text:
Heeeeey guys! Happy New Year! Hope you had a safe and fabulous weekend and are ready to get to work on those 2017 resolutions.
First, I wanted to say thanks to you guys for sticking around all these years. I appreciate every comment, every email, every single time you click on my site. I love you guys.
Anyway, I skipped the whole year in review post this year because this last year was somehow the best and worst year of my life and my blog was a total mess because of it. My highs were really high and my lows were really, really, really low and honestly, I don't even know how I managed to blog most of the time.
I'm going into 2017 knowing it'll be probably the hardest year of my life but also knowing that things will look a lot better on the other side of this mess.
So, again, thank you for everything.
Speaking of my messy life, I'm gonna have to move myself, my kids, and my 3 jerk dogs sometime in the near future. I have no idea when and no ideawhere but my major goal right now is to save as much money as possible for that move. So, we are going meatless several days a week.
These Thai Mushroom Lettuce Wraps are super cheap and also really quick to throw together. That's another thing about meatless meals that I enjoy, they take almost no time to cook.
You guys know I love a lettuce wrap and this one is herby and spicy and just how I like them. But no meat. So the filling is just mushrooms and onion with fresh herbs and a Thai-inspired sauce. Top it with peanuts if you want a little extra crunch!
Perfect for sticking to your health goals and your money saving goals!
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoons sriracha plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 pound portobello mushrooms stemmed and diced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped
- butter lettuce leaves for serving
In a small bowl, whisk together coconut aminos, zest and juice of lime, ginger, garlic, and 1 tablespoon sriracha. Set aside.
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook until onion is translucent and mushrooms have softened. Add the sauce and cook until reduced. Stir in green onions, cilantro, and mint.
To serve, spoon mushroom mixture into lettuce leaves. Drizzle with sriracha and sprinkle with more fresh herbs, if desired.
Want more meatless meals?
Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup


text:
Therapeutic Powers of Art
This week's post is written by June Martin of Moth & Twig.
I am a therapist. I am an artist. At times I have been able to combine art and therapy in treating clients. The outcomes were often quite successful. But why?
By definition, art therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses the creative process of making art to improve a person's physical, mental, and emotional well-being. You needn't be a Rembrandt to participate in art therapy. In fact, when I suggested the modality of art therapy to clients I was sometimes met with, "But I'm not artistic. I can't even draw." That statement alone is a whole other blog! I usually respond with, "It's ok, you needn't know anything about art to create and express yourself. This is about you and your unique voice. Through art, we can bring out that voice."
In my work I have witnessed how the creative process helps people see things about themselves that they may not otherwise have understood. I have especially seen how art therapy is beneficial for children since it is sometimes difficult for children to express themselves using words. Art therapy can help people process their emotions so that they can begin to heal. Art therapy is also used to help alleviate anxiety and stress.
Do you need an art therapist to help you experience the benefits of creative arts? While certainly an art therapist can guide you and help you explore and gain insight through creative expression, I think just about anyone can benefit from doing art on their own, whether it is to relieve stress and/or anxiety, discover something new about yourself, or use it in a way to connect with others. Art is powerful. Whether you're creating or viewing, art can touch your soul like nothing else can. It is important to note that art is not limited to the visual arts. The concept of art spans many varied disciplines.
The next time you're in a gallery, museum, or a cool, local artist co-op (such as Artistic Portland), take a moment to reflect on the art you're drawn to. How does it make you feel? Why do you think you were drawn to that piece? Let the art be interactive. The artist who created the piece you are drawn to most likely experienced emotions of their own while creating the piece. I know for me, creating is a highly therapeutic process and each piece I create has a story. Though the buyer will most likely never know that story, and I may never know what compelled the buyer to purchase the piece, it is enough for me to know that SOMETHING about the piece spoke to them and it is always my hope that each time a piece is worn, they are reminded of what that piece means to them. Art is powerful and often therapeutic.
Leave a Reply.
January 2020

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hunter Valley Wedding Venue
Plan a unique country wedding at our Hunter Valley wedding venue, Mulla Villa in Wollombi. Whether it's an intimate wedding for 40 guests or a celebration for up to 150, we have ample space to accommodate your needs – from a luxurious marquee reception to a casual barn-style wedding.
Thank you to Cotton Candy Photography
Enquire about your Wedding and we will send you our
Mulla Villa Wedding Brochure
Mulla Villa – Wollombi Wedding Reception Venues
Barn Style Weddings in The Cow Shed
Our Cow Shed has been recently renovated to cater for rustic style wedding receptions and barn-style weddings. With picturesque views of Mulla Villas 75 acres it is a perfect venue for your wedding, seating 100 inside or with adjoining marquees or cocktail style 150. Venue Hire 2019: $4,000 (for 5 hours)
Marquee Weddings
We can tailor a Marquee Wedding to suit your needs, depending on the style you're looking for, and number of guests. We have a range of locations available across Mulla Villa's 75 acres. Venue Hire: POA
Mulla Villa – Wollombi Wedding Ceremony Venues
Ceremonies at Mulla Villa
There are various ceremony options and locations to choose from at Mulla Villa, our most popular being our Rustic Arbour, conveniently located right next to the Cow Shed, and perfect for your dream outdoor ceremony. Ceremony fees start from $700
Ceremonies in Wollombi
Alternatively there are three historic local churches to choose from: Saint Michael's which is sandstone church built in 1840 and welcomes Catholic, other denominations and civil ceremonies; Saint John's which is a sandstone church built in 1849 offering Anglican based ceremonies; and Saint Mark's in Laguna which is a timber church built in 1884, offering Anglican ceremonies.
Hens / Bucks Nights
We can cater for many Hens and Bucks night options, such as:
Wine / Golf / Ale Tours
Spa days
High Tea's
OR anything you have in mind.
Pre / Post Wedding Dining
We offer a perfect relaxing atmosphere for your pre or post wedding day, with accommodation on site for up to 15 people why not stay the night here, or in one of the many other local options (courtesy bus can be arranged).
We can cater for up to 80 people from our buffet breakfast option for $22 per person, or our three course dinner packages start from $45 per person.
Discover more about Mulla Villa in Wollombi
Contact us today to organise your next Hunter Valley getaway


text: With the undeniable realization that fall is now upon us, I am longingly reminiscing about those final summer days and the weekend trip I made to Stockholm before returning to university. Although it was September we were still enjoying gorgeously blue skies and strolling around the city in 25-degree heat. I had a fantastic friend… Continue reading WEEKEND IN STOCKHOLM


text: (Adds analyst quotes, details; updates prices) * Canadian dollar at C$1.3945, or 71.71 U.S. cents * Bond prices higher across the maturity curve By Fergal Smith TORONTO, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar managed a modest bounce against its U.S. counterpart after softer-than-expected domestic data had helped send the currency to a more than 11-year low, although the recovery was cut short by further weakening in oil prices. The loonie, as Canada's currency is colloquially known, traded weaker than C$1.4000 against the U.S. dollar for the first time since May 2004. But the move provided a signal for "profit taking," according to Adam Button, currency analyst at ForexLive. For the week, the Canadian dollar fell 1.5 percent, with losses deepening after the U.S. Federal Reserve hiked rates on Wednesday. The Bank of Canada will not be concerned by the softer-than-expected inflation data, but won't be able to look past the "collapse in commodities," Button said. "Oil is in a complete tailspin, he added, "and the Canadian dollar is right with it every step of the way." The Canadian dollar ended the week at C$1.3945 to the greenback, or 71.71 U.S. cents, slightly stronger than the Bank of Canada's official close on Thursday of C$1.3950, or 71.68 U.S. cents. The currency's strongest level of the session was C$1.3855, while its weakest level was C$1.4003. Canada's annual inflation rate rose to 1.4 percent, a touch shy of economists' forecasts for a rise to 1.5 percent. Closely watched core inflation, which strips out volatile items, dipped to 2.0 percent, which was also short of expectations. Wholesale trade dropped by 0.6 percent in October from September, the fourth consecutive monthly decline, and far short of analysts' average forecast for a 0.1 percent gain. U.S. crude prices settled at $34.73 a barrel, down 0.63 percent, while Brent crude lost 1.08 percent to $36.66. Canadian government bond prices were higher across the maturity curve, with the two-year price up 3.5 Canadian cents to yield 0.504 percent and the benchmark 10-year rising 29 Canadian cents to yield 1.398 percent. The Canada-U.S. two-year bond spread narrowed by slightly less than 3 basis points to -45.5 basis points, while the 10-year spread was 0.6 of a basis point narrower at -79.9 basis points, trimming recent outperformance for Canadian government bonds. (Reporting by Fergal Smith; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Leslie Adler)


text:
Christine Ballentine is a loyal US Airways customer, and she has been saving up her frequent-flyer miles for a trip to France this summer. But turning them into a ticket hasnt been easy.
US Airways is telling me that they have flights into Nice but no flights to get me home, says Ballentine, a legal secretary in Philadelphia. Its very frustrating. Its like a part-time job, trying to figure out your options.
Actually, its closer to a full-time job.
Ballentine is one of many air travelers who are irked by their inability to do what airlines promised they could when they signed up for their frequent-flyer programs: redeem their miles for free airline tickets. Now, many are turning to professional consultants to help them navigate the odd and confusing world of travel loyalty programs.
Awards seats are definitely scarcer, says Brian Kelly, who operates ThePointsGuy.com. And with over 17 trillion yes, trillion loyalty points out there, including frequent-flyer miles, hotel points and credit card points, this sector of the travel industry has definitely grown.
Several recent surveys show why demand for these services is high. A 2011 study by the market research firm Colloquy found that Americans accumulate an astounding $48 billion in rewards points and travel miles but fail to redeem at least one-third of them. And a study by IdeaWorks the year before noted that award-redemption rates for airline tickets are low. It singled out US Airways as the stingiest airline: Only 4 percent of its traffic came from frequent-flyer awards, compared with 14 percent for market-leading Southwest Airlines. (US Airways redemption numbers were unchanged in its latest annual report.)
The problems arent unique to US Airways, of course. Ed Holdren and his wife are trying to fly from Santa Barbara, Calif., to Honolulu this fall using their United Airlines frequent-flyer miles.
The only seats available during a five-day window are on flights that first fly to San Francisco, 400 miles north of us, and then fly to Los Angeles, 100 miles south of us and then to Hawaii, Holdren says. I asked the ticketing person who, by the way, was in the Philippines if she had any idea about the geography of California. She was clueless.
Ryan Lile runs the Savvy Traveler (www.savvytravel.net), a Los Angeles-based company that helps frequent travelers turn their points into tickets. He charges clients $75 an hour for services that include travel management, advice for accumulating rewards and general travel tips.
Mileage programs have become increasingly complex in terms of redemption possibilities, Lile says.
Janae Bourgeois, an executive assistant to the chairman of a nonprofit organization based in Baton Rouge, La., hired Lile to make the most of her boss award portfolio. For example, between January and February, the chairman took four trips and wanted to keep costs down by using points to pay for some of them. To arrange that herself, Bourgeois says, shed need to be a student of airline award programs, learning the rules, spending hours searching for available seats and knowing the ins and outs of airline alliances.
Ryan helps us with this because hes familiar with the average cost of a particular international route, and he also understands the value of miles much better than we do, Bourgeois says.
Liles accomplishments include scoring rare Singapore Airlines first-class tickets using award miles, finding impossible-to-book seats on Air New Zealands Los Angeles-to-London route and maneuvering his way around obscure rules restricting United Airlines frequent fliers from booking seats with certain airline alliance partners.
Its about as difficult to determine the size of this fledgling consulting business as it is to redeem miles for a Christmas Eve flight to Hawaii. In other words, its practically impossible.
Airlines dont track the number of awards redeemed through consultants such as Lile. Kelly, who is a former consultant, predicts that more frequent fliers will hire mileage experts as the economy rebounds.
Many of the bookers I know are already at capacity,Kelly says.
I admire the gurus who memorize every program rule and know where the free tickets can be found. Thats insider knowledge worth paying for. Many travelers agree, preferring to spend several hundred dollars per ticket for a consultant rather than pay the fare.
But not all do. Dotti Cahill, a Jacksonville, Fla., nurse, couldnt find a business-class ticket from San Francisco to Bangkok using her miles, so she turned to a consultant who quoted her a rate of $375 per ticket. Too expensive, she says.
My problem is with the airlines. That these points are hard to redeem, a long-standing reality of air travel, is bad enough. That some airlines now charge fees and taxes on top of that is offensive to some loyal air travelers, who expect a free award ticket to actually be, you know, free.
When Dan Zacharia tried to cash in 100,000 miles to book a round-trip business-class ticket to Europe on Air France, for example, the airline said that it would happily take his miles. But there was a little matter of taxes and other surcharges that would set him back $900. For about the same amount, Zacharia could buy an economy-class ticket on his desired flight.
I understand that I may have to pay some taxes, but it shouldnt come to $900, says the college professor from Syracuse, N.Y. He sent an e-mail to Air France, which responded that taxes apply to all tickets. No exceptions.
Frequent-flyer programs shouldnt be this complicated. Its yet another reason to think twice before pledging your loyalty to any airline.
Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. Email him at email@example.com, or troubleshoot your trip through his website, www.elliott.org. Distributed by Tribune Media Services.


text:
Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital Selects ezDI™ for Integrated Computer-Assisted Coding (ezCAC™) and Clinical Documentation Improvement (ezCDI™) Solution
Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital selects ezDI™ for integrated Computer-assisted Coding and Clinical Documentation Improvement software.
LOUISVILLE, Ky., December 19, 2017 (Newswire.com) - ezDI announced today that it will provide The University of Vermont Health Network - Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) with a fully integrated suite of coding workflow software that includes ezDI's integrated Computer-Assisted Coding (ezCAC) and Clinical Documentation Improvement (ezCDI) applications to include complete encoder integration, a compliance module (ezAssess™) and a business intelligence application (healthcare data analytics - ezAnalytics™).
CVPH is a Cerner Soarian Health Information System (HIS) hospital where ezDI will deliver the CAC/CDI solution through the flexible, cloud-based platform that will enable CVPH physicians to effortlessly collaborate with Health Information Management, Coders and CDI staff, providing the highest degree of code assignment, clinical documentation integrity, and coding compliance.
"We are very happy to add Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, another Iroquois Health Alliance member, to our Computer-Assisted Coding and Clinical Document Improvement customer base," said Terry Ciesla, Executive Vice President for ezDI. "We have had the privilege to provide our transcription services to CVPH since 2012 and we are looking forward to engaging with the CVPH team to bring simplicity to the many complexities found within a hospital's coding workflow."
About Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
The University of Vermont Health Network - Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) is a 300+ bed facility and of a six-hospital network serving patients and their families in northern New York and Vermont.
Located Plattsburgh, New York, CVPH is an Iroquois Health Alliance (IHA) member hospital dedicated to providing patients with the best medical care possible in an environment that supports a patient's health and healing.
In 2012, CVPH Medical Center joined Fletcher Allen Partners in Burlington, Vermont to better collaborate with other area hospitals. In 2014, Fletcher Allen Partners became The University of Vermont Health Network, a six-hospital network serving patients and their families in northern New York and Vermont. CVPH Medical Center was renamed The UVM Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital – honoring their proud past and bright future.
About ezDI, Inc.
Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, ezDI, Inc. focuses on developing healthcare IT solutions that leverage cutting-edge technologies including Natural Language Processing (NLP), Machine Learning, Semantic Web, and High-Performance Cloud Computing. The goal is to put operational data in the hands of healthcare professionals to help them proactively identify patients at risk, patterns in disease and treatment outcomes. ezDI builds intuitive healthcare IT solutions spanning Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI), Computer-assisted Coding (CAC), Medical Transcription, Analytics, and more. ezDI has been named as one of the top 100 highly innovative companies at TiECon 2014 and ranked #1 in the Semantic Evaluation of Clinical Data (SemEval) competition for the year 2015. Website – www.ezDI.com
Media Contact:
Terry Ciesla, EVP
ezDI Inc.
12806 Townepark Way,
Louisville, KY 40243
Source: ezDI, Inc and Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
Categories: Healthcare, Healthcare and Medical Informatics, Healthcare and Medical News, Healthcare Technology, Hospitals and Clinics
Tags: AI in Healthcare, Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, Clinical Documentation Improvement, Computer assisted coding, Computer-Assisted CDI, Health Information System, ICD-10 Solutions


text:
Occasionally it is good to be in situations where you are a minority. In my career I grew accustomed to being with groups where the majority of folks were not of my gender. As I grew older I often found that senior adults were a minority. There were times when my profession was not equally represented in the demographic of a particular activity.
The county I live in is majority non-white and my small neighborhood is very diverse. But most of my life has been spent in situations where the majority of people were of my ethnicity. I realize this is not the case with many. Recently I have been reminded of that and experienced a bit of what it feels like to be in the minority.
My wife and I attended an 80th birthday party for a friend and we were two of five people in a crowd of 50 who were not African American. Although we were treated with respect and dignity, there was a sense that most of the people present had experienced life very differently from us simply because of their skin color.
Being a minority is not limited only to racial distinctions. A few weeks ago I attended a 50th wedding anniversary celebration. Everyone there was caucasian/white/Anglo (it is often hard to know the politically correct term) but my wife and I have a different religious background. Although everyone present spoke English, our language was different. The structure of our separate religious organizational structures provided fodder for conversation and accented our differences. I found myself interpreting and explaining things that I said because they were so foreign to the others present.
Last weekend I was in California for my daughter's birthday and we attended a baseball game at AT&T Park in San Francisco. As we waited for the ferry to carry us across the San Francisco Bay to the ballpark I could not miss the fact that just about everyone but my wife and me were wearing Giants apparel. Everybody but the two of us. And my Atlanta Braves cap made it more obvious that I was an outsider. It might have been because of the current sad state of the Braves team that everyone was courteous to me. Whatever the reason I was grateful.
I certainly do not pretend to know how it feels to be a racial minority. As a Christian in the United States I am sure I cannot fully understand what it is like to live where you are a part of a religious minority. There are other things that cause people to feel like they are mistreated or disrespected because they are a minority in that setting.
There are many instances in the Bible that makes it clear that God treats everyone the same and expects us to follow that example. I wish it was easy but it is not. I would like to say that I always treat people equally but I do not.
My recent experiences have reminded me that no one is an outsider. No one is less than any other one. We are all God's special creation and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. God help me to see all people as Your children and treat them as my brothers and sisters.
Jamie Jenkins


text:
(Pocket-lint) - The Raspberry Pi is a wonderful little innovation, one that has come in handy in oh so many ways, including as the basis for our homebuilt retro games console, but it does have its limitations.
It's not particularly useful as a modern media streamer, for example, mainly due to its inability to effectively stream 4K video.
That's where the Renegade Elite steps up. It is a rival to the Raspberry Pi 3 but with much higher spec and is therefore more capable with several media and gaming uses.
Made by Libre Computer and about to go on pre-order through Indiegogo for around $100 for the board, the Renegade Elite (ROC-RK3399-PC) comes with a hexa-core processor, 4GB of RAM and features two USB 3.0 Type-C ports. One can also be used as the power input.
There are also three standard USB 3.0 ports, HDMI 2.0 output and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. An eMMC 5.x interface can be found on the board for storage expansion, while a microSD card slot is present as an alternative or additional, simple storage solution.
The board will be able to run GNU/Linux-based operating systems, like the Raspberry Pi, but can also be used with Android Oreo as the OS.
If you do opt for the latter, you should be able to run Android games well on the Renegade Elite, including PUBG or even Fortnite when it finally arrives for the platform.
Full retail units will be available from August 2018, but Libre Computers claims that retail prices will run approximately 20 per cent higher than during the pre-order phase.


text:
A couple good friends of mine, Pete and Amanda Wells, just released their first EP. I met Pete and Amanda (although they weren't married then) in San Lorenzo Italy at SBI where Pete was my RA. We ended up playing guitar together, and I quickly realized Pete was one of the best guitarists I had ever met. We spent a lot of time fooling around with recording projects using nothing but webcam mics and acoustic guitars. While we didn't create too many masterpieces at that time, I realized Pete also a serious muse when it came to lyrics. I haven't seen him and Amanda since SBI, but shortly after I got home he moved back to the States and went to recording school on the West Coast (why I haven't seen them recently). We kept in touch though, and even exchanged a few projects, letting me see how their style was maturing. So I was really excited the other day when I heard about the release of their EP:
It has a kind of folk-alternative sound with lots of guitar picking and ambient vocals. The lyrics are very thought provoking, and sometimes downright haunting. You should check it out.


text:
yes. you read that correctly. i spent four hours driving down to florida by myself with two babies in the back so that i could turn around the next morning with the girls and come straight back home. i didn't even have time to take out my nikon we were there and gone so quick. it wasn't what we planned but sometimes things happen and you have to go with your gut and what makes the most sense.
but those 16 hours we were there. there were good good memories made. we stayed in the most adorable cottage that was right across the street from the beach. there was a pool about twenty steps from the door. we were on the first floor so we just rolled the stroller right in the door when we were done using it.
we swam in the pool when we got there. we had pizza and cheesey bread delivered for dinner. we took a walk on the beach to catch the sunset and it was the most perfect sky ever. and then the next morning as andrew was helping me pack up the car to come back home, the girls and i snuck away to the beach again to soak it all in. for selfish reasons, i looked out to the ocean and whined to myself "do we really have to go?". and as i was watching the kids out there bright and early with there shovels and pails, i knew addison would have had so much fun if we could just stay. but that girl. she was so terribly sick and it would have been hard. so at eight o'clock in the morning, we waved goodbye to andrew (he had to stay there for work for the week) and we hunkered in for another four hour drive.
next month though. we shall try again next month.


text: Decorator Riser Kit includes:12" tray10" tray24" tubing. Size can be under 1/2" under 24" Trays are clear with scalloped edges and have a sleeve in the middle to insert the clear tubing.Awesome Events Designer Tips1) To make decorator tray fit snug you can glue around bottom or if want to be able to remove for storage, wrap sleeve with clear packing tape.2) Add lights to the bottom and the top of the tubing. a. Sit bottom tray on top of a submersible light. b. Put tape over opening and sit light inside on the tape.


text:
The Friendship Month & Why Making Friends Is Easy
By Top10BestDatingSites Staff
Autumn is in the air, and now that the Summer is over and the days are getting darker, it can be tempting to huddle under a blanket indoors and retreat from the world, especially new people and places. If you're the type that likes to make new relationships in a natural setting before springing straight into a first date, this can also make romance quite difficult. Never fear! This September is Friendship month and we've compiled a list of the best ways and places to meet new people and make some new friends to keep those Winter blues at bay by the time the snowy season rolls around.
Active Andy
We all know that shared interests make for great friends, so taking the time to indulge in sporty or active hobbies are a great way to meet people you'll want to spend time with. Try a local sports club, and make sure to mention to the staff that you're looking for a new golfing buddy or tennis partner. They may know other local people who are looking for the same. Not interested in a particular sport? Try joining a gym! It may sound like a cliché, but as well as an immediate introduction to loads of new neighbours, the classes can be a fantastic way to socialise, including after class drinks, and general small talk while you sweat it out. If all else fails, at least you're getting a great workout!
Cultured Cathy
Not the sporty type? Try to think of other shared interests you would want to share with a partner or new friend. Even if love isn't foremost on your mind, it can help to sign up to online dating websites like eHarmony or Elite Singles which offer some amazing insights through their in-depth compatibility questionnaires and personality profiling. eHarmony even offers the unique and beautiful Book of You, an insightful look at what makes you tick, helping you uncover why relationships may have failed in the past.
Whatever your interests, you can guarantee there are people out there who share the same. Head to a local museum or art gallery to see an exciting exhibit, or ask at your library whether there is a frequent book club in the vicinity. The library may also have leaflets on their noticeboard about talks and shows coming up that month where you're bound to meet new people.
Chatty Charlie
Of course, all these great ideas for meeting new people can only get you so far. It's up to you to strike up conversation and take things further. In fact, anywhere can be a place to meet new people if you hone your conversational skills. See someone who looks friendly at the bus stop, the doctor's surgery or even the local supermarket? You have nothing to lose!
If you're feeling really nervous and kind of rusty at the lost art of conversation, websites like BeNaughty or CheekyDevil have some fun chat rooms you can use to practise your pick up lines before you try them in the 'real' world!
Selfless Sam
According to thehelpguide.org "We tend to be drawn to people we share things with." This isn't just hobbies, but also ideals and causes. "Think about the things you like to do, the causes you care about, or anything you're passionate about" they continue. "Where could you go to meet people who share the same interests?"
Volunteering is a great way to spend some free time helping others, and whether it's at your local school or homeless shelter, visiting an old age home or participating in your area's local parkrun or big brother/sister scheme, you are bound to make some great new friends who you know have a great heart, too. Your local council should have all the information you need to get started making a difference.
Whatever option you choose, make sure to get out and about this Autumn to find new people. You'll be surprised how many others are also in your area looking for friendship and romance too. Try using the great Zoosk app to search for other lonely hearts by location and you'll see we're right! Before you know it, you'll have some new people in your life worth staying in with!
Want to try meeting people online, but too shy to begin? Try our tips for the perfect first message!
About Top10BestDatingSites Staff
Advertising Disclosure
This site is a free online resource that strives to offer helpful content and comparison features to its visitors. Please be advised that the operator of this site accepts advertising compensation from companies that appear on the site, and such compensation impacts the location and order in which the companies (and/or their products) are presented, and in some cases may also impact the rating that is assigned to them. To the extent that ratings appear on this site, such rating is determined by our subjective opinion and based on a methodology that aggregates our analysis of brand market share and reputation, each brand's conversion rates, compensation paid to us and general consumer interest. Company listings on this page DO NOT imply endorsement. Except as expressly set forth in our Terms of Use, all representations and warranties regarding the information presented on this page are disclaimed. The information, including pricing, which appears on this site is subject to change at any time.


text:
Technology for Organizations
Organizational technology grants strengthen nonprofit organizations' capacity to fulfill their mission. Grant proposals for technology should build a strong infrastructure that will support all aspects of the nonprofit's work.
A thorough bid process helps develop the best technology solution, so it is recommended that organizations solicit at least three bids from vendors to establish the scope and cost of the project. Applicants are not required to use the lowest bid.
Grant Guidelines and Deadlines
Technology grant proposals are accepted twice annually.
Previous Grants
Possible Projects
Requests for hardware, software and user training for networked systems
Development of plan to meet future technology needs
Update and redesign of websites such as content management systems or administrative or financial web applications.
Transfer computer system or specified functions to a cloud-based system


text: Law Ethics The Panama Papers Some thoughts on confidence, security and privilege. BY Gavin & Brooke MacKenzie 23 Jun 2016 Share: Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email At the time of this writing, only a week has passed since the revelation of the largest data cache release in history, 11.5 million documents spanning a 40-year period from the files of the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. It is early days in this saga, and a lot will have happened by the time you read this. But it is already abundantly clear that the story is a treasure trove of ethical issues for lawyers. Let's consider three of them briefly. 1. Security of confidential information One of the name partners of the firm, Ramon Fonseca, has said that "at the end of this storm… people will find that the only crime is the hacking" – not to be confused with a leak. Whichever it was, it involves the disclosure of a huge volume of written communications that are subject to legal professional privilege. If any lawyers assisted in leaking the information, one hopes they won't be lawyers for long. But even if the firm's systems were truly hacked exclusively by outsiders, one has to wonder about the adequacy of the measures firms take to protect clients' confidential information. Law firms globally should be scrutinizing their information security to ensure that they meet current standards. 2. Privilege Apologists for the hackers or leakers have justified the release on the basis that it exposed tax evasion, corruption and money laundering, as well as the role of lawyers in facilitating these crimes. Legal professional privilege will not protect from disclosure a wrongdoer's use of a lawyer to facilitate a crime. However, everyone acknowledges that there are legitimate reasons to incorporate a company in another jurisdiction. It is safe to assume that the clients did not waive privilege. The general test is one of intent, and there is no intent to waive privilege over written communications that are revealed as a result of a hack or leak. As Josh Gerstein pointed out on Politico.com, it is generally considered unethical for prosecutors (or lawyers acting in civil cases) to review documents that have been disclosed unintentionally and which, prima facie, are subject to legal professional privilege. It is not just a question of admissibility; the documents cannot be read – even though they are easily accessible on the internet. 3. Is "it's legal" good enough? In a statement issued in response to the media coverage of the release, Mossack Fonseca pointed out that "incorporating companies is the normal activity of lawyers" and that "it is legal and common for companies to establish commercial entities in different jurisdictions for a variety of legitimate reasons." It is also common, and of doubtful legality, for individuals and companies to do so to hide money from spouses, creditors, and tax authorities. In any case, is saying "it's legal" a sufficient answer to the critics who accuse lawyers of enabling disgraceful business practices? How about "it's legal as far as we know"? Or "it's arguably legal"? How might our answers to these questions affect public confidence in the profession, and in the administration of justice? Mossack Fonseca proudly asserts that it "has never been accused or charged in connection with criminal wrongdoing." True, but in 2012 and 2013, regulators in the British Virgin Islands fined the firm for violating money laundering protections on multiple occasions. Mossack Fonseca advertises on its website expertise in creating tax havens for wealthy global elites in jurisdictions including Costa Rica, Hong Kong, the Bahamas, Nevada, and Wyoming. (Nevada and Wyoming are notorious among U. S. states for their lax regulatory regimes. In 2011, a professor told Reuters that "Somalia has slightly higher standards than Wyoming and Nevada.") At what point do lawyers become complicit in wrongdoing? Share: Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Gavin MacKenzie & Brooke MacKenzie practise together in Toronto as MacKenzie Barristers. Find them at mackenziebarristers.com. The opinions expressed here are their own.


text:
Sample Real Estate Letter - Letter Set Ideas Can Generate Big Commissions Profits
- Tired of spending money and not
making any?
Stuck on stop and don't know how to generate more prospects, leads, or referrals? Then mail your way to success!
How so? Mailing letters is one of the easiest ways to get more leads and increase your income.
In fact, nothing is simpler than ordering some well written pre-written real estate letters, personalizing them with your name, telephone numbers and email address and mailing them.
You just might discover like I did that mailing letters can be a powerful boost to your moral while fattening your bank account.
A lot! A compelling one can leverage casual readers into paying customers. It can lead to a call for an appointment, a visit to your place of business, or best of all a sale.
Unfortunately, many business people (real estate agents included) don't write or mail enough letters, even though they know that doing so can increase their income. Still, I continue to advocate using introductory business letters because...
1. They're a convenient form of marketing - you can write and mail them at your convenience, regardless of the time of day. My favorite time to compose letters is early morning, as I'm most productive at that time.
2. You can use them in many different ways - letters are multifaceted and can be effectively used for other purposes; as email messages, blog posts, flyers and mailers. I sometimes use them for content for my newsletters.
3. They can decrease your workload - once you've written one you can use it over and over for a lot of different purposes. They're a wonderful example of doing the work once, but reaping the results time and again.
Expired Listing Letters - if you're not farming expired listings with letters like these you're giving business and money away to your rival agents. How long can you continue to afford that. Check out these letters and strat farming them today.
FSBO Letters - it was hard deciding which I liked most; farming expired listings or converting FSBO Properties to new agent listings. I solved the dilemma by marketing both...and am happy to say I got so many listings that I put a small team together to help me market and manage them.
Power Real Estate Letters - while there are many versions of Power Letters available for purchase none are like these. These include 50 letters with 50 matching reports and are ideal for website content, blogging, direct mail campaigns, etc.
Target Marketing - Finally, if you want to get the biggest bang for your time and money you need to mail to a carefully selected and defined target audience.
A niche market that I've personally target marketed with a great deal of success in the past was to owners of expired listings and fsbos.
Owners of expired listings may need to sell more now than before and fsbos can always use help, whether they know it or not. So, mail them introductory letters offering your unique marketing perspective. Every contact is one that might win you new business.
Summarily, direct-mail marketing with the above mentioned Sample Real Estate Letter Sets is an affordable marketing strategy, one which has the capacity to significantly boost your sales and earnings.
Visit Real Estate Letters main page for more about them
See article about how Direct Mail Campaigns Still Work
Real Estate Marketing Talk > Real Estate Letters >> Sample Real Estate Letter


text:
wikiHow is a "wiki," similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 28 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time.
wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 89% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.
This article has been viewed 144,899 times.
Learn more...
Please be advised in the first place, that it is widely known that we do not manifest from the brain, from the mind alone. Since the brain naturally has a positive and a negative side and that also is nature of thoughts, if our manifestation is successful we are automatically attracting the equal negative side with it. This must be understood fully. Since the majority of us approach spirituality with a world-view of pure positivity. This is not wrong, but it is not (yet) the complete picture. It requires both positive and negative to create. And negative wants to be understood as nothing bad nor wrong. It is of equal value. If you fully and truly understand this, you can create from the mind.
If you would like a more wholesome approach, then please focus solely on your heart. Our heart is much more primal than our brain and thus it is purer and most importantly In Unity. And this Unity represents The Universe's Existence and Creation itself. So, please consider learning more about Manifesting from the Heart.
This article in it's Original Version only shows the version of the mind.
You can create the experiences you want. Your mind has the energy to bring into existence what you want to manifest.
1Accept and acknowledge that your thoughts are forms of energy that contain the seeds of your future experience.
2Learn to still your mind. Meditation is both easy and difficult. Once you master the meditative state, begin to introduce a specific word like 'happiness' or an image (sort of like your personal logo) in which you have invested some meaning (like a check with a specific amount on it).
3Reinforce this technique by keeping a new reality journal. In it write accounts in the present tense (as if happening now) of what you do, say, think in the experience that you are manifesting.
4Make way for new experiences by consciously changing old habits and routines. Take a new route to work. Get up earlier. Have something different for breakfast. Give up some things.
5Create rituals to symbolize your expected outcome. If you are manifesting a new car, buy something small that symbolizes it.
6Enlist the support of all supportive forces: trusted friends, favorite places, inspiring music, or even your own created talismans.Advertisement
Community Q&A
QuestionAfter abusive relationships, how do I break the cycle, especially now that I have PTSD?Community AnswerManifesting can be helpful, but you should definitely seek therapy for the PTSD.
- If you want to manifest a fortune, always carry around 100 dollars or more in your wallet. Wherever you go, look at the stores around you, and tell yourself "If I wanted to, I could go in there right now and buy that!" but don't actually buy it. Actually spending 100 dollars is a lot less satisfying compared to spending 100 dollars 10, 20, 30 times mentally. This will attract a lot of money towards you if you can imagine what it'd be like.
- Remembering, manifesting is really about being positive which is great. Even if you don't believe it, give being positive and manifesting a good long try. At the very least it will get you thinking more positively. The only thing you have to lose is negative thinking. This works for so many, it is incredible.Thanks!
- Resist the temptation to let events which seem inconsistent with the new experience you are creating distract you.Thanks!
- Beware of learned helplessness and those who exploit it. Regardless of whether you consult a physical teacher; books, videos, a CD, cassettes or a DVD, they all end up simply telling you to look back into your own heart and mind for the answers and results you seek.Thanks!
- Don't get trapped into the idea that you have to pay a fortune to something to have someone else teach you how to do this. You can research it for free at the library and on line.Thanks!
About This Article
Reader Success Stories
"I like the idea of having a hundred dollars or more in your wallet and assuming that you can purchase anything that you want (without actually purchasing the items, of course). I like how using that particular concept helps to draw more into your life."..." more
"Short and well-explained why manifesting works. No supernatural universe, just plain logic. You can work to be the master of your own life."..." more
"I don't have to pay anyone for this info. Thanks to you, there is more hope. Very helpful."
"I've never heard the term "manifest from the heart." I like it."
"Yes, I liked its basic and to-the-point directives and advice."
"It was very interesting."


text:
Juno Earrings
Product Description
Throw on some golden geometry with these super cute earrings showcasing a hammered texture that gives the work an ancient feel to it.
• Materials: brass, sterling silver.
• Packaged in a jewelry box.
• Add gift wrapping at checkout for hand tied satin bow.
Artist designed, forged from brass, and built for a lifetime.
Female owned, operated and made in the heart of Seattle.


text:
* C$ at C$0.96 to the U.S. dlr, or $1.0417
* Pulls back from session high of C$0.9549 after Fed news
* Bernanke says not ready to offer more easing yet
TORONTO, July 14 (Reuters) - Canada's dollar pared gains to trade weaker against its U.S. counterpart on Thursday, retreating from a 2-month high, hit by comments from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on monetary policy.
The Canadian dollar, like the euro, weakened against the U.S. currency after Bernanke said he was not ready to take more monetary easing action yet. [FRX/]
"What is often the case with Bernanke, is he takes the opportunity in the second day of his testimony to sort of clarify or correct what he might think are misinterpretations from the first day," said Mark Chandler, head of Canadian fixed income and currency strategy at RBC Capital Markets.
"Some of the risk-on sentiment that we had earlier in the day has dissipated."
Bernanke reiterated that the U.S. central bank would be ready to inject more money into the system should the U.S. economy worsen. But he told a U.S. Senate committee that the time had not come yet and noted inflation had picked up since late 2010. [ID:nN1E76D0IG]
The Canadian dollar had earlier received a lift from U.S. data that showed jobless claims dropped last weak and retail sales rose slightly. Both reports showed a bit more strength than analysts had expected. [ID:nN1E76D0BM].
Stronger U.S. data typically benefits the Canadian dollar, as the United States is Canada's largest export market.
But riskier assets, including commodities such as oil and copper, fell following Bernanke's testimony. [O/R] [MET/L]
Canada is a major exporter of natural resources, and movements in their prices often impact the direction of the currency.
At 12:50 p.m. (1650 GMT), the Canadian dollar was
at C$0.96 to the U.S. dollar, or $1.0417, compared with
Wednesday's North American finish at C$0.9597, or $1.0420.
Earlier, it climbed to C$0.9549, or $1.0472, the highest point since May 11.
Chandler said he expects the currency to stay close to current levels throughout the session.
"It's still choppy. It's is having a hard time finding much direction so we're stuck in relatively narrow ranges."
Canadian bond prices were mixed, as some investors moved back toward safe-haven assets.
The five-year bondfell 3 cents to yield 2.182 percent, while the 30-year bond was off 5 cents, yielding 3.382 percent.
Canadian bonds mostly outperformed U.S. Treasuries, with the Canadian 10-year yield 3 basis points above its U.S. counterpart, compared with 7.2 basis points yesterday. (Editing by Jeffrey Hodgson)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


text:
what going on?
Two policemen, one an old-timer, the other his volatile younger partner, find themselves suspended when a video of their strong-arm tactics becomes the media's cause du jour. Low on cash and with no other options, these two embittered soldiers descend into the criminal underworld to gain their just due, but instead find far more than they wanted awaiting them in the shadows.
Original title Dragged Across Concrete
IMDb Rating 7.3 6227 votes
TMDb Rating 6.634 votes
Brett Ridgeman
Anthony Lurasetti
Henry Johns
Chief Lt. Calvert
Kelly Summer
Melanie Ridgeman
Mr. Edmington
Sara Ridgeman


text:
Will Common-Core Testing Platforms Impede Math Tasks?
As two state consortia work to finish new assessments aligned with the Common Core State Standards, some mathematics experts say they're worried that the computer-based testing platforms will hamper a key element of the exams: open-ended math-performance tasks that test students' ability to apply their knowledge.
Unlike previous state assessments, those being developed by the two federally funded consortia will include complex, multipart word problems that students will answer on screen. While some of those questions will provide built-in tools that allow students to put points on a graph or draw lines on a ready-made picture, other questions will ask them to write their answers in narrative form, using a keyboard.
Some experts contend that forcing students to write a solution doesn't match the expectations of the common-core math standards, which ask students to model mathematics using diagrams, graphs, and flowcharts, among other means.
"It's not like, during the year in classrooms, these kids are solving these problems on the computer," said David Foster, the executive director of the Morgan Hill, Calif.-based Silicon Valley Mathematics Initiative, which provides professional development for math teachers, creates assessments, and has worked with both consortia. "It's such an artificial idea that now it's test time, so you have to solve these problems on computers."
But experts with the two state consortia—the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium—say the tests that are slated to debut this school year, while imperfect, are a huge step forward in assessment methods, and have advantages over paper-and-pencil tests of the past.
The tests will also continue to improve as developers analyze the field-test results over the next few months, and in coming years as freehand drawing tools and other capabilities are incorporated, they say. For now, though, costs, security issues, and timing have prevented the use of more advanced technology.
Questions about the accuracy of the new tests are especially critical in states where teacher evaluations will be tied to the 2015 results. Many states agreed to link teacher evaluation and student achievement to improve their chances of getting federal Race to the Top grant money or No Child Left Behind Act waivers. While the U.S. Department of Education recently gave states the flexibility to hold off on tying test scores to teacher evaluations, many states did not take that option.
Classroom vs. Testing
Each performance task on the common-core tests asks students to apply a variety of skills to a novel scenario.
For instance, a sample middle school PARCC item provides a table with the number of brass and percussion instruments in three different marching bands. Students are asked to calculate the proportion of brass to percussion players using an on-screen "equation editor," which they click on to put in numbers and symbols. Eventually, they're asked to solve a multistep problem about the makeup of a new band and "show or explain" all their steps.
For Smarter Balanced, students will do one performance task; it will generally take 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the grade level. Students taking the PARCC assessment will likely encounter two sessions of about 50 to 100 minutes with up to 20 shorter performance-based tasks, though these details have yet to be finalized. For both consortia, parts of the performance tasks will be scored by hand. Students will be allowed to use scratch paper throughout both consortia's tests, but those sheets will not be turned in or scored.
Currently, at least 26 states and the District of Columbia are planning to use the assessments developed by either PARCC or Smarter Balanced. Also, some of the states that have backed away from earlier plans to use the consortia tests may well use individual test items.
Math educators are quick to differentiate between concerns about the content of the tests and the testing platforms.
"I think there are some potentially really good questions [on the tests], but when you give kids a great question but all they can use to solve this problem is the keyboard in front of them, you sort of put handcuffs on the kids," Mr. Foster said.
Martin Gartzman, the executive director of the Center for Elementary Mathematics and Science Education at the University of Chicago, has been leading the charge among a group of Illinois math educators who are worried about the PARCC testing platform.
"The primary tools kids use to solve problems and justify their answers every day in math class and required by the common core aren't available for kids to use during these tests," he said. "We're going to get tests that are just going to frustrate people and are going to really underrepresent what students know."
Thought Processes
But being able to communicate a thought process in words is a critical skill, said Doug Sovde, PARCC's director of content and instructional supports. "I think it's entirely reasonable for somebody to work through something on scratch paper and be able to share their reasoning after they worked through the task," he said. "It's not unlike a student making an outline before they write their research paper."
Jan Mulqueeny, an assistant superintendent in District 126 in Alsip, Ill., said she witnessed students struggling with the transfer from scratch paper during PARCC field testing last spring.
"I saw [4th grade] students writing their answers to the problems through drawings and creating tables and a variety of ways. But when they tried to replicate that in the text box and with the equation editor, they were totally stymied," she said. "When you picked up the student scratch paper and saw the work they did, and saw what was on the screen, there was certainly a discrepancy."
PARCC is planning to eventually provide a drawing tool for students, said Mr. Sovde.
"We are working to develop something that works on all devices, all browsers, Java, et cetera," he said. "That's going to take some time to get it right, and we are pursuing that functionality."
Shelbi Cole, the director of mathematics for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, said it's important to understand that a lot of research has gone into item development to help ensure test-score validity. The group is analyzing field-testing results now, including comparisons of how students did on the same items using computers vs. paper and pencil.
"The stuff that ends up in the operational pool is what lives after we've done all this research," Ms. Cole said.
Further, she said, computer-based administration provides opportunities that aren't possible with paper-and-pencil tests, such as the use of spreadsheets or problems that mimic the development of an app. Those aren't ready now, but "we have a plan in place" for such features down the road, she said.
More broadly, "I don't know that math class should be a paper-and-pencil subject anymore," Ms. Cole said. "There are lots of great tools out there people are using."
Mr. Foster of the Silicon Valley Mathematics Initiative, who consulted for PARCC and wrote exemplar performance tasks for Smarter Balanced, strongly disagreed.
"I'm a mathematician, and I never solve problems by merely sitting at the keyboard. I have to take out paper and pencil and sketch and doodle and tinker around and draw charts," he said. "Of course, I use spreadsheets all the time, but I don't even start a spreadsheet until I know what I want to put in the cells.
"All Smarter Balanced and PARCC are going to look at is the final explanation that is written down," he said, "and if there's a flaw in the logic, there's no way to award kids for the work they really did and thought about."
Mr. Foster added: "I've played with the platform, and it makes me sick. And I've done it with problems I've written."
What the Standards Say
The common-core math standards explicitly set the expectation that students should at times create visuals to represent their understanding. The Standards for Mathematical Practice, which describe the processes that proficient math students use in solving problems, say students should be "able to identify important quantities in a practical situation and map their relationships using such tools as diagrams, two-way tables, graphs, flowcharts, and formulas."
A 7th grade geometry standard asks students to "draw (freehand, with ruler and protractor, and with technology) geometric shapes with given conditions." A majority of the fractions standards in grades 3-5 ask students to solve problems by, for example, "using a visual fraction model."
"We know there's a gap between what the standards say, what students are asked to do in the classroom, and what we're measuring," Ms. Cole of Smarter Balanced said. "Certain graphical sketches probably won't be assessed in the exact way they're called for in the standards. ... But these are isolated pieces in a much larger system in what we're trying to do. We've come a really long way."
Mr. Sovde of PARCC also emphasized that the new tests, while still being improved, are "a massive step forward from where state assessments have been up to this point."
A math-assessment specialist who helped with item development and review for Smarter Balanced said she believes the platform works well.
"I feel like I'm able to understand and to hear what the student is thinking" by reading his or her response, said Jennifer Judkins, who works in the Washington state education agency and has graded more than a thousand student responses to open-ended math questions for Smarter Balanced.
"I can't say it's 100 percent perfect, but, for the most part," she said, "I could understand what they were doing."
But, as James W. Pellegrino, a professor of education at the University of Illinois-Chicago who serves on the technical-advisory committees of both consortia, points out, students can solve a single problem in any number of ways, not all of which are easy to explain in words.
"The worry is [the platform] narrows the scope of what students can do, and the evidence they can provide about what they understand," he said. "That leads to questions about the validity of the inferences you can make about whether students really developed the knowledge and skills that are part of the common core."
'No Free Lunch'
As Mr. Foster sees it, there's at least one simple solution that could be incorporated soon: scan students' scratch paper into the system.
"Scanning technology is so easy and so cheap in this day and age," he said. "That's not high-tech stuff."
Most schools have had scanning technology for many years, he said.
Mr. Sovde of PARCC said the group is considering that option.
Even so, Scott Marion, an associate director of the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment, in Dover, N.H., which advises both consortia, argues that scanning has its own set of problems. For instance, the papers may not be legible or they may not scan well, Mr. Marion said. Plus, "you're shipping these boxes and somebody in school is handling them, and that makes it easier for cheating."
He added: "There's no free lunch in this. It's going to be a challenge no matter what way we do it."
Vol. 34, Issue 05, Pages 1, 12Published in Print: September 24, 2014, as Will Common-Core Testing Platforms Impede Math Tasks?
We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.


text:
CNW 8042 has really dug up the gravel because of a derailment in June of 1992. The derailment occurred at the junction of CNW's Old Line and New Line in St. Francis, WI. That bent rail looks like ... (more)
RBMN Geeps layover at Jim Thorpe for the weekend passenger trains.
Norfolk Southern Intermodal 290 roars East through Choccolocco, AL. With one of the NS D8.5 rebuild Locomotives on the point, this units Cab is still in primer Paint
TOFC? Tanker on flat car? GCTX 413115 rides a JTTX flatcar after a derailment in a photo taken in Caledonia, WI on the C&NW New Line in November of 1988.
A string of Herzog equipment moves eastward past Union Station during a break in the action.
NJ Transit's older Aqua Train, out doing its job on the Main Line, spraying water to clear the rails of leaves.
A glimpse inside P&W's New Englander, one of six coaches featured on the Blackstone Valley fall excursion.
There's no doubt that the highlight of the 1983 NRHS convention was the night photo session at Richmond's famed triple crossing. Conducted by the late Jim Boyd, the scene featured a Chesapeake & O... (more)
IC&E Local southbound between Janesville and Beloit,WI. with IC&E Engineer Adam Farence at the throttle.
Built as U23B, remanufactured as 3000-hp SF30B by Santa Fe, Cleburne, later derated to 2,300 hp.
RailPower Gensets are now a common sight on UP's Proviso hump jobs, as are the SD40's these units were rebuilt from. UPY 889 (ex-UP SD40-2 3359) and UPY 888 (ex-UP SD40-2 3331) work the hump on a ... (more)
IC&E Engineer Adam Farence on the local from Janesville coming into Beloit,WI..
What may be the end of an era. The Alco that served the Litwar "Red Ash" Tipple for many years looks to be parked for good.
Built by the Marion Steam Shovel Company of Marion, Ohio in 1920 this unique item is possibly the oldest remaining 12" gun mount on a rail car. Once used as coastal defenses through the 1920... (more)
UP 1090 has it's complete hood taken off at the Jenks shops while UP 685 is in beginning stages of repairs.


text:
Today, I'm in Chapter 9 of Beth Guckenberger's book Start With Amen.
The visual connection with Beth's scripture reference today is a reminder of our heritage…our ancestors…(the Israelistes) and their relationship with The Father.
Exodus 33:7-10
The Tent of Meeting
7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting." Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.
It's a familiar tradition throughout time…to pitch our tent, to put our stake in the ground.
But the Lord did not intend for us to singularly and independently set up our tent…His plan was for us to do it together…with Him.
"When we stop and listen, we enter into what the Israelites called the "tent of meeting." It's ridiculously special to have a standing invitation by the Creator to connect on how I feel, what he wants, where we're going" -Beth Guckenberger
I love this visual…God's tent. -That in this simple, humble abode, God chooses to meet with us.
Does it not send you to a place of awe, to recognize that are BIG God wants to meet with us in our lowly little tents?????
…and our response…
we often don't' stop to meet. Instead we rush off to the coffee shop for our mug o' joe and then on to the rest of our day that WE have scheduled.
His schedule, His plan, has eternal purpose for our good and for the good of others!
My favorite part of this scripture is this:
"Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent."
Worship inspired worship. Praise inspired praise. Love inspired love.
When we refuse to stop and listen, we do not inspire worship, we do not inspire praise, we do not inspire LOVE.
When we refuse to obey our GOOD Father, we become a "sour note" …distracting from the BEAUTIFUL score that God is orchestrating for our good, and the good of countless others.
Can you hear that clunker? It's easy to pick out that conflicting sound isn't it? Especially when it's someone else's instrument! (Yuk)
( This analogy is especially real for me…yes, I was in the band)
When we are in harmony with God and in turn, with each other we are a lovely instrument, that adds depth and wonder to His piece.
And it all starts in the tent.
Pitch that tent in the land of HOPE (Acts 2:25-28 MSG), and remember that EVERY note is a part of God's BIG Symphony. We all need a daily "sound check" to tune our instrument, right?!!
Bless you!


text:
The largest manufacturer of grain buckets in North America was looking for a lightweight, portable and cost-effective lifting solution to an innovative marketing program.
Tapco Inc.
Tapco wanted to show their customers how strong and rugged their grain buckets were by hanging the boss' 8500-lb H1 Hummer from a standard bucket.
After contacting several portable crane manufacturers in the U.S., they found Easily Moved Equipment (eme) and asked if we could manufacture a lifting device that would do the job, not only at Trade Shows, but also at a customer's facilities.
Having received NOs elsewhere, they were pleasantly surprised to get a positive response from eme.
The solution consisted of a custom-height 5-tonne portable, aluminum Gantry Crane and a 15-ft. Spreader-Beam, rated at 10000 lbs, plus fold-down legs to aid in moving the Gantry Crane around to aid in its assembly. The most challenging part of the design was integrating a Winch that could be run off 12-volt batteries. The Winch and lifting system were designed so that the Hummer could be lifted and lowered at locations that did not have the power required to power a standard 5-tonne Electric Chain Hoist.
The entire system, including the Hummer, can be delivered to any site using just a flat-bed truck and trailer; it takes 3-4 people to assemble the Gantry, Spreader-Beam, grain bucket and wire rope assembly.
For unique applications and custom projects, think Easily Moved Equipment Inc.
Easily Moved Equipment Inc. is the market leader for Gantry & Davit Cranes.


text:
BISE LAHORE 9th 10th Matric Class Result 2017 22nd July – biselahore.com
BISE LAHORE annual examination 2017 result check online. BISE LAHORE education board of SSC will announce their result on website at sharp 10:00 AM time. LAHORE annual matric class result is usually announced in mid of every year. Send your roll number through SMS or enter in the required field. Punjab government has also provided the opportunity of getting matric class result through SMS and get your result instantly on mobile phone. Result awaiting student of LAHORE district are busy in preparing FSC courses for admissions in engineering or medical line. BISE Lahore is responsible for announcing the results of SSC and HSSC of Sheikhupura, Okara, Kasur and Nankana Sahib regions/districts.
Al the students belonging to BISE LAHORE board are wished good luck for their results. May they have good marks and get admissions in colleges. All the results announced on this page are of LAHORE education board which is answerable for SSC Part I, Part II and HSSC examinations and results.
Check online position holders list of annual matric result LAHORE board. Result gazettes copies will also be available online and book shops. BISE Lahore is the biggest and prominent functioning education board in Punjab, as Lahore is the provincial capital of Punjab.


text:
We are happy to offer exclusive and latest production to our customers.
We can introduce the collections of wallpapers and fabrics of the most famous world's producers – English Zoffany, Sanderson, Harlequin, Morris & Co, Romo, Villa Nova, Cole & Son, Osborne & Little, Nina Campbell, Ralph Lauren, Designers Guild, Christian Lacroix, William Yeoward, Anthology, Zinc, Scion; Swedish Boras tapeter, Eco, Sandberg, Lexington; French Elitis; German Kt Exclusive, Voightman & Kruschwitz, Gerster; Greek In Style, Ifi designs; Polish Dekoma; etc.
You can find unique accessories from Danish "G&C interiors", high-quality furniture from Spanish "Monpas & Hanbel", chandeliers from British "Elstead Lighting", furniture and accessories from Swedish "A-Grossiten", production of accessories from Belgian "Pols Potten", mirrors from "Deknudt Mirrors" at our studio.


text:
Pingback: https://momsorganicbohofoodfun.com/2015/09/28/motherly-love/
For a long time, I wasn't quite sure when childhood ended for me. Always wise beyond my years, uber-responsible, and full of ambition, I feel like I've been a similar version of myself throughout the entirety of my life.
I've experienced many milestones that traditionally symbolize the "end of childhood." Getting my first job (at the mere age of 14), graduating high school, earning my Bachelor's Degree, attending graduate school, and getting married are all achievements in one's life that commemorate the "end of childhood."
The day I was blessed with the birth of my son I realized my childhood had come to an end. Despite the fact that I had already earned a college degree, been married, and had been a part of the workforce for nearly 10 years, I never truly felt as though I had grown up. The instant my son was placed in my arms changed everything for me. In that moment, I knew nothing would ever be the same. Gone were the days of worrying about "me" and "my wants," for my precious baby boy would surely require all of my energy. At just 24 years old, my childhood ended and I became a member of the most amazing club; the Motherhood Club. My self-serving ways immediately gave way to the immense, unconditional love that flooded my mind, body, spirit, and soul. My childhood was officially over and I had become an adult.


text:
Hilti Fleet Management (B): Towards a New Business Model
Keywords: Hilti; business model innovation; BMI; fleet management; decision making; decision-making; Implementation; power tools industry; Construction industry; Construction; Europe; Switzerland; strategy; Business Model; Restructuring; Transformation; Transition; Customer Value and Value Chain; Customer Focus and Relationships; Construction; Innovation and Invention; Leasing; Strategy; Growth Management; Decision Making; Construction Industry; Switzerland; Liechtenstein; Germany; Austria; Europe; United States; Asia; Brazil; China; Latin America; Africa; Japan; Hong Kong; France; Italy; Spain;
Citation:Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, Oliver Gassmann, and Roman Sauer. "Hilti Fleet Management (B): Towards a New Business Model." Harvard Business School Supplement 717-465, May 2017. (Revised September 2018.) View Details


text:
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website View privacy policy
Non-destructive testing (NDT) allows inspection of infrastructure and systems without causing damage. It has the advantage of allowing assessments to be made in situ, enables evidence based decision making about the expected life of a component and avoids destruction of in-service parts.
Electromagnetic testing is increasingly being used for NDT, where other traditional approaches such as ultrasound or x-ray are not suitable, or as an additional inspection tool to increase confidence in existing techniques.
Using reference standards created and calibrated at NPL, we are able to relate measured electric and magnetic properties to physical characteristics of a system, such as stress or dimension. This can be of value in identifying manufacturing defects, in service damage and measuring corrosion through multiple magnetic/conductive layers.
With our extensive experience in calibration of magnetic sensors and magnetic materials measurements we assess the capability of commercial instruments for use in NDT.
Reliability and lifetime assessment are key concerns for the electronics industry. There is an increasing requirement for electronic systems to operate under stressful environments and provide unwavering performance over the planned lifetime of the device. Here at NPL, we possess extensive experience and facilities for in situ and ex situ analysis. For example, we can:
Find out more about NPL's Electronics reliability services
Find out more about NPL's Magnetics services
Contact us
Our research and measurement solutions support innovation and product development. We work with companies to deliver business advantage and commercial success. Contact our Customer Services team on +44 20 8943 7070


text:
Check out below the behind the scenes video of Jean Yves 2010/11 Ad Campaign photoshoot.
Below you have some of the final images used by Jean Yves in several media outlets. Click on the play slideshow button bellow for a preview.
Subscribe to the blog via RSS
Subscribe to the blog via Email
Your email:


text:
Security Today offers a complete media program to help assist you in growing your market share. We do this with integrated, targeted multimedia packages that are designed to maximize your advertising effectiveness.
Maximize your exposure and keep your name in front of your customers with proven sales leads. Advertisers like yourself are seeing the advantages of a partnership with Security Today because we zero in on real buying potential. So if your ultimate goal is to generate more leads and increase sales then Security Today is your answer.
→ Media Kit (PDF)
→ Editorial Calendar (PDF)
→ Security Today Magazine (PDF)
→ Newsletters (PDF)
→ Banners (PDF)
President & Group Publisher
Kevin O'Grady
(972) 687-6731
Integrated Media Consultant - Northeast, Midwest and West
Brian Rendine
(972) 687-6761
Integrated Media Consultant - Europe and China
Sam Baird
+44 1883 715 697
Integrated Media Consultant - Taiwan
Peter Kao
• No Touch, Low Touch
• Going the Distance
• Accelerating Security
• Bringing Rapid Identification
• Shifting Strategies


text:
Every mobile service/network today offers Internet services in the form of Edge/GPRS (2G) or 3G. This type of connection will provide its users with the ability to use the high speed Internet wherever they are without having to find a Wi-Fi hotspot. The companies today offer different plans that are going to help users select... Read More
Many parents have concerns about the amount of time their children spend watching television and surfing the internet. With a recent survey showing that 59% would prefer to go without pocket money and new clothes than internet access, those concerns are not without foundation. Parents are all too aware of the risks attached to their... Read More


text:
New Jewels from Loops
October 28, 2018 • posted in Accessories
We have just received Jill's latest designs and we can't get enough! Featuring beautifully faceted onyx, rose quartz, labradorite, and lapis lazuli, there is a gemstone for every mood and occasion! Come in to see the entire collection- including new necklaces, rings and earrings.


text: Jan Surrell, PT, Lead Physical Therapist, Outpatient Physical Therapy I have been a Lead Physical Therapist for thirty-three wonderful years, the last five of those with St. Joseph Health. In a nutshell, I help make patients whole again. When you do what I do, you have to remember that no two patients are the same. You look at them individually… always treating them with dignity. I try to treat the whole person — body, mind and spirit. To me, how I do what I do… how I go about it, the way I treat people… it makes me feel good… like I'm contributing to the world.


text: You don't have to go very far on the Internet to find people "questioning" why they can't support White Pride if other groups get to set up their own Pride groups. However, White Pride is different. Things have happened in the name of White Pride on a scale that none of the other groups have ever perpetrated, and that casts a centuries-long shadow over everything connected to that label. We don't just live in the present; how our society got to the present, and what happened along the way, matters. The past shapes everyone's experience of the present. White Pride is tainted in a way the others aren't. And that is not going to change in our lifetimes.


text:
Mata reveals reason he threw boot in the air
Manchester United star Juan Mata celebrated in a rather unusual manner after scoring his side's opening goal in their 2-0 win over Watford on Saturday.
Man Utd set Premier League record
The Spaniard completed a lovely flowing move involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Anthony Martial to help Jose Mourinho's men to three Premier League points at Old Trafford. But it was the aftermath of his goal that really caught the eye.
As he ran towards Martial to thank the Frenchman for providing the decisive pass, he tossed his boot high in the air and completed the celebration with just one on.
Yes, I found the boot after the celebration! @ManUtd @adidasfootball @premierleague #mufc pic.twitter.com/bhwFdOnKeS— Juan Mata García (@juanmata8) February 11, 2017
The reason appears to be simply that it was coming off as he turned the ball into the net from close range and preferred to show his joy rather than have to deal with the mundane task of putting it back on.
The player acknowledged on Twitter that it was a rather unusual moment, posting a picture of him embracing his team-mates with just one shoe on.
"Yes, I found the boot after the celebration!" he told concerned fans.
"My boot was half on and half off by the time I scored," Mata told reporters after the match. "So when I started to celebrate it just went off and it was good advertising for Adidas."
Juan Mata's boot came off during his goal celebration today.— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 11, 2017
He tells #MUTV exactly what happened... #MUFC pic.twitter.com/YIAVNPpeHG
The 28-year-old has enjoyed a fine season for the Red Devils, scoring six goals in 20 Premier League outings.


text:
Rugby: Saffron Walden win at Newmarket
PUBLISHED: 14:00 17 October 2018
Saffron Walden under-16s galloped to a 34-7 win over Newmarket at the weekend.
They had to shuffle their line-up due to a number of injuries, which showed in the first quarter as they took time to settle.
Aggressive, fast defence caused early problems for Walden but they adapted well and scored in the fourth minute as Oisin Murphy showed some fleet footwork, followed by a storming charge from Jack Carey.
Newmarket fought back as Walden relaxed to score their own converted try, but the visitors responded well with a try from Fraser Murray.
Walden were now controlling the game with accurate and organised play, running at the opposition through the forwards to draw in defenders and using speed out wide.
Ryan Curtis had a superb game and scored three tries in the second half to rightly be awarded player of the match, showing great support to the ball carrier, in a great team performance.
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Saffron Walden Reporter. Click the link in the orange box above for details.


text:
5 comments on "Patra 076"
Douglas Reynolds
I received vessel 76 the day before Valentine's day at my gallery in Vancouver, British Columbia. The piece came from two good friends, Eric and Gwen, who made the occasion a special one by driving from Seattle to Vancouver. In its wooden, box swathed in cloth, it was a beautiful thing to unwrap and the process of doing so was something that struck me. That moment of receiving and unveiling is such a powerful one. It's a miniature event; there are witnesses, reactions, implications, expectations and excitements that all play out in a few minutes (several minutes because it was so well wrapped). My gallery, the Douglas Reynolds Gallery features modern and contemporary Northwest Coast art by First Nations artists living up and down the Northwest Coast. An ancient tradition that continues to be practiced today is the Potlatch. Although many different kinds of events are referred to by this name, at the centre of them all is feasting and the bestowal of gifts by a host family to their invited guests. On the Northwest Coast, no important social event can take place without a potlatch, and no claim can be made to name, rank, or hereditary privilege without this important ceremonial event. Guests, in accepting potlatch gifts are acting as witnesses who establish the host's claims. In this tradition, giving an item carries with it many meanings, and the process of receiving this vessel made me think of the importance of that experience and how that moment of receiving is so significant. I am very honoured that Gwen and Eric decided to pass the piece on to me.
One moment that happened while the piece was being opened is that a very well known Northwest Coast artist came into the gallery and admired the bowl. As a wood carver however, he was even more interested in the wood box it came in. To commemorate this I decided to share a few photos of the vessel with a bentwood box. This is also a nod to the potlatch tradition. Bentwood boxes were, and continue to be important items of trade. Elaborately decorated boxes that held precious items were often gifts at a potlatch. We photographed the piece in a beautifully carved and inlaid box by Joshua Prescott-Shaw and have also included some images of Vessel 76 around the gallery.


text:
Here's the latest article from the Independent Parties site at BellaOnline.com.
Slaves to the System
Are you a slave to our current governmental system? Read on to find out more...
Please visit independentparties.bellaonline.com for even more great content about Independent Parties.
To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Independent Parties located here -
I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback!
Have fun passing this message along to family and friends, because we all love free knowledge!
Have a blessed holiday season!
Cynthia Phillips, Independent Parties Editor
One of hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com