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The demand for large scale production of poultry and meat products just keeps on increasing over the years. A lot of food machine manufacturers are getting red alerts about this drastic increase because it would mean another challenge for them on how to competitively increase their productivity rate. We can say that the design of automated packaging machines could greatly help in this kind of situations; however, there are still other mechanisms that food manufacturers should focused on. Safety and sanitation must go alongside with the productivity rate in order to ensure quality in distribution and consumption. Food packaging machines should possess these characteristics in order to establish a competitive standing in the food industry.
In order to cope up with the large scale production needs in the market, food packaging machines manufacturers' use modified atmosphere packaging solution or MAP in increasing the sustainability of food products. There is a variety of food products that can use the MAP technology which is why it is considered the most established packaging technology in the food industry. Modified atmosphere packaging uses natural atmospheric gases that were modified according to the condition of a specific food product in preserving the quality and further increases the food product's shelf life. It has also enhanced several characteristics of perishable food products that can't be done by applying chemical additives. Through the application of modified gases inside the package that is responsible in maintaining the natural or quality condition of food products, growth of microbial organisms and discoloration are prevented. This method greatly contributes to the safety of food products that undergo packaging. The union of automated packaging machines and modified atmosphere packaging targets the needs of manufacturers in coping up with high productivity rate. The extended shelf life that MAP technology offers also minimizes wastage which also help in solving some of the environmental issues of the world.
Furthermore, the automation of food packaging machines also addresses sanitation issues encountered by packaging machines before. There is no need for extra manual labor for cleaning the parts of the machines because it can already be programmed to do automatic cleaning and besides wastage is minimized. Automated packaging machines have provided so many advantages for both manufacturers and consumers that remain undefeated until now. The use of these machines will further reduce cost in packaging, production, and distribution which promotes maximum profits and delivers high quality packaging for safe consumption.


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Finding Filler Metals, Gas and Consumables
Finding the best source on filler metals, gas and consumables part 1
If you are interested in welding and are looking to purchase a welder but haven't quite yet pursued your dream of becoming a welder, (or even if you have) you should understand that this can not only be an addictive activity, it can be an expensive one. Selecting the correct welder is a difficult task and part of the thought process should incorporate some time spent in determining how expensive gas, consumables and filler metals will be and your financial capacity to pay for them. Along this line of though, some amount of time should be given to deciding about the place you will be buying them. Chances are, if you are reading this, you have already discovered the internet has a wealth of online suppliers that have their existence solely based in the E-world. Some have both brick and mortar locations with a simple website directing you to go to their physical store and some keep both brick and mortar location along with an extensive online store that can serve as your point of purchase. All three forms are valid sources, but you should be aware that there can be vast differences in the prices of online purchases and physical retail dealers of welding equipment. With that said, however, price isn't everything. Online suppliers, while offering lower prices are often out of stock on fast moving goods or offer supplies from an unknown manufacturer of unknown or suspect quality. They can be either quick to deliver or take painfully long to produce the product that you have purchased, even a month or two to make good on the online purchase. Retail brick and mortar welding suppliers often build their reputation on being able to supply quality, and a continuous supply of product.
Everlast Power Equipment, your complete welding resource.
Learn more on our welding forum

subset: commoncrawl


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Community building is a field of practices directed toward the creation or enhancement of community among individuals within a regional or with a common interest. It is sometimes encompassed under the field of community development.
I spend a lot of my time doing that, helping create social gaming groups in different geographical cities. Some might even consider that I am a social development practitioner.
A wide variety of practices can be utilized for community building, ranging from simple events like house LAN parties to small game clubs a the local board game cafe, to larger–scale efforts such as a Summit/Conference and even building construction projects like a spaceship bridge, that involve local participants rather than outside contractors.
Sense of Community"Community is something we do together. It's not just a container," -- David Brain, Sociologist
Defining CommunityThere are several ways that people may form a community, which subsequently influence the way a community may be strengthened:
Locus, a sense of place, referred to a geographic entity ranging from neighborhood to city size, or a particular milieu around which people gathered (such as a church or recreation center).
Sharing common interests and perspectives, referred to common interests and values that could cross-geographic boundaries.
Joint action, a sense of coherence and identity, included informal common activities such as sharing tasks and helping, but these were not necessarily intentionally designed to create community cohesion.
Social ties involved relationships that created the ongoing sense of cohesion.
Diversity referring not primarily to ethnic groupings, but to the social complexity within communities in which a multiplicity of communities co-exist.
The way that community-building takes place varies and depends on the factors listed above. There are many activities that communities use to strengthen themselves, and there's no one right way. But I've seen and been a part of many ways it doesn't sit well with me.
I go to continue to describe the leadership style as I work on commissioning new ships and officers in my blog below. The framework that has been setup to meet the operating culture of people living in Canadian cities. This came along because I needed a way to describe this work in a bit more detail in conversation terms, than through written policies and procedures, or as some have said to me "suit speak/talk".
My biggest challenge is prioritization, then time and labour as it is a finite resource.
tsn-leadership.blogspot.comTell me, how are you all out there building and development your communities? Do you schedule monthly games with your local community? Or do you have a group of friends who'd you like to get together on a Friday night to play?
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I present you my house, in the Reserve of Urdaibai's Biosphere, on the coast of Biscay. You seach tranquility, family treatment, sea and mountains views, you're ready know our land, you have succeeded. Welcome to Arboliz Rural House
Please contact the owner for the latest prices.
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Obama rejects *ALL* the AfPak war options at today's national security meeting (8th!), pushes for revisions
Still voting present. I am convinced he is waiting for his peace prize pick-up. This must be why Mullen, Gates and Hillary let it be known today all three of them support the high troop reinforcement option (30k+) as requested by McChrystal. Trying to move the decision along. (Note- Hillary and the Pentagon had let it be known in September that they supported more troops-it was reported in the UK Times but our media ignored it. Sen Feinstein went on record a few weeks after that supporting more troops to guard the women of Afghanistan against the Taliban AND Al Qaeda. Hillary went on record AGAIN in October flatly stating we MUST stay and WIN in Afghanistan.)
And his response is to dig deeper in indecision and delay. (Typical Obama, on Veteran's Day he gives a speech pledging support and then kicks the can on the actual support, a man of NO convictions)
Politico has it:
POTUS will not accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented by his national security team, and instead will push "for revisions to clarify how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government," AP is reporting.
Obama held his 8th Afghan meeting today, to discuss how long it would take to implement the various options for troop increases he's considering. The White House stressed that no decision has been made yet, and that the president is insistent that any new commitment will not be open-ended.
The Washington Post reported Wednesday evening that the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, sent out two classified cables to D.C. in the last week, expressing his concerns about sending more troops there until Prime Minister Hamid Karzai shows that it is willing to take serious steps to tackle corruption and mismanagement….
Americans support more troops in Afghanistan 47/43
Update: 6:57 pm EST Special Report just noted an AP report indicating two military (?) sources saying TOTUS has made a decision and is planning to send 20k troops. All panelists agreed it was a political decision and will be seen as such and Stephen Hayes noted it endangers the entire war effort.
Hillary on Afghanistan: "if we simply leave and allow the Taliban to return, al-Qaeda "would come right back, and we'd be worse off in Pakistan." & Sens. Kyl & Levin on Afghanistan strategy & FOX Panel Plus…
First some much needed humor:
Mashup by FleetwoodFactor
In this Parade piece on 24 hours with Hillary, an important insight into her position on our role in Afghanistan and the dangers posed by the Taliban:
(…)We sit at a table away from the crowd. Clinton has a hard edge to her foreign-policy views and generally positions herself to the right of her colleagues in national security. Yet she staunchly defends President Obama and his prerogatives. While she's "not satisfied that we're executing as we should" in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and elsewhere, she nonetheless argues for continuing "present directions" in most areas.
When I question whether the U.S. really has vital interests in Afghanistan, she shoots back that if we simply leave and allow the Taliban to return, al-Qaeda "would come right back, and we'd be worse off in Pakistan." She continues: "Despite how hard Afghanistan is, we have to make progress. And what we do and what happens in Afghanistan will affect Pakistan…
As we have noted here before, the British press has reported that Hillary and Gates while keeping their positions close to the vest, want increased troop levels in Afghanistan, it is essential. The mumbling of Juan Williams on the FOX Panel Plus (clip below) wondering why we should stay in Afghanistan is just ridiculous.
When Dana Perrino, former GWB press secretary points out the important progress we have made in security that allows women to participate in the Afghan society and educate themselves (which will lead to their economic freedom and an amazing economic renaissance for Afghanistan, we see this all over the world when women are able to educate themselves and enter the economy-and Hillary Clinton is very focused on this as well) Juan Williams actually says 'it is nice for women to rule the world but that's no reason to be in Afghanistan" He thinks this is funny. Incredible.
MEMO TO 'NEOPROGRESSIVES' AND JOURNOLISTS: WOMEN'S RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS (Sen Feinstein gets it)
Continues after the break:
Sen Feinstein supports McChrystal's recommendations and the women and children of Afghanistan…
Finally someone mentions the women and children of Afghanistan in this discussion of the mythical Taliban 'moderates'. Feinstein wants to find Pashtoun Tribal Warlords who will work with us and she wants to support General McChrystal's recommendations. That gives us the full Brass- Petraeus, Mullen, McChrystal, plus Hillary, Gates, and now Sen Feinstein of her powerful intelligence cmte, all on one page. Good. Support the troops, Support the Afghani people we promised to protect.
Courtesy of speakmymind02
Update: USAToday poll shows Americans support reinforcing the troops; Memo to Obama: The Taliban ARE our enemy. The Taliban are terrorists. The Taliban are enemies of the Afghani people.
Update, Ace HQ:
From Goldfarb's Tweet: A USA Today poll says Joe Biden's brilliant strategy of leaving our troops to twist without reinforcement or plan of victory commands 7% support.
Pull out? 38%.
Give them the reinforcements and resources they need? 48%….
warning video content is disturbing and violent
(…)Obama's developing strategy on the Taliban will "not tolerate their return to power," the senior official said in an interview with The Associated Press. But the U.S. would fight only to keep the Taliban from retaking control of Afghanistan's central government — something it is now far from being capable of — and from giving renewed sanctuary in Afghanistan to al-Qaida, the official said…
Bowing to the reality that the Taliban is too ingrained in Afghanistan's culture to be entirely defeated, the administration is prepared, as it has been for some time, to accept some Taliban role in parts of Afghanistan, the official said. That could mean paving the way for Taliban members willing to renounce violence to participate in a central government — though there has been little receptiveness to this among the Taliban. It might even mean ceding some regions of the country to the Taliban…
Obama kept returning to one question for his advisers: Who is our adversary, the official said.
In other words, rather than eat crap by forthrightly admitting he's prepared to abandon huge swaths of the country to Islamist fascists rather than invest another 40,000 troops, he's going to create an artificial distinction between the Taliban and Al Qaeda to let him save face by claiming he's focused on "the real enemy."
What happened in Basra when American troops withdrew? What happened to the women we promised to protect?
(…)This is dangerous and cynical. They don't want to be seen as bugging out, so they're going to leave our troops in the meat-grinder without any actual intention to resource and reinforce them and give them a chance at actually accomplishing anything besides defending the Democratic Party's interests.
Update: TOTUS' comments from WH/Congressional leadership meeting on AfPak a bad sign?: TOTUS ready to vote present again, this time in Afghanistan?
Update 2: Oh this is IMO a very very bad sign. It sounds like TOTUS will do what McChrystal called the worse case scenario. Send in less troops than the Generals say is needed but not withdraw, leaving our people unprotected:
(…)"Mr. Obama seemed to be searching for some sort of middle ground, saying he wanted to "dispense with the straw man argument that this is about either doubling down or leaving Afghanistan," as White House officials later described his remarks."..
Update: Richard Cohen WaPo of all people:
(…)But the ultimate in realism is for the president to gauge himself and who he is: Does he have the stomach and commitment for what is likely to continue to be an unpopular war? Will he send additional troops, but hedge by not sending enough — so that the dying will be in vain? What does he believe, and will he ask Americans to die for it? Only he knows the answers to these questions. But based on his zigzagging so far and the suggestion from the Copenhagen trip that the somber seriousness of the presidency has yet to sink in, we have reason to wonder.
God Bless the troops, their families and the Afghani people. We need leadership, we have an empty suit. Reuters reports TOTUS is about to take the MIDDLE WAY sending in only 10-15k more troops, and McChrystals worse case scenario. Ironic considering he will not meet with the Dalai Lama no? We cannot excerpt Reuters as they are toolz about it Please go read the linky.
Meanwhile General Petraeus is making it known he fully supports Gen McChrystal's call for 40k troops, courtesy of AllahPundit at HotAir:
(…)he knows how these comments will be interpreted. More military weight thrown at The One:
Gen. David Petraeus, the head of the U.S. Central Command, said that the situation in Afghanistan needs "sustained and substantial" commitment.
His statements echoed the assessment made by the senior U.S. general in Afghanistan, Stanley McChrystal.
However, Petraeus, in his comments Tuesday to a convention of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), refused to detail what a substantial commitment means and whether it would translate to sending more troops into Afghanistan….
Update: Chuck Hagel to replace Gates? McDonough replaces Lippert and speechwriter Ben Rhodes will take on National Security duties; Backlash? Obama's Deputy National Security Adviser Resigns(Lippert was Obama's NSA adviser during the campaign also)
Update: Ace HQ posts on a ROY that Hagel is in and Gates out within a year. Sounds like peeps are getting clued into the antiHawk stance of TOTUS and withdrawing from posts. Get out of there Hillary!
As Think Progress notes, last night the boss floated a very well-sourced rumor that Secretary Gates will be out by the end of the year and replaced by Chuck Hagel, who the boss described as an "advocate of retreat everywhere."
Taking Lippert's place as chief of staff to the National Security Council will be Denis McDonough, a deputy national security adviser, and chief foreign policy speechwriter Ben Rhodes will step up to assume some of McDonough's responsibilities, the administration announced.


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Hi! My name is Kevin, I'm 20 and I live in Paris. I'm currently student at the CELSA - School for Higher Studies in Information and Communication Science, the communication school of Paris-Sorbonne.
You will find here below a quick presentation of myself, my studies, my hobbies and interests
This is the link to my blog on e-culture: http://kevhutch.wordpress.com
My resume
2007-2008 - Degree in Information and Communication Science
CELSA - School for Higher Studies in Information and Communication Science – University of Paris-Sorbonne. (Course: Communication, Media and Media Coverage)
2005-2007 Two-year preparatory course for the Grandes Ecoles, History and Geography major, Michelet High School, Vanves
2004-2005 Bachelor of Arts in Economic and Social Sciences, Economics major, Victor Duruy High School
April-July 2008
(4 months) LAGARDERE ACTIVE, Levalois-perret.
- Participation in the definition and implementation of the group's international digital strategy (Internet, mobile, radio)
- Monitoring of the activity and performances, recommendations.
- In charge of the Intranet project (definition of subsites, functional specifications, leadership and updating of the site)
- Aided in the creation of the starter kit (a tool allowing the development of Internet sites in accordance with the group's specifications)
- Interface with the local digital teams/Competitive Intelligence & Benchmarking
August 2006
(1 month) La Poste, Paris.
- Aided in the creation of the DOTC Paris Sud Intranet site.
- Participation in the organization of events (Preparation of the "Celebration of the Post Office," report on the road safety day, drafting of the letter to accompany the annual report)
- Preparation of the writing of the house organ
- I'm found of cinema and i love watching and realized short movies with friends.
- I've playing the drum for 5 years now and i have played in a band
- Tennis and golf
*group ramble in rollerblading


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Diamond and .999 Fine Silver Projection Screen Paint
Tax included.
The pinnacle of our flagship lineup with the meeting of Diamond and Silver. This is an elite product. Electronic verified, handmade, limited availability. Diamond Silver is reserved for the elite customer with an eye for perfection.
Product Name: Diamond and Silver
Gain: 1.8
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3D Capable: Active
Color: Radiant White Silver
Apply: Spray Only
Viewing Angle: 90 degree cone


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Looking to sell the US Dollar to the Japanese Yen
In this week's trade we are delving into the depths of a pair that has experienced a tremendous amount of volatility during the past year. Yes, some of you are already guessing correctly that we are going to talk about something related to the Japanese Yen. This time our strategy session is related to the USD/JPY binary options forex pair.
Into the start of the week the Japanese counterpart has proved to be quite a force to be reckoned with due largely to the unfolding stock market rally. Some risk metrics related to the stock market released yesterday have caused a selloff of the broad indices by more than a full percentage point. The US dollar sold off against the Japanese Yen and marked a new low for 2014 at 102.85.
We are quite keen to obtain more information about the state of US earnings and this is what is going to happen during the rest of the week. The question that remains is whether the guidance will be storng enough to warrant a further rally in US stocks. As most of our readers know last year has been quite stellar in terms of stock market performance.
Why do we mention this, well for a very simple reason – the USDJPY is the most correlated pair to stock market rallies. It rises as long as the stock market rallies. Looking at the charts we can easily identify that some substantial gains for the Japanese currency are being consolidated at this point. We are looking to sell rallies on a daily basis and for now the key level that we have identified and really like to use for buying daily put options is 103.90.
The big data point today will be the release of Retail Sales numbers form the US. The time that we are looking forward to is 13:30 GMT when the next batch of economic data is warranted to move the market. Consensus estimates are for a rise by 0.1% in December, up by 0.4% excluding the volatile Autos component.
Stay tuned for more information to our topic and we will share our revised opinion as soon as we see a changing market. For now we would not be looking to buy calls at any level, but we stay flexible as this is a very key metric to remain on top of the binary options market. Have fun trading!


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Publisher Michael Hayward (erstwhile co-editor of Scripsi, currently running Text Publishing) got his start by learning to construe, as this article about a new deal he has with Canongate notes:
It was Graham Watts, Latin teacher at Ballarat Grammar School, who introduced Heyward to Virgil, Horace and Catullus. "I loved the kind of mystery aspect of Latin, of being confronted by a series of words that were perfectly unintelligible until you'd stared at them. I really liked that crossword puzzle aspect of it. But then it did begin to connect personally with my own life. I just think back on books that I read around that time that seemed to suggest a way forward."
He went on to Melbourne University to do English and Latin and it was in Vincent Buckley's third-year poetry seminar that he first encountered the work of the English poet Basil Bunting, and also the figure of Peter Craven. "I remember Michael as a fresh-faced country boy who used to wear sandshoes that were falling to bits and who clearly cared a lot about poetry," Craven says today.


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Recyclability and the prevention of packaging leakage into the environment has become the main sustainability requirement for packaging and is defining what types of packaging will be used in the upcoming decades. Recyclability definitions developed by key stakeholders and influencers are moving from "technical recyclability" to "recycling demonstrated in practice and at scale".
The discussion on solutions has been dominated by improvement and re-design in the collection and recycling systems, as well as in the design of packaging for recyclability:
Since 2020, we are implementing Design for recycling across all developments to become more conscious of how decisions can impact the recycling value chain, and to then make a better choice.
When a recycling value chain is working well, it also prevents littering, saves resources and reduces climate impact. To ensure our recycling efforts are aligned across our business, since 2018, Tetra Pak established dedicated teams, organised in our global sustainability function, with more than 50 experts all over the world, to continue developing one of our biggest assets that is our knowledge and experience -on-the-ground work- on developing recycling value chains, to expand collection and recycling of packaging in non-legislated countries.
Collaboration is the cornerstone of success. Partnering and connecting stakeholders is critical to building sustainable recycling value chains, that is why we have an open approach to partnership and collaborate, and associate with a wide range of local and global stakeholders, working with customers to secure the expansion of the packaging collection infrastructure, and to explore how to improve recycling by lowering transformation cost and/or improving the value of recycled materials from our carton packages.
Learn more about Partnerships and industry initiatives here
We use high-quality raw materials to make our packaging and fulfil our mission to make food safe and available everywhere. Once our packaging has fulfilled its purpose, those raw materials should not go to waste. Instead, they can be collected and -using relatively simple techniques- recycled into something useful.
On average, more than 70 percent of our packaging material is made from long, strong paper fibres that can be recycled several times. The thin layer of polymers – or plastics – in our beverage cartons can be blended with other polymers and turned into new products, such as roofing tiles, crates, carton boxes and more.
As we continue to drive collection and fibre recycling, we are also increasing our focus on polymer recycling in our packaging. As part of our pledge to the EU Plastics Strategy, we will work with partners to ensure that by 2030, recycling solutions are in place for all components of our beverage cartons.
Recycling contributes to a low-carbon circular economy that keeps valuable materials in use. It also helps prevent littering, saves resources, and reduces climate impact.
In Thailand, used beverage cartons have been transformed into corrugated roofing sheets for emergency housing. As well as preventing waste and reducing CO2 emissions, this public participation project has also helped raise awareness of the value of recycling.
Recycling works when all the necessary factors are in place and well connected. A weak or missing local link – such as a lack of efficient collection systems, separate collection of packaging and waste management infrastructure – is a challenge. With our new range of market-relevant objectives, we can tailor our approach to focus on actions with the greatest potential for impact or progress; we can zero in on the right problem in any given geography and solve it in the right way. We are currently driving local recycling initiatives in more than 70 countries.
Our new set of objectives and relevant metrics fall into six categories: consumer awareness, customer awareness and collaboration, collection and sorting, fibre recycling, PolyAl recycling and increasing the value of recycled materials.
Some examples of recycling objectives in action
We take a value chain approach to recycling. This means working on everything from consumer awareness, and collection and sorting infrastructure, through to expanding market opportunities for recycled materials and boosting business opportunities for recycling entrepreneurs. Partnering and connecting stakeholders is critical to building sustainable recycling value chains. We collaborate and associate with a wide range of local and global stakeholders, including waste management companies, recyclers, municipalities industry associations and equipment suppliers.
Read more about how we build recycling value chains
Do you want more information about recycling?


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Quick links
Simon, Rebekah and family would like
to thank all who attended Maureen's funeral and for the kind donations of £396 which will be split between Weston Park Hospital and Rotherham Hospice.
A big thank you to the teams at Weston Park and Rotherham Hospice for the care they gave Maureen.
Thank you also to Jeremy Neal Funeral Directors and David Armstrong and special thanks to all our close friends for their unwavering support.
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Seaker – Words
Seaker - Words
Release Date: 25th May 2018
Sporadic is probably the best way to describe the output from London based soloist Seaker but quality over quantity is always the best road to take so who are we to criticise. This latest release, new single 'Words', is centred around Seaker's quietly powerful voice which has evolved from previous tracks to have a fuller, more soulful tone to it which is just sumptuous. The slow, soft melody is given some effervescence by a bubbling beat but at no point does any of this threaten to overtake the importance of that vocal. It's a sparse track and a sombre one too but it has real heart and should be just enough to keep us going until the next release.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/seakermusic/
Live Dates:
15th June – Birthdays, London w/Gazel


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Hi girls! Are you enjoying your weekend? Spring hasn't arrived yet. But nothing better than rain and cold when you are crafting if you ask me! So here is my card for today's video:
If you want to watch the video and check out the list of all the supplies used please visit today's Lily Pad Cards post.
Thank you for visiting!


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Do You Know How to Use A Credit Card?
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Do I know how to use a credit card? What a silly question! Of course I do. You just hand it to the clerk whenever you want to buy something and sign the receipt. Make the minimum payment and you can get lots of free credit. And don't worry if you max out your card. The company will probably raise your limit, and you are likely to get more offers through the mail for more cards than you can possibly use."
Does this sound familiar? It should. It's the approach millions have taken when using those little plastic cards that make purchasing items so simple and easy.
However, this common financial practice costs many families dearly. According to a recent report, the average American consumer now owes $7,000 of credit card debt—an amount sometimes referred to as "revolving credit" because many consumers typically pay only the interest and a bare-minimum amount of principal and thus never fully repay the entire sum.
The implications behind such debt are sobering. High rates of interest—up to more than 25 percent voraciously consume one's income. Those with such debt flirt with financial disaster and often find their financial goals stymied or seriously delayed. Many consumers, men and women alike, find themselves saddled with so much debt that they cannot borrow a penny more. When this happens people may be forced to pass up life long dreams, as well as once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, just to make the minimum monthly payments on credit card balances.
To understand the significance of credit card debt, consider the picture for many U.S. families: "Total household debt—including credit cards, car loans, mortgages, and student loans—topped 100 percent of disposable annual income late last year for the first time" (Paul Lim and Matthew Benjamin, "Digging Your Way Out of Debt," U.S. News & World Report, March 19, p. 54).
The average American spends more than he earns. Credit card debt is perhaps the most visible symptom of a bigger problem. How do people find themselves caught in such circumstances?
The spending trap
For many young people, running up debt begins innocently enough. Entering college, many find they must finance their education through student loans. Colleges and universities, operating as businesses, help new students apply for and receive educational loans with favorable terms.
Not to be left behind, credit-card companies pay colleges and universities significant fees to be allowed to offer students their services. These companies have learned that young people feel great loyalty to their first credit card. It's simply good business to be the first to issue a young person a card.
With the implied promise of high-paying jobs in the near future, many students enter the credit world thinking their debt will disappear as quickly as it was acquired—in just a few years after graduation. Regrettably, most graduating students find reality to be much different from their naive expectations. Continuing to charge more than they can comfortably repay, many find themselves in a spending trap in which rising debt matches or exceeds rising incomes.
Young people, of course, are not the only ones caught in such financial circumstances. Many adults have likewise given in to the allure of easy credit. Advertisers tell us we "deserve" their new and improved products—and most of us willingly believe them. The desire to enjoy life to the fullest with the latest entertainment, clothes and gadgets can be irresistible. Taken too far, it is easy to break God's commandment against coveting (Exodus 20:17 Exodus 20:17You shall not covet your neighbor's house, you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is your neighbor's.
American King James Version×; Deuteronomy 5:21 Deuteronomy 5:21Neither shall you desire your neighbor's wife, neither shall you covet your neighbor's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is your neighbor's.
American King James Version×)—placing an object of desire in a more important role than God Himself.
People can also be sucked into the vortex of credit card debt via unemployment. If one has no savings, adding debt to one's credit cards is often the quickest way to cover basic living expenses. But, then, when they do secure a new job, many find their credit cards reach the maximum limit, and repayment schedules become a severe burden.
Although most of us don't like to consider negative possibilities, we cannot avoid financial disasters by simply ignoring reality. Given today's financial climate—a slumping stock market and loss of thousands of jobs as companies "downsize,"some economists predict "personal bankruptcies this year will break 1998's record of 1.4 million" (ibid.).
Economic downturns inevitably push more people to the edge of financial disaster. Only those who have taken precautions or avoided precarious situations survive. Cause and effect take their inexorable toll. What can you do to avoid becoming a sad statistic?
Biblical guidelines for financial stability
Since God created us, He understands how we think and operate. When it comes to finances, God reveals in His Word a simple but profound truth: "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender" (Proverbs 22:7 Proverbs 22:7The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
American King James Version×).
When we are in debt, we serve those holding our debt. In the case of our credit card masters, we serve them well. After all, what investor wouldn't like to receive a 25 percent return on his investment?
The apostle Paul wrote, "Let no debt remain outstanding …" (Romans 13:8 Romans 13:8Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the law.
American King James Version×, New International Version). God expects Christians to fulfill their financial obligations. Not doing so often breaks God's commandments against lying and stealing (Exodus 20:15 Exodus 20:15You shall not steal.
American King James Version×; Deuteronomy 5:19 Deuteronomy 5:19Neither shall you steal.
American King James Version×; Leviticus 19:11 Leviticus 19:11You shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
American King James Version×).
In the light of sound biblical advice, the way to financial freedom is through repaying debt, then avoiding indebtedness whenever possible. Though it may make more sense to finance essential items of long-term value such as homes, cars and education, credit-card debt is something most people can avoid. Consider how to avoid it.
How to pay off credit-card debt
If you find yourself making interest payments every month on your credit cards and want to eliminate that kind of debt, the first step is to assess your income and expenses. Total your monthly expenses and subtract them from your income. This is your disposable income after expenses, the amount you have each month to use as you determine.
The next step is to stop charging items on your credit cards. Pay cash for items you must buy. Then analyze your credit-card debt. Determine which credit cards are charging you the highest rate of interest. You may be able to transfer balances from cards with higher rates to those offering lower rates. For more information about wise use of credit cards, see "Tips for Managing Credit Cards."
Next, rank the cards in order of the interest rate charged, and use your disposable income to completely pay off the card with the highest rate. Once that card is paid off, close the account and destroy the card. Then focus your attention on the next card, and continue doing the same until all of the debt on your cards has been completely paid. Once your credit-card debt is gone, you're much better off with only a few cards—not the dozen or more carried by so many people.
How to use a credit card
After you've paid off all your credit-card debt, it's time to consider how such cards can be properly used. They are extremely convenient tools—attested to by the fact that people charged more on credit cards last year than they spent in cash—but the wise use of credit cards is important. How do credit-card-savvy consumers use their cards?
The most important step in responsible credit-card use is to completely pay off the bill every month. Think of the credit card as using cash that is reserved each month for the items charged. This way no interest accrues, and credit cards become legitimate and helpful financial tools. They become our servants instead of the other way around.
Most people don't realize that God has much to say about how we use our money. As our Creator, He is the One who gives us the power to earn money and enjoy what it can buy (Ecclesiastes 5:18-19 Ecclesiastes 5:18-19 [18] Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he takes under the sun all the days of his life, which God gives him: for it is his portion.
[19] Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.
American King James Version×). In a parable of the coming Kingdom of God, Jesus Christ described Himself as giving His servants money (talents) to manage. How His servants managed those funds determined their reward in the Kingdom (Matthew 25:14-30 Matthew 25:14-30 [14] For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered to them his goods. [15] And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. [16] Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. [17] And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. [18] But he that had received one went and dig in the earth, and hid his lord's money. [19] After a long time the lord of those servants comes, and reckons with them. [20] And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. [21] His lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your lord. [22] He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. [23] His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your lord. [24] Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew you that you are an hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not strewed: [25] And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the earth: see, there you have that is yours. [26] His lord answered and said to him, You wicked and slothful servant, you knew that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strewed: [27] You ought therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received my own with usury. [28] Take therefore the talent from him, and give it to him which has ten talents. [29] For to every one that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he has. [30] And cast you the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
American King James Version×).
What's the lesson of this parable? The way we manage our money reveals to God much about our character. GN


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It can be stressful to be one of the millions of Americans who doesn't have enough money in savings to cover a $1,000 emergency.
You're out there hustling, but you just don't quite have that savings instinct locked down. Sure, you have enough to pay bills and cover expenses, but with a little bit of budgeting, you might be able to pay yourself more, too.
According to financial planner David Blaylock, "paying yourself first" requires a bit of a mindset shift, especially if you're used to living paycheck to paycheck. "Paying yourself first means saving before you do anything else," Blaylock explained to LearnVest.
"Try and set aside a certain portion of your income the day you get paid before you spend any discretionary money. Most people wait and only save what's left over—that's paying yourself last," he added.
Here are 8 ways to get your budget on track, automate your savings, and start making money on your money.
When money's tight, folks know exactly what's coming in—and what's going out. But plenty of us can do a better job of identifying where our discretionary spending winds up.
To get a better handle on your finances, use a budgeting app like Mint or a full service like You Need a Budget.
Not only do these services help you visualize where your money's going, but they also help you set up spending and savings goals, so you know how much money you can safely put aside for a rainy day.
Without an accurate idea of how much you're able to set aside each month, it'll be difficult to automate—or automation might cause unwarranted stress. So bite the bullet and start with your budget. It will help you save more in the long run.
There are plenty of savings strategies out there. Most personal finance experts recommend the 50/20/30 rule, where the majority of your income is funneled toward expenses and discretionary spending, with the remaining 20 percent going toward savings.
If you don't have a steady income, this can be challenging. That means it might be better to start small, says Mike Ouyang, a spokesperson for LendingTree.
"Perhaps start with only 5 percent of your paycheck," Ouyang told the Discover blog. "Then, at the end of the month, increase that amount by 1 percent until you are satisfied with your monthly savings goal or reach a target that fits your budget."
While this tactic may mean that it takes longer to build savings, putting something toward the future is better than saving nothing. As your income grows, you can re-adjust your savings targets and increase to 10 percent—or more.
Most checking accounts have automated functions built into them, including bill pay and transfers. That means you can set up automatic withdrawals from your checking to your savings account twice per month to help your savings grow.
It takes a little bit of work to get all of your accounts linked up, but mastering automation features is worth the initial time investment, says finance reporter Kathleen Elkins.
"Once your accounts are linked, you can automate your transfers and payments, meaning your money will automatically be sent to your investment accounts, savings accounts, and your creditors," Elkins explains at Business Insider.
To maximize your savings, ask if your banking service provides a high-yield savings account with an interest rate of 1% or higher. These accounts help you earn interest on your savings, which is the biggest trick to saving more over time.
Want to get technical about your automation plan? Check out this savings infographic from Ramit Sethi, author of "I Will Teach You to Be Rich."
Already know exactly where your money is going? Divert some of your direct deposit directly into your savings account, so you never feel tempted to spend it.
According to financial advisor Anna Sergunina, your employer can help you save as you're setting up your direct deposit—you just need to ask.
"Many employers offer a way to set up automatic deposits of your payroll into multiple checking or savings accounts," explains Sergunina at NerdWallet. "That way, you can distribute your paycheck into each account based on your expenses."
Since this tactic will initially feel as though you've reduced your take-home pay, make sure you've accurately budgeted your monthly expenses. That way, you don't have to transfer money out of savings to bail out your spending habits—defeating the purpose of paying yourself first!
If you'd rather experiment with more automation, there are plenty of apps on the market designed to help you out. Here are some of the most popular ones:
If you have an aggressive savings goal, try to earmark any "extra" funds, like raises or tax refunds, into your savings. This is a mindset shift, rather than an automation trick, but it'll add up to more money saved in the long run.
The Money Wizard, a young financial blogger based in the Twin Cities, told Business Insider that this tactic helped him divert more of his income directly into his retirement account.
"By saving off the top, an amazing thing will happen," he explained. "You won't even notice all the missed money, and you won't even have to adjust your lifestyle to meet your savings goals. Your spending will instead mold around what's left, leaving you feeling like you're living just as great of a lifestyle, all while saving a fortune."
Simply calculate how much extra money per month your new raise amounts to, and automate that amount directly to your savings until you reach your goal.
Don't just let your savings linger in an account that's not working for you. Savings accounts connected to local banks don't often have high interest rates, which means you need to take some time to sleuth out the accounts with the best offers.
"When you're comparing high-yield savings accounts, you'll find the best rates at online banks because they have fewer overhead costs and can pass those savings on to customers," explains financial reporter Barri Segal at GoBankingRates.com.
"A high-yield online savings account is pretty easy to find, but not everyone is comfortable banking online," she adds.
Once you open an account with a return of 1% APY or more, make sure all of your automated systems funnel money there, so you can earn more money on your money.
Need some suggestions? Check out this list of high-yield accounts from NerdWallet.
Sometimes the best way to save is to cut costs. And, thankfully, there are new ways to automate this task, too.
Like Mint and other budgeting services, Trim analyzes your spending habits and suggests places where you can pare back, says New York Times financial reporter Ron Lieber.
"Once Trim performs its analysis, you get a text message with a list of all your recurring charges," Lieber explains. "You reply with 'Cancel X,' and then the company takes it from there, making the request on your behalf to the service provider."
This is a great feature for those who want to nip discretionary spending in the bud, or simply to re-evaluate where your money is going.
Once you've cut costs, it's time to put that saved money to use. Make sure you automatically direct your savings into your savings or retirement accounts, so you can make better use of those funds.
I agree to the Privacy Policy,Terms & Conditions, and Prize Draw Rules.
Nobody's voice is as powerful as yours. As a consumer, you are uniquely positioned to share your perspective with businesses, telling them what you expect in order for them to receive your money in a transaction. So, why not make money online by taking surveys that provide information to your favorite company?
The American Red Cross name and emblem are used with its permission, which in no way constitutes an endorsement, express or implied, of any product, service, company, opinion or political position. The American Red Cross name and emblem are registered trademarks owned by the American National Red Cross. For more information about the American Red Cross, please visit redcross.org.


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Wondering what kind of workout is best to lose weight? If you've started to research what kind of exercises you should do to lose more fat you've probably come across terms like "aerobic" and "anaerobic." You probably know aerobic exercises as "cardio" but may be wondering what anaerobic is all about. If you are aiming to reduce fat and increase overall fitness, aerobic and anaerobic exercises are both good for you. But what is the difference and how do they work together to get you into the best shape possible? Read on to find out.
Aerobic Exercise
Also known as "cardio," most people associate exercise with aerobic exercise. The word "aerobic" means "relating to, involving, or requiring free oxygen." Aerobic exercise is low-high intensity exercise that allows oxygen to meet the energy demands during this kind of exercise. Aerobic exercise can be sustained over long periods of time since the need for oxygen can be met. It burns fat as it uses fat as fuel while strengthening the heart and lungs. Common aerobic activities include running, swimming, and biking.
Anaerobic Exercise
Contrary but complementary to aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise uses glycogen for fuel rather than fat. Glycogen is a polysaccharide (think carbs) of glucose (sugar). Endurance athletes utilize anaerobic exercises and typically load up on carbs beforehand. During anaerobic exercises, the body's demand for oxygen exceeds the supply. For this reason these exercises are performed in short bursts. These exercises build lean muscle mass and burn more calories than aerobic exercises. Anaerobic exercises are high-intensity workouts like sprinting and weightlifting.
Interval Training
To maximize your workout routine, interval training brings the best of both worlds. Interval training involves longer periods of time performing aerobic exercises with quick bursts of anaerobic exercises thrown in. The purpose of anaerobic exercise is to push yourself to the limit for short periods of time, or intervals, of between 30-60 seconds. In this way you tire yourself out but continue to exercise as you revert back to a slower aerobic exercise. This increases endurance and improves your overall level of fitness.
Check out today's pump and experience an intense workout that flexes every muscle in your body. Quit dreaming about your new body and start to work for it today!


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Meet Mallory And Madison Edens, The Two Hot Daughters Of Milwaukee Bucks Owner Wesley Edens
The Milwaukee Bucks are being well represented at All-Star weekend. Not only is the "Greak Freak" Giannis Antetokounmpo playing on Sunday, but the two hot daughters of Bucks owner Wesley Edens, Mallory and Madison, are spending some quality time in New Orleans as well.
Scroll down for more hot pics of Mallory and Madison Edens


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Konstantia Kaloethina
Baroness (Nobilissima) Konstantia Kaloethina[edit | edit source]
Call me Konstantia. (pronounced Kon-stan-tee-ah) formerly known as Constantia Kaloethes
Persona:[edit | edit source]
- 6th century Byzantine minor noblewoman
- Born in 526, Daughter of ennobled silk merchants who died in the plague of Justinian (c. 541-542), Konstantia serves as a lady-in-waiting to Aelia Sophia, the wife of Justin, the nephew to the Emperor Justinian. Educated under the reforms of Empress Theodora, Konstantia speaks Greek and Latin. She is a patroness of the arts and a patroness of a small home for orphans and widows. Konstantia was 6 for the Nika Riots (and that's why she's still a Blue to this day), 16 during Justinian's Plague (where she lost both parents to bubonic plague), 25 when the Beirut Earthquake caused a tsunami for the Mediterranean. Theodora died when Konstantia was 22. Of course, when Justinian keels over in five years, she'll be inconsolable.
- Interests lie in Byzantine life, jewellery, and culture; glass and metalwork; illumination; music; heraldry (vocal and devices, in addition to administrative), paternosters; religious life; iconography.
- [Armorial]
History in the SCA:[edit | edit source]
- Started in the SCA in 2007-2008
- AoA from Martino III and Ariel III (William the Marshal)
- Torse from Ostwald I and Kaye I (Valor)
- Swan from Ashir and Maerwynn II (Queen's Prize)
- Cross from Donngal III and Catalina (Crown Tournament)
- Herald Extraordinary given under the auspices of Takauji Gold Falcon in the court of Matsu and Elena (Crown Tournament) (Title registered as Greek Fire Herald Extraordinary)
- Order of the Pilgrim's Badge from Baron Soren Atte Raven and Baroness Ruadhan de Wich (Unslung Heroes)
- Mark of Merit from Baron Soren Atte Raven and Baroness Ruadhan de Wich (Tournament of Horse & Falcons)
- Court Barony from Damien II and Issabell II (Crown Tournament)
Groups and Affiliations:[edit | edit source]
Current Group: Barony of Forgotten Sea, green cord from Vatavia (2011)
Past Groups: Crown Lands (modernly Maryville, MO)
Other Affiliations: Proteged to [Master Gabriel Kjotvason, OP].
Offices[edit | edit source]
Regional Offices:
- Harrier Herald (Central Reporting Deputy for the kingdom of Calontir) - 2008 - 2010
Kingdom Offices:
- Kestrel Herald (Publications) - 2010 - 2011
- Purple Falcon/Purple Quill Herald (Emergency Deputy to Gold Falcon/Assistant to Gold Falcon) - March 2012 - March 2014
- Gold Falcon Principal Herald - March 2014 - March 2016
- Lanner Herald - September 2018 - current
Items completed under Principal Herald tenure:
- Online reporting form, along with the Lord Giovanni Loredan, and the Calontir Webministry Team
- Revised Heralds' Handbook, along with Mistress Sofya la Rus
- Heraldic Retreat, along with Mistress Dorcas Whitecap
- Submissions Tracking Software, along with Lady Alexandra Vasquez de Granada and The Honourable Lady Brigida von München
Other service: Administrator for the unofficial Calontir Facebook group (since 2007), Nobelese Largesse (founder, organizer, facilitator from 2010 to 2014); facebook group [[1]], 2016 Calontir Heralds' Retreat Organizer, A&S Champion for Barony of Forgotten Sea (2017 - 2018), Barony of Forgotten Sea Roll of Arms Project (2015 - 2019)
Classes Taught[edit | edit source]
- Easy-Peasy English Country Dance
- Making Byzantine Wire-work Jewellery (blog entries for supplies here and instructions here)
- Prayer beads, paternosters, and Islamic prayer beads
- Budgeting Time and Avoiding Burnout, taught with Mistress Kayleigh Mac Whyte at KWHSS 2013
- Client Care at the Consult Table, KWHSS 2014
- Volunteer Management in the SCA, KWHSS 2014
- Making Weather-Resistant Heraldic Banners, Calontir Heralds' Retreat 2015
- Court Heraldry Masterclass, Calontir Heralds' Retreat 2015
- Dressing the Vestal Virgin, Clothier's Seminar 2016, Calontir
- Teaching Classes in the SCA, taught with The Honourable Lord Cathus the Curious, Bellewode Symposium 2016
- I've Submitted, Now What?: SCA Heraldic Submissions 101, Calontir Heralds' Retreat 2016
- Court Heraldry Roundtable, taught with Mistress Dorcas Whitecap, Lord Saito Takauji, and Tiarna Diarmaid O Briain, Calontir Heralds' Retreat 2016
- Behind the Curtain: What Does Gold Falcon Actually Do?, taught with Mistress Dorcas Whitecap and Lord Saito Takauji, Calontir Heralds' Retreat 2016
- What the Bling?: an overview of awards and regalia, Chieftains 2017, Calontir
- Juzu, or Japanese Prayer Beads, Clothier's Seminar 2017, Calontir
- So You Want to Be a Principal Herald, taught with Master Ryan Mac Whyte, Master Cormac Mor, and Master Kameshima Zentarou Umakai, KWHSS 2017, Meridies
- What The Bling?!: regalia, court comportment, and award recommendations, Valor 2018
- A Quick Trip Through Byzantium: a survey of Byzantine Clothing, Clothier's Seminar 2019, Calontir
- Scribbles and Scrawls: Getting Started with Painting Preprints, virtual class during the COVID-19 outbreak, Calontir (class video is here)
Other Information[edit | edit source]
- In case of court, please do not surprise me: social anxieties combined with attention at court cause panic attacks afterwards.
- My SCA blog is located here: [[2]]
- My scribal scribbles can be found here: [[3]]
- My etsy shop is here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/belletoile
- Documentation for past projects:
Rat out a Friend[edit | edit source]
12 July 2014 - "TRM Ariel and Martino called me into court. And then proceeded to talk about Nobelese Largesse and the impact it made on the Society. And in thanks, I received largesse of new garb. And it's so very, very, very spiff." https://www.facebook.com/constantiak/posts/10152274209067569


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Life in Laos through the lens of a diplomatic wife raising twin toddlers.
Everybody daydreams about the beach in the middle of winter, right? How about a secluded beach on a tropical island somewhere exotic like Sabang Island off the western most tip of Sumatra, Indonesia? Well that's where I am today even though I should be studying Lao in preparation for my 'progress test' tomorrow. So I'll keep it brief and leave you with a few photos of thatched huts perched above lapping turquoise waves on white sand beaches facing the Adaman Sea. Go ahead. Daydream. Better yet, plan a trip to Freddie's…
Where is your favorite beach daydreaming destination? (You can help me procrastinate from studying even more!)
Follow me on Facebook:
Wanderlustress | Promote Your Page Too


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We asked Douglas Whynott to stay a few extra minutes for a sticky challenge: a blind maple syrup taste-test. The aim was to test his ability to distinguish between the various grades of maple syrup. We sat down with five cups paper cups - three were filled with varieties of grade "A" amber – light, medium, and dark. There was also a cup with grade "B" syrup, which has a stronger maple flavor and has traditionally been used for cooking, and of course the ringer – a brand-name artificial syrup. And because you can tell a lot by the color of syrup, both Douglas and I donned blindfolds for the occasion – well, not blindfolds exactly. Our producers tied one of my scarves around Doug's head, and I wore my winter hat over my eyes, to prevent any accidental or intentional cheating. For good measure, we videotaped the taste test, so you can see for yourselves, there was NO cheating.
Video produced by Taylor Quimby.


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Lovely Lurkers – End of Summer 2014
Wait! Who's that? We see you creeping around... and we LOVE IT! The Church of Halloween wants to give a little praise to those lurkers who constantly support us. Each month we give away a little bundle of ghoulish delights people who crave the creepy as much as we do. This bundle includes a Church of Halloween t-shirt, a few ominous buttons and a couple of dreadful cards.
This time we are celebrating the end of summer which only means Halloween is even closer. With that, there will be two winners announced shortly.
Keep an eye on your social accounts for the mention and send us a private message or email starkweather (at) churchofhalloween.com with a mailing address and shirt size so we can ship these goodies right out to you.
ALL INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL.www.churchofhalloween.com Unearthed
Confession | Congregation | Sundries | RSS


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WILL BE CLOSED JULY 3rd
We've been closely monitoring the CDC requirements from State officials for reopening our programs. For more information, please click here for more details!
GAPS will be providing free sack lunches to all children age 1-18 at twelve different locations every weekday during closure starting on June 15. See below for locations and times.
"To provide a fun, safe, supervised environment for recreational and educational activities where all boys and girls, especially those who need us the most, can develop self-esteem and the qualities needed to become caring, responsible citizens".
Trained professional staff provide positive adult mentors and role models. Nationally recognized programs help young people succeed in school, stay healthy, learn important life skills, pursue interests in the arts and sports, and explore vocational choices.
Stop by the Club and see what's happening. We'll be happy to give you a tour.
Parent orientation is required with a membership for children attending our after-school or summer program.
For September 9-13, orientations will be at 6 pm. Doors close for orientation at 6:05 pm. Anyone trying to attend after 6:05 pm will need to attend on a different day.
Orientation takes place every Monday & Thursday from 6pm-7pm during the month of September and will continue throughout the year every Monday from 6pm-7pm (5pm-6pm during the summer).
Membership Services open Monday – Friday 10am – 6pm, closed from 1pm – 2pm for lunch.
Our supporters here in Oregon have become part of a network who donate their time, money and efforts to the humanitarian work of the Boys & Girls Club of Albany. We thank them for their gifts and we are privileged to put their compassion into action.
The Boys & Girls Club of Albany is dedicated to providing access to care and health education. We provide dental services to uninsured children 6-18 at no cost to their families. If you have a child or know of a family that could benefit from no-cost dental services, please call our office. Our goal is to see every child in Linn County receive dental care and education.
The Boys and Girls Club of Albany has been providing sports programs for our community's kids since 1966. Club athletics promote the positive use of leisure time through team building, Sportsmanship, and individual development.


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A man fishes out several bags that contain 21 bodies of babies under the Gunagfuhe bridge in a village in Jining, Shandong province, on March 28, 2010. The bodies, which had started decomposing, still had tags on their legs with names, height and weight information but no hospital name. According to the local health department, these babies probably were dumped by hospitals as medical waste after dying from diseases or abortion. [Photo/CFP]


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The thing about London is that she breathes. With each new breath, people are sucked into her feistiness and on the exhale others are cast away. She is highly addictive and beautiful on her good days, when the streets shine with possibility and reward. Pubs and clubs and cafes spilling with her wards, laughing and crying, talking and loving, she makes them feel invincible and alive. On her bad days, she pounds you, throwing into your route every ugly thing you could ever see. There is greyness and sickness and poverty and addiction and sadness and wealth and greed and excess and people, oh so many people, saturated and surly. She offers up to you in her palms every extreme to dine upon. You can have your highest and best times here and other times she squashes you underfoot.
Her different dresses can enthral you for days, you can see the buildings of our ancestors and the graffiti of our children, sit and watch her life blood, the Thames, from a million different angles. She has something for every person you want to be, the artist in North London, the hipster in East. In Soho you sit in the bars on the street, marvelling at the pantomime of life there, in Westminster you breathe in the power on the air. The privileged middle-classes of Fulham and Clapham are life in a sepia tone.
You can travel the world in a day and hear a thousand different languages on the bus. Eat anything you want at every time of day.
She's bashful too is London - unlike her American cousin, the wonderful New York - often her treasures are offered to you with a shrug. Yes, I can do that for you... But don't tell everybody now.
The tourists are present in droves, but they just make you feel proud that she is yours, for now.
The view from Waterloo bridge, might be your favourite in the world.
She's your lover, your parent, your cruel boss, your best friend.
Sometimes she hides the stars from you, wanting you to see her, only.
Sirens are her soundtrack, with bars of aeroplanes, occasional dogs and indiscriminate music pouring from every corner.
Even the rats love her most of all. For now she is yours and you hold her to your breast, you put up with the mood swings, the tantrums, the tears. For when she laughs, it is the best sound you have ever heard.


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Front Squats (oly shoes, knee sleeves, approx. 2 min rest)
bar x 5
95 x 5
115 x 3
*belt on*
155 x 7
155 x 8
notes: During the first 155 set, the bar slipped forward a bit and I had to catch it, so I stopped it there, at 7 reps. During the second set, after I was done, I noticed a spot of red on my shoulder. I have a tag on my shoulder, like a mole. I guess when the bar slipped, it ripped it open So now my shoulder was bleeding through my shirt *eek*
Bleeding on the bar is not hygienic, so I called it there and moved on to Deadlifts.
Sumo Deadlifts (sock feet, approx. 2 min rest)
bar x 5 hookgrip
135 x 3 hook
*belt on*
225 x 2 double overhand
285 x 2 crossgrip from now on
285 x 2
285 x 2
notes: still need to figure out the optimal foot placement for me on this movement.
Deficit SLDL (60 rest)
95 x 12
95 x 12
95 x 12
notes: quarter plates help me go as deep as I can handle. Actually TOO deep today, I couldn't touch the ground without relaxing my back and shoulders, and somewhat losing the tension in my hamstrings. So I let the bar hover off the ground, does that make it a Deficit Romanian? I dunno. All that matters is keeping the tension in the hamstrings, slow descents, long pauses at the bottom. Stretch those puppies out.
Hex Bar Deadlifts (2 min rest)
260 x 6
260 x 6
260 x 6
notes: hands feel too far out on these, like its a hex bar snatchgrip deadlift or something. oh well, it all hits the back, right?
Hyperextensions (30 sec rest)
15, 15, 15
Superset: Leg Extensions and Prone Leg Curls (60 sec rest)
100 x 10 / 80 x 10
100 x 10 / 80 x 10
100 x 10 / 80 x 10


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Skoda Minotti, a national business advisory firm, is pleased to announce it has received ClearlyRated's Best of Accounting™ Award for providing superior service. This marks the third time Skoda Minotti has received the award.
Best of Accounting recognizes accounting firms that have demonstrated exceptional service quality based exclusively on ratings provided by their clients. The award program provides statistically valid and objective service quality benchmarks for the accounting industry, revealing which firms deliver the highest quality of service to their clients. On average, clients of 2019 Best of Accounting winners are nearly two times more likely to be completely satisfied than those who work with non-winning firms.
Skoda Minotti received a Net Promoter® Score of 82.6%, more than three times the industry's average of 24% in 2018. "We are extremely proud of our Net Promoter Score and honored to once again receive the ClearlyRated Best of Accounting Award," said Gregory J. Skoda, Skoda Minotti chairman. "It is a true testament to the relationships we have developed with our clients and our ability to Deliver on the Promise by offering a greater depth and breadth of expertise."
"The client experience is one of the most powerful ways that accounting firms can set themselves apart from the competition," said ClearlyRated's CEO Eric Gregg. "2019 Best of Accounting winners have demonstrated their commitment to client service, investing in a survey and feedback program that brings transparency to the client experience at their firm. I'm thrilled to showcase these service leaders alongside their validated client ratings and testimonials on ClearlyRated.com."
About Skoda Minotti
Skoda Minotti is a top-100 business and financial advisory firm dedicated to helping our clients grow and achieve financial success. Our unique family of services includes accounting, tax, financial, information technology, wealth management, risk, valuation and litigation, marketing, and human resources services, including professional staffing. At Skoda Minotti, our mission is to Deliver on the Promise of being an integral contributor to our clients' success. Visit www.skodaminotti.com to learn more.


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Enter the Chumby
A glorified alarm clock is not what you might expect to meet on this blog, but Chumby is rather different:
Introducing chumby, a compact device that can act like a clock radio, but is way more flexible and fun. It uses the wireless internet connection you already have to fetch cool stuff from the web: music, the latest news, box scores, animations, celebrity gossip...whatever you choose. And a chumby can exchange photos and messages with your friends. Since it's always on, you'll never miss anything.
Interesting that wireless can now be taken for granted. Even more interesting that the system is hackable in just about every sense:
For the true geek, the electronics are "hackable," the case is removable. Your chumby can look however you like (bling-it-yourself or choose from 3rd party options). Stay tuned — who knows what creative programmer-types will make it do?
And, of course, the code is hackable too. And hackable code means one thing: a GNU/Linux core.
Whether the world needs Chumbies remains to be seen, but it's clear that the world needs free software to make them. (Via TechCrunch.)


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Our Story
Girls in Tech (GIT) is a global non-profit focused on the engagement, education and empowerment of girls and women who are passionate about technology. Adriana Gascoigne founded GIT in 2007 to create a support framework to help women advance their careers in STEM fields.
Girls in Tech Dublin (GITD) launched in March 2017 under the leadership of Coral Movasseli and are composed of a team of Rockstars!
Today, GIT aims to accelerate the growth of innovative women entering into the high-tech industry and building startups. We achieve this through the creation of proprietary, innovative programming and strategic global partnerships.
Across the globe, Girls in Tech exists for anyone with an interest in technology regardless of age or profession, and we operate with the spirit of the girl within all of us—fearless, lively and determined.
The Team
Coral Movasseli
Managing Director
Coral Movasseli is the Managing Director of Girls in Tech Dublin, a dedicated platform for women-in-tech and entrepreneurs.
A techie problem solver at heart, Coral co-founded a mobile transit app for Toronto's transportation system to remove friction points for users. On weekends you can find her lifting an Olympic barbell, fermenting kombucha, baking sourdough, and flexing her photography skills with her Nikon.
Passionate about making an impact in the world, Coral started her career on route to becoming a Canadian diplomat. After completing her Masters of Science at the London School of Economics, her trajectory moved her to advising large private equity funds in London. Since, she's worked to help companies dissect and digest their business challenges in technology, financial services, clean-tech, manufacturing, and healthcare.
Email: [email protected]
Robert Delaney
Director of Commercial Development
Vivian Zeng
Engagement Lead
Alexandra Slabutu
Recruitment Lead
Ramona Ghica
Director of Business Development
Preetam Singhvi
Director of Front End Development
Varuni Fernando
Head of Operations
Cherry Prabhandhari
Director of Operations
Omoyza Icha
Content Developer Lead
Emma McQueen
Digital Marketing Lead
Haya Khoury
Events Lead
Laura Pakenham
Marketing Design Lead
Ruth Fletcher
Advisory Board
Eoghan Clogher
Advisory Board
Alan Tuite
Advisory Board
James Cluskey
Advisory Board


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Please note: The following ECGs have all been recorded at 25 mm/sec and gain setting of 10 mm/mVe 26.1
A 54-year-old female walks into the Emergency Department complaining of palpitations for the past hour Her ECG is shown on page 8 (Figure 1). She has no electrolyte abnormalities.
a) Describe the rhythm disturbance. (20% marks)
b) How would you treat this rhythm disturbance? (10% marks)
c) Name two anti-arrhythmic drugs that are contra-indicated for this rhythm disturbance. (20% marks)
College Answer
Atrial fibrillation with an accessory pathway
AF / SVT with aberrant conduction acceptable answer.(The rapid rate precludes AF with bundle branch block so no marks should be given for AF with bundle branch block).
Electrical cardioversion (flecainide, ibutilide, propafenone acceptable).
Digoxin, calcium channel blocker, beta-blockers, amiodarone, adenosine or other agents that preferentially block AV node and not accessory pathway.
This is WPW, in AF. The conduction rate is roughly 1:1.5; the QRS rate is about 180 to 200. It is hard to tell that its irregularly irregular. The QRS complexes will be a mixture of pre-excited delta-waving ones, and normal-looking narrow ones. If the accessory pathway has a short refractory period, it will conduct more often and therefore there will be more broad complexes than narrow ones. The shorter the refractory period of the accessory pathway, the broader the QRS. And the broader the QRS, the greater the chance of this thing degenerating into ventricular fibrillation.
Management of this acute arrhythmia has several options:
- vagal manoeuvres
- AVOID ASV node blocking drugs such as adenosine, digoxin, beta blockers and calcium channel blockers
- Procainamide, ibutilide or amiodarone are the only antiarrhytmics useful in WPW
- DC synchronised cardioversion
Flecainide or propafenone are used in long term management. Amiodarone also OK - but the side effect profile in long term use is not very nice for younger patients.
AV blockers are contraindicated in AF with WPW. The model answer to Question 3.1 from the first paper of 2009 lists digoxin and verapimil, although generally speaking all AV node blockers are at least relatively contraindicated in WPW.
- Digoxin decreases the refractory period of the accessory pathway
- Verapimil tends to accelerate the ventricular response to AF by a similar mechanism.
- Adenosine has a tendency to cause ventricular fibrillation
Wellens, Hein JJ, and Dirk Durrer. "Effect of digitalis on atrioventricular conduction and circus-movement tachycardias in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome." Professor Hein JJ Wellens. Springer Netherlands, 2000. 63-68.
Gulamhusein, S. A. J. A. D., et al. "Acceleration of the ventricular response during atrial fibrillation in the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome after verapamil."Circulation 65.2 (1982): 348-354.
Munger, T. M., et al. "A population study of the natural history of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1953-1989."Circulation 87.3 (1993): 866-873.
Svenson, ROBERT H., et al. "Electrophysiological evaluation of the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: problems in assessing antegrade and retrograde conduction over the accessory pathway." Circulation 52.4 (1975): 552-562.
Narula, Onkar S. "Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome A Review." Circulation 47.4 (1973): 872-887.
and, somewhat more recently...
Scheinman, Melvin M. "History of Wolff‐Parkinson‐White Syndrome." Pacing and clinical electrophysiology 28.2 (2005): 152-156.
Keating, L., F. P. Morris, and W. J. Brady. "Electrocardiographic features of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome." Emergency medicine journal 20.5 (2003): 491-493.


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Dmitry Shostakovich Biography
Birthday: September 25, 1906
Nationality: Russian
Died At Age: 68
Sun Sign: Libra
Also Known As: Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich
Born in: Saint Petersburg
Famous as: Composer
political ideology: Communist
Spouse/Ex-: Irina Antonovna Shostakovich, Irina Antonovna Shostakovich (m. 1962–1975), Margarita Kainova (m. 1956–1960), Nina Vassilyevna Varzar (m. 1932–1954)
father: Dmitri Boleslavovich Shostakovich
mother: Sofiya Vasilievna Kokoulina
children: Galina, Maxim
place of death: Moscow
City: Saint Petersburg, Russia
education: Saint Petersburg Conservatory
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Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a famous Russian composer and pianist, who is remembered for his dramatic symphonies. He was born into a musical family in the beginning of the 20th century in St. Petersburg, Russia. His family had Siberian descent. He learned to play piano from his mother at the age of nine, after which he joined the Petrograd Conservatory. After six years of intense training in music, he graduated from the Conservatory at the age of 19. His graduation piece 'Symphony No. 1 in F Minor' brought him instant fame. Later, he wrote 14 more symphonies; and the fifth, the seventh and the 13th of which became very popular. In addition to writing symphonies, Shostakovich also produced seven operas, four ballets, 12 musical comedies, 36 original motion picture scores, a number of cantatas and chamber music, etc. Unfortunately, the major part of his musical career coincided with the totalitarian rule in Russia; therefore, he had to face denunciations twice in his life. Yet, he bounced back each time and became the undisputed leader of Russian music after Sergei Prokofiev.
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- Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was born on September 25, 1906 (O.S. 12 September) in St. Petersburg, Russia. His father Dmitri Boleslavovich Shostakovich was a chemical engineer at the 'Bureau of Weights and Measures', while his mother Sofia Vasilievna Kokoulina was a pianist who studied piano under Alexandra Rozanova at the St. Petersburg Conservatory.
- Shostakovich was his parents' second child, and he had two sisters named Maria Fredericks and Zoya Dmitrievna Shostakovich. His elder sister Maria grew up to be a musician and teacher, while his younger sister Zoya became a veterinarian.
- Since his father's name was also Dmitri, his mother started calling him 'Yaroslav'. But the priest, who presided over his christening, insisted that he be called by his father's name. Thus, he became Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, while Mitya became his nickname.
- As a child, Shostakovich showed no interest in learning music, but loved to listen to it. Whenever there was a soiree at his home, he hid in the dark corners of the house, enjoying music well past his scheduled bedtime. He also listened through the walls when chamber music soirees were held in their next-door apartment.
- In the spring of 1915, he was taken to a musical theatre for the first time, where he watched 'Tale of Tsar Saltan' by Rimsky-Korsakov. Although he enjoyed the experience, he remained reluctant to learn music. Nonetheless, his mother started teaching him piano in the month of July that year.
- While teaching piano to Shostakovich, his mother realized that he was a gifted musician with perfect pitch and a phenomenal memory. Therefore, sometime in mid-August, she took him to Ignatiy Glyasser, a leading music teacher in the town. In September 1915, Shostakovich joined the music school and started studying under Mrs. Glyasser.
- In the autumn of 1915, he began attending the Shidlovskaya Commercial School, which was renamed '108th Soviet School', a year after 'Russian Revolution of 1917'. Although he was an avid reader and spent a lot of time in his father's library, his heart was devoted to music.
- He was making rapid progress in learning music and entered Glyasser's class in 1916. Glyasser taught him sonatas of Haydn and Mozart and the fugal works of Bach for two years. By 1918, Shostakovich had also started writing music.
- In 1918, his mother took him to her own teacher Alexandra Rozanova, who was quick to recognize his potential as a composer and began cultivating it. At Rozanova's recommendation, he also studied music under Georgiy Bruni in the spring and summer of 1919. Concurrently, he began to prepare for the Conservatory's entrance exams.
- When '108th Soviet School' shut down in 1919, Shostakovich enrolled in Stoyunina School. In the same year, he joined the Petrograd Conservatory to study composition and piano, bypassing preparatory theoretical courses.
- Initially, his parents were hesitant about letting him study two subjects, but agreed when urged by Conservatory head Alexander Glazunov, who personally monitored his progress. Determined to devote his life to music, Shostakovich stopped paying much attention to his academics and left school without any certificate in 1921.
- At the Conservatory, he studied piano under Leonid Nikolayev, composition under Maximilian Steinberg, counterpoint and fugue under Nikolay Sokolov and history of music under Alexander Ossovsky. In 1926, he graduated from the Conservatory and wrote 'Symphony No. 1 in F minor' as his graduation piece.
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- Shostakovich began his career as a concert pianist and composer. His graduation piece 'Symphony No. 1 in F Minor' (opus 10), performed on 12 May 1926 by the Leningrad Philharmoni Orchestra, was a tremendous success. But his dry style of playing piano, with emotional restraint, was not appreciated by many.
- In 1927, he entered 'Międzynarodowy Konkurs Pianistyczny im Fryderyka Chopina' (International Chopin Piano Competition) but fared poorly, as he was suffering from appendicitis. His music, however, received an 'honorable mention' and led to a meeting with Bruno Walter, who was so impressed by his 'Symphony No. 1' that he conducted its Berlin premiere in November 1927.
- Shostakovich wrote 'Symphony No 2 in B major' (opus 14) and dedicated it to the October revolution, subtitling it as 'To October'. It was first performed in Leningrad by the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra on 5 November 1927 and then in Moscow.
- In 1928, he completed his first opera 'The Nose'; and in June 1929, it was performed at concerts. Since its music sprang from action, it was poorly received. Its stage premiere, held on 18 January 1930, received lukewarm reviews from critics, but it was popular among the audience. It was performed 16 times in total.
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- Towards the end of the 1920s, Joseph Stalin began exercising control over Russian culture and started demanding popular and direct style in music. He banned avant-garde productions in 1932. However, Dmitry Shostakovich did not face any problems in the first four years of the totalitarian rule in Russia.
- On 22 January 1934, he had his opera 'Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District' premiered in Leningrad. Although initially a success, it began to be criticized by the government press in 1936 following direct orders from Stalin. Even those, who had earlier praised it, were forced to recant in writing.
- Despite attacks from the administration, Shostakovich continued to write music and completed his 'Symphony No 4 in C minor'. He intended to hold its premiere in December 1936, but after several rehearsals, he was forced by the Communist Party officials to withdraw it. The symphony was eventually premiered on 30 December 1961 by the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Kirill Kondrashin.
- Shostakovich wrote 'Symphony No 5 in D minor' sometime between April and July 1937 to stay afloat and held its first performance on November 21. While musically more conservative than his earlier pieces, it proved to be a major success, receiving a long ovation. Meanwhile, from September 1937 onwards, he had also begun teaching composition at the 'Leningrad Conservatory'.
- To satisfy his urge for experiments, he began to write chamber music, writing his first string quarters in 1937-1938. This genre enabled him to express ideas that could not have been communicated through his more public symphonies.
- In 1939, Shostakovich was commissioned to write a suitable marching band for the Russian Army. It was to be performed during the Army's march through Helsinki. He wrote 'The Suit on Finish Themes' for the occasion and submitted it on 3 December 1939. It was however not performed until 2001 because the parade never took place in Helsinki.
- During the Second World War, he created some magnificent pieces. First among them was 'Symphony No 7 in C major', which he completed in December 1941. Dedicated to the besieged city of Leningrad, the symphony was premiered on 9 August 1942 in Leningrad itself.
- Shostakovich lived in Leningrad during the first few months of the siege, but was evacuated after that. Therefore, he could not attend the premiere of 'Symphony No 7 in C major'. But during his stay, he joined the night watches and firefighting teams, personally defusing incendiary bombs.
- In 1943, he moved to Moscow and completed 'Symphony 8 in C minor', another of his most acclaimed works. In 1944, he wrote 'The Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor'. It was followed by 'Symphony No. 9 in E-flat Major', which he completed in 1945.
- Shostakovich began teaching at the 'Moscow Conservatory' in 1943. But in 1948, he was accused of formalism and denounced for the second time. It cost him his jobs at Leningrad and the Moscow Conservatory, and he was also threatened with arrests. But his voice could not be fully suppressed, as he started writing music for films to earn his living.
- During his second denunciation, he also wrote some 'desk drawer' pieces, such as 'Violin Concerto No. 1', 'From Jewish Folk Poetry' and 'Symphony No 10 in E minor'. While the last-mentioned piece was premiered soon after Stalin's death in March 1953, the other two were first performed in 1955.
- After possibly being blackmailed by the Communist Party, Dmitry Shostakovich finally joined the fascist organization in 1960. Soon, several articles, critical of individualism in music, began appearing in his name in the party's official newspaper 'Pravda'. In response, he wrote 'String Quarter No 8 in C minor' in July, officially dedicating it "to the victims of fascism and the war".
- His son opined that 'String Quarter No 8' actually referred to the victims of totalitarianism, while his daughter believed that the composer dedicated the piece to himself. His friend Lev Lebedinsky, on the other hand, thought that the composer planned to commit suicide, and it was his epitaph.
- In 1961, Shostakovich wrote 'Symphony No. 12 in D minor', dedicating it to the memory of Vladimir Lenin, subtitling it 'The Year of 1917'. Many believe that he wrote it simply to toe the party line in order to protect himself. Nonetheless, it was well received in the USSR.
- In July 1962, he completed his 'Symphony No. 13 in B Flat minor', basing it on the poems of Yevgeny Yevtushenko, commemorating the massacre of Ukrainian Jews at Babi Yar. Thereafter, he wrote 'Symphony No. 14' (1969) and 'Symphony No. 15 in A major' (1971).
- While Shostakovich rose to fame with his graduation piece 'Symphony No. 1 in F minor', 'Symphony No 5 in D minor' was possibly his first work that earned him mass popularity. After its premiere, he received a half-an-hour long ovation. The symphony also helped him repair his image after his first denunciation.
- 'Symphony No 7 in C major', subtitled 'Leningrad', is another of his truly popular works. Premiered on 9 August 1942 in the besieged city of Leningrad and played by musicians, who were suffering from starvation, it became a huge success. It receiving an hour-long ovation at its premiere, sending a strong message to Nazis.
- Although Dmitry Shostakovich was denounced twice, he also received a number of awards. The notable among them were the 'USSR State Prizes' (1941, 1942, 1946, 1950, 1956), 'People's Artist of the Republic' (1948), 'People's Artist of the USSR' (1954), 'Order of Lenin' (1946, 1956, 1966), 'Hero of Socialist Labor' (1966) and the 'Shevchenko National Prize in Theater' (1975).
- In 1958, he was elected an honorary member of the 'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia', Rome. In the same year, he also received an honorary doctorate of music from the 'University of Oxford'.
- In 1966, Shostakovich was awarded the 'Royal Philharmonic Society's Gold Medal', London.
- In 1967, he received 'Decoration of Honour' for his services to the republic of Austria.
- Dmitry Shostakovich married his first wife Nina Vassilyevna Varzar in 1932. But their initial struggle led to a divorce in 1935. At that time, she was pregnant with their first child. When the estranged couple realized that, they got married for the second time.
- Their daughter Galina Dmitrievna Shostakovich, who later became a trained pianist and biologist, was born in 1936. Two years later, in May 1938, Shostakovich and his wife welcomed a son named Maxim Dmitrievich Shostakovich. He grew up to become an established conductor and pianist.
- In 1954, Nina Vassilyevna Varzar passed away. At that time, Shostakovich was having affairs with two of his students; Galina Ustvolskaya and Elmira Nazirova, but nothing materialized from them. In 1956, he married Margarita Kainova, an active member of the 'All-Union Leninist Young Communist League'. They divorced in 1960.
- In 1962, Shostakovich married 27 years old Irina Antonovna and remained married to her until his death in 1975. Although she was much younger than him, she proved to be a caring wife, and he finally found some domestic peace.
- In early 1958, Shostakovich began to suffer from a debilitating condition, which affected his right hand. In 1965, he was diagnosed with poliomyelitis. In 1966, he had a heart attack and another in 1971. Meanwhile, both his legs were also broken.
- In spite of his multiple illnesses, he continued to work, writing 'Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 147' in July 1975. On 9 August 1975, three weeks after completing the Sonata, he died from a heart attack in Moscow. He was interred in the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow.
- Shostakovich Peninsula on Alexander Island, Antarctica is named in his honor.
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• From the no-news-is-good-news department, a number of recent losses to report (at least recently learned of by me):
Maryland Furniture, formerly on East Tremont Ave. in the Bronx. (T. Rinaldi)
Peerless Cleaners, 4706 White Plains Road, Bronx. (T. Rinaldi)
Dante's Pastry Shop, 4715 White Plains Road, Bronx. (T. Rinaldi)
• From the erstwhile Shorpy blog, the following:
> Two fantastic scenes (1 & 2) of Times Square in 1949.
> And, lest we be accused of being too New York-centric - two scenes (1 & 2) of neon-clad Atlanta, Georgia, in 1957 (feat. Shriners).
• In the Chelsea Hotel, the veteran El Quijote restaurant has been shuttered by its new owners. The management has pledged to re-open in four or six or eight months but what will come here remains to be seen.
• For your neon bookshelf, get a load of "Neon Revolution," a very handsome new book featuring vintage neon of the Eastern Block. This follows-up on author / photographer Ilona Kadwinska's previous volume entitled "Polish Cold War Neon."
Neon Revolution, a new book by Ilona Kadwinska (Neon Muzeum)
• One of Manhattan's better neon storefronts has transitioned: Live Bait, on East 23rd Street is now Flats Fix.
Live Bait is now Flats Fix. (T. Rinaldi)
• Renato, Renato, Renato - from the kindred spirit department, a tribute to "Renato," an ancient Greenwich Village restaurant sign, via the Ephemeral New York blog.
Renato's Van Dam Street ghost sign, Greenwich Village, NYC (Epmeheral New York)
• And finally, to end on a bright note - Debra Jane Seltzer takes us on a SoCal signage sojourn.
Imperial Apartments, El Centro, CA (Debra Jane Seltzer)


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Dell has officially launched their new G-series gaming laptop in the Philippines and its collaboration with Marvel Studios' "Ant-Man and The Wasp".
These new gaming laptops are designed and engineered for the gamer who prioritizes performance and excellent gameplay.
Building upon a fierce commitment to deliver gaming solutions for players of all levels and budgets, Dell is launching a new suite of Windows 10 gaming PCs. Both feature gaming-forward design and snappy performance at affordable prices. These new game-ready laptops are equipped with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10-Series GPUs, 8th Gen Intel Core processors, thermal management solutions, intelligent content prioritization software, MaxxAudio Pro speakers, Full HD anti-glare IPS panels, and other complementary features intended to get gamers fully immersed into their games.
Dell G3 15
The Dell G3 comes with a 15-inch size, powered by NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050, and come in either 8th Gen Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 CPUs. It also features dual fans and up to two hard drives configuration. The laptop's 2×2 WiFi antenna design provides great wireless performance, while the SmartByte software prioritizes gaming and video content keeping them smooth, even during large file downloads.
Dell G7 15
The Dell G7 sports a 15-inch chassis, with GPU options up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with powerful Max-Q design technology. The system comes in CPU options of 8th Gen Intel Core i5 or i7 processors with up to 6-core performance and dedicated graphics memory of up to 6GB GDDR5. The Dell G7 15 system features dual fans and up to two hard drives also. It also features a Killer 1×1 networking optimization (supporting up to 2×2) or SmartByte software responsively prioritize content downloads for liquid smooth gaming and streaming.
"We are ambassadors to the PC gaming world," says Jay Ranola, Consumer Head, Dell Philippines. "From pushing the boundaries of innovation and creating systems for all gamers, we are enabling gamers of all levels to game at their best with these new affordable G Series line-up."
Dell technology helps bring visual effects to life in Marvel Studios' "Ant-Man and The Wasp"
Meanwhile, Dell hardware plays a vital role in creating the visual effects in the film. Marvel Studios enlisted VFX vendors, several of which utilized a breadth of Dell technologies, including Dell EMC PowerEdge servers, and Dell Precision workstations, as the core infrastructure to provide the immense computing power and storage capacity necessary for visual effects designers to bring the movie's characters and places to life.
In the company's Vancouver studio alone, more than 300 Dell Precision workstations are used to create compelling effects. Fans will be able to see the new Dell G5 15, and the award-winning XPS 13, on the big screen as the film hits theaters. In the film, Dell devices make several appearances in settings like Hank Pym's lab and at the X-CON security offices.
The full list of Dell technology DNEG leveraged to create the film includes:
- Dell Precision 7910 workstations
- Dell EMC PowerEdge R630 rack servers with MD3460 RAIDs
- Dell EMC PowerEdge M1000e Blade Server Enclosures
- Hundreds of Dell monitors
Dell Premium Support Services
All Dell consumer client solutions are equipped with Premium Support Service, a service that packs the most features in one support plan. It's enhanced with features that include virus removal, repairs for accidents and automated PC health-optimizing scans to keep PC running at its best.
Premium Support includes:
- 24×7 direct access to expert hardware and software phone support
- Onsite support after remote diagnosis
- Repairs for accidental damages like drops, spills and electrical surges
- Collaborative help to resolve everyday software issues
- Personalized help with software for more complex issues, or for help with setting data backup, parental controls, and more
- International support
- Parental control software support
- SupportAssist technology-enabled features to:
- Proactively find issues and contact Dell while notifying users
- Predict problems before they start
- Remove viruses and malware
- Optimize PC performance automatically
This service is accessible nationwide and customers can easily call Dell's Hotline at 1800 1601 0061 (Toll-Free) or 00632-8830677 (Non Toll-Free) to access this service.
The Dell G-series is also protected by Dell Accidental Damage, which ensures onsite repair services needed to restore the device to working order. For further information, please visit www.dell.com/premiumsupport.
Price and Availability:
Dell G3 15 is Dell's thinnest gaming laptop to date and will offer three color options (Black, Recon Blue, Alpine White) and was priced starting at PHP 49,990.00. Meanwhile, the Dell G7 15 is now also available starting at PHP 58,990.00.