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One of the best parts about this year's Milton Friedman Legacy Day was reading all of the comments that taxpayers left on our special online voting page. Along with asking folks to vote on which fundamental tax reform they want, NTU Foundation provided a space for respondents to talk about why Milton Friedman's teachings are still vital and what specifics he brought to the world that they liked. Here are a few:
"The videos he created to teach even the most complex issues of economics and the economy in ways that everybody could understand." –JJ, Ohio
"... His contention that free enterprise will allocate resources better than any central planners. One's self interest is not an evil thing, but the natural motivator of man." –Roger B, Michigan
"His glasses." – Daniel M, Texas
"His PBS series Free to Choose changed the way I think about economics and freedom." – Robert S, Indiana
"Friedman pushed for school choice and vouchers so that you can send your children to the best school and the school of your choice rather than the public school you are assigned. The money goes with the child and not to the school. Giving parents the choice to select the best schools for their children would improve education and provide competition among schools. Educational freedom is a win-win for everyone." –Mary A, Florida
"His emphasis on free-enterprise: 'The only way that has ever been discovered to have a lot of people cooperate together voluntarily is through the free market. And that's why it's so essential to preserving individual freedom.' Milton Friedman" –Ted B, Washington
"Mr. Friedman was a deep thinker, whose thinking produced positive, logical, meaningful results." –Charles R, Oklahoma
"[His] open discussions on variants of taxing systems has opened the eyes of millions of previously uninformed people. So many have only believed that what we currently have is all there is in the world when it is relatively new in our Country's history. We CAN change an unfair system into a workable & sustainable modern system that ensures ALL have some vested interest in our future as a Country." –Jeff M, Florida
"Wherever practical, people should be free to choose for themselves." –John R, California
Thanks to everyone who send us their votes and thoughts on Friedman! The winners of the $50 iTunes gift cards will be announced shortly.1 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
Today’s Taxpayer News!
This U.S. News and World Report piece, penned by NTU’s Pete Sepp, offers some insight into economic “game-changers” (policies that could grow jobs and increase innovation) for the energy sector.
The 113th Congress is making history in a perhaps inauspicious way: if current trends continue, this legislative session could have the lowest record of productivity in history.
Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Dave Camp (R-Mich) are still on the road promoting tax reform.0 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
Latest Network Blackout Proves Congress Has Work To Do
CBS and Time Warner Cable are embroiled in a fight over retransmission fees that has left millions of cable subscribers in major metropolitan areas like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas without access to the popular network. While this may seem like a typical conflict between two large corporations, it is more complicated than one might think. Because the federal government has created a complex system of laws and regulations dictating the rules of the game, the playing field is strewn with obstacles that increase the likelihood that providers of content and service will end up in a stalemate. NTU has weighed in previously on the need for Congress to update and simplify communications laws. Conflicts like this current one likely won’t be made less onerous for the parties involved by overbearing government. Consumers would benefit from a more thoughtful policy approach that respects the private sector’s capacity to build prosperous markets for video content and service and minimizes the role of the federal government.1 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final rule for 2013 renewable fuel percentage standards. That’s an awkward way of saying that under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), enacted in 2007, the EPA sets annual amounts for how many gallons of biofuel refiners are required to blend with our gasoline. While the law sets out ever-increasing amounts each year, the EPA does have discretionary authority to reduce these levels. Different levels are set for various kinds of biofuels including corn ethanol, cellulosic, and biomass.
The ruling today underscored two things:
Despite the drop in one form of biofuel, the overall mandate is still far higher than consumers and affected businesses would like to see. By not lowering the overall mandate in tandem with the cellulosic reduction, refiners will have to either blend even higher amounts of imported sugarcane ethanol or more expensive biodiesel into the fuel supply, or purchase increasingly pricey biofuel credits called Renewable Identification Numbers or RINs to fill the gap.
The fact that the EPA didn’t see fit to rein in the RFS mandate, even though it is within its power to do so, means that the threat of the dreaded “blend wall” is closer than ever. When first instituted, the RFS mandated that obligated parties blend ever increasing volumes of biofuels into gasoline and diesel. The RFS also assumed that fuel demand would continue to grow over the coming decades.
Since 2007, however, a number of things have thrown a wrench into that plan. The economy has tanked, purchasing power has dropped, and fuel efficiency has increased – just to name a few variables. The bottom line is that Americans are consuming less gasoline than anticipated. The latest numbers indicate a practically flat line in gasoline consumption from last year to this, yet the EPA is insisting we somehow burn through about 1.3 BILLION more gallons of ethanol than the year prior. The divide between growing volumetric mandates and shrinking gasoline demand will continue to grow in the coming years, forcing the onset of the blend wall, or the practical limit on the amount of ethanol that can be safely used in current vehicles and infrastructure.
The blend wall is one reason why some have been pushing for E15 – gasoline with a 15 percent ethanol content, not 10 - in order to make room in the gasoline supply for more and more government-mandated ethanol. This is a terrible idea for a number of reasons. The higher ethanol content is bad for older cars and small engines. Gas pumps aren’t designed to dispense it. Ethanol costs consumers more to go the same distance as gasoline. And it means diverting even more of already tight corn supply from the food chain to the gas tank.
While today’s ruling didn’t bring any relief to consumers, the EPA did acknowledge:
EPA does not currently foresee a scenario in which the market could consume enough ethanol sold in blends greater than E10, and/or produce sufficient volumes of non-ethanol biofuels to meet the volumes of total renewable fuel and advanced biofuel as required by statute for 2014.
Therefore, EPA anticipates that in the 2014 proposed rule we will propose adjustments to the 2014 volume requirements, including the advanced biofuel and total renewable fuel categories
The fact that the EPA is beginning to understand the problem that people have been predicting for years is cold comfort for the consumers, livestock producers, and many others who have been decrying the damaging effects of the RFS for years.
Taxpayers can’t wait for the EPA to “propose adjustments.” Today’s ruling, so out of touch with the market realities of the RFS, is one more indicator that the RFS is broken. Instead of hoping the bureaucrats at the EPA do the right thing, we need to urge our legislators to move forward with real reforms like S. 1195 in the Senate and H.R. 1462 in the House – both are robust bipartisan plans that would level the playing field and inject some much-needed commonsense to an out-of-control mandate.
In the long run, the EPA’s repeated energy fumbles only underscore the need for Washington to stop picking winners and losers and get out of the energy market. Until then, as the biofuel mandate keeps going up, perhaps we should just be happy the EPA has not set a minimum gas consumption standard … yet.1 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
All too many federal agencies can be cited for having budgetary skeletons in their closet, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is no exception. From poorly managing a drone fleet purchase, to making questionable demands for more employees, CBP has raised fears for the security of taxpayers’ wallets in the past. Yet, Congress has an opportunity to ease future fears, over a controversial new CBP project, before it can cause a fiscal fright.
Two years ago, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) concluded a letter of intent with the United Arab Emirates to build a “pre-clearance” facility at Abu Dhabi airport which would allow travelers to the U.S. to clear customs before arriving on American soil. So far, so good: pre-clearance can not only save time and reduce congestion at U.S. points of entry, it can also help ease the way for tourists who contribute to economic activity while visiting here.
Now for the not-so-good:
All these drawbacks lead to one long question: Given CBP’s service challenges at existing airports, is it really a good idea to plow ahead with a facility whose use will be comparatively scarce in the near term, and give another leg-up to an airline backed by its own government as well as ours, at the expense of an already overtaxed flying public?
And “overtaxed” is an understatement. As NTU has often noted, the typical overall government tax and fee burden of 20 percent on a $300 domestic airfare is higher than the average effective rate a middle-class American is likely to pay on his or her 1040 income tax return. International air travelers can have it even worse, with impositions such as separate departure and arrival taxes along with a passenger agricultural inspection fee (which the Obama Administration ill-advisedly considered raising in 2009) and a customs fee.
Proponents of the CBP station at Abu Dhabi argue that the investment of U.S. tax dollars will be minimal since UAE will pick up 85 percent of the project’s expense under the current agreement. But that’s little comfort to tax-weary travelers in America (see above), who remain worried that whatever share they will be forced to commit could escalate if construction or operating costs are not contained. Meanwhile, there’s that pesky matter of how best to apply CBP’s fee collections as well as appropriations from general funds – should they be used to expedite higher-priority passenger and cargo entry-exit services?
Many Members of Congress seem to think so. In June, the House of Representatives passed an amended FY 2014 DHS Appropriations Bill specifically blocking the Abu Dhabi pre-clearance scheme. In May, a bi-partisan group of 11 Senators echoed the sentiment of their House colleagues in a separate letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, questioning whether the agency’s “decision was made as a result of a risk based analysis.”
Alas, earlier this month DHS announced it was moving forward with a data-sharing agreement that could pave the way for the facility’s activation, even as it faces a concerted petition effort from interested industry groups with considerable clout.
Regardless of the politics involved, the taxpayer aspects of the issue deserve further exploration – that goes not only for the Abu Dhabi pact but also the ever-troubling direction of the Ex-Im Bank. Allowing the free market and fiscal responsibility to sort out needs from niceties would provide some badly-needed bone-rattling for those accustomed to budgetary business as usual in Washington.1 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
Today’s Taxpayer News!
The Daily Caller published this piece on tobacco and other “sin” taxes, employing NTUF’s recent study, which found such taxes to be largely incapable of producing expected revenue…
… And the DC writes NTU has signed onto a letter opposing the Internet Fairness Radio Act, which would forcibly lower the royalty rates Internet radio companies like Pandora pay for the ability to play each song.
Could Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) come under attack on taxes as he runs for a fourth term? Republican hopeful Liz Cheney seems to think so.1 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
Subscribe to NTU's podcast "Speaking of Taxpayers" via iTunes!
Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas talks the PATH act and housing finance reform, latest updates from the fight to protect taxpayers, and the Outrage of the Week!0 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
Senate Republicans, led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), held off a bloated Fiscal Year 2014 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill yesterday with a 54-43 cloture vote. The defeat of the Senate THUD appropriations bill comes only a day after the House version was unceremoniously yanked from the floor as support for the spending measure dwindled.
Taxpayers everywhere should be much relieved to see the THUD bill grind to a halt. Operating under the strange (and false) impression that the Budget Control Act (BCA) isn’t the law of the land, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) has been blithely appropriating far above the $967 billion discretionary spending limits imposed by the sequester, as reported in the TheHill.com:
The Senate Appropriations Committee will write fiscal 2014 bills according to the top-line discretionary spending level in the Senate and White House budgets, ignoring the sequester cuts in current law.
By crafting bills at the $1.058 trillion level set by the Obama and Senate budgets, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) is setting the stage for a showdown with the House, which intends to use the $966 billion level set by sequestration.
National Taxpayers Union issued a strongly-worded vote alert urging Senators to oppose the bill early last week, explaining:
Weighing in at a staggering $54 billion, S. 1243 is $2.4 billion more than the President’s request, $10 billion beyond the House version of the bill, and $2.3 billion over FY13 pre-sequester spending levels. Taxpayers are the ultimate victims when the Senate persists in ignoring the realities of sequestration and the limits imposed by the Budget Control Act. By funding 302(b) allocation levels for discretionary spending at $1.058 trillion, the Senate makes it that much harder for appropriation bills to ever move through normal order.
We also went on to point out one missed opportunity for taxpayer savings after another:
Only a day before the Senate’s THUD bill went belly-up due to its out-of-control, unrealistic spending, TheHill.com reported that House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY), “hinted that a vote on the [House THUD bill] was scrapped because leaders didn’t have the votes to support the deep cuts he was directed to write.”
Given the fact that earlier this spring House Republicans supported the $967 billion discretionary spending cap enshrined in the House budget in accordance with the BCA, and a Senate THUD bill that spent far more couldn’t garner the 60 votes needed for cloture, this seems to be more a matter of misappropriated priorities than a case of too many “deep cuts.” Instead of adhering to the separate defense and non-defense discretionary spending caps imposed by the BCA - and sticking with across the board spending restraint – House appropriators shuffled the deck chairs in other areas to pay for significant plus-ups on the defense side to keep all the appropriations bills under the total cap.
When viewed in light of the profound fiscal challenges we face, legislators should be looking for savings everywhere and favored projects shouldn’t escape scrutiny, especially when there is plenty of room to save across the budget on both the defense and non-defense sides.
Sadly, for taxpayers, legislators might be forgetting that the Budget Control Act and sequestration are about slowing the growth of spending, not the “draconian” spending cuts we hear about from big government proponents. Legislators in both houses are starting to look for a way out from under the law that is reining in their profligate tendencies.
House Appropriations Chairman Rogers went on:
“With this action, the House has declined to proceed on the implementation of the very budget it adopted just three months ago,” Rogers said. “Thus, I believe that the House has made its choice: sequestration — and its unrealistic and ill-conceived discretionary cuts — must be brought to an end. And, it is also clear that the higher funding levels advocated by the Senate are also simply not achievable in this Congress.”
Across the Capitol in the Senate, it looks more and more likely Majority Leader Reid will push for a sequester replacement bill as soon as September.
For supporters of less spending and less government, the dual defeat of two major spending bills draws a clear outline of the next big battle and highlights what our priority should be moving forward: hold the line on BCA caps and sequester-level funding, hold the line on spending overall.
Luckily for taxpayers, Senator McConnell has proven that he can. As taxpayers look ahead, we shouldn’t just hope the Senator can do it again, we need to work hard to help make sure all our legislators remain focused on these vital tasks.
1 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
Detroit recently followed in the shoes of several other US cities in filing for bankruptcy. Theories abound as to the root of the problem: an overbearing public-pension burden? The devastating loss of auto-industry jobs? Rising crime, and the flight of the middle-class it precipitated? Even all these problems, though, can be traced back to one overarching cause: taxes.
Detroit boasts some of the highest tax rates in the nation, and its residents already face the highest income tax rates allowable by Michigan law. Overall, those in Detroit struggle under the highest per-capita tax burden in the state, despite an unusually high percentage living below the poverty line.
Property taxes make up a huge portion of this tax burden for property owners in Detroit. In 2011, the city ranked first in a study of property tax rates in the 50 largest U.S. cities, and assessments of the properties themselves tend to run high.
The Detroit News released a series showing that many houses are assessed at ten times their actual value, and appeals can sit in limbo for an extended period of time before being resolved. To add insult to injury, many Detroit residents don’t feel they’re getting their money’s worth. A number of corrupt government officials (including former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick) and soaring government costs took their toll on city services, eventually becoming evident in rising crime and failing schools. The housing crash and the loss of most of the city’s manufacturing jobs (the crime rate and poor business climate having driven the automotive industry largely out) were the final straw for many Detroit natives, and the upper-and middle-classes began to leave the city in droves.
Naturally, this only made the tax revenue situation worse. As the population sank, so did the amount of money coming into the city coffers. Recovery for Detroit might have happened, if the business climate could have supported recovery. However, mismanagement again took over, and regulation and taxes increased, if anything. The real estate market could not properly bounce back, as city law requires all the back taxes be paid on every property bought at foreclosure - the only exception is for a select few pieces of real estate auctioned once a year by the city. So, when the housing market plummeted and Detroiters began to flee the city in the wake of lost jobs and exponential increases in crime, no incentives existed for speculators to purchase foreclosed properties for investment. As a result, the real estate simply sat in the hands of banks and the city, and eventually became derelict.
Those who did own or buy properties found themselves with an entirely new set of problems. As Detroit’s finances began to collapse, the tax-collecting infrastructure fell through with it. The city eventually began forcing employees to take an unpaid day of leave every two weeks, adding still another complication to the process. One business attempted to pay $25,000 worth of property taxes, only to find that the collection office was closed and no one would be there to receive payment. That scenario also assumes residents are receiving tax bills at all - which many are not. With this sort of bureaucracy in place, is it any wonder only 50% of property taxes in 2011 ended up in the city coffers?
High taxes certainly aren’t the only thing that drove Detroit to bankruptcy. However, the lesson Motown’s crash has to offer other cities cannot be ignored. The crippling effect of taxes can’t go on forever, even in a healthy economy - and other governments across the nation would do well to take note of that fact.2 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
The Senate Finance Committee received some negative attention last week when it solicited comments on tax reform from Senators with the odd stipulation that any such submissions would be kept confidential for 50 years. A clandestine submission process certainly runs counter to the notion of a transparent, open government. And this is particularly true given the complicated and burdensome nature of our tax code, many provisions of which are carve-outs and exemptions designed specifically by and for special interest groups.
The Committee should open up this process, not only by making all comments publicly available, but also by soliciting opinions from all Americans. Its counterpart in the House, the Ways & Means Committee, did exactly this and received a multitude of comments from various individuals and groups. The Joint Committee on Taxation summarized these comments in a report that can be found here.
But there are even bigger challenges than secrecy. Before it continues to pursue fundamental tax reform, the Senate Finance Committee should commit to an end product that is revenue neutral. Politically speaking, this is the only way tax reform has a chance to proceed in the divided Congress. But more importantly, committing to revenue neutrality effectively removes the possibility that the tax code overhaul would result in a system that causes even more economic drag than the current code. In short, the goals of tax reform should be fairness, simplicity and economic growth – not an expansion of the size of government. Fourteen Republican Senators made this same point in a letter they sent last week to Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT). The letter also wisely noted that there was bipartisan agreement on the principle of revenue neutrality before the successful tax reform efforts of 1986 – a fact that should surprise no one.
Partisan tensions are high right now on Capitol Hill and passing even the simplest bill can be difficult. If a major legislative initiative like comprehensive tax reform is going to gain traction, it’s important to set fair and appropriate ground rules now. That means committing to a transparent reform process with a goal of revenue neutrality.0 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts


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domain: medical


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Bruce Willis’ wife, five children and ex-wife Demi Moore have posed for a rare family photo together after giving a sad update on his health.
The Hollywood legend, 67, has starred in hit films such as Die Hard, Pulp Fiction, The Sixth Sense and Armageddon.
But in his recent movies, crew members began raising concerns regarding the actor’s health.
Watch Sylvester Stallone give an update on Bruce Willis’ condition below…
According to the Los Angeles Times, those who worked with Willis noticed that he would seemingly appear confused on set and not understand why he was there.
People around him also noticed that was receiving his lines through an earpiece.
It was then revealed by his family that Willis was retiring from acting after he was diagnosed with aphasia.
The disorder affects how you communicate and it is caused by damage to parts of the brain responsible for understanding and producing language.
Related Article: Celine Dion Diagnosed With Incurable Disease That Turns Sufferers Into ‘Human Statues’
Related Article: Jonah Hill’s New Movie Gets 100% On Rotten Tomatoes And Fans Are Raving About It
It can also impact your reading, listening, speaking, typing or writing.
Since getting diagnosed, the Die Hard star has kept a low profile, with family members sharing occasional snaps of the actor.
Moore, who was married to Willis from 1987 to 2000, has now shared a photo on her Instagram of herself with him and his current wife Emma Heming, along with his five children.
The post shows the whole family posing in front of a Christmas tree with the caption: “We are FAMILY!! Getting into the holiday spirit!”
The news of Willis retiring from acting broke in March when his daughter, Rumer, shared an Instagram post.
Accompanied by a photo of the Unbreakable actor, the post read: “To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family, we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities.
“As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.”
The post was signed off by Willis’ wife Emma, his ex-wife Demi Moore, and his children.
Related Article: Elon Musk Loses His Place As The World’s Richest Man
While details about Willis’ health have been largely kept quiet, a source close to the family did give an update as Christmas approaches.
Speaking to RadarOnline, the source revealed that the family are praying for a ‘holiday miracle’.
They explained: “There are days when they see glimpses of the old Bruce, but they are brief and far between.
“It seems he’s slipping further away from them, and it breaks their heart.
“With Christmas around the corner, all they can do is tell him they love him and pray for a holiday miracle.”
Related Article: Simon Cowell Concerns Fans With Appearance As They ‘Don’t Recognise Him’
The source also added that his family are ‘cherishing every moment’ they have with him this Christmas period.
The anonymous source told the outlet: “Demi has been in constant contact with Bruce and Emma.
“She’s taking every opportunity she can to spend time with him. If she’s not there by his side, she’s calling on the phone just so Bruce can hear her voice.”
This comes as co-star and friend Sylvester Stallone admitted that seeing Willis going through a health battle is ‘killing him’.
The Rocky legend said: “Bruce is going through some really, really difficult times.
“So he’s been sort of incommunicado. That kills me. It’s so sad.”
Watch our Video of the Day below…
Do you have a story for us? If so, email us at [email protected]. All contact will be treated in confidence.

domain: news


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Lisa Loeb + The Knights
Lisa Loeb and The Knights perform at the Bandshell as part of BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, presented in partnership with the Prospect Park Alliance. For the latest information, including weather updates, set times, seating configurations, and FAQs, please visit the BRIC website.
In 1994, Lisa Loeb’’s tender anthem “Stay (I Missed You)” appeared in the film Reality Bites, skyrocketing up the Billboard charts and making Loeb the first-ever unsigned artist to achieve a #1 single. In the decades since, she has proven to be “a singer-songwriter with immense staying power” (NPR), releasing children’s albums, books, and even her own line of eyewear. In conjunction with her 2008 children’s album Camp Lisa, Loeb launched the non-profit Camp Lisa Foundation, which helped economically disadvantaged kids attend summer camp. In our annual children’s concert, she will bring us an afternoon of fun-loving, sing-along-able numbers for Brooklyn youngsters from this album and the five since.
Gates open an hour before the performance unless otherwise noted, and all performances are rain or shine.

domain: celebrity


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After going in safaris in South Africa, I was a bit disappointed by this park. Everything looks controlled and artificial; you are not allowed to go past the path. Also, the park is offering structures for birds watching, visitors are not respectful of the silence and it is impossible to see anything. And when it is finally quiet around you for no more than 5 minutes, another bunch of people are approaching, making it impossible for you to spot birds!
Maybe my standards have became too high after South Africa but there I loved the fact to feel in communion with the nature… here is a different story but I will have to take it the way it is for sure! After seeing lions, rhinoceros and cheetahs, it is a harder to spot a frog or a dragonfly but not impossible! It is said that you can find some crocodiles too so I won’t get too close to the water.
We were lucky to be able to avoid big groups with kids during the visit and we could spot few things… However, it was a bad idea to do it in the middle of the day as it was too hot of course.
Looking around or participating to education is mainly directed to local people as the course are done in Cantonese, I have two options now: start learning Cantonese or ask them to add some courses in English. In either case, I guess it will take a long time!
It is not the kind of park you lye on the grass on a beautiful day but it was a great afternoon to spend there.

domain: travel


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Online dating sites are not only for right singles.
Seeking an LGBT relationship on the web isn’t any different than looking through Tinder to get your targeted niche. LGBT singles can benefit from main-stream online dating sites, such as for example Match or eHarmony, as both services appeal to the LGBT community.
Gay and lesbian singles need certainly to comprehend whatever they aspire to gain from their online journey to be able to find the right site that is dating.
Exactly the same online dating sites etiquette applies — be honest about who you really are and what kind of relationship you are searching for. 继续阅读Find Out About 5 Best Online Dating Sites For LGBT Singles Hunting For Love

domain: sociology


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Type=image;ImageID=9529;ImageClass=left;ImageTitle=An electric charging point;TitleClass=strong;
The council has already carried out its own feasibility study ahead of the bid to the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) under the £20 million Taxi Scheme.
If successful, it would see work begin in Wolverhampton on building the infrastructure to facilitate electric taxis as they become more readily available over the next decade.
The proposal covers the cost of the scheme for the calendar years 2017 to 2020, with the aid of match funding from existing council capital and revenue budgets.
It fits in with wider work to promote low emission vehicles by the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority (ITA) and West Midlands Combined Authority, and has been recommended for approval at the council's Cabinet (Resources) Panel meeting next week.
Keren Jones, Service Director for City Economy, said: "We are working closely with the taxi drivers in the city on this project.
"Electric taxis bring many benefits. They improve air quality and public health, make the city more attractive, support the economy of the Midlands, and support innovation and transformation, as well as help reduce carbon emissions."
Parminder Sekhon, Chair of Wolverhampton Taxi Owners Association, added: "We have been in discussions with the council about this bid for several months.
"This isn't about forcing drivers to replace their existing vehicles with electric ones.
"There are very few low emission vehicles currently available that can be used as taxis, but that will change over the next ten years as manufacturers expand their electric vehicle fleets.
"This bid is about ensuring that the city has the necessary infrastructure in place in years to come, so that we are ahead of the game when the next generation of vehicles become available."
The council's bid aims to convert 30% of both the Hackney and private hire fleets in the city to electric vehicles by 2020 and would involve installing 7 rapid charging points within the city centre.
Top up grants of £8,000, funded by OLEV, would be provided to purchasers of new electric taxis.
The main locations identified for charging points are the bus layover at Broad Street Car Park and the taxi feeder rank at Castle Street, near Pipers Row.
Other possible locations for any future charging points include Lichfield Street, Princess Street and the soon to be redeveloped railway station.
- released: Wednesday 20 April, 2016


Media Moment: The Voice
Queen-related: Judges perform Queen medley
I keep seeing promos for The Voice, the American Idol knock-off with four celebrity judges of their own. Christina Aguilera brings the highest profile to the panel of judges and some would argue she also brings the most singing credibility. I’ve never actually watched an episode of The Voice since I’m not a huge Christina fan -- although I think she’s a much better vocalist than her one-time nemesis, Britney -- and I had no idea who the other three judges were.
However, I ended up recording the first of the live performances the other night because someone on QMS mentioned that Queen songs were going to be featured. I didn’t know whether this meant it would be a Queen-themed night (ala American Idol with Brian and Roger) or if the Queen content would be limited to a song or two only.
With no mention of Queen at all, Daly merely starts the show as usual and the familiar piano sequence of Bohemian Rhapsody (or the “mama?” section, as Animal would say) starts up. Judge and Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine gives his best Freddie rendition but fell short in his attempt, in my opinion. Before the operatic section begins, the music changes over to stomp-stomp-clap and Cee Lo Green from Gnarls Barkley fame belts out the first few lyrics to WWRY. What struck me as an unfortunate distraction to the performance was that he sang the line “gonna be a big man someday” and there he is . . . a big man.
Interestingly, I didn’t find any reference to Queen or Brian being an influence on Levine’s career, so who recommended Queen as a theme for this episode? Why did Levine have a Red Special at all? I scoped out a variety of images of him in concert and he seems to go through a bunch of guitars (mainly Gibsons), so maybe his Brian May copy is his own but only brings it out for special occasions.
After the WWRY guitar solo, the piano kicks in again and WATC starts with Christina Aguilera emerging from the shadows. I gotta say, though, that with her vocal strength, I expected something more from her on this song. Actually, she should have been the one to sing BoRhap instead of Levine but I guess they wanted the three-song medley to end on a strong note (pardon the pun).
Speaking of comparisons to American Idol, the producers of The Voice brought in Carson Daly for hosting duties, but I never got the impression he was as comfortable or smooth in front of the camera as Ryan Seacrest is. As a matter of fact, I found Daly’s delivery a bit stilted and awkward. Seacrest, on the other hand, strikes me as more polished when addressing the camera, the crowd, and the performers. Overall, I don’t think The Voice will be dethroning Idol anytime soon.


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A shapely masterpiece with surprising details, this armchair is destined to accent any interior.
This exclusive armchair’s regal stature receives a remarkably modern update via a cut-out detail in its curving backrest.
Expertly crafted from a beech wood frame, the chair’s exposed, footed base is complete with a rich wenge stain.
The piece is upholstered in plush velvet or a cotton-blend chambray for a luxe feel while a self-piped edge adds a tailored finish. Suitable for all interiors, choose from a range of contemporary and sophisticated colours.
“Have purchased a number of items from this site over the past three years and have been very happy with the quality and service. ”

domain: design


ELEMATIC is well-known globally for hollow core technology but the company also has a strong product line for precast wall element production, with three ready layout concepts – the SEMI, PRO and EDGE – depending on the amount of automation and production capacity needed.
But there are many other solutions available. “We have a wide range of other layout options for different capacities which have been proven to perform well in many existing factories. Our strength lies in our customized wall production solutions,” said Toni Koitmaa, Product Director, Wall Technologies and the Finland-based company.
One device that seems to be making a huge difference in improving the efficiency of wall production lines is the central transfer wagon, especially when the product range includes both simple, fast moving elements and complex panels that require more production time.
“The central wagon moves the elements that take more time to be fabricated away from the main line so bottlenecks in production are avoided. This allows the elements that are fabricated faster to move forward and makes production very flexible,” Koitmaa said.
Pre-defined processes and proper documentation during the whole manufacturing process are important to ensure consistency in production and quality control.
“Table moulds, for example, are a long-term investment. You have to ensure that the moulds can support the requirements set for the wall element. Table moulds have to be flat and straight and must withstand the load placed on them without bending. It takes a lot of expertise to make mould tables within strict tolerances,” Koitmaa said.
The casting machine is another crucial piece of equipment. Elematic’s Comcaster is, in Koitmaa’s words, “unique, very accurate and fast,” while allowing for lower water-cement ratio. It can also cast stiffer grades of concrete than conventional casting machines and reduces surface finishing time.
Decreasing waste in the precast production process and improving cost-efficiency and safety are goals to keep in mind. “You can use half the usual amount of wood needed for table moulds, battery moulds and column- and pillar production by using the right shutter system. The FaMe system is comprised of push button magnets and aluminium side forms to replace wood and steel, which leads to substantial savings.”
Koitmaa added that the FaMe system was designed to improve work safety and lower the chances of finger injuries.
Battery moulds, which are used to cast solid load-bearing walls, can likewise have a big effect on efficiency. The cold shutter system, which is offered by very few equipment manufacturers in the industry, practically doubles the capacity of a standard battery mould.
By transferring the cold shutter plates to the battery mould after the previously cast elements has been taken out, the casting cycle is significantly accelerated. “The cold shutter system really speeds up the production cycle since only casting and hardening take place inside the battery mould. Using it is a great way to increase capacity,” Koitmaa said.
Digitalisation also goes a long way towards reaching peak efficiency. “Using digital systems can help you get the maximum capacity from precast lines by optimising the process at different stages of production, leading to faster delivery time and saving on resources,” Koitmaa said.


Runtime: 98 minutes
Directors: Mariama Diallo
Writers: Mariama Diallo
Cast: Regina Hall, Zoe Renee, Amber Gray, Julia Nightingale, Ella Hunt
By Tom Moore
Mariama Diallo’s feature directorial debut, “Master”(2022), is a psychological horror trek through systemic racism in American education that presents an enticing and engaging atmosphere.
As the film’s two central black women arrive at the fictional college campus of Ancaster College, freshman Jasmine (Zoe Renee) and Professor Gail (Regina Hall) who recently became the college’s first black master, there’s a certain vibe that Diallo creates that’s instantly unsettling. Although the atmosphere is relatively positive for both women, the predominately white presence makes them visually feel like outcasts and the early moments of how they’re treated give off signs that they aren’t exactly welcomed in their respective positions.
Even though Gail has earned her position as a master, she tends to be treated like a tool for other people’s goals and a foreign entity within this academic community. As for Jasmine, she struggles to make strong connections with fellow classmates and is quickly turned into an outcast since she’s placed in a dorm supposedly haunted by a witch. Diallo crafts some chilling atmospheric scares surrounding this supposed witch haunting Jasmine and possibly Gail throughout their time at Ancaster and it slowly builds towards a horrifying confrontation.
“Master” isn’t a jump scare heavy horror experience. Rather, it seeks to send Jasmine, Gail, and viewers into a psychological downward spiral that drives them to question reality. With each mind-bending and terrifying new vision Jasmine and Gail have, it constantly feels like something is trying to push them out and make them think there’s no escape. This dark presence feels like its growing throughout and slowly tightening its grip on Jasmine making for some disturbing turns and horrifying conclusions. However, even though this witch is made to be a prevailing force in driving Jasmine and Gail to the brink of their sanity, it constantly feels like there’s a more earthbound force really seeking to push them out.
Personally, the choice Diallo makes in making the true source of Jasmine and Gail’s distortion of reality ambiguous is one of “Master’s” strongest aspects. For the most part, it can simply seem like Jasmine and Gail are being terrorized by an ancient supernatural force, but Diallo never lets you forget about what they face in the real world. Given how Gail is used by other colleagues for their own agenda and Jasmine continually faces scrutiny and gaslighting by those around her, especially when she arrives, you can’t help but feel like there’s a greater conspiracy in the works.
Throughout the film, Diallo excellently builds this uncomforting reality about college life and the education system that perpetuates racial discrimination. From how toxic frat mentality makes Jasmine a pariah and gaslights her beliefs about the witch to Gail’s position being questioned as she supports another black professor, Liv (Amber Gray), receiving tenure, both these women are made to feel like they don’t belong, and it makes you wonder if the larger white presence is trying to push them out. Jasmine’s experience certainly feels like someone is hazing her and driving her to the unthinkable edge and there is this cult-like presence seen in Ancaster that promotes this mob mentality that’s constantly breathing down Jasmine and Gail’s neck.
No matter where they are in Ancaster, everyone’s eyes feel glued to Jasmine and Gail creating this eerie atmosphere that makes you think deeper about what they’re going through. Admittedly, the film can lose focus as it tries to add in new elements to their experiences that either feel unnecessary or add in new questions that don’t have distinct answers. Jasmine’s end is absolutely gut-wrenching and tragic, but it does feel like other characters, mainly the presence of another black student, don’t get utilized enough to create a wider reaction to her story. Also, what the film tries to throw in about Liv at the end does add some interesting shock value but doesn’t have a defined answer to it and is a moment where the film’s sense of ambiguity backfires.
However, “Master” manages to still leave a strong impact on viewers through Gail’s story. Her conclusion delivers some vibes of Chris’ experience in “Get Out” as she has this haunting realization about the systemic racism in her profession and delivers this emotional and raw monologue that’s excellently delivered by Hall, who really gives a phenomenal performance here. Her story acts as a symbol of change that really hits you in the final moment and while it may not be that satisfyingly shocking ending most would expect in a horror film, it’s satisfyingly meaningful with how fitting it is for her character.
With “Master”, Diallo crafts a great mix of psychological terror and grounded themes that come together to create a haunting portrayal of racial discrimination that features one of Hall’s best performances and some very impressive world-building.


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1300 36 33 32
Advancing the Regional Commons in the New East Asia highlights a number of interests which members of ASEAN and Plus Three countries collectively recognize. This set of common interests includes not only economic development but also social development. Written by nationals in their respective countries, the different chapters in this volume highlights the different foundations for such common interests and these reflect the different constructive ways in which ASEAN and Plus Three countries come to see a multi-strand cooperative partnership.
The task of advancing the regional commons will involve efforts to recognise and nurture ASEAN's and Plus Three's common interests in terms of broad social development, managing regional security issues, the development of a regional infrastructure, and ensuring collective progress for all member countries. ASEAN becomes a community in 2015 and the idea of embracing, protecting, sustaining and advancing the regional commons become a vital process. Concurrently, APT has also realized that its contribution to the achieving goal of community and promoting regional commons is absolutely critical for both ASEAN and the Plus Three countries.
Academics will find in this volume a clear analytical treatment of issues which regional groupings are currently facing and this can provide the basis for a comparative analysis. This volume will also be of interest to students and the general public looking for a systematic introduction to the successful implementation of cooperative ventures and also an assessment of the new collaborative energies which shape this dynamic region.
Buy Advancing the Regional Commons in the New East Asia by Siriporn Wajjwalku from Australia's Online Independent Bookstore, Boomerang Books.
Book DetailsISBN: 9780815368755
» Have you read this book? We'd like to know what you think about it - write a review about Advancing the Regional Commons in the New East Asia book by Siriporn Wajjwalku and you'll earn 50c in Boomerang Bucks loyalty dollars (you must be a Boomerang Books Account Holder - it's free to sign up and there are great benefits!)
Siriporn Wajjwalku is Associate Professor of Political Science at Thammasat University, Thailand. Kong Chong Ho is Associate Professor of Sociology at the National University of Singapore. Osamu Yoshida is Professor of Political Science at Hiroshima University, Japan.
© 2003-2021. All Rights Reserved. Eclipse Commerce Pty Ltd - ACN: 122 110 687 - ABN: 49 122 110 687

domain: economics


Methods for evaluating ovarian development and mating status in the olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae (Gmelin)) for use in tracking reproductive phenology
Hannah Joy Burrack, firstname.lastname@example.org, Angela M. Fornell, and Frank G. Zalom, email@example.com. University of California, Davis, Department of Entomology, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA
Five basic stages of ovarian development for the olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae (Gmelin)) were determined as follows:
1. No distinct ovarioles visible. Ovaries appear frothy. Pre-oviposition period.
2. Only immature ovarioles visible. Pre-oviposition period.
3. Ranging from immature ovarioles to mature eggs. Oviposition period.
4. Only mature eggs visible. Oviposition period.
5. No ovarioles visible. Ovaries do not appear frothy. Post-oviposition period.
These stages were then used to rate female olive fruit flies which were collected throughout California during the entire year. Mating status was determined by removing both spermatheca and crushing them in 1 drop of 1x DAPI stain in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) on a microscope slide. This general DNA stain stains sperm more intensely than surrounding tissue. Sperm presence or absence was determined through observation using florescence microscopy. Data collected using these methods are being used to track reproductive phenology of the olive fruit fly throughout the state of California and to confirm generation timings observed through monitoring trap captures.
Species 1: Diptera Tephritidae Bactroceraoleae (olive fruit fly) Keywords: fluorescence microscopy


NOAA Satellite and Information Service - The Office of Satellite and Product Operations highlights satellite imagery, hazard products, direct services, etc.
1259 days ago
Feeling the heat? Today's [IMAGE] showing surface temperatures across the U.S. (June 28)
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ANAHEIMSometimes, the scoreboard doesn’t tell the whole story.
Sometimes, the stat sheet lies.
Sometimes, one player can be more important than all of his teammates.
And, sometimes, the player who scores the “unassisted” winning goal disagrees with the official statistician.
Welcome to the wonderfully wacky world of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
All it took was 63 shots and 84 1/2 minutes for the Ducks to bounce the Vancouver Canucks from the playoffs Thursday night at Honda Center, with captain Scott Niedermayer’s wrist shot from just inside the blue line going into the books as the double-overtime winner in their Game 5 clincher in the Western Conference semifinals.
Officially, it was an unassisted goal, but unofficially Scott gave an assist to his brother, Rob, for the bone-jarring hit on Canucks winger Jannik Hansen on the play. (Rob hit Hansen so hard, he knocked one of the “n’s” out of his first name.)
“Definitely, my brother deserves an assist,” a smiling Scott said afterward, surrounded by a sea of cameras and reporters in the winners’ locker room. “That hit freed up the puck for me.”
I’ll admit I didn’t see the puck get past Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo, because I still was watching the aftermath of the collision along the boards. I guess that’s one way to distract Luongo, too.
That stat sheet suggests the Ducks dominated the game, but Luongo prevented them from dominating the scoreboard.
The Ducks outshot the Canucks, 17-6, in the first period.
It was 39-13 after two periods.
It was 47-21 after three periods.
It was 61-25 after four periods.
And they played on because Luongo stopped almost every shot that came his way.
“There wouldn’t have been a hockey game tonight if it weren’t for Roberto,” said Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault. “He’s the reason we went into double overtime.”
And the Niedermayer brothers were the reason it ended in double overtime.
“CSI: Anaheim”:Remember the mysterious puck that hit Teemu Selanne above the right eye before the Ducks’ Game 5 clincher against Minnesota Wild on April 19?
Selanne had to be helped off the ice during pregame warmups and needed six stitches to close the cut.
That bitterly contested series has been over for two weeks, but the Ducks apparently have some lingering suspicions about who shot that puck.
Upon further review, the Ducks are wondering if it was an accident.
“It’s got everybody scratching their heads,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said Thursday morning in the media interview room, bringing up the incident when answering a question about all of the facial trauma Selanne has endured during the playoffs.
“Where he got hit and the position he was on the ice . . . it was like it (the puck) had come from the other end. … Seriously.”
The media laughed about the implication, but Carlyle re-enacted the scene, pinpointing where Selanne was skating toward the red line and the position of his body near the boards when the puck struck him the right side of his face.
“The trajectory of the puck (dictated it) had to come from the other end of the ice, or from center,” Carlyle said.
General Manager Brian Burke said he came to the same conclusion and called Colin Campbell, the league’s discipline czar, to voice his concerns. Burke said he was unable to obtain videotape of the warmups to show what really happened that night.
Don’t forget, that also was the night Wild enforcer Derek Boogaard skated over the red line during warmups and elbowed Chris Pronger in the back, triggering a pregame scrum highlighted by pushing and shoving and cursing — two minutes after Selanne was felled by the puck.
Hmmmm. You don’t think Boogaard . . .
Selanne also has his suspicions, especially since none of his teammates said they accidentally had shot the puck that hit him.
“You never know,” he said Thursday. “The first thing I thought was somebody threw something from the stands.”
That would force the fatigued Sharks to fly back to the West Coast and open the Western Conference finals against the well-rested Ducks in Anaheim, probably on Friday, May 11.
“But we need to take advantage of the rest,” said Ducks goaltender Jean Sebastien Giguere, who stopped 26 of 27 shots Thursday night to improve his NHL-leading goals-against average to 1.30.
If Detroit wins that series, the Red Wings would have home ice in the conference finals.
Bottom line:The Ducks successfully killed 28 of 29 Vancouver power plays during the series and lead the NHL with a 94.6 percentage in postseason play, killing 53 of 56 power plays.
Contact the writer: firstname.lastname@example.org


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In 1955 television audiences watched as four sisters, sixteen-year-old Dianne (Dee Dee), fourteen-year-old Peggy, twelve-year-old Kathy, and nine-year-old Janet Lennon, The Lennon Sisters, made their television debut on The Lawrence Welk Show, singing an a cappella version of "He". America fell in love with these four little girls and their sweet, innocent, and angelic voices, and The Lennon Sisters became regulars on The Lawrence Welk Show, performing on his show every Saturday night for the next thirteen years.
Recorded in 1959 this is the Sister's first Christmas recording and one they have fond memories of. The lovely cover photo of the fresh-faced teens in velvet red dresses is of the age of when "Little Janet" singing "I Saw Mama Kissin Santa Claus" was a highlight of the legendary Lawrence Welk Christmas shows. "Winter Wonderland" was one of the very first songs the girls sang for Welk at a charity event and which led to their later frequent appearances on his show. This reissue is a classic and adds a wonderful touch of nostaligia to the season.

domain: library


text:
Zimbabwe's indigenization ministry has come under fire for not releasing the names of individuals who have benefited from companies targeted under the country’s controversial black economic empowerment law.
Anglo-owned Unki Mine recently surrendered a 51 percent stake of its shares to government.
The ministry said some equity worth $302 million went to Tongogara Community Trust, Unki employees and strategic investors whose names have not been published.
There was no immediate comment from Indigenization Minister Savior Kasukuwere. This has been the same trend in many companies that have been compulsorily acquired.
Deputy Indigenization Minister Tongai Matutu of the Movement for Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told the VOA that he is also concerned by the lack of transparency in the whole process.
“We are not even aware of the names of the people who actually benefitted since this programme actually started about three years ago," said Matutu.
"Without that information we believe that there is an element of secrecy meant to starve members of the public of information on who is actually benefiting from this programme,” Matutu said.


Manchester United transfer news: Red Devils in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Inter ace Ivan Perisic
Jose Mourinho wanted to bring the winger to Old Trafford last summer, and it looks like he may finally get his man
By Billy Hawkins
13th July 2018,12:45 pm
Manchester United are in advanced talks to sign Internazionale winger Ivan Perisic, according to reports.
Perisic, 29, was linked with a move to Old Trafford last summer, but Jose Mourinho failed to capture one of his prime targets.
The Croatia international, who has helped his nation reach their first ever World Cup final, went on to enjoy a fine season for Inter, scoring 11 goals and creating a further 11 as the Nerazzurri finished fourth in Serie A to book their place in the 2018/19 Champions League.
However, a year after missing out on Perisic, Mourinho looks to be closing in on his man.
Latest transfer news
Ajax reportedly lining up £17million bid for Real Madrid flop
Ronaldo makes transfer plea to Juventus which could affect Man United and Liverpool
Man City looking to pip Man United for Bruno Fernandes' signature - reports
Jurgen Klopp 'ready to sell' €40m-rated flop to Atletico Madrid this summer
I WANT OUT
Paul Pogba tells team-mates he plans to leave Manchester United - reports
Arsenal agree deal for first summer signing as Emery moves for ex-Man United target
HERRERA HOLD UP
Man United handed boost as midfielder stalls on deal with European giants
Spurs star set for summer move with Man United, Atletico and Napoli keen - reports
Five players Arsenal should sell this summer, including Mesut Ozil
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp 'desperate' to sign Lyon wonderkid - reports
Man United tell Real Madrid how much Pogba will cost as Solskjaer eyes successors
happy with him
Guardiola insists frustrated Mahrez will not leave Man City this summer
According to Paris United, the Red Devils are said to be in ‘advanced talks’ with the winger, whose agents, Fali Ramadani and Pini Zahavi, are set to travel to England to finalise the deal taking him from Milan to Manchester.


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Effective 5/1/2022, the prices for Hoover Dam to Willow Beach trips will be changing. These prices are reflected under Popular Trips > Two Day Trips and Popular Trips > Three Day Trips. The current cost of $88 per person will remain in effect until then.
SOT (Sit-on-top) Kayaks are now available! Contact us to schedule your next trip!
Due to the current state of the country, the CDC has placed certain restrictions on many businesses, including this one, when it comes to the transportation of customers. We would love to get folks back out on the water, so as to help with the additional costs from these restrictions, we will be implementing a temporary fee of 10% to any trip during the pandemic. Please check out our trips as some of our requirements have changed for the better. You no longer need to have a 10 person group to launch at the Hoover Dam. We can now accommodate groups as small as 4 on any of our Hoover Dam to Willow Beach trips.


text:
Sale price $25.00 Regular price
Exclusive to the Gallery shop, this simple sweatshirt is illustrated with a reproduction of Gordon Walters’ mesmerising Untitled Black Spirals from 1970. A perfectly cosy article for the miniature formalist.
80% preshrunk mid weight (290GSM) cotton
20% polyester anti-pill fleece
regular fit, crew neck, raglan sleeves
neck and cuff ribbing

domain: artistic


Gary Sheffield has wanted to play for the Yankees for years. Now that he is here, he plans to get started as quickly as he can, torn thumb ligament and all.
Sheffield will avoid surgery, at least for now, despite a tear in his right thumb discovered by Yankees doctors this week. He could return to game action as early as Thursday, testing his tolerance for pain rather than opting for an operation that could sideline him for three months.
''He's played with a lot of pain a lot of times,'' said the Yankees instructor Dwight Gooden, who is Sheffield's uncle. ''Coming here, he's willing to give it a shot. Once he signed with the Yankees, he said he felt like a rookie all over again. He's going to give it a try. As long as it can't get any worse, go for it.''
Sheffield met with the team's doctor, Stuart Hershon, and a hand specialist, Dr. Melvin Rosenwasser, in New York at 6:30 Tuesday morning. Sheffield took a copy of a magnetic resonance imaging test and X-ray from earlier in the week. Sheffield said he tore the ligament in a slide at third base last July 10 and reinjured it Saturday.
''I won't hurt it any worse by playing,'' Sheffield said through his agent, Rufus Williams. ''The way I swing and hit, the injury is not going to impact that. If it does get worse, I'll have to consider what other steps to take.''Continue reading the main story
General Manager Brian Cashman said the doctors asked Sheffield a hypothetical question: if this injury had happened in November, would he have had surgery? Sheffield answered no. ''You treat the patient, not the injury,'' Cashman said.
Cashman said that surgery was still an option and that the Yankees would use the rest of spring training to determine whether Sheffield could play through the injury. But Cashman is also aware of how well Sheffield played with the injury for the Atlanta Braves last season. He missed one game, then batted .327 with 17 homers the rest of the way.
Braves General Manager John Schuerholz said Tuesday before Atlanta's 10-6 victory over the Yankees at Legends Field: ''If that's what happens with someone who has a hurt thumb, we're going to see to it that all our players have that. The guy had the best bat speed of any player I've ever seen in my life.''
Braves Manager Bobby Cox said he did not remember Sheffield's injury and was not surprised to hear that Sheffield would keep playing.
''He'll be in there, believe me,'' Cox said. ''He's as tough as they come. Gary never complains about anything. He'll play. If the bone ain't showing, you're playing, right?''
The Yankees did not know about Sheffield's injury before they signed him to a three-year, $39 million contract in December. Cashman said Sheffield passed his Yankees physical, which he called the most extensive in baseball. He said the Braves never gave Sheffield an M.R.I.
Schuerholz said: ''Our doctors looked at him, but he kept saying, 'I can play, I can swing the bat.' We did all the thorough exams you do on guys. The empirical data is the guy hit .330 with 40 home runs and swung the bat faster than any human being could possibly swing it.''
On Monday, Cashman was pessimistic about Sheffield's condition, but he said the Yankees considered Sheffield's success after the injury last season.
''If this was something necessary, we'd be doing it -- and it might be,'' Cashman said, referring to surgery.
Schuerholz said Sheffield often bruises his left thumb because of the way he tilts his glove while lunging for catches in right field. This injury is to Sheffield's other thumb, which could make it easier to deal with.
''The right thumb, for a right-hand hitter, is not going to be a real problem hitting,'' Manager Joe Torre said. ''The left thumb is another thing, because you have to squeeze that thing every time.''
Sheffield's final numbers last season -- .330, 39 homers, 132 runs batted in -- bolster his case for playing through pain. In a statement, George Steinbrenner, the Yankees' principal owner, called him ''one tough cookie,'' and Cox said the Yankees should be grateful to have him.
''Gary had as good a season as I've ever seen a hitter have,'' Cox said. ''He just hit everything like a rocket the whole year. If they want to give him to us, we'll take him.''
BRIAN CASHMAN met for 90 minutes Tuesday with the agents for closer MARIANO RIVERA, who wants a three-year contract extension. The sides did not exchange formal offers, and Cashman said he owed the agent FERN CUZA a phone call. Cuza said, ''We discussed some of our goals and objectives, and the Yankees told us some of theirs.'' Both sides want to make a deal before the end of spring training.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ hit his first spring homer, a deep drive to right-center off JOHN THOMSON. He also let a pop-up drop after calling for it and treading tentatively over the mound. ''I screwed that ball up,'' said Rodriguez, who is learning to play third base. ''It was pretty ugly.''
The right-hander ORLANDO HERNÁNDEZ passed his physical and will join the Yankees as soon as contract details are completed.Continue reading the main story


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Thereafter, Dr. Heilman knew Phil and Bruce on a first-name basis, always calling out to them on campus, and supporting their various roles in student leadership. That was an honor at the time. But 5 years later, and then 10 years, then 20, eventually even 45 years after Phil and Bruce graduated from U of R, whenever they bumped into Dr. Heilman around town, unexpectedly, he would still instantly recognize them and call out to them by name. THAT, they came to realize, was not only an honor to them, it was an almost unbelievable achievement on the part of Dr.
Getting our ducks in a row on it. Is there one standard way? Literally How to use a word that literally drives some people nuts. Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice? Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words? Do you know the person or title these quotes describe? Login or Register. Save Word. Log In. Definition of patsy. Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about patsy. Keep scrolling for more. Synonyms for patsy Synonyms chump , dupe , gull , mug [ chiefly British ], pigeon , pushover , sap , soft touch , sucker , tool Visit the Thesaurus for More.
For it to be a moving, nuanced novel, Patsy needed to have this. What redeems this book is Dennis-Benn's writing, which is literary and contemplative without ever being fussy. Dialogue also impressed me. Written patois can slow a story, but the patois here reads smoothly, and Dennis-Benn used it effectively in distinguishing her characters and establishing setting.
I consider this ability the mark of a gifted story-teller. Sep 13, Reggie rated it it was amazing Shelves: favorites. Nicole Dennis-Benn has done it again. What a wonderful way to begin a literary career. More fleshed out thoughts to come. View 1 comment.
Jun 10, Michelle rated it really liked it Shelves: , diaspora , net-galley , june I am not quite sure how to articulate what I feel after reading Patsy. Although I left motherhood for last this is the part of the book that I struggled with the most. When Patsy decided that she is going to chase after the American dream and leave her daughter behind I was judgemental. As a mother I was pissed and unsympathetic. I could not fatho I am not quite sure how to articulate what I feel after reading Patsy.
I could not fathom going to another country without my child for the sake of my own freedom. But Patsy does just that.
Patsy, by Seamwork
She leaves Jamaica for the freedom to be with the woman she loves. She wants to be able to love without fear, judgement or reprisals. Patsy leaves to be free of her mother's religiosity with her house full of idols to a White Jesus and the smell of rosemary oil anointing the walls.
Although she loves Tru, Patsy has always known she did not want to be a mother. In some respects she sees her departure as a gift. When Patsy leaves she knows she is never coming back. Patsy made me uncomfortable because it forced me to look at motherhood from a different perspective. Although I may never agree with the character Patsy's decisions, by the end of the book I felt I had come to understand her.
Dennis-Benn's ability to draw complex characters and push her readers to rethink their original position is why her stories are so compelling. View all 3 comments. May 12, BookOfCinz rated it really liked it Shelves: reads , caribbean-books. We meet Patsy, a twenty something Jamaican living in Pennyfield- what one would call a ghetto. Patsy is a government worker, but gets paid so little, she ends up doing some on the side work that is she not too proud about.
Patsy is the sole breadwinner, but she is hardly able to provide for her daughter Tru and her mother who stopped worki I thoroughly enjoyed reading Nicole Dennis-Benn's debut novel Here Comes The Sun so much so Patsy was one of my most sought after ARC for Patsy is the sole breadwinner, but she is hardly able to provide for her daughter Tru and her mother who stopped working after finding the Lord because "the Lord will provide". Of course, Patsy now have to pick up the slack that the Lord doesn't fill.
It just seems like she cannot catch a break. This all changes when Patsy receives the American visa she's been applying for. Patsy's oldest and dearest friend Cicely left Pennyfield a decade ago and from her letters to Patsy, moving to New York was the best thing that ever happened to her. Cicely paints a picture of hope, wealth and overall happier life once Patsy lands in New York. What Cicely does not make mention of is any plans for her and Patsy rekindling their love once she arrives. Patsy decides to put herself first for once and makes the decision to move to America, leaving behind her mother and her five-year-old daughter Tru.
Her mother must now truly depend on the Lord to provide and her daughter Tru will have to live with her father and his family. Patsy says goodbye to Jamaica, for the land of opportunity, America.
Of course, once Patsy arrives in America, she realizes it is nothing as Cicely described in her letters. Reality hits hard for Patsy, an undocumented immigrant who finds herself doing things she would dream of doing if she was still in Jamaica. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Pasty. I feel she is a character I don't always read about and it was refreshing doing so. I liked how complex Patsy is as a character, Dennis-Benn wrote a believable character and that is what I loved most about the book. It is not everyday you read about motherhood like this and I felt it was explored in a truly authentic way.https://igacminahund.ml
Celebrating Patsy Cline
The themes explored in this book are not new, but I felt the author did a solid job of exploring each in a way I never thought of. I am over how a lot of people think the streets of America are lined with numerous opportunities and all they need to do is get a visa, get there and their lives will be changed for the better. I am also over reading about the barrel children who will have to grow up without their parent s.
On the other hand, this is a reality in Jamaica and the Caribbean, I've had Aunts and Uncles who left Jamaica seeking a better life elsewhere. So on some level, I feel like this is a story that deserves to be told, and Nicole Dennis-Benn did this a great way. I did enjoy the book but I didn't love it as much as I did her previous novel. I think it was a tad bit too long and the ending was a bit too rushed.
Overall, this is a truly a great addition to Caribbean literature. View all 6 comments. Jul 24, Jessica Woodbury rated it really liked it Shelves: bestarcs , audiobooks , arc , lgbtq , authors-of-color. It's not a small feat.
The Untold Story of Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn's Remarkable Friendship
Dennis-Benn writes urgent, beautiful, heartwrenching stories about the women the world ignores. Patsy has made a surprisingly good life for herself for a woman in a poor neighborhood in Jamaica. Her life has not been easy, her mother is so obsessed with religion that she doesn't contribute to the family at all, and Patsy's daughter was an unpla 4.
Her life has not been easy, her mother is so obsessed with religion that she doesn't contribute to the family at all, and Patsy's daughter was an unplanned pregnancy with a man who is married to another woman. It may be as good of a life as Patsy can hope for, but Patsy dreams of more: she dreams of a life with Cicely, her childhood friend and eventually lover, who now lives in New York City.
When Patsy gets a long-awaited visa, she is ready to leave her life behind entirely for Cicely, including her 6-year-old daughter Tru. Patsy's new life isn't as simple as she expected and we follow her through years of life as an undocumented immigrant after years of having an office job. Patsy is not grateful for any job she can get, she is ashamed and frustrated, she wants more, and she is intensely lonely.
The book does not take the easy way out, it does not let us follow Patsy and try to forget what she has left behind. Instead it follows both Patsy and Tru through time.
We learn more about Patsy's past, all she has gone through, including the many ways her own mother abandoned her and the difficulty she had bonding with her own daughter. We see all the way she feels guilt for Tru and how that guilt paralyzes her.
- Capricon 2012.
- Lempoisonnement mental (Rose-Croix) (French Edition).
- Emerging Metropolis: New York Jews in the Age of Immigration, 1840-1920 (City of Promises)?
- My Life With Ghost part 1.
- Its All In Your Mind.
- ‘Patsy & Loretta’: Megan Hilty & Jessie Mueller To Star In Lifetime Movie – Deadline?
Simultaneously, we see Tru move in with her father's family, how much she misses her mother, and how she copes as she gradually realizes her mother isn't coming back. This is what makes the book so difficult, but it is also what makes it so real. We see how trauma runs through Patsy's past, we see what she is trying to save her daughter from, but we also see how Patsy doesn't fully understand her decision or her own guilt.
We are getting books that reconsider and reexamine motherhood, and PATSY is definitely one of them as well as one of the most unflinching and honest about what happens when you do not want to be a mother. Patsy and Tru are drawn in such detail, they are so fully-formed by the end of the novel that it is hard to believe they are not real. Dennis-Benn is truly able to give you something that is so firmly rooted in emotion that it manages to feel epic in scale because the feelings it taps into are so real and so intense.


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Muslim militants attack
marines, beheading some
Muslim insurgents ambushed a Philippine marine convoy searching for a kidnapped Italian priest and killed at least 14 troops, beheading at least 10 of them, a military spokesman said Wednesday.
The chaotic, seven-hour firefight took place in dense jungle on the southern island of Basilan. The government has touted Basilan as a success story in the war on terrorism since U.S. troops carried out yearlong counter-terror training exercises there in 2002 aimed at helping oust the Al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group.
The military blamed the Abu Sayyaf for Tuesday’s clash and said nine other marines were wounded.
Officials shut down
A popular Western-run newsletter that has written about Chinese social and economic development issues for more than a decade has been ordered to cease operations by the Chinese police, the newsletter’s British editor said Wednesday.
The newsletter, China Development Brief, has a staff of 11 people in Beijing who monitor a wide range of news related to poverty alleviation, environmental protection, family planning, international aid programs and Chinese civil organizations. It publishes Chinese and English editions in print and on the Internet.
Nick Young, who founded the publication in 1995 and edits its English-language edition, said a dozen officials representing the Beijing police and the local statistical bureau told him last week that the newsletter had conducted “unauthorized surveys,” which they deemed a violation of a 1983 law on gathering statistics.
Foreign medical workers’
death sentences upheld
Libya’s Supreme Court upheld Wednesday the death sentences of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor convicted of infecting more than 400 children with HIV.
But the verdict, which has caused an international outcry, still could be overturned by the country’s highest judicial authority, which Foreign Minister Abdel-Rahman Shalqam said would meet on the case Monday. The Supreme Judiciary Council, headed by the minister of justice, could approve or reject the convictions, or set lighter sentences.
“The court has accepted the appeal in principal but rejects its content. Therefore the court decided to uphold the verdict against them,” Judge Fathi Dahan said.
bin Laden’s fourth son
A British woman said Wednesday that she has married Omar bin Laden, the Al-Qaida leader’s fourth son, after they met in Egypt last fall.
Jane Felix-Browne, a 51-year-old grandmother from Moulton, a village in northwestern England, said in an interview with the Associated Press that she met bin Laden, 27, while riding a horse near Egypt’s Great Pyramid and they married April 24.
Felix-Browne confirmed that she had been in Egypt for medical treatment of multiple sclerosis and said she was returning there this weekend for further treatment. She said she won’t meet her husband there, but they talk each day via the Internet.
From Mercury News wire services


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- Residence Inn Winnipeg
- Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Job ID : 97367
- Category : Hotel
- Job Type : Full-Time
- Salary : $14.5-15.3 Hourly
- Anticipated Start Date : 2023-05-26
- Posting Date : 26 May 2023
- Expiry Date : 25 May 2024
Breakfast attendants and food preparers prepare, heat and finish cooking simple food items during breakfast hours in the hotel and serve customers at food counters. Kitchen helpers, food service helpers and dishwashers clear tables, clean kitchen areas, wash dishes, and perform various other activities to assist workers who prepare or serve food and beverages in the hotel.
Clean, peel, slice and trim foodstuffs using manual and electric appliances
Use deep fryer, grill, oven, dispensers and other equipment to prepare fast food items such as sandwiches, hamburgers, fries, salads, ice cream dishes, milkshakes and other beverages
Portion, assemble, and wrap food or place it directly on plates for service to patrons, and package take-out food
Use equipment to prepare hot beverages such as coffee and tea specialties
Serve customers at counters or buffet tables
Stock refrigerators and salad bars and keep records of the quantities of food used
May receive payment for food items purchased.
Wash and peel vegetables and fruit
Wash work tables, cupboards and appliances
Remove trash and clean kitchen garbage containers
Unpack and store supplies in refrigerators, cupboards and other storage areas
Sweep and mop floors, and perform other duties to assist cook and kitchen staff.
Clear and clean tables and trays in eating establishments
Bring clean dishes, flatware and other items to serving areas
Replenish condiments and other supplies at tables and in serving areas
Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots and pans using dishwasher or by hand
Place dishes in storage area
Scour pots and pans, and may clean and polish silverware.
How to Apply
If you are interested, please email your resume to firstname.lastname@example.org. We thank all candidates for their
interest in this opportunity, but only qualified candidates will be
contacted for interviews.
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domain: food


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If you have type 2 diabetes, then eating several small meals a day to maintain stable blood sugar and lose weight may actually be false. Although many people stick with that eating plan, it has shown to pose more harm than good to type 2 diabetics.
Two large meals each day may be better for managing diabetes than six small ones, according to a study in the journal Diabetologia.
Two large meals better than six small meals for type 2 diabetes patients
The randomized trial, carried out in the Czech Republic, looked at 54 subjects, all with type 2 diabetes and taking oral medication as part of their treatment plan. The study group included both men and women, aged 30 to 70, who followed one diet for 12 weeks before switching to another diet for another 12. The two diets had the same calorie content that included plenty of fiber, and identical breakdowns of macronutrients like carbohydrates, fats and protein. The one major difference between the two diets was, one involved eating six small meals each day and the other included just two large ones.
The study subjects who ate six meals a day ate breakfast, lunch, dinner and three small snacks in-between. Those who ate two meals daily consumed only breakfast in the morning and lunch in the afternoon, not eating past 4 p.m. each day.
The study group was split in half, with one group starting with the six-meal diet and the other the two-meal diet. After 12 weeks, the two groups switched. All participants were asked not to change their exercise habits during the study.
Two large meals for better insulin control
Both diet groups lost weight during the study, but the subjects on the two-meal diet lost more, on average, by about three pounds. That same group also showed bigger reductions in insulin resistance and increased sensitivity to their oral insulin medication. Neither group showed any ill health effects as a result of either diet.
Interesting, since the idea behind frequent grazing is keeping blood sugar stable – a good thing for diabetics and everyone else. But another issue with all those mini-meals is the green light to eat more than you need, simply because you’ve programmed yourself to eat often. Unintentionally, you’re likely taking in more calories than you’re burning.
“The patients were really afraid they would get hungry in the evening but feelings of hunger were lower as the patients ate until they were satisfied,” study lead Dr. Hana Kahleova told BBC News about the two-meal group. “But when they ate six times a day the meals were not leaving them feeling quite as satisfied. It was quite surprising.”
Less frequent meals to prevent chronic disease
This study isn’t the first to suggest that fewer meals may, in fact, be better. Studies on lab animals have shown that less-frequent meals can prevent chronic disease and even extend lifespan. In experiments, mice do better on diets when their time to eat is restricted versus those allowing them to feed when they wish.
Other studies suggest that fasting, when done intermittently and in a responsible way, can have weight-loss benefits. And studies with humans have shown that a diet with frequent eating may not be so good for our health after all.
As the researchers concluded, “The results suggest that, for type 2 diabetic patients on a hypoenergetic diet, eating larger breakfasts and lunches may be more beneficial than six smaller meals throughout the day.”
However, the study is limited by the small amount of participants and short length. Those involved had also only been living with diabetes for a short time which should be considered as well. The results wouldn’t necessarily be the same in those who have lived with diabetes for a much longer period.
The researchers do caution that larger and longer studies are needed before sweeping changes can be made in terms of diet recommendations. Before you decide to make diet changes and alter your diabetic treatment plan, speak to your doctor.
Risk of type 2 diabetes is linked to Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria. The research comes from Patrick Schlievert from UI Carver College of Medicine, where he and his team found that a toxin produced by staph bacteria caused rabbits to develop symptoms commonly found in type 2 diabetes, including insulin resistance and systemic inflammation. Continue reading…
Even if you exercise, the risk of type 2 diabetes is still high if you sit for prolonged periods, according to latest findings. For every additional hour sitting – whether at work or for relaxation – the risk of type 2 diabetes increases by 22 percent. Continue reading…


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Can You Crack These Presidential Code Names?
What Do You Know About Conspiracy Theories?
Could You Pass a US Citizenship Test?
Should we change our lifestyles to help reduce global warming?
Do gun control laws need to be more or less strict than they are now?
Whose policies do more to help the poor?
Should public schools teach Evolution or Creationism?
Do undocumented immigrants contribute to the economy?
• Non-Profit Executive, Financial Analyst
• Farmer, Business Owner


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Great design work, she was able to read my logo intentions and needs from the start with ease.
- Lee Rocks
Very efficient and listened too all my requests!! Highly recommended
Timely responses and great ideas! Easy to work with
I'm very satisfied. The work is incredibly elegant and he was very responsive.
How tg-fotografie-wildsteig started their logo design journey
Who are you known as?
TG Thomas Grobosch Fotografie & Videografie
Tell us a bit about who you are and the people you reach
We photograph weddings, families, babies and newborns.
We film weddings and babies
What industry do you think your business is most related to?
What colors do you want to see in your design?
To give us an idea of the overall feeling of your brand, let us know which styles you lean towards
Hello to all designers. I would very much like to have a new logo and am not quite sure what it should look like. I sent you my old logo and a new design.My own design but it is not perfect.so i wish me a professional design from you :-) The new logo should look more professional and noble. I don't really like my new design yet. I would like to read "TG" , "Thomas Grobosch" and "Fotografie & Videografie" in my logo "TG" can be more playful, as in my example.very beautiful, I think, a symbol created that plays with the initials "T" and "G" of your name without making it too abstract so that it can be understood. It may also be a little bit of color pure. I have also sent you some examples that I like. Thank you


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Waihi Beach Lodge is a boutique B&B located 150 metres from one of New Zealand's safest surf beaches and less than two hours from Auckland International Airport.
The lodge is a perfect base for day trips to the Coromandel, Hobbiton, Rotorua or Waitomo,as each trip is within 2 hours drive . Also a day in the Karangahake gorge checking out gold mining of the late 1900's is a must.
All guest rooms feature a king/queen size bed, cotton linen, ensuite, robes, toiletries, fridge, tea and coffee making facilities, TV/ DVD player.Fresh fruit & chocolates are provided on arrival.
Most rooms have a sea view. The beach studio apartment has a sea view from its deck.
Free Wireless Internet in all rooms.
Local cafes close by for evening meals


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The cast of 14 is made up of teenagers from around Berkshire County and features Austin Lombardi, Nicole Jones, Courtney Stewart, Ali Bourzgui, Caroline Fairweather, and a talented ensemble playing several roles each: Maya Finston-Fox, Emma Foley, Olivia Kinne, Connor McNinch, Julia Murphy, Brianna Nicola, Brice Ovitt, Noah Pott, and Gabrielle D. Straight.
An essential part of the Pillow, Inside/Out performances are free, featuring family-friendly and diverse dance styles ranging from classical ballet and hip-hop to tap and circus arts.
Plucky, lucky, clucky, ducky – there’s some fowl humor going on here…plus a Cow patty!
Starlight Stage Youth Theatre may not be as famous as that other theatre company in Williamstown, but it has been serving Berkshire youth for nearly 40 years.
The Dorset Theatre Festival begins with a special Family Fun show, a staged adaptation of the beloved children’s book The Stinky Cheese Man by Jon Scieszka performed by students from The Theatre Institute at Sage.
“The weather didn’t scare anyone away, even snow and wind the night of the fireworks had little effect on turnout.”- Pittsfield Mayor Dan Bianchi
Coming up soon, the February School break and some special activities for the young ones.


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Cultivating Tomorrow's Economy
|DOING BUSINESS IN BEND||REGIONAL BUSINESS NEWS|
Bend is the lifestyle city, cultivating tomorrow's economy. Local businesses range from startups to long-established companies. Together they’ve helped lead Central Oregon back from the depths of an historic recession to among the fastest growing economies in the country.
The region's vibrant economy is serviced by city staff and local organizations committed to economic development.
IS LIFESTYLE PART OF YOUR BUSINESS PLAN?
The City of Bend requires that all businesses located in the City or doing business within City limits hold a valid Business Registration. This $50 fee is renewed annually; businesses can apply or renew online at bendoregon.gov/businessregistration.
When it comes to city policy, the business community has a direct line to the City Council via the Bend Economic Development Advisory Board (BEDAB). The Council chartered 13-member board consists of nine representatives from Bend's major industry and 4 staff members from the city's primary economic development partners. Access the committee roster and meeting materials here.
If you have any questions about doing business in Bend, contact Ben Hemson, Business Advocate at (541) 388-5529 or firstname.lastname@example.org.
REGIONAL BUSINESS NEWS
- Check out these upcoming events to learn more about urban renewal, urban development, and the upcoming discussions working toward a plan for...
- The Core Area Project is an effort to create a common vision and plan for the urban core of Bend, an area that includes The Bend Central Dis...
- In just over 14 years, the Bend Venture Conference has gone from giving out literal Monopoly money to winning pitches to cutting huge checks...
- SCORE-Central Oregon is a chapter among the most utilized in the nation with a 42.5% increase in client intake for FY 17-18. In January, 201...


Industrialized Greenhouse Management
The APIS Industrialized Greenhouse Management application functions as a single source of truth. The system is an all-in-one platform that combines multiple data collection points and monitoring capabilities. The APIS platform integrates smoothly with existing BAS systems, process controllers, HVAC systems, and others for data harvesting. It provides secure dashboards, track-and-trace functionality, and quick access to retrievable data. This data provides benefit to production personnel, facility owners, auditors, and even data analysts. Users can access the platform via any internet accessible display such as tablet, phone, or laptop.
IGM monitors all data identified as part of the critical process parameters that are aligned with GMP, United States Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR part 11) and EU annex 11. The collected data provides compliant reporting for areas such as grow rooms, storage vaults, clean rooms, and critical temperature storage or production rooms, cold-chain, processing/sorting, and personnel access/security zones to name a few. However, the system does more than report. Set-point alarms against critical conditions, including security events, can also be generated in real-time with the benefit of secure, historical data providing invaluable lifecycle crop management information. Additional monitoring and customized reporting are available as specified by the client.
Our IGM function provides reliable insight via typical climate-zone monitoring instrumentation into the most crucial aspect of all stages of growth – climate. This module can make use of existing greenhouse monitoring hardware or incorporate our suite of high-quality, calibrated instruments.
The primary features can be listed as:
- Trending of Greenhouse climate conditions such as Temperature, Humidity, CO2 levels, Lighting Status (including intensity), Room Pressure, Outside Temperature, and Vapor Deficit
- Trend lengths and dates customizable based on user selection
- User selected trend variables displayed on the same graph for analytical comparisons
- Configurable trends via the user interface to generate .pdf reporting format and sorted in a secure archive or emailed to predetermined Authorized Personnel
- Alarm status, email notification, and historical reporting of alarms configured for environment monitoring
- Alarm limits and tolerances can be set and adjusted by Authenticated Users along with secondary E-Signature confirmation by Authorized Personnel
The OPE Module (Overall Performance Efficiency Module) is a software application that collects operational data from controlled environment agriculture facilities in order to generate evidence-based insights that can improve productivity and performance.
Through the collection of relevant information, the module allows for a structured, dynamic approach to business planning that is based on measurable results. By centralizing where facility data is gathered and accessed, administrative and logistical tasks are simplified, and internal knowledge can now be easily accessed and utilized. The outcome is predictive decision making and the ability to prompt innovations that can redefine and boost production goals.
The OPE Module focuses on three key areas:
- Performance: Insight into production rates and goals
- Quality: Captures data on quality losses within specific growth stages
- Availability: Collects information on labour scheduling to establish a
connection between the success of growth stages and employee presence
The OPE Module, like our other modules, is designed to be highly flexible and customizable, suitable for the needs of any operation and any process.
The successful operation of a greenhouse or indoor facility is greatly enhanced by the accurate tracking and reporting of KPIs. In many industries, tracking KPIs can be as simple as monitoring up time of equipment, units produced or assessing the quality of the products manufactured. However, in the agricultural sector – many processes are accomplished by people, not with equipment, or a hybrid between people and semi-automation. APIS KPI Reporting tackles this complexity by providing quantifiable measures of performance linked to specific objectives and outcomes.
KPI Reporting improves production by displaying the data-driven assessment of processes to indicate success or failure. Success is custom-defined by the client based on time availability, speed, and quality as derived from the OPE Module. This even accounts for metrics that support financial insight into real production costs.
Functional benefits of the KPI Reporting include:
- At-a-glance dashboards of meaningful data
- Enterprise visibility allows best practices to be shared between sites
- Standardized score provided through OPE
- Integration with APIS Climate module
- Controlled Environment Agriculture industry specific ESG Score


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Adam Levine and SZA go on a series of surreal adventures in the music video for Maroon 5's latest single, "What Lovers Do."
The Joseph Kahn-directed clip opens with Levine and SZA as kids running through a field with singing deer and dandelions before the young Levine falls from a tree, thanks to a buzzing beehive.
The video shifts through a series of scenarios, including an inner-city marathon and a jet ski race with SZA amidst a pod of dolphins. It all comes together with a surprise twist ending that snaps the whole thing into focus.
Fun fact: Joseph Kahn also helmed Taylor Swift’s blockbuster "Bad Blood" and "Look What You Made Me Do" visuals.
"What Lovers Do" is the third single from Maroon 5's as-yet-unnamed, sixth, studio album, after "Don't Wanna Know" and the Future-assisted "Cold." The album is due sometime in November.
CHECK IT OUT
Full Story: Billboard
Check Out Maroon 5's New Clip: