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Growing up in Massachusetts, there was never any shortage of ghost houses: crumbling, hundred year-old derelicts that would fuel many a sleepover double-dog-dare (“I double dog dare to you to knock on the door!” “No way!” “Wuss!”).
One of my favorites was just a few blocks from my house, a gorgeous Federal mansion that had been abandoned for decades.
Of the dozens of eldritch legends ascribed to the shadowy home by sleeping-bagged storytellers, perhaps the eeriest concerns a young man who is said to have lit himself on fire in the front hall. Even stranger, his father, who had been writing at the time, upon hearing the screams, stuck his head in to watch – and then returned to his work.
I loved these stories growing up, and I’ve always felt a bit sorry of the kids of New York – land is at such a premium in the city that few houses are allowed to stay this way for long before being torn down and replaced by a bland modern construction.
For this reason, I’m always on the lookout for the type of house an adolescent New Yorker might walk a little faster by on his way home at night. One of my favorites is located off of 31st Street in Queens:
An old Victorian adjacent to the N line, 3101 37th Avenue has been abandoned as long as I’ve been scouting:
To me, 31-01 has all the details that make for a perfect ghost house: a looming facade, sharp, menacing angles…
A weed-strewn front yard and battered door…
…rotting wood and lots of broken windows:
I wish I knew some history about 3101 37th Avenue, but there’s little to be found online. Despite the disrepair, a few interesting details have survived, like this squiggly pattern above the door:
A seashell design above a window:
And even some fishscale shingles on the upper story:
While 3101 37th Ave might have little else to offer while it awaits its inevitable demise, I can only hope it’s serving as a muse to dozens of young storytellers conjuring up unspeakable monstrosities within in its walls.
There’s something to be said for that sort of inspiration.
Have a favorite New York City ghost house? Let me know about it in the comments!
If you enjoyed reading this post, would you consider making a donation to help me make my first movie? The goal is $50,000, and to date, 1,728 Scouting NY readers have donated $36,348! Just $5 or $10 can make a difference - AND you get this snazzy Scouting NY sticker/magnet as a Thank-You gift! Click here to donate today!


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The Board of Regents of ICOF Colleges Seminary and Universities wish to announce the appointment of Bishop. Samson Mfanezi Sosibo Appointed as Provincial Bishop for KZN for ICOF South Africa. Bishop. Sosibo continue to bring to ICOF South Africa years of experience in the Ministry and practical leadership. In line with our tradition join the Board of Regents and the College of Bishops in Congratulating Bishop. Sosibo for this well-deserved appointment.
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domain: news


text: After a trying week, it was great to see the Annual EMS Book Fair all set up, on schedule and ready to roll this morning. Click here for the class Book Fair visit schedule. This morning welcomed Dr. Robert McAllister, discussing his book An Alzheimer's Love Story, pictured at right with EMS Early Childhood teacher, and daughter, Laura McConville. There's much more planned, including visits/discussions by authors Emily Jenkins and Scott Mebus, Lower School Head Beth Brennan and, tonight, the Wine Reception! We're looking forward to a great few days.

domain: library


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Family Secrets: Three Generations
by Lissa Brown
Published: November 20, 2011.
» Coming of age
An ordinary, extraordinary relationship . . .
Where does a young girl turn to survive family turmoil? Reading into a past she never knew, young Ellen Brodsky establishes a transformational relationship with Grandma Hannah. But who is this dead grandmother, and why is their connection so crucial to the survival of three generations of women?


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A Suicide Bombing in Kabul took at Least Seven VictimsCrime | March 9, 2018, Friday // 15:37| views
A suicide bomber exploded in the Afghan capital Kabul, killing at least seven people, Reuters reported.
The attack seems to have been directed against the people gathered to pay tribute to Abdul Ali Mazari, a political leader of the Shiite minority of the Hizarreans killed by the Taliban in 1995, a deputy interior minister spokesman said.
When the bomber stopped at a checkpoint, he triggered the explosive device, killing one policeman and six civilians.
An Islamic-led group has assumed responsibility for a series of attacks on Shiite mosques and places where Hizarreans are being assembled. Many Afghan and Western security forces, however, have doubts that they organize the attacks on their own.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

domain: politics


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My three latest reads include a classic, a fun audiobook, and a novel.
Welcome! Join me as I chronicle my reading, random observations, and share the things that catch my eye, all while chasing kids and chugging coffee.
THE FACE BEHIND THE WORDS
JUST ENTER YOUR EMAIL AND I'LL EMAIL YOU NEW POSTS WHEN THEY'RE UP

domain: hobby


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Research Article| April 01 1997
The Vanishing Solomon: The Disappearance of the United Monarchy from Recent Histories of Ancient Israel
Journal of Biblical Literature (1997) 116 (1): 19–44.
Gary N. Knoppers; The Vanishing Solomon: The Disappearance of the United Monarchy from Recent Histories of Ancient Israel. Journal of Biblical Literature 1 January 1997; 116 (1): 19–44. doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/3266744
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The Beauty of Holiness: Architectural Representations of the Temple of Jerusalem in Spanish Golden Age Poetry
Mother-Child Narratives and the Kingdom of God: Authorial Use of Typology as an Interpretive Device in Samuel–Kings

domain: literature


Ruth Gockel, 73, a longtime North Shore volunteer and former employee of Arthur Andersen, died of cancer Sunday, March 31, in Evanston Hospital. From the time she was a youngster, Miss Gockel wanted to take care of people. It was partly due to being part of a big family--she was one of six children--but mostly because she just wanted to help people, said her sister, Miriam Reinhold. The Evanston resident was born in Brentwood, Pa., and grew up in Chicago. She earned a degree in social work from Valparaiso University in Indiana and worked in the human resource and personnel departments of various companies. She eventually landed at the Arthur Anderson accounting firm, working 35 years as a manager of training and recruiting. "She was their right arm in a lot of ways," her sister said. "She liked being that guiding hand." Miss Gockel remained passionate about helping others, volunteering regularly at St. John's Social Ministry. Her nieces and nephews will remember her most for holiday get-togethers--especially for the annual cookie-making parties. "And every Christmas we got together at her house for dinner. It was the same menu," her sister said. That was turkey divan and raspberry and German chocolate cookies for dessert. "They were our favorite." Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday in St. John's Lutheran Church, 1235 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette. Services will follow at 11:30 a.m.
Copyright © 2019, Chicago Tribune


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Buddy Scalera has worked in the comic book industry for over twenty years. Through his career as a writer, he has written stories for such high-profile characters as Deadpool, Richie Rich, and the X-Men. In recent years, Buddy has used his talents to help budding comic artists enrich their skills by releasing a series of photo reference books full of dynamic poses and attitude that are perfect for comic book illustrations. His fourth book, Comic & Fantasy Artist’s Photo Reference: Colossal Collection of Action Poses, set for release on September 26, 2011 from IMPACT Books, will collect the best photos from his previous books as well as feature dozens of new and never-before-printed images.
While Colossal Collection is a veritable “Best Of” of Buddy Scalera photos, do not think that it is recycled material and thus unworthy of your time. Buddy has teamed up with a number of high-profile models and artists to include as much new material as possible. The book includes a cover by Amanda Conner, whose work on Power Girl and Birds of Prey has made her a popular name in the comics industry. Fashion designer Ridada Elias and actress Zoe Labella also make appearances in the book, showing off various poses worthy of some top-name superheroines.
True to the previous books in the Artist’s Photo Reference series, Colossal Collection will feature tutorials from some of the comic book industry’s top talents, including Mitchell Breitweiser, Terry Moore, William Tucci, and Josh Howard. Each artist chooses an image from Buddy’s collection and gives a step-by-step lesson of how they work from a photo reference image. I really like the inclusion of the tutorials because it helps to illustrate to beginners that good art is about more than just emulating life; good art is about finding one’s own style and making the art their own.
As someone who dabbles in art, I highly recommend Buddy’s photo reference books. Though there are any number of reference books on the market right now, Buddy has managed to pin down what it means to be a comic book and fantasy artist. The images include a number of standard, everyday poses like standing and sitting, but he also gets extremely dynamic shots like a character not just throwing a punch, but taking a punch as well. And flying! How many photo reference books include flying?!
If you’ve read and enjoy Buddy’s photo reference books, you may also want to check out his other book, Creating Comics From Start to Finish, also published by IMPACT Books. In it, Buddy breaks down each step in the comic creation process – like a comic book school in a book – from writing to art, lettering and publishing. Creating Comics is chock full of advice from comics’ biggest names like Chris Eliopoulos, Joe Quesada, and even Stan “The Man” Lee.
When it comes to any industry, the best advice usually comes from the veterans; the guys who have seen and dealt with every aspect of the work. And when it comes to comics, Buddy Scalera is exactly that guy. If you want to make comics, either as an artist or even in some other capacity, you really can not go wrong with Buddy’s books.


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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution covered 9to5 Atlanta Organizer Marilynn Winn’s story of how she started the Ban the Box campaign, as well as our 40th Anniversary Celebration.
Register to attend a 9to5 celebration event, and learn more about the events’ program and sponsorship opportunities.
Your voice is urgently needed. Call your Representative in the U.S. House today and urge them to end the shutdown with no strings attached.
Listen to National Executive Director Linda Meric on WomensRadio speak about 9to5’s history and our future.
In a recently released report, Transforming Organizations: A Guide to Creating Effective Social Change Organizations, authored by Robert Gass, 9to5 is featured as a model of sustainability. Read more.
When the 40-year-old organization 9to5—subtitled “Winning Justice for Working Women”—celebrates its “ruby” anniversary at several upcoming events, it will recharge itself for the battles ahead. But it’s also a time to pat itself on the back for what it’s achieved since 1973 on behalf of U.S. women workers.
On the eve of our 40th anniversary, a former 9to5 organizer celebrates our milestone by sharing how we helped shape her life and how she holds those experiences and memories close to her heart.
On the eve of our 40th anniversary celebrations held in Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles and Milwaukee, we must recommit ourselves to a renewed effort to fight for good jobs and equal opportunity that all of us need to contribute to overall stability for families, communities and a growing economy. And that time is now — yes we can!
Linda Meric, 9to5’s national executive director, was one of 115 arrested on Independence Avenue, protesting the failure of Congress to act on common sense immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship and values women.
In The Huffington Post, 9to5’s National Executive Director shares why she was arrested on Thursday, September 12, 2013, in Washington, D.C. In a symbolic gesture, her act of civil disobedience was meant to support and honor the countless acts of courage that immigrant women engage in every day out of love for their families and communities.

domain: sociology


Species: Cheetah | Location: Maasai Mara, Kenya
I was on safari in the Maasai Mara. Our guide heard that there was a Cheetah with five cubs in the area. We went to that area of the park and found them. The mother had selected a raised mound with some bushes for her resting place. She had five very active cubs that were playing in the bushes, wrestling, running up and down the mound, etc. Each cub seemed to take turns climbing on mom and chewing on her ears. This is a picture of the third one who did it. The mother just sat there patiently and allowed them to chew.
About The Photographer
I'm an avid traveler who is trying to see as many areas of the world as possible. My goal is to see these environments before they are significantly impacted by climate change. I was shooting Nikon, but switched to Canon in 2014. Macros of flowers and plants were my first SLR subjects, but once I purchased longer lenses I've added birds, mammals and pretty much anything that moves. After each trip I make presentations in the local community, to try to build awareness of these areas and the issues that they face. Hopefully this will encourage more people to contribute to the support of these fragile environments.
Check out Marian's photography blog for more great wildlife images.


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I always wanted to do this and after searching for the avatars i have used so far, i just had to do this now as well
Not sure if you can really see enough on the thumbs, but it might gives you an idea of how things changed.
Will add links to the original deviations tomorrow (if available).
If anyone of you wants this as a template to use for themselves as well, let me know. Will give you an "un-fairy-fied" version then
It's a bit sad that this year was not much time to create anything. And the manip isn't even finished yet (even though it should be done for christmas D
.Other memes i have done so far:

domain: artistic


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You can return to the new experience at any time.
50% off Everything Photo | Enter code ALLFUN50 at checkout thru August 8 | See details
Create gallery-worthy décor and pick up today—no photo needed!
It's easy! Just pick your favorite theme and design, and choose from 8×10, 11×14, 16×20, 20×24 and 20×30 sizes.

domain: design


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Divorced Vera 35 y.o., from Krasnodar ID 996278
I am mother of two little girls, my princess, my daughters. I am divorced and live with my parents and kids. I am house keeper and take care about my family, my children are small and only going to go to kindergarden.
I like to play philosophical games, reading, learning something new. I like sport very much espacially youga. I start my day from the glass of water and youga.
I am interested in youga, self-knowledge, philosophical gamesMore
About Partner (age 35 - 67)
I would like to meet man who will be kind to me and my daughters. I hope him to be calm, kind with good mood and good sense of humor. I would like him to be self - confident, strong inside and honest.
I am ready to cook delicious for us, have fun all together and travelling.


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FLORAL MAIL BOX RUBBER STAMP
USPS mail boxes with beautiful blooms.
Each wood mount measures 2.5 x 1.5 inches, rubber is slightly smaller.
This is part of a series of collaborative rubber stamps designed by Donovan Beeson, produced by Paper Pastries.
High quality rubber mounted to American made maple wood blocks.
Made in California.


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We all love fantasy football. Now instead of one day of football we get three days a week! That is great, but what that can lead to is eating junk, slouching on the couch for hours and enduring hours of stress hoping our player or team is gonna do well.
Please be mindful of posture during the games. Slouching can lead to headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain and low back pain to name a few. A good thing to do is sit on a rolled up towel and put it right under your lower hip bone called your Ishial Tuberosity. Make sure that you position it so your back is not slouched and it is easy for you to sit with good posture without forcing your back upright. This will help you prevent postural issues that may come up after sitting for hours watching the game.
Now the other problem…food. Here are a couple of dishes that can help you fill up and keep you healthy as well.
There are tons of vegetarian dishes out there online to help you eat healthier but for those of you who like meat and need something hot to fill you up during the game here are some tips:
1. Butternut Bacon Squash
15 slices of bacon
PepperPreheat the oven to 350 F. Peel and trim the butternut squash. Cut the squash into 1″ cubes (discard the seeds and pulp–makes about 30 cubes). Place the squash in a bowl and drizzle with oil and sprinkle with chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper–to taste. Toss to coat. Cut the bacon in half, width wise. Wrap half a bacon slice around one squash cube and place, seal side down on a foil lined baking sheet. Repeat for the reminder of the squash cubes. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the bites over (careful not to unwrap the bacon) and bake for another 20 minutes or until the squash is tender and the bacon is cooked through. If you want to bacon crispier, broil it for the last 3-5 minutes of baking (keep an eye on it).*You could also use toothpicks to seal the bacon, if necessary
(2 Tbs. Peace and Love)
Preheat oven to 350° Lightly oil a muffin tin.
In a large mixing bowl, fork whisk eggs. To the eggs, add chicken, blue cheese crumbles, buffalo wing sauce, green onions, celery, garlic, sea salt and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Pour mixture into muffin tin. This should be enough to fill 8 spots.
Bake 20 minutes or until fluffy and golden brown on top.
Prep Time – 15 Minutes
Cook Time – 20 Minutes

domain: food


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Cronin: Who is better than Kilpatrick?
With five games left in the regular season, University of Cincinnati basketball coach Mick Cronin has begun to bang the drums loudly for Sean Kilpatrick as an All-American candidate.
Cronin climbed onto his soapbox Saturday after Kilpatrick scored 28 points to lead the Bearcats to a 73-62 victory over Houston and wondered aloud why he doesn’t get more national recognition for the season that he’s having.
It’s not the kind of thing that Kilpatrick would ever talk about, but it clearly irks Cronin that his star player doesn’t get more acclaim. The UC coach began his campaign on his post-game radio show, then carried it into the media room when he met with reporters.
“I would ask you guys, is he not a first-team All-American?” Cronin said. “Forget player of the year in our league. I want to know a guard that’s better than him. Please, somebody tell me. I’m not talking about some freshman that’s gonna be who he’s gonna be five years from now. I’m talking about right now. Who is better than Sean Kilpatrick? I’m asking. Give me somebody.”
Kilpatrick put on another dazzling offensive display against the Cougars, scoring 19 points in the second half to help the Bearcats fend off a serious challenge. He also had six assists, including a pass to Ge’Lawn Guyn to set up the first of two Guyn 3-pointers that provided UC with a cushion down the stretch.
The 6-foot-4 senior guard from Yonkers, N.Y., is averaging 20.1 points to lead the American Athletic Conference and is the clear frontrunner for conference player of the year.
In his last six games, he has averaged 25.2 points, even though opposing defenses are focused on stopping him.
Kilpatrick now has 1,967 career points. He needs 19 more to pass Steve Logan for No. 2 on UC’s career scoring list behind Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson and 33 to join Robertson as the only two players in school history to score 2,000 points.
Perhaps Kilpatrick lacks national acclaim because there’s nothing flashy about his game or because he was not highly recruited out of high school. He’s part of an endangered species in college basketball – a player who stays in school for five years and develops his game through hard work and dedication.
“You’re talking about a guy who had to redshirt because every time he dribbled the ball with his left hand he lost it for two years,” Cronin said. “And now at the end of the game he’s running pick and rolls like a point guard creating wide open shots – going left.”
According to UC’s media guide, the Bearcats have produced five first-team AP All-Americans – Oscar Robertson (1958, 1959 and 1960), Ron Bonham (1963), Danny Fortson (1997), Kenyon Martin (2000) and Steve Logan (2002).
“Oscar Robertson was on a whole ’nother planet,” Cronin said. “Then when you start talking about the great guards that have played here, there’s Nick Van Exel, Steve Logan’s senior year, and Sean Kilpatrick. He’s right there with those guys. And he’s not the celebrity or he’s not talked about like those guys.
“This guy has worked harder to be who he is probably than Steve had to or Nick had to. They probably had more natural ability. What I’ve tried to tell him is winning will help him get what he wants, will validate who he is. Guards who make their team win get the attention. That’s just a fact. And they get drafted too. You make your team win and you will get the eyes of the world on you, which he has now.”
Working in Kilpatrick’s favor is the way he took over the game against defending national champion Louisville on Jan. 30 on national TV when he scored 28 points and made all 11 of his free throws to turn back the Cardinals’ comeback attempt. If the national writers didn’t know about him until then, they should have after that performance.
“It’s like I told him in the Louisville game with about 10 minutes to go,” Cronin said. “They were coming back and I said I’ve got to give him a rest at some point anyway. He had turned it over so I took him out and I told him you’ve worked your whole life for the next 10 minutes. You’ve got to show everybody you’re the best player on the floor. And look what happened. He is.”

domain: sports


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Two months ago, torrents that led to floods battered homes and latrines to the ground in Salisbury Township in Mzuzu.
The breakdown in sanitation put residents of the waterlogged slum on the edge of Mzuzu City’s commercial business district at risk of waterborne infections, especially diarrhoea and cholera. In the populous location, many people rely on shallow wells located close to pit latrines where human waste was seen spilling into run-off water during the downpour.
For Iness Usumani, the heavy rains signalled a hazardous season for her children often bedridden by hookworms and diarrhoea.
“Our latrines are full and we use a stick to empty it because we may have nowhere to relieve ourselves when nature calls,” she says.
During the visit, we found Usumani drawing water from an open well in her homestead. Measuring less than one-metre deep, the well is located three metres from a storm drain and nearly 10 metres away from two overflowing pit latrines. However, the national sanitation policy requires pit latrines to be at least 30 metres away from water sources.
“The latrines fills up every rainy season no matter how hard we try to empty the pit,” she says, pointing at the two latrines made of discarded sacks and residual timber.
Salisbury’s sanitation crisis mirrors the situation in its neighbouring swampy townships of Chibavi, Ching’ambo, Chiputula, Zolozolo and Chibanja.
“There is nowhere to run when nature calls. There are no bushes here. Every piece of land is occupied. We have no land for a new latrine,” says Usumani.
Her landlord is aware of the problem, but cannot do much because “every inch is occupied”.
In the neighbourhood, Patuma William abandoned a shallow well when the water started emitting a pungent smell.
“We had only used it for eight months when we detected a foul smell in the water. Every time we used the water to clean our home or utensil, it always left a strange stink. So, we abandoned it and started drawing water from our neighbours. We didn’t want to eat feaces,” she explains.
William suspects her well is contaminated with faecal deposits from nearby latrines often frequented by her children.
“This month alone, my four-year-child has suffered from diarrhoea thrice. He also defaecates hookworms twice a day. This water is not safe. We only use it due to poverty,” she laments.
The sanitation close at the heart of the Northern Region’s business hub has gone unnoticed by officials at Mzuzu City Council.
The area has a water kiosk where a 20-litre bucketful of water costs K100. Many unskilled workers, who end up in the township while escaping poverty in rural areas, cannot afford safe water. They liken the shallow wells to what oases are to pilgrims crossing a desert—some relief. They use the unsafe water for household chores, except drinking.
“But children sometimes drink it, especially in our absence,” she says.
A study done by the Mzuzu University’s Centre of Excellence in Water and Sanitation reveals that Mzuzu City’s underground water is contaminated by faeces and urine due to poor management of liquid and solid waste.
In the study, Joshua Mchenga, Rochelle Holm and Elijah Wanda found high levels of toxic contaminants— caffeine and bisphenol— after testing 32 groundwater samples from eight townships in a laboratory. The researchers targeted households that drew drinking water from shallow wells.
Mchenga, the centre’s technical programme officer, says Bisphenol A is associated with obesity, heart diseases, a hormonal disorder common among women, low sperm count and cancer.
“It also has potential to disrupt sleep,” he explains.
He reckons the polluting substances are common around septic tanks, waste disposal sites, mines and sewage overflows or leakages. The situation is made worse by poor disposal of expired goods, wastewater from industries and manure.
“There is need for regulatory control measures to prevent release of contaminants into water sources from solid waste disposal sites, wastewater effluent and sludge in order to avert their occurrence and distribution in water and other environmental segments,” recommends the study.
However, Mussa Mzumara, who owns a house for rent in Salisbury Lines, said he prefers emptying his pit latrines manually because hiring vacuum trucks is costly.
“Even if I had enough money to hire a vacuum truck, the vehicle cannot get to my house because there is no passage. The unplanned settlement is densely populated, with no access roads,” says the landlord.
Five years ago, Mzuzu City Council unveiled a strategic plan to provide piped water to 82 percent of the households. The ambitious plan was conceived to reduce the number of households drinking from boreholes, shallow wells or streams amid the push for universal access to safe water and sanitation in line with Sustainable Development Goal Six (SDG6).
The breakdown in water and sanitation is not confined to Mzuzu only. The situation is also common in swampy, high-density parts of Zomba, Blantyre and Lilongwe cities, where low-income families live.
According to water and sanitation specialist Christopher Chindole, pit latrines are affordable for many low-income households since they are constructed using locally available materials.

domain: geography


text:
: News Article:
DeCock: Canes GM Rutherford should review own performance
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05-22-2013, 11:03 AM
How's the thesis?
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Durham NC
Originally Posted by
I think shying away from defensmen, and taking a guy you had ranked in your top 5 at #12 can happen at the same time.
I think the big change, is that above mediocre dmen have skyrocketed in price in free agency, and JR has reacted by loading up on dmen in the 2nd-4th rounds. But the practice of playing it safe, and taking a forward with the first seems to have stuck. You need your first rounders to pan our, and he seems to think forwards are safer. Which is probably somewhat true.
I'd say Murphy and JJ were cases of the dman available was ranked much higher than the best forward they had on their charts. Trying to turn a general policy into absolutes complicates the discussion a bit, because I doubt JR ever goes into a draft saying "No way I'm taking a dman, no matter what!" rather than "If two guys are close, we'll probably pick the forward."
Sad thing on JJ is that IIRC Canes scouting had Marc Staal ranked #3 on their board and JJ ranked #4. Or it was something like that. Basically it came down to scouting being torn on which of the two they wanted, having both just about equal, with the head scout preferring Staal and Rutherford/Karmanos preferring Johnson.
But yeah, that's exactly right. Saying you prefer to stay away from dmen in the first round does not preclude one from drafting dmen in the first round. If scouting has a player clearly as the best guy on the board (Murphy at #5 being there at #12) then you go with that player regardless of if it's a position of need or one you even want to draft.
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Do you like to sing? Have you thought about joining a chorus but are too busy to do it on a regular basis? Do you like indie rock, and music from the 60′s, 70’s and 80’s? Now’s your chance to scratch that itch on a schedule that works for you!
Introducing the PopUp Chorus, the only chorus where you can show up when you want and skip it when you’re too busy. No audition, no weekly commitment, just show up and sing.
Founded by arts entrepreneur and event promoter, Lauren Bromley Hodge, the PopUp Chorus launched at Motorco in Durham, NC in January 2014. Seamus Kenney, musician, composer and middle school chorus teacher, artfully conducts the PopUp Chorus events.
Singers arrive and learn two themed songs each week, which they perform, record and film on the same night. The PopUp meets again a week later to sing two new songs. It is never the same group twice…
Considered by many to be the best damn thing to do on any night, and a great way to blow off steam, find out about our next event by following us on Twitter, joining our mailing list, or joining our Facebook group.
Check out our YouTube channel.
Come out and sing!

domain: entertainment


NLC City Showcase Highlights Innovative Infrastructure Problems
The City Showcase exhibition, held annually at NLC's Congress of Cities and Exposition, shines a spotlight on some of the most successful and creative programs from cities and towns across the country. City Showcase winners host display booths at the Congress of Cities, giving attendees the opportunity to explore the details of offering innovative solutions and implementing great city programs.
Representatives from the selected programs share implementation strategies, successes and lessons learned. In addition to networking, NLC honors participating cities and celebrates their achievements.
Winning programs are selected for their innovative practices. They represent a wide range of geographical locations, city sizes and topic areas. In 2011, the 24 City Showcase participants highlighted the Congress of Cities' concurrent conference topics: infrastructure, green cities, economic development and your city's families. Below are the six infrastructure programs featured in the 2011 City Showcase.
Highway 10/Highway 25 Intersection Upgrade - Big Lake, Minn.
The City of Big Lake, Minn., Highway 10/Highway 25 intersection improvement project has revamped both the mobility and aesthetics of the city's downtown area. The city was able to meet its primary goal - making the high-traffic intersection safer - by adding dedicated turn lanes and widening lanes for truck traffic. The walkability of the downtown area was improved through streetscaping and upgraded crosswalks.
Additionally, the city improved the aesthetics with a new urban park, electronic reader board for community events and façade upgrade assistance for downtown businesses. The $2 million project was first designed in 2008, and construction was completed in 2011.
Katie Larsen, senior planner for the City of Big Lake, explained that, through coordination between city planners and engineers, Big Lake was able to take the project to another level and truly make it a "downtown revitalization project," implementing the city's downtown design ordinance to "create a sense of place."
While realigning the entire intersection to the East, Big Lake planners were able to create open space and focus on a complete streets policy, emphasizing pedestrian safety, streetscaping, street lighting and benches.
City Engineer Brad DeWolf noted that, even though the intersection carries some 45,000 vehicles per day, the construction improvements were done during traffic, eliminating the need for a detour that might have limited access to downtown businesses or buildings like City Hall, which occupies one corner of the intersection, establishing it as a core for Big Lake's downtown.
DeWolf also pointed out the innovative funding sources tapped - including the Department of Transportation, the Statewide Health Improvements Program and local auxiliary organizations - ensured that the project did not impact the general fund tax revenue of the city, which was important to the city council.
Town of Cary's Virtual Interactive Planner (VIP) - Cary, N.C.
The Town of Cary, N.C., developed its Virtual Interactive Planner (VIP) with both "right-brain" and "left-brain" learning types in mind. The online tool uses animated flash programming, green-screen video, printable forms, useful links and flowcharts to facilitate interactive decision-making by breaking down Cary's development process into easy-to-follow steps and, in the process, highlighting opportunities for the public to provide input to the town.
Developed over the course of 1.5 years beginning in 2008, VIP is designed to help reduce the confusion and intimidation sometimes associated with complex but necessary processes like land development.
To use VIP, one can type in an address or parcel number, then select possibilities for developing the property from a drop-down menu reflecting the city's ordinances.
VIP then brings the user the path of development by integrating with Cary's Geographic Information System (GIS), as well as ordinances and all other adopted regulations, providing step-by-step PDF printouts of the process, including all applications and noting all fees and regulations.
While this was the original vision for VIP, it has now expanded to a "one-stop shop" for everything development related, explained Cary's Communications and Information Planner, Dan Matthys. Citizens can look up all approved development on an interactive map, and access reports and master plans. Not only was the program designed based on the information that residents wanted and needed, it remains dynamic and is regularly updated to provide access to new information.
VIP is the first project of its kind in the nation, and has won awards in planning, communications and GIS, in addition to being covered in a variety of local and international press.
Gallery Night Trolley - Coral Gables, Fla.
Coral Gables, Fla., is home to the region's original Gallery Night, which was started more than 20 years ago and showcases a broad variety of works, ranging from European and Latin American art masters to outstanding contemporary artists. The free Gallery Night Trolley allows residents and visitors to discover what's happening in the world of art in the city by taking them directly to the galleries' front doors.
Since May 2011, on the first Friday of every month, the dedicated trolley - which makes use of existing resources by revamping a trolley system dating to the 1920s - operates on a fixed route, transporting people for free from gallery to gallery.
The trolley was implemented in response to low Gallery Night attendance and participation. It attracts more visitors, helping them find and easily access participating galleries, and encouraging them to use municipal parking garages, thereby freeing up on-street parking, while still experiencing downtown Coral Gables.
The number of participating galleries has increased from three to 18. Since its creation, the Gallery Night Trolley's route has been streamlined, cutting the round-trip time by half and bringing added focus on the downtown and galleries that were not in the city's regular trolley route. For visitor convenience, informative maps and brochures are available on the trolley, at galleries and online.
Northeast Central Durham Livability Initiative - Partnership for Sustainable Communities - Durham, N.C.
The Northeast Central Durham (NECD) Livability Initiative - Partnership for Sustainable Communities is a community-driven collaboration implemented in tandem with the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to coordinate housing, transportation and to protect the environment. The City of Durham, N.C., Department of Neighborhood Improvement Services supports this community-led initiative along with six other city departments.
The NECD Livability Initiative is composed of four resident-driven focus areas: (1) Coordinated Public Transportation; (2) Economic and Workforce Development; (3) Multi-functional Green Spaces; and (4) Safe and Healthy Environment.
The project, approximately a year and a half old, is getting neighborhoods and community members actively involved in public policy, by providing them with opportunities to work in concert with city, as well as state, local and federal government. Together, these groups implement sustainable projects and programs throughout NECD, an area of approximately 279 inner city blocks, which has suffered from disinvestment over the past 30 to 40 years. Like many other communities, it was dissected by a highway system as a result of urban renewal programs in the 1970s.
Melva Henry, NECD community engagement manager, explains that this low-wealth community has been harvesting its greatest asset: community leaders. When the program began in 2009, approximately 125 stakeholders came to the table to develop the four focus areas. According to urban designer and NECD resident Wanona Satcher, it has been "very encouraging to see community engagement as part of the planning process and have citizens speak the same language I do ... and using that language to tell city officials and other individuals, and establish those private-public partnerships to really make our city sustainable."
Satcher explains that the program seeks to "reestablish or reknit the urban fabric to bring people back into the community," while focusing on the many significant issues at stake, including small businesses, sustainable development, housing, transportation, ecological restoration and food justice.
Highland Communications Services - Highland, Ill.
Highland Communication Services (HCS) is a municipally owned telecommunications company that provides advanced fiber optic services, including voice, data and video, to the Highland, Ill., community to serve the needs of local businesses and residents. HCS was developed in response to citizens' overwhelming enthusiasm for creating a fiber-to-the-premises system. The growing organization strives to improve Highland's quality of life and strengthen business opportunities.
The City of Highland, which has just under 10,000 residents, has become known as the first municipality in the state of Illinois to implement a fiber-to-the-premise network, allowing the city to provide telecommunications services, including television, telephone, and internet services to businesses and residents.
In the wake of the Telecommunications Act, Highland saw a decline in the quality of services offered, accompanied by an increase in price. Realizing that they need cost-effective, high-speed broadband to compete in a global marketplace, citizens developed a grassroots committee to address the situation. The city was committed to reaching all critical community institutions, including all libraries, schools, businesses, municipal buildings, as well as the county government.
The business plan was developed in 2008, and engineering began in 2009. In April of 2011, HCS began taking on its first customers. To date, HCS has an overall penetration of 17.8 percent, with 30 percent penetration in the critical business areas. While the system currently offers about 1,000 megabits to every subscriber, future plans budget an increase to 10,000 - and eventually 100,000.
Joint Wastewater Treatment Facility - Lexington, S.C.
The Town of Lexington and the City of Cayce, S.C., as well as the Lexington County Joint Municipal Water and Sewer Commission, have unanimously agreed and begun moving forward on construction of a new 25 million-gallon-per-day (MGD), state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility.
The project will expand the City of Cayce's existing treatment capacity, which currently accommodates 9.2 MGD on the Congaree River. That facility has already seen $2 million of investment in recent years.
The new plant will serve the majority of Lexington County, and each participant will be paying for their "projected" capacity for treatment, with Lexington investing 48.9 percent, Cayce at 31.7 percent and the Joint Water Commission at 18.5 percent.
While regional consolidation is the primary goal, Lexington's Events & Media Coordinator, Jennifer Dowden, explained that the region's expanded growth - 83 percent in the last 10 years - calls for an upgrade in infrastructure.
"Building partnerships is our number one key," Dowden said. "Making sure we're together with our neighboring communities in providing the citizens with the best service possible." She added that the construction of the facility, which is expected to be operational in the summer of 2012, has already created 100 construction jobs.


Smart pens to help control hand tremors
Approximately 12 million people in the U.S. are affected by uncontrolled tremors as a result of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. From buttoning a shirt to writing a note, uncontrollably shaky hands make it difficult to complete some of the most basic tasks that most of us take for granted, according to fifth-year engineering student Zac Sheffer.
His team’s project to combat the problem was one of two winners in the fall semester’s mechanical and industrial engineering capstone course competition. Under the direction of associate professor Andrew Gouldstone, the group came up with two approaches to improving legibility and writing performance among people with tremors.
The team’s passive approach guides the hand without sensing technology, according to group member Andrew Hickson. The active approach, he said, senses the characteristics of a tremor, sends the information to a computer that calculates an appropriate response signal, and then implements the response through electrical components inside a pen.
Within these two approaches, the team designed three solutions, all of which focus on velocity-dependent motion damping. “This is key,” said team member Diego Solano, “because we don’t want to damp all movement, just the bit that’s caused by tremors.”
The student researchers needed a way to test their designs, but faced a roadblock: Patient trials were not possible because of both time and feasibility constraints. One team member, however, Mariah Dellea, recalled her experience with postsurgery physical therapy, which used electrical impulses to stimulate muscle activity.
Using a standard, over-the-counter electrical muscle stimulation—or EMS—device, the team members simulated tremors in their own hands. Then they developed a testing protocol to ensure that the simulated tremors resulted in writing performance equivalent to that of patients. They also used the protocol to compare writing performance with and without their devices.
“We needed something safe and reliable but also quantifiable and repeatable,” Solano said.
With the test method in place, the students began implementing designs, focusing first on the passive systems. They developed several customized, ergonomic grips, to stabilize the hand and make holding the writing instrument much easier, said team member Darren Mahoney. At the bottom of each, they implemented a magnetic contact that interacts with a plate containing metal filings in order to steady movement.
Another of Gouldstone’s capstone teams developed an instrumented pen, equipped with six force sensors that can collect information about grip tension during tremors. The data could be useful in diagnostics as well as a resource for physical therapy clinicians. This group used the other team’s testing protocol to analyze the utility of their device. Using the EMS, they demonstrated that grip force during tremor increases threefold over normal conditions.
Members of both teams have several research goals for next semester. Lauren Hess and Joseph Ranieri of the instrumented-pen team will continue working in Gouldstone’s lab on other projects. Members of the corrective-pen team plan to further develop their passive system and will start work on the active systems. They also hope to initiate pilot studies with patients suffering from real tremors, rather than using the EMS to simulate the disorder.
Both projects were supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation, for which Gouldstone and fellow mechanical and industrial engineering professors Rifat Sipahi, Beverly Jaeger, and Samuel Frank, a neurologist specializing in Parkinson’s at Boston University Medical Campus, are principal investigators. Twelve million Americans suffer from uncontrolled tremors, which impede their ability to perform daily tasks, but two mechanical engineering capstone teams have developed devices that could improve their functionality.
Read more here.


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Parasomnias are disorders that disrupt sleep. These disorders involve unusual or strange behaviors or perceptions that occur while a person is sleeping. Examples include shouting, moving around, talking, or eating. Some parasomnias, such as sleepwalking and night terrors, can be dangerous and can cause a person to get hurt. Parasomnias are treatable. Treatments usually start with non-medications but may include medicines in some cases. Read on to learn more about parasomnias.
What are the Causes of Parasomnias?
Scientists aren’t exactly sure why some people have parasomnias. However, a variety of things are linked with parasomnias, including:
- Medical Issues: Certain medical issues can cause parasomnias, including encephalitis and Parkinson’s disease.
- Psychiatric Illnesses: Depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can trigger parasomnias.
- Sleep Disorders: Circadian rhythm disorder, narcolepsy, and obstructive sleep apnea are all associated with parasomnias.
- Medications: Common medicines that cause parasomnias include olanzapine, montelukast, paroxetine, and metoprolol.
- Substance Abuse: Illegal drug or alcohol use can trigger parasomnias.
- Head Injury: Head injuries are associated with some types of parasomnias.
- Irregular Sleep Schedules: Shift work and unusual sleep schedules can trigger parasomnias.
Type of Parasomnias
Parasomnias are generally categorized into groups based on when they occur during sleep. Some parasomnias take place during the non-eye movement or NREM stages of sleep, others occur during REM sleep.
Non-REM Related Parasomnias
- Sleepwalking: Sleepwalking occurs when a person gets out of bed while still asleep. The person may walk around and do various activities like moving furniture, sorting clothes, and even driving. Sleepwalking can be dangerous to the person experiencing this parasomnia.
- Sleep Talking: Sleep talking occurs when a person talks during sleep. They will often have no memory of this.
- Sleep Terrors: With sleep terrors, a person may sit up in bed and scream, yell, or thrash about while asleep. They will usually have no memory of doing this.
- Sleep-Related Eating Disorder: People with a sleep-related eating disorder will eat and drink while asleep. They may eat foods that they wouldn’t normally eat while awake, such as raw chicken.
- Confusional Arousals: A person experiencing this parasomnia may appear to wake up but they may be disorientated, unresponsive, or appear confused.
- Exploding head syndrome: This is a type of parasomnia where you hear a loud noise in your head during the sleep-wake transition. People describe it as sounding like a gunshot or explosion happening. This can be frightening and cause confusion.
- Sleep-Related Hallucinations: These are vivid dream-like visual or auditory hallucinations that most often occur as a person is falling asleep.
- REM Sleep Behavior Disorder: During sleep, the body normally becomes temporarily paralyzed, so that a person cannot act out their dreams. But, with this disorder, paralysis is absent or incomplete and a person physically acts out their dreams. They may talk, punch, kick, or scream while asleep. This disorder is most common in males over the age of 50 and is associated with Parkinson’s disease, as well as dementia.
- Nightmare Disorder: A person who has a nightmare disorder frequently experiences terrifying, vivid nightmares.
- Sleep Paralysis: With sleep paralysis, a person can’t move their body during sleep.This happens just as a person is falling asleep or waking up. It is thought that sleep paralysis is an extension of REM sleep.
- Bedwetting: Nighttime bedwetting is called nocturnal enuresis. This is considered to be a parasomnia if it happens in a child or adult over the age of 5 and occurs at least two times per week.
- Sexsomnia: Persons with this parasomnia act out sexual behaviors while asleep. These may include sexual vocalizations, masturbation, intercourse, and sexual aggression.
How are Parasomnias Diagnosed?
If you have symptoms of parasomnias, it’s important to visit your physician. You may be asked to keep a sleep diary and keep track of any sleep-related events. Diagnosis for parasomnias may include a review of your medical history, family history, and medications. Your doctor may send you to a sleep specialist. Your sleep specialist may refer you for various diagnostic tests, such as a sleep study or sleep EEG.
Treatment of Parasomnias
Good sleep hygiene has been shown to help people with parasomnias. This is usually where doctors start when treating parasomnias.
Create a Safe Sleep Environment
If you sleepwalk or have REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), then it is important that you make your room safe. You may need to sleep alone. You should lock doors and windows. Remove items from around the bed that you might injure yourself on, such as furniture that has sharp edges. Install alarms on doors and windows.
Follow a Wind-Down Routine
A wind-down routine helps you relax and prepare for sleep. It can help reduce stress and anxiety so that you sleep better. Dedicate one hour to your wind-down routine. There are a number of activities you can incorporate into your specific evening routine. Choose what works best for you. You could try listening to relaxing sounds. A recent study found that when participants listened to white noise, they woke up less often during the night and fell asleep quicker. On Pillow, you can listen to various stories, meditations and soundscapes.
Block Out Light
About an hour before bedtime, dim your bedroom lights. That way, your body will start to produce more melatonin. Keep outside lights from shining into your window with blackout curtains or blinds. Use light-blocking stickers on any LED lights in your room, such as those on your router or computer.
Reduce Alcohol Use
Alcohol use is linked with many parasomnias. One study found that 14 percent of parasomnia episodes are triggered by alcohol. Other studies have shown that alcohol use can trigger sleepwalking. Alcohol can help a person fall asleep quickly, but then it disrupts the sleep cycle and results in poor sleep quality. Therefore, aim to stop drinking alcohol about four hours before bedtime.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be helpful for some parasomnias. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends imagery rehearsal therapy for nightmare disorder. This is a type of CBT that involves replacing nightmare parasomnia content with new images that reduce fear.

domain: health


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Reus was helped off the field in visible distress during the first half of Germany's 6-1 win over Armenia in Mainz on Friday.
The 25-year-old appeared to twist his left ankle in a challenge with Armenia midfielder Artur Yedigaryan.
Germany went on to win the game in emphatic fashion, with striker Miroslav Klose surpassing Gerd Muller as the country's all-time record scorer by grabbing his 69th international goal.
Yet a flurry of second-half goals did little to lift the mood after Reus' setback, just six days before the start of the World Cup.
"Marco is having an MRI scan," Low told ZDF. "We have to wait.
"We have already seen that his ankle is swollen. Hopefully it's not the ligaments.
"We can only hope that he will be OK. But it looked bad.
"We can call up another player until 24 hours before the first game."
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Dating rolex watches by serial number Download telugu sex chating girls site
Therefore, the code "III 53" would represent the 3 quarter (i.e.
July-September) of 1953--this code continued until around 1970.
This sequence continued through November 1991, when a new numbering system was introduced utilizing the letters N, C and S, which took them through 1993.
In 1994, Rolex started yet another sequence with the letters: W, T and U, then A, P, and K in subsequent years, followed by Y, F, D, Z, M, V and then G in 2010.
In 1927, Rolex began issuing every Rolex Oyster case a unique serial number to distinguish them from one another.The reason for this is because not all dealers are honest on their description.Some of them misrepresent the watches making an older watch look a newer style by customizing and not disclosing it on the description.V000001 to V999999), would in fact also be 1 million serial numbers, and worked well with this system.It is worth mentioning that Rolex would not cease a letter prefix run at the end of a given calendar year, but would continue a letter run until all numbers were used before changing the prefix code.
Search for dating rolex watches by serial number:
While this The following "Round Numbers" Serial Number List has been comprised of known serial number ranges for the years listed.

domain: history


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Sociable bars (or places in general) in Westchester
I've been looking for bars, restaurants, places in general, in the Tarrytown, Dobbs Ferry, White Plains, and Rye area, to hang out. So far I've been to bars in White Plains, such as Brazen Fox, but they aren't really for me. The bars in that area are very similar and I'm looking for more variety. I'm looking for places that are more laid back, fun, and attract people in their mid 20's.
This is hard to come by in Westchester purely because of demographics. As a fellow CH in her (late) 20s, I also dislike the bars in White Plains, but they seem to be where most of the 20somethings in Westchester are. Meetup.com has some Meetups geared towards people in their 20s.
Both the Peekskill Brewery and Birdsall House in Peekskill have what looks to me to be a good bar scene for people in your age range. The Brewery is right across the street from the train station, so it's a nice option if you don't want to drive all the way.
55 Hudson Avenue, Peekskill, NY 10566
970 Main St, Peekskill, NY 10566
Rye Bar is a no-brainer. The place is always packed and there are comfortable nooks to sit in all over, including a fireplace and a more intimate upstairs bar.
How about Bar Taco in Portchester? Staff and owners are so welcoming and it appears to have an eclectic clientele. There are two bands on Sundays one during the day and one in the evening. The staff mentioned that the place is already jumping. Many folks take their cocktails outside to sit under the heat lamps or by the fire pit. It has a very unique ambiance for Westchester
If you're a craft beer person, check out the Lazy Boy Saloon on Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains. It can get a little boisterous, but doesn't have the suburban meat-market vibe of a lot of the Mamaroneck Avenue bars; personally, I think because it's a beer bar. Pretty good pub food, good mix of folks, 20-somethings and up.


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Questions frequently asked about the Adult Education Budget (AEB) and its devolution from central government to the West of England Combined Authority.
2018/19 will be a transitional year in which WECA will:
- Work with providers to gain deeper knowledge of what they currently deliver.
- Build strong working relationships with providers and stakeholders through regular meetings and communications, to ensure a smooth transition to new ways of working.
- Test out processes and systems to enable funding to be delivered.
- Refine the Strategic Skills Plan outlining adult education priorities.
- Influence where central government allocates funds to existing providers.
Courses that start before August 1, 2019 will continue to be funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency.
For the 2019/20 academic year, the Government has allocated £14.7m of AEB to WECA.
WECA will fund the delivery of courses and provision in line with the AEB Strategic Skills Plan. It will continue to support eligible learners with statutory entitlements to study specified qualifications for free.
From the 2019/20 academic year, funding for AEB provision delivered to WECA residents (residents of Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire) will come from the WECA rather than the Education and Skills Funding Agency. WECA will determine what courses are funded and who provides them.
No, the funding will be used for residents of WECA’s three constituent councils – Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
The devolved Adult Education Budget does not cover:
- Anything related to apprenticeships
- Anything related to adult offender learning
- Anything related to young people between 16-18
- Anything related to traineeships
- Anything related to Advance Learner Loans
- Anything related to loan bursary funds
Some courses may need change in line with the AEB Strategic Skills Plan and the priorities associated with it. Any change will be focused on increasing the responsiveness of the budget to the needs of our region’s residents and businesses.
Providers are encouraged to get in touch with WECA to develop a strong working relationship.
WECA will continue to fund free study for learners, who meet certain conditions, as a result of statutory entitlements.
The Department for Education, the Education and Skills Funding Agency and WECA are working together to maximise the effective sharing of data in full accordance with data protection legislation.


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I love my mustang's and it was about time to make a theme for one.
Very simple desktop, only two major components.
link to the wall plz :))
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Take a Tour
Explore the people, places, and events in William & Mary's history through a self-guided campus walking tour using TribeTrek. Developed by Swem Library's Special Collections Research Center, TribeTrek is a free mobile app that puts the history of the second oldest college in America in the palm of your hands. Learn about the history of campus buildings, sculptures and other sites through photographs, and use social media to share your stories for each site. As this site is an ongoing project, please check back periodically for further updates.
As this site is an ongoing project, please check back periodically for further updates.


So that's what happens when you wear a corset—an honest to goodness, 18th-century-era corset.
"Good lord, if I have to wear one more corset," Abigail Spencer, star of NBC's new drama Timeless, laughed during a recent interview with E! News—looking almost visibly relieved that she wasn't in a corset at that very moment.
"We really are exploring the 1800s and the 1700s on our show—girl, it is crazy," the actress said. "It's beautiful, it creates this beautiful aesthetic and increases your posture."
But, Spencer added conspiratorially, "You burp all the time. This is not class at all! It looks classy, but you're just," she gasped for emphasis, "so gassy from the corset."
We knew it!
"It squeezes all of your insides and I cannot wait till we rip it off at the end of the day," Spencer concluded. "Yeah, no, I'm really glad that that made its way out—even though Spanx are our version of the corset."
Otherwise, however, Spencer—veteran of small-screen fare such as Mad Men, Suits and True Detective as well as films including Oz the Great and Powerful and This Is Where I Leave You—loves playing dress-up for her role as Lucy Preston, historian turned accidental action hero when Homeland Security comes calling for her expertise on a super-secret mission that involves zipping back and forth through history's most tumultuous times.
A collector of vintage clothes and a big Katharine Hepburn fan, Spencer says her favorite period to visit on the show has been the 1940s—not a fashion era she had known much about previously.
"Something about that era for me [made her feel], 'Yeah, this is the one," she shared.
But overall, Spencer told us, "the best day of production is the first day of a new episode because nobody knows what I'm going to look like—and I don't even know what I'm going to look like."
In the meantime, Lucy hasn't reached action star status just yet. "In the first episode, she falls out of the time machine," Spencer explained. "She's just not adept. She almost runs into a plane!... I think keeping some of those elements so she'll have somewhere to go, that's really important to me."
Taking our E!Q in 42, Spencer also filled us in on her own personal time-travel preferences and share as many of her favorite things as she could in 42 seconds.
We were still in 2016 when it was all over, but the time just flew by!
Timeless airs Mondays at 10 p.m. on NBC.
(E! News is also a member of the NBCUniversal family.)


text: As 2021 closes we'd like to share a gift with you. It's been a rough year and we could all use a reminder there is still love and goodness close by. So here's our little gift to you, a gift of music and storytelling at no charge. These shows will remain live through Jan. 2, 2022. Share with your friends and enjoy! May your holidays bring you and yours closer with happiness and cheer!


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I believe I have led myself into shame immediately following anything that caused me to have feelings of guilt. If I did something wrong, I automatically assumed it was because I was a “defective person,” instead of just acknowledging the wrong behavior. I did not separate the two, and therefore spent many hours berating myself when I should have been berating the behavior. Correcting my behaviors has been the beginning of my rejection of shame and self-doubt. I make mistakes, I am not a mistake.
During my drinking years there were many “opportunities” for shame, as I woke up quite often in places that I would not have been in, had I been sober. And there were many instances of waking to people who were strangers, to say the least, and strange in many ways to say the most. Sometimes I am absolutely amazed to find that I lived through those times of putting myself in jeopardy with people who were circumspect and who were as unconcerned about my safety as my drunken self. Today – I try to keep myself safe, I know who my companions are, I take care of myself physically, mentally, and spiritually. I am not ashamed of me, I am not ashamed of who I am, where I am, and what I am. I work on changing my behaviors and accepting myself just as I am, just as God made me. I am good enough, I am one of God’s children, I am just another human being, flawed, but constantly working to improve both myself and my world. I stand in my truth!!! HUGS


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Blow big bubbles with Hubba Bubba!
Get into the juicy taste of succulent strawberries with the Hubba Bubba Strawberry Bubble Gum! This bubblegum has a soft and bouncy texture.
It's overflowing with the sweet and fresh taste of strawberries, and it holds the key to those giant buoyant bubbles!
As you unwrap this bubble gum, the alluring scent of strawberries will have your mouth watering. The flavour is fantastic and tastes just like a ripe and juicy strawberry. You'll feel like you're standing in the middle of a fragrant strawberry field.
With each chew, the flavour becomes more intense, and the bubbles that Hubba Bubba produces are absolutely phenomenal!
We've come across wads of this bubblegum under desks, and we've stepped on its once-sweet and juicy glory on sidewalks. But there is no other bubble gum that we would rather chew than Hubba Bubba!
Loved since 1979, Hubba Bubba is filled with intense and long-lasting flavours that will more than satisfy every bubblegum connoisseur!
Chewy your way through the supreme deliciousness of the Hubba Bubba Strawberry Bubble Gum!


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One of the cornerstones you can set up to plan for your disabled child’s future is the RDSP (read the CRA page for all info). The grants from this program will help you set up funds for your disabled child’s future since planning for the day that you are not around to help your child is one of the more significant worries for most parents of disabled kids.
I have written about the trials and tribulations I have, setting up an RDSP with TD/Waterhouse. I have been happy with the system (see the bottom of this post for a list of the posts on this topic so far). However, I have found yet another annoyance to tick me off a little more.
Let me preface this: I learned all of this on the coldest day of the year so far, where I am doubtful to want to go out anywhere to do anything, which may explain my RDSP and TD aggravations level being so high.
We had decided that we should be putting money in each of our paycheques into our son’s RDSP to take advantage of the grants and such, and previously to set up this kind of auto-magic savings has been relatively simple TD website. Creating a Pre-Authorized Purchase Plan is an actual function on the TD Mutual fund website, so I assumed that for TD/Waterhouse, it might be just that simple. You can guess, that was not the case.
I noticed that it was not possible on the online interface to transfer money into the RDSP account at all. It is possible to move to my TFSA, RRSP or trading account, but the RDSP account did not appear on the list of bills I could transfer money into, which annoyed me, but I assumed it meant that I had to call into the Easyline folks and do things that way. Not being a great telephone person, but I finally forced myself to call in to Easyline.
I spoke to a polite young man, who was very apologetic and he said he could not help me, that I had to go into the Bank branch and set up the automatic payments there.
How can any bank force me to go into their branch (when it is -30 Celsius outside) to DEPOSIT money into a savings vehicle?
I am irked (nay, even peeved) that I must now trudge into my local TD branch to ask them to transfer money bi-weekly into my son’s RDSP, and I will keep my regular readers posted on my progress in this area.
Addendum RDSP and TD Aggravations
I eventually did figure out a way to make this work. In TD Direct Investing RDSP Deposits, I outline making my son’s RDSP a payable bill. It took a while to make it work, but now I am making bi-weekly payments to the account.
Other RDSP Posts to Read:
- RDSP Completion of Initial Work which sums up what had to happen to set up my son’s RDSP with TD
- Registered Disability Savings Plan an introduction to the program.
- New Financial Programs are Never Easy I outline the steps we took to actually set up the account with TD
- No You Are Not Married to Him outlines the issues we ran into with my wife’s identity that got tripped by applying for the program
- The Journey Continues continues the saga of attempting to put money into the RDSP.
- The Journey Continued is me ranting about how long it took to actually transfer money to the account (while watching the Monaco Grand Prix).
- Registered Disability Savings Plan: The Other New Government Savings Plan which is a guest post written as an overview of the program as well.
We hold most of our investments in Q-Trade because, as 20-somethings 20 years ago, TD Waterhouse scoffed to our faces we “only” had 10K to invest. They told us to come back when we had more than 100K to invest.
Luckily that made us realize we didn’t want to deal with them anyway.
But now, recently having received the disability tax credit, it appears our only option to self-direct is through them. I have an appointment tomorrow morning to open an RDSP with them, but I am leery now. It’s clear they have no intention of offering online RDSP services either.
I’m even more revolted by TD Waterhouse now. I’m swearing under my breath at them now.
From some of the info I am hearing if the account is opened for the person in question, things may be better. I also opened the account early on, things may be getting better. I have to steady myself to call TD Waterhouse back and see if I can make them fix this, finally.
I actually set up RDSP with systematic deposits for families through Mackenzie or BMO. I have done about 3o of these or so. I work very closely with a few of my local Down Syndrome and Autism groups on this. Many bank branches do not know anything about the RDSP- grants, bonds, claw backs, maximums, etc.
Yes, unfortunately things have not changed much. I was told by Waterhouse that I could do a deposit from the branch so I went to the branch thinking this was an easy task as well. Over an hour later, they told be that I could not deposit a cheque from my wife into this account even though the account was in my wife and my names.
They told me that I needed to bring a cheque made out to TD waterhouse and then they would send that to TD waterhouse for processing. I asked how that is different from me sending a cheque to TD waterhouse directly via the mail and the dumbfounded looks were staggering…
So, being a quick witted young man i suggested, why don’t we just transfer the money from my TD business account and then I could deposit the cheques in there and bobs your uncle…
After another phone call from the branch to TD waterhouse, they said that it was possible but i had to obtain a letter giving TD waterhouse permission to access the funds in my business account and that letter had to be signed and notarized (i think by god himself) before they could do it.
So after all this, i still can trade on my self directed RDSP as none of the online tools work, i need to phone in a trade and for the “convenience” of this TD wants to charge me 29 bucks a trade? I think this RDSP will remain unfunded while i look for a better alternative.
$29? I am only paying $9 a trade, try to get that, but yes, also when you find a better alternative, please come back and TELL ME, I will tell others too.
Thanks for the comment bigcajunman, do you have >50k in your trading accounts? If so that is probably why you are getting the $9 bucks, if not let me know as I will grind them to see if I can get that as well. If I find anything better i will let you know!
Yes, I have an RRSP account that allows me to have cheaper trading. Do they charge you the trading charge if you buy one of their Index Funds?
Our oldest daughter also has special needs and although I haven’t looked into it recently, at the time that we opened her RDSP in 2009, we could only do so through CIBC and not CIBC Investor’s Edge (the brokerage). However, it was fairly easy to open and set up the automatic monthly contribution. I usually phone them once a year to rebalance the investments and increase the monthly contribution, which is a 5 minute phone call. It may not be as bad as you think! 🙂
Glad to hear other banks aren’t as behind the times as TD!
Hi Big Cajunman, just heard you on Mostly Money, Mostly Canadian.
I have looked into it and I don’t believe you can set up a MCP into a RDSP at TD Waterhouse.
You can transfer cash (or securities in kind) from another Waterhouse account by calling a 1-800-465-5463
Or you can make lump sum deposits in the branch.
Now I think that children with disabilities go through enough, but wearing a Canadians Jersey will cause him to be ridiculed and bullied all through his schooling. 😉
Mark, good to know, because I called the TD Waterhouse help line and they were the ones who said I could ONLY do this at my local branch which is what caused this post! I will investigate further and see how it goes.
As for the jersey, his Grandma (who lives in Montreal) had it made for him, he has long since outgrown it! He wears Senators jerseys now.
I’m guessing the problems you’re running into come from the fact that banks can’t justify too much development effort to properly support RDSPs because the total amount of money invested in RDSPs is modest compared to RRSPs. Of course, that shouldn’t stop you from continuing to push for better service.
Agreed, the methodology for working with the RDSP in TD/Waterhouse seems to be Red Tape for the sake of Red Tape.

domain: finance


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AMP Music Minute: Katy Perry Baby Bump? Kid Cudi Updates Us On New Album And Lupe Fiasco Locked Down At LAX
Remember last week [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]Katy Perry[/lastfm] surprised everyone on The Ellen Show with a free concert? Well, also during her appearance on the show her and Ellen spoke about Katy starting a family. At the time, […]
FREEDOM! [lastfm link_type=”artist_info”]T.I.[/lastfm] just got out of the half-way house and instead of a flashy tour bus, like last time, T.I. skipped out a little after midnight in a chauffeured SUV.


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You are here
China's economy set to overtake EU this year
IN another sign that the "Asian century" has arrived, China is on course to overtake the euro area in the size of its economy this year.
China's gross domestic product (GDP) is forecast to reach about US$13.2 trillion in 2018, beating the US$12.8 trillion combined total
- CALL +65 6388 3838
- EMAIL firstname.lastname@example.org

domain: economics


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| Jan 21, 2013
| 1:52 PM
Rascal Flatts fans in the Midwest had some upsetting news over the weekend, as the group was forced to cancel two concerts due to illness. The good news - both shows on the Changed Tour will be rescheduled. The group will now head to Tulsa, Oklahoma, on...
| Jan 23, 2013
| 12:35 PM
Country music fans with a spare $725 in the hip pocket of their denims can grab a “megaticket” to seven shows at Hartford’s Comcast Theatre. It’s the mainstream-concert equivalent of a “Best of Broadway” series...
| Dec 11, 2012
| 12:11 PM
Just one song, even if it's a heck of a song, likely won't fill up an arena. But it sure can get fans' attention.
For Eric Church, that song is "Springsteen," a reminiscence about a high-school love who slipped away. The 35-year-old from Granite Falls,...
| Dec 10, 2012
| 1:22 PM
Eric Church is now officially an “Artist of the Year!” The singer was honored this past weekend by CMT for having one of the biggest years in country music. The singer closed out the show with a powerful performance of his hit “Homeboy,&...
| Dec 4, 2012
| 1:31 PM
Rascal Flatts will help celebrate some of country music’s biggest artists during the CMT Artists of the Year special. The group is hosting the event, along with Nashville actress Hayden Panettiere. Band member Jay DeMarcus has a few peers in mind,...
| Nov 20, 2012
| 5:07 AM
Rascal Flatts are taking over NBC , as they will debut a new song on The Voice. The group will perform “Changed,” and band member Gary Levox hopes it is enough to impress judges Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera!...
| Nov 27, 2012
| 12:32 PM
The lineup for the 2012 CMT Artists of the Year is heating up with performances and appearances by some of the biggest names in entertainment including; Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Eli Young Band, Sammy Hagar, Hunter Hayes,...
| Nov 14, 2012
| 11:20 AM
Rascal Flatts have a couple exciting television stops next week, as they will appear on E!’s Chelsea Lately, and perform on NBC’s The Voice. Gary, Joe Don and Jay will be promoting their new DVD – Rascal Flatts: All Access & Uncovered....
| Nov 8, 2011
| 9:36 PM
Click here to download TV listings for the week of Nov. 6 - 12 in PDF format TV listings for the week of Nov. 6 - 12 in PDF format (from latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv) Weekly TV Listings and more can be found......
| Nov 9, 2011
| 9:35 PM
When an artist struggles, go country. One can't help but wonder what longtime country artists think of the likes of Lionel Richie and Natasha Bedingfield crashing their award show — but country has been good to the likes of Kid......
| Nov 20, 2011
| 9:36 PM
Click here to download TV listings for the week of Nov. 20 - 26 in PDF format TV listings for the week of Nov. 20 - 26 in PDF format (from latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv) Weekly TV Listings and more can be found......
| Dec 1, 2011
| 4:40 PM
Fox is trumpeting David Boreanaz's performance on "Bones" and a new direction for the show at 9 tonight. Will you go for this shift? The episode also features Ralph Waite and Tina Majorino....


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Golden Tulip Westlands Nairobi
Golden Tulip Westlands Nairobi Hotel is located in a shopping area of Nairobi, about 1.9 km away from Jamia Mosque.
The hotel is around 20 minutes on foot from the city center.
Offering African and Middle Eastern meals, Pitcher & Butch is around 150 meters away.
Wilson airport is a 15-minute drive from the property.
Guests can make use of 24-hour reception and housekeeping as well as a baggage storage and parking.

domain: travel


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In a letter addressed to the Twitch community on Monday, Twitch CEO Emmett Shear shared that the company has been acquired by Amazon. Emmet said, “We chose Amazon because they believe in our community, they share our values and long-term vision, and they want to help us get there faster.” It was earlier rumored and reported that Google’s YouTube division was in talks with Twitch investors for a $1 billion dollar deal.
Twitch is the largest live game streaming website by a large margin. Recently during the Dota 2 International, Twitch recorded 6 million users. The site has more than 1 million unique users broadcasting on its platform every month. Twitch is available on the Android and iOS platforms as well.
Source: Twitch Blog

domain: news


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Since most people are familiar with the retail business, the learning curve is usually much easier in retailing than in the other three categories (although this benefit is true for your retailing competitors as well). Clearly states the capital needed to start or expand the business. If this sounds more interesting to you than working for an employer, then you likely have an entrepreneurial spirit. We work because we desire and need various things which we can get only if we produce them or earn the money to buy them.
Is Design your company's main focus?
quality and safety,
require every supervisor to take a few minutes every Wednesday to look for potential safety issues and quality improvement areas, then fill out a pre-printed form describing the work or problem observed, along with their recommendations to remedy the situation, the responsible party, and when the problem area must be fixed. These interdependencies
characterise the complex
relationships between a company and its particular counterparts. Deflation may
seem a positive
occurrence because it increases the value of money. Outcomes for
the manager will
depend on the performance of these human resources.
Product plan completed
written, measurable systems,
goals, and targets for employees to follow. Once you
have determined whether
you can launch and run a business for $20,000, $200,000, $2 million, or $200 million, you will be able to consider the various funding sources. They demand
and get from
almost all new product makers slotting fees, which are simply payments for the right to be on store shelves. Each manager
is dependent on
other managers who assign the responsibilities, physical, financial and human resources in his company.
Not waiting for customers to show up at your front door
information flowing up
to senior managers in the form of plans helps keep the brass informed. And the
kinds of people
who discover the right business are often those who are willing to go to a lot of trouble to find good opportunities. We know
many successful small-business
owners who work at their craft 40 hours a week or less and some who work part-time at their business in addition to holding a regular job. Profit is
financial gain or
return from the use of capital.
The more focused the research, the more valuable it will be
plan seems way
off base, you may need a fix or another plan.Many businesses fail because of events that are impossible to foresee. Such a
board lends great
credibility to a company. First, financial,
to make sure
this business makes economic sense. This network-like
structure stretches across
and between companies.
Why sales is the only skill you really need
prepare yourself fiscally
and emotionally to leave your day job, you may never discover that you have the potential to run your own business. Equity capital
is obtained by
selling a portion of the ownership of a business to investors. With written
systems in place,
you free up time to concentrate on real business growth opportunities, like converting repeat customers into loyal customers, seeking joint business ventures, looking for ways to maximize your bottom-line profits, motivating and inspiring your people, and finding time to enjoy the benefits of business ownership. Are you
bold and adventurous,
or are you disciplined and down-to-earth?


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The Boghossian Foundation
Established in 1992, the Boghossian Foundation is committed to support many educational, urbanistic, artistic, and cultural projects in different countries. In Belgium, the Boghossian Foundation acquired, in 2006, the famous Villa Empain, gem of Brussels Art Deco architecture, in order to establish its head office and a center for art and dialogue between the cultures of the East and the West.
After the complete restoration of this edifice classified as a Belgian monuments and sites heritage, Villa Empain opened its doors to the public on April 2010, offering a variety of cultural and artistic activities : exhibitions, concerts, conferences and international meetings, etc. the Boghossian Foundation can also host students, artists and scholars-in-residence in Villa Empain.
Since 2012, the Boghossian Foundation Prize has reflected the desire to promote and strengthen ties between the East and the West through art.
Boghossian Foundation prize in Lebanon in 2018
This year, the prizes cover the fields of painting, design and dance. The age limit for the artists and the creators is 40 years old.
The three laureates each receive $10.000 dollars and the opportunity to stay one month in the residence of the Villa Empain that also boasts a studio. The Foundation covers all travel and accommodation costs.
The Boghossian Foundation Prize is awarded by a jury formed by prominent individuals from the European and Libanese art world: Louma Salamé, Christian Bernard, Karina Helou, Michèle Malek, and Jean-Marc Bonfils.
The application file shall comprise:
A scanned copy of the ID card
A résumé (not exceeding two sheets)
For Painting and Design candidates: a portfolio containing a maximum of 30 pictures in jpg format, with a size ranging between 1000 and 2000 pixels in length. Pictures files should be saved as bearing the: Full name_Title_Year
For Dancing candidates: two or three show excerpts not exceeding 10 min each, uploaded via a Vimeo link, provided with a password
The Boghossian Foundation is please to announce the creation of two new awards :
- The “Littérature Jeunesse” Prize
- The “Coup de Cœur” Prize
The “Littérature Jeunesse” Prize
Among 100 books, a jury of experts will chose the winner.
This prize, in collaboration with Assabil reward the best fiction book directed towards children of 12 to 14 years old, published in Arabic in Lebanon, written and illustrated by Lebanese authors.
Assabil association will organize meetings between students from official schools and the laureates of the prize in Beirut’s municipal libraries. The Boghossian Foundation will buy many copies of the private books and it will be distributed to the students present.
The « Cinema : coup de cœur » Prize
The Boghossian Foundation in parternship with Fondation Liban Cinema have the pleasure of launching a new prize which will reward Lebanese cinema: The « Coup de cœur Fondation Boghossian – Fondation Liban Cinema – Distribution Assistance Prize » awarded to the distribution of a Lebanese film abroad or in Lebanon.
The prize will also include an artist residency at the Villa Empain – Brussels so that the director may develop his or her next film project.
The conditions for participation
The film must be Lebanese, have a Lebanese director and a Lebanese producer or co-producer
The film must be a full-length feature of more than 70 minutes, fiction or documentary
The film must be finished with a production date between 2017 and 2018 or in finishing, the final stage of the post-production
The prize must help the film to be released in cinemas in Lebanon or internationally
It could also aid the film to circulate the film in international festivals
The logo of the Boghossian Foundation, as well as the Fondation Liban Cinema, need to be in the winning film’s end credits
The Boghossian Foundation and the Fondation Liban Cinema will both keep a copy of the winning film for non-commercial usage
A complete financial plan
A letter of intent from the director explaining their interest for this prize
A letter of engagement or intent from a distributor or seller
A plan of action and a detailed budget of the $10,000
The film in a vimeo link
The documents, as well as a vimeo link of the film, must be handed in before the 20th of September 2018 via mail to the Boghossian foundation and the Fondation Liban Cinema:


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Hong Kong real estate tycoon Cecil Chao Sze-tsung has offered a bounty of almost $65 million for any man who will woo and marry his 33-year-old daughter Gigi Chao. Since then, offers to take Gigi’s hand in marriage have been pouring forth from all over the globe. There’s just one slight problem: Gigi’s already taken.
According to reports, the announcement came on the heels of Gigi Chao’s nuptials to her longtime girlfriend, Sean Yeung, in April. The two reportedly were married in Paris and not in Hong Kong, where gay rights are limited.
In a recent South China Morning Post article, the tycoon’s daughter criticized the territory’s conservative views toward homosexuality, saying that it lagged behind the U.S. and even mainland China. (Homosexuality was officially decriminalized in Hong Kong in 1991, but same-sex unions are still not recognized.)
In an interview with the Telegraph, Gigi said she understood the reasons behind her father’s actions. “It’s not that he can’t accept me,” she told the newspaper. “It’s that he can’t accept how society would view me and the status that it would incur. Marriage is still a form of social status. I do understand him. I understand why he’s doing this.”
Her father, meanwhile, has not publicly acknowledged his daughter’s marriage. As he told the Post:
I do not mind whether [the man who marries Gigi] is rich or poor. The important thing is that he is generous and kindhearted. Gigi is a very good woman with both talents and looks. She is devoted to her parents, is generous and does volunteer work.
Gigi, who was initially amused by the monetary offer, told the Telegraph she appreciated the gesture. “At first I was entertained by it, and then that entertainment turned into the realization and conviction that I am a really lucky girl to have such a loving daddy, because it’s really sweet of him to do something like this as an expression of his fatherly love.”
She added, “But I don’t appreciate getting 1,500 e-mails.”


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ADVERTISING SPONSORED LISTING
A stay at this Futian apartment places you within half a mile (1 km) of Huaqiangbei and 2 miles (3 km) of Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center. Huanggang Border Crossing and Coco Park are also within 2 miles (3 km).
This apartment doesn't skimp on freebies - guests receive free WiFi and free self parking. Business travelers can take advantage of the express check-in. Staff at the 24-hour front desk can provide around-the-clock assistance.
Free WiFi, refrigerators
Featuring conveniences like refrigerators and coffee/tea makers, the 40 apartments also offer free WiFi and TVs with cable channels. Other amenities include minibars, free bottled water, and hair dryers.
As a guest of SHENZHEN U-HOME APARTMENT HUANGGUANG, you'll find express check-in and an elevator. Public spaces have free WiFi. Self parking is free. This 3-star Shenzhen apartment is smoke free.
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking
SHENZHEN U-HOME APARTMENT HUANGGUANG offers 40 air-conditioned accommodations with minibars and complimentary bottled water. Refrigerators and coffee/tea makers are provided. Bathrooms include showers, slippers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Cable television is provided. Housekeeping is provided daily.
Special check-in instructions:
If you are planning to arrive after midnight please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation.
Guests arriving after midnight must make advance arrangements by contacting the property using the information on the booking confirmation.
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification are required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
Guests will be asked to pay the following charges at the property:
We've listed all charges provided to us by the property, but they may vary based on length of stay or the room booked.


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Any trip to the South Island wouldn't be complete without a visit to Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand.
Surrounded by the snowy mountains of the Remarkables, Cecil Peak and Walter Peak around lake Wakatipu, our arrival as the sun set in Queenstown was stunning. We followed this with dinner of a 'Ferg Burger' which is a local food institution, even getting a gluten free bun for Bee.
The first morning started early with a jet boat ride on the freezing lake and into both the Kawarau and Shotover rivers. Bundled up in our waterproof overcoats we all boarded the boat and given instructions in holding on when the driver gave the signal for a 360° spin, and off we shot, squeals rang out as we appeared to be heading straight for trees, bridges and buoys, only missing them by what felt like millimetres! The spray from the boat as we went into the spins was like ice cold needles on our faces.
As if this wasn't enough adrenaline for the day we had booked a Bungy jump for the afternoon. This was something Bee had never ever wanted to try, but when we saw we could do this as a tandem jump together from the original Kawarau Bridge Bungy, we thought this was the only way to try and conquer this fear, as Tim could just jump and take her with him!
After getting checked in and our weights written in permanent marker on our hands, we found out that, we couldn't jump together after all. The difference between our weights was too great, and Bee's ankles wouldn't have survived the jump. We were going to have to do this separately or not at all (as went through Bee's mind on a constant loop until it was over!)
Arriving at the bridge there was solid ice on the ground and the gorge was in shade giving it a foreboding atmosphere. The walk out to the platform seemed to take forever (one step forward, two steps back....).
Towels tied around ankles and the Bungy cord attached, Bee was up first, and inching to the very edge of the platform took some convincing...... and off she went, with huge screams towards the river. It was utterly terrifying! Video footage to come shortly….
Tim jumped off with much more enthusiasm, and wanted to immediately go and try a higher one!


Solid piece from Quartz on the state of the Holacracy experiment at Zappos. I’ve never worked at Zappo’s, but it seemed to me like a healthy culture to boldly engage in different productivity and leadership experiments. However, as reported, it does not appear to be working.
Nearly a third of the company has walked to the door. I don’t know what Zappo’s annual attrition rate has been, but I guess that is higher. When you combine this with the fact that Zappos dropped off the Forbes “Best Companies to Work For” list, you have evidence of a larger systemic problem.
To me, the money quote in the piece is, “Robertson [Holacracy’s creator] says it takes five years for Holacracy to work.” There’s a short list of the larger companies using Holacracy on their wiki, but my question is two fold: what does working mean and what company has successfully done it?