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The 21st Street Co-op is a student housing cooperative in Austin, Texas housing 100 residents. It is part of the College Houses co-op system.

Located at 707 West 21st Street, the house is just a few blocks west of the University of Texas at Austin campus and Guadalupe Street (the Drag). The 21st Street Co-op offers a combination of suites, walkways, balconies and landscapes.

History
The five new buildings of College Houses were still under construction in August 1974 prior to the fall semester. William Tamminga, a popular Austin architect of the 1970s, designed and built the complex. The funding was provided by a loan from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Michael McHone, now a local real estate developer, was primarily responsible for securing the funding.

One hundred contracts for new members were signed and dropped off at the College Houses, Inc. offices located in the Ark Co-op. The Ark was 21st Street Co-op's "big sister", located 50-yards away. Room and board contracts were originally $245 per month for a single room and $135 for a shared room.

With the fall semester of 1974 about to begin, all of the inaugural members began showing up, but the buildings were still far from being ready. Contracts had been signed, so College Houses, Inc. rented some rooms at the former Brownstone Apartments as temporary housing. The Brownstone was half a mile away, six blocks north on Rio Grande.

Cold breakfast was available at the Brownstone. For almost two months everyone had to travel to the Ark for main meals. There were as many as 225 co-op residents coming to the Ark for dinner. Menus typically consisted of a vegetable, a salad, potatoes or pasta, a meat dish or meat substitute, and a dessert. Textured vegetable protein (TVP) was introduced as a cost-cutting measure.

In early November 1974 the buildings were officially opened. This day was celebrated at 21st Street Co-op for many years.

The buildings were mostly dark red cedar with bright blue trim and many windows. There wasn't any landscaping. The walkways and stairs were very slippery and caused several accidents. They were later treated to increase traction.

Closets had not been designed into the rooms due to budget constraints, so College Houses, Inc. contracted Foursquare Furniture to build heavy particle board units to use as closets. It was left up to the co-op residents to assemble them, paint them and install them in each room.

There have been various injuries and a fatality at the co-op over the years. One of the third-floor decks collapsed in 1987, seriously injuring three residents.  During the 1980s, a resident working on the roof was stung by a bee. He went into a panic and fell off of the roof, and did not survive.

Solar collectors were installed on the rooftops. As with the Ark and later Taos, a soda machine was modified to sell beer. This was strictly illegal and never approved by the TABC. In fact, there was much panic in the mid-1980s when a TABC agent's son became a member of the co-op. At 25¢ a bottle, it became necessary to make it an official house job to keep the money-making machine full. No such machine exists at the co-op presently.

Community structure

Labor
The co-op runs on a labor system. Each resident of the co-op does four hours of labor per week coordinated by the Labor Czar. Cooking, cleaning, and general house maintenance are a few examples of labor. Labor keeps the cost of living down as members fix and maintain the house themselves. Residents with a desire to invest themselves more into the co-op may run for officer positions.

When the 21st Street Co-Op opened there were initially three jobs available to residents. The Menu Planner reviewed the menus that each cook submitted and determined what food supplies were needed. The Kitchen Manager ordered the food and kitchen supplies and oversaw kitchen operations. The Accountant collected rent and maintained the treasury. Residents who filled these positions received a substantial reduction in their rent but were still responsible for weekly labor assignments.

House structure

Suites
The 100 members share furnished private and double rooms joined into small suites. Lofts are common in rooms. Each suite includes a common living room, kitchenette, semi-private baths and floor-to-ceiling windows opening out onto the front and back yards.

Other areas
The "TV Temple" provides three-tiered seating for residents to watch television or movies. A computer lab affords residents internet access and printing capabilities.

References

Sources
Many Hands: A History of the Austin Cooperative Community Library book link

External links
21st Street Co-Op Facebook Page
21st Street Co-op Overview YouTube video
Decisions are made by those who show up: Life and art at 21st Street Co-op A photo essay about 21st Street co-op by a former member

Buildings and structures in Austin, Texas
Student housing cooperatives in the United States
Residential buildings in Texas
1974 establishments in Texas
Residential buildings completed in 1974


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The Silk & Stewart Development Group
Cranberry Corporate Center, At The Corner Of Main And Main, Cranberry Today, page 9 of the Summer, 2012 edition. There is also a short video of Andrew Stewart describing Silk & Stewart's positive experience doing business in Cranberry.
Partnership equals success for Silk & Stewart, Pittsburgh Business Times, from the December 4, 2009 print edition.
Silk & Stewart Development Group buys industrial park warehouse in Marshall, Pittsburgh Business Times, from the November 16, 2009 print edition.
Federal North goes on block, seller wants $47.5 million, Pittsburgh Business Times, from the June 27, 2008 print edition.
Rubinoff Co. sells Cranberry flex park for $18.8M, Pittsburgh Business Times, from the April 18, 2008 print edition.
Commercial side of real estate continues to explode, Phoenix Business Journal, from the July 28, 2006 print edition.
Development firm opening in Phoenix, Pittsburgh Business Times, from the July 20, 2006 print edition.
Stevens to build retail center off Mallory, Nashville Business Journal, from the April 28, 2006 print edition.
Hacks Cross retail center draws $10 million sale price, Memphis Business Journal, from the May 6, 2005 print edition.
Pittsburgh firm launches second center, Memphis Business Journal, from the October 18, 2002 print edition.
White elephant Federal North finally finds owner, tenants, Pittsburgh Business Times, from the May 10, 2002 print edition, frontpage article.
Retail center in the works for Wolfchase outparcel, Memphis Business Journal, from the May 4, 2001 print edition.
Copyright © 2000–2021 Silk & Stewart Development
5812 Darlington Road / Pittsburgh, PA, 15217

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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It's that time of year for you to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!! A holiday we love to celebrate in America. Why? Is it just the food and the alcohol? Hopefully not. It's a time to remember when a culture of people stood up for their rights. All coming to blows at the Battle of Puebla. It is a time to remember to embrace all people, Mexican American people for what their ancestors did. It's a time I like to remember what my ancestors did.
Coming from a mixed Black-Mexican American background, I did not have a lot of traditions that were passed down from my grandmother, as they usually are by the mother of the family. Why? It's a little hard to do so when your mother was gone at a young age. However, my strong Latina grandmother did what she could. Learned what she could and passed those traditions along with new traditions down to her daughters. And so my mother passed them down to me.
Now do I pass all of them down to my children. No, not yet. Some are too young to understand the meaning. But, I do pass down what I can and when they are able to understand everything I will teach them what I know.
One of our families traditions is our love of our favorite Mexican foods. Even if I am too busy to cook them all the time, I love to do something for Cinco de Mayo. Because to do it right you have to do it right and its a long process. My favorite meals are usually homemade. I love my families homemade Chicken Tacos with Spanish Rice and Pinto Beans. I also have some other homemade dishes my grandmother used to make. But, for today, I am making something easy for my kids.
A tradition of my own. Passed down by me to my children. A busy mom of 4, I have to give them what they like along with making it in a timely matter for them before they need to go to bed. On our menu for dinner is Turkey Nachos with beans. My kids love nachos and for me I needed to add some kind of protein to it so I could feel like they were getting enough. So I decided to add ground turkey and black beans. Although, they do have to be in a mood for black beans. I will say they love it and so do I. Its fast, its easy and its fun for the kids to build their own. So while they are enjoying that, my husband and I will do the grown up thing and partake in a cerveza.
Check my out my Instagram and all the fun activities for today!! And remember, Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
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Polycom offers a trade-in program that allows you to get a rebate when you replace 5 or more existing phones with Polycom VVX series. It is valid May 1st through December 31st, 2016.
discontinued Polycom SoundPoint IP phones: SPIP 300, SPIP 301, SPIP 320, SPIP 430, SPIP 500, SPIP 501, SPIP 600 and SPIP 601.
Full information about this program can be downloaded here.
If you have questions or concerns regarding the rebate program, you can email Polycom@rebate-zone.com or call 866-665-7402 (between 8am-4:30pm CST).
Note: the rebate program is strictly through Polycom. All correspondence, forms, and documentation must be sent to Polycom in order to receive the rebate. Intermedia does NOT have any information on the status of a rebate claim.


It depends where they are hooked. If the fish is hooked through the lip, and you can get the hook out without handling the fish, it stands a good chance of survival. However, the more you handle a fish and damage it's protective slime coat, the greater chance the fish will get infected. Also many times the hook is in the gut or in the throat where it may due damage it removed, or continual damge it left. Plus if you are fishing deep the quick pressure change can be fatal. What chance does a fish who's eyes are bugging out, and stomac distended through the mouth have oh living?
It has also been my experience when surf fishing in calm areas such as the Sea of Cortez, that even fish which are carfully released die within a few days, and wash up on the beach.
No doubt some released fish live, but I think it is far fewer thanone would prefer.


During Lent, all God's people are called to a deeper sense of conversion. "Behold, I make all things new" (Rv 21:5) is the theme for the event. Revival will begin with Mass on March 31 at 11:15 a.m. Revival will continue on the evenings of April 1 and 2 at 7 p.m. with praise and worship music and preaching.


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Gehrke: We shouldn't squander Legacy Parkway's special features before we know what we want it to be
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Legacy is an asset to the communities along the road, and it shouldn't be undermined in haste, writes Robert Gehrke.
By Robert Gehrke
· Published: December 12, 2018
The notion behind the Legacy Parkway was for it to be kinder and gentler than the average highway.
That's evident in the noise-dampening asphalt, the 55 mph speed limit, and the bike paths and bridges that run along the road. There are also no billboards. And, perhaps most notable, there is a ban on big rigs.
All of this was done to protect the wetlands and the critters that called those expanses home and to assuage the concerns of environmental groups and resolve costly and time-consuming litigation.
Over the past 15 years, it has worked out pretty well for everyone involved. Developments have cropped up along the parkway in a way you don't really see along a typical interstate. It has been designated as a scenic byway and the wetlands have, to a large degree, been preserved.
However, the big truck ban, as my colleague Lee Davidson reported this week, will expire Jan. 1, 2020. Then what?
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sign on I-215, stating that trucks are prohibited from driving on the Legacy Parkway, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018.
Well, the Utah Trucking Association wants Legacy open to tractor-trailers and contends that it was always the plan for the road to be available to them once the 15-year moratorium sunsets.
The city councils in Woods Cross and Farmington are not enthused about that concept, passing resolutions recently to extend the truck moratorium.
Sen. Todd Weiler, who represents much of that area, said he plans to sponsor legislation to extend the big-rig ban. He really only has one shot, since the upcoming session will be the last before parts of the compromise sunset.
But he anticipates there will be opposition from the trucking association. One of its leading arguments is that it would be easier and make more sense for trucks to use Legacy to get goods into and out of the inland port.
The problem is that we don't even know what that inland port is going to look like and how much rail traffic versus truck traffic will be moving into and out of this future shipping hub. We probably won't know those answers for a few years.
Moreover, in the past decade, thousands of Utahns have built homes and lives along the highway. Condominiums and houses were built to face the highway — and the Great Salt Lake — largely because of the parkway design.
There are grass berms instead of big, ugly concrete sound walls that we typically see along urban interstates, adding to the quasi-pastoral — as pastoral as a highway can be — qualities of Legacy.
"I think it's an asset and amenity in their community and they shouldn't have to give that up," said Roger Borgenicht of Utahns for Better Transportation, an advocate for keeping Legacy as-is.
Ultimately, Legacy's future may come down to two other Davis County legislators — incoming House Speaker Brad Wilson and Senate President-elect Stuart Adams.
Adams is deeply invested in transportation issues and in Legacy, in particular. He was in the House of Representatives and sponsored the 2005 legislation that resolved the litigation that had delayed the road, and he was chairman of the Utah Transportation Commission when Legacy opened three years later. Legacy is, in many ways, his baby. What he says on this issue will be huge, and we are not sure what that is yet.
But this isn't an issue that must be decided immediately.
Instead, Adams, Wilson and the rest of the Legislature should hit the pause button on Legacy, at least for a year or two. That way we can get a better idea about the traffic needs of the inland port, and policymakers can have time to hear from their constituents who travel Legacy, as well as the people who live along the highway and are likely just learning about the potential truck invasion.
Maybe there's some middle ground to be had — perhaps opening Legacy to trucks during rush hours to alleviate the snarls along Interstate 15 into and out of Salt Lake City.
But right now, Legacy is an asset to the communities along the road, and it shouldn't be undermined in haste.
Because as any experienced traveler knows, it only makes sense to pick your route after you know where the heck you want to go.
gehrke@sltrib.com
twitter Follow @RobertGehrke
Utah man accused of calling in bomb threat to Lowe's store
By The Associated Press • 4h ago


Grades just came out at school and I did not do very well. My parents are really mad at me and now the office says that I can't do any extracurricular activities. I am super worried that I will not be able to bring my grades back up in the next 6 weeks for the next progress report. I was hoping that you might be able to give me some advice because I really want to be able to do all the activities and I don't want my parents mad at me.
It is great that you are wanting to improve your grades. Some steps that will really help is to buy or print out a calendar or agenda. In each class you should write down your assignments and due dates. This will help keep you organized and then you can double check what assignments are due the next day.
You also will want to set time aside each day right after school to do homework. If you can finish your homework before you allow yourself to do anything else, this will help prioritize school work and make sure that it is done before you are too tired or run out of time.
Keep working hard and be diligent and I believe you will see positive results.


Free music dictionaries: best one is here; also here and here.
Noteflight: Free music-notation software. Highly recommended.
Reader: Read any Finale sheet music or music XML file and print it.
Low cost option: Finale Notepad ($9.95 download). Demo here.
Non-saving trial of Sibelius, to get an idea of how the program works.
Scorch: Allows you to view, play, and print any Sibelius score posted online.
Here is a version of Dark Eyes by Jazzology: me on trumpet, Joel Stamoolis on bass, Dave Myers on keys, and Jeremy Chignell on the skins.


Buyer's financing fell through. This is the last unit available in Phase I. New Construction 4 level Townhouse/Condo. Price includes the base Smart Home package, Elevator & Outdoor Kitchen Upgrades. Welcome to the Sabal; downtown St. Petersburg's first smart, luxury townhouse brought to you by Salt Palm Development. Salt Palm is a 1% For The Planet member and Florida's first real estate development Benefit Corporation (inquire for details). This 4 level Townhouse/Condo comes complete with elevator, outdoor kitchen, cutting-edge home automation technology and highly energy efficient systems. Some features include engineered hardwood throughout, quartz countertops, Kitchen Aid stainless appliance package, dual 15 seer HVAC system, PGT Windguard windows & doors, attached garage, and the list goes on. From the desirable up and coming location, to the solid masonry construction, to the impeccable design; no detail has been overlooked. Before you enter the door; use your phone turn on a few lights, set the temperature, even start your favorite soundtrack. After enjoying a meal with friends in your open concept kitchen, continue your night up to the 4th level bonus room and step out onto the abundant rooftop terrace where you can enjoy the sounds of the city and the stars above. Live everyday, in style and function.


Home » Posts tagged "Bastiat"
Anyone could do wonders if he could contrive to overcome all resisting influences, and if all mankind would consent to become soft wax in his fingers; but men are resolved not to be soft wax; they listen, applaud, or reject and — go on as before. via What Is Money? – Frederic Bastiat – Mises Daily.


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english-quiz.net
Toto SDY
Posted byadminpro January 17, 2023 January 17, 2023
The Singapore Lottery is one of the most popular forms of gambling in Singapore. A recent survey conducted by the National Council on Problem Gambling revealed that 44% of the country's permanent residents had placed bets on gambling activities in the past year.
It's important to understand the risks of playing the Singapore Lottery before you buy your tickets. Even with a relatively low odds, winning can be quite a big prize.
In Singapore, Toto, also known as Singapore Lotto, is the most popular betting game. Players choose six numbers from 1 to 49 and have a chance to win a jackpot. This game is played twice a week.
Toto was launched in Singapore in 1968. After years of evolution, it became the 6/42 format in 1988. In 2014, the prize was increased to SGD$1 million.
Despite the low odds of winning, lottery tickets are a great way to enjoy the thrill of the live draw. Moreover, tickets can be purchased online for convenience.
Singapore Pools, the only legal provider of lottery games in the country, also offers a variety of other games. Some of these include Sweep and 4-D, which are played on a weekly basis.
The Singapore Pools branch conducts 4-D draws on Sundays. These drawings are overseen by the Tote Board.
While the Tote Board is a statutory body, the company that operates the lottery is a private one. If you are caught placing bets with an unlicensed or illegal operator, you could be fined up to SGD10,000.
Posted byadminpro January 17, 2023 January 17, 2023 Posted inUncategorized
Lottery Singapore
How to Choose a Reputable Lottery Online Site
What to Look for in a Slot
Keluaran Sidney
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Authors: LUO, G.; SAMARANAYAKE, L. P.; CHEUNG, B. P. K.; TANG, G.
Luo G, Samaranayake LP, Cheung BPK, Tang G. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detection of HLP gene expression in Candida glabrata and its possible role in in vitro haemolysin production. APMIS 2004;112:283–90.
Although haemolysins are known to be putative virulence factors contributing to pathogenicity in Candida species, the haemolytic activity of Candida glabrata and its genetic expression is ill understood at present. Thus, we studied a total of 34 Candida glabrata isolates for their in vitro haemolytic activity using a previously described plate assay system. The mRNA expression of HLP, a putative haemolysin gene, of these isolates was also evaluated using a semi-quantitative, non-competitive RT-PCR assay. All 34 C. glabrata isolates exhibited both partial (α) and complete (β) haemolytic activity to varying degrees. In parallel with the haemolytic activity, all isolates were also positive for HLP mRNA expression. The expression levels of HLP mRNA (as relative units) ranged from 1.01 to 1.82, with a mean value of 1.32. On regression analysis of latter values and the haemolytic activity (in terms of the dimension of the haemolytic zone in the plate assay) of the C. glabrata isolates a highly significant positive correlation was noted (r=0.759, p<0.0001). Taken together, our data illustrate not only the phenotypic characteristics of haemolysin(s) and HLP expression of a battery of C. glabrata clinical isolates, but also, for the first time, evidence for a role of HLP in haemolysis.


Day by day world is getting digitized drastically. More than two-thirds of the world's population is on internet or online for any reason, and the digits are growing by each day with Digital Marketing.
The word of marketing is moving from traditional marketing like newspaper ads, billboards, TV ads and etc. to digital marketing.
The internet reaches more people globally than any other marketing channel. If you want to expand your brand, increase your sales and grow your business then you have to invest money into your marketing to make it happen.
Your business can develop its online marketing strategy for very little cost and can potentially replace costly advertising channels such as television, Yellow Pages, radio, and magazine.
Most packaged email marketing solutions provide good insight into how many people are reading, opening and converting from your emails.
Unlike traditional methods, you can see in real time what is not or is working for your business online and you can modify very quickly to improve your results.
For computing traffic, to your site, you can use Google Analytics to measure specific goals you want to achieve for your blog or website.
Whichever business can compete with any challenges regardless of size with a solid digital marketing strategy. Traditionally a small-scale retailer would struggle to match the finesse of the fixtures and fittings of its larger challengers. Online, a crisp well thought out site with a smooth client journey and fantastic service is king – not size.
You can notice the numbers of visitors to your site and its subscriber's increase ratio, conversion rates, peak trading times and much more at the one click.
Basically, anything that you capture in your customer's journey can be reported on and honed for greater success at the snippet of the cost of traditional marketing. After all, how annoying is it to get a couple of forms returned from a mail.
Marketing online enables you to refine your strategy at any point in time and see any improvements for further refinement almost instantaneously.
A maintained website with quality content targeting the needs and adding benefit to your target audience can provide significant value and lead generation opportunities. The same can be said for personalized email marketing and utilizing social media channels.
Far greater exposure:You can easily advertise your business anywhere in the world by a marketing campaign. The cost of traditional marketing would be much higher than Online Marketing.
You have heard about this term if you are using social channels, quality post easily viral through social media channels.
Thanks, next we will be sharing information on Social Media Tips and Tricks.


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You are here: Home / Disadvantaged Business Certifications / DBE Certifications in Florida
Diverse Business Certifications in Florida
Explore DBE Certification programs available in the state of Florida
DBE Certifications in Florida
Florida offers several certifications to businesses that are at least 51% owned by individuals who are considered 'disadvantaged' members of the population. Minorities, women, veterans, and people with disabilities all qualify as 'disadvantaged' and may be eligible for a Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE) certification in the state. In addition to DBE programs, Florida offers several regional and local programs and certifications for specific business owners, such as women, minorities, veterans, and others. With these statewide, local, and regional programs, diverse businesses can gain greater access to government and public contracts and subcontracts, vastly improving their opportunities and potential.
Florida Unified Certification Program
The Florida Unified Certification Program (Florida UCP) offers "one-stop shopping" for all businesses seeking DBE certification in Florida. Once you have your Florida UCP certification, it is valid for every participating agency throughout the state. Once certified through this program, your business will be added to a state DBE-certified directory. To apply, complete this application and submit it to one of the following agencies:
Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA)
Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA)
Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA)
Lee County Port Authority – RSW
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
Florida Department of Transportation DBE Programs
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) offers a DBE certification program for independent, for-profit businesses that meet federal small business requirements. The owners of these businesses must be economically and socially disadvantaged, own and control at least 51% of the company, possess expertise in their work industry, and meet net worth requirements. Businesses certified through the FDOT have increased access to state road, highway, and bridge projects. To apply, complete this application and Personal Net Worth Statement.
Florida Department of Management Services
The Florida Department of Management Services' Office of Supplier Diversity is committed to increasing the number of certified businesses within the state of Florida. Businesses that are owned by minorities, women, or veterans can gain their certifications through this program. Florida-based businesses that are for-profit, owned by a qualifying individual, registered in MyFloridaMarketplace, and meet size and net worth requirements may be eligible. To apply, click on the links below.
Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council
The Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council (FSMSDC) offers an MBE certification to businesses owned by U.S. citizens who are Black, Asian, Native American, or Hispanic. This program offers support and education to all certified members, working to improve business opportunities throughout the state. To apply, click on the link below.
Women's Business Development Council of Florida WBE Programs
The Women's Business Development Council (WBDC) offers business certifications to woman-owned businesses throughout Florida. This organization gives support and resources to the women who own these businesses to help improve their business opportunities. To apply, click on the link below.
City of Orlando DBE Programs
The City of Orlando offers MBE and WBE certifications to qualifying businesses to improve and expand business opportunities for participating companies. Upon receiving this certification, businesses are added to Orlando's M/WBE database and have access to assistance through services and programs. To apply, click on the links below.
Greater Orlando Aviation Authority DBE Programs
The DBE programs offered by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority include certifications for minority, woman, and service-disabled veteran owned businesses, as well as local developing businesses and Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (ACDBE). This program works to offer increased access to federally-funded transportation projects and improve the local economy. To apply, click on the links below.
ACDBE (Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise)
LDB (Local Developing Business)
SDVBE (Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise)
Orange County Government, Florida DBE Programs
The Orange County Government, Florida offers certifications to woman, minority, and service-disabled veteran owned businesses that are registered in the county. This organization works to encourage economic growth and contracting opportunities to disadvantaged businesses. To qualify, businesses must have a primary location in the Orlando Metropolitan Statistical Area, including Lake, Seminole, Osceola, and Orange counties. To apply, click on the links below.
Jacksonville Transportation Authority DBE Programs
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) strives to remove barriers, level the playing field, and ensure non-discrimination for diverse businesses in the city of Jacksonville. Businesses that are owned by women, minorities, or socially and economically disadvantaged individuals can get a certification through this program. To apply, click on the link below.
School Board of Broward County DBE Programs
The School Board of Broward County (SBBC) certifies small, woman, and minority owned businesses through its Supplier Diversity Outreach Program. This organization supports, educates, and assists diverse businesses in their development and expansion. Businesses located in Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties may be eligible for these certifications. To apply, click on the links below.
The School District of Palm Beach County DBE Programs
The School District of Palm Beach County's Office of Diversity in Business Practices works to promote diversity and equality within the region. Businesses that gain MBE and WBE certifications through this organization have increased opportunities to win city contracts and business. To apply, click on the links below.
West Palm Beach SBE Programs
The City of West Palm Beach certifies small businesses to encourage economic growth within the region. Businesses must be located and doing business in West Palm Beach and meet adjusted gross margin earning requirements. To apply, click on the link below.
South Florida Water Management District SBE Programs
The South Florida Water Management District offers a SBE program for businesses in the region. This program helps small businesses receive greater access to initiatives and projects that are important to the area. To apply, click on the link below.
City of Pensacola DBE Programs
The City of Pensacola offers MBE and WBE certifications to assist businesses in winning construction and procurement contracts with the city. Businesses located in Pensacola's regional area, including Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton Counties, and Mobile, Alabama, may be eligible for this program. To apply, click on the links below.
City of Tampa DBE Programs
The City of Tampa created the Women/Minority Business Enterprise Program to help disadvantaged businesses have equal opportunities to win professional, non-professional, and construction contracts. With these certifications, woman and minority owned companies have a better chance to offer goods and services to the region's economy. To apply, click on the links below.
SLBE (Small Local Business Enterprise)
Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality
The Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality offers certifications for small, minority, and woman owned businesses in the region. Through the Minority, Women, & Small Business Enterprise (MWSBE) Division, diverse businesses can better their business and networking opportunities. To apply, click on the links below.
Hillsborough County DBE Programs
Hillsborough County certifies small, minority, and woman owned businesses to help them flourish and expand. This program offers resources, training options, and access to business opportunities in the area. Certified businesses can also join the local diverse business directory. To apply, click on the links below.
Disadvantaged Business Certifications
8(A) Certification
DOBE Certification
HOBE Certification
LGBTBE Certification
MBE Certification
WBE Certification
DBE Certifications in Alabama
DBE Certifications in Arizona
DBE Certifications in Colorado
DBE Certifications In Connecticut
DBE Certifications in Georgia
DBE Certifications in Indiana
DBE Certifications in Iowa
DBE Certifications in Kentucky
DBE Certifications in Louisiana
DBE Certifications in Maryland
DBE Certifications in Massachusetts
DBE Certifications in Michigan
DBE Certifications in Minnesota
DBE Certifications in Mississippi
DBE Certifications in Missouri
DBE Certifications in New Jersey
DBE Certifications in New York
DBE Certifications in North Carolina
DBE Certifications in Ohio
ODOT DBE Certification in Ohio
DBE Certifications in Pennsylvania
DBE Certifications in South Carolina
DBE Certifications in Tennessee
DBE Certifications in Texas
DBE Certifications in Virginia
DBE Certifications in Washington
DBE Certifications in Wisconsin
DBE Certifications in Oklahoma
DBE Certifications In Oregon


So, 9 days ago I signed up for a facebook group that was doing the 21 Day Fix ( a popular healthy eating and exercise program that you do for 21 days). Since having a child, I've let my physical self care go down the wayside. I used to go to the gym 4 days a week, even up until I was 37 weeks pregnant. It was something I really looked forward to.
This 21 day fix is rather strict, but that's to be expected. It's 21 days after all. I LOVE that I am food prepping and packing all my meals and planning things out. I love that I am exercising (you have to do a 30 minute video EVERY day). The downside is this. The only time that Adam and I get to spend together is at dinner, after Lamb is asleep. He usually goes running (he runs 3-6 miles daily) then picks us up dinner (usually something deliciously unhealthy), and then we sit together, eat dinner, and watch a favorite tv show. Now, it looks something like this.
He goes running, while I put Lamb to bed. I have usually already eaten my meal by this point (it's usually just some grilled chicken and veggies). When he returns, I start my 30 minute work out. He eats dinner while I do this. Then we both take turns taking a shower. I've got to blow dry and flat iron my hair, and rush to get to bed by 9:30 (I need lots of sleep). So, we almost NEVER SPEND ANY TIME TOGETHER! Omg. It's like, so frustrating. Food prepping and exercising takes up ALL MY TIME.
I plan after this is over, to try to strike some sort of a balance. Maybe exercise 3 times a week. Eat generally more healthy with some splurge meals during the week.
It would be so easy to be childless and single and cook and food prep and work out. But this is a juggling act that I think every mom struggles with. Unfortunately I'm not the kind of person that thrives on less than 8 hours of sleep a night. I envy those people!
So, although it feels great to be taking better care of myself, there is a downside. That, and I'm really craving a whole batch full of brownies right now =P Trying to make it to the end of this challenge though because that's when we're all headed to Belize for a family beach wedding.
Mommy struggles are real. I think they get easier each month, but at the time it seems almost impossible to ever get anything done!
Going to sleep at 10 is my absolute latest. I prefer to get 9hrs of sleep and Lamb is usually awake around 6:20. That or my alarm goes off for work then.


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Review: The Long Sunset by Jack McDevitt
The Long Sunset by Jack McDevitt
cover by John Harris
Award winning author Jack McDevitt reaches deep into his literary bag of tricks once again to entice readers with a thought provoking journey into the future. The Long Sunset is the eighth installment of The Academy series featuring interstellar pilot Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchins, a strong character who has evolved with each chapter into the kind of hero modern science fiction yearns to claim.
In the year 2256. it seems the advancement of man has finally reached its apex and traveling amongst the stars in a transdimensional superluminal (FTL) starship has lost its romantic appeal. As new discoveries of other life become far and few between, the political realm begins to frown on extravagant research outside our own solar system. Even after a startling message arrives in the form of music from an unexplored corner of the universe, a large portion of humanity struggles with a growing paranoia surrounding the strange alien beings on the other end.
Not even the romantic image of an alien waterfall or the inviting sounds of what has been labeled the Calliope transmission can sway public opinion. The discoveries of alien intelligence and search for evidence of ancient civilizations on distant worlds has lost its sex appeal. Contemplating the stagnation of her own waning career and probable dreary future thanks in part to life extending medical enhancements, Hutch jumps at the chance to pilot an expedition one more time. Setting out aboard the ship Berry Eiferman just before the mission can be stopped, readers are swept away in a different kind of discovery. The finding has less to do with what happens once the source of the signal is realized and more to do with what to do with that information.
The Long Sunset is not a fast-paced book if you consider the action, but it makes up for it in compelling ideas that forces the reader to pause, to weigh the options presented by the author and consider the actions taken by the characters. An ideal candidate for book club type discussions, this is the kind of literature that science fiction fans love to debate.
One of the common elements McDevitt often uses in his novels is the cleverly timed news reports that help set the social importance of the scenes within the context of the story in comparison to other events in this future world. The headline grabbing news desk synopses are often witty, but always telling of the social climate that sets the background for the action. One noticeable trait is the varied location of the news surrounding the mission in comparison to the other news of the day. As excitement of the journey diminishes, the news noticeably slides further and further back in importance.
Another distinct feature in McDevitt's novels is the attention to realism when it comes to characters. One would be hard pressed to find a role presented over the top in these books. This not only helps in character plausibility, the relatability and casual perception readers feel when reading about authentic people will also encourage emotional engagement and overall investment in the story.
Soon to be released by Simon & Schuster imprint Saga Press in April 2018, The Long Sunset by Jack McDevitt continues the author's long-standing prominence in influential works of science fiction.
Alien Discovery
Jack McDevitt
Saga Press
Science Fiction Literature
The Academy series
The Long Sunset
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Home / Smarter Living / 65 Fun Christmas Facts to Get You in the Holiday Spirit
65 Fun Christmas Facts to Get You in the Holiday Spirit
'Tis the season for Christmas trivia! Here are some festive facts your whole family can enjoy.
By Desirée O
The holidays are drawing closer, and that means it's time to finish up your shopping, trim your tree, and get those Christmas greetings in the mail. It's been another long year, so you may need an extra dose of festive spirit this season. If that's the case, or if you're in need of some great icebreakers for family gatherings, read on for 65 fun Christmas facts that'll fill you—and anyone you're chatting with—with the magic of the holidays!
RELATED: 30 Amazing Christmas Trees Facts to Make the Holidays Extra Magical.
Sweden celebrates Christmas with a giant, straw Yule Goat.
MATS ASTRAND/TT/AFP via Getty Images
In Scandinavian countries, the Yule goat figures into the Christmas decor of many homes. In Norse mythology, the two goats pulled Thor's flying chariot the same way reindeer do for Santa's sleigh. On top of that, there's also a festive tale that focuses on an invisible Yule goat that checks in on holiday prep before the big day. That's why, in 1966, the Gävle Goat was created in an effort to draw shoppers to the Swedish city where it resides. Standing 42.6 feet high and seven meters in length, it also weighs a whopping 3.6 tons.
Ralphie from A Christmas Story was also in Elf.
Back in 1983, a young Peter Billingsley starred in A Christmas Story as Ralphie, a typical suburban kid who celebrates a holiday filled with hilarious ups and downs with his family. In 2003, Billingsley then popped up in another seasonal classic, Elf, as Ming Ming the toy-making supervisor in Santa's workshop. He's also appeared in other festive and non-festive films, including Four Christmases, Iron Man, and Spider-Man: Far from Home.
RELATED: This Is What Ralphie From A Christmas Story Looks Like Now.
Two of Santa's reindeer originally had different names.
Vladimir Melnikov/Shutterstock
In the 1823 poem, A Visit from Saint Nicholas, which originally introduced the world to Santa's reindeer, two of the flying creatures had slightly different names, according to Syracuse.com. Donner and Blitzen were instead Dunder and Blixem, which is a Dutch way to refer to "thunder and lightning."
The longest-running Santa Claus parade happens in Illinois.
Sergei Bachlakov/Shutterstock
Plenty of communities hold Santa Claus parades, and each one is special in its own way. However, the parade that happens each year in Peoria, Illinois, is the oldest parade of its kind in the U.S. It's taken place every holiday season since 1888—that's well over 100 years of festive fun!
One of the oldest Christmas markets dates back to the 1600s.
CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images
If you do a little shopping at the Christmas Market in Nuremberg, Germany, you'll be taking part in a tradition that's hundreds of years in the making. The proof of that can be found in a small box that the Germanisches Nationalmuseum keeps safe. The simple treasure holds an inscription that reads: "Sent to Regina Susanna Harßdörfferin by Miss Susanna Eleonora Erbsin (or Elbsin) on the occasion of the Christmas Market of 1628."
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" was recorded by a 13-year-old.
GAB Archive/Redferns
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is a classic holiday song that was released back in 1958 with Brenda Lee singing the festive tune. Billboard notes that, when the song was recorded, Lee was only 13 years old. In the years since, it's been re-recorded by stars including Kacey Musgraves, Justin Bieber, and Miley Cyrus.
Artificial Christmas trees were once made with goose feathers.
Krasula/Shutterstock
These days, artificial Christmas trees are made of materials that are meant to mimic real evergreens and last for as long as possible. But when these fake festive trees were first displayed in Germany around 1865, they were made of goose feathers that were dyed green.
Hallmark holiday movies only take 2 weeks to film.
Some Hollywood movies take a month to shoot, others quite a bit more. On the other end of the spectrum, the super-popular holiday movies that Hallmark is able to put out at such an impressive pace only take two weeks to film, according to E! News.
Brazil set the record for the world's largest floating Christmas tree.
ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP via Getty Images
At a staggering 278 feet and 10 inches tall and glowing with almost three million lights, Brazil's massive floating metal Christmas tree set a world record in December 2007. The tree continues to be brought out each year as a part of Rio De Janeiro's Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon.
Christmas could have been a spring holiday.
A long time ago, Pope Julius I decided that Christmas should be celebrated on Dec. 25, however, History points out it wasn't because that was the date that Jesus was born. Instead, many people believe it was to overshadow a pagan festival called Saturnalia which also happened on that day. In fact, Jesus may have actually been born during the spring!
"Jingle Bells" was the first song played in space.
It's hard to imagine what you'd want to rock out to if you were to ever float among the stars. But the crew of NASA's Gemini 6A space flight got into the Christmas spirit and made history when they played "Jingle Bells" on December 16, 1965, earning the jolly jingle the Guinness World Record for being the first song ever played in space. Well, as far we know, at least…
And it was originally a Thanksgiving song!
"Jingle Bells" may be one of the most well-known Christmas songs, but it was originally composed as a Thanksgiving tune. Written by Unitarian church organist James Lord Pierpont in the 1850s, in Savannah, Georgia, the song was "first performed during a Thanksgiving concert at [his] church," Time explains.
The tradition of hanging stockings comes from a legend about marriage.
Have you ever wondered why we hang up stockings—which are basically fancy socks—during the holiday season only to wake up on Christmas morning to find them filled with tiny gifts? According to the Smithsonian, one of the most popular legends about the tradition's origins is the tale of a poor widower who worried that he wouldn't be able to marry off his three daughters because of his lack of wealth.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb
Fortunately, Smithsonian explains, "St. Nicholas was wandering through the town where the man lived and heard villagers discussing that family's plight. He wanted to help but knew the man would refuse any kind of charity directly. Instead, one night, he slid down the chimney of the family's house and filled the girls' recently laundered stockings, which happened to be drying by the fire, with gold coins. And then he disappeared." In the morning, the family found the gifts, and the daughters became eligible to wed. 'Twas a Christmas miracle!
The NORAD Santa Tracker was created due to a child's misunderstanding.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, has been tracking Santa's journey around the world since 1958. According to their website, the innovation was set into motion in 1955, when "a young child [accidentally] dialed the unlisted phone number of the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, believing she was calling Santa Claus after seeing a promotion in a local newspaper." The commander on duty, Colonel Harry Shoup, saw an opportunity to create a little Christmas magic, and assured the youngster that CONAD would guarantee Santa a safe journey from the North Pole, sparking the idea to track Santa's travels each year to the delight of children all over the world.
If you gave all the gifts listed in the "Twelve Days of Christmas," it would equal 364 presents.
Sing along: "On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me / A partridge in a pear tree." Let's keep going! "On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me / Two turtle doves, and / A partridge in a pear tree." If you continue to sing the famous festive tune and count up all of the gifts that are bestowed upon the lucky singer in the lyrics—French hens, turtle doves, calling birds, and so much more—you'd end up with 364 presents.
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In Ukraine, spiders are considered symbols of good luck at Christmas.
When you think about Christmas creatures, reindeer and polar bears probably jump to mind… but what about spiders? In Ukraine, families often add spider web ornaments to their trees as a nod to a lovely seasonal story about the critters once using their silky string to decorate the tree of a poor widow and her children.
Santa has a postal code in Canada.
If you are in Canada and want to become pen pals with Santa Claus, you can send him a letter via the Canada Post mail system. The address? Santa Claus, North Pole, HOH OHO, Canada. And don't be surprised when you get a letter back! He has some helpers who keep up with his correspondence.
There is a Christmas tree in Spain worth $15 million.
Most of us have Christmas decorations that we hold dear for sentimental reasons, but the ornaments that adorn the Christmas tree at the Kempinski Hotel Bahia, near Marbella, Spain, have a different type of value. According to CNN, the tree is festooned with red, white, pink, and black diamonds, as well as jewelry from Bulgari, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Chanel. And just for good measure, you'll also find 3D-printed chocolate peacocks, feathers, ostrich eggs, and bottles of perfume on the tree, which is worth a whopping $15 million!
The Christmas tree pickle is a tradition to keep eager kids calm on Christmas morning.
According to Today, the Christmas pickle is more than just a common ornament, it's a tradition. As the quirky tradition goes, the first child to find the glass pickle hidden in the tree on Christmas morning either wins a prize or the privilege of opening the first gift. The goal? To keep kids from rushing through the process of opening presents, and instead take the time to enjoy each one.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was originally created as an advertising gimmick.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has been a popular holiday character for some time now, and one that many recognize from the beloved 1964 TV movie of the same name. However, according to the Smithsonian Insider, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first appeared in 1939 when Montgomery Ward department store asked one of its copywriters, 34-year-old Robert L. May, to create a Christmas story the store could give away to shoppers as a promotional gimmick." And thus Rudolph was born, with Montgomery Ward distributing 2.4 million copies of the story in the first year of its publication.
Eggnog dates back to medieval times.
Eggnog is a signature beverage of the holiday season, and one that has a history dating all the way back to medieval times and a drink called "posset." Made with sweetened and spiced milk curdled with ale or wine and served hot, according to Healthline, monks in the 13th century "enjoyed this mixture with the addition of eggs and figs."
Tinsel was once made of real silver.
Throwing some tinsel on your Christmas tree is a quick and inexpensive way to jazz up your holiday décor, and has been for years. However, it used to be a much pricier adornment. According to the BBC, tinsel has its origins in the early 1600s in Nuremberg, Germany, where people "used thin strands of real silver in their trees to reflect candlelight, as they used to put real candles in their trees." And since silver was expensive, being able to use tinsel in your tree was something of a status symbol.
Americans expect to spend around $837 on Christmas gifts this year.
In 2021, U.S. consumers on average are expected to spend $837 on gifts this holiday season, according to a Gallup poll. This shows that expected spending bounced back a bit from 2020 but still won't be on par with the pre-pandemic average of $850.
But they actually end up spending nearly $1,500 on presents.
Despite intent to stick to a Christmas-gift budget that's under $1,000, most Americans tend to go a little overboard. In an October 2019 study, Deloitte found that U.S. consumers spend around $1,496 during the giving season.
The Statue of Liberty is the largest Christmas gift ever given.
Standing over 150 feet tall and weighing 225 tons, the Statue of Liberty is an impressive figure. And since it was considered a holiday gift when it was given to the U.S. by France in 1886, it's officially the largest Christmas present in the world. That's a lot of wrapping paper and ribbon!
Thomas Edison and his business partner invented Christmas lights.
Thomas Edison has gone down in history as one of America's greatest inventors. We can thank him for the light bulb, phonograph, and even the movie camera. But did you know he is also partly responsible, along with his friend Edward H. Johnson, for inventing Christmas lights? According to the Library of Congress, Edison created the first strand of electric lights in 1880, which he hung outside his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey, during Christmastime that year. However, it was Johnson, his partner at Edison Illumination Company, who, in 1882, became the first to wrap a strand of hand-wired red, white, and blue bulbs around a Christmas tree. And the rest, as they say, is history!
The first tree at Rockefeller Center was an unadorned tree from construction workers.
The first Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center in New York City went up in 1931. However, it was hardly the big spectacle it is today. Instead, it was a 20-foot tree with no ornaments that was set up by construction workers who were laboring at the center's construction site. A second tree went up two years later, this time a 50-footer with lights, sparking the annual tradition.
Today, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree features more than 25,000 lights.
Today, if you visit Rockefeller Center during the Christmas season, you'll surely be blown away by the sight of the sparkling tree. The towering tree is decorated each year with over 25,000 lights, according to Time. Can you imagine checking every bulb to see if it works?!
The first Christmas card ever sent is worth almost $30,000.
On Nov. 24, 2001, a Christmas card was sold at auction in Devizes, Wiltshire, U.K., for £20,000, or $28,158, making it the most valuable Christmas card in the world. That's because it was "considered the world's first Christmas card," according to Guinness World Records, which notes that it "was sent by Sir Henry Cole, a Bath-born businessman, to his grandmother in 1843 and is hand-colored by the London illustrator John Calcott Horsley." The lithographed illustration depicts a multigenerational family enjoying a Christmas party and there are only 12 of the original 1,000 cards still in existence.
These days, over a billion and a half Christmas cards are sent each year in the U.S.
These days, around 1.6 billion people in the U.S. still manage to send out the old-fashioned greetings each year. According to data from Hallmark via The Atlantic, "Millennials represent nearly 20 percent of the dollars spent on greeting cards, and their spending is growing faster than that of any other generation."
And the smallest Christmas card in the world is invisible to the human eye.
Most Christmas cards are big enough for a seasonal illustration or photo as well as space inside for a heartfelt message. But in 2010, nanotechnologists at the University of Glasgow created a teeny-tiny Christmas card that could fit onto the surface of a postage stamp 8,276 times or onto a regular-sized Christmas card around half a million times.
While the card is invisible to the human eye, Professor David Cumming discussed producing the microscopic greeting card with Time, saying, "The process to manufacture the card only took 30 minutes. It was very straightforward to produce as the process is highly repeatable. The design of the card took far longer than the production."
Christmas Day boasts the lowest number of relationship breakups.
The holidays aren't always easy on romantic relationships, but if you and your significant other make it to Christmas Day, you can probably take the day off from worrying that you're going to break up. A 2010 study conducted by Facebook found that Dec. 25 had the fewest number of breakups. The weeks leading up to Christmas on the other hand? Yikes!
And it's the most popular time of year to propose.
According to The Washington Post, wedding experts and social media data indicate that Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are the two most popular days of the year to propose. In addition, the wedding app Bridebook also estimated that around 100,000 proposals were likely to take place during the Christmas season in 2018, as Harper's Bazaar reported.
A record number of babies is conceived around Christmas.
Studies have shown that September is the most popular time for babies to be born in the U.S. Check the calendar and that means that those little ones were conceived around the holiday season when couples are feeling rather, er, cozy.
The largest gingerbread house ever made was as big as a real house.
If you think that putting together a regular-sized gingerbread house is tricky, try making one that's big enough to walk into. In November 2013, a group from Traditions Club in Bryan, Texas, constructed a gingerbread house that was 160 feet long, 42 feet wide, and 10.1 feet tall. Made with a wood base, it reportedly took 1,800 pounds of butter, 7,200 eggs, 3,000 pounds of sugar, 7,200 pounds of flour, and over 22,000 pieces of candy to cover the record-breaking structure!
RELATED: 15 Royal Christmas Traditions That You Need to Know About.
And the largest snowflake ornament ever was over 10 feet tall.
According to Guinness World Records, the largest Christmas snowflake ornament ever was created by Universal Studios Japan in October 2019. It stood an incredible 10 feet and five inches tall, truly a tree topper to top all tree toppers. The tree it was placed upon also earned a Guinness title for the most lights on an artificial Christmas tree: a whopping 591,840.
Americans spend nearly $2 billion on holiday treats every year.
It used to be just candy canes and gingerbread. But these days, the Christmas sweets industry is booming. "It's candy-cane ice cream, candy-cane lattes, candy-cane marshmallows," Christine Couvelier, president of the food development firm Culinary Concierge, explained to USA Today in 2017. And boy, do we buy into it: Americans spend an estimated $1.93 billion on holiday treats, according to the National Confectioners Association.
There are nearly 750 different versions of "Silent Night."
"Silent Night" has long been a staple of the holiday season, when the hauntingly beautiful carol can be heard almost everywhere you go. So it makes sense that it is, in fact, the most recorded Christmas song in history. According to Time, as of 2014, there had been over 733 different versions of "Silent Night" copyrighted since 1978—and more continue to pop up every year!
Home Alone is the highest-grossing Christmas movie of all time.
When Macaulay Culkin starred as a young boy accidentally abandoned by his family during the holidays in 1990's Home Alone, the child actor became an instant star and the film an instant Christmas classic. According to Forbes, Home Alone remains the highest-grossing Christmas movie of all time in the U.S., earning $285.76 million at the domestic box office. It's followed by 2000's How the Grinch Stole Christmas ($260.04 million), 2018's Dr. Seuss' The Grinch ($189.67 million), and 2004's The Polar Express ($183.37 million).
Decorating Disney World involves 8.5 million lights.
While many people head to Disney World in the summer, others like to visit the most magical place on Earth during the most magical time of year. And to prepare for the festivities, Disney embarks upon a remarkable setup. According to Trip Savvy, preparing for the holidays Disney-style involves "unloading 150 semi-trailer truckloads of decorations, stringing 15 miles of garland and 8.5 million lights, hanging 1,314 wreaths, and trimming some 1,300 trees with 300,000 yards of ribbon and bows across Disney World's four theme parks, two water parks, and over two dozen Disney World resort hotels."
The tradition of putting up Christmas trees is more than 500 years old.
Putting up a Christmas tree has been a part of American holidays for years. However, it's a tradition that can be traced back to Germany. According to History, "Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes." The custom didn't come to the U.S. until the late 1700s or early 1800s, via German settlers in Pennsylvania.
At first, Christmas trees weren't accepted in the U.S.
Christmas trees weren't an immediate hit in America when they were first introduced to the U.S. by German settlers due to the fact that they weren't seen as Christian. "As late as the 1840s, Christmas trees were seen as pagan symbols and not accepted by most Americans," according to History.
There are more than 630 different kinds of Christmas trees.
When you go with a real Christmas tree over an artificial one, you have more than a few different options to choose from. For example, there are about 630 species of conifer trees alone, including popular choices like balsam fir, Douglas fir, and Fraser fir.
And the U.S. grows 77 million of them annually.
According to History, more than 1 million acres of American soil have been planted with Christmas trees. And at about 2,000 trees per acre, that adds up to around 77 million Christmas trees planted in the U.S. each year!
In fact, they're grown in all 50 states—yes, even Hawaii!
No matter where you live in the U.S., you can find a homegrown Christmas tree, likely from a nearby farm. That's because Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states, including Hawaii and Alaska, according to History.
The biggest elf gathering ever included over 1,700 of Santa's elves.
You might think that Santa's little helpers would be busy making toys for children all year long. But on Nov. 25, 2014, 1,762 elves came together in Bangkok, Thailand, to set the record for the largest gathering of Santa's elves ever.
But one of the biggest stateside gatherings is Elfapalooza in Alabama.
The people of Mobile, Alabama, are apparently determined to beat the record for the largest gathering of Santa's elves. That's why American elves meet up at the annual Elfapalooza event, which includes karaoke, best elf contests, and an elf march!
Stockbridge, Massachusetts, recreates a Norman Rockwell Christmas painting each year.
Stan Tess / Alamy Stock Photo
The picturesque town of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, becomes even more picturesque during the holidays when it transforms into a Norman Rockwell painting. Each December, according to the town's website, Stockbridge recreates the Sunday scene depicted in Rockwell's 1967 work, Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas (Home for Christmas), complete with vintage automobiles parked in the spots occupied in the painting. It's pretty much the most wholesome, dare we say Rockwellian, example of American culture we could ever imagine!
Arizona has a 30-foot Christmas tree made of tumbleweeds.
There are real Christmas trees, artificial Christmas trees, and in Chandler, Arizona, there's a 30-foot Christmas tree made out of tumbleweeds. It takes 1,200 tumbleweeds to create the structure, which is then covered in glitter as well as 20 gallons of flame retardant, according to Fodor's Travel.
You can recycle your Christmas tree by donating it to elephants.
When the holidays are over and it's time to get rid of your Christmas tree, you could drag it to the curb to be picked up by garbage collectors or you could donate it to a zoo so that it can be fed to a hungry elephant. Zoos around the world, including The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, accept evergreens, which are enjoyed by the giant herbivores as a seasonal snack.
Mistletoe translates to "dung on a stick."
When you find yourself standing under a sprig of mistletoe, it's time for a Christmas kiss. But, while mistletoe was once considered an aphrodisiac by the Druids, it also happens to mean "dung on a stick." According to Interflora, the original name for mistletoe was mistaltan—mistal comes from the Anglo Saxon word for "dung" and tan means "stick." How utterly unromantic!
Poinsettias have been a symbol of Christmas for over a century.
These beautiful red and green flowering plants have been associated with Christmas for over 100 years. Back in 1828, the American minister to Mexico, Joel R. Poinsett, brought a poinsettia home to America from his post down south. Getting their name from Poinsett, the plants gained popularity in the U.S. after stores in New York began to sell them at Christmas in 1870 and by the 20th century, "they were a universal symbol of the holiday," according to History.
Santa has more than 30 different names.
Did you know that Santa Claus is known by a number of festive names around the world? In Hungary, for instance, he goes by Mikulás, while those in Brazil refer to him as Papai Noel. He'll also answer to Hoteiosho in Japan, Julenisse in Norway, and Père Noël in France. And those are just a few of Kris Kringle's 30-plus international monikers.
You can visit Santa's village all year round in Canada.
Santa's Village is a festive theme park that's open 365 days a year in Canada, so you can visit during the winter months or camp there during the summer. Many movies have also been filmed at the seasonal location, including Hallmark's Christmas in Grand Valley and Netflix's The Knight Before Christmas starring Vanessa Hudgens.
Santa performers can make up to $1,200 an hour.
Santa Claus may be a one-of-a-kind Christmas character, but plenty of performers dress up as the festive figure each year to make extra money. During the holidays, mall Santas earn around $30 an hour but can make up to $100 per hour for their work. However, Dan Greenleaf, a professional freelance Santa who runs his own booking agency, told CNBC that when he's hired to visit parties, homes, or other events, the "typical hourly mid-range is about $150." And if you're really good at delivering a jolly "ho, ho, ho," then you can potentially make $500 an hour. Greenleaf even says one of the Santas who works for him was offered $1,200 by a Manhattan client for just one hour on Christmas Day!
Around 28 Lego sets are sold every second during the Christmas season.
If there's a child in your life, then there's a good chance that they've asked for at least one Lego set as a gift over the years. In fact, they probably ask for one each year. That's why, during the Christmas season, almost 28 Lego sets are sold each and every second, according to National Geographic Kids.
The day after Christmas is National Candy Cane Day.
Dec. 26 isn't just Boxing Day—it's also National Candy Cane Day, "and while that doesn't mean it'll keep us from munching on the sugary sticks as early as Thanksgiving, it does give us a chance to indulge as much as we can before New Year's," notes National Today.
People in Japan eat KFC on Christmas.
In America, families who celebrate Christmas might enjoy a turkey or ham for their holiday dinner. But over in Japan, modern holiday festivities often involve eating KFC at Christmas. According to the BBC, it's estimated that 3.6 million Japanese families enjoy the fast-food chicken on Dec. 25.
The credit goes to Takeshi Okawara, the manager of the first KFC in the country, who overhead a couple of foreigners talking in his store after it opened in 1970 about missing turkey on Christmas. "Okawara woke up at midnight and jotted down an idea that came to him in a dream: a 'party barrel' to be sold on Christmas," according to the BBC. He "hoped a Christmas dinner of fried chicken could be a fine substitute, and so he began marketing his party barrel as a way to celebrate the holiday."
The man who wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is credited with creating the modern view of Christmas.
While he is most famously associated with Halloween thanks to his creepy classic, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving was actually partially responsible for shaping the Christmas traditions we know and love today. "Among Irving's biggest contributions to Christmas in America was his promotion of St. Nicholas as a beloved character, laying the groundwork for the figure we'd eventually embrace as Santa Claus," the National Endowment for the Humanities notes.
The yule log calls back to a holiday tradition from the Iron Age.
etorres/Shutterstock
According to History, that log-shaped, chocolate-y dessert that you present to your guests every year has its roots in Gaelic and Celtic Winter Solstice traditions. "To cleanse the air of the previous year's events and to usher in the spring, families would burn logs decorated with holly, pinecones or ivy," the site states. "Wine and salt were also often used to anoint the logs. Once burned, the log's ashes were valuable treasures said to have medicinal benefits and to guard against evil." Over the centuries, the good-luck ritual developed into this tasty holiday treat.
A handwritten copy of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas was sold for $280,000.
Victorian Traditions/Shutterstock
In 2006, an unnamed business executive purchased one of four known handwritten copies of Clement Clarke Moore's poem, A Visit From Saint Nicholas, which is better known now as 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, at auction. The 1860 poem, also signed by the author, went for $280,000 and was reportedly read out loud by the buyer at a holiday party.
Mariah Carey wrote "All I Want for Christmas Is You" in 15 minutes.
YouTube/Mariah Carey
Yep, that's right. It took Mariah Carey less than half an hour to co-write her now-ubiquitous Christmas pop song. Her collaborator Walter Afanasieff told Billboard, "That's why it's so popular—because it's so simple and palatable!"
Children have been leaving cookies and milk out for Santa since at least 1896.
Hurst Photo/Shutterstock
No one knows exactly why it's now customary to leave out cookies and milk for Santa Claus, but, per NPR, the first recorded reference to the tradition is from a Santa-themed magazine for children that was published in the late 19th century. A young girl wrote to St. Nicholas: An Illustrated Magazine for Young Folks that she and her brother were planning to leave the snack out for their Christmas visitor in case he was hungry.
Tens of thousands of people go to the ER each year with decorating-related injuries.
TayaJohnston/Shutterstock
Make sure you have a spot when you're stringing those lights! According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2018, 17,500 people sought treatment at a hospital for injuries sustained while decorating for the holiday.
Santa Claus wasn't always partial to the color red.
Kiselev Andrey Valerevich/Shutterstock
These days, Santa is almost always depicted as a jolly, bearded man in a bright red suit with furry white trim. But this color scheme is a surprisingly recent development. Prior to the 1870s, Santa was shown wearing a range of colors, including brown, white, green, tan, and blue. Per The Guardian, Thomas Nast, a Harpers Bazaar caricaturist, is credited for originating the red-suited version of Santa we know so well today. Even though he himself had also drawn him in other hues, this is the one that stuck.
RELATED: The Real Reason Harry & Meghan Won't Be at the Royal Christmas, Sources Say.
Desirée O
Desirée O is a freelance writer who covers lifestyle, food, and nutrition news among other topics. Read more
Christmas • Facts • Holidays • Trivia
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© 2022 Galvanized Media. All Rights Reserved. Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Meredith Health Group


Shayna M. Steinfeld attended law school and graduated from Emory University School of Law in 1990. Shayna Steinfeld began practicing law in 1990.
Shayna Steinfeld is an attorney at Steinfeld & Steinfeld, PC, helping people with Bankruptcy: Business issues. Steinfeld & Steinfeld, PC has an office in Atlanta, Georgia, serving the local community.
Shayna Steinfeld was selected to Super Lawyers for 2005 - 2019. Super Lawyers is an exclusive list of top-rated attorneys in specific practice areas who were chosen after thorough evaluation of numerous criteria.
In addition to addressing Bankruptcy: Business legal needs, she also assists clients with Bankruptcy: Consumer issues.


Apple may be planning to purchase half a city block in downtown Reno, Nevada, for the purpose of creating a purchasing and receiving facility, reports Reno's KRNV.
The Reno City Council will discuss Apple's plans to purchase the property, located at 6th Street and Evans Avenue, at a Wednesday meeting. Apple is planning to build the facility alongside a planned data center at the Reno Technology Park, which Apple has been pursuing since 2012.
A filing from an assistant city attorney states that Reno and Urban Development have a reimbursement agreement to allow Apple to buy the land. The agreement would have Apple getting sales tax reimbursements through Urban Development for the cost of buying and adding to projects in the city's Téssera district.
Apple already operates one data center in Reno, and has been expanding on it for several years. When finished, the site will encompass 14 buildings and 412,000 square feet.
Apple is also planning to build a second data center adjacent to its existing center and requested permission from the city for the project back in early 2016.
What exactly is a 'purchasing & receiving facility'?
I'm guessing it's a fancy word for a warehouse.
The agreement would have Apple getting sales tax reimbursements through Urban Development for the cost of buying and adding to projects in the city's Téssera district.
Something is very, very wrong when the world's most valuable, most cash rich company gets a special tax break to open a building for its normal business operations.
The European Union prohibits member countries from providing illegal state aid. That's to help prevent, or at least to curb, local governments from engaging in pointless, zero sum bidding wars for corporate affections. Apple is entangled in exactly that sort of dispute right now, in Ireland. (And most likely Apple will have to cough up a substantial amount of corporate income tax.) The United States needs a similar limitation on state and local government competition. Apple was going to build this warehouse...excuse me, "purchasing and receiving facility"...somewhere. If not in Reno then in Carson City, Provo, Santa Fe, or somewhere else. Now what's happening is poor and middle class residents of Reno who pay sales tax are subsidizing the world's richest company. They're getting screwed yet again. Those who can least afford paying for Apple's municipal services, including police and fire protection, are paying. It's yet more upward transfer of wealth and income, from the poorest to the richest, and with Reno's city government as the conduit.
This nonsense has got to stop. I don't necessarily blame Apple for playing the game as it exists, but government should not be playing these games at all. The good people of Reno and of every other city and town deserve better governance.


text:
Rediff Movies
Rediff.com » Movies » 'I get a lot of perks for being 'Mrs Ram Kapoor''
'I get a lot of perks for being 'Mrs Ram Kapoor''
Rajul Hegde in Mumbai
After gaining fame as Tulsi in the popular television serial Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Gautami Kapoor took a long break from television.
She made a comeback with Zee TV's new show, Khelti Hai Zindagi Aankh Micholi, where she plays mom to Ulka Gupta.
Gautami talks about her life, the new show and her husband Ram Kapoor.
You have returned to television after six years…
It feels like I'm back home. I wanted to come back for quite some time but things were not materialising.
Sometimes the script was okay but there was a problem with logistics or time commitment.
Image: Gautami Kapoor
Photographs: Pradeep Bandekar
Tags: Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi , Gautami Kapoor , Khelti Hai Zindagi Aankh Micholi , Ram Kapoor , Ulka Gupta
'Ram is so busy with his work that I am almost like a single mother'
How was the first day of the shoot?
I was nervous about leaving my kids the whole day. For the last six years I have been there every single day.
Ram is so busy with his work that I am almost like a single mother. It's been really tough for him to juggle between TV and films.
Right now he's enjoying his stardom. Being from the same industry, we can relate to and support each other. He's a great father and husband.
Did you see any changes in the way things work on television?
Television then and now has changed a lot. The shelf life of a show is very short. That is really sad.
Nowadays, the shows are pulled off air left, right and centre. That is the producer's call. The audience does not have the patience to let the show grow.
It also seems like there is no bank of episodes. They shoot in the morning and the episode is telecast the next day. The quality of the show suffers.
Image: Gautami Kapoor with Ram Kapoor
Tags: Television
'I was scared and wondered if I could cope'
How are you coping with the hectic schedule?
I was scared and wondered if I could cope. But as an actor, you have to mould yourself. The best thing that Ram told me is, 'Go there and have fun; do your best and leave the rest.' That's what I am following.
I think when you love your job, nothing is grilling. You enjoy the process.
I get a lot of perks for being 'Mrs Ram Kapoor'. I am enjoying it, though it comes with a lot of responsibilities (smiles).
How much can you relate to your character Shruti in the show?
My character Shruti is a regular housewife who takes up a job after her husband's death and has to take care of the kids.
The show focuses on Shruti's relationship with Ami and her other kids. There are no vamps; we have kept it real.
After Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, where I replaced Smriti Irani -- which was a big replacement-- this role of Shruti is a change for me.
Apparently, your husband on the show dies of AIDS?
Yes. AIDS needn't mean something wrong has happened.
Hopefully, our TV show will handle it well, and will be able to dispel some myths (about AIDS).
Image: Gautami Kapoor as Tulsi in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi
Tags: Shruti , AIDS , Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi , Smriti Irani , Ami
'I used to follow Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, but not any more'
Prev More
What shows do your children watch?
My kids unfortunately don't watch television.
What do you watch on TV?
I watch Qubool Hai. After four-five episodes I got hooked onto it. If I miss one, I catch it on YouTube.
I used to follow Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, but not any more. That is because I sleep at around 9.30 pm and wake up at 5.45 in the morning.
I watch a few episodes when Ram messages, if there is an interesting episode.
From the current lot which actors do you like on TV?
Young Pihu (Amrita Mukherjee, who plays Ram Kapoor's daughter in Bade Achhe Lagte Hain) is phenomenal. Everybody asks me whether she is Sia, my daughter. She looks so much like her.
I like Sanaya Irani. She is a friend. I kept telling her TV was very hard work. And now, see, she is doing great on TV.
Image: Gautami Kapoor with Sia
Tags: Bade Achhe Lagte Hainlt , Amrita Mukherjee , Qubool Hai , Sanaya Irani , Young Pihu
Write a
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text:
Oecobius bracae est une espèce d'araignées aranéomorphes de la famille des Oecobiidae.

Distribution
Cette espèce est endémique d'Oaxaca au Mexique.

Description
La femelle holotype mesure .

Publication originale
 Shear, 1970 : The spider family Oecobiidae in North America, Mexico, and the West Indies. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, , ,  (texte intégral).

Liens externes

Notes et références

Oecobiidae
Espèce d'araignées (nom scientifique)
Faune endémique d'Oaxaca

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
% $  Id: conclusion.tex  $
% !TEX root = main.tex

\begin{abstract}
Current practices in software development are anchored in the use of version control systems to
manage the development progress of software projects. Additionally, version control systems can
be used to drive the release process of software products, by managing different variants of the main
product in a repository. Despite the benefits of versioning systems, using such systems requires
developers to interrupt their development work in order to interact with them, affecting their productivity.
This paper presents CollabIDE, a collaborative environment for
distributed development designed for automated versioning and product variant generation. The goal
of CollabIDE is to increase developers' productivity, therefore, we conducted a small empirical study with
users working in distributed teams, measuring the time to complete different tasks using versioning, and
the ease to release different products' functionality based on recorded versions.
\end{abstract}

\endinput

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: how to EXEC a multiline SELECT? The following exec is generating this exception:
Msg 102, Level 15, State 1, Line 1
Incorrect syntax near '
with
cte_rag as
(select
 rc.RagColumnId
,rc.RagId
,rc.Header
,rc.FormElementId
,rc.BaseObjectColumnName
,b.BaseObjectTy'.

Completion time: 2021-11-29T12:58:41.5681063-06:00

Here's the full sql:
declare @sql nvarchar(max)
set @sql = '''
with
cte_rag as
(select
 rc.RagColumnId
,rc.RagId
,rc.Header
,rc.FormElementId
,rc.BaseObjectColumnName
,b.BaseObjectTypeId
,b.BaseObjectTypeName
,b.TableName
from rag.rags r
join rag.RagColumns rc
on r.RagId = rc.ragid
join rag.BaseObjectTypes b
on r.BaseObjectTypeId = b.BaseObjectTypeId
),
cte_scalar_data (projectid,formdataid,formlementid,displayvalue) as (
SELECT
    p.ProjectId,
    fd.formdataid,
    t.FormElementId,
    (CASE
            WHEN t.FormDataAdapterId IS NOT NULL
            THEN dbo.GetFormDataAdapterValue(t.FormDataAdapterId, se.Value)
            ELSE
                ISNULL(
                CASE WHEN t.FormElementTypeId IN (4,5)
                THEN
                    dbo.GetOptionCaption(t.FormElementId, se.Value)
                ELSE
                    CASE WHEN t.FormElementTypeId = 3
                    THEN
                        FORMAT(CONVERT([datetime], se.Value), ''yyyy-MM-dd'')
                    ELSE
                        CASE WHEN t.FormElementTypeId = 7
                        THEN
                            se.Value2
                        ELSE
                            se.Value
                        END
                    END
                END, t.OptionCaption)
        END) AS DisplayValue
FROM
    Projects p
    INNER JOIN FormData fd ON fd.ObjectId = p.ProjectId
    INNER JOIN
    (SELECT
        e.FormId,
        e.FormElementId,
        e.FormElementTypeId,
        e.Name,
        e.Title,
        da.FormDataAdapterId,
        e.Title AS ValueName,
        o.Caption AS OptionCaption,
        e.PermanentName
    FROM
        FormElements e
        LEFT JOIN FormElementDataAdapters da ON e.FormElementId = da.FormElementId
        LEFT JOIN FormElementOptions o ON o.FormElementId = e.FormElementId AND o.IsDefault = 1
    WHERE e.FormElementId IS NOT NULL AND e.FormElementTypeId IN (1,3,4,5,7) ) t
    ON t.FormId = fd.FormId
    LEFT JOIN FormScalarElementsData se ON fd.FormDataId = se.FormDataId AND t.FormElementId = se.FormElementId
)

select r.header
      ,r.FormElementId
      ,r.BaseObjectColumnName
      ,r.BaseObjectTypeName
      ,fe.FormId
      ,fd.ObjectId
      ,p.projectid
      ,c.cipid
      ,fd.FormDataId
      ,cs.displayvalue
from cte_rag r
left join formelements fe
on fe.FormElementId = r.FormElementId
left join formdata fd
on fd.FormId = fe.FormId
left join dbo.projects p
on fd.objectid = p.projectid
left join dbo.cips c
on fd.objectid = c.CipId
left join cte_scalar_data cs
on      cs.formdataid = fd.FormDataId
    and cs.formlementid = r.FormElementId
    and cs.projectid = p.ProjectId
    '''

    exec(@sql)

What am I doing wrong? How do we run this exec command?

A: Your SQL has too many quotes added at the start and end, you don't need to encase the dynamic SQL in its own quotes, remove the ''' at the start and end, just simply do
set @sql = '
with
cte_rag as...
...
and cs.projectid = p.ProjectId
'

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
TCMC appoints senior associate dean for academic affairs
Scranton, Pennsylvania – Maurice Clifton, MD, MSEd, has been named senior associate dean for academic affairs for The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC). In this new leadership position, Dr. Clifton will oversee all educational programs including the development of curriculum for the Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Masters of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) degree programs. Dr. Clifton is also responsible for the advancement of TCMC's faculty and professional development as well as the enhancement of medical education with community physicians in TCMC's regional campuses.
"Dr. Clifton brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in medical education and patient care that will take TCMC to the next level in building a physician workforce prepared for the challenges of healthcare reform," stated Robert D'Alessandri, MD, TCMC president and dean.
"Through his guidance and expertise, we will strengthen our foundation in the medical sciences and clinical experiences so that every student develops the knowledge and skills to become a good practitioner of evidence-based medicine," Dr. D'Alessandri continued.
Dr. Clifton will oversee TCMC's distributive model of medical education that integrates basic and clinical science education utilizing clinical training sites throughout northeast Pennsylvania. With a strong focus on community service, interprofessional educational experiences, and continuity of care, he will work with community physicians to develop programs to enhance students' understanding of and commitment to patient care.
"It is both an honor and privilege to be part of TCMC where the leadership team and faculty are so engaged with the students in both academics and community service," stated Maurice Clifton, MD, MSEd, TCMC senior associate dean for academic affairs.
"I welcome the opportunity to enhance the academic experience for each medical student so that they are prepared to serve patients in the 21st century," Dr. Clifton continued.
Dr. Clifton served in various academic and administrative roles in medical education throughout his professional career. Prior to his appointment at TCMC, Dr. Clifton was professor of medicine and pediatrics in the Department of Medicine and served as associate dean for admissions and student affairs at Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, Georgia. Also during his tenure at Mercer, he was appointed to director of the Office of Academic Program Development and served as director of the Clinical Skills Center. He was also a supervising physician at Macon State College Student Health Canter in Macon. Dr. Clifton is the author of numerous peer reviewed publications and various awards including the Faculty Recognition Award for Continued Devotion to the Education of Medical Students.
Dr. Clifton earned his Medical Degree from the University of Washington and a Master of Science degree in education from the University of Southern California. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and completed a fellowship in adolescent medicine from Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Clifton is board certified in internal medicine with additional qualifications in adolescent medicine.
Anne Green, manager, Marketing Communications
TCMC press release archive


Lausanne is the fourth largest city in Switzerland and consist of a population of over 146,000 people. It is the focus point of many international sports events and houses the IOC (International Olympic Committee) who recognize Lausanne as the "Olympic Capital". Place de la Palud, roughly translated as pedestrian square, sits between the Flon and Louve rivers in the historic district and is used as a market place every Wednesday and Saturday.
It is also the location of the Lausanne Animated Clock which is located behind the Fountain of Justice. Every hour the clock chimes and animated figurines representing the different nations appear out of the wall of the building and cycle through disappearing back into the wall by the last chime.
The camera is situated high on one of the surrounding buildings facing towards the Fountain of Justice. In the view you can see the Town Hall, which was built sometime around the 7th century. Watch every Wednesday and Saturday to get an idea of current weather conditions before visiting the square or just to observe live the life that surrounds this historic part of the city.