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Welcome to this week's edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that's related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown. This week's Five is a list of five examples of times where basketball video games were rude to the gamers playing them.
One of the great things about video games is that when they defeat or otherwise annoy you, you can tell them off without fear of repercussions. You can be as profane as you like – at least until your housemates or neighbours complain – and you won't hear a single retort from the game or system. Of course, there are times when a game might sling a rude remark your way, sometimes in response to the way you're playing, and other times almost completely unprovoked. That in turn might lead you to throw out a few more obscenities, though the game will take it all in stride.
As basketball video games have sought to incorporate more personality, and a bit of humour on some occasions, developers have slipped in a few rude messages. Now, these messages aren't profane or obscene, but their blunt or taunting nature can leave you muttering a few choice words in response. Other times, the game isn't trying to be rude, but whichever developer was responsible for writing the messages has ended up adopting a tone that they possibly didn't intend. Whatever the case may be, I'm listing five times that basketball video games ended up being rude to gamers. Your opinion may vary as to whether or not they actually enhance the experience!
1. Messages from the Owner in Dynasty Mode's PDA
Much has been written about the attitudes and personalities of successful people, in particular executives. While being a nice person isn't necessarily a drawback, it would seem that it's certainly not a prerequisite. That principle is on display with the owner for whatever team you pick in Dynasty Mode, beginning in NBA Live 2005. I'm not a big fan of the PDA to begin with as it eliminated real-time negotiations for trades and free agent signings, but it also came with the added "bonus" of rude messages from your team owner whenever they were unhappy with something. If you messed up, or fell short of expectations, they did not mince words.
This wasn't necessarily a bad thing; indeed, it was quite realistic. NBA 2K did it a little better in Association by presenting fictional owners with differing personalities, but the idea of the owner being demanding and harsh to the point of being rude wasn't exactly far-fetched. It did get a little ridiculous when you lost in the NBA Finals and were treated as if you went 5-77 with the highest payroll in the league, though. In hindsight, it would've been fun if they'd changed up the dialogue a bit to have a few different moods between ecstatic and furious, but I do have to say that the negative messages from the owner in Dynasty Mode were successful in pushing your buttons.
2. Coach Feedback in NBA 2K13's MyCAREER
NBA 2K13 was the first year I really got into MyCAREER, and I ended up having a great experience with the mode. I was taken in, not only by the gameplay but also the overall depth and immersive nature. This was before the story-driven modes that we now have, so a lot of the extra details were very welcome added flavour. One feature that made the game feel more alive was the feedback you'd receive from your coach during the game. A small dialogue box with their face would pop-up following a string of particularly good or bad plays, either complimenting your performance or chewing you out for your mistakes.
Suffice to say, the negative feedback wasn't exactly constructive or nurturing. If you made enough errors to get immediately yanked at the next opportunity, the dialogue you'd see was always angry and berating. It always felt a little rude and unfair to me, especially when I'd otherwise been playing great outside of that stretch, and even more so when I ended up losing minutes in the rotation over it. I was so immersed in the experience that there were times I genuinely felt a little bitter towards the virtual George Karl! Mind you, given what we know about George Karl from his somewhat controversial book, it turned out to be some unintentional realism in my game.
3. NBA 2K's Passive-Aggressive Dialogue Boxes
For all the great things about the NBA 2K series over the years, communication has not been one of them. Whether it's Ronnie 2K mocking questions about hairstyles by telling a gamer "we are more than a Barbie dress up game" the day before 2K dropped a blog about shoes that can be purchased (no, I'm not letting the "cult hero" live that garbage down), not being forthcoming with information about an upcoming game or key feature, or unhelpful stock answers from 2K Support, their communication skills leave much to be desired. It's therefore not really a surprise that some of the in-game dialogue boxes are worded poorly, and downright passive-aggressively.
Ever redeem a locker code and receive a truly pitiful amount of Virtual Currency or MyTEAM Points? You'll probably recall the "Happy Spending!" message that might as well be accompanied by a big cartoon middle finger. The scolding message that you receive upon being graded out of a game of 2K Pro-Am comes across as being fairly rich, especially with how broken the grading logic has been for years now. I'm sure it isn't their intention, but whoever is writing the text for these dialogue boxes is making a lot of them incredibly condescending. Some slight tweaking of the wording would definitely help them to come across as a little less rude.
4. Taunts from the Commentators during the Dunk Contest
The dunk contest that used to be in NBA Live's All-Star Weekend mode was a lot of fun, but the array of dunks that guaranteed higher scores could be difficult to pull off. The commentary team of Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith (and later Greg Anthony) had little concern for the degree of difficulty on certain attempts, though. While a lot of their comments in the wake of an unsuccessful attempt simply expressed dismay that an ambitious idea had failed, sometimes they would make fun of what the player had tried to do. In some cases, they'd go so far as to break the fourth wall and mock the user for their sloppy stick skills, even suggesting that they hadn't read the manual.
I've always been in two minds about commentary in NBA Live and NBA 2K breaking the fourth wall and acknowledging that it's a video game. On one hand, it's just a bit of fun, and there have been some amusing lines. On the other hand, it does break that sense of immersion and the realistic atmosphere that the games are otherwise aiming for in all of their facets. More to the point, it's just rude. I mean, the player that I'm controlling has just come inches away from pulling off the first 720-degree dunk in the history of the event, and you're acting like you're bored? Come on, Jet! That's why they don't let you judge dunk contests anymore!
5. Rude Tweets in MyCAREER's Fake Twitter
I saved this one for last because honestly, I believe it's brilliant. A lot of the Tweets you'll see on the fake in-game Twitter in MyCAREER are rather rude. Fans scolding you with ridiculous criticisms, overreacting to losses, taking the time to @ you in order to let you know they aren't fans of yours…you'll see all that garbage pop up on your social media timeline. And you know what? They're absolutely realistic and worded perfectly! Every single fake Tweet that's rude, stupid, stupidly rude, or rudely stupid, is just the kind of thing you'll see when you log on to Twitter in real life. Whoever is writing the fake Tweets in MyCAREER is spot on with them.
Look, I've criticised MyCAREER stories and a lack of focus on the on-court product many times, but this is an aspect of flavour content that I do enjoy, simply for how accurate it is. This was taken to its logical extreme in NBA 2K18 with the addition of LaVar Ball, who is very quick to proclaim that you're not a Big Baller. Personally I take that as a compliment, but the point is that it's just the kind of rude thing that he'd say about someone else while also demanding everyone stay in their lane. It's a shame you can't reply, perhaps with a petulant quote-re-Tweet, rubbing it in the face of the virtual haters whenever you turn in a performance for the ages.
What was your reaction upon encountering these examples? Can you think of any other moments where basketball video games were rude (or at least a little cheeky) towards the people playing them? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, feel free to take the discussion to the NLSC Forum! That's all for this week, so thanks for checking in, have a great weekend, and please join me again next Friday for another Five.


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Every person is different — each with their own impulses, interests and inclinations. As an individual, you know this. No one likes to think that they are just the same as everyone else. Yet, when business people approach marketing, it can be all too easy to forget.
Marketing can be confusing, and a one size fits all solution sounds amazing. But it doesn't work.
There is no point sending the same message to people who are looking for different things, or who are at different stages of the buying cycle. Identifying each customer by persona enables specific and far more relevant messaging.
Too many agencies adopt only marketing basics and then miss the next steps where the real impacts can be seen. Sure, if you go from nothing to periodically sending prospects some one-size-fits-all communications, you're going to see an increase in engagement and sales. Some contact is better than none. However, if you take that a step further and market to people based on what they actually want at that moment, the results are going to amplify drastically.
What Are Buyer Personas
If you've never heard of a buyer persona before, or aren't too sure of exactly what it means, a buyer persona is essentially a semi-fictional representation of the prospects in your buyer categories. For real estate, those buyer personas could be prospects likely to be upsizing, downsizing, investors or first home buyers.
Each of these personas will have unique characteristics. It is obvious to state that they will not respond to the same communications. Those looking to downsize, aren't going to respond to your marketing communications about upsizing. First home buyers are likely not going to understand when you're talking at an investor level.
Defining the different buyer personas that buy from you makes it easier to identify which prospects fit these personas, and therefore, what communications are going to motivate them to purchase.
Segmenting Your Prospects
As most agents will have an existing CRM, customer segmentation is easier than you may think. With your buyer personas in hand, analysis can be conducted on your CRM to segment your prospects and allocate them to their appropriate persona category.
With these segmented lists and a communication strategy based on the unique drivers of each persona, as well as their stage in the buying cycle, marketers can craft content that speaks to them. Building stronger relationships and moving them more effectively through the customer journey to positive action.
Buyer personas and customer segmentation can drastically increase the efficiency of real estate agents. As in the case of O'Brien Real Estate, adopting personas and segmentation allowed their marketing to play a more impactful role in warming up prospects and maintaining relationships, while sales agents could spend more time with personas that were ready to buy.
ActivePipe is instrumental in achieving these results. Our solution works by segmenting the customers in your CRM, by either an online survey or by identifying trends in their behaviour, and taking each user on their own journey through to the sale.
But don't just take our word for it, see what estate agents across the world have to say about our solutions.

subset: commoncrawl


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At Windows By Toll We Let Our Customers do the Talking!
Your Stamford neighbors who have called on Windows By Toll have plenty to say about their great experience with us. No other windows and doors contractors in Stamford can match our combination of personal service and quality materials. Read for yourself what your neighbors are saying about Windows By Toll.
The sales man was amazing, and the install was seamless!
They were great. On time, responsive, courteous, excellent service and good quality.
Engaged, willing and very professional bunch. Would recommend to any that need a door project as ours wasn't a simple switch out.
Great service and quality recommendations. The project came out amazing. We really liked that they did most of the installations from the outside to minimize the mess in the house!
From the initial consultation to the end, Rob and Erik made me feel confident and comfortable. They did an amazing job removing old doors, getting rid of the debris and installing the new doors. They did 4 doors and 2 screen doors in just 3 days, as they promised they would. Erik and Rob are an amazing team. I need to do more work in my house and they will definitely be hired by me again. Thanks Erik, Rob and their crew.
Great guy honest


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Blog Tour Stop including Excerpt, Review & Giveaway – Want Me by Neve Wilder
Want Me Neve Wilder M/M New Adult Romance Release Date: 05.08.19 Amazon US | Amazon UK Blurb Two roommates. One calculus exam. A whole lot of extracurricular activity. Nate: Living with four other guys, it's bound to happen. Every guy's been caught taking care of business at least… Continue reading


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"Everyone makes mistakes."
And so we are told this, again and again. As children, we hear it when we make mistakes we are too young to fix–like spilling milk or breaking a toy. In school, we hear it when we get an unexpected score on the test we thought we were ready for. At work, we hear it on the first day when we are lost and completely unsure of our responsibilities. And in life, we hear it from our friends and our parents and those who love us, in the moments we feel like we just don't have it together.
Everyone makes mistakes. It is a simple fact. That's the easy part.
What comes after mistakes are made is where the complications start. Black and white collide and simple facts are only simple from a certain point of view. While people make mistakes, the consequences can't always be fixed. The milk can't be cleaned, the toy can't be fixed. The next test won't up the average. And it's not the first day of work. Not everything comes with second chances.
I've found that after making a mistake, there are two choices. Learn a lesson, or don't.
Recently I made a mistake that opened my eyes to the importance of making mistakes: learning forgiveness. It is a complicated concept. Whether you are in the position to give or receive it, forgiveness requires practice. It requires patience. And it requires pain.
Through this mistake I discovered what it feels like to be denied forgiveness, and to lose someone as a result. I also learned that the power of forgiveness is in the hands of the forgiver. Understanding both sides of forgiveness is necessary in understanding that neither side is easy to be on.
Finding a safe balance comes in time, and we each find that balance at our own times and at our own pace. I found balance when I forgave myself. I made a mistake, and I learned from it. I lost someone as a result, but each day brings me closer to accepting that. Life is too unpredictable to deny forgiveness. Too short to regret. And all too wonderful to wallow.


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Wednesday, September 54:15-5:30 PM
Room: National Harbor 13
Topics: Policy & Advocacy, Racial Wealth Equity, Taxes
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the new major tax legislation passed last December, could have been an opportunity to reform the tax code and make it more equitable to give all working families and households of color a fair shot at getting ahead. Instead, it gives massive tax cuts to wealthy individuals and corporations while giving marginal benefits to working families who need the most support. In this session, panelists will discuss how the new tax reform law will affect the financial lives of working families- especially households of color. Panelists will also explore new research on the distributional impact and changes that might be on the horizon under a new Congress.
Visit the Speakers page to view full biographies.
Copyright © 2018 Prosperity Now | formerly CFED | 1200 G Street NW | Suite 400 | Washington, DC 20005 | 202.408.9788 | email@example.com


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WWE Wrestler Paige Says Stress-Induced Hair Loss Left Her Bald
Author: Mike
One of the UK's best-known female WWE wrestlers has revealed how the stress she endured following a sex tape leak and an enforced absence from the limelight led to her experiencing hair loss.
Twenty-five-year-old Paige, a two-time Divas Champion and a mainstay of the professional WWE circuit, is the daughter of two pro-wrestlers and grew up in Norfolk, but her glittering career was temporarily derailed when her sport's governing body said she had failed a drugs test. Paige, whose real name is Saraya-Jade Bevis, disputed the allegations, claiming she had used prescription drugs to help with a neck injury.
During her time on the sidelines, a sex tape featuring her found its way online and the wrestler said she hit rock bottom.
Scarred by incident
Talking about her life in a podcast interview with former WWE host Lilian Garcia, Paige said: "That scarred me, just people invading my privacy, to the point where sometimes I don't want to go out. People are just looking at me bad. I was out yesterday with my friend. We were just sitting there having a Bloody Mary. This guy comes up to my friend and says, 'That's the p*rn star'."
Paige added that she sank so low in 2017 that she contemplated suicide. "I got so skinny I ended up collapsing with exhaustion in hospital in England," she said. "They told me at the time it was like stress-induced anorexia. I wasn't eating, I wasn't sleeping, I lost all my hair."
She added: "I have clip-ins right now but I literally had no hair because my hair fell out, because I was so stressed."
There are several possibilities as to why Paige lost her hair during her stressful year and unfortunately adding clip-in hair extensions to disguise any bald patches is not a recommended solution. This is because a condition named traction alopecia – which is caused when hair extensions and certain 'tight' hairstyles like braids place extreme stress on the roots of the hair – can make things worse.
One cause of sudden hair loss is the autoimmune disorder alopecia areata. This has several suspected triggers, including sudden shock, trauma and extreme stress – something Paige's description of her annus horribilis certainly fits with. Alopecia areata is normally seen as sudden patchy hair loss where rounded bald patches around the size of a coin appear on the scalp. When it presents like this, then treatment for alopecia areata can be successful, as can be seen in Belgravia's alopecia areata success stories gallery.
The alopecia areata treatment provided via Belgravia's specialists and pharmacies is for the scalp-only patchy hair loss version and involves recommended formulations of high strength minoxidil being applied directly to the affected areas to help encourage regrowth through opening the potassium channels. This drug is usually paired with further appropriate hair growth boosters tailored to the individual's requirements and medical suitability.
Stress a common cause
The second possible cause of Paige's hair loss is a thinning condition called telogen effluvium. As with alopecia areata, telogen effluvium has multiple triggers and stress is regularly mentioned as a likely cause. While it is normally a temporary concern, when it lingers – as would appear to be the case with Paige – then it is reclassified as chronic telogen effluvium, which is also known as diffuse thinning or diffuse hair loss.
Diffuse hair loss treatment is based around a comprehensive programme involving minoxidil to combat thinning hair and promote regrowth. Importantly, though, the underlying cause of the shedding will need to be professionally diagnosed so that this can also be treated. This may involve dietary investigations or blood tests to determine any underlying illnesses, dietary imbalances or hormonal problems. Whilst Belgravia's hairloss specialists cannot carry out blood tests, they can certainly diagnose the initial cause of shedding and recommend how to proceed with getting any further tests carried out by your GP.
Anyone who suddenly notices a marked increase in hair fall is always advised to seek out professional help in order to get a confirmed diagnosis from which to determine the best course of action. This is especially true given it is possible to have multiple hair loss conditions simultaneously – however, it is also possible to use custom courses designed to treat various conditions at once.
The Belgravia Centre
The Belgravia Centre is the leader in hair loss treatment in the UK, with two clinics based in Central London. If you are worried about hair loss you can arrange a free consultation with a hair loss expert or complete our Online Consultation Form from anywhere in the UK or the rest of the world. View our Hair Loss Success Stories, which are the largest collection of such success stories in the world and demonstrate the levels of success that so many of Belgravia's patients achieve. You can also phone 020 7730 6666 any time for our hair loss helpline or to arrange a free consultation.


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Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Goldstein: Where Was Radio?
Goldstein: Where Was Radio?
Aug 4th 2015, 12:57
Over 1,000 people attended the recent Podcasting Movement Convention in Texas. One of those people was former Saga Executive Steve Goldstein who left radio to join the Podcasting revolution by launching a new company called Amplifi Media. Goldstein blogs about the conference which he compared to a radio conference of many years ago, ripe with youngsters making this growing industry popular. Goldstein says his top takeaway from the event was that there is a world of audio beyond AM/FM and a great deal of passionate audio creators. READ ON....
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Armed with a trusty silver (table)spoon, I like eating Nutella out of the jar as much as the next person. If I'm feeling particularly pathetic, the spoon is optional. But at some point in your life, you realise that you have to at least pretend like you're trying to adult.
So next time the Nutella craving hits, here are the best places to order a chewy, chocolate-coated pizza. Naturally, the pizza base's sole purpose in life is to withstand the weight of as much Nutella as possible.
Eat'aliano by Pino
One of Melbourne's most underrated Italian restaurants, Eat'aliano by Pino makes their pizza bases impeccably thin with an addictively buttery, chewy crust. Their Pizza Nutella boasts a heavenly Nutella to pizza base to banana ratio, that is, mostly Nutella with a smidgen of banana and deliciously fresh pizza. Brace yourselves for the afternoon sugar high.
South Yarra, Docklands, CBD
Offering two Nutella-coated pizzas at their three sleek locations, prepare for Sophie's Choice pizza style at A25. The Black Forest with Nutella, blackberries, cherries, Oreo crumble, vanilla bean ice cream and a raspberry injection is the foolproof choice, or take the road less travelled and order the Strawberry Delight with Nutella, strawberries, vanilla bean ice cream, coconut snow and mint!
+39 Pizzeria
Toorak, CBD
You've just chowed your way through an alarming amount of pizza, pasta and/or red wine and haven't left enough room for dessert. Luckily, +39 Pizzeria has anticipated this first-world foodie problem, offering their Nutella pizza with strawberries and vanilla ice cream in both mini and maxi sizes. Or, rev up your dessert stomach like the soldier you are and max out on a maxi Nutella pizza.
DOC Pizza
Albert Park, Carlton, Mornington
Before the purists cry bloody murder, yes it's a calzone and yes, it's technically not a pizza. But when DOC Pizza's Nutella Calzoncino hits the table, plump full of Nutella and golden on the outside, we doubt you're going to be concerned about the intricacies of Italian cuisine.
Devilishly doused with ice cream, fresh strawberries, icing sugar and a quantity of Nutella that would probably give a health food addict a heart attack, Tiamo's Nutella pizza is a non-negotiable post-dinner addition to any table. They cut their pizzas into quarters because you're obviously not going to need smaller portions.
Happy Camper Pizza
Double down on chocolate with Happy Camper Pizza's Nutella pizza. Topped with M&Ms, and icing sugar, there's no point doing things half-heartedly in this world.
Moors Head
Considering the sweet section of the menu is labelled "inauthentic sweet pies", prepare yourself for the least traditional, delicious fatayer ever. This calzone-like, folded Nutella creation comes with a side of Amarena ice cream, just to top things off.
St Domenico
The Bomba Nutella is a bomb full of happiness. St Domenico perfectly risen, lightly charred base is slathered with warm Nutella and topped with fresh banana, strawberries and ice cream. Personally, we recommend having dessert before breakfast.
Baby Pizza
Baby, how we love you. Putting a contemporary spin on the classic Nutella pizza, Baby Pizza stuffs their Calzone Dolce (double the pizza base per bite so we're not complaining) with oozy Nutella, creamy burrata and cinnamon sugar. Trust us, this one is worth the calories.
South Yarra
A pizza-ful classic, Pinocchio's Pizza Dolce gives you three Nutella-laden options. From fresh strawberries and cream to crushed nuts with vanilla ice-cream, you'll almost certainly be lying about who ate the last piece at Pinocchio.
Need more dessert pizza? We've got a little something for you.
Image credit: via Nosh On It.


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This is the first article in the Can You Hear Me Now? Series of blog posts in which I embark on a journey to find the most cost effective home office VoIP plan for my computer repair business.
The next milestone in getting my computer support business up and running is setting up a separate phone number and line. This is one of the original milestones I set for my business last year, and is the last thing standing in the way of me unleashing my business on the world in the form of business cards and advertisements. I currently have no land-line phone, and I have no desire to use my personal cell phone exclusively for business purposes. I decided to spend some time evaluating different VoIP plans to see which one was right for my work-from-home business.
Why VOIP?
I made the decision very early on to keep my private and phone separate. It's tempting for me to just use the cell phone I already have, but in order to retain my sanity I believe in as much separation as possible between work and "real life".
That's where VoIP comes in. If you don't know, VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, a technology that allows one to place telephone calls over the same high-speed Internet connection that your computer uses. After doing some research and weighing my options, I decided to go with VoIP over a traditional phone service because, 1) it's cheaper than regular phone service, 2) most plans allow you to make calls anywhere in the world from your computer, and 3) it's usually easy to add low-cost professional touches to your service like hold music, voicemail with auto attendant, and call forwarding.
Once I have my VoIP line installed, I'll use it as my primary business number and use my cell phone only when out in the field. This is still a bit risky to me, as I'll be calling clients form my cell phone on occasion, but once I start making enough money to afford a separate business cell phone, I'll pick one up. There are also options to make VoIP calls from your existing cell phones, so I may look into that in the future as well.
Now that I've decided that I want to go with a VoIP phone service, my next step is to choose a vendor. There are VoIP companies popping up like weeds all the time, and the same amount are going out of business just as fast. It's important that I go with a carrier with some name recognition and longevity. I also have to make a list of features that are important to me in my business. This will ensure that I have a set of criteria to measure the different VoIP plans against. Here are the considerations that are important to me:
Unlimited Minutes – As a remote computer repair tech I will rely on my phone almost exclusively as a means to communicate with my customers. Sure, I may use email in some situations, but most customers will contact me via phone and I will communicate with them using the same. I don't want to worry about overtime charges.
Call Forward – This feature allows calls coming into my VoIP phone to be forwarded to another phone, like my cell. It is important that I have this feature in order to keep the lines of communication with my customers open when I am not at home.
Voicemail – This is a no brainer. I'm not going to be around to answer the phone all the time and therefore need a way for customers to leave me a message. Not all voicemail is created equal however. Some plans require you to pay an extra fee for voicemail. Some allow you to check voicemail from any phone, even over the web, and some even allow you to receive voicemails in your email. All of these factors will need to be taken into consideration.
Softphone – A softphone is the computer interface for your phone. It allows you to place calls directly from your computer. The biggest benefit I will gain from a softphone is the convenience of interfacing directly with my online contact list. It's cool, but not absolutely necessary.
Hardware – Some VoIP providers require that you purchase their phone adapter to use with a regular phone of your choosing. Some providers offer internet-only phone, while others don't require any special hardware at all, just a regular computer microphone and speakers.
Price – And finally there's the price. I'm not going to be making a ton of money the first couple years I'm in business, so I want to make sure my monthly bill is kept as low as possible.
The Contenders
After doing some digging on the Internet, polling my followers on twitter, and talking to some friends, I've narrowed down my selection list to the following VoIP providers and plans, all of which include the features I'm looking for.
Vonage – Small Business Premium Unlimited
ITP – Home Office Unlimited
Voicepulse – Business Unlimited
Skype for business
Stay tuned for my next article later in the week where I dissect each plan and try to find the best one for my business.
Yes, that's me in the picture at the top. Halloween 2007 as Your Friendly Neighborhood Verizon Guy.


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I know everything looks broken, because well it is. I don't know what happened during the site transfer but all my posts past Aug are just gone. Literally me the last two days Now I do have a back up of them that I'll be updating but that will take me some time. So please stick with me through this while I sort everything out...new site layout looks good though. *sobs*
Category: Uncategorized
New Looks! or The Taste Of A 1000 Year Egg
I ate one of these things today. It is called a 1000 year egg or a Century Egg. The basic idea is that they ferment it and "age" it using clay and other techniques. The ones I bought were made with lye. Strangely enough though they really didn't have much of a taste. The yoke was green and tasted sort of meaty but there wasn't any real egg flavor. So that is a thing that … Continue reading New Looks! or The Taste Of A 1000 Year Egg
Up And Running
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The online marketing strategies are often dynamic including social media marketing, content marketing, influencer marketing and SEO among others. These strategies are often evolving and hence you need to be aware of how to keep up with these trends and incorporate them in your marketing campaigns. Leveraging the digital marketing landscape will not only increase your brand awareness but also it will lead to more engagement with consumers, and more sales hence increasing your business's profitability. However, we understand that online marketing can seem like a daunting endeavour to entrepreneurs and therefore, by choosing the online marketing services of our SEO Company in Durban, you can take it off your plate. If you are yet to jump onto the digital marketing bandwagon then here are some few trends to get ahead of in 2019 as well as timeless strategies.
Content Marketing
2018 saw an increase in the number of content creators that use videos, blog posts, infographics, articles and social media posts t stimulate interests in various brands' products and services. This trend of content marketing is bound to continue and you should leverage on this strategy in your business's social media pages and website to position your brand or yourself as a thought leader in your industry, educate potential customers about your products and services and engage them to boost sales and maintain a great professional image online.
Personalized Email Marketing
If you have been sending out boring and stiffly formal emails to your clients and potential customers, you need to make them more personalized. 2019 is the year of abandoning all generic communication and with advances in automation, email marketing is increasingly personalized and hence trigger email marketing for specific things such as particular products that users browse about and then follow it with an offer such as a cheaper promotional price accompanied by a demo using a personalized email. This is more likely to sway customers into making the purchase and also allows you to have more effective remarketing techniques.
Better Influencer Marketing
While influencer marketing works in using people with a large following to drive awareness and product details to a larger market, and to attract customers. You do not have to go for celebrities or the influencer with the largest following but rather real people considered a thought leader in your particular industry and hence their dedicated follower people trust their opinion over your usual statements regarding your products and services. Using the right influencer also increases your business's approval ratings which makes it a trustworthy option hence boosting sales.
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Get the Best Life Insurance Policy with Life Insurance Quotes
Get the Best Life Insurance Policy with Life Insurance Quotes
Insurance coverage is something that is considered obligatory these days, especially life. Life is unpredictable and we obligation best life insurance to perform with. It gives us the confidence that our family ' s destined is secure and will serve as chipper taken discomposure of. Skillful are cipher of companies that suggestion coverage for life. We can moxie with the one that approach quotes that match our requirements and consummate coverage. Every company offers life insurance at far cry rates and cover incomparable things network a policy. It ' s on us to impel which company and policy we should go with. Get the Best Life Insurance Policy with Life Insurance Quotes
However, insurance quotes are the most pressing things that one should detain guidance thinkbox. It ' s the cost at which a policy is offered to an idiosyncratic. For, practiced are few things that essential embody kept control intellectuality before acceptance a advanced coverage quotes. Premier, your reproduce will depend your age and wellness. Most of the companies have need you to fill a arrangement that includes details about your health information. Your quote might increase if you are a cigarette smoker, or if you suffer through any kind of harmful illness. Also your profession is takes into account while offering a life insurance quote.
Get the Best Life Insurance Policy with Life Insurance Quotes, Second thing that can make an impact on your life insurance quote is the amount of coverage that you will need. The larger your coverage is, larger your life quotation is going to be. The coverage is going to be determined based on your earnings and the quantity of your own operating many years.
Third, carefully select your coverage as the policy that you will opt for will impact your life. For instance, if you decide to go term policy then it ' s the number of years that you decide to take the insurance for that will leave an impact on your quote.
All these things will largely affect the in the end result for framing a life insurance quotes. These days you can get quotes online at a number of websites. These websites gets you quotes from number of sources so that you can easily compare the quotes at one platform and decide for life insurance that you wish to go with. Get the Best Life Insurance Policy with Life Insurance Quotes


text:
Eaton, Jeffrey W; McGrath, Nuala; Newell, Marie-Louise; (2012) Unpacking the recommended indicator for concurrent sexual partnerships. AIDS (London, England), 26 (8). pp. 1037-1039. ISSN 0269-9370 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/QAD.0b013e328351f726
Permanent Identifier
Use this Digital Object Identifier when citing or linking to this resource.
Using sexual behaviour survey data, we examine the methodological choice for the time period underlying the UNAIDS Reference Group on Estimates, Modelling, and Projections recommended 'point prevalence' indicator for concurrency. The results confirm that 6 months before the interview is a good time point for calculating the recommended indicator, but this retrospective estimate is substantially lower than the estimate of concurrency based on the number of current partnerships. The discrepancy is only partially explained by disproportionate missing data in those with more sexual partners.
|Item Type
|Faculty and Department
|Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health > Dept of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Hiring Private Contractors in Dentistry is Risky Business
Dental employers may think that hiring independent contractors is easier than hiring an employee and less expensive. Although it may seem like a good idea, the risks are very high and you can take a big hit if you do something wrong.
Independent contractors don't get benefit packages, vacation pay, maternity leave or statutory holidays. As a principal retaining an independent contractor, you don't have to withhold income tax or pay a share of CPP or EI. There is also a tax advantage for the independent contractor, because of the potential for tax deductions. Generally, a self-employed person can deduct all reasonable business expenses incurred to earn business income. It may sound good on the surface, but if a business hires an independent contractor who is later deemed to be an employee, both parties lose big as unpaid taxes, penalties, interest, CPP and EI premiums will all have to be paid. From the principal's perspective, there are also tens of thousands of dollars in potential liability arising from Ministry of Labour claims, and wrongful dismissal or other Court claims.
Despite the intentions to characterize the relationship as that of an independent contractor, if the dentist has significant control over the workers' work and hours then the relationship is closer to employer-employee than independent contractor. If the dentist has the majority of control of the contractor's hours and work duties, it may be considered an employee-employer relationship.
Below are some issues that need to be considered. It is important to understand that no single criterion will be dispositive. However, the more criteria that point toward either status, the more likely it is that the relationship will be characterized as such at law.
|Ask the following questions to determine if an employee-employer relationship exists or is she a true independent contractor
|Employee-Employer Relationship
|Does the worker come to your staff party/ eat in your staff room?
|Does the worker wear the same uniforms and have the same identity as the employees of the practice?
|Is the worker responsible for her own expenses?
|Is the worker entitled any benefits?
|Is the worker free to arrange her own hours of work?
|Does she bring in her own instruments?
|Does she rent the chair and equipment?
|Does she make her own appointments?
|Is the entitled to define who does the work and hire their own employees?
|Is the worker is paid an hourly rate?
|Is the worker supervised by you?
|Does she pay for her own training and development?
The Canada Revenue Agency uses a "four-point test" to determine which type of relationship exists. "Employee or Self-Employed?" (RC4110) "sets out a method that should, in most cases, allow payers and workers to determine the nature of their relationship." The method is based on four key points:
- Control
- Ownership of tools
- Chance of profit/risk of loss
- Integration
An independent contractor decides how the work will be performed. If the dentist is the person responsible for planning the work to be done, choosing the hours of work, and/or setting the standards to be met, for example, an employer-employee relationship is more likely to exist.
Does the independent contractor have the right decide on the time, place, and manner in which the work is to be done? If not, then an employer-employee relationship is more likely to exist.
Ownership of tools.
An obvious point is that an independent contractor would supply her own tools. An independent contractor would also incur losses when replacing or repairing their equipment. It's customary for independent contractors to supply their own tools or purchase or rent equipment from the dentist.
Chance of profit/risk of loss.
The independent contractor also must have a chance of making a profit and run the risk of incurring losses due to bad debts, or damage to equipment or materials. An independent contractor would also cover the operating costs of her activities.
The Canada Revenue Agency states, "Where the worker integrates the payer's activities to her own commercial activities, a business relationship probably exists… Where the worker integrates her activities to the commercial activities of the payer, an employer-employee relationship probably exists."
If the contractor only has one client or works regular hours that you have set for the contract, it is likely that CRA would perceive that an employer-employee relationship exists.. What this means to a dental office is that the independent contractor must set their own hours and work for several offices, not just yours. Then there is a question about who owns the chart? Does the independent contractor have the right to see a patient at a different location?
The relationship of parties who enter into a contract is generally governed by that contract. An employer-employee or an independent-contractor relationship, is not a matter which the parties can simply stipulate in the contract. In other words, it is insufficient to simply state in a contract that the services are provided as an independent contractor to make it so. In other words, the parties' stated intentions are not enough to override the true characteristics of the relationship, if those characteristics point sufficiently in the opposite direction.
What if you currently have an independent contractor in your practice? The best advice is to have all of your employees work under employment agreements (contracts) and quietly transition the "independent contractor" to employee status at the same time. There are many traps for the unwary in this specialized area of law, so be sure to work with someone who practices exclusively in employment law, and ideally has extensive experience with dentists. Your office should also have an Employee Policies Manual that clearly defines the terms and conditions of employment at your office. Your specialized lawyer should take a comprehensive approach and integrate your contracts with all workers with your policies to ensure that you do not run into difficulties down the road.
Employers can have a difficult time determining whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. It is best to undertake an objective analysis of the position in question before attempting to fill it with an independent contractor. An employment lawyer may be better poised to perform such an analysis. It is most important to get the proper professional advice before entering into an arrangement that could cost you and your practice much more in the long run. It is worth the investment and can protect your practice from unnecessary risks.
This article was co-authored with Mariana Bracic, BA (Hons), JD, Partner, MBC Legal, President, MBC Information Solutions Inc. She may be reached by telephone at 905-825-2268 or by email at email@example.com and she would love to hear from you.
Author: Sandie Baillargeon


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I was given this fabulous award last week by my lovely bloggy friend, Tami. If you haven't done so yet, head on over and check out her blog. She always has amusing and inspiring posts. Thanks, Tami, for all your incredible support! You're a sweetheart!
And since she didn't list any rules, I'm going to follow her usual example regarding awards and pass this on to all of you. You guys are all amazing, and I think it's great the way we all support each other. So, take it, if you like, and pass it on as you see fit.
Happy Thursday!


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Follow @chicagoterp
Follow @gak17
Football Forum
Gary Williams Tribute
The Justin Anderson Potential De-Commit (Don't Panic) Thread
Where's there's smoke there's fire and things are burning in Charlottesville right now. Unfortunately, folks from DBR on down are confirming reports that Justin Anderson may switch his commitment to Virginia.
This is a double kick in the groin. Not only would Maryland lose its first 5-star recruit in years; but we'd lose it to our rival (an inferior rival at that!). Ouch. Even more confounding is that I'm hearing reports that one of the factors leading to this situation is the hiring of Dalonte Hill. Apparently, the Andersons (Justin and his Dad) aren't big fans of Mr. Hill. Ouch.
If true, this could only happen to Maryland. I mean talk about irony. After years of losing the area's top recruits to carpetbaggers like Texas, Kansas State, UConn, et.al.; the new Terps staff ponies up for a big-time AAU recruiter in Dalonte Hill. Now, after FINALLY landing an elite talent from the area; we are likely to lose him because Hill is now on staff. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Of course, this report is not confirmed and it is just above speculation at this point; but the timing makes sense. Hill was hired on Monday and Anderson could de-commit by Friday?
This really sucks; but it's not time to panic. Anderson will be a star in the ACC; but the Terps staff has barely hit the ground and already has one 2012 kid locked up (Seth Allen). For all we know, Turgeon, Ranson, Spinelli, and Hill could land a 5-star swingman next week and reel in the much coveted Shaq Cleare too. Who knows? It's too early to go crazy over this. However, the hiring of Dalonte Hill was a major move for the program and a departure from the way that things have been done under Gary Williams. It is really unfortunate that the first thing to happen as a result of the hiring is that we lose the best recruit we have -- to Virginia.
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text: Max Rodriguez began his DJ career in New Orleans. After going as far as he could in the big easy, he moved to New York to study audio engineering. Spinning at Private Eyes (later to become Sound Factory Bar) and The Men's Room clubs in the early 90's gave him his catalyst in New York City, where he went on to play such legendary clubs as Palladium, Limelight, and the Roxy.


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Home Value Leads' main goal is to help real estate agents generate leads that they can then turn into home sales. Selling more homes leads to more real estate agent profit. Not only that, but every time a real estate agent sells a home, their brand becomes that much bigger.
HVL's Facebook advertising model can generate mass leads. But, utilizing Facebook advertising isn't the only thing agents should do. They should also create a YouTube Channel and upload videos. They should also upload videos to Instagram. However, many real estate agents (maybe you're one of them!) might not know what videos to load onto YouTube or Instagram.
Check out 4 video ideas that can help you get the wheels moving.
4 Real Estate Agent Video Ideas
- Go Live at Open Houses
Why not go live at an open house? This could definitely generate plenty of leads. It will also build your brand. Going live at an open house shows you've got confidence as well as gives a peek into how you are as a real estate agent. If potential homebuyers that visit your open house are up for being on your live video, that's even better!
Going live at open houses won't work for Instagram, though. So, if you decide to do this, make sure it's either on a Facebook feed or on your YouTube Channel.
- Question and answer session
You could be more creative with something like this more than something like going live at an open house. Set up a question and answer session with either current or former clients. If you've already built your reputation and brand, you might find potential clients. Post the video to your Facebook page, onto your website, and onto your YouTube Channel. Skip Instagram with this.
Make sure you let people who participate know what you're going to do with the video. The worst thing would be for them to see their image on your video and not know you were going to post it.
- Client testimonials
Testimonials work these days because we are more impressed by what one of our peers says about a product or service than we are about how it's advertised to us. Real estate agent client testimonials especially work because buying or selling a house is a big deal that requires a lot of effort, stress, time, and money.
Depending on how long the testimonials are, you can upload this to your Instagram along with uploading to your website, Facebook, and YouTube.
- Real estate education video
There are a lot of real estate education videos already on YouTube. You could create similar videos with a twist, though. For example, how many real estate agent education videos on YouTube dig deep into rising interest rates and home sales? Or, how many discuss contracting and how going with the wrong contractor can hurt a home sale?
Study what's already on YouTube or Facebook and get creative on how you're going to make your real estate agent videos stand out. Also, make sure to have fun with this one! Instagram's out because of the video lengths. But, YouTube and Facebook are definitely in.
We live in a video-centric world. By creating any of the above four videos, real estate agents will not only build their brands, but also generate leads. These are only four video types, though. Get creative, come up with a few on your own, and you'll generate even more leads.


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Learn how to effectively apply the fundamentals of total quality. Understand what quality is and learn about the history of the quality movement. Discover the role of customers in quality and determine the major elements of a quality system. Master key concepts such as the cost of nonquality, variation, and total employee involvement (TEI). Increase your value to your company by learning about various motivational models, leadership, and teamwork. Determine how to effectively apply quality standards by creating and implementing internal and external auditing activities. Learn the ins and outs of ISO 9000, ISO 14000, and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.In this six-week online course, you will learn how successful organizations apply quality to their everyday activities. You will find out how to use teamwork to make the most of employees' abilities and potential. I will help you manage the process of change, reduce customer complaints, and increase customer service. You will learn of a number of quality fallacies and how to lessen their impact.
ed2go online courses are designed for working professionals and those seeking to gain personal advancement. If you are enrolled in a program, carefully review the requirements of your program before registering to ensure the course code and title match the requirements in your program.
Have you taken this course or an equivalent course?
Contact the Credit Transfer Office.


text:
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: None
Yields: 2 servings
Description Edit
Tired of gloppy, unappetizing seafood salads? This refreshing dish uses healthy Greek yogurt as the binder and the punch of assorted fresh herbs packs a lot of flavor. Serve as a light lunch along with sides of your choice.
Ingredients Edit
- Fresh basil, flat leaf parsley and dill, chopped
- 1 fresh red chili, seeded and chopped
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 200g (7 oz.) fresh white crab meat
- 4 tbsp. Rachel's Greek Style Natural Bio Live Yogurt
- Salt & pepper
- Fresh baguette or ciabatta loaf
- Olive oil
- Handful of pre-washed wild rocket (arugula)
- 6 - 7 vine cherry tomatoes
Directions Edit
- Begin by chopping the herbs finely; to cut down time use a mini chopper or food processor. Place in a bowl.
- Add the chili, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix well.
- Now add the crab and stir in the yogurt and mix again until you have a spreadable consistency. Season with salt & pepper.
- Slice the baguette with a serrated knife and drizzle with a little olive oil.
- Arrange the rocket (arugula) leaves onto the bread and then spread over the crab filling. Add the cherry tomatoes. Serve immediately.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


text:
The Tpw™ Fundamentals Range
The TPW™ Fundamentals Range takes the purest, finest quality ingredients to create core supplements at exceptional value for money. With nothing added, and nothing taken away, the TPW™ Fundamentals range is the definition of uncompromising sports nutrition.
Our new range is ideal for anyone on a reduced budget without having to accept a reduction in product quality or service.
Uncompromising Sports Nutrition
Designed by the same team that engineered the award-winning Whey Protein 80 and over one hundred other acclaimed innovations, TPW™ Fundamentals offer the ultimate in peace of mind in a world of mediocre supplements and unnecessary hot air.
Natural flavours come as standard and so does our trademark quality and transparency of ingredients.
Focus On What Matters
The range includes the finest Whey Protein Concentrate and Whey Protein Isolate, plus other core essentials such as BCAA powder and Creatine Monohydrate. No thickeners, no fillers and no outlandish claims to distract you from the only thing that really matters - the nutritional deck.
To top it all off, you get access to our top rated delivery and customer service. So that's a VIP Platinum service, including our unique Lifetime Guarantee, should you ever need it. We make sure your order doesn't get drop-kicked over your back fence or lovingly left in your wheelie bin! It's just not the way we do things.


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If you like homemade cookies and gifting holiday baskets to your neighbors and friends, you will surely need easy cookie packaging ideas. Your entire beautiful work could be wasted when you spend too much money on buying expensive baskets and other boxes. For that reason, you might need some DIY ideas, carton boxes and other creative packaging stuff.
Cute baskets and printed carton boxes are found in any store. They come in many designs to allow you variety of shapes and prices as well. The other means of packaging would be satin wraps, plastic sheets, colorful kids cones and small boxes, glass jars, etc.
As shown in the photos below, you can use small boxes and colorful wraps for kids cookies. To gift a friend or neighbor, it is better to use the opened baskets, the elegant printed boxes and the glass jars. They look fabulous with satin ribbons, stickers and small greeting cards.


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Oh F**k! That is what Nick Smith and John Key should be saying right about now.
Because all their plans to reef extra tax out of us all with the ETS are pretty well screwed. The law as it stands now is rooted. It is rooted because, simply put, the market for such nonsense has died.
The vaunted playgrounds of Al Gore, the Chicago Carbon exchange and the? Euro Carbon Market are almost non-existant, dead, kaput, rooted, f**ked.
These are the only real markets that New Zealand companies can try and sell their now worthless carbon credits. The Russian and East European markets are essentially unreliable and not genuinely recognised.
So the issue is that the only other jurisdiction to have an ETS is the EU.
The EU ETS is of course much more limited than NZ?s insane scheme ? it includes between a third and a half of the EU economy, not 100% like mad David Parker and Nick Smith decided for New Zealand.
But now even that limited EU ETS is collapsing. It isn't surprising that the CCX is collapsing too when you consider who their advisory board is.
?Dead? is a word that might describe trading on this exchange.
Maybe it has something to do with the members of the advisory board? On it we find Ed Begley Jr., Joe Kennedy II, and Dr. Rajenda Pachauri. With a team like that, how could it fail? The real problem with carbon credits is that there?s nothing tangible to trade. It?s all spun from thin air, literally.
So NZ will be the only country in the world to have an ETS that actually imposes real costs on the economy.
Already, all activity in the forestry industry has completely ceased as a result of forestry having been in the ETS since 1 January 2008.
Even though Labour and then National said the ETS would encourage the industry ? in its manifesto National said 600,000 hectares would be planted in its first term ? not a single hectare of new forests has been planted, to Whaleoil?s knowledge, since then, and not a single hectare is planned to be planted this winter, next winter or any winter after.)
On 1 July 2010, all petrol and electricity prices will rise ? and those costs will flow through to every other part of the economy.? Unlike the GST rise, no compensation is planned.? That will lead to a crash in economic activity throughout the economy, just as has happened in forestry.
Meanwhile, Australia and the US have abandoned plans for their ETSs.
And China, India, Brazil have no intention of ever even considering one.
The EU scheme is collapsing.
No other country is considering an ETS.
This means that NZ will remain the only country in the world where ETS costs will be paid by families, consumers and businesses.
And this was done why?????
The only rational remaining now for the ETS is simply taxation increases. The wolf in sheeps clothing, but the only thing that is going to get slaughtered is our economy. Labour knew it, National knows it, and the dullard sheeple think we are saving the planet by doing it, that is until it kicks in on 1 Julu 2010, just a scant 3 and 1/2 months away. Labour knew the ETS would bring in $21 billion in extra taxes to the govt ? this is what the ETS is really all about.? Obviously it can?t be about saving the planet, because NZ produces just 0.2% of global emissions (even if you believe all that crap).? It?s ENTIRELY about tax collection.? That?s why Cullen (and now English) support it.? Fuck the productive sector, of course ? as long as Bill gets his $21 billion in extra taxes.
And what about Nationals statements about the fiscal neutrality of our ETS, Labour's plan of course was even more insane, even higher levels of taxation with zero compensation. Sure they cry crocodile tears now over GST, sure they accuse National of the ETS of not being fiscally neutral, and not because their ETS would have been, no because they just want John Key and Nick Smith to admit the truth even if they were never going to do the same.
Look at that graph. Go on really look at it John Key. Look with your traders eyes, do the math. The old adage that when you find that you are riding a dead horse the best way to move forward is to dismount.
With the CCX and the Euro Carbon Markets both trading at a round 10c per tonne! And our ETS legislation has set the lower price at $50 any fool except perhaps Nick Smith can see that the people who have carbon credits can't sell them and everyone is now carrying the can – This is quite simply "How to fuck your economy by keeping your blinkers on – 101".
If think that this market is rooted then think again, there is literally hundreds of years of evidence that markets that are based on hype and thin air all end the the same way, in tears.
- Tulip mania (top 1637)
- The South Sea Company (1720)
- Mississippi Company (1720)
- Railway Mania (1840s)
- Florida speculative building bubble (1926)
- Roaring Twenties stock-market bubble (circa 1922-1929)
- Poseidon bubble (1970)
- Japanese asset price bubble (1980s)
As much at home writing editorials as being the subject of them, Cam has won awards, including the Canon Media Award for his work on the Len Brown/Bevan Chuang story. When he's not creating the news, he tends to be in it, with protagonists using the courts, media and social media to deliver financial as well as death threats.
They say that news is something that someone, somewhere, wants kept quiet. Cam Slater doesn't do quiet and, as a result, he is a polarising, controversial but highly effective journalist who takes no prisoners.
He is fearless in his pursuit of a story.
Love him or loathe him, you can't ignore him.
To read Cam's previous articles click on his name in blue.


text:
This map features two coloured and contrasting maps of the moon, one by Johannes Hevelius, the other by Giovanni Battista Riccioli, both originally published in the mid-17th century. Although the topography of the moon obviously does not change much, this work charts how the nomenclature of the moon's features was subject to vigorous debate. Hevelius' system, favoured in Protestant countries, assigned the names of terrestrial countries and features to lunar ones. Riccioli's system was favoured in Catholic countries at first, not becoming the standard until the middle of the 18th century, and invoked the names of famous astronomers used alongside more evocative names. Parts of the moon that appeared darker were called "seas", such as the Sea of Tranquility, lighter parts were termed "land", for example the Land of Fertility or the Land of Health.
Doppelmaiero (1677-1750) was a prolific writer on astronomy, mathematics and instrumentation whose most enduring work, his Atlas Coelestis, included this lunar map along with star charts, the planetary systems of Tychus, Copernicus and Riccioli and Halley's cometary theory. Although the atlas was not published until 1742, most of the charts contained within it were produced between 1709 and 1720. The charts were collected by the Fagels as they were produced, as evidenced by the fact that they were never bound, and complement the magnificently illustrated celestial atlas by Cellari found elsewhere in the collection.


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Gigan - Multi-Dimensional Fractal Sorcery
Author: RapeTheDead
(Willowtip, 2013)
Score: 85
#FOR FANS OF: Techno Death, Gorguts, Mithras and Ulcerate
There appears to be a subtle, but still fairly noticeable recent change in the direction death metal's heading in. Instead of just making thrash metal heavier, meatier and more gruesome, new death metal bands take the more outlandish aspects of Morbid Angel and Autopsy, add a nice dose of Obscura-era Gorguts and streamline it into something very detailed and showy, but still twisted and ugly. Popularized by Ulcerate and Portal, Gigan has actually been playing this brand of abrasive, incomprehensible death metal for quite a while at this point. Back in 2008, 'The Order of the False Eye' was an incorrigible slab of filth that seemed unfortunately out-of-place on a label like Napalm Records. Fortunately, Willowtip is much more fitting to their style and they've refined and grown as a band in the five years since that album came out. 'Multi-Dimensional Fractal Sorcery' is an endless blitz of frantic riffing, but there's still enough oddly captivating melodic guitar frills to give the album a bit of accessibility to almost any death metal fan. Is this the rebirth of Floridian death metal? One can certainly hear the cues taken from things such as 'Altars of Madness' in the brute, low-end death metal riffing, but that's only one face of the multidimensional fabric of the album. Mostly thrashing about in mid to high-note spastic dissonance with the suffocating, mostly linear structuring of Immolation and Gorguts, there are additional flashes of intricate consonance amidst the frantic riff blender to give you something that actually sort of makes sense before swallowing you up in a discordant riff frenzy again. Even in giving you that small piece of melody to grasp at, 'Multi-Dimensional Fractal Sorcery' never loses its speed in the process as long as the guitars are playing. Even when they give you something even remotely pretty-sounding, it's just as detailed, twisted and alien as anything else in the music. As seems to be the staple for any extreme metal band attempting to be "atmospheric", there are a few sections where the guitars and drums stop playing and the keyboards dominate with simple, haunting verses. These infrequent moments actually serve as quite welcome breaks from the intense abrasion that surrounds them, and are placed in the music only for that purpose and never wander for too long to distract the listener from the main purpose: getting paralyzed, scrambled and suffocated in a cosmic vortex. The sense of professionalism that both Willowtip and years of evolving in artistry as well as musicianship has provided to Gigan is almost crucial to the expression of the themes on 'Multi-Dimensional Fractal Sorcery'. Chaos is, in reality, a complex and precise process, and only with the capabilties and resources the band has accumulated can these sort of things properly be articulated. New drummer Nate Cotton is an absolute beast, constantly changing up what he's doing while still staying consistently manic and active. Constantly changing up the riffs like Gigan does on this album requires the drumwork to consistently keep up with the pacing of the riffs, and Cotton accomplishes this masterfully. He stands out really nicely on "Mother of Toads"; it's like Brann Dailor if he listened to way too much Marduk. His performance could have been buried under a raw production, but the crystal-clear modern sheen on this album captures every minuscule detail. That's very fortunate, because 'Multi-Dimensional Fractal Sorcery' has a lot of riffs for you to sink your teeth into. Inevitably, Not every riff is going to be particularly accessible or intriguing. There are riffs you probably won't like very much because they do throw them at you at a rate so fast you can barely catch up to what's going on and nobody bats 1000 with this sort of approach. Nothing ever strays far from the chaotic, astral atmosphere, though, and that in itself is commendable. So this is technical death metal then? I guess. The band is technically proficient, they play death metal--but this won't sound like the technical death metal one might be used to hearing in this day and age, which tends to take heavy cues from modern brutal death metal and deathcore; the similar bands are too old-school on 'Multi-Dimensional Fractal Sorcery' and the music is way too jam-packed and dissonant and lacks the punishing groove or bludgeoning that death metal usually has almost as a byproduct of its nature. Gigan serve to remind us of how versatile death metal can be and how broad a palate of influences death metal bands can draw from these days.


text:
Dear Forum Members,
Our newest member of the Cherry Valley club is a finishing carpenter/builder by trade and student of DCC/IT.
Lasr week the Tech Desk was installed in our operating 'pit' area to provide hands on IT environment while watching your locomotives travel the main line.
We are putting the finishing touches of the Tech Desk by adding JMRI and WiThrottle to bring the CV club into the 21st century and provide our members with a value added addition to test and operate their equipment to its maximum potential without a individual out of pocket expense.
Tech desk can provide a number of DCC/ IT services.
DCC programming
JMRI-Taking guesswork out of such DCC functions as speed matching /CV values
ON/Off-DCC/DC testing and also coupler height and weight testing for freight cars.
Pictured Is builder Jim Musser on the left and his helper Frank Fusco.
Interesting to note Jim's primary scale is HO and Frank's is S.
Cherry Valley welcomes all model railroaders regardless of scale and skill.
We are hear to have FUN!!
Consider joining our Club!!
John P Dunn Sr.
President CVMRR


text:
Construction complete on Marlow office development
The comprehensive renovation of Planar House (now known as Eclipse) has been completed and is now being actively marketed to potential tenants.
In May 2014 Maven raised £4.8 million to purchase and fully refurbish the building, which is located at The Globe Business Park in the beautiful Buckinghamshire town of Marlow. The location will provide its tenant with excellent access to the M40 and M4 motorways, connecting Marlow with Reading, Oxford and Central London.
In the past year Eclipse has undergone an extensive 'back to frame' refurbishment to provide a striking high quality (Grade A) headquarters office building, set within a mature landscaped site with 106 car parking spaces.
Eclipse is just one of a number of property developments Maven's UK-wide specialist team is currently managing. Find out more about property investment opportunities at Maven.


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Over the past few weeks, we've hinted at our next steps and at the future of the game. Today, we're pleased to announce that we're rebuilding Deathgarden's core experience. The new gameplay elements we're introducing will allow us to realign the game with what we'd originally envisioned; we want Runners to have a tense but exhilarating experience and want Hunters to feel powerful and utterly unstoppable.
Deathgarden is no longer a glorious sport—it's a trial of unnatural selection.
A Battle for Resources
In the Garden, your objective is to collect as many resources as possible. The resources you successfully secure during the match will allow you to upgrade your characters' abilities after the match (persistent upgrade on the character). This applies to both Hunter and Runner players.
Runners must locate and collect resources found within the Arena. To secure resources, Runners must deposit any resource they've collected at "resource banks." On the other hand, the Hunter is rewarded by eliminating Runners and preventing them from collecting resources.
Bloodpost Removal
We've made several significant changes to Deathgarden's gameplay. The first major change is the removal of the Bloodpost. The Hunter's gameplay now focuses much more on the tracking and killing of Runners.
We wanted Hunters to be and feel unstoppable and make them feel in control of the arena. Therefore, we removed a major element that would force them to disengage from a chase (something that is enjoyable/exciting for Runners and Hunters).
One Life
The second major change is that each Runner possesses one life. Runners must now adopt a stealthier playstyle if they are to survive the trial and gather as many resources as possible. It increases tension for the Runners and makes killing Runners feel more rewarding for the Hunter.
Survival Vambrace Powers
In addition to this change, Runners now rely on "defensive" or "survival" Vambrace powers instead of offensive ones. In other words, we've removed all directly confrontational Vambrace powers (Stun, Blind, Slow, etc.) and replaced these with new tactical powers. (There are several new powers, which we'll unveil in the weeks/months to come). We are still iterating on those to figure out which ones are most enjoyable and useful. This change further reinforces the fact that the Hunters are an utterly unstoppable force and that Runners are nimble escape artists.
Individual Rewards and Scoring
The final and perhaps most important change is that Runners will now adopt a more individualistic playstyle. While we're not removing teamplay from their core experience (we will reward Runners for completing actions that benefit their team), Runners are now rewarded for what they accomplish within the Garden and awarded only what they manage to take out of the Garden.
If one Runner is carrying a set amount of resources and they see a downed ally, they'll think twice before attempting to rescue their friend. Should the Hunter also "down" the Runner carrying resources, that Runner will lose everything he or she carries. As for the Hunter, they will be rewarded for all Runner kills.
In short, everything you accomplish in the Garden, (deliver resources, rescue Runners, down Runners, etc.) grants you XP and, ultimately, the resources you'll need to further your characters' progression.
A Different Balancing Mindset
On several occasions, we've mentioned that, in our initial vision, the Hunter was a brutal and unstoppable force. The new gameplay experience allows us to realize this fantasy. It lets us balance the game around the notions of tension and brutality rather than around those of agility and strength. The Runners and Hunter are no longer in a direct competition—everyone strives to complete the match with as many resources as possible. This means that more players should come out of the match feeling rewarded. Realigning our direction also gives us freedom as to how far we can push the asymmetry of power and experience for Hunters and Runners.
Ensuring Coherence Between Gameplay and Fantasy
We sincerely believe that the changes we're making will ensure a strong coherence between gameplay and fantasy. Rethinking Hunter and Runner power dynamics allows us to transform Deathgarden into a much more enticing and heart-pounding experience.
Runners, will you become lone wolves, or will you work together in the face of the unstoppable Hunter? Hunters, will you allow those Runners to survive your onslaught.


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LATAM Airlines Peru from July 2019 is introducing additional domestic route from Lima, on board Airbus A319 aircraft. From 01JUL19, the airline will operate Lima – Ilo route, 4 times a week.
LA2171 LIM0651 – 0834ILQ 319 x246
LA2170 ILQ0914 – 1106LIM 319 x246
Previously announced by the airline, the airline is also launching Lima – Calama service 3 times a week, from 02JUL19.


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Financing Options
No matter what your skin care goals are, Nusbaum Medical Centers of New Jersey is here to help you.
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CasinoBeats Summit is the international casino conference & exhibition.
The 2nd edition of the Summit will bring together operators, suppliers and a range of sector visionaries to consider the challenges facing the online casino sector. The focus is on industry insight, knowledge sharing and networking opportunities at the heart of the world's largest regulated online gaming market.
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- 1,000 senior executive delegates
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- 25 conference sessions, panels and presentations
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Every local institute is required as part of its constitution to keep account of all its financial transactions and submit a statement of accounts at each Annual General Meeting.
It is the role of the treasurer to report on the financial standing of the local institute at each council meeting, preferably via the latest local institute Accounts Tool, or in the form of a statement of income and expenditure, a balance sheet and cash flow statements.
The CII's financial year runs from 1 January to 31 December and this is reflected by every local institute, with all local institutes submitting their annual financial returns to the CII by 31st May of each year as part of their annual returns.
It is recommended that a budget is prepared at the start of each calendar year in conjunction with the incoming president and treasurer. The budget should be apportioned according to the institute's membership requirements.
Once the budget has been prepared and agreed upon it should be fully discussed at each council meeting with adjustments made to reflect any changes on a meeting on meeting basis.
Please note should a local institute cease to be an unincorporated association and become a limited liability company then there are requirements relating to the production of accounts that would need to be observed and these would need to be taken into account in conjunction with the auditors. In case of difficulties the Finance department at the CII might be able to assist – contact your Regional Membership Manager in the first instance.


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Friday, August 31, 2012
5 comments:
Great dinner, great company... it doesn't get any better than that. ...and you can't beat a good bolegnese sauce.ReplyDelete
Good gosh I love the colors of that room (and the beautiful people in it)ReplyDelete
Hi Lori I'm an occasional visitor :-)ReplyDelete
Annette at Aspen Meadows suggested I ask if you've got a recipe for pickled garlic. My garlic grew well this year, and I'm preserving it before I move to France at the end of the month. I've used a recipe I found on epicurious (French pickled garlic) and another one found via google.fr (love this one, "Put garlic in sterilised jar. Cover with olive oil. Seal" Can it really be that easy?)
I'd love to try a recipe that comes with a recommendation, so if you have one I'll give it a go.
We had a geese convention here, too, the other day. Love that golden hibiscus!ReplyDelete
I love the last photo of Jenny.... it's so happy and stress-free.ReplyDelete
Laughs, good food and friends...sounds wonderful!


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If you are an existing Member of the Insiders club, either monthly, yearly or lifetime, you can get the entire year of the long term letter for just 99.95. Click the buy now link, and it will take you first to a log in page.
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Haemorrhagic stroke
A haemorrhagic stroke is a stroke that is caused by bleeding in or around the brain. Although they are less common than strokes that are caused by a blockage, they can be much more serious.
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A haemorrhagic stroke is a stroke that is caused by bleeding in or around the brain. Although they are less common than strokes that are caused by a blockage, they can be much more serious.
The Stroke Association held this workshop to set the priorities for haemorrhagic stroke research in the UK.
Resource type: Information leaflet
Publication type: Stroke information
Around 15% of strokes are haemorrhagic (due to bleeding in or around the brain). This guide explains the two different types of stroke caused by a bleed, intracerebral and subarachnoid haemorrhage, and how they are diagnosed and treated.
This research will investigate 2000 drugs that are already known to be safe for use in humans to see if they could help reduce the amount of damage to the brain an intracerebral haemorrhage (a type of stroke caused by a bleed in the brain) causes.
This research aims to improve outcomes for Intracerebral Haemorrhage (ICH) patients by developing new emergency treatments to reduce swelling in the brain after ICH, and improving the care they receive.
People with stroke due to brain haemorrhage have swelling around the haemorrhage on their brain scan. More swelling worsens recovery. No treatment improves outcome after this swelling.
The programme will use biological information about cells and molecules, and information from patients, to design a study of treatment for swelling after brain haemorrhage.
Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is a type of stroke, which is caused by bleeding in the brain, ultimately leading to brain damage, disability and often death. We currently know very little about the biological changes that occur in the brain after intracerebral haemorrhage.
Techniques to predict - and in future prevent - brain haemorrhage in people treated with warfarin after stroke caused by atrial fibrillation
This study will show whether more intensive lowering of blood pressure (BP) in survivors of intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is feasible, safe and effective in reducing brain injury. If successful, the study will pave the way for the design a larger definitive trial.
Published online first in the journal Neurology, a new study suggests that people with AF who have an ICH due to their medication have similar outcomes whether they're on a NOAC or a vitamin K antagonist drug.


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- Graduate
- Public Policy and Administration (MA)
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- Undergraduate
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- Continuing Education
|Study Abroad
Centre international d'études pédagogiques (CIEP)
Founded in 1945 and a national public institution since 1987, the CIEP is recognised both in France and abroad for its skills with regard to expert evaluation, training, assessment, and management of international projects. The CIEP is a key public operator under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research. It is in addition the main operating partner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development. It relies on a network of national and international experts and partners, as well as on its staff of 250.
Foreign Language Assistants in France
International Youth Internship Program (IYIP)
The IYIP is designed to offer Canadian post-secondary graduates the opportunity to gain professional experience through international development work. The objective of the IYIP is to support sustainable international development initiatives proposed, in partnership with local partner organizations, by Canadian professional associations, educational institutions, non-governmental organizations and private companies.
European Commission
The European Commission frequently sponsors programs and exchanges of interest to graduate students. Watch the web-site of the Delegation of the European Union to Canada for announcements and details.
European Master's Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation (E.MA)
Obtain a graduate degree, with support from the European Union, with study in Venice and in one of 39 participating European Universities.
EuroScholars is a unique study abroad program for advanced students whereby students can conduct research at a high calibre institution while taking a language and culture class.
Exchange Programs
Ryerson has collaborative agreements with many universities around the world.
Ontario-Rhône-Alpes (ORA) Exchange
The ORA student exchange program provides students in participating universities in Ontario, Canada and Rhône-Alpes, France, the opportunity to spend up to one year of non-degree study in the "sister" province.
|Study Abroad Services
Ryerson International
There are many ways to enjoy an international experience while increasing your skills in your chosen field. Whether you choose to pursue one of our established exchange programs, decided to create your own study abroad experience, or hope to work abroad, RI can help.
The UNESCO portal offers access to on-line information on higher education institutions recognized or otherwise sanctioned by competent authorities in participating countries.
World Education Services (WES)
WES is a non-profit organization that provides research about international education and trends and offers expert credential evaluation services.


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By Sebastien Malo and Sonia Elks
NEW YORK / LONDON, July 27 (Openly) - With a burst of pop power, a U.S. festival in Utah is aiming to press the Mormon church to soften its stance towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in the church community.
Celebrities ranging from rock band Imagine Dragons to Apple Inc's chief executive Tim Cook will be among those performing or appearing at LoveLoud festival in Salt Lake City on Saturday.
Imagine Dragons' singer Dan Reynolds - himself a Mormon - founded the festival last year with the goal of bringing together and building acceptance of young LGBT people.
Yet the Utah-based Mormon church - known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - opposes gay relationships, and activists are urging religious leaders to change policies that reject and exclude people in same-sex relationships.
"This isn't rocket science: if you isolate somebody they are going to be in despair," said Troy Williams, the executive director for Equality Utah, an LGBT rights group.
"The Latter-day Saints do have a responsibility within their own church to love and embrace their own members," he added.
In 2015, church elders announced that Mormons entering into same-sex marriage would be excommunicated, and that their children would be prevented from being baptised into the faith.
While the church is against gay marriage, faith leaders say they are working to ensure LGBT members still feel welcome.
"We want our LGBT brothers and sisters to know that they are loved, valued, and needed in His Church," a spokesman for the Mormons said in a recent statement posted on their website.
A spokesman for the church was not available for comment.
Ellen Kahn, head of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's children, youth and families program, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that many Mormons "worry about if and how they might be open about who they are in Mormon communal life".
Yet Williams said he was hopeful the Mormon church would change its stance and policies regarding LGBT people over time.
"I'm optimistic that as more people come out, and as more gay and trans Mormons share their stories, that minds will open and hearts will change," he said.
LGBT rights have come under the spotlight in the United States under President Donald Trump - from battles over public restrooms and serving in the military to a court victory for a Christian baker who refused to make a cake for a gay couple.
The Supreme Court has shifted to the right following the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy who wrote the 2015 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.
(Reporting by Sebastien Malo in New York and Sonia Elks in London, Additional Reporting by Arantxa Underwood, Editing by Kieran Guilbert (Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org)
Openly is an initiative of the Thomson Reuters Foundation dedicated to impartial coverage of LGBT+ issues from around the world.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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7 Water Safety Tips For Parents
July 17, 2018 by
Zandile Chiwanza
According to The Lifesaving Society drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death for children under five years old. The best way to avoid drowning is to practice better water safety.
- Maintain Active Supervision.
When infants or toddlers are in or around water never leave a child unattended. If you will be absent even for a moment designate a replacement "lifeguard." Always supervise children and avoid distractions of any kind. This means putting your phone down and no multi-tasking.
"If you're not with arm's reach, you've gone too far," the Lifesaving Society emphasizes.
Bathtub drownings also occur every year among young children. Don't leave young kids in the tub unsupervised.
- Enrol Kids in Swimming Lessons/ Camp.
Basic swimming ability is vital for your kids. Take that a step further and make sure everyone in the family can swim well too. You can start introducing your babies to water when they are about six months old. Enrol in parent and tot aquatic programs.
- Educate your Kids about Water Safety.
Teach kids to swim only in areas designated for swimming. Whether in the backyard or in a lake they need to be aware swimming in open water is not the same as swimming in a pool.
- Establish Family Swimming Rules and Enforce Them.
For example, encourage kids to ask for permission to go near water. This will get them into the habit of swimming only when an adult is present. Another example is to enforce the rule to always swim with a buddy to encourage your child to not go swimming without supervision.
- Don't Rely on Swimming Aids
It's good to have young children and inexperienced swimmers wear swimming aids such as water rings, float suits, armbands. However, these aids should not be used in place of lifejackets or be used to replace active supervision!
- Prevent Unsupervised Access to Water
Make sure they cannot get to water without you! Every municipality has different bylaws for pools and fencing make sure you secure private pools with appropriate barriers to restrict and control access to water. Keep pool toys that can attract young kids to a pool out of sight when not in use.
- Learn CPR
Drowning is fast and silent. Learning CPR will teach you how to prevent and respond to emergencies. If you own a pool have appropriate equipment such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone to call 911, life jackets and a first aid kit close to the pool.
Source: Life Saving Society Ontario
Posted inSafety


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If your employees are lonely, is it your business? Traditionally we've been reluctant to get tangled up in colleagues' emotional lives in case it seems intrusive or leads to embarrassment.
However, research shows that loneliness is not just a personal issue; it's a health and business problem, too. Workplace design is an important factor in creating this isolation.
How loneliness impacts health
Employee wellbeing programmes usually focus on physical health factors such as smoking, inactivity and healthy eating. According to figures from the Campaign to End Loneliness, feeling lonely is as much a threat to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Here's how loneliness impacts the body: prolonged feelings of loneliness increase production of the stress hormone cortisol. This makes the person breathe less deeply, the heart rate increases and muscles tense up.
Over long periods of time, this has profound health consequences. Loneliness has been found to increase the risk of heart disease by 29%, stroke by 32% and causes a significant increase in dementia risk. Overall, loneliness can reduce life expectancy by up to seven years.
How workplaces make us lonely
Workplace design has a strong influence on how we form relationships in the office, with fenced-off desks, back-to-back seating arrangements and reduced opportunities for personal interaction all feeding into the phenomenon.
While you might think reducing all that chit-chat is a positive for productivity, research shows that banter is the social glue that binds a workplace together and incentivises better performance. A 2014 study by Cornell University found that social connection at work is vital to ensure 'discretionary effort' – the urge for employees to give more than the bare minimum.
When workers feel like they are part of a team working towards a common goal, motivation increases and productivity goes up. Closer relationships between colleagues also increases opportunities for sharing skills and knowledge. Yet a 2014 Relate study found that 42% of people do not have a close friend at work.
How to embed sociability in your workplace design
Don't wait for employees to tell you that loneliness is a problem; you can take simple steps to prevent loneliness in your workplace:
1. Get the balance right
We all need some peace and quiet to get work done, but think carefully before creating an environment with so many barriers and cubicles that employees cannot speak to each other. Sitting in islands rather than back-to-back, for example, can help encourage a little conversation.
2. Create social spaces
Too many workplaces lack a place where friendships can blossom – whether a break-out room, canteen or games room. These rooms can bring people together, but they need to be designed carefully so they do not intimidate people entering alone.
3. Use signage to celebrate relationships
Ice breakers such as charity challenges or interdepartmental competitions can be a great way to build team spirit and get people talking to one another. Keep it fun, inclusive and low-key and be sure to post pictures and updates on your communication channels.
4. Make room for private discussions
Loneliness is something most employees are reluctant to discuss, which makes careful listening on the part of managers all the more important. Having quiet, relaxed spaces for catch ups can provide the conditions in which an isolation problem can be identified. Without these, low morale and dwindling productivity caused by loneliness could easily be mistaken for lack of commitment.