO


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We see and shake.
We do a triple take.
We search and search.
You rang, says Lurch.
I've said it too.
Copyright at my zoo?
Damn any of that.
Can't sue a cat.
Back on rhyme.
We left for a time.
A time you can't tell.
Could raise some hell.
The party or nutball kind.
Both annoy my behind.
But that's nothing new.
It's something dumb humans do.
Back to the start.
He took it to heart.
Poor guy went and cried.
He bummed a car ride.
Did his bum do the ringing?
Do farts end up singing?
Do we want to know?
The odds are probably low.
The car sent things in the air.
Like pollution that's not very rare.
The wind blew it near.
Woweee, it connected to my rhyming rear.
I feel so special now.
I just want to meow.
The connection came due.
It just can't be true.
My mind is a mess.
More and not less.
I just can't believe it.
I'm about to have a fit.
The guy won a shoe store election.
Now that is quite the connection.
I feel so honored that I found it.
On second thought, I don't give a shit.
Do you scour everything and anything for a connection to something out there? Or maybe someone at your lair? Does it make you any different in the end? Or are you just a crazy nut that's gone around the bend? Whoopi, you are connected to someone's car that gave off gas. Yeah, that will truly impress, not really, my little rhyming ass.
Enjoy your winter, smash a printer.


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How much do you know about machining with aluminium?
Want to read more? Download our full whitepaper!
Leave your name and email-address below to receive an email with a download link.
From our expert Matthew Bloomer
Matthew has been working for Q8Oils since 2008 and is an expert in Metalworking fluids, more specifically in biocides and microbiology - which can be explained by his background in chemistry.


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Monthly Archives: December 2013
Roast Duck Inn, Box Hill, VIC
Rule #1: Make a reservation! 6pm or 8pm? There are only two times for dinner, and if you wish to have an unrushed meal, or it's a grand gathering of old-time friends, then do what I did, make an 8pm … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Daily happenings, Melbourne restaurants, Victoria Tagged box hill, Chinese, fried rice, hong kong, roast duck, roast pork, soy sauce chicken
Dominique Portet Fontaine Rose 2013, Yarra Valley / Pyreness, VIC
$22. This is a blend of Merlot (50%), Shiraz (30%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%). The Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were sourced from the Yarra Valley, and the Shiraz from the Pyrenees region. Pale crimson-orange colour, bright youthful aromas of redcurrants, … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Daily happenings, Victoria, Yarra Valley Tagged 2013, BBQ wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dominique Portet, Fontaine, Merlot, Rosé, Shiraz, summer wine
Spinifex Rosé 2013, Barossa Valley, SA
$23. Year in, year out, Peter Schell's Provençal interpretation of Barossan Rosé ranks in my top three summer Rosé must-buys. Slightly different from the 2012 which included Eden valley fruit and Shiraz, this year's blend is 62% Grenache, 24% Mataro, … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Barossa Valley, Daily happenings, South Australia Tagged Bandol, Barossa Valley, Cinsault, Grenache, Mataro, Peter Schell, Provence, Rosé, South Australia, Spinifex, summer wine, Ugni Blanc, Vermentino
Munchies: St John Bread & Wine
This little piggy went.. into my belly! yummmm…..
Posted in Daily happenings
Bramble & Vine, Carlton North
It is a quieter part of town certainly, that which is the North-eastern corner of Carlton and away from the bustle of Lygon St. Some would say one for the locals, for in that immediate precinct, there is arguably none … Continue reading


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Autumn Colours Camouflage Netting
Product Code: SCN96
Autumn Colours Camouflage Netting to hire.
Combining browns, oranges and greens, this Autumnal looking camo netting is perfect for a 1940's, Wartime or Apocalyptic themed event.
Our camouflage netting comes in a variety of sizes so please speak to your sales team if you have a specific size requirement.
|Height (mm)
|Width (mm)
|1500mm - 2000mm
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* more may be available on request
Quantity Held: 51930's, 1940's, Apocalyptic, Camouflage Netting, Decades, Film, Books & TV, Foliage, Futuristic, Halloween, History, Jungle, Jurassic World, Prehistoric, Product Groups, Seasonal, Themes, Trees, Plants & Foliage, Wartime, Zombie Apocalypse
Props in Action


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Position Summary:
The REACH Admission/Discharge Coordinator provides support to the Adult Transition Home (ATH) for all admission and discharge needs. This position will participate in the ATH Admissions' Advisory Committee and serve as a liaison between the ATH and community stakeholders. This position will support the Transitional Home Director, REACH Residential Manager, and other REACH team members in supporting individuals being referred to, admitted to, and/or discharged from the ATH. This position will work under the supervision of the Transitional Home Director and REACH Residential Manager.
Essential Job Functions:
Minimum Qualifications:
This position is currently not accepting applications.
To search for an open position, please go to http://EasterSealsUCP.appone.com


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It's Day 2 of the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings and they are proving just as contentious those on Day 1.
Yesterday's meeting saw an avalanche of citizen protests. A group of women conducted a silent protest dressed as characters from the dystopian "Handmaid's Tale," while other attendees of the hearing demonstrated their disapproval with disruptive shouts, resulting in the arrest of 70 people by the end of the day.
Some Democrats were equally combative, arguing that the hearing should be delayed until documents regarding Kavanaugh's nearly three year career at the White House are released (the Trump Administration is currently blocking their access).
Today, Kavanaugh faces questions about his judicial history and ability to be an independent force on the bench. Senators Charles E. Grassley of Iowa and Dianne Feinstein of California began the day's session by pressing the candidate's views on abortion and guns rights.
Stay tuned as AirTalk follows the hearings for both hours of the show. We carry the live feed.


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phone (800) 716-2360
email email@example.com
Derek Spotswood is a Georgetown honors Alumni with a passion for Technology and its uses. Derek has a real gift for connecting business owners and senior management with the right technology solutions to move their business forward. An inspiring leader with over 17 years of experience in managing, growing, and driving multimillion dollar businesses, Derek has over a decade of hands on technology experience with Tier 1 IT consulting and systems integration. Derek is an experienced strategist who excels in developing innovative channel programs with technology leaders, and is a genuinely affable and honest man.
Over 10 years ago Spotswood Consulting discovered an underserved niche in the consulting industry.
Business owners and managers needed technology solutions for their firms, and they needed those solutions to be productive, integrate seamlessly into their existing companies, and be managed by excellent technicians. Serving this market with our process has caused our growth to be exponential.
Our people are some of the best in the industry with varied and deep skill sets. When you hire Spotswood Consulting, there are no interns or trainees on your projects. All of our staff are hired to be point perfect for your project with the education, training, and experience to get the job done right and on time.
The mission of Spotswood Consulting is to deliver world class business and technology solutions that simplify the complexities of integration and implementation to promote business growth and ease of use. We create strategic plans and implement them on a global company scale for our clients.
Our goal is to partner with our clients to enable their technology to work for them thereby decreasing their overhead and substantially increasing their bottom line.
Our values are working smarter, excellent customer service, strategic focus, and integrity coupled with strong business ethics. Our company is a sought after place to work because of the culture we created that promotes satisfaction, and personal and professional growth.
Our vision is to be the top minority owned integrator in the US. We will be known worldwide for our ability to solve business and technology issues and enable our customers to be more effective and efficient so that they can drive revenue.
Contact us today and let us utilize technology to move your business forward.
About Spotswood:
Advisory Board
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Application Development:
Mobile Apps
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Global Outsourced Services SharePoint and SharePoint Solutions Webhosting
Business Technology Solutions:
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Feb 18, 2019
Movies we forgot last episode: Brookhouser (Annie Hall), THe Podfather (She's All That), Jesse (Love & Basketball)
Capcom music is now on Spotify - Mega Man, Street Fighter,
Resident Evil
Capcom Sound Team on Spotify
Alex-uh, open "Choose Your Own Adventure"
Podcast "10 Minute Teacher Podcast with Vicki Davis"
Extra Credit: Jordan Lubinsky & Lily Heil
If I Ruled The World
How Well Do You Know Your Daughter?
Hosted by Donnie, played by Jesse and Jeff.
Something Useless Donnie Found on the Internet
- - - - -
Tweet us at @PartialCreditEd
Follow us on Instagram @PartialCreditEd


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Posted by: Cobra
Much of Jason Eady's self-titled sixth album is the kind of quiet reflective country music that could be deemed thinking people music. Take for example the lead off track and one of the album's pre-release tracks, "Barabbas." Were it not for the title, there would be little indication of who this song is about. It's one of those songs that if you were to hear, and then learn the title, you'd be struck by a though of "Oh, yeah, that makes sense." That's only one example of the strong song-writing at work on this album.
Record Store Day Album ReView - Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - "Live from Welcome to 1979"
Posted by: Cobra
It's been a little over a week since Record Store Day 2017, and I figure it is now time to give a proper review to Jason Isbell's release, Live From Welcome to 1979. Recorded directly to lacquer as an analog only recording, this was an item released on vinyl, only on vinyl, with 4,000 presses, and it does not appear there are any intentions for any kind of digital release.
First, a little about my RSD experience. I knew this album was a must-have for me, and I contacted my local store (Record Den in the Greater Cleveland area) and confirmed their opening time and how many they would have of this release. They accommodated, I found out they should have about seven copies. They were opening at 9:00, so I arrived at about 7:15 and found about 40 people in line ahead of me. I began praying they didn't all want the same thing as me.
Here are some links to other pop culture websites and blogs worth checking out:
- Saving Country Music
- Country Perspective
- Farce the Music
- Country Exclusive
- This Is Country Music
- Country Music Minds
- Matt Lynn Digital
Pop Culture Potpourri Writers
Cobra is a Human Resources professional from the Greater Cleveland Area with a love of good country music and a disdain for pop, rock, and rap mislabeled as country music. His favorite artists include (but are not limited to) Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers Band, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Turnpike Troubadours, Hayes Carll, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Trisha Yearwood, Dwight Yoakam, and Johnny Cash
December 2017


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Evaluating Customer Service Skills27 February 2019
Dr. Fred Mayo discusses evaluating students' customer service skills by determining precise skills to assess, evaluation approaches, and methods to effectively communicate feedback. An added bonus: an online rubric.
Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT
Last month, we discussed teaching customer service and this month we will focus on evaluating the customer service skills students learned. Hopefully, this information will provide some new ideas for you, as chef instructors and dining room instructors and managers, and everyone else who teaches culinary arts and hospitality.
Standards – What to Evaluate
One of the first challenges involves deciding what knowledge and skills to evaluate and how to assess them. That task requires careful thinking and a level of specificity that helps both students and educators. A recent trade publication listed the key skills of customer service:
- Customer Interaction
- Product Knowledge
- Problem-Solving Ability
- Attitude and Behavior
While this list may be useful in a general way, it does not provide appropriate specificity or clarity for students learning and practicing customer service or faculty members evaluating it. However, as a faculty member, you can develop your own list, and that activity might be a good idea since you can make the list of skills and knowledge exactly appropriate for the course you are teaching. You can start with the list of skills mentioned in the last Mayo Clinic:
- Organizing mise en place
- Welcoming customers to a kitchen, restaurant, or other dining situation
- Paying attention to customers
- Serving customers with accuracy and care
- Remembering that adequate is not good enough
- Respecting customers' perceptions and needs
- Solving service problems as soon as they occur
- Admitting and taking responsibility for errors
- Honoring the reality of serving others
- Monitoring tables
- Paying attention to guests' statements and meanings
- Managing requests
- Cleaning up
A second part involved with determining customer service standards includes the amount of detail you provide. Expecting students to monitor tables or pay attention to customers may not be sufficiently specific unless you have been more explicit about your meaning. For example, it is one thing to expect students to welcome patrons in the restaurant and another to expect them to welcome each and every patron in the restaurant with a genuine smile and warm hello. Providing more detail helps students focus on what they have to do, how well and how often. It also makes it easier for you to evaluate their performance.
The third part of standards involves the level to which you expect your students to perform. Stating specific standards makes a huge difference and so does clarifying how often you expect that behavior or under what conditions. Making a rubric – a chart that identifies the grade or points associated with the level of performance of each standard – will make that task much easier. Here is a sample of a rubric (From iRubric) that illustrates what is involved.
Methods – How to Evaluate
The next aspect of evaluating involves deciding what methods to use in the exercise. Do you want to observe the behavior? Do you want to rely on students' perceptions of each other's skills? Do you want to rely on their self evaluations of their skills? Do you want to use a written method of determining what they know and use their ability to describe appropriate behavior as one measure of their knowledge? Do you want a summary evaluation of their sense of customer service skills as one of the final assignments in the course? Most commonly, faculty members observe student behavior and provide immediate comments, but that is not the only way to evaluate customer service knowledge and skills.
Methods – How to Deliver Feedback
If you are committed to helping students learn the knowledge and skills associated with customer service and improve their performance, then you need to find a way to provide feedback during the course to ensure they improve over the duration of the unit or term. One way to create feedback is encouraging students to share comments with each other. Have students sit or stand in teams and provide four or five specific things that they saw a team member do well and four or five things that the team member can improve. If you work with teams of four students, each student will get 12 positive comments and 12 suggestions for opportunities to improve. The extra value of this method is the focus on students observing each other which helps them remember the skills and notice what was done well and what was not.
You also can provide feedback and comments as you walk around the classroom or dining room, pointing out incorrect procedures or sloppy service, and invite the student to make improvements or redo something immediately. Your ability to notice and your constant observations will help students stay alert and give them plenty of chance to improve.
Another strategy involves providing individual feedback at the end of the class with students waiting to hear your comments and suggestions for improvement. It helps to end the class with some reflection on what they did well and what they can improve. While waiting to meet with you, they can be encouraged to consider what they noticed. It fosters more awareness and puts them in charge of providing their own feedback while waiting to hear from you.
Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT, is retired as a clinical professor of hotel and tourism management at New York University. As principal of Mayo Consulting Services, he continues to teach around the globe and is a regular presenter at CAFÉ events nationwide.