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Kick Kennedy calls her stage debut 'magical'
NEW YORK – The storied Kennedy family has produced a president, ambassadors, an attorney general, senators and plenty of congressmen. But not a professional actor.
Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy hopes to change that.
The 25-year-old granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy is making her professional stage debut off-Broadway this month in, of all things, a Greek tragedy.
Kennedy plays the title role in "Antigone," the Sophocles play about a young woman willing to die in order to defend her family's honor and defy the state.
"I'm really lucky," Kennedy said this week during a break in rehearsals. "I've grown a lot just studying this part and I hope I can do it justice. I couldn't really ask for a better story to tell right now. It's just sort of magical that everything fell into place."
Kennedy is a Stanford University graduate who has appeared on TV in shows such as "The Newsroom," "Gossip Girl" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." She acted onstage in college and at summer camp but knows this is a big step.
"Doing something the first time is scary," she said, wearing an ankle-length black dress in the empty 90-seat theater inside the Church of Notre Dame, close to Columbia University.
She's aware that people might be curious about a Kennedy onstage but hopes no one makes the trip to upper Manhattan for that reason alone.
"Hopefully one day people will come see me for something that doesn't have to do with my last name," she said. "For me, it's just two different things. This is a job. That is my life."
Peter Dobbins, the artistic director of The Storm Theatre, which is co-producing "Antigone," met Kennedy at the reading of another play, and "she kept coming into my head" when "Antigone" was being discussed.
He said she combines a steely resolve with a deep vulnerability. "You're drawn into her," he said. "She's someone who when onstage you definitely go out to her. She doesn't have to work hard to go after you."
This version of "Antigone" is adapted by Jean Anouilh, who wrote it during the height of the Nazi occupation of France. His interpretation became a symbol for freedom fighters. This version sets the play in a fascist near-future.
Dobbins said he's seen flashes of the Kennedy clan's pride in the young actress' Antigone, as when the heroine cries out, "I am a queen!" Says Dobbins: "I can't see that many people saying that in a way that it resonates."
Kennedy is named after her great-aunt Kathleen, who also had the nickname Kick and worked for the Red Cross in London before and after World War II. She married a lord and died in a plane crash in 1948.
Her great-niece grew up in New York, the daughter of environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his first wife, Emily Black.
While her family is most closely associated with politics, environmentalism and public service, Kennedy said acting isn't that different.
"If you break down what a lot of politics is you get stage presence, charisma and, more importantly, a search for truth and the desire to serve a common good, which I believe theater does," she said.


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Plasma angiopoietin-1 is lower after ischemic stroke and associated with major disability but not stroke incidence
Golledge, Jonathan, Clancy, Paula, Maguire, Jane, Lincz, Lisa, Koblar, Simon, McEvoy, Mark, Attia, John, Levi, Chris, Sturm, Jonathan, Almeida, Osvaldo P., Yeap, Bu B., Flicker, Leon, Norman, Paul E., and Hankey, Graeme J. (2014) Plasma angiopoietin-1 is lower after ischemic stroke and associated with major disability but not stroke incidence. Stroke, 45 (4). pp. 1064-1068.
PDF (Published Version)
- Published Version
Restricted to Repository staff only
Background and Purpose: Studies in rodent models suggest that upregulating angiopoietin-1 (Angpt1) improves stroke outcomes. The aims of this study were to assess the association of plasma Angpt1 with stroke occurrence and outcome.
Methods: Plasma Angpt1 was measured in 336 patients who had experienced a recent stroke and 321 healthy controls with no stroke history. Patients with stroke (n=285) were reassessed at 3 months and plasma Angpt1 concentration on admission compared between those with severe and minor disability as assessed by the modified Rankin scale. In a separate cohort of 4032 community-acquired older men prospectively followed for a minimum of 6 years, the association of plasma Angpt1 with stroke incidence was examined.
Results: Median plasma Angpt1 was 3-fold lower in patients who had experienced a recent stroke (6.42, interquartile range, 4.26–9.53 compared with 17.36; interquartile range, 14.01–22.46 ng/mL; P<0.001) and remained associated with stroke after adjustment for other risk factors. Plasma Angpt1 concentrations on admission were lower in patients who had severe disability or died at 3 months (median, 5.52; interquartile range, 3.81–8.75 ng/mL for modified Rankin scale 3–6; n=91) compared with those with minor disability (median, 7.04; interquartile range, 4.75–9.92 ng/mL for modified Rankin scale 0–2; n=194), P=0.012, and remained negatively associated with severe disability or death after adjusting for other risk factors. Plasma Angpt1 was not predictive of stroke incidence in community-dwelling older men.
Conclusions: Plasma Angpt1 concentrations are low after ischemic stroke particularly in patients with poor stroke outcomes at 3 months. Interventions effective at upregulating Angpt1 could potentially improve stroke outcomes.
|Item ID:
|Item Type:
|Article (Research - C1)
|angiopoietin-1, biological markers
|Queensland Government, Townsville Hospital Private Practice Fund, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
|Date Deposited:
|14 May 2014 09:55
|FoR Codes:
|11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1102 Cardiovascular Medicine and Haematology > 110201 Cardiology (incl Cardiovascular Diseases) @ 100%
|SEO Codes:
|92 HEALTH > 9201 Clinical Health (Organs, Diseases and Abnormal Conditions) > 920103 Cardiovascular System and Diseases @ 100%
Total: 3
|More Statistics

subset: commoncrawl


text: Girl Tonye Pronunciation: t(o)-nye, ton-ye Share your thoughts about Tonye Share Popularity Alternatives Infographic of Tonye name meaning, which is Ask your friends & family about Tonye… Share Pin Tweet Email Text Tonye Name Popularity How popular is the name Tonye? Here's everything we know. Sorry, popularity data for the name Tonye is not available. Names Like Tonye If you like Tonye, you'll love these other names like Tonye. What names sound like Tonye? If you like how Tonye sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Tonye. Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender Tonee English Tonie Latin Tony Short for Antonia, Antoinette, and other Ant- names Latin Tonya Praiseworthy Russian What names are similar to Tonye? Find a name that's like Tonye, but just a little bit different. Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender Donya Lady Italian Ionya Sonya Wisdom Greek Tacye Silence Latin Tanee Russian Tanya Fairy queen Russian Teone God's name Greek Tine Follower of Christ; dedicated to Mars Latin Tinie Follower of Christ Latin Tiny Follower of Christ Latin Tommye Twin Aramaic Tona Latin Toney English Toni English Tonia A variant form of Toinette. Latin Tonnya Russian Tonyah Russian Torrye Bird Japanese Toya House door" or "door into the valley Spanish Tunke Latin Share your thoughts on the name Tonye Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published. All fields are required *Name * Email * Your Thoughts * Δ Search Baby Names Quick Search Search Go Advanced Search Name Starts With Ends With Gender Any Boys Girls Only show unisex names Current Popularity [U.S.] Any More Popular Less Popular Origin Select origin… English Latin Hebrew Greek German Irish French American Spanish Arabic Aboriginal African American Ancient Anglo-Saxon Arabic Aramaic Armenian Arthurian Legend Asian Aztec (Nahuatl) Bulgarian Celtic Chinese Danish Dutch Egyptian English European French Gaelic German Greek Hebrew Hungarian Indian (Sanskrit) Indonesian Irish Israeli Italian Japanese Latin Modern Native American Persian Polish Polynesian Portuguese Russian Scandinavian Scottish Slavic Spanish Turkish Unknown Vietnamese Welsh Yiddish Meaning Number of Letters Min Max Syllables [BETA] Min Max Search Baby Names


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Congratulations, you just witnessed another stunning Victoria's Secret Fashion show. Only… you might not feel so stunning yourself. If watching 47 Angels waltz down a runway in mere inches of fabric made you suddenly worry about how tight your jeans felt, you're not alone. Studies show that gaping at supermodels can actually make us feel, well, fat. Here's why it happens and what you can do to save your self-esteem.
The Supermodel Effect
Research has shown that pictures or videos of people far more svelte than we are can lower our body image and trigger eating disorders we might be harboring. In large part, researchers believe, this is because viewers of these images often don't have the tools that would help them better understand how rare it is to naturally look like these models. Such viewers look at themselves, then look at the models and assume If I don't look like they do, something's wrong with me.
You probably already know how photoshopped the images of thin women are in popular magazines (extremely). And it's no surprise that in the days and months leading up to a live show many runway models follow strict dietary and training schedules to look very best. But by the time images of these models hit our eyes, we don't typically have all this information, says Heather Hausenblas, an associate professor of kinesiology at Jacksonville University. And since it's simply human nature to compare ourselves to others, we can easily feel bad about how we measure up to such unrealistic images—regardless of how unfeasible fitting the training and dietary constraints of these models into our lives would be.
How to Keep Angels From Getting You Down
Your first line of defense in not letting supermodels make you miserable is a reality check. Remember all the hoops these ladies have to jump through to look the way they do—think training up to twice a day, cutting down on carbs and/or nixing alcohol, even forgoing dairy and certain veggies to avoid pre-show bloat. There are exceptions to these strenuous approaches, of course. And the reason some gals don't have to diet or hit the gym too hard to look the part before a show boils down to genetics: Science confirms some people's DNA sets them up to have higher metabolisms, slimmer waistlines, smaller bones and respond more favorably to exercise, allowing them to more easily "fit" the physical ideal for a runway.
Naturally occurring individual differences should not, however, be a reason to feel even worse. Consider how changeable body image ideals are in the first place and take a moment to think of how much else you have going for you beyond the ability to squeeze into an extra small.
"In a culture that is so focused on fixing 'flaws' it's not surprising that we tend to zero in on all the things we DON'T like about our bodies when we look in the mirror," says Claire Mysko, Chief Operating Officer of the National Eating Disorders Association and author of Does This Pregnancy Make Me Look Fat.
There are additional (research-backed!) steps we can take to save our self-worth.
1. Take issue with unachievable standards.
Publicly criticizing the importance, allure, and pressures to embody thin ideals can help change how they impact our behavior. Write a letter, tweet, or confront those around you who are spreading unhealthy or damaging information about body image. By outwardly critiquing thin ideals, your thoughts begin to shift towards more reasonable standards.
2. Educate others.
If publicly decrying unfair standards is too intimidating, try penning a letter. In it, list some ways to avoid being burdened by negative body image or self-defeating thoughts — such as "when someone compliments you, say 'thanks,' instead of 'no, I'm fat/ugly/unattractive.'" Tricks like these have also been shown to keep us from getting too down on ourselves.
3. Thank yourself.
"Make a daily mirror practice of looking at your body with gratitude," advises Mysko. "Acknowledge what it can do, where it has taken you, what it gives you. Challenge yourself to name at least one thing you appreciate about your body right in that moment."
4. Avoid negative self-talk.
In addition to reminding yourself of all your awesome qualities, do your best to avoid statements like "ugh, my arms are so flabby" or "I hate my ankles." This only serves to reinforce low self-esteem and it can prevent you from feeling capable to take on new challenges in life. (Being nice to yourself can also, by the way, make you a better relationship partner!)
5. Discuss.
Don't be shy about opening up with a friend, family member, or your significant other about your own insecurities. Talking about our issues can bring us closer to people — provided they're trustworthy enough. You may be surprised to learn they totally feel the same way as you. Of course, if your concerns about your appearance, size, or shape are getting in the way of your day-to-day functioning or overall wellbeing, it may be time to seek professional help.
6. Hit the gym.
Provided you're not hopping on the treadmill to punish yourself for—heaven forbid—having a cupcake, fitting a bit of exercise into your day has been shown to protect your self-image from the bites thin ideals can take out of it. Plus, not only has exercise also been proven to boost our physical health and mental sharpness. It can make us feel awesome about our bodies because it reminds us how much they can do.
7. Surround yourself with more support.
"It's also an important practice to surround yourself with body positivity whenever and wherever you can," adds Mysko. "Follow body positive content in the social media space and un-follow accounts that stoke your insecurities or lead you to compare yourself to some illusion of perfection."
No one's saying to stop watching fashion shows altogether. But if viewing models makes you feel crappy, practice the above tips and don't be afraid to just take a break from the barrage of imagery altogether. After all, science says one of the best ways to boost body image is unplugging and getting that beautiful body of yours into nature.
Follow Katherine on Twitter.


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Tag: Kelp (Green)
Mantegna, Andrea | Adoration of the Shepards
Lé Arts Salon Title: Adoration of the Shepherds Artist: Andrea Mantegna Year: 1456 Medium: Tempera & Oil Period: Early Renaissance Style/Genre: Religious Painting Notes & Analysis of the Artwork The Gold (Dixie) for religion. Connected to Joseph and Mary. Use to show divinity Omnipresence of god Wisdom and virtue The Red (Cinnabar), does not serve […]


text: (This blog is written by journalist and gardener, Patrice Peltier): Sometimes my brain is like a train barreling towards its destination. When I get to where I think I'm going, I realize somewhere along the line I switched to another track. Just recently, this runaway train of a brain derailed my writing process. About three years ago, when I planted a new garden I began keeping notes. At first, my entries were brief. "Watered today." "Added leaf mulch." "Planted three 'Cajun Fire' heuchera purchased on sale." It was record-keeping more than anything. A way to refresh my memory if I decided … Continue reading


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Shedding pounds never seems to be easy. It requires an extremely strict diet, proper exercise, and a focused mindset to stay with any diet program, and several appear to "fall off the wagon" once they don't start seeing results. Often it requires a supplement to help you get over your plateau, and once such supplement we had the opportunity to review is called Phen 375.
Precisely what is Phen 375? Phen 375 is a natural dietary supplement that can help to improve your bodies fat loss ability and stimulate your metabolism. In addition, it behaves as a potent hunger controller, which everyone knows is key if you're looking to shed pounds. The ingredients in Phen 375 include a combination of L-Carnitine, Caffeine, Capsaicin, and Sympathomimetic Amine, which is a potent stimulant tat helps you constantly burn fat by boosting your metabolism.
So How Exactly Does Phen 375 Work? hen375 reviewPhen 375 is essentially the legal version of Phentermine, which had been a great but dangerous substance that was once used to help people shed weight. Essentially what phen375 real results does is "mimic" the effects of Phentermine through the use of the all natural ingredients mentioned above.
For example, the ingredient L-Carnitine has become shown in scientific studies to literally assist to mimic the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) that transport fatty acids through you're metabolism. This helps to burn existing fat easier, while reducing the amount of muscle which is lost along the way. Additionally, the ingredient Capsaicin is shown to boost your body's temperature, that enables it to lose up to 270 more calories each day.
Phen 375 also works to: Lower Your Appetite Dramatically; Lessen Your Fat Storage; Increase Metabolism Dramatically;
Here are some Reviews From Satisfied Customers pulled from the official Phen 375 website: "I have tried practically every diet drug, pill, cream, and workout routine it is possible to possibly think about, all with very little results. I originally stumbled on Phen 375 after speaking with a physical trainer at my local gym who had recommended it to a single of his clients.
I knew I needed a thing that would curb my appetite, while helping me burn the fat off and up my metabolism. My friend informed me about PH.375, and after making use of it for six months, I needed lost 43 pounds! I wish I had knew concerning this before, I could have been taking it your day after I gave birth to my son!" "I, like alot of my friends, discover that I do not have time to make it to a health club. I am just so tired after work, after 3 hours of commuting along with a 10 hour workday, the final thing I would like to do is spend another 2 hours of whatever mewyzm left of my day at the health club.
Yes, I am just proud to express that I wanted a simple way out! PH.375 was great because I literally failed to do anything aside from follow the guide an I used to be losing 2 pounds of fat per week.My only gripe is the price, however for something that works this good, I would personally gladly pay triple!"
Todd, California
Can anyone help me purchase it? Since this review, you can purchase Phen 375 on the official website. A one month supply will run you about $70, plus shipping and handling, and includes online diet programs and training videos to aid jump start your weight loss. Obviously, you could subscribe to my free "How To Shed Weight Quickly and Effectively" ebook. It's filled with tons of tips about diet and exercise to aid lead you on the right path.


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Mother's Day is a day for us to celebrate our own mothers, grandmothers and ourselves. We can thank the women that raised us, and our families can show us a little love for all of our hard work. So why does it always seem to be so difficult to find that perfect gift for mom on Mother's Day? I don't know if it's just me, but I seem to struggle with finding a unique, personalized, touching gift for my mom that really comes from my heart. I want my gift to show how much I care about her and appreciate her, and a gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure never seems to hit the right note. This year, I turned to Etsy to find the perfect gift for Mother's Day, and was not disappointed!
If you're wondering what to get your mom, grandma, wife, etc., I was able to find so many lovely items that are not only unique but incredibly special. These items are keepsakes that will last for years to come. I can't wait to gift my mother with one of these beautiful selections. Any woman would surely appreciate the thought that goes into these gorgeous gifts.
If you're stumped on what to get that special lady in your life for Mother's Day this year, take a look at some of these amazing items for some inspiration![scrollGallery ID=86]
1. Charlie and Marcelle Initial Bracelet – $16.50 (On sale!) – I love these gorgeous, dainty little initial bracelets from Etsy shop Charlie and Marcelle. This is a type of gift where you can't go wrong. What mama doesn't love classy, tasteful jewelry that is also adorned with her children's initials? These bracelets are the perfect delicate gift for Mother's Day.
2. New Mom Necklace – $61.50 – This necklace is a beautiful gift for a new mom. Personalize it with baby's birth date, name and a cute baby feet pendant in the middle, and this is a thoughtful Mother's Day necklace that any new mom would love. This necklace is sure to become a keepsake item.
3. Silhouette Necklace – $45.00 – I love this gift idea from Etsy shop Le Papier Studio! My mom had a silhouette picture of my brother and I that she has treasured for years, and I instantly thought of that when I saw this necklace. You can freeze time in a sort of way with this necklace, and what mother doesn't realize at one point or another that their little ones are growing too fast for their liking?
4. Mother and Child Print – $24.00 – "A mother's love grows in the heart of her child" is the quote that graces this print, and I think that quote can sum up for all of us moms how we feel about our children. I love the detail of the hearts on the child and the mom in this print, and that it can be easily customized to match the decor of whomever you are gifting it to.
5. Grandmother Sign – $39.99 – What about the grandmas in our lives? Grandmothers deserve some love on Mother's Day, and this grandmother sign is a sweet gift to give. You can personalize it with the names of her grandchildren, and she can proudly display it in her home and show her love for her grandkids. I personally don't know any grandmothers who don't love bragging a little about their grandchildren now and then!
6. Gray Infinity Chevron Scarf – $19.50 – Is the mother that you're buying for an on-trend fashionista? I love this simple and chic gray chevron infinity scarf for a stylish Mother's Day gift idea. The scarf is lightweight and fashionable, and can be purchased in a variety of colours. Easily customizable for the trend-setting mom in your life!
7. Picture Frame Bracelet – $35.00 – I thought this was such a sweet idea when I saw it. The bracelet is not only made from beautiful turquoise beads and antique metal accents, but it features a tiny picture chosen by you especially for mom. The picture can be done in either colour or black and white (I think black and white would look so lovely with this style of bracelet), and is such a unique Mother's Day gift idea.
8. I Heart Mom Bath Set – $23.00 – For the mom that loves to pamper herself, this cute little gift set is the perfect idea. The soap is your choice of lavender vanilla or lavender tea tree cold processed soap that is hand-stamped with "I heart Mom," a handmade cedar soapdeck, and an aromatherapy lavender massage oil. The soap is also vegan and made with Extra Virgin Olive oil, Coconut Oil, Raw Unrefined Shea Butter, Olive Oil Pomace, and Castor oil. Her skin will thank her.
What are your unique Mother's Day gift ideas?
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Website for the NEW LFS TA Application, https://ta-app.landfood.ubc.ca
Please note, for security reasons, the LFS TA website requires VPN connection for anyone trying to access the site off-campus. Click here for information/instructions on VPN.
To apply for a TA position within LFS, you need to complete and submit an online application. Please note – you MUST be a registered student at UBC Vancouver during the term you are TA'ing (this applies to both Winter Session and Summer Session TA's).
There are usually a limited number of TA positions available during Summer Session (approximately 20, with hours ranging from about 40 to 90 hours/assignment). The Summer Session application is usually posted for a ten calendar-day period in late February or early March. It should be open by March 15th.
The application for Winter Session (both terms) is posted on March 31 and is open until April 30. Official Offers for Winter Sessions, terms 1 and 2 positions will be made from May-August.
After the application deadline, the LFS TA Application is closed. Instructors will begin selecting their TA's. The Administrative Coordinator will assist you through the appointment process if an instructor has selected you as a TA, but will not have information about whether you are being considered for a position.
Occasionally, a new TA position will become available. There are a number of reasons for this: increase in course enrolment, change in TA, etc. When positions are available, notification can be sent out to all current LFS graduate students and posted on the TA Portal. If an instructor is interested in offering you a position, and you did not apply to TA for their course during the application period, you will be contacted directly by the instructor. If you agree to apply for the position, you will need to do so through the LFS TA Application. You and your instructor should email the Academic Coordinator at email@example.com to arrange for you to apply through the LFS TA Application.
If you are selected as a successful candidate for a position, you will receive an email with offer details that will include the name of the course, the term of the appointment, the number of assigned hours and the wage classification. Read it before accepting the offer, and keep a copy for your records.
If you accept an Offer in the LFS TA Application, and are hired, you will also receive a letter of employment through Workday, which you will need to accept to be considered hired. You can find more information about Workday on the LFS website.
The maximum number of hours that a TA can work is 192 hours per term (12 hours/week X 16 week period). Inform the Academic Coordinator if the total TA hours from TA positions you have been or will be offered, and would like to accept, are more than 192 hours per term, including TA hours within LFS and/or anywhere on campus. Also, if an instructor contacts you to offer you a TA position, please inform them of any other TA assignment(s) you have committed to and the number of assigned hours.
Occasionally, a student may be offered and accept hours in excess of 192/term. In that case, we will not be able to process your appointment without permission from CUPE 2278. The LFS Academic Coordinator will request permission from CUPE 2278 in advance of the appointment. This only happens in rare instances and must be approved before the term begins. The Faculty of Land and Food Systems has an internal maximum number of hours of 225 hours per term for these occasions.
You are expected to monitor the number of hours you have accepted, and be certain TA hours are not so high as to interfere with your course work, regardless of how many hours you may be offered.
If you are an international student, you MUST have a valid student/work permit and will be required to submit a clear photocopy of this document.
A word on supporting documentation and privacy
In order to prepare TA appointments, some students may be asked for supporting documentation. International students will also need to submit a valid copy of their Study Permit.
If you are concerned about confidentiality of these documents, please note – these files are only accessible to the administrator of the online application (the LFS Academic Coordinator), the LFS Finance and LFS Human Resources office. These staff members participate in setting up your appointment(s) and payroll.
The site of the online TA application is protected with a secure certificate which encrypts the transmission of your documents.
In addition, file storage cannot be viewed without administrator level permissions.


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Sometimes I have crazy ideas…but I've admitted that before.
When I started teaching a bit of 7th and 8th grade Creative Writing, I had this grand vision of compiling and polishing student stories, and maybe- why not?!- publishing our own little classroom anthology.
Then the school year started, and reality hit. I would have to duplicate myself to have enough time to take on that project.
However, I had already talked with Dan Alatorre, an author and fellow blogger who runs some great contests, (one of which I took part in,) AND compiles anthologies. He was willing to share the process he goes through when putting together an anthology of different authors.
It just happened that as I'm diving into my first NaNoWriMo, Dan got back to me with these great insights, which he was willing to share.
Take it away, Dan!
How To Put Together A Great Anthology, Part 1
I was recently asked to put together a blog post about doing an anthology. Actually, I was asked a little while ago and for some reason it took this long to get to it.
Because I was working on an anthology at the time! Actually, two anthologies.
Allow me to explain.
About two years ago, readers of my blog – mostly writers – suggested I should have a writing contest. I said no because I didn't know anything about having a writing contest and wasn't sure I wanted to do all that work. Would we need sponsors? We'd have to have prizes. That sounds expensive. What if nobody enters???
No, no, no, no, no.
But I did know that we had lots of talented people writers reading my blog, and it seemed like a writing contest might be a good idea to showcase some of that talent to the world…
We had a writing contest and the winner went on to publish the book.
And then we had another writing contest, and the winner of that went on to publish their book.
And then we have another writing contest, and the winner of that went on to publish their book.
Which reminded me that we had a lot of talent on my blog and that I should probably do something with it.
The beauty of the writing contest was not what I expected. It was a lot of fun and we got some recognition for my blog and some pride for myself, but we took people who had never been published before and they ended up getting published. But who were they before? Usually they were people who didn't think their story was good enough for others to see – and after I announced it was the best story I read in the contest, they had the confidence to shop around to get it published. In other words, the little nudge they got made all the difference. And to play a role in that was hugely gratifying to me.
Somewhere in the midst of all that, I decided to go ahead and put together an anthology. The first would be horror-themed, with a horror-themed short story writing contest preceding it, and we – I – would take all the short stories from that and put them into a collection and publish it. This would be our first anthology, and we did it about a year ago. So we only had a few contests before we got full of ourselves – well, before I got full of myself – and decided to create a theme that we could publish in an anthology. It probably would've made sense to do them all that way, but what can I say? I didn't think about it at the time. These things have a way of evolving.
That's another lesson. When you are in the creative process, a lot of times that synergy creates other good ideas. Don't be afraid to say yes to those ideas. Some will work and some will not, but you can quickly move on from the ones that don't work. The ones that work out might be a source of pride forever. The number of new things I try on my blog each year is between six and 10. Most don't work out. The one or two that do? They do well. That's why tons of people read my blog.
Anyway, what's the benefit of putting together an anthology?
Multiplication instead of division.
When a single author publishes a book, they are competing with every other book in the world. Now, it's fair to say that a cowboy romance isn't necessarily competing with a murder mystery, except they kinda do. Each book out there is taking up space that your book could be utilizing. Every other book out there is potentially grabbing eyeballs away from people seeing your book.
However, there are lots of ways to cross market with people who write in the same or similar genres you do, and let's face it: somebody can read a book in about a week. Unless you can write 52 books a year, they're probably going to read some other authors besides you – and it wouldn't be a bad idea to buddy up with some of those book writers so you can refer your readers to them and so they can refer their readers to you. Most of you won't do that because of jealousy and insecurity, but trust me – sharing is a smart thing to do.
Just about every author out there, including USA Today best selling authors, need to find more readers.
If someone has 1000 fans and you only have 10 including your cats, they still want your ten. They don't wanna steal them from you, but they're happy to network with you to expand both of your bases. That's not true of everybody, but that's true of most authors, so realize that. Those who learn to get out of their insecure comfort zone and cross market and network will be much more likely to succeed. Embrace that concept. One of the biggest takeaways in my contest and my anthologies was letting people know they are a better writer than they thought – and that other people would think so, too. Another was, this writing thing doesn't have to be a solo effort.
Fast forward to us having a whole bunch of people in a writing contest, writing scary stories for an anthology, and at the end we have just that – a bunch of good stories that should be in in anthology. Also, from years of reading friends' blogs and stories and stuff, I knew another dozen or so authors whose stories I thought should be in the anthology.
And the benefit would be this: instead of all of these people putting out books to compete against each other, they would have 20 or so people all marking and talking about and promoting the same book. That's a double benefit. Fewer people competing and more people helping. Obviously, those who knew less would end up knowing more – about formatting, covers, marketing – all kinds of stuff.
And that has a multiplier effect. Frank's audience wants to read his story, and so he pushes it to them. When they read his, maybe they flip around and find one from Allison and they read that. They potentially become fans of her work and go check out her other books.
Case in point, this actually happened. Because the lady who cuts my hair wanted to read my story, she also discovered Jenifer Ruff – and promptly bought two of Jenifer's existing books.
So all the short stories were bundled and sold for $.99 (and occasionally free), as a marketing tactic to expose our work to 19 other audiences plus whatever ads we bought. Big or small, we need them all, right? If each author got us 1 review, that's 20 reviews. With more reviews, we could get better ads and better results from those ads.
So there's the rationale for doing it. Now, HOW exactly do you do it?
Well in my case, I almost fell into it. Once we had the writing contest, the people who entered said we should have a theme. That would make it more fun and more challenging. So, for the second contest, we created some kind of a theme. I don't really even remember what it was. I could check but that sounds kind of like work.
But by the third contest I knew if we had the contest in July, I would have the winners by August, we could edit and publish an anthology shortly after that – which would be around October 1st. It seemed to make sense to go with a horror theme so we'd be releasing a scary book at the time people would be looking for those types of stories.
We had the contest, we picked a winner, and then we announced we were going to publish them in an anthology.
This is a bigger deal than you think.
For those of you who have been published, you know that is really just the start of a long, hard marketing road, but for a lot of people, they had never been published. They had no idea how to become published, and they were terrified that somebody might actually read their work.
So we… we… we… had a few challenges.
But the beauty was, by joining a team and having a leader – in this case, me – everybody understood we're going to do certain things to make this successful.
Also, because they knew me from my blog, they saw me as a relatively nice guy who was instructional and helpful, who had helped several contest winners gain the confidence to get published… Seemed like the kind benevolent dictatorship an anthology project would need with a bunch of first timers.
End Part 1
Thanks for sharing the start of your journey, Dan. Stop by on Saturday for the second half and more on how to get an anthology rolling.
Many thanks for visiting!


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Retiring Wounded Warrior Continues to Serve His Military Community
Despite a career-ending cancer diagnosis, U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Blake Conley prepares to retire after more than 20 years serving his nation with a positive outlook and a desire to keep serving.
Recommended Content:
Defense Health Agency information technology (DHA IT) teams demonstrated their versatility and responsiveness ensuring Military Health System patients continued to receive high quality health care during the COVID-19 pandemic and throughout 2020. The IT teams also provided innovative tools to MHS health care providers and DHA employees to enable to function during the pandemic.
For patients, they established virtual COVID-19 screenings and appointments, allowing patients to manage their health care online rather than in person at military medical treatment facilities (MTFs) where they could place themselves and others at risk of infection. For providers, they established COVID-19 protocols within electronic health record (EHR) systems and other health care applications enabling them to identify and document infections.
"As soon as the pandemic hit, our teams quickly kicked into high gear to deliver some critical updates to our systems and applications," said Army Col. Francisco Dominicci, chief, DHA Solution Delivery Division, which sustains more than 60 different MHS health care applications.
"We made updates to the TRICARE Online Patient Portal (TOL PP) to allow patients to make virtual visits with their providers via the portal," he explained. "Starting in March, TOL PP facilitated more than 160,000 virtual visit appointments."
Among other COVID-19 relief efforts, Dominicci said the IT teams worked with DHA Medical Logistics (MEDLOG) to update MEDLOG IT applications to track MHS personal protective equipment (PPE) and other critical medical equipment in real time. They also mapped strategies for tracking vaccine distribution across the Department of Defense.
"In February, our teams created a Novel Coronavirus query tab in the Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics (ESSENCE) application," he added. "The following month, they launched a COVID-19 dashboard in ESSENCE that allows users to monitor the number of COVID-19 lab results in real time."
The IT teams also developed and released a progressive web-based application for Antimicrobial Stewardship with COVID-19 content in April to help providers with needed COVID-19 triage protocols, Dominicci said.
In March, the IT teams expanded Enterprise Blood Management System-Transfusion (EBMS-T) blood availability reports to the Armed Services Blood Program to include greater inventory level details on all blood components maintained at MTFs. The teams also made configuration changes to EMBS-Donor, enabling donor sites to create labels to track COVID-19 convalescent plasma, which contains antibodies from COVID-19 survivors.
Dominicci explained how the IT teams deployed a COVID-19 Sentinel Surveillance testing application using TOL PP in the fall. More than 250 users were provisioned across 35 military sites to use the application to gather information at the population level. Surveillance testing is used to monitor the community-level of a disease or to characterize its incidence and prevalence.
The DHA workforce was also able to transition to a telework environment after the IT teams ensured the networks could handle the heavy traffic. They also enabled multiple online collaboration tools, such as video conferencing, to keep the workforce connected.
Along with fighting COVID-19, the IT teams logged other impressive achievements last year. They completed major upgrades to in-patient EHR systems at 46 MTFs around the world in November, Dominicci added.
In August, the DHA IT team launched the Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support (DMLSS) system at the joint DOD-Department of Veterans Affairs James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago. The DMLSS launch came after several years of planning, coordination and preparation between the DHA, DOD and VA.
"The launch represented a major step in replacing the VA's supply chain IT infrastructure with DMLSS," Dominicci said. "The end goal is to establish a single DOD-VA health care logistics system for acquiring medical and surgical supplies."
IT teams also completed conversions of legacy funding systems to the General Fund Enterprise Business System (GFEBS) at 26 Navy MTFs in September, he said. The GFEBS conversions enable DHA financial and funding control of Navy, Army and DHA sites that use DMLSS.
In December, the teams completed an initiative to migrate 140 public-facing MTF websites to TRICARE.mil. Dominicci said the IT teams worked closely with the MHS Communications office, the Defense Media Activity and MTF public affairs office on the initiative, which should ultimately reduce site sustainment and hosting costs. Returning website users experienced no disruptions, as they were automatically redirected to the new sites.
"These are just a few of the milestones DHA IT teams achieved in 2020," emphasized Dominicci . "The IT teams met the pandemic head on and delivered highly effective, innovative solutions across the DHA and MHS."
The Defense Health Agency Connected Health branch hosted the inaugural DHA Digital Health Virtual Summit that provided insight on the accelerated world of digital health in the Military Health System.
Approximately 800 Army Reserve soldiers from the U.S. and Europe participated in DEFENDER-Europe 21.
Walter Reed Bethesda hosts mental health panel to discuss the impacts of COVID-19.
With the Pfizer vaccine approved for youth ages 12 to 15, MHS adolescents are lining up to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Department of Defense's COVID-19 Operational Planning Team has been the quiet force behind the DOD's vaccination effort since November.
Pfizer vaccine now authorized for children 12 and older.
The Military Health System offers the Advanced Virtual Support for Operational Forces program, or ADVISOR, for remote military medical professionals.
The MHS Service Helpdesk will replace the MHS's legacy information technology system, Remedy.
The purpose of this event is to inform National Capital Region (NCR) beneficiaries of DHA's efforts with battling coronavirus (COVID-19) and encourage them to not delay care.
Dr. Terry Adirim, acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, and Army Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Ronald J. Place, director of the Defense Health Agency, provided a COVID-19 update during a Pentagon press briefing.
Sailors continue to voluntarily receive one of the three available COVID-19 vaccines.
MHS adapted technology to boost patient experience during pandemic
DHA Director visits Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms.
Medical Center team develops palliative care toolkit for COVID-19 patients
COVID-19 pandemic will affect military medicine for years to come, DHA Director Place tells HJF awards ceremony.
Health.mil News
The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense of non-U.S. Government sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. Although the Defense Health Agency may or may not use these sites as additional distribution channels for Department of Defense information, it does not exercise editorial control over all of the information that you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this website.


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by Steven Doyle
Perhaps it was an odd location, or perhaps Dallas is simply not ready for good falafel and Shawarma, but Amsterdam closed its doors this past weekend leaving an empty spot for a great falafel.
We wrote about the funky Deep Ellum shop that sold freshly made falafel and shawarma last month in hopes that our readers would pick up on this shady spot. The DC transplant had simply delicious sandwiches which you were able to dress yourself via a salad bar with a vast array of interesting and tasty fillings such as a great hummus, babaganouj, a vast assortment of vegetables and pickled everything for one delicious and over-the-top lunch or dinner.
This is a closing that affects me and leaves a hole in my belly for falafel in Dallas.


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VIDEO: Wangechi Mutu: New Siren.
The artist takes on life, death and femininity with her latest video work.
"To create, for me, is to come up with something new as opposed to destroying," explains Nairobi-born, Brooklyn-based artist Wangechi Mutu, whose brightly hued collages, films and installations provoke both aesthetic pleasure and a sense of chaos. "I want to make something in which the viewer can lose themselves, away from the hardness and banality of life, and see what it's like to be human."
A Yale MFA graduate and one of the leading figures of the contemporary African art scene, Mutu draws on science, pop culture and ancient traditions, mashing together porn imagery, machinery, plants and folk African creatures. Her alluring and disturbing supernatural female forms react to the pervasive policing of women across cultures and the vilification of Africa in a post-colonial world.
For her new exhibition Nguva na Nyoka (Sirens and Serpents) at London's Victoria Miro gallery, Mutu looked to ancient mythologies from Africa and the Arab world, exploring the troubling spirit of mermaids and the abyssal mystery of the sea, where sailors are seduced and annihilated. The accompanying film Nguva, previewed here, opens with an unsettling scream, moving to ghostly images of veiled women on a sandy shore. The artist appears as a hysterical beast whose menacing force slowly dissipates. Through this magical metamorphosis, Mutu creates a surreal landscape between life and death, reality and dreams, the female body transforming into site of geo-political and sexual violence.
"True beauty is complicated, like a flame that is both dangerous and interesting," explains Mutu, who was the subject of a multimedia survey at the Brooklyn Museum earlier this year. "I mix in tragedy and horror with things that are seductive for the eye, because they always come together in nature."
Shirine Saad is an editor and writer based in Brooklyn.
Nguva na Nyoka runs at Victoria Miro, London, through December 19.
Watch the performance art piece here.
(via NOWNESS)


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Virginia is a national leader in economics and personal finance education, having adopted a required class for high school graduation beginning with the class of 2015. The economics and personal finance class became a statewide requirement as educators and business leaders came together on the need for economics to help students be better informed citizens and personal finance so that they could take control of their financial futures.
The year-long class in economics and personal finance makes students better informed citizens, consumers and employees. Virginia's approach recognizes how economics and personal finance are closely connected — unlike the approach of other states that require only economics or personal finance but not both. The Virginia approach also recognizes the importance of devoting an entire course to these subjects, instead of embedding them in other classes where they may be neglected.


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It was near closing time on Friday at the upscale Bosco restaurant that looks out onto the illuminated red-brick walls of Moscow's Kremlin. Boris Nemtsov and his young, dark-haired girlfriend were finishing dinner.
A political reformer who had fallen foul of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Nemtsov had been preoccupied for weeks with details of an opposition march planned for Sunday.
Dinner at Bosco — dishes include beef with rocket salad and balsamic sauce or duck liver with wild berries — had been interrupted by telephone calls, a waiter told a Russian newspaper. Nemtsov also broke off for an interview with a Ukrainian radio station eager for the details of the rally.
Hopes were high that the demonstration, to condemn Putin's economic and foreign policies, would rekindle the flames of the street protests that in 2011-12 posed the first public challenge to Putin's more than decade-long rule.
The pair were among the last to pay their bill in the restaurant with its high airy ceilings and large windows. At around 11 p.m. Nemtsov, 55, a tall athletic figure with a mop of curly brown greying hair, escorted his girlfriend of some three years, Anna Duritskaya, more than 30 years younger, out onto Red Square.
Opposite them, across the cobbles stood the marble tomb that still bears the body of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin, whose communist economic order Nemtsov helped dismantle after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
Nemtsov's apartment was a half-hour walk away at a leisurely pace. The couple turned left, passing to their right the candy-colored onion domes of St. Basil's Cathedral. Beyond that soared the Kremlin's Spassky Gate topped with a glowing crimson five-pointed star, another reminder of the Soviet past.
Further down the slope, they walked onto the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge; but Nemtsov never made it across.
Less than three hours later, policemen were washing his blood from the masonry and onto the banks of the Moscow River. He had been shot four times in the back and head in one of the worst shootings Moscow has seen in years.
Nemtsov had enemies politically and personally. Even among the opposition, his outsized character pulled some into his orbit and pushed others away, at times polarizing the fractious team of oppositionists.
For Nemtsov, the biggest opponent sat in the Kremlin.
Putin condemned the killing as a "provocation" and said he was placing the investigation under presidential control. In a telegram to Nemtsov's mother, he promised the killers would be found and punished.
Only hours before the attack, Nemtsov had given one of his last interviews, criticizing Putin, comparing his rule to the Nazi Third Reich and promising an uprising from the streets.
"We need to work as quickly as possible to show the Russians that there is an alternative, that Putin's policy leads to degradation and a suicide of the state. There is less and less time to wake up," Nemtsov told a correspondent for the Polish edition of Newsweek.
There was a time when Nemtsov's own sights were set on the country's top seat of power. Amid the chaos of the 1990s, president Boris Yeltsin had marked out Nemtsov, then a young, reform-minded deputy prime minister who had made fast friends with the country's richest and most powerful oligarchs.
Yeltsin had considered handing him the reins of power, but ultimately ceded the presidency to a little-known ex-KGB officer: Vladimir Putin.
Photographs from Nemtsov's political career as a deputy prime minister and opposition lawmaker show very formal interactions with Putin, the two shaking hands at a distance with fixed smiles.
But in recent years Nemtsov had become a greater thorn in Putin's side, compiling reports on sensitive topics — one that tried to expose the scale of corruption at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
Nemtsov's friends said his latest effort was to expose the presence of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine, where NATO, Kiev and Western governments say Russia has sent soldiers and weapons to support an armed uprising there.
Moscow has denied the accusations repeatedly.
"Boris Nemtsov received threats in the past, mostly anonymous ones. That was the nature of things," said Nemtsov's fellow opposition leader Ilya Yashin.
While Nemtsov received threats, law enforcement sources said he never went to the police to ask for protection. But as time passed, his worries grew. In an interview on Feb. 10 with lesser known Internet outlet Sobesednik, Nemtsov said that his mother had started to worry that Putin could have Nemtsov killed for his opposition politics.
The journalist asks, "After such conversations with your mother did you begin to worry that Putin could kill you either personally or through an intermediary?"
Nemtsov: "You know, yeah … a little. Not so much as mama, but still."


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1 Nenokkadine starring Superstar Mahesh Babu is being dubbed into Hindi as Ek Ka Dum. This dubbed film's theatrical trailer was released today and the views expressed on it have surprised many. Fans of the star and others who have seen the theatrical trailer have unanimously said that this dubbed film's trailer is much better than the original trailer released earlier in the year for promotions.
The theatrical trailer shows the scale and grandness of the film and emphasizes it as the costliest Telugu movie ever. This trailer could have worked wonders for the Telugu audience as well, they feel. Check out the trailer below and tell us what do you think of the trailer? Do you agree with them and think it can make a mark in Bollywood?


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5 Workout
5.1 Starting a workout
There are three ways to start a workout:
Tap a workout day in the schedule on Home page
Open a routine and tap
Open a list of exercises and tap an exercise thumbnail with
The first two way are recommended, because they use routines.
Do not use History to log your ongoing workout! If GymGoal closes before you hit Save, you will lose it. When you log your workouts correctly, there is no Save button – everything is saved immediately.
All three ways open this screen:
Confirm or change the date, the session number, and tap Start >
There are two buttons above the date entry field: On schedule… and Today…. They change the workout date to the date shown on the button.
On schedule… appears only when you tap a workout day in the schedule. In this example the Monday workout was tapped, but today is Wednesday. If you missed your Monday workout and you are starting it now, leave the today's date and tap Start >. If you worked out on Monday without GymGoal, you can change the date to Monday and enter your workout results now.
Session # - GymGoal supports up to 4 workout sessions a day. For example there may be a morning session, a midday session, an evening session. Each session is a separate workout, with a start time, duration, and a number of exercises.
New log entry – When you select a date and a session number, GymGoal shows if there is already a workout record in History for this date and session. If there is no record, it displays New log entry.
When there is already a workout record in History for the selected date and session, the info line displays Add to existing log record. This indicates that the existing workout record will not be deleted – the new workout data will be added at the end of the existing data.


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Panthers stifle Lyon
Drury held Lyon College without a field goal for the game's first 11 minutes and cruised to an 81-50 win over the Scots on Saturday at the O'Reilly Family Event Center.
The Panthers improved to 7-2 and dropped Lyon to 3-7.
Drury built a 25-4 lead to start the game holding the Scots to just four made free throws until Lyon forward Eric Moses made a lay-up with 8:36 left in the first half. The Panthers owned a 45-16 lead at halftime.
The 50 points allowed by Drury was a season low.
The Panthers shot 58 percent from the field going 28 for 48 from the field and 12 for 19 from three-point range. Drury held Lyon to 35 percent shooting as the Scots hit just 15 of their 43 attempts.
Drury also owned a 39-18 rebound advantage.
"The key was to improve our collective defense and our defensive field goal percentage," said Drury head coach Steve Hesser. "To beat good basketball teams, you've got to stop people and I thought we did a better job of that today."
Freshman Julius Walker led the Panthers with 11 points. The Springfield-Greenwood product came off of the bench to go 4 for 5 from the field. Tyler Clanton and Kolbe Kinghorn both had 10 points as part of balanced Drury offensive attack.
Emir Sabic led Lyon with a game-high 18 points.
The Panthers are idle until Dec. 17 when they travel to Daytona Beach, Florida to take on Embry-Riddle for a 6 p.m. (central) game.
Lady Panthers end week at 9-1
The seventh-ranked Drury Lady Panthers were idle this weekend but carry a 9-1 record and a 3-0 mark in the Great Lakes Valley Conference after picking up two road wins last week.
Drury beat a Harding squad that was in last year's NCAA-II Final Four 65-57 on Tuesday and followed that with a conference win at Quincy 90-67 two days later. The wins extended the Lady Panthers winning streak to seven games.
While the squad has the appearance of being on a roll, head coach Molly Miller voiced concerns about her team's defense after their win at Quincy. Drury's opponents have shot 46 percent from the field so far this year, placing them last in the GLVC in field goal defense.
"We've got to do a better job of holding teams to a lower field goal percentage," she said after Quincy hit 48 percent of their shots and 50 percent of their three-point attempts going 8 for 16 on Thursday. "We had that intent (Thursday) but those numbers went in the other direction."
The Lady Panthers are forcing 23.8 turnovers per game, though, and have three players averaging in double-figures. Alice Heinzler leads the squad scoring 15.6 per game while Heather Harman is putting up 12.6 points per game and Hailey Diestelkamp is averaging 12.4.
Drury returns to action on Dec. 16 and 17 in the Oahu Christmas Classic as they take on Montana State-Billings on the 16th and face Notre Dame (Ohio) on the 17th in Honolulu, Hawaii.


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Search IDX Listings by using an Advanced Interactive Map.
by Jace Stolfo
on Tuesday, May 11th, 2010 at 3:33pm.
Traditionally, for a lender to consider a short sale, the seller has had to first secure an offer before finding out what the lien holder(s) would approve for a sales price. This way of handling short sales has been extremely inefficient as buyer & sellers have often had to wait 2-6 months for an approval causing many transactions to fail.
In an effort to address this problem the government has launched the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program (HAFA). This program is designed to allow eligible homeowners (the borrower) to work with their lender (the servicer) to determine the required net proceeds prior to putting their house on the market. It will take some time to see if this program is successfully implemented but if it is it could have a very positive effect on the market.
Background In February 2009, the government launched the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) designed to help borrowers stay in their homes by modifying their existing mortgages. Over 1 million homeowners have gotten help from this program (1) but there's still been a large gap of people it has not able to assist.
HAFA, which took effect April 5, 2010, was designed to compliment HAMP by providing an alternative for the borrower who are HAMP eligible but still unable to keep their home. The two primary foreclosure alternative methods under HAFA is a short sale or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. HAFA offers financial incentives to the cooperating servicers as well as up to $3000 for borrower relocation assistance. Not all lenders are not required to participate in these programs but many do. You can search for a list of participating servicers here.
Basic borrower eligibly requirements
Find out if you could be eligible.
Summary of HAFA short sale time-line
Please keep in mind HAFA is complex program with 45 pages of guidelines & forms. The following is a generalization of the process.
Please visit www.makinghomeaffordable.com for more information.
This information is subject to change without notification. No representation or warranty of any kind is made.
(1): www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/hafa.html (as of 5/11/10)


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Sunday 29th May 2011
access_time Sunday 29th May 2011
place Glencoe Mountain Bike Trails
supervised_user_circle Hosted by Simon Paton
Halo British Downhill Series RD3 is at Glen Coe (UCI Cat 2)
Entries will open on the 1st of January 2011 by downloading an entry form from the BDS website and sending a cheque in. Online entries will open on February 1st via the British Cycling online entry system which is going live on 1st Feb 2011, in both cases the entry fee will be £70.00 (no extra booking fee for 2011).
NEW For 2011 BDS
BC online system, the £3 booking fee has been scrapped
Sign-on on Friday from 8pm till 10 pm (stop the ques on Friday for more riding time)
New Tag Heuer timing with screens
Split TimingSpeed Trap
Fastest rider of the weekend wins a £700 Tag Watch!
Free of Charge Muc Off Bike Wash
New Catering Service
Bigger pits
More track time in 2011
Bar at each event
directionsFort William | Get Directions
Glencoe Mountain Bike Trails in North Scotland offer a variety of trails from challenging downhill tracks to marked cross country loops with some stunning views.
Don't miss out on the latest mountain bike events you're interested in near you.Learn more
Event added by: billy1979
IMPORTANT: To the best of our knowledge the details provided are accurate at the time of listing. However, as with any outdoor event of this type, there can always be unforeseen circumstances that will lead to changes or cancellations. For all demo days, please check with the organiser directly to confirm the event is going ahead, timing, location, bike availability and any other additional detail.


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Ray Dalio says gold may be key amid monetary policy shift
Miami | Ray Dalio thinks the current era of low interest rates and quantitative easing might be coming to an end, and his answer to a new market paradigm that could see escalating conflict between capitalists and socialists is simple -- gold.
"I believe that it would be both risk-reducing and return-enhancing to consider adding gold to one's portfolio," the billionaire founder of investment management firm Bridgewater Associates said in a 6000-word essay posted on LinkedIn.
For Dalio, monetary policy swings between helping debtors or creditors at each other's expense, and the next move of the pendulum could lead to a new era of debt monetisation and currency depreciation.
"The big question worth pondering at this time is which investments will perform well in a reflationary environment accompanied by large liabilities coming due and with significant internal conflict between capitalists and socialists, as well as external conflicts," Dalio said.
Other key quotes:
- "I think that the paradigm that we are in will most likely end when a) real interest rate returns are pushed so low that investors holding the debt won't want to hold it and will start to move to something they think is better and b) simultaneously, the large need for money to fund liabilities will contribute to the 'big squeeze"'
- "There will have to be some combination of large deficits that are monetised, currency depreciations, and large tax increases, and these circumstances will likely increase the conflicts between the capitalist haves and the socialist have-nots"
- "In such a world, storing one's money in cash and bonds will no longer be safe"
- "It is also a good time to ask what will be the next-best currency or storehold of wealth to have when most reserve currency central bankers want to devalue their currencies in a fiat currency system"
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Norwegian Cruise Line invests USD100m to revitalise "most storied ships"
Contributors are not employed, compensated or governed by TD, opinions and statements are from the contributor directly
Norwegian Cruise Line has provided further detail about Norwegian Spirit's upcoming renovation as part of The Norwegian Edge programme.
According to the cruise company, its ship Norwegian Spirit will enter dry dock in Marseille, France on 2 January 2020 for an over USD 100 million revitalisation. As part of the nearly 40-day renovation, the ship will emerge featuring 14 new venues, additional staterooms and an expanded Mandara Spa.
New complimentary dining venues will be introduced including an additional main dining room, Taste; the 24-hour eatery, The Local Bar and Grill; the all-day dining outlet, Garden Café; the Great Outdoors Bar; and Waves Pool Bar.
Making their debut in the ship are Bliss Ultra Lounge and Spinnaker Lounge, which features the Humidor Cigar Lounge. Splash Academy, the children's waterpark, will be replaced with the adults-only retreat Spice H2O, a daytime lounge featuring two new hot tubs and a dedicated bar, which transforms into an after-hours entertainment venue.
"Our most storied ships"
"As we continue to introduce new innovative ships to our fleet, with Norwegian Encore making her debut next month, we are committed to ensuring that the experiences our guests have come to enjoy are available on even our most storied ships," said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer Norwegian Cruise Line. "We are excited to reinvigorate Norwegian Spirit so that she continues to provide lasting memories for guests as they sail to some of the most exotic destinations around the world."


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Office of University Development
Nicholls State University depends on support from alumni, parents, private foundations, corporations and organizations to help meet the increasing needs of providing academic excellence for students in the Bayou Region and beyond.
The Office of University Development is charged with planning and executing annual fund campaigns, capital campaigns, endowments, planned giving initiatives and other fund-raising activities to provide financial support for Nicholls State University.
Please feel free to call, write or e-mail the Office of University Development for more information about providing support to Nicholls.
Our Mission
The Office of Development works to advance opportunities for Nicholls State University to provide vibrant educational experiences in the cultural heart of the Bayou region by working closely with the Nicholls Foundation, Colonel Athletic Association and Alumni Federation.
Outright Gifts
Outright gifts benefit Nicholls directly and are the simplest to make. Gifts can take the form of cash (including checks and credit cards), securities and real estate. Gifts of collectibles, such as rare books or works of art, may also be of value to Nicholls but should not be encouraged without consultation with the development office.
Your outright gift of cash or check, made before the end of each year, is tax deductible, to the extent permitted by law in the year of donation. Checks or money orders should be made payable to the Nicholls State University Foundation Inc.
Gift Pledges
Gift pledges are a way for donors to maximize their gift by pledging a larger amount and paying their pledge out over a period of years. A pledge is a written promise or intent to make a charitable gift to the Foundation. Pledges may be made at any time throughout the year and can be fulfilled over three to five years through monthly payments via check or credit card. Credit card payments can be set up as recurring gifts to be automatically credited to your pledge each month.
Credit Cards
Credit cards are a convenient way to make a one-time contribution or a recurring monthly contribution, should you so desire. Your MasterCard, VISA, American Express or Discover card can be used to process your gift. Credit card donations may be made by calling the development office at 985.448.4009.
Morgan City Oilfield Fishing Rodeo Continues Support of PETSM Program
THIBODAUX, La. — Nicholls State University is proud to announce a $9,000 donation from the Morgan City Oilfield Fishing Rodeo. The money will help upgrade …
Growing the Future: Port of South Louisiana Partners with Nicholls
THIBODAUX, La. — Nicholls State University and the Port of South Louisiana announced a partnership to aid the study of coastal restoration. Through the cooperative endeavor …
New Scholarship to Benefit Grad Students
THIBODAUX, La. — Nicholls State University has announced a new scholarship to benefit students studying to become school psychologists. The Michael C. and Christine P. …
Oh Là Là Set to Wow Audiences with Wide Array of Music
THIBODAUX, La. — In the third season of the popular Oh Là Là theater series, Nicholls State University will bring audiences musical performances that include …
Many corporations will match their employee contributions to Nicholls State University and other non-profits. Some matches are one-to-one, so your gift, for example, of $25 can mean $50 to Nicholls. There are a few companies that offer two-to-one or even three-to-one matches. Please check with your Human Resources department for the necessary forms to complete and send with your donation. The Office of Development will verify your gift and communicate back with your company.
Matching corporate gifts are entered as gifts from your employer, but you will receive "soft credit" for the company gift. Using the example above, you would be recognized as a donor at the $50 level.
Jeremy Becker, MBA, CFRE
Monique Crochet, M.Ed
Hillary Charpentier, M.Ed.
Mary (Mitzi) Jackson, M.D.
The Nicholls Foundation offers a number of opportunities for you to consider when planning your specific asset management strategy. Listed below are brief descriptions of vehicles you may wish to discuss with your attorney or tax planning specialist. We encourage you to discuss your gift with our Office of Development before finalizing any planned giving strategy for proper beneficiary language. The office can be reached at 985.448.4009.
This information is not to be considered legal, accounting or tax advice. Please seek the advice of competent counsel before making any important decisions.
Planned Giving
Life-income funds and other planned gifts are extraordinary ways for alumni or friends of Nicholls to make substantial gifts while benefiting from the income during their lifetime. These irrevocable gifts provide favorable tax deductions and often reduce capital gains taxes on appreciated securities. For information about planned giving, please call the Office of Development at 985.448.4009.
Life Insurance
A gift of life insurance may be made to benefit the university as an outright or planned gift. As with other forms of planned giving, the gift of a life insurance policy can offer certain tax advantages. An existing policy may be transferred, or a new policy may be purchased specifically as a means of gifting to Nicholls through the Nicholls State University Foundation. (Please note that that this applies to whole life policies only.)
Many of us purchase life insurance to ensure the financial stability of our families in the event of an untimely death. If your circumstances have changed, and you have a life insurance policy you may no longer need, you might consider naming the Nicholls Foundation as beneficiary. The Office of Development can assist with proper beneficiary designation.
A gift by bequest through a will or trust is another way to leave a legacy at Nicholls State University. Bequests allow donors full use of their capital during their lifetimes, and such gifts are very important to the university to help build endowments for scholarships and other needs.
Bequests can take one of several forms, including a bequest to leave a specific amount, a fixed percentage or as a remainder bequest after all other bequests have been satisfied. You can also bequeath real property, such as your home or other real estate, and tangible personal property, such as rare books, artwork and other collectibles. If you have already prepared your will or trust, your attorney can help you modify it by adding a codicil to include a gift to the Nicholls State University Foundation.
Please note that all bequests to benefit the university should list the Nicholls State University Foundation Inc. as the beneficiary. For sample bequest language, contact the Office of Development.
Charitable Annuities and Trusts
There are other forms of planned giving that offer benefits to the donor and/or a designated beneficiary while providing a donation to the university.
- A charitable gift annuity can be created by transferring cash or securities valued at $10,000 or more to the Nicholls Foundation, and in return, the donor receives guaranteed fixed payments for life of the donor and/or a designated beneficiary.
- There are other similar vehicles available to you to benefit Nicholls through the Nicholls State University Foundation. Your tax adviser or estate planning attorney can assist you in determining which instrument best meets your needs while also benefiting Nicholls.
Naming Opportunities
There are numerous naming opportunities, such as classrooms, conference rooms, academic centers and other areas. For information about naming opportunities, call the Office of Development at 985.448.4009.
Endowed Chairs, Professorships
Endowments provide an excellent way for Nicholls to attract and retain highly qualified faculty. Faculty who are on the cutting edge of their respective disciplines help insure that students are receiving the finest instruction possible. For information about endowing a chair or professorship, contact the Office of Development at 985.448.4009.
Endowed Scholarships
Scholarships enable Nicholls to attract the best and brightest students. For TOPS-eligible students, it provides additional financial assistance beyond basic tuition and other TOPS stipends. Endowed scholarships provide an annual benefit for students since only the interest earned is used to fund the scholarship. For information about endowing a scholarship, contact the Office of Development at 985.448.4009.


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System Engineer PLC
- Hitachi Zosen Inova AG
- Zürich (Schweiz)
- Presence / Mobile
- Junior, Career start
- Work experience
- Engineer
- Technical occupations (other)
About us
Zurich-based green-tech company Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) is a global leader in solutions for energy transition and circular economy including Energy from Waste (EfW) and Renewable Gas (RG), operating as part of the Hitachi Zosen Corporation Group. HZI acts as a project developer, technology supplier and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor delivering complete turnkey plants and system solutions for thermal and biological waste recovery. Its solutions are based on efficient and environmentally sound technologies, are thoroughly tested, and can be flexibly adapted to customer requirements. HZI's Service Solutions Group combines its own research and development with comprehensive manufacturing and erection capabilities to provide support throughout a plant's entire plant cycle. HZI works for customers ranging from established waste management companies to up-and-coming partners in new markets. Its innovative and reliable solutions have been part of more than 1,600 reference projects worldwide.
Your responsibilities
- You implement function descriptions of our control units, using Step7 programming
- You manage and maintain the software for our control systems (incl. documentation)
- You continuously develop and improve our products in cooperation with R&D and the service department (soft- and hardware)
- You are doing the commissioning of our PLC systems (on site and remote)
- You act as cross-system interface with the technical project management and third parties, in particular clarification of the interfaces to other lots
- You travel approx. 20% globally and are willing to do standby duty in agreement with the team
Your experiences
- You have a Bachelor degree in Control Engineering, Information Systems or Process Enginering in plant construction
- You have sound experience in planning, development, operation, and maintenance of PLC controls (hard- and software), incl. resource planning and application of PLC programming languages according to IEC / EN 61131
- You have good experience with the preparation of functional descriptions as a basis for control unit development as well as very good knowledge of network technology
- Profound knowledge of Siemens PLC, Step7 and TIA Portal
- Fluency in English, German is a big plus
We offer
- Responsible challenge with diversified field of activity
- Team-oriented working atmosphere in an international Company
- Personal development opportunities through own Inova Academy
- Opportunity to gain an insight into various technical disciplines
- Excellent employment conditions
- Attractive working place (central, good transport links)
- Modern infrastructure
Do you have any questions? Please contact us.
We look forward to receiving your application.
For HR agencies: Please note that we do not accept applications coming from agencies. Thank you.
We look forward to receiving your application.
For HR agencies: Please note that we do not accept applications coming from agencies. Thank you.
- Ian Steinmann
- Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist


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Arguably the best way to earn points in the US is through credit cards, be it through sign-up bonuses or earning bonus points through everyday spend.
While the US and Australia are culturally similar in many ways, credit cards isn't one of those ways. In the US, credit cards have become almost globally accepted, and in many cases credit card surcharges are even in violation of merchant contracts.
Australia is different, however. Not only are credit card surcharges commonplace, but they're actually a profit center for many companies. Many companies don't just pass on the cost of using credit cards, but actually profit off the use of them.
Perhaps the worst culprits are airlines, which in some cases charge insane fees. Take Jetstar, for example. They accept credit cards, but booking and service fees apply.
Just how bad are the fees? Even on a flight which costs $49, the online booking and service fees are $8.50. That's a whopping 17% credit card surcharge.
Other businesses are a bit more reasonable. For example, Hilton charges a 1.5% fee for credit card payments, which seems more in line with their cost of accepting them.
Well, it seems like consumers in Australia have had enough, and laws will be changing. While Australia won't quite match the US, to the point that there are virtually no credit card fees, Australian credit card fees will be regulated by the government.
Via The Sydney Morning Herald:
The Competition and Consumer Amendment (Payment Surcharges) Bill 2015, passed in the Senate on Monday, will instate tough new laws to end excessive surcharges on card payments.
The statement labelled card and other electronic payments as "critical for the efficient operation of the economy".
The new laws will ensure customers are only charged according to the true amount of a merchant's costs in accepting payment.
What hasn't yet been determined is what's considered "excessive," though guidelines for that should be set soon:
Specific details on how much a merchant is permitted to charge per electronic transaction are yet to be determined, however the ban will work in tandem with Reserve Bank of Australia Payments System Board standards that will set the permitted surcharge.
Bottom line
This is fantastic news for those in Australia (or those who travel to Australia), because under the current system you get penalized for using credit cards. The new system will be a huge improvement, but you'll still basically be paying for the "right" to use a credit card. In the US when I put a charge on a credit card, there's no direct cost to doing so (other than the overall increase in costs caused by higher merchant fees, though those paying cash and those paying by credit card are subsidizing that equally), which won't be true in Australia.
But this is still a huge step in the right direction for Australia.
So, who's excited about this new legislation?


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"Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory, tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat." —Sun Tsu
As a product manager/owner at NimbleUser for the past year, I have had the opportunity to see how we scope and develop new features for Nimble AMS. That experience has strengthened my level of respect for our team, and the amazing work they do on a day-to-day basis. After all, it is their work that allows us to, as Ted Husted, Release Engineer, puts it, "make the sausage" that is Nimble AMS.
I have borne witness to the meteoric growth of both our customer base and product capabilities. However, that growth has not come without its challenges, not the least of which is the constant tug of war between developing to meet expressed customer needs and developing to meet our own product vision for Nimble AMS.
New Role
In June, I took on a new role at NimbleUser as the Director of Product Strategy with the goal of forging a holistic strategy for Nimble AMS that melds explicit customer needs into an overall product direction that will position Nimble AMS and our customers for long-term growth and success.
My 25 career in Association Management has been quite rich. I have worked for both professional and trade associations over the years and each of those experiences has taught me incredibly important lessons.
Some Examples:
Some Examples:
- A Nurses Association gave me an understanding of the role associations can and should play in garnering public respect for an undervalued profession;
- A Commission for Community Colleges gave me a heavy dose of government relations and the important role of data in making an effective case for funding;
- A Bar Association gave me a fundamental understanding of continuing education and the important role associations play in providing that education; and
- A Public Gardens Association presented the opportunity to create a national voice for our members through both public and private partnerships.
Leveraging Real World Association Leadership Experience
Team Effort
Those lessons and many others will guide me as I envision the future for Nimble AMS. Thankfully, I will not be embarking on this journey alone. I am fortunate to be surrounded by colleagues and customers who have an equally deep and diverse background as me. By combining my experiences and that of our stakeholders, I will bring a more global perspective of associations to my work.
A Bright Future Together
Over the course of my career I have participated in many strategic planning exercises. The consistent thread determining the success or failure of those efforts was the combination of a clearly articulated strategy and a plan to achieve it. So as I begin my new role, I promise you the strategies we generate will be extensively researched and include the necessary specificity to carry them forward.
I am excited about the future and look forward to working together with each of you to set the future direction of Nimble AMS!
I am excited about the future and look forward to working together with each of you to set the future direction of Nimble AMS!


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'It's a political act to decide to be a performing artiste': Anita Ratnam
From a phone book to an information aggregator, to being a producer and curator of original dance content, Narthaki has come a long way. How did the journey begin? It all started with a telephone call. The call was made from the American Broadcasting Company in New York to my television company, the Bombay Broadcasting … Read more


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What is an electric snowplow?
The electric snowplow is a useful machine to remove snow from the garden or yard with minimum effort. This tool will be very useful in places where it often snows, and will facilitate snow clearing operations. The snow plough is also called a snow cutter because it is equipped with a cutter that will remove the snow from the bottom, sweeping it sideways. The choice of this tool must be accurate, because often you risk to spend a lot of money unnecessarily or to save money and to find a tool that does not perform well.
How to choose the best electric snow plow?
There are several factors to keep in mind when choosing the best 2-stage snow blower under $1000. Below is a brief guide to choose the best one.
Engine stages indicate whether an engine is 2-stroke, 4-stroke or single-stage. In case of electric snowploughs we will talk about single-stage motors. This type of motor is suitable for surfaces not too large (max. 150 sqm) and for snow not too high (max. 50 cm). Usually who chooses an electric snow plow does so because it does not have a large surface to clean.
Type of wheels
Electrically powered snowploughs can be equipped with wheels or tracks. Depending on the type of soil to be tilled, the choice of the rubber tire is decisive. If the soil is even and does not flake too much, an electric snowplough with wheels will do just fine. If, on the other hand, you are on a gravelly or fairly muddy surface, the tracks will certainly be more useful.
The compact electric snow blowers have a power of 1000 watts. Suitable for small surfaces, they look like brush cutters. The most powerful ones reach up to 2500 watts and look like a lawnmower. Powered by wire power, they also often have a battery that makes them usable wirelessly.
Often weight and power go hand in hand. The weight of an electric snowplow may affect the manoeuvrability of the vehicle. The heavier it is, the more difficult it will be to manoeuvre it smoothly. Generally a powerful and light snowplow should weigh a maximum of 5 kg.
How does a snowplow work?
The snowplow, equipped with a cutter in the head, will collect the snow and eject it from the chute. The chute is nothing more than a smokestack that will direct the snow to the point you want (usually laterally than the point of passage).


text: The Bennington Town Clerk's Office will be available for curbside ballot drop off and pick up this Saturday, October 31, 2020 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. If you have not yet received a ballot and wish to vote early, this is a great opportunity to stop by and get it done from the comfort of your car. Please come to the parking lot side entrance where staff will be available. Cassandra Barbeau, Town Clerk.


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Rating: 4.75 stars
Buy Links: Amazon | All Romance
Length: Novel
Rhys Cooper has nothing to live for but his sister and nephew and he would do anything to save them, even sacrifice himself. Accepting that fate, Rhys never expected to be saved by a military rescue team. But his days are numbered. After being exposed to the virus that created the revenants, the not-quite-zombie creatures, Rhys would rather be killed than to infect anyone else.
But the Delta team has a secret. They are immune to the virus and they quite possibly have a cure, but Rhys would have to have sex with the Delta team in order to be infected with the Alpha strain that would save him. Rhys is not opposed to the idea. He doesn't want to die, after all. But he's been sheltered and abused most of his life, and yet again he is faced with a situation in which he has no choice.
Sergeant Darius Murrell was against turning Rhys to begin with. The pull for power that comes from the Alpha strain is dangerous, but in the end Darius couldn't say no. He wants to give Rhys the chance he deserves to live his life. But Darius finds himself wanting things he shouldn't want with Rhys, things he can't want. Jealousy and possessiveness have no place in their situation, yet Darius finds himself experiencing both. And after Darius pushes Rhys too far, he finds it hard to even forgive himself.
While waiting for the Alpha strain to manifest in Rhys, Darius finds himself growing more attached to the younger man. Experiencing more than he ever thought possible and finding his way in life, Rhys can't help but want more with Darius, even though he knows it's impossible. Rhys still lives in fear. Fear of losing his life to the Rot. And fear of his past.
And when one of Rhys's fears turns into a reality, Darius and the Delta company set out to right wrongs. But Rhys will stop at nothing to save the innocent lives involved, even risking his life to save others.
I love this book. I've not been one to jump on the zombie apocalypse train, but wow, this author does it right. There is a twist to the not-so-zombies that is unique to this story. The world that Gormley has created is fascinating. A dystopian society with little hope, full of fear and uncertainty. What little hope is given is still laced with hopelessness. This is a world in which happiness is rare; they have to take it where they can get.
I'm not even sure how to tell you about Rhys and Darius. These men are complicated characters if I ever saw one, or two as it may be. Rhys has been sheltered, beaten, and mentally abused for years and suddenly he's put in a situation where everything he was sure to be true is tried and tested. He's forced to find a place in a society that he's not sure he wants to be a part of. He's stubborn and headstrong in a way that shows his fight for life. He's discovering newness. I love Rhys. He's so confused, so strong willed, and yet so innocent. He's the small amount of beauty that remains in this world.
Darius is a hardass. I'm not sure there's another way to put it. He is expected to be tough, unwavering. And in most aspects he is. He is so focused on his team, on the mission that he brings that hardness into his care of Rhys. He pushes too hard at times, or thinks he does. On the outside he is unbreakable, but on the inside, he wants nothing more than to save Rhys. He has fears of his own, uncertainties that haunt him. His rocky exterior is cracked by Rhys, making him more human. I loved that about him.
The dynamics between Darius and Rhys are intense and frustrating at times, which only makes this book that much better. These men, for all I love about them, are imperfect. The contact between them is rough, best labeled as BDSM. It's definitely kinky – Rhys finding what turns him on and Darius giving it hard and powerful. The story hits on some pain/pleasure points, even some humiliation, although that isn't really with Rhys or Darius. Sometimes it's uncomfortable, but mostly it's damn sexy. There are scenes of dubious consent that made me flinch a little, but this author has a way of smoothing the rough edges making them easier to handle. And seriously, this story wouldn't have been the same without the rough edges.
I absolutely love this story. I was captivated, entrenched by the creativity. It's intense from beginning to end. I'm not sure I have the words for the awesomeness of this story. The emotions are palpable. The action and intensity is heart-pounding. There are times that it feels like conflict is the name of the game in this world. Rhys and Darius face one conflict after another throughout this book. But I loved it all. It's a well-written, well-planned story.
There's so much to this story and I'm sure I'm leaving something out. But the bottom line is I love this book. It's beyond entertaining and I want more. I am addicted. Strain is listed as a standalone, but I would not hate seeing more of this world. It's fabulous and fascinating. This story far exceeded my expectations and may have opened my eyes a little to the whole fascinations with the zombie apocalypse. I highly recommend Strain by Amelia C. Gormley.
Note: There is some drug use in this book, and as I mentioned earlier, there are a few scenes of dubious consent.


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Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved the State of Minnesota's hemp production plan. The plan governs the production and regulation of hemp in Minnesota and needed federal approval as part of the USDA's U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program. While the plan is now approved, Minnesota will continue to operate under the state's pilot program.
Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen issued the following statement regarding USDA's approval of Minnesota's hemp production plan:
"We thank USDA for their work on this new federal hemp program, and we are grateful they have approved Minnesota's plan. While this is a major step forward, there are still concerns over some the regulations imposed on states and tribal governments, such as testing requirements. We look forward to continuing our dialog with USDA so we can ensure Minnesota's hemp growers and processors are successful in this fledging industry."
The 2014 federal Farm Bill allowed for pilot programs to study the growth, cultivation, and marketing of hemp. It was the first time hemp was legally allowed to be grown in the United States in decades. Minnesotans first planted hemp under the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's (MDA) Pilot Program in 2016. There were six growers that year.
The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, made it distinct from marijuana, and recognized it as an agricultural crop. In 2019, 550 people held licenses to grow and/or process hemp. Over 7,300 acres and 400,000 indoor square feet were planted in Minnesota. Currently, 511 people have grower and/or processor licenses, and there are 8,605 hemp acres and 4.66 million indoor square feet of growing space registered with the MDA.
Industrial hemp and marijuana are both types of the same plant, Cannabis sativa. They differ by the concentration level of the psychoactive ingredient delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) within the plant. Hemp has less than 0.3% THC, and levels above that are considered marijuana.
Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications


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Dog Days, an exhibition that focuses on the relationship between canines and humans through photography, and video works, Polygon Gallery, until Sept. 1, thepolygon.ca.
For as long as man has roamed the Earth, man's best friend has been by his side.
It's with this in mind that dog lovers, and their pooches, are encouraged to check out Polygon Gallery's latest exhibition, Dog Days, running now until Sept. 1.
"For as long as we've had cameras, we've been photographing our dogs. They've always been our favourite subject, right from the really historic prints that we have here, up to the memes you see on the internet now," says Justin Ramsey, assistant curator at the Polygon.
As Ramsey, along with gallery manager Diane Evans, show off the 90-plus photographs and multimedia displays featuring our collectively favourite furry friends, a couple things come into focus. For one thing, the observer will notice that dogs have really got up to some stuff over the years – and these are just the things we've been around long enough to photograph.
"This is a really early photograph of dogsleds," says Evans, pointing to a pack of frosty canines as they trudge through ice and snow. There's photos of dogs with soldiers, dogs having fun, and a photo of a vacant lot full of dog-poo bags. A bit further along, Evans draws attention to another large black-and-white photograph depicting an act that all dog owners and their dogs know well – playfully wrestling on the floor. "This is Lou Reed with his dog Lolabelle," she notes.
Another thing that becomes apparent the longer one stares at the myriad photographs of dogs playing, panting, posing and getting up to other dog-related mischief: pooches, as such a major force in many of our lives, have been represented through diverse media through the ages – as long as the camera has existed people have sought to capture Fido's place in the ephemera of the everyday or through the long lens of high art.
"We're seeing anonymous news photographs, we're seeing these fine art prints, we're seeing entertainment or press shots," says Ramsey, attempting to surmise the plethora of dog pics on display. "What this show does by focusing on the dog, we're able to bring in all different aspects of visual media that people have interacted with across time and today. It really brings together the breadth of it. It's eclectic but it also coheres together in an interesting way."
Among the anonymous or archival shots featuring dogs are plenty of well-known photographers as well. A series of Shelby Lee Adams photos, who's most famous for his stunning portraits of people in the American Appalachians, call attention to the dogs littered amongst the charismatic characters in his images.
Even more on the zany side, there's a video installation by William Wegman, as well as a number of photographs, that show the artist's true canine colours.
"He did these really nutty Cinderella series, where he basically did the whole illustration of the Cinderella story using his Weimaraners as the characters," explains Dempsey.
Evans searched high and low for the best dog photos she could find for the exhibition, seeking out prints from the Library of Congress collection as well as Vancouver Public Library's archives. Both Evans and Ramsey are glad the exhibition also features a lot of prolific Canadian artists' work.
A pair of special paid events are also scheduled during Dog Days. On July 21 and 28, Vancouver artist Geoffrey Wallang will be available to create a unique tintype portrait of your dog. And in August, award-winning Canadian artist Shari Hatt, who has a number of large dog portraits with green backgrounds on display for Dog Days and has photographed celebrity dogs owned by the Duke and Duchess of York and the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen, will be available to take dog portraits. Visit thepolygon.ca/exhibition/dog-days for more information and prices.
As for the free Dog Days exhibition itself, both Evans and Ramsey want visitors to know that if they happen to stroll by with their own pooch, both dog owner and furry friend are welcome to come in together. Discerning eyes will notice that among all the photos of dogs, a feisty feline is also mixed in amid the frames.
"We also had to include one cat," jokes Evans. "We did that so the dogs could growl at it."