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Ad-Hoc Committee on Electronic Services and Camel
November 21, 1999
Peter Deutsch, Michael Doob, Ian Goulden, David Rodgers, Tom Salisbury
The CMS needs a strong web presence, supervised by one overall Director. Camel provides that presence, and should act as the "web site of the CMS". The Electronic Services Committee should be reconstituted, both in terms of its function and its membership. The delegates from other CMS committees, SSC and CAIMS should be removed from the ESC. The new ESC should be asked to develop (1) a detailed, clear statement of functions and priorities for Camel; (2) detailed, clear administrative structures for ongoing decision-making about Camel; (3) a job description for the Camel Director. The responsibility for fund-raising should not be part of the ESC mandate, but should be carried out under the direction of the Executive Director, who should develop a business plan for Camel.
1. The CMS needs a strong web presence.
A successful, professionally run web site is necessary to the present and future well-being of the CMS. When Camel was set up, the CMS was perhaps ahead of its time, and it was not clear to all that the internet would be so necessary to carrying on business in 1999; what was speculative in 1994 is now essential. Electronic services will only become more important in the future, though the precise form of these is hard to predict. The present generation of students expects to function fully via the web, and will view the CMS in this light. For the foreseeable future, on-line publishing will become rapidly more complex and sophisticated, and especially given the importance of publications in the CMS mission, it is essential that these are well supported.
2. The web site should serve the CMS in a dedicated manner.
The web site should be fully integrated with the activities of the CMS, and those running it should be fully accountable to the CMS. From the point of view of the CMS, Camel should act as the "web site of the CMS", with services to the broader mathematical sciences community consistent with the mandate of the CMS to this community. Camel was created with CANARIE support, as a Canadian Mathematics server with CMS as one of the sponsors. The SSC and CAIMS have shown no interest in participating in Camel. The CMS should move on with Camel as a dedicated web site.
In the remainder of the report, we will use "Camel" to mean the web site of the CMS.
3. Camel needs one overall director.
Camel should function under a single administrative umbrella, unified with a Director, and a CMS reporting structure that provides oversight and accountability. The web site must maintain its integrity, and not be subdivided administratively; for example, hardware and software can be expected to change significantly, and especially on the small scale of the CMS, we cannot afford the inefficiencies of multiple, independent sites (e.g., development, production). However, there can be the flexibility, under this umbrella, to have Camel staff and contributors at a number of different physical locations.
4. In broad terms, clear policies about the functions and priorities of Camel should be adopted by the CMS.
It is the Committee's understanding that, through this report and their discussion of it, the Exec/Board is fully in the position, ON THIS SINGLE OCCASION, of directing what the web site should be and how it should operate, in as much detail as they wish, or to delegate any particular aspects of this, say, to the ESC. However, the Exec/Board, ON AN ONGOING basis, would only know/monitor/discuss the general directions of the CMS web site. Thus, in this report, we recommend that ESC be charged with developing a detailed, clear statement of functions and priorities for Camel (see #6(b) below) that includes any specific items that the Exec/Board specifies.
We suggest that at a minimum, these specific items are to support the work of the Executive office, maintain membership lists, announce meetings, post policies, inform the membership; to aid in fund-raising for the CMS; to provide the vehicle for the electronic publications of the CMS; to support the educational and research activities of the CMS; to act as outreach to the school system, and to publicize the role of the CMS in Canada. We also suggest, as a priority, that all web pages must be maintained on an ongoing basis. The ESC should also review the suggestions made in response to the survey of Camel use, to be found as Attachment 2, below.
A mandate in web research and development beyond the electronic publications of the CMS has been part of Camel (at least informally). This should be maintained, and formally be part of the mandate in the following way: It is essential to keep up to date on technological developments that impact the CMS. For example, at present such developments include MathML, relocatable links, electronic publishing, e-commerce, as well as the activities of other societies and publishers. Part of the job description of the Camel Director (see #6(a) below) must be to ensure that such developments are tracked, either by the Director or designated staff. The budget must provide time for this crucial, somewhat open-ended function. It must also provide for the means to implement new developments that arise from this, either by the Director, designated Camel staff, or others specifically hired for a project.
5. In broad terms, clear policies about the funding and budget of Camel should be adopted.
As in #4 above, we suggest that the Exec/Board discuss this item now, with implementation and ongoing maintenance described in #6(c) below.
Camel is a significant budget item for the CMS. Starting in the 2000 budget year, all subscriptions to the CMS' scholarly journals CJM and CMB include an electronic subscription, and the revenue attribution from this in the proposed 2000 budget almost balances the budgeted costs of Camel. Nevertheless, Camel is a potentially attractive fund-raising vehicle, and fund-raising through Camel should be actively pursued. Payment of memberships, registration fees, subscriptions via Camel should be supported by the Camel Office. Camel needs a business plan; Attachment 1 is a Discussion Paper, entitled "Revenue Opportunities for Camel", that should be an aid to developing a business plan.
The hardware costs of the web site on an ongoing basis will be minor compared to personnel costs. Given the rapid changes in technology, even the one year budget cycle of the CMS may be too long a time period for accurate budget forecasts in detail, but certainly an amount of approximately $5000 per year, based on a two year replacement cycle, should be sufficient for hardware needs.
The apportionment of Camel's budget 100% to the Publications Division is not a realistic reflection of its present function within the CMS, though it is a pragmatic reflection of the budgeting realities of the CMS. If feasible, the Camel budget should be changed over time to include some apportionment for the General Division (to which most of the Executive Office expenses are allocated, for example) and possibly even the Education and Research Divisions.
6. In specific terms, clear administrative structures for ongoing decision-making about Camel and its funding should be adopted.
There are many activities of the CMS that are involved in the web site now, and they will only grow in the future. It is very difficult to balance competing needs by different parts of the CMS concerning their use of Camel resources. In many ways this is a microcosm of the competition for resources within the CMS as a whole at budget time. Thus, it is important that governance and accountability for Camel be clearly specified, and as open as possible. We suggest the following structure:
The present (and founding) Camel Director's term ends at the end of 2000. At some point, the CMS will have to find someone else to occupy this key position, so some discussion is appropriate about the possible profile that such a person might have. The terms are for three years at present, which seems appropriate, with the understanding that normally the CMS would expect to make a reappointment for a subsequent term (or terms). Three year terms provide flexibility, both for the CMS and the Director, and "normal" reappointment, given the learning curve, provides some of the stability that is needed. The present Director is technically very knowledgeable, with active research in electronic publishing. It seems difficult to imagine that the CMS could find a replacement with such a profile for this unpaid position (currently highly subsidized by CECM), and the Camel budget would need to be increased substantially if the CMS were to hire a Director with such a profile, at market value. However, it is certainly possible for a Mathematics faculty member with a strong interest in web technology to serve as Camel Director. The Director could then be supported by a full-time (or large fraction thereof) staff member, together with the ESC, to provide technical expertise.
It seems essential that the ESC be an effective decision-making body, as well as a forum for discussion, and the membership should be changed from this point of view. Firstly, the CAIMS and SSC delegates should be removed from the membership list, as discussed in #2 above. Secondly, the five delegates from other CMS Committees should be removed from the membership list. Thirdly, the Executive Director should be added as a consultant to the Committee. This more compact group should then act much like a "Camel Advisory Board", making a scholarly journal comparison.
Liaison between Camel operations and the other functional areas of the CMS, such as Research and Education, should be a key responsibility of the ESC, and the Committee should determine a reasonable means of accomplishing this, and the two-way communications with other committees that this might involve. It would be best if much of this communication could come between the two CMS meetings per year, rather than at them alone.
Revenue Opportunities for Camel
Camel is an aggregation of scholarly, professional, and administrative applications of interest to mathematicians, teachers, and students. Resources and services may be classified as developmental/experimental (1), production (2), or archival (3) in nature. Each type of application contributes a component of added-value benefit to CMS members. Typically, applications will cycle through stages and unsuccessful/unused/high-maintenance applications are candidates for pruning in the face of competing priorities.
The next evolutionary step is to forge for Camel applications a more natural progression from experimental to production to archival status. It implies a need for a greater degree of executive oversight and a full project lifecycle process for allocating and tracking Camel resources. It requires a delicate balance (4) be struck between the "can do" attitude of Camel staff and the requirements for running a successful CMS business operation.
Scholarly societies like the CMS typically generate 75% or more of their revenues from publishing related activities. Publishers everywhere are under heavy pressure to develop electronic products and services.
For these reasons, we advocate moving Camel forward based on three working assumptions:
in an organizational environment that requires approval of the Electronic Services Committee.
A review of Camel financials with the CMS Treasurer revealed that out-of-pocket expenses for current operations total $87K for roughly 3.25 FTE effort. Approximately $73K is allocated to staff salaries and benefits. [It should be noted that the Director contributes 0.25-0.33 FTE under an arrangement that costs CMS just $8K ($5K released time contribution to salary/benefits and $3K in travel expense).] SFU contributes space and facilities for the Camel West operation as well as a hidden subsidy for the Director. Interviews with the Camel Director established that hardware requirements for Camel should be budgeted at $5K/year with the explicit expectation of a rotating, 2-year replacement cycle for computer systems, with highest capacity equipment located in the production environment. [The approximately $120K of hardware purchased under the CANARIE grant can be replaced for $20K with current price/performance ratios.]
An adjusted budget of $92K + 5K contingency is recommended. [It is anticipated that the contingency for the first year would be absorbed replacing one of the two existing server systems.]
Revenue Sources
This section identifies revenue sources that can support Camel activities and move the program forward to a 67% level of Camel costs in a 3-year timeframe.
The remaining 33% of costs explicitly recognizes the following components (N.B. The proposed CMS budget for 2000 attributes more than 80% of Camel costs as a revenue contribution from Camel due to the first of these components alone):
At the recommended rate of expenditure, the program would need to generate $64K/year by the end of the three years.
A 3-tier approach is recommended:
Tier 1 (Active Workplan)
Tier 2 (Back Burner)
Tier 3 (Under Consideration)
The goal should be certainty over uncertainty. It should provide CMS members and leaders with a clear picture of what to expect and when to expect it. It is important to work off a project list that has organizational approval and mechanisms for resolving issues related to priorities, status, and schedule:
The Electronic Services Committee, or a working sub-committee composed of its members, should review and endorse the Camel work plan in an action taken by the whole committee. The current work plan should be modified to incorporate those components in Tier 1 (and possibly some Tier 2 activities) that are recommended by the review committee and approved by the Executive Committee. Other activities endorsed by the Executive Committee should be factored into the version of the work plan that comes to the Electronic Services Committee at its December meeting. Revised work plans should be reviewed by the Finance and Executive Committees. In this way, the work of Camel staff will have the full support of the CMS organization.
(1) Generating Journal pages with MathML is an example of a developmental/experimental application.
(2) Generating Journal pages in TeX, DVI, or PDF format is an example of a stable production application.
(3) Generating Journal pages from issues that precede the TeX system in image format is an example of an archival application
(4) It is important to define an agile communication mechanism (e.g. e-mail, conferencing) to facilitate Camel decision making. It is not realistic for ALL Camel decisions to be made in 6-month intervals at CMS membership meetings.
Camel Survey
The following questionnaire was sent to all members of the cmath-l mailing list in June of 1999, with the request that department chairs forward it to members of their departments.
The Canadian Mathematical Society is in the process of reviewing its electronic services, including the effectiveness of its Camel website (http://math.ca/). In connection with this review, responses to the following brief questionnaire would be greatly appreciated.
Please send responses to Tom Salisbury, at firstname.lastname@example.com
1. Have you ever used the Camel (the CMS's website). If so, which services or features have you used, and how frequently?
2. How useful do you find the information currently available on Camel?
3. How could Camel be improved?
4. What new services should the CMS explore adding to Camel?
5. Can you suggest ways Camel could generate revenue to pay for such services? More generally, what methods of generating revenue do you see as appropriate for Camel?
Only 24 responses were received. Comments are reproduced below, in some cases with annotations by the committee.
******* Question 1 *******
11 people said they'd never used Camel. Of these, it is not clear how many had heard of Camel before the survey. 2 specifically said that they had not.
13 people had used Camel. Of these 2 had abandoned it, while 4 used it frequently
Usage cited included:
member addresses / e-mail addresses (3)
placing job postings (2)
reading job postings (1)
committee information (1)
CMS notes (1)
Crux (1)
education links (1)
meeting information (1)
The 2 individuals who abandoned Camel gave their reasons as follows:
"I don't use Camel. Several times I tried, but user id and password are required. I tried to find out what these are from CMS. The numbers they gave me don't seem to work. I can't get in. I always look up addresses of Canadian mathematicians on the AMS website."
"I have tried to use camel twice, I think, to find out some mundane information, both with unsatisfactory results. Once I wanted to know where the future meetings of the CMS were to be held ... I could not get information other than the next meeting in preparation and left frustrated. Another time I actually tried to find out committee membership from the past ... Again I failed."
******* Question 2 *******
"Our department has used Camel to advertise several positions and this worked very well: the advertisement was circulated promptly and the response was very good."
"Actually, the more I explore Camel, the more I think it is a fabulous resource.
I often have trouble finding specific information. I do best (with all web sites) on those rare occasions when my mind has stopped functioning and I just click, click, click, until something of interest appears. This happens regularly with Camel. It would be great if every mathematician in the country was always just a click away from camel. There is some very good stuff there. I wonder how many people know?"
"For my CMS administrative work I find it very useful."
"Reasonable, but I can live without it."
"Very useful"
"Information is useful and very important."
"It is a good site and should be maintained. "
"There is a lot of good information. If I were not getting a lot of input on the CMS from other sources, I would probably use camel more."
"I looked at it today but I don't think it would be that useful to me in its present form"
Note: this individual went on to identify himself as a Statistician.
"It's not terribly useful for my needs. For example, I lost my password to access my Camel account shortly after I received it. I am not sure what, if anything, I am missing by not accessing my Camel account. Life goes on well without it." Note: this individual did use the public pages.
"Have tried to find members, but now keep hardcopy handy as I cannot keep track of a password!"
******* Question 3 *******
"Well one thing they could do is remove the password protection. As it is I can never remember my password, so I use only the free services ... E-math manages to survive without this."
"More info about math publishing on the web and what CMS is doing to promote this. Repairing some of the links where pages cannot be displayed."
"Get a new name. I thought I was being asked to give an opinion on cigarettes" Note: perhaps the camel home page should remind readers of the acronym upon which Camel is based.
"Make it easy to put up papers on Camel from any platform. It was very difficult the last time I tried (using Word with Equation Editor on a Mac)" Note: In fact, the preprint server was not a success, and has been discontinued.
"I wish Camel looked like a CMS operation and not conversely. I have links from my own web site to the AMS, MAA (lots of other places) and currently, a link to Camel which, frankly, I only use to get to the CMS. What precisely is the URL of the CMS???? I like the appearance of the Camel page, by the way, but the CMS is BORING - General Information, Activities, Membership, Camel Accounts. Looks terrible."
"I was trying to find KaBoL the other day, having heard many people brag about this. How to find? I would have looked under education, but education is not listed as a CMS "Activity". I hit the search button at the bottom of the CMS page, typed in "kabol" and was directed to a link which does not work. This sort of thing turns people off in a big way. I clicked on
/CMS/Rendezvous/index2.html where another request for a password came forth. I presume (but don't know for sure) I couldn't get access to this area because [my institution's] membership in the CMS doesn't give electronic access to the journals. (I am glad this policy is going to change.) (Twenty minutes later. I can't believe I can't find KaBoL. It was there the other day, but I can't find it today.)"
"The archival material is good. The postings of jobs was a huge step forward."
"I would like a list of conferences all over the world to be available there. However, this to some extent duplicates what the AMS Notices does. Do they have their conference information on-line? If so, perhaps we could have a link from camel?"
"It would also be nice to have a list of, and links to, funding opportunities for mathematicians and math ed people. I am thinking of the NSERC programs, MITACS, the recent gov't of Ontario program for the support of math education etc."
"One thing to avoid is a link that goes nowhere. This happens with, for instance, A mathlete's training guide' and 'Mathpro Press'."
" (a) It does not receive enough publicity. Many mathematicians do not know it exists.
(b) It is hard to find things on the server unless it is mentioned on the extremely clutered main page. For example, there is a list of web sites of Mathematical Departments. However if you do not know it is there, then you would likely never find it. Even if you know it is on the site, then it is still hard to find (personal experience).
(c) The over-use of abbreviations is unnecessary and obscures information for anyone who has never seen the abbreviation or who does not have a good memory. There are at least 16 such on the English part of the main page. Some have the full wording as well, but most do not."
" a. Register www.cms.ca as a URL for it.
b. Make it more reliable. It is down an awful lot.
c. Put members' postal codes on the first screen of the member information form, so that it is available without password. I suspect the rationale for the current setup is to thwart bulk mailings -- but since you have to know whom you are looking up, I don't see that advertisers would find it efficient to use the member information search feature to generate bulk mail lists.
d. Bulletin boards related to publications should be available to the public, rather than protected by userid/password (as is the case with the "Digital After-Math" attached to Crux with Mayhem).
e. Make it possible for people to submit photos of themselves as part of their personal data (I think of this as a service for someone who would like to visualize people with whom they are corresponding)."
******* Question 4 *******
"Provide free access to a list of names and addresses of members of the CMS and an up-to-date list of Chairs of Math. Departments in Canada and their addresses and telephone numbers."
"Have complete listings of members of all math departments in all Canadian post-secondary schools (not just cms members) and their e-mail addresses."
"A bulletin board associated to the CMS Education Notes (and perhaps to other sections of the CMS Notes)."
"A jobs page for sure, and a registry of all (most?) grad students, post-docs, maybe even honours undergrads. The CMS should facilitate contact between employers looking for mathematicians and mathematicians looking for work."
"There are many ways the website could branch out, such as having the math problem of the week."
"(a) The career information part is weak It seems to concentrate on academic jobs and some US job listings. Mathematics students will want to know about other types of jobs. Even our departmental site seems to offer more than Camel does (though still with a US emphasis): www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/science/mathematics/careers.html
(b) General information about the usefulness of mathematics seems to be lacking (or I did not find it). Information such as the following page is at the B.C. Institute of Technology useful: www.scas.bcit.bc.ca/sas/math/examples/table.htm"
******* Question 5 *******
"No, because there is very little that I would be willing to pay for. I still generally prefer hard copies to electronic."
"I think the jobs page I mentioned [above] could generate revenue, as well as sponsorships for things like KaBoL, if it were easily found!"
"Sell advertising. Some companies are interested in the people who view camel. eg publishers of math materials, hi tech distributors. We could even get travel agencies interested - mathematicians do a lot of travelling far from home as part of the job."
"I think I wouldn't mind the CMS "selling links" to information about professional products (e.g. links to publisher or reseller sites for books, software, product reviews, etc.)."
"Public sector awareness"


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While the public watches whether Congress defies the year-end fiscal cliff or compromises on looming 2013 tax hikes and spending cuts, Monroe County's new Republican congressman makes clear who he believes is responsible for the chaos.
While the public watches whether Congress defies the year-end fiscal cliff or compromises on looming 2013 tax hikes and spending cuts, Monroe County's new Republican congressman makes clear who he believes is responsible for the chaos.
The blame goes to congressional Democrats and President Barack Obama, said U.S. Rep. Tom Marino, R-10, in a written statement Friday.
"House Republicans have not only passed legislation that will avert the effects of the fiscal cliff," said Marino, whose district will include the north-central part of Monroe County beginning next week, "Republican leaders have even offered a proposal that would raise tax rates on top earners."
Republican House Speaker John Boehner proposed a bill to raise income tax rates on millionaires from 35 percent to 39 percent, but withdrew it before a vote took place after Boehner learned his own Republican caucus wouldn't approve it. President Obama has insisted on raising tax rates on income in excess of $250,000.
Marino, who already represents all of Pike County, noted the Republican-controlled House previously approved and sent to the Democratic Senate a bill that would extend the expiring Bush-era tax cuts for all taxpayers. But Democrats insist on wasteful and ineffective spending, he wrote.
"House Republicans have already passed legislation that will extend tax cuts for the middle class, but it is the Senate Majority Leader, Democrat Harry Reid, and President Obama who are refusing to compromise," he wrote. "As the House waits for action from Senate leadership, I will continue to work for the people of Pennsylvania's 10th District and will remain committed to seeing that Americans do not bear the brunt of a $550 billion tax hike."
U.S. Rep.-elect Matt Cartwright, D-17, who takes office next week in a new district that includes eastern Monroe County, the West End and some of the mountain townships, has low expectations for averting the fiscal cliff before then. There just isn't enough time for a wide-ranging compromise on spending and revenue, he said in a phone interview.
"If they do anything it will be a Band-Aid solution for the next Congress," Cartwright said.
Cartwright campaigned on raising tax rates on earnings exceeding $1 million. He supports "modest" defense cuts, including reducing American military personnel around the world, and eliminating "waste" in Medicare.
But Cartwright is adamantly opposed to any reductions in Social Security retirement benefits.
"That's a nonstarter for me," Cartwright said. "We will not balance the budget on the backs of people who can least afford it."
The best thing Congress can do is settle on long-range spending and tax policies, so businesses have the certainty they need to invest in economic recovery, Cartwright said.
"The economy is poised to take off," Cartwright said. "That's our salvation. I see getting the economy moving again is the answer."
Lower unemployment will reduce jobless benefit claims while bringing in more tax revenue, he said.
All of Monroe County is currently part of the 11th Congressional District, represented by Republican Lou Barletta of Hazleton. The state Legislature approved new congressional boundaries that will entirely remove Monroe County from the 11th District next week.

subset: commoncrawl


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REMEMBER the Fallen. . . HONOR those who Serve. . . TEACH our children the value of Freedom.
Welcome to the Running Fir Wreaths's Wreaths Across America Page.
On Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 8:30 AM, Wreaths Across America will be at Arlington National Cemetery to Remember and Honor our veterans through the laying of Remembrance wreaths on the graves of our country's fallen heroes and the act of saying the name of each and every veteran aloud.
Please help our location lay wreaths at as many graves as possible by clicking the red "Sponsor" button. Or, if you would like to volunteer to participate in the wreath laying ceremony, please click the "Volunteer" button next to the cemetery name below, and don't forget to click the "Invite" button to invite your friends and family to join you.
Thank you so much for supporting Running Fir Wreaths and Wreaths Across America!
Sponsor Wreaths
Wreaths Across America's Trucking Tributes Presents JD and Gully Transportation
"I was driving across country when I got the call from my youngest daughter Kasey, telling me Jeffery had been shot. Jeffrey was on his 2nd tour of duty on a resupply mission when a sniper took his life. I could not believe it at first, but it was true."...
Sister Martha Torbik Shares her Story in "What's Your Why?" Feature
Wreaths Radio celebrates volunteerism in support of our military and veterans. The "What's Your Why?" feature shares the story of involvement of Wreaths Across America volunteers like Sister Martha....
In Honor Of
Personal Message
by William Correll
Ceremony Details
Location Information
Arlington National Cemetery
Memorial Drive
Fort Myer, VA 22211
Click here for the Arlington National Cemetery Page
Directions to Cemetery
Navigation systems do an adequate job finding the cemetery. When you arrive, please follow the people and signs to the site of the ceremony itself.
Parking Instructions
Use Metro to Access the Cemetery
Due to anticipated congestion at the Arlington National Cemetery Metro stop, recommend exiting via the Rosslyn and Pentagon Metro stops and walking to the cemetery. From these locations it is a short 15-minute walk to one of the cemetery entrances. If taking the Rosslyn exit, recommend using the cemetery's Ord & Weitzel gate by walking along the North Meade Street sidewalks. If taking the Pentagon exit, recommend using the cemetery's South Gate entrance.
Pentagon Parking
General public parking will be available at the Pentagon North Parking Lot (Lanes 50-60), South Parking Lot (Lanes 1-18) and the Pentagon City Mall parking garage (small fee associated). There will be volunteers and signage positioned in the parking lots guiding visitors to walk to the nearest cemetery entrances. For those parking in Pentagon South Parking and Pentagon City Mall Parking garage, recommend walking to the cemetery's South Gate entrance for screening and entry to the grounds. For those parking in Pentagon North Parking, recommend walking to the cemetery's main entrance on Memorial Ave. by using the Route 27 pedestrian walkway.
Family Pass Holders
The Arlington National Cemetery Welcome Center parking garage will ONLY be available to ANC Family Pass holders who pre-register on a first-come, first-served basis. ANC will publish a registration system on Dec. 1. Those who pre-register will need to provide their family pass and confirmation email and will need to go to Pentagon North parking lanes 61-63 beginning at 7 a.m. They will then be escorted by law enforcement into the cemetery's Welcome Center parking garage. Once all spaces are filled (600 available), all family pass holders will need to park at the Pentagon's North or South Parking Lot and walk to the cemetery. There is no vehicle access on Memorial Ave. and significant road closures in and around the main entrance. Visitors attempting to gain access to Memorial Ave. and park in the parking garage without pre-registration will be directed by law enforcement to park at the Pentagon.
For the latest information and driving directions to Pentagon North and South Parking, visit www.arlingtoncemetery.mil.
Ceremony and Volunteer Information
Event Details
The Arlington National Cemetery gates (Main Entrance, Southgate, Ord & Weitzel, and Old Post Chapel) will open to the public at 8 a.m. All visitors must pass through the cemetery's security screening process before entering the cemetery. There will be a brief opening ceremony inside the cemetery at the McClellan Gate at 8:30 a.m. General wreath placement will also begin at this time with the exception of those trucks in vicinity of the opening ceremony. They will begin wreath placements no later than 9 a.m.


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Listen to Sia's Demo of Christina Aguilera's 'Blank Page'
If you just can't get enough of Christina Aguilera's 'Blank Page' -- and we can understand if you feel that way, given that she's described it as 'sort of the heart' of her new album 'Lotus' -- you'll want to hear the recently unearthed demo recorded by the song's co-writer, Sia. [FYI, the full-length was taken down, so this is just a snippet, for now.]
The Australian artist, who's a singer-songwriter in her own right in addition to being a highly sought-after collaborator for artists like Flo Rida and Rihanna, co-wrote 'Blank Page' with Aguilera and producer Chris Braide. We've had a couple of months to get used to the official version, and now (thanks to the YouTube channel SlowRnBAddicts, via Oh No They Didn't) we have a chance to weigh it against Sia's recording, embedded above.
Of course, Sia isn't quite the singer Aguilera is -- most vocalists aren't -- but given that 'Blank Page' depends more on quiet emotion than rafter-rattling histrionics, that doesn't put her at too much of a disadvantage; along those same lines, the song's intimacy means it doesn't require a ton of slick production, so even though this is presumably an early demo, its arrangement and overall sonic quality don't suffer too much in comparison with Aguilera's recording. Have a listen, and see which one you prefer.


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As authors, our influences can come from many places. Religion is definitely one of many influences on people's work. I believe a work should be a reflection of its author, yet religion can be really polarizing. How can I bring aspects of my personal belief system (Christianity, if it matters) into my writing without marginalizing my audience, who may not feel like I do?
For instance, some of the fiction I've read feels like thinly veiled propaganda (Pullman's His Dark Materials), while some has a lot of hidden meaning without being obstructive to the point (Card's Ender Saga). How can I express my viewpoint in my fantasy world without seeming propaganda-ish? To clarify, I'm not interested in writing an allegory; that would be marginalizing. While they have their uses, and can be wonderful on their own right (Lewis' Narnia), that's not what I'm doing.
If there is a particular example of writing that illustrates your point, I'd like to know what it is, and have a small summary of it. :)


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We are open 7 days a week from 8:30 am to 8pm.
We take our first appointment at 9am and finish our last appointment by 8pm.
We offer our guests a robe, sandals, and a private locker as well as vanity comforts in our locker room. Our spa includes a sauna and steam room, as well as a relaxation area. For guests receiving treatments, you will have complimentary use of the fitness center, outdoor pool, and amenities during the spa hours of operation. If you would like to use the facility but do not have a spa appointment you may do so for a fee of $75.00. If you choose to take the robes and sandals home with you, we will charge your spa bill an additional $100.00 for each robe and $25 for each pair of sandals. Otherwise, please be sure to leave the amenities in locker upon check-out. Please note that the fitness center, pool area, while on the same floor, are in a separate location from the spa and are co-ed facilities.
We recommend that you make your spa reservations in advance of your arrival.
Reservations can be made by calling the Spa Reception Desk at 504.596.4736 or hotel extension 4736. You may also make a reservation by filling out our online contact form.
A credit card is required to secure your appointment. If you have any special physical or medical considerations, please notify the spa so that we can best prepare for your treatment.
Cancellation & Late Policy
We observe a 24 hour cancellation policy. Reservations cancelled within 24 hours of the appointment are charged the full rate. Unfortunately, late arrivals may not receive an extension of scheduled treatments, to avoid an inconvenience to other spa guests.
Gender Preferences
Should you have a preference of a specific gender or technician to perform your treatment, please advise us at the time of making your reservations.
Health Concerns
Please make us aware of any medical conditions or if you are currently under a physician's care. Such conditions include: pregnancy, high blood pressure, recent surgeries or other acute conditions. We want to customize your experience to the best of our ability.
Massage services are provided to guests 18 years and older. An adult must accompany guests under the age of 18 who are receiving nail services and facial treatments. Children may not be left unattended in the spa, fitness center or pool area.
Check In
We encourage you to arrive 15-30 minutes before your scheduled treatment time to relax and enjoy our amenities. However, you are welcome to arrive earlier or stay late in relationship to your spa appointment to enjoy our facility.
Payment & Gratuities
We accept cash, checks and all major credit cards for payment. For your convenience, gratuities are left to the discretion of our guests. Envelopes are provided at the reception desk should you wish to leave a cash gratuity.
Gift Cards
Gift Cards are available to purchase for any special occasion. Gift cards can be purchased in person, over the phone or online and can be used for spa services and retail products. They cannot be used to purchase any other gift cards, including discounted gift cards or vouchers.
Cell Phones
To ensure a relaxing environment for all spa guests, kindly turn all cell phones to silent before entering the spa and keep all conversations to a minimum.
Spa Packages & Spa Parties
Spa packages can be customized for any occasion and group size.
Personal Belongings
The Spa at Windsor Court is not responsible for the loss of personal belongings. Please leave valuables at home or in the safe provided in your hotel room.
*The Spa at Windsor Court, License Number E2995


text:
Patriots coach Bill Belichick had no answers for Broncos' Peyton Manning in loss
DENVER — The Hooded Genius finally didn't have all the answers.
Many fans might point to a listless offense as the reason for the Patriots' disheartening 26-16 loss to the Broncos in the AFC Championship game Sunday afternoon. The performance on that side of the ball didn't help, but this game was all about Bill Belichick not having an answer for Peyton Manning, for once.
Belichick's defense hardly laid a finger on Manning — not only zero sacks, but also zero quarterback hits on 43 pass attempts. Manning appropriately carved up the Patriots' defense for 400 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an almost 75 percent completion rate, and Belichick's defense couldn't figure out any way to stop him.
The Broncos gained 507 total yards — the most allowed by the Patriots all season — made seven of 13 third-down conversions, and held onto the ball for 35:10. After punting on their first possession, the Broncos scored two touchdowns and kicked four field goals on their next six.
The loss was certainly a result of the Patriots' injuries catching up with them. Sealver Siliga isn't as good as Vince Wilfork, Dane Fletcher is no Jerod Mayo, and losing Aqib Talib in the second quarter was a killer.
But this is supposed to be when Belichick shines his brightest. Where was the unique game plan he was supposed to have dialed up for Manning with eight days of preparation? Where were the exotic blitzes, unique personnel groupings, or in-game adjustments that he is so famous for?
For a change, Manning got the better of him. Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas were open consistently across the middle all game. Alfonzo Dennard had no chance of stopping Demaryius Thomas on a 30-yard fade pass, and Jamie Collins was helpless on a 37-yard fade to Julius Thomas in the fourth quarter. Manning even checked to a draw play on a third and 10 in the first half, and Knowshon Moreno hit it for 28 yards.
The Patriots lost by double-digits for the first time all year. And this time, for once, it was because Belichick and the defense didn't have any answers.


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text:
A coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is a surgery to restore blood flow to the heart muscle. This is done by using blood vessels from other parts of the body to make a new route for blood to flow around blocked coronary (heart) arteries.
Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
Reasons for Procedure
Reasons for Procedure
Atherosclerosis is a disease of the arteries. Cholesterol and fatty deposits build up on the walls of the arteries and restricts blood flow. When the buildup happens in the heart, it may lead to chest pain, called angina, or a heart attack. Lifestyle changes and medications can be used to treat atherosclerosis. When the blockage gets too severe, CABG is done to re-establish blood supply to the heart muscle. It is often recommended in cases of:
- Severe blockage in the main artery or in several blood vessels that supply blood to the heart
- Persistent angina that does not improve with other treatments
Possible Complications
Possible Complications
Problems from the procedure are rare, but all procedures have some risk. Your doctor will review potential problems, like:
- Infections
- Blood clots
- High blood pressure or low blood pressure
- Bleeding
- Stroke
- Damage to other organs, such as the kidneys
- Irregular heart rate
- Death
Some factors that may increase the risk of complications include:
- Lung disease, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or emphysema
- Prior heart attack or bypass surgery
- Advanced age
- Severe condition (the need to have emergency surgery)
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- Thyroid disease
- Depression
What to Expect
What to Expect
Prior to Procedure
Your doctor will likely do the following:
- Physical exam
- Chest x-ray
- Electrocardiogram (EKG)
- Cardiac catheterization
Talk to your doctor about your medication. You may need to stop taking certain medication for one week before surgery.
Your doctor may also ask you to:
- Eat a light meal the night before. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight.
- Arrange for a ride to and from the hospital.
- Arrange for help at home after the procedure.
General anesthesia will be given. You will be asleep during the procedure.
Description of Procedure
An incision will be made through the skin. The breastbone will be split to open the chest. A heart-lung machine will be connected. Since the heart needs to be stopped for the surgery, this machine will act as the heart and lungs.
An artery will be taken from the chest wall. Or, a section of vein will be removed from the leg. This section will be used as the bypass. Once the heart is stopped, the new vessels will be connected (grafted) to the blocked arteries. One end will be attached just above the blockage. The other end will be attached just below the blockage. When the grafts are in place, the heart will be allowed to "wake up." Electrical shocks may be needed in some cases to regulate the heart's rhythm. The heart-lung machine will be disconnected. Temporary tubes may be placed in your chest to help drain any fluid. The breastbone will be wired together. The chest will be closed with stitches or staples.
There is a less invasive approach, called minimally invasive coronary artery surgery. The purpose of this surgery is the same, but the technique and condition of the patient are different. Patients who have only one or two clogged arteries may be candidates for this approach. In this technique, a small incision is made in the chest. The doctor usually uses an artery from inside the chest for the bypass. The key difference in this technique is that the doctor performs the surgery while the heart is beating. With this technique, the heart-lung machine is not needed. If you need CABG, your doctor will carefully evaluate you to determine the best technique for you.
Immediately After Procedure
You will be monitored in the intensive care unit, where you will have the following interventions:
- Heart monitor
- Pacing wires to control heart rate
- Tubes connected to a machine to drain fluids from the wound
- Breathing tube or an oxygen mask
- Catheter inserted to drain the bladder
How Long Will It Take?
4-5 hours
How Much Will It Hurt?
Anesthesia prevents pain during surgery. You may be given medication for any pain during recovery.
Average Hospital Stay
5-7 days
Post-procedure Care
At the Hospital
- To reduce the risk of fluid buildup in your lungs, breathe deeply and cough 10-20 times every hour.
- If a leg vein was removed, elevate your legs above your heart while sitting. Do not cross your legs.
- Efforts will be made to get you out of bed and walking as soon as possible.
- Dressings will be removed in 1-2 days. Pacing wires and chest tubes will be removed after a few days.
During your stay, the hospital staff will take steps to reduce your chance of infection such as:
- Washing their hands
- Wearing gloves or masks
- Keeping your incisions covered
There are also steps you can take to reduce your chances of infection such as:
- Washing your hands often and reminding visitors and healthcare providers to do the same
- Reminding your healthcare providers to wear gloves or masks
- Not allowing others to touch your incisions
At Home
You will have reduced activities during your recovery. A cardiac rehabilitation program will be arranged. You may need to work with a dietitian for a special diet. Recovery may include:
- Medications to control pain and heart disease
- Wound care to prevent infection
- Checking your weight every morning
Bypass surgery does not cure heart disease. The grafted blood vessels can also become clogged. You will be encouraged to make healthy lifestyle changes.
Call Your Doctor
Call Your Doctor
It is important for you to monitor your recovery after you leave the hospital. Alert your doctor to any problems right away. If any of the following occur, call your doctor:
- Pain that you cannot control with the medication you've been given
- Signs of infection, including fever and chills
- Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge at the incision sites
- Persistent nausea and/or vomiting
- Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain
- Pain, burning, urgency, frequency of urination, or persistent blood in the urine
- Gaining more than 4 pounds within 1-2 days
- Pain and/or swelling in your feet, calves, or legs, or sudden shortness of breath or chest pain
If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada http://www.heartandstroke.com/
Updated September 3, 2012. Accessed September 17, 2012.
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Cardio Smart website. Available at: https://www.cardiosmart.org/Healthwise/hw10/1095/hw101095. Accessed September 17, 2012.
Explore coronary artery bypass grafting. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at:
Updated February 23, 2012. Accessed September 17, 2012.
12/3/2010 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance
Morone NE, Weiner DK, et al. The impact of pain and depression on recovery after coronary artery bypass grafting. Psychosom Med. 2010;72:620-625.
Last Updated: 12/20/2014


text:
Student or Learner
Does 'very worth sth/doing' sound good to native English speakers?
I read Swan's PRACTICAL ENGLISH USAGE, 3rd edition:
Leicester's well worth visiting. (not: very worth...)
But there are sentences with 'very worth' in americancorpus.org:
12004SPOKCNN_Dobbs but it was very worth discussing. 22004NEWSDenver says Wilburn. " It's very worth the $50 you'll 32000SPOKCNN_King I think all that's very worth doing. OK. 41997SPOKABC_20/20 Yes, it's very worth it. It's very worth it. 51997SPOKABC_20/20 Yes, it's very worth it. It's very worth it. It's like 61992SPOKABC_20/20 making would be very worth his while. (voice
Thank you in advance.
Last edited by joham; 22-Apr-2010 at 06:21. Reason: two words added.
Hello Joham,
'very worth' doesn't sound good and I wouldn't use it but I've often heard it in both the US and Canada in normal conversation.
It is very good.
It is well worth it.
It is very worth the money. - does this sound right to you?
'Good' is an adjective whereas 'worth' is not. You only 'use' very with an adjective.
It is common to hear non-native speakers say that but it is wrong.
not a teacher


text:
Publications: Thurman, Joanne
Group by: Item Type | Year
Jump to: Journal Article
Number of items: 2.
Journal Article
Thurman, J., Volet, S.E. and Bolton, J.R. (2011) Collaborative, case-based learning: How do students actually learn from each other? Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 36 (3). pp. 297-304.
Volet, S., Summers, M. and Thurman, J. (2009) High-level co-regulation in collaborative learning: How does it emerge and how is it sustained? Learning and Instruction, 19 (2). pp. 128-143.
This list was generated on Tue Jun 18 20:02:53 2019 UTC.


text:
Adding to a growing chorus of conservatives disappointed in House Speaker John Boehner in the negotiations to avert the fiscal cliff, Matt Drudge is leading his prominent site this morning with a banner slamming Boehner:
It features a picture of Boehner crying, linking to a Politico story about his "Plan B" proposal of a millionaire tax hike bill under the headline, "MORE TAXES, MORE DEBT?"
Especially significant is the headline, "Debt has increased $18,944 per household under his leadership." That is the kind of treatment Drudge usually reserves for President Barack Obama.
Conservatives have not been fond of Boehner's various budget proposals thus far. On Monday, the conservative Club for Growth attacked the Speaker for conceding on tax-rate increases.


text:
Florida Department Of Health Identifies Facilities That Received Contaminated Pain Medication -DOH and DBPR working with eight facilities in Florida
TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Department of Health (DOH) is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state partners and other states on the meningitis outbreak associated with spinal injections of methylprednisolone for back pain. To date, eight facilities in Florida have been identified as having received shipments from one or more of the CDC-identified contaminated lot numbers of this medication. DOH is currently working with Florida health care facilities in receipt of the contaminated drug to determine if there are additional potential cases. DOH and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) are working to ensure that this medication is quarantined for reverse distribution in accordance with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC recall procedures.
Florida identified facilities:
* Florida Pain Clinic, Ocala, FL
* Interventional Rehab Center, Pensacola, FL
* Marion Pain Management Center, Ocala, FL
* North County Surgicenter, Palm Beach, FL
* Orlando Center for Outpatient Surgery, Orlando, FL
* Pain Consultants of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
* Surgery Center of Ocala, Ocala, FL
* Surgical Park Center, Miami, FL
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation's Drugs, Devices and Cosmetics Division recommends that all remaining Methylprednisolone Acetate received from the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Lot Nos. 05212012@68, 06292012@26 and 08102012@51 be quarantined immediately and returned in accordance with FDA recall procedures. Any patients known or suspected to have been injected with products in these three lots should be evaluated immediately for infection and subsequently monitored or treated as necessary.
DOH and DBPR strongly endorse FDA's recommendation that all practitioners, pharmacies and clinics discontinue use of all NECC products until and unless CDC and FDA can make determinations indicating that the products are safe.
DOH has established a toll-free hotline for questions and information. Please call: 1-866-523-7339.
On Sept. 21, 2012, the CDC was notified by the Tennessee Department of Health of a patient with the onset of meningitis approximately nineteen days following epidural steroid injection at a Tennessee ambulatory surgical center (ASC). All initial cultures of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood were negative; subsequently the patient had Aspergillus fumigatus isolated from CSF by fungal culture. On Sept. 28, 2012, investigators identified a case outside of Tennessee, possibly indicating contamination of a widely-distributed medication.
Infected patients have presented approximately one to four weeks following their injection with a variety of symptoms including: fever, new or worsening headache, nausea, and/or new symptoms consistent with a stroke. Some of these patients' symptoms were very mild in nature.
If individuals are experiencing any of these symptoms and have had a recent injection, they should contact their healthcare provider.
The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote & improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, & community efforts.
Please click here to view the original release from Florida Department Of Health.
Site optimized for Chrome or Firefox | Copyright © 2015. Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. All rights reserved.


text:
Please read my posts about making and...
Brillat-Savarin famously said that gravy is the dividing line between fasting and feasting. Preach!
As a Southerner, I can attest that a truer thing has never been said. I can also attest to the fact that gravy does not mandate spending more of your precious paycheck on groceries. Hence red eye gravy. Country ham drippings plus stale coffee. Voilà! Flavor.
And milk gravy. Pan drippings, flour, milk, maybe salt and pepper. Gravy not only means feasting. It means that you can feast on a seriously tight budget.
For this extra special Thanksgiving gravy, you might have to shell out a little more cash, but the flavor of this gravy is unparalleled, and hey, it's Thanksgiving after all.
The beauty of this particular gravy is its ability to take plain ol' grocery store button mushrooms (nope, not creminis, not shiitakes, not oysters--unless you really want to go crazy) and turn them into pure, unadulterated umami to pour over your (hopefully) delicious and moist yet (let's face it) plain turkey.
A Thanksgiving Turkey—no matter how well-seasoned or moist—will always be judged alongside the gravy that adorns it. Let's face facts: modern, farm-raised turkey, especially when roasted whole, runs the risk of being bland. Many will spend a tidy sum for "free-range" birds (noticeably better), or better yet, Heritage breeds, which have flavorful, darker meat. For most of the country, however, Heritage turkeys must be scoured for online, are prohibitively expensive, hard to reserve far enough ahead of time, and shipped from long distances…
All of this puts the onus on the Thanksgiving Birdmaster to conjure flavor from elsewhere. Our answer: make part of the gravy ahead of time by whipping up a large batch of finely chopped onions and mushrooms that have been lightly sautéed in butter and fortified with reduced white wine. Do I have your attention yet?
Called duxelles, this mixture has many applications. As an additive to pan-sauce gravy, it imparts rich, meaty flavors and a wonderful texture to whatever you normally whip up. As a base for gravy, it frees you from having to cook turkey the same old way: fry or smoke the bird to your heart's content knowing you have gravy already simmering away. Or, if turkey isn't your thing, substitute a neutral oil for the butter and simmer adding only vegetable stock for a vegetarian or vegan-friendly gravy that doesn't skimp on flavor.
Chop very fine or pulse in a food processor until they resemble oatmeal:
1 1⁄2 pounds mushrooms
Squeeze about ½ cup of the mushrooms at a time in a thin cotton towel, wringing them very hard to extract their juices. It is important to squeeze moisture out of the chopped mushrooms, or they will not brown properly. The mushrooms will be in a solid lump if you have squeezed hard enough.
Heat in a large skillet over medium heat until the foam subsides:
4 tablespoons butter
Increase the heat to medium-high and add, cooking briefly until softened:
(3 tablespoons minced garlic)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they have begun to brown and there is very little liquid left, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in:
1 cup dry white wine
Cook until completely evaporated. If making ahead of time, let cool and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 10 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
For using as a base for gravy, transfer the mixture to a saucepan and combine over medium heat with:
2 cups poultry or vegetable stock, preferably homemade
For even meatier flavor (calling all Vegetarians), try adding:
(2 tablespoons dried mushrooms, such as Porcinis or Shiitakes, finely ground)
Bring to a lively simmer, adding more stock as needed for as long as you are in the kitchen, or at least 1 hour. If using pan juices, add them after pouring off the rendered turkey fat and deglazing the roasting pan with more white wine. Season with:
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh Thyme or Parsley, minced
Take the saucepan off the heat and let sit for at least ten minutes before serving.


text:
Scott Dunlap's blog of trail running, ultrarunning, triathlon, and other life adventures. I enjoy the physical, emotional, and spiritual journey of outdoor events and the chance to meet cool people. This blog contains interviews, research, original fiction, new product ideas, and all things trail running.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Jasper Halekas featured on EndurancePlanet.com
Congrats again, Jasper!
5 comments:
excellent. I'll have to go check it out!ReplyDelete
Ahh, I love it when the heros of my sport actually turn out to be the cool, nice people that I imagine them to be (so much the opposite of other sports.) Great interview, I am really happy that someone like Jasper has earned the national championship, what a great representative for our sport!ReplyDelete
thanks for the post! I finally know how to pronouce his last name :)ReplyDelete
Scott: How about one of your great interviews with Molly, the WOMEN'S WINNER of TRT 100?ReplyDelete
A funky and spanky voice he has! Thanks for pointing us there.ReplyDelete
I LIVE for comments! Please add your thoughts, let me know you stopped by, etc., and be thoughtful of others. Always best if you sign your name, of course.


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Celebrating the music, artists and acoustic performances that have shaped the past 17 years with a special series of filmed interviews and playlists.Listen to our 17 Years of Soundtracks playlist on Apple Music.
'Music has influenced me profoundly from a very young age and has always been an emotive companion in my life. This passion has resulted in me having a wide and varying taste in music with a particular love for British artists, both new and old. It is something I go back to constantly as a source of inspiration – from providing the soundscapes to our shows, to live performances at our events, to recording music videos of the newest musicians at the very beginning of their careers.
17 Years of Soundtracks is the perfect way to celebrate the incredible roster of musicians that have helped shape my time at Burberry, be it directly through exclusive recordings, or through lending their songs as the backdrop to our experiences. This patchwork of tracks is a musical tribute to Burberry's past, present and future, which I hope will not only introduce new music to audiences but also allow for some musical rediscovery.'
Christopher Bailey, Burberry President and Chief Creative Officer
Musician, artist and poet Benjamin Clementine won the Mercury Prize for his debut album, 'At Least For Now'. Burberry invited him to perform live at the June 2014 and January 2016 menswear shows. Benjamin went on to provide the soundtrack to other notable moments, including the Mr. Burberry campaign and a solo performance at the 'London in LA' event.
British-born singer-songwriter Alison Moyet first found fame as half of the pop duo Yazoo and went on to achieve huge worldwide success, selling 23 million albums in the UK alone.
Alison performed four songs, including her 1982 Yazoo hit, 'Only You', backed by a 32-piece orchestra for the September 2015 womenswear show. Her set, arranged by British composer Joe Duddell, was recorded live for a special EP, 'Live for Burberry'.
'I've always wanted to occupy myself with art. It's the one time my mind stops whirring.'
In 2014, James Bay returned to Brighton, where he originally studied music, for his first Burberry Acoustic session. James also performed live at the September 2014 womenswear show, the same year he released his award-winning debut album, 'Chaos and the Calm'.
Ezra's unique voice featured on the soundtrack to Burberry's September 2013 womenswear show and the relationship continued with live performances at 'London in Shanghai' in 2014 and 'London in LA' in 2015, where he gave his now legendary performance of 'Did You Hear the Rain?' at the Griffith Observatory.
A regular fixture on the Burberry front row, Paloma Faith has been a unique presence on the British music scene for nearly a decade. She performed an evocative rendition of her hit single, 'Only Love Can Hurt Like This' live at the February 2014 womenswear show and at the 'London in Shanghai' celebration that followed.
British singer and songwriter, Tom Odell was the first ever live act on a Burberry runway, performing 'Hold Me', accompanied by a gospel choir, to close the February 2013 womenswear show. That same year, Tom won the BRITs Critics' Choice Award and released his best-selling debut album, 'Long Way Down'. Tom has also performed at Burberry events in LA, New York and Taipei but always remembers that first runway performance as a formative moment in his career.
'I think there's some level of being a songwriter that very much requires you to live in the moment. The very spirit of music at times is to forget about the next day.'
Model and musician, George Craig, first worked with Burberry when he starred in the Spring/Summer 2008 campaign. His cult indie band, One Night Only, later featured in campaigns and performed at events across the globe including London, Paris, Beirut and Tokyo.
Over the course of her career, Clare Maguire has showcased her powerful vocal range on many Burberry stages. The singer-songwriter is a seasoned Burberry collaborator, with three runway shows and two Burberry Acoustic sessions to her name.
Ilan Eshkeri is a British composer, songwriter, producer and conductor. He has created music for film, television and ballet as well as British astronaut Tim Peake's Principia mission to the International Space Station. For the September 2016 show, the Ivor Novello and Bafta nominee composed and conducted an original score, 'Reliquary', which was performed live at the Burberry show venue, Makers House, by the London Metropolitan Orchestra and pianist Rosey Chan.
'I feel really lucky and really excited when I'm in sessions. You can hear it in the music. It's just a bit more fun.'


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Bombardier now lets you safely take a rider along when driving an ATV. The new Traxter Max is equipped with a passenger seat and is built to handle the extra weight and stability needed for two riders. Previously, all ATVs, including Bombardier's, were recommended for single rider use only.
The Canadian manufacturer says it designed the new four-wheeler to meet a growing need for a two-rider ATV. Customers told the company they wanted to be able to accommodate a passenger when driving to work sites.
Comfort for two. The new ATV features a 640-lb. weight capacity, more than enough for two riders and gear. The wheelbase is 10 in. longer than that of the standard Traxter and positions both riders in front of the rear axle for greater stability. Heavier preload springs have been added to handle the load. The suspension includes a single rear swing arm with dual shocks and straight axle.
A step-up passenger seat with back support provides plenty of room for adult riders. Handholds and raised footboards help the passenger anticipate and respond to riding conditions. Bombardier's step-through design lets the driver get on and off the ATV without bothering the passenger. The vehicle still has ample storage space; it includes a rear rack, large front rack and weather-resistant cargo bin in the front.
Four-wheel power. The Max is powered with a 498cc, single-cylinder Rotax engine. A five-speed, thumb-shifting transmission with high and low range helps drive the machine through all types of terrain. The driver also may select automatic shifting by pushing a tab button on the left handlebar. The ATV is designed for high-torque pulling and is rated with a 1,100-lb. towing capacity. Dry weight of the ATV is 829 lbs. Manufacturer suggested retail price: $7,399.
For more information, contact Bombardier Recreational Products, Dept. FIN, 565 de la Montagne St., Valcourt, Quebec, Canada J0E 2L0, 877/469-7433, or visit www.Bombardier-atv.com or www.freeproductinfo.net/fin.


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In the post titled, 'Understanding Business Model Fundamentals', we learnt why do we need to understand business models and how to visually represent a business model using the 'Business Model Canvas'. In this post, we will try to understand LinkedIn business model using the Canvas.
LinkedIn is the world's largest professional network. As of 31st March 2012, LinkedIn had 161 million members in over 200 countries. LinkedIn helps the professionals stay connected with each other by creating and managing a professional identity and building a professional network. LinkedIn has implemented a Multi-sided Platform, which offers different solutions to different categories of users.
LinkedIn provides the following categories of solutions to its network members for free: An ability to manage professional identity using tools such as Profile and Profile Stats; An ability to build and manage professional networks using tools such as LinkedIn Connections, Invitations, and Introductions; Access to knowledge and insights using tools such as LinkedIn Groups, Network Updates, News, Answers etc.
LinkedIn is a good example of a Freemium business model. While the core offering is free for its network members, premium offering comes for a price. The premium offering includes tools such as LinkedIn InMails and Profile Stats Pro. The users can upgrade from a basic account type to Business, Business Plus, or Executive account types. The premium account types provide access to the premium offerings.
LinkedIn platform induces the same-side network effects among its members. This helps in growing the network through word-of-mouth or connection-request-emails. As the average number of member connections grows, the strength of the network improves. The more the network becomes strong, the more attractive it becomes to the users on the other sides of the platform. The users on the other sides of the platform include Recruiters, Marketers & Advertisers, and Developers.
LinkedIn offers LinkedIn Corporate Solutions, LinkedIn Jobs, and Subscription products to the Recruiters. LinkedIn Recruiter is their flagship hiring solution to find, contact, and hire candidates. Self-service postings help recruiters to post and manage job opportunities. LinkedIn Referral engine helps organizations leverage their employees network to find qualified candidates. LinkedIn provides job recommendations to its members over Job You May Be Interested In (JYMBII) section of a member home page. LinkedIn offers Talent Basic, Talent Finder, and Talent Pro as subscription products to recruiters and hiring managers. LinkedIn offers Job Seeker family of products – Job Seeker Basic, Job Seeker, and Job Seeker Plus – to its members to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers.
LinkedIn marketing solutions enable marketers and advertisers to reach their target audience. LinkedIn Ads is their self-service product to target advertisements to specific members based on their profile information. Advertisers can setup and manage multiple campaigns and continuously monitor clicks, impressions, click-through rates, and average cost-per-click. LinkedIn Ads for Enterprise product targets larger advertisers that receive dedicated account management and get access to additional marketing solutions such as Display Ads, Custom Groups, Sponsorships, Whitepapers, and Recommendation Ads.
LinkedIn provides a set of open APIs and embeddable Widgets to the developer community. These APIs and Widgets provide access to the content in the LinkedIn database and help the developers build third-party applications leveraging LinkedIn data.
LinkedIn revenues come from 3 key revenue streams: Hiring Solutions, Marketing Solutions, and Premium Subscriptions. For CY 2011, these 3 streams represented 50%, 30%, and 20% of total revenues of $522 Million. LinkedIn sells Hiring and Marketing solutions through field sales organization and through their website. The Premium subscriptions are primarily sold online. Field Sales organization comprises of direct sales force, agencies, and resellers. While online channel is characterized by lower average selling prices, the offline channel is characterized by longer sales cycle, higher average selling prices, and longer contract terms. During CY 2011, Field sales contributed 55% of the total sales, whereas online channel contributed 45% of the total sales.
LinkedIn business model can be represented over the business model canvas as follows. Click the image to see it on Full Screen.
As discussed earlier, LinkedIn drives almost half of its revenues from Hiring solutions. Here, LinkedIn competes with established online recruiting companies such as Monster+HotJobs, Careerbuilder, and Indeed.com, talent management companies such as Taleo, and traditional recruiting firms. Then, there are companies new to the recruiting industry such as BranchOut, which offers a Facebook application for finding jobs and recruiting employees. In a span of less than 2 years since its launch in July 2010, BranchOut has grown into largest professional networking application on Facebook with over 25 million registered users and 400 million professional profiles. With over 3 million jobs, it operates the largest job board on Facebook.
How big, you think, is the threat of BranchOut to LinkedIn? In case Facebook decides to acquire BranchOut, then how big the threat can become? On 3 May 2012, LinkedIn announced acquisition of Slideshare, a leading professional content sharing community, for $118 Million. How acquisition of Slideshare is going to help LinkedIn boost its revenue growth and overcome the threat from companies such as BranchOut?


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The very first OMRI certified foliar spray proven to enhance the performance of B'Cuzz® stimulators in all stages of plant development. The new B'Cuzz® Foliar contains all certified organic activators in one bottle (micronutrients, amino acids, cytokinins, vitamins, esters, carbons) and are instantly available when used as a foliar spray.
This item is sold individually. The case size is listed for your convenience for instances where you wish to order in case quantities.
— Ships from H: WA, CA, CO, MI, TN, PA, FL USA.


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Sean Chamilian of hardcore giants BETRAYAL with his Monterey Deluxe at recent Japan tour. Don't miss Sean and Andrew Adolph with his Retrospect bass at the California Metal Fest, taking place November 24 at N.O.S. Event Center in San Bernardino, California.
Check out the photos, videos and band news at the band's facebook page: facebook.com/betrayalhc


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Moderators: BestOfBreed, dungeonjoe
WTFan wrote:Certainly wish Coach Fuqua all the best. He was a good one. Can't blame him for moving along for what I am assuming is a significant amount more money. I won't be surprised if both he and Nate Woody become head coaches. Ayers has set a great example for a lot of coaches to follow that's for sure.
walliver wrote:I wonder if either would be willing to return when that event of which we never speak eventually happens.
Art Vandalay wrote:I like this pick. Shiel bleeds gold and black. He's an alum, coached, I believe, two years as a volunteer for no pay, and has WoCo roots with his father. I see the love for Wofford and I've seen his good work on the field.
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I need to brag, briefly: I finally finished Vicious Gaan-Talet, so now maybe my mind can rest!
I played a Dwarf Rogue, prepping the Tri-Sword and worshipping only Dracul. This dungeon clearly calls for a huge amount of longevity and Dracul really provides that, between 15% resists, Sanguine (I think I had 5 ranks of it!) and life steal (only 2 ranks, because it comes with the max resistance penalty.) Sanguine is just huge; I can't imagine doing the dungeon with anything but a Dracul follower or bloodmage. And the Dwarf race helps maximize the impact of bloodpools. The Tri-Sword, by contrast, didn't really explode; I spent too much money on a Troll Heart (although I don't regret the bonus health) and some potions for killing some problematic mini-bosses.
Other highlights:
* Translocated a Platemail very near the end. This was a huge help; between the Platemail and 20% resists, my health really went a long way against Horatio.
* I don't much like the Martyr Wraps, but those seem like they would be quite helpful; likewise, a Piercing Wand would help deal a lot more damage to Horatio.
* The 3-curses penalty turned up on Horatio's level! Luckily, I had saved four popcorn monsters.
* GETINDARE was helpful of course, but it didn't seem as critical as it has in other Vicious runs.
* You need to keep your fingers crossed that Dracul when you need him (early!) and that the level penalties don't line up in a bad way, like the "full reveal" penalty on the large level, or Retaliate Fireball on a level with physical resist monsters. On the other hand, you can get unexpected benefits--like the No XP level happening on a level with a No XP bonus enemy, or the Poison/Manaburn penalty happening when you were just about to ding anyway.
If there's a way to beat this level that doesn't involve copious blood-drinking, I'm very curious to hear about it.


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filmOA v2.0
"It all started with A Trip to the Moon," Brian Selznick states in the introduction to Hugo: The Movie Companion. For Selznick, his inspiration may have begun with A Trip to the Moon, but for Martin Scorsese, his entry into the world of 3-D filmmaking began with The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the book that was a result of Selznick's love of film.
Confused? Don't be. As with most things, life has a funny way of coming full circle.
Brian Selznick is a relative of the infamous David O. Selznick — the producer responsible for such classic films as King Kong (1933), Gone with the Wind (1939), and Rebecca (1940); to name just a few. David and Brian's grandfather grew up together, and Brian's grandmother's house was filled with books about David O. Selznick that Brian loved to read.
It seems that once filmmaking gets into a bloodline, it is hard to flush it out. The Invention of Hugo Cabret seems like a film in and of itself. Selznick tells the story through pictures, that he illustrated himself. He writes, "I wanted to experiment with the visual aspect to my story." In the movie companion, Brian recounts how he removed as many of the words as possible replacing them with illustrations. In his acceptance speech for the Caldecott Medal, Brian talks about his desire to make the book as cinematic as possible.
The result is a book that tells the tale of a boy who meets a revered filmmaker unraveling and exploring the history of filmmaking. As Hugo seeks out the answers to his past so that he can discover his future, he learns that life is an exciting thread of interconnected adventures. Telling the story in illustrations rather than words . . . well you can't get much more cinematic than that. The 550-page picture book has been more than slightly successful, having won several awards including the 2007 Quill Award, the New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2007, and the aforementioned 2008 Caldecott Medal usually reserved for illustrators.
Selznick's cinematic book found its way into the hands of Martin Scorsese whose legendary body of work as a filmmaker has inspired millions.
Thus the cinematic life of the fictional Hugo Cabret has come full circle, and so too, Brian Selznick finds his life returning to his childhood passions as his life becomes intertwined with the world of filmmaking. Brian's adventure into filmmaking has resulted in more than just a book adapted to the big screen; he along with Martin Scorsese and a few other notables appear in a variety of cameos throughout the film. See if you can spot them all.
Selznick credits his inspiration to his viewing of A Trip to the Moon and his discovery that Georges Méliès was more than just a filmmaker, he had several automatons that were discarded after they were destroyed by years of rain and neglect after being stored in an attic. This gave birth to the character of Hugo Cabret, a young boy who stumbles upon the life of this grand storyteller/showman/inventor in a world where anything can happen.
The trailers to Scorsese's film taunt us with one simple question, "What's your name, boy?" Thus we are invited to share the 3-D movie experience this Thanksgiving by following the story of a young boy as he searches for meaning in a message from his father who has passed. The answers he seeks will find him "all the way home." Hugo promises to delight viewers of all ages, but you will have to decide for yourself if it is worth the price of popcorn and a pair of 3-D glasses.


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CRYSTAL LAKE – A Crystal Lake police officer was suspended for what the department's chief said was failure to follow protocol in an incident involving District 47 Superintendent Donn Mendoza.
Officer Brian Burr, who has been with the department since 1997, was given a three-day, unpaid suspension. Police Chief Dave Linder said Burr did not follow department procedure when he responded to a call involving Mendoza early in the morning of Sept. 9.
According to a police report written more than a week after the incident, police were called to Autumn Drive about 2:30 a.m. Sept. 9 after a neighbor reported a suspicious vehicle parked outside a residence. Burr responded and found Mendoza sitting in the back seat of his Honda Pilot. He was parked seven houses from his home, and Burr said Mendoza smelled of alcohol and appeared to be intoxicated, according to the report.
Burr never gave Mendoza a field sobriety test, Linder said. Mendoza later told the Northwest Herald that he was not intoxicated.
Burr gave Mendoza a ride home and did not, as he should have, search him before allowing Mendoza into the squad car, Linder said.
Once Mendoza was home, Burr returned to Mendoza's car and drove it home, Linder said. For insurance and liability purposes, that is outside department protocol.
When contacted by the Northwest Herald on Sept. 17, Linder said he was unaware of the incident, but conducted an internal investigation that led to Burr's three-day suspension.
Burr opted for the department's educational disciplinary initiative that shaved two days from his leave upon successful completion of the program, Linder said.
"Our officer screwed up, and I'm not happy about it," Linder said. "His general intent was to do the right thing, but it wasn't the right thing."
Burr and Mendoza don't socialize, Mendoza said, but went to high school together.
Mendoza has not been charged with any wrongdoing nor will he be. On the advice of the city attorney, there is not probable cause to bring charges against Mendoza because there were no field sobriety tests given at the time.
Burr didn't think there was enough to process a DUI charge that morning because Mendoza's keys were not in the vehicle's ignition, Linder said. Police department protocol prohibits Burr from speaking to the media.
Both the report and Mendoza said that he was not in possession of the car's keys when Burr approached.
"We can't prove that person drove drunk," Linder said.
The officer also did not write a police report initially, but did so after the department conducted an internal investigation into the matter. The report was filed Sept. 21 and made available to the Northwest Herald.
The report indicates that Mendoza showed symptoms of being intoxicated, and that Burr could detect an "odor of an alcoholic beverage on him."
Mendoza said he was not drunk, but was tired. He said he had one alcoholic beverage that evening, about 10 or 10:30 p.m.
"The police generated the report based on what their experience was, so I'm not going to dispute that," Mendoza said. "What I mean to say is I'm not going to make a judgment on whether that was right or wrong. I have no reason to question the credibility of the officer or the police department. I have admitted to you that I had a drink. It was later in the evening."
Mendoza said he was driving home alone from South Bend, Ind., where he and a friend attended a Notre Dame football game, which was at 2:30 p.m. He said he was up early that day, drove two-and-half hours both to and from South Bend, and simply was tired.
Upon returning to his neighborhood, Mendoza said he "hit a wall" and was too tired to drive home. He said he pulled over to walk the rest of the way. In the process of gathering his belongings to walk to his nearby home, he said he misplaced his keys, and fell asleep as he was looking for them.
"I don't think I've ever felt that way before – literally that exhausted," Mendoza said.
The subsequent police report indicates that Mendoza appeared "excited and had a hard time standing still." Burr's report also states that Mendoza "had a hard time staying focused on me and was looking around aimlessly," and said Mendoza told the officer he "felt like he should not drive or walk home."
This was because he was surprised and awakened by Burr, Mendoza said of his behavior.
"Anybody that knows me, knows that I'm just extremely excitable as it is," he said. "Given the situation, I'll admit, I was excitable. I had been woken up from a deep sleep after being extremely exhausted. I was startled and embarrassed."
School board President Jeff Mason said he stands behind Mendoza, saying "it's not a board matter." Mendoza's Honda Pilot is not owned by the district, but he receives a $250 monthly stipend for it.
Mendoza told each board member his version of the events, Mason said. The school board has not seen the police report but has requested a copy.
"If something had involved an arrest or some type of charge or had he been injured in any way, then it would [be] a board concern," Mason said. "... I'm satisfied based upon Donn's explanation of the events."
Mendoza said he understands how the incident might look and said he intends to slow down his hectic schedule.
"I don't have a police record. I have never been arrested or charged with anything in my entire life, which is precisely why ... this is extremely embarrassing given my role," he said. "... All I can do from this is learn and grow. I think my issue is that I'm not doing a really good job of balancing my personal and professional responsibilities."


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Roberts recalls his visit to a screen-printing shop far north of the Arctic Circle, where the staff scurries about in a mad rush to get jobs printed in time for delivery to its young and eager customers.
I recently took an overnight flight from Baltimore to London, landed, had a quick British breakfast of overstuffed sausage, half-cooked bacon, and baked beans in the terminal, and then caught a late morning flight to Helsinki, Finland. There are only a few customers for whom I will endure a hectic traveling schedule such as this. But I've been visiting the operations of Mr. Claus for years now, and it's become a lot easier over time.
A lot of people in America believe Santa lives at the North Pole, but ask any European and he or she will tell you the truth. Santa lives where the reindeer come from, and that's far up north in the hinterlands of Finland, in a province known as Lapland.
Traveling to visit St. Nick's operations can be quite challenging at times. The security is tighter these days. Gone are the days when you are met by a short guy at the railway station and put on a train with an open-ended ticket. Nowadays, things are a little more organized, and as I check into my hotel, I am handed a note with instructions to meet my handler at the Mockba bar—a small, retro-looking, Moscow-type Helsinki dive that serves the best vodka cocktails to its expatriate Russian clientele. Two hours later I am sitting on a stool admiring the Red Army posters on the wall and marveling at the incredible detail that Russian screen printers achieved back in the 1940s. I'd like to meet the man who made those screens.
Soon I am joined by a short gentleman in a strange hat that speaks English with a clipped accent. I have been called upon because there are serious problems in Santa's print shop, and the operation is falling further and further behind every day. The gentleman looks me in the eye, and I can see the worry etched on his face. On-time delivery is a goal that all my customers strive for, but for this customer there is no room for a late delivery. It's Christmas day or nothing. I reassure him that things can be turned around, and we drink to a successful Christmas season.
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