In August, we did a Home Exchange in Toronto for a week. We also still had our Southwest Companion Pass then, so instead of flying into Toronto, we flew into Buffalo, NY and drove to Toronto (it's about a 2 hour drive). I went to Niagara Falls when I was 11 or 12 years old, so I have a faint memory of the Falls, but I thought it would be fun to visit again as an adult. When telling our friends who used to live in Toronto about our upcoming plans, they suggested we stop in Niagara-On-The-Lake for some wine tasting and dinner. And I'm so glad they did! We absolutely loved it.
Since we were there in August, it was SO HOT. Plus the mist from the falls made everything extra humid. We were basically drenched in sweat and mist all day. But it was still really fun to see the falls. I have to say, the Canadian side is SO much better than the American side. If you're feeling nerdy, Google pictures of what it looked like when they put up a dam in 1969 to stop the flow of water to the American Falls in order to study the rocks. It's crazy looking! They're apparently going to do it again in the next few years, and I can't wait to see what crazy stuff they find down there.
After we got our waterfall viewing on, we drove about 20 minutes north towards Niagara-On-The-Lake. Before we got into the town, we hit up a few of the famous ice wineries. Ice wine is special, because they pick the berries while they are still frozen on the vine, which makes a very sweet, concentrated dessert wine. Not necessarily my cup of tea, but it was fun to try.
We went to The Ice House & Inniskillin.
THEN we actually got to Niagara-On-The-Lake! It might be the cutest place I've ever been. This adorable downtown main street, perfectly sculpted landscaping, with cute shops and restaurants lining the boulevard. I loved it.
Seriously - could this place be more adorable? We only spent the afternoon here, but I'd be happy with a luxurious long weekend to enjoy all of its cute corners.


Arsenal and Chelsea have been put on red alert following the latest revelation over in the Bundesliga. Long time target of both clubs, Bayer Leverkusen's Leon Bailey, is reportedly desperate to force through a move to the Premier League before the transfer window slams shut in early August.
It was a transfer trail that went rather cold rather quickly. At the beginning of the summer, a host of teams around Europe were strongly linked with a move for the 20-year-old, but once the World Cup started, the rumours started to die off, and Bailey was almost forgotten about.
Until now, that is. According to The Sun, both London outfits in Arsenal and Chelsea have sat up and taken notice at Bailey's desire to move to England.
The winger is keen to make the move before next season starts, and with little over two weeks left of the top flight window remaining open, there's little time to do it in.
Unai Emery has already admitted that his transfer business is done this summer, having done most of his work early on in the window. However, the Spaniard could well be tempted into a final push for one more player.
Bailey is expected to be available for somewhere in the £35m to £40m region, and Arsenal's options out wide would be greatly strengthened with the Jamaican's arrival.
On the other hand, Chelsea's winger situation leaves them sweating. With Eden Hazard being heavily courted by Real Madrid, and Willian desperate to leave Stamford Bridge, Roman Abramovich could be forced to put his hand in his pocket and reinforce the wider areas.


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Replacing an Aging Water Treatment Plant in the Red River Valley of Minnesota
Breckenridge, Minnesota – Where the Otter Tail River and the Bois de Sioux River meet, along the border between Minnesota and North Dakota, are the headwaters of the Red River of the North. It's the longest North-flowing river in the United States, flowing 549 miles to Lake Winnipeg, Ontario, Canada.
And it's here that the small town of Breckenridge, Minnesota, population 3,205, and its North Dakota neighbor across the river, Wahpeton, population 7,802, serve as a center of commerce and culture for the area's sugar beet, corn, soybean and sunflower farmers.
In a place that is so revered for its confluence of rivers, it might come as a shock to some that the City of Breckenridge's 79-year-old water treatment plant was in such disrepair that the national TV program, "CBS Sunday Morning," did a story about the crumbling infrastructure.
After rejecting one design that came in millions of dollars over budget, the City of Breckenridge hired Ulteig to value-engineer a new, more reliable water treatment plant to provide potable water for Breckenridge residents and businesses. The 1,000-gallon-per-minute water treatment plant needed to incorporate advanced lime-softening technology and gravity filtration to remove iron, manganese and other hardening elements from the city's primary 300-foot wells, which draw water from the Wahpeton Buried Valley Aquifer.
Ulteig took the original design for the new water treatment plant, built on a new location within the city limits, and worked toward creating the necessary improvements to lower the cost of the project.
"We also had to meet a number of other goals, including increasing the plant's efficiency, using less chemicals to treat raw water, improving water quality and lowering electricity costs to operate the new plant," said Brian Hiles, a senior engineer with Ulteig's Water and Wastewater team. "In addition to design, we served as the owner's representative, observing all steps during the construction of the new plant and reporting on progress to the city and, ultimately, the residents of Breckenridge."
A huge aspect of engineering the water plant was managing the seasonal spring and fall purchase of water by nearby farmers. With the old plant, local farmers could purchase water from the city but because of the aging infrastructure, the city increasingly had difficulty meeting that demand.
"The city realized it needed to act with urgency on this project," Hiles said. "They were only one catastrophe away from a situation that would not only disrupt the drinking water supply to their residents, but the water that their local farmers and businesses need to maintain the economic life blood of the area."
"By working closely with Neil Crocker, Breckenridge's director of public works, we created a collaborative process that allowed us to streamline design and engineering and get the city the water treatment plant it needs," said Hiles.
"The City of Breckenridge finally has the new water treatment plant that we truly needed. It was a pleasure working with the staff at Ulteig," said Crocker. "They always had our best interest in mind throughout the entire project."
Reliability You Can Count On
"This is a straight-forward, minimalistic water treatment plant that is entirely focused on getting the job-at-hand done as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible," said Hiles.
The new water treatment plant may be lacking in style points, but it more than makes up for that in functionality.
According to Hiles, the City's storage capacity is 1,300,000 gallons. Of that, 1,000,000 gallons comes through the clear well at the water plant and 300,000 gallons is located in the water tower. The city has two days of water capacity in the summer and three to five days in the winter.
The maximum daily treatment capacity is 1,440,000 gallons per day (gpd). The average daily use for the city of Breckenridge is 280,000 gpd in the winter and 550,000 gpd in the summer. Sixty percent of daily usage is for residential use, and 40 percent is for institutional, commercial, agricultural and industrial use.
"This plant has been built solid to work for 50 years," said Hiles. "The folks in this town will be able to count on this plant for a long, long time."
Bottom-Line Results
In contrast to the original design, Ulteig applied its extensive experience, expertise and process efficiency to stay under the city's budget. As part of the Drinking Water Revolving Fund Program, Breckenridge received $5 million in Principal Forgiveness Grants. The new water treatment plant was fully operational by August 2019.
"I believe the key to this project's success," said Hiles, "boils down to three key points—we listened very carefully to our client; we kept things simple, such as using gravity flow instead of pumping to keep electrical costs down; and from the onset, we sought to minimize the disruption of the work on the town."
"One big lesson for other small towns throughout the country—Don't wait until your infrastructure is crumbling away. It doesn't get cheaper to wait," said Hiles.
Learn More About Ulteig's Water and Wastewater Services
Across the world and in a town near you, the need for clean water is everywhere. At Ulteig, our water and wastewater treatment engineers offer decades of experience designing projects that help create clean water for drinking and treat used water for return to the natural environment. Since 1970, Ulteig water experts have worked with public and private clients to deliver potable water through projects that solve challenges in supply, treatment, storage and distribution. On the wastewater side, we design pumping stations, treatment lagoons, treatment plants and rapid infiltration basins, all of which are used in the collection and treatment of sanitary wastewater. Learn more about Ulteig's Water and Wastewater Treatment Services.
Back to Knowledge Center
WHAT MAKES ULTEIG DIFFERENT?
With a Passion for Solving Problems, Rhoel Thomas Brings his Expertise in Systems Integration to Making Water Safer and Healthier for Ulteig's Clients

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In 'what are you looking for' the performers research what it means to move without references.
How can the body become a unified entity with no defined angle or front/rear direction?
The touch, the silence, the rhythm, my rhythm, your rhythm, our rhythm.
The performers use their senses to communicate with themselves, the space and the audience. As a viewer you are constantly researching together with the performers.
To find what we are looking for?


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Пётр Архипович Падчин (1883 — ?) — русский офицер, герой Первой мировой войны, участник Белого движения.

Биография
Из потомственных дворян Самарской губернии.

Окончил Оренбургский Неплюевский кадетский корпус (1900) и Константиновское артиллерийское училище (1902), откуда выпущен был подпоручиком в Ивангородскую крепостную артиллерию.

10 октября 1904 года переведен в Восточно-Сибирский осадный артиллерийский полк, а 26 июля 1906 года — во 2-й Восточно-Сибирский осадный артиллерийский полк. Произведен в поручики 1 сентября 1906 года. 2 августа 1910 года переведен в 1-й Владивостокский крепостной артиллерийский полк. Произведен в штабс-капитаны 3 сентября 1910 года. 18 января 1912 года переведен в 3-й Владивостокский крепостной артиллерийский полк.

С началом Первой мировой войны, 30 октября 1914 года переведен в 3-ю Сибирскую стрелковую артиллерийскую бригаду, а  — в З-й Сибирский мортирный артиллерийский дивизион. Высочайшим приказом от  удостоен ордена Св. Георгия 4-й степени

Произведен в капитаны 21 января 1916 года «за отличия в делах против неприятеля». 31 января 1917 года назначен командующим 3-й батареей 3-й Кавказской стрелковой артиллерийской бригады, а 25 мая того же года произведен в подполковники с утверждением в должности.

В Гражданскую войну участвовал в Белом движении в войсках Восточного фронта. В 1918 году — командир 1-го Казанского стрелкового артиллерийского дивизиона Народной армии. На 1 марта 1919 года — начальник артиллерии 13-й Казанской стрелковой дивизии, полковник.

Дальнейшая судьба неизвестна.

Примечания

Источники
 Лазарев С. А. Герои великой войны. Известные и неизвестные. — СПб.: Атлант, 2007.
 Клепов М. Ю. Офицеры — Георгиевские кавалеры Первой мировой войны. — М.: «Минувшее», 2015.
 Историк С. В. Волков. База данных «Участники Белого движения в России» на январь 2016. Буква П.

Выпускники Оренбургского кадетского корпуса
Выпускники Константиновского артиллерийского училища
Участники Русско-японской войны (Россия)
Участники Первой мировой войны (Россия)
Подполковники (Российская империя)
Персоналии:Народная армия КОМУЧа
Персоналии:Русская армия Колчака

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If this recession strikes you as different from previous downturns, you might be interested in my new book An Unconventional Guide to Investing in Troubled Times, now available in Kindle ebook format. You can read the ebook on any computer, smart phone, iPad, etc. Click here for links to Kindle apps and Chapter One. The solution in one word: Localism.
All content, HTML coding, format design, design elements and images copyright © 2011 Charles Hugh Smith, All rights reserved in all media, unless otherwise credited or noted.


We offer leading dispensing solutions that help your product shine on and off the shelf. Our trigger sprayers are perfect for a wide range of applications including garden, automotive and laundry products. Various outputs and spray patterns can achieve the perfect result for your product.


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FraudTop Stories
EFCC Unveils New Corruption Prevention Model
By securityadmin April 21, 2021
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has designed a new corruption prevention model to complement its enforcement activities. This has been made known by the Commission's Chairman, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa.
The Chairman who spoke through his Chief of Stafftaff, Hadiza Zubairu Gamawa, at the ongoing capacity building workshop for members of boards of parastatal, commission and government agencies, organized by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms in Abuja, said it has been established that, it was far cheaper to prevent than fight corruption. He reiterated his statement before the Senate at his confirmation that he was going to fight corruption, not corrupt persons.
According to him, the prevention model would incorporate fraud risk assessment and proactive measures to address corruption vulnerabilities in public corporations, particularly revenue generating agencies.
"The EFCC will work with these institutions to identify corrupt conduits, and ensure they are eliminated from the system," he said.
Speaking further, he disclosed that the Commission will be conducting a quarterly workshops on the ills of economic crimes for enhanced public consciousness of the malaise.
The anti-corruption czar also took time to x-ray the activities of the agency and the special powers conferred on it by Section 7 of the EFCC Act. "It is the responsibility of the EFCC to be proactive and deny the perpetrators of economic crime access to enjoy the proceeds of crime," he said.


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Home The Carnegie Presents: SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
The Carnegie Presents: SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
Jan 28, 2023 to Feb 12, 2023
The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center 1028 Scott Boulevard, Covington, Kentucky 41011
Playing January 28 – February 12, 2023
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN has all the makings of a Tinseltown tabloid headline – the starlet, the leading man, and a love affair that could change lives and make or break careers. In silent movies, Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are a hot item but, behind the scenes, things aren't always as they appear on the big screen. Meanwhile, Lina's squeaky voice might be the end of her career in "talking pictures" without the help of a talented young actress to do the talking and singing for her.
The "Greatest Movie Musical of All Time" is lovingly adapted for the stage, with each unforgettable scene, song and dance accounted for, including the show-stopping title number, complete with an onstage rainstorm! Hilarious situations, snappy dialogue, and a hit-parade of popular songs like "Good Mornin," "Moses Supposes," and "Broadway Melody" make SINGIN' IN THE RAIN the perfect entertainment for any fan of the golden age of movie musicals.
Content Advisory: This is a family-friendly production. Appropriate for all ages.
For more information call 859.957.1940 or visit thecarnegie.com
Location The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center 1028 Scott Boulevard, Covington, Kentucky 41011
Event Type Outdoor, Theater & Dance
Date & Time Jan 28, 2023 7:00 PM to Feb 12, 2023 10:00 PM
carnegie Covington kentucky events northern kentucky


text:
The Two Doctors
No. 100 of 156 in the Target novelisations series
By: Robert Holmes
Editions: UK (hardback) | UK (paperback)
Note: Also available as an audio reading.
Edition: UK (hardback)
Publisher: WH Allen
Disturbed by the time travel experiments of the evil Dastari and Chessene, the Time Lords send the second Doctor and Jamie to investigate. Arriving on a station in deep space, they are attacked by a shock force of Sontarans and the Doctor is left for dead.
Across the gulf of time and space, the sixth Doctor discovers that his former incarnation is very much alive. Together with Peri and Jamie he must rescue his other self before the plans of Dastari and Chessene reach their deadly and shocking conclusion...
Edition: UK (paperback)
Publisher: Target
Note: As you can see, the front cover says "first edition". Later the same month, the book was reprinted, with the cover now saying "second edition" instead — apart from that, the two printings are identical (though the first edition is rarer).
Same as hardback edition.


Red labels with black centre. Red and black (outlines) PRE logo at top. Released in a black PRE company inner sleeve.
An influential Jamaican reggae artist, born Michael James Williams in 1945 in Spanish Town, Jamaica. "Put It Out" is taken from the album "Livity", PRE X 7 (England 1981). The flipside is performed Congo Ashanti Roy.


Although I do quite like the Blood Dragon I made, I have decided to use a Strigoi vampire – a ghoul king – to lead my group, because I don't want to mess up the ghoul tribe theme. As I already have a pretty large ghoul (which I can use as a ghast in the Mordheim Undead Warband rules I'll be using) I needed something pretty huge to use as my leader. I love the Strigoi that comes with the terrorgheist set, but I thought I would have a crack at making my own.
It's the Savage Orc big boss with a head made from a bloodletter, orc arms and pink horror hands. I spent ages blending the new arms to the body but you can't really see that in this pic. I think he looks suitably scary.


I was not only stunned with the results I got on my first try at playing with my new Dylusions sprays, but the experience itself can only be described as a revelation. I thought I would be lost without my photos as a basis for my creative process, but the opposite was in fact true – I found not having to work within the parameters of photos to be unexpectedly freeing.
Another thing that was freeing was that I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my usual papercrafting projects. But the very nature of art journaling is that it is all about imperfection and happy accidents. There's no need to measure perfectly straight lines or find the perfectly coordinating color tone. Randomness and just plain play rules! I was really surprised at how much joy I found in that freedom.
For this first experiment I used a spiral bound Canson Mixed Media XL journal. I worked extremely wet, with lots of water, and the pages curled quite a bit as a result. My 12 year old daughter also experimented in the journal (you can see her page soon on our sister site Craft Critique) and it stood up much better to her work than to mine because she used much less water. She'll be inheriting this album for our summer vacation art journaling project together while I will be working from now on in one of Dyan Reavely's Dylusions journals which have extremely heavy pages in them.
I chose to use a very dark blue ink for the stamping instead of black on this page. The color difference isn't immediately apparent to the naked eye, but the overall effect is less harsh than a bold black.
This left page was left blank for now after I created the background. Eventually I will probably add some journaling to it when I get inspired. In the meantime, it looks great the way it is for now.
I found my first experiment with art journaling to be immensely relaxing (particularly surprising considering I wasn't sure what I was doing). I really am looking forward to spending more time in my art journal over the summer and trying more mediums out!
Good for you, Nancy! I just took the plunge a few months ago and it is so very much fun; I've also had to let go of alot of "perfectionism", but still can't get as loose as Dyan!!! There are a whole bunch of wonderful art journaling youtubes out there with artists like Nikainwonderland, Racho113, Limor Webber just to name a few.
That's awesome. I so want to do this too. I've been a "collector" of art journalling stuff for a while. Now to really put it to use! Thanks for the inspiration to get started.
After years of scrapbooking and cardmaking, I took the plunge last August and have never looked back. I'm so glad you enjoyed your experience. And once you start using your scrapbook supplies as embellishments, you will wonder why you ever thought you would never find a use for those left over bits and pieces after finishing a project. Your pages make me smile; what lovely colors.
It looks fantastic Nancy. I've made a page or 2 but haven't really committed fully to art journaling yet – and I'm really not sure why as I've really enjoyed the few times I've sat down to play!
I have wanted to try my hand at it but havent yet, maybe seeing yours will give me the push I need. Nice job, thanks foe sharing!


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| Coca-Cola Ireland
Coca-Cola HBC
Ballsbridge Park: Celebrating our new Coca-Cola Ireland HQ in Dublin
Our way forward: The Coca-Cola Company's long term business strategy
Thank You Fund
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Bikes
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Spins into NUI Galway
By: Journey Staff
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Hosts Free Spin Classes at NUI Galway and Offers Free Membership to Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Galway Bike Scheme
Galway, 14.09.17 - Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is delighted to announce that they are taking the Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Bikes on a college campus tour. The first of the stops took place last week in Mary Immaculate College Limerick and the second of the stops took place yesterday in NUI Galway.
As part of the visit Coca-Cola Zero Sugar hosted free spin classes from 11am – 3pm for the students of NUIG, in partnership with the National Transport Authority (NTA). Galway hurling hero, Gearoid McInerney was on hand today to put students' Spin abilities to the test in a bike challenge. The Mayor of Galway, Pearce Flannery was also in attendance.
All students and staff of NUIG who took part in the Spin classes today were given a code to avail of free membership of the Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Galway Bike Scheme.
Guest Appearance from Galway Hurling Hero and All-Ireland Winner, Gearoid McInerney
Petre Șandru, Country Manager, Coca-Cola Ireland said: "We are delighted to be bringing the Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Bikes to college campuses around Ireland. Having a great public bike scheme on your doorstep makes it so much easier to work cycling into your everyday routine and we want to spread this message to college students. With 16 stations and 195 bikes already located throughout Galway City, the scheme has been a major benefit to tourists, commuters and leisure bike users alike. We are today hoping to encourage more students in NUIG to avail of the bike scheme with stops located right beside their college campus, it's the ideal way for them to commute to college."
Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority said: "In recent years, we have seen a very positive trend, with more and more people cycling to college and to work, and I have no doubt that the bike share schemes like the one here in Galway have played a significant role in making that happen. The scheme has been very successful and we want to build on this success by improving services and expanding the number of locations served."
Gearoid McInerney, Galway Hurler and All-Ireland Winner said: "I'm thrilled to be a part of the Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Regional Bikes campus tour. The bike scheme is already hugely successful in Galway City and with a station so near the NUIG campus, we're encouraging all existing students who haven't already, and freshers in particular, to get signed up for free today. It was great to go head to head with some students in the bike challenge today and test their pedal power!"
For more information on the Galway Bike scheme, visit www.bikeshare.ie/galway.html. The Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Bikes College Campus tours continues throughout September GMIT in Galway on 19th of September and UCC on 20th September.
Coca-Cola Zero Bikes
Premier League and Coca-Cola Great Britain partnership: Q&A
Premier League and Coca-Cola Great Britain and Ireland team up
2018 FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola Takes Off From London
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Spins into Mary Immaculate College Limerick
Coca-Cola catch up: 10 things to know about us and our drinks in 2019
Journey Staff Recommends Taking Coca-Cola Zero Bikes nationwide
Journey Staff Recommends Coca-Cola Zero dublinbikes at the heart of the capital
Taste the Feeling: Coca-Cola's New Marketing Campaign
The Coca-Cola Thank You Fund


Write down something you forgive yourself for.
Today's prompt is to forgive yourself for a past transgression, we all hold onto negative experiences that we wish we could change but this doesn't serve us any good and allows self-doubt to creep in.
There have been moments in my past that I wish I could change but the moment I plan to forgive myself today for is something that has held be back for years.
I left school in the middle of year 12 after I struggled to meet attendance requirements as I had previously had a kidney transplant and required a lot of time off for appointments. The decision to leave school has haunted me for the longest time and I often equated my failed opportunities on the basis that I was not competent enough because I never received a year 12 diploma.
I sit here writing this whilst I am currently working studying for my marketing exam in my MBA course, I have been competent enough to be accepted into an amazing University and can now say without any doubt what so ever that leaving school early was not because I was not capable and I am no less intelligent than my classmates that did graduate.
I forgive myself for the choices I made in my past, they were the right option for me at the time and if I never made those choices I would not be the person I am today.
Now that I have completed today's prompt it is time for me to stop procrastinating and get back to studying!
Was today's prompt challenging for you?


The New Zealand made Incept Pacific tandem inflatable sea kayak is probably priced out of the realm of reality for the time being due to current exchange rates with the Kiwi monetary unit, and thus we won't be stocking them at all. When the situation changes we may carry them again. For now they are special order with a deposit required, and cannot be ordered via our shopping cart - you need to phone us.
The hull speeds are excellent due to both their hull shape and the rigid inflation level they attain, and they will even beat a number of slower plastic sea kayaks. Incept even includes a very heavy duty wheeled carry-on bag for travel purposes. The stowed size and weight makes the Pacific more portable by far than the tandem Innova Seaker that we used to show in this section of our site (Innova dropped the Tandem Seaker), though the price point puts it above the few other comparable models form Europe.
The Pacific's suitcase bag is too big in at least two dimensions (and maybe all three) for what most U.S. airlines mandate as maximum carry-on sizing, but it is quite moderat in size as far as checked bags go. It measures 14" X 15" X 29" to 30" long, with nothing in the side pockets. We should mention that it will take some practice and the proper folding technique to stuff it back in the bag though.
Along with the ease of transport, another very strong selling point for the Pacific is the ability to open the decking for camp gear storage. This makes it easier to load by far than either the Seakers or the Grabner Explorers. The side tubes are a stacked "double-tube" affair like what is used on the Innova Helios models, which opens up more interior width than a comparable kayak with single-tube sides. Unlike any other brand, both the floor and the side chambers on the Incept sea kayaks utilize pressure relief valves to help prevent I-beam blowouts.
The tandem Pacific is $3,679. Please note that these prices include the suitcase mentioned, the full rudder system, patch kit, bowed fiberglass supports for the spray decks, drybag (or sometimes a Bravo footpump instead), inflatable seats & footrests, and spray deck covers/skirts. Also understand that the price shown can adjust upward or downward mid-season due to constantly fluctuating exchange rates. Unfortunately we do not update often enough to keep up with it, so use the price as a ballpark figure only.
Set-up times for this Incept sea kayak is better than it was with the Innova Seakers mentioned up above, and about the same as the Austrian made Grabner Explorers (which are another vaguely comparable line). The Pacific takes a full ten minutes. This can drag out longer with any inflatable if you are using an under-qualified pump of course. The foot controlled rudder and linkage are both removable, and there may be times you don't want this hardware in or on the boat. Personally we would take it out before putting these on a plane, and also if we were playing in the surf - though any boat this long and skinny is hardly an ideal surf toy. For normal use and roll-up, you will just remove the actual rudder fin. The rudder pedals are mounted to a small inflatable pillow, which can slide forward or backward to accomodate taller & shorter paddlers without untying or re-adjusting the rudder cords. The rear paddler is always the control person on tandem kayaks.
Some people may paddle these occasionally without the sprayskirt covers, but assuming they are in place and you capsize, there are a couple ways to get out of the Tasman & Pacific: Loosen the waist drawcord on the skirt portion, or undo the zipper that runs down the center. This makes these safer than the Innova Seakers, which are still pretty good with their large cockpit openings. But it makes them waaaay safer than any hardshell.
Color fastness in any pvc, pvc blend, nitryl, or neoprene will not be quite as good as true hypalon, so it's best to wash your Pacific off after salt water paddling whenever possible, and keep it covered if it will be on the deck of your yacht. Grey colored Tasmans & Pacifics are available by special order with a deposit. The Pacific has 31 D-rings total.
Any accessories purchased with your boat are 10% off. Our shopping cart as yet does NOT reflect these discounts, but with this boat we will not accept online orders - you need to phone us at 925-820-BOAT.
The Innova Solar 410c is back with a super low price!
Nice performance and optional sprayskirts!
Row it, paddle it, or outboard-motor it!


'Witness': Lives of Blacks Considered : Art review: Photos of African Americans from 1840s to 1860s present an inescapable look at slavery, while an accompanying show helps put it into perspective.
"The Slaves of Thomas F. Drayton," a photograph taken in South Carolina one year before the Emancipation Proclamation, depicts a large group of slaves about to be freed as part of Lincoln's war strategy. Gathered in front of their spartan quarters, surrounded by their possessions and guarded by a Union soldier who is visibly anxious to keep his distance, these displaced, unsmiling African Americans stare at the camera, as scornful of their liberators as of their oppressors, but mostly, spiritually and physically exhausted.
This is only one of the remarkable images in "Hidden Witness," an exhibition of rare daguerreotypes, tintypes and ambrotypes depicting African Americans, now at the J. Paul Getty Museum. The photographs--most on loan from the Detroit collection of Jackie Napolean Wilson, the rest taken from the museum's holdings--date from the 1840s to the 1860s. Displayed in a darkened gallery, in the velvet-lined cases that marked them as precious keepsakes, these images of abolitionists, freemen, musicians, soldiers, mothers and children reflect the photograph's irresistible lure and nearly instant ubiquity. Yet the show is not about celebration, neither of the democratic new medium nor of the so-called dawn of liberation. Slavery is its very difficult--and inescapable--subject.
The photograph from which the show derives its title is a daguerreotype of 1855 depicting a white family posed in front of their Greek Revival home. In the background is a black male who appears to be planting a tree. He leans on his shovel, unseen by those who have enslaved him--a portentous figure, emblematic of the malevolent social forces that would help precipitate the Civil War and destroy this particular style of "gracious" living.
As compelling as this photograph is, it illustrates one of the show's double binds. Is it possible neither to reduce the African Americans in these images to mute symbols, nor to romanticize as individuals those who were--even once freed--essentially powerless? The captions accompanying each of the images, penned by guest curator Wilson, illustrate this difficulty. They attempt to particularize the subjects, noting their features, their gestures, their dress; yet they likewise strive after universals. One stunning 1860 image of a woman cradling her baby is referred to as a Madonna with child. What's most interesting about her, however, is the wedding ring she wears. Since marriage was illegal for slaves, this woman is not an abstract ideal, but a real-life rebel or pioneer.
Well aware of the possible sanitizing effect of this kind of historical show, the museum invited artist Carrie Mae Weems to offer a response, forming a second show in an adjacent gallery. And if the photographs in "Hidden Witness" are indeed somewhat quiet, their emotional charge held in check by the subdued lighting, the elegant brochure and other bits of imperturbable, museological paraphernalia, Weems' photo-text pieces are explosive--literally red in the face.
Circumscribing the small room in which they are housed, they are composed of images of African Americans, taken from the exhibition and elsewhere, which the artist has enlarged, altered with toners, and embellished with text whose narrative is quite different from Wilson's official, captioned commentary.
All of Weems' images of slaves are colored an angry, blood red. Weems' work is bracketed by two portraits of African tribeswomen colored a deep blue, their serenity contrasting with the texts the artist has inscribed on them: "From Here I Saw What Happened" reads the first piece in this alternative, narrative cycle. "And I Cried," reads the last.
In the last decade or so, photo-text has emerged as the preeminent medium for politically motivated art. The text facilitates the message, which is perforce didactic; the photo provides the visual element we demand of an art object. In the worst-case scenario, the image is perfunctory, an excuse for the real work that is to be done; in the best case, image is inextricably linked to text by virtue of the meaning the oscillation between them generates. Weems' installation enacts the best-case scenario with textbook clarity.
Her work is indeed didactic; of that, there is no question. It is also harsh, sarcastic and accusatory. This is what traps us; but it is not what moves us. Instead, it is Weems' poetry--the lilting cadence and the staccato bursts of language that animate pictures which, though strange, are familiar in terms of the stereotypes they facilitate. "House Yard Field Kitchen/You Became Mammie Mama Mother and Then, Yes, Confidant--Ha." These words accompany a trio of photographs of female slaves, and reveal those images' devastating truths. Tempering exultation with caution, Weems offers neither an antidote nor a footnote, but, rather, a frame through which to view "Hidden Witness," a complicated and very important show.
* "Hidden Witness: African Americans in Early Photography" and "Carrie Mae Weems Reacts to 'Hidden Witness,' " J. Paul Getty Museum, 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, (310) 458-2003, through June 18. Closed Sunday and Monday.


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In the Mail: The Great Medieval Heretics
In In The Mail
The Great Medieval Heretics: Five Centuries of Religious Dissent by Michael Frassetto
Replete with terror, passion, and hope, this gripping narrative history explores the intricate mysteries of medieval Europe through the lives of the great heretics whose beliefs and practices challenged the teachings of an all-powerful church. Five centuries of social and spiritual turmoil are covered through a vivid and telling mix of events, personalities, and ideas. A host of figures are discussed in detail, including Bogomil, an obscure priest from the Balkans who introduced Manichean ideas to parishioners; Henry the Monk, who eluded capture and prepared southern France for the Cathars; Marguerite Porete, the great mystic who was burned at the stake; Fra Dolcino, whose brigand followers terrorized northern Italy; and John Wyclif and Jan Hus, the heralds of the Reformation. By the end of the Middle Ages, the courageous lives and beliefs of these and the other heretics discussed had transformed the religious, cultural, and political map of Europe.
Add new tagChristianityHistoryMichael Fassetto
In the Mail: Conspirata by Robert Harris
The White War: Life and Death on the Italian Front 1915-1919 by Mark Thompson


I remember the first time I got called to participate in a focus group. I was a sophomore in college and money was tight. It was for a radio station that had gathered my name from a sweepstakes that I had previously entered. The 2 hour segment required me to sit a room and listen to snippets of music and rate each song on a scale of 1 to 10. After the session was over, I was handed an envelope with $100 in cash — not bad for a couple of hours of easy listening.
Over the years I've participated in a many different focus groups where I have earned cash and/or gift cards. Interestingly, I never sought out any of these opportunities, they came long because I had either tried out a free class, used the product, purchased a membership, or entered into a giveaway.
However, if you're looking to make some extra cash by participating in focus groups — there are lots of places to get connected. Best of all, these opportunities pay well. Usually between $50 – $150 for an hour or two with some gigs paying as much as $200, $300, and even $400 for a couple of hours of your time. Often you'll get free products to sample too; a nice little perk! For short online and telephonic surveys expect to make between $5 – $20 for 15 to minutes.
Are you ready to cash in?! Here are 15 places to get started.
Conducts in-person research studies in Nashville, TN, Miami, FL, and Charlotte, NC, as well as online research studies. 20|20 Panel was founded in 1986 and has been seen in The Wall Street Journal. A few of the companies they've done research for are Kraft, PG, Frito Lay, Disney, and Dell. Studies pay between $50 – $150 or more. Apply online for opportunities.
Accepts consumers and healthcare professionals in Chicago and Los Angeles. Adler Weiner Research has been in business since 1960 and conducts market research via focus groups, in-depth interviews, in-home visits, and shop along visits. To apply, fill out their online questionnaire and when opportunities arise you'll be contacted via email. Adler Weiner Research has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Conduct different types of user studies including surveys, interviews, and usability studies. Participants will receive monetary compensation, coupons, or gift cards for their participation.
Does market research in Portland, Seattle, and Las Vegas, as well as the occasional online study. To apply, click on the link to the city where you're located and fill out the online application. If you qualify for participation you'll be called via phone for additional screening. Consumer Opinion Services has been in business since 1960 and has worked with companies like HP, Grove Insight, and Auto Focus Research.
Conducts focus groups in 16 major cities across the US (you can see a full list on their website), but also sets up temporary locations for their clients as needed. To be considered fill out the online application and when you meet criteria for a study you'll be called or emailed. Compensation ranges from $50 – $100. Fieldwork has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Is an online platform that lists nationwide focus groups. Here you can browse by location, see what topic the focus group pertains to, even view how much each study pays. Besides focus groups they also offer online surveys and you'll receive $5 just for joining. Find Focus Groups has been featured on Forbes, CNN, and the Today Show.
Conducts market research via 12 different marketing methods including online surveys and focus groups, shop alongs, in-person focus groups, home-based interviews, small discussion groups, and more. To participate fill out the online application and respond to surveys and attend focus groups you're invited to. In-person focus groups pay between $75 – $150 for your time. A few speciality areas they cover are moms, healthcare professionals, and business owners.
Google conducts consumer research on many of their online products and services. The 4 types of research they conduct are: on-location, online, in-home, and online sampling studies. Participation in a study session will entitle you to a "token of appreciation" such a gift card or donation to a charity.
Conducts consumer and healthcare research in Indianapolis, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, New York, and Phoenix. Compensation is provided for participation.
Inspired Opinions offers consumer research gigs (online surveys, telephone surveys, and in-person focus groups) in the US, UK, France, and Germany. For each survey or study completed, you'll earn points (100 points = $1). Points can be redeemed for gift cards once you've accumulated 1,000 points. Inspired Opinions has a B+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Is a third party platform where you share your opinion via video on your webcam, smartphone, or tablet. To be considered for the opportunity, fill out the online application, and answer questions via video for studies you've been invited to participate in. Participants are paid $50 for each study the complete; payments are made via PayPal.
Conducts consumer research in the San Francisco area. To apply, sign up online and wait for opportunities to be sent to you. Nichols opportunities include focus groups, video game testers, surveys, usability labs, mock juries, and car clinics. Participants receive a gift or an honorarium for their time and participation. Nichols Research has an A+ rating with the BBB.
Offers focal groups (in 14 major cities) which include telephone interviews, in-home interviews, and online surveys for payment. Plaza Research has been in business since 1982 and has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Offers a wide range of opportunities, such as focus groups, online surveys, mystery shopping gigs, mock juries, product trials, and much more. Focus groups pay between $50 and $400. Probe Market Research has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Conducts focus group in 16 major cities, as well as online and telephonic surveys. Studies pay between $50 – $300. To be considered fill out the online application and wait for further notification of qualification. Savitz Research has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Looking for similar opportunities? Check out 16 ways to make money with paid surveys.
Please note, while all companies are believed to be legit, I have not personally used these sites for finding focus groups. As is always the case, you need to do your due diligence (research the opportunity extensively) prior to applying.


Keltner, D. (2016). The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence. New York, NY: Penguin Press.
Keltner, D., Oatley, K., & Jenkins, J. (2013). Understanding Emotions, 3rd Edition. New York, NY: Wiley Publications.
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Keltner, D., Marsh, J., & Smith, J.A. (2010). The Compassionate Instinct. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.
Gilovich, T., Keltner, D., & Nisbett, R. (2010). Social Psychology, 2nd Edition. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.
Keltner, D. (2009). Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.
Oatley, K., Keltner, D., & Jenkins, J. (2006). Understanding Emotions, 2nd Edition. Oxford, United Kingdom. Blackwell Publishers.
Gilovich, T., Keltner, D., & Nisbett, R. (2005). Social Psychology, 1st Edition. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.
Keltner, D., Cordaro, D.T., Sauter, D., & Tracy, J. L. (in press). Expression of emotion: New principles for future inquiry. In A. Schackman, R. Davidson (Eds.) The nature of emotion.
Piff, P. K., Zhang, J. W., & Keltner, D. (in press). On nature and prosocial behavior. In W. Bird & M. van den Bosch (Eds.), Nature and Public Health: The Role of Nature in Improving the Health of a Population . Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Shiota, M. N., Campos, B., Oveis, C., Hertenstein, M., Simon-Thomas, E., & Keltner, D. (in press). Beyond happiness: Toward a science of discrete positive emotions. American Psychologist.
Visserman, M. L., Righetti, F., Impett, E. A., Keltner, D., & Van Lange, P. A. M. (in press). It's the motive that counts: Perceived sacrifice motives and gratitude in romantic relationships. Emotion.
Cowen, A. S., & Keltner, D. (2018). Clarifying the Conceptualization, Dimensionality, and Structure of Emotion: Response to Barrett and Colleagues. Trends in cognitive sciences, 22(4), 274-276.
Piff, P. K., Kraus, M. W., & Keltner, D. (2018). Unpacking the inequality paradox: The psychological roots of inequality and social class. In Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (Vol. 57, pp. 53-124). Academic Press.
Anderson, C. L., Monroy, M., & Keltner, D. (2018). Awe in nature heals: Evidence from military veterans, at-risk youth, and college students. Emotion.
ten Brinke, L., Kish, A., & Keltner, D. (2018). Hedge fund managers with psychopathic tendencies make for worse investors. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 44(2), 214-223.
Keltner, D., Sauter, D., Tracy, J., McNeil, G., & Cordaro, D. T. (2016). Expression of Emotion. In L. F. Barrett (Ed.), Handbook of emotion. (pp. 467-482). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Campos, B. & Keltner, D. (2014). Shared and differentiating features of the positive emotion domain. In J. Gruber & J. Moskowitz (Eds.), The Dark and Light Sides of Positive Emotion (pp. 52-71). Oxford University Press.
Gruber, J., & Keltner, D. (2012). Too close for comfort? Lessons from excesses and deficits of compassion in psychopathology. In S.L. Brown, M. Brown, & L.A. Penner (Eds), Moving beyond self interest: Perspectives from evolutionary biology, neuroscience, and the social sciences (pp. 199-210). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Piff, P. K., Stancato, D. M., Côté, S., Mendoza-Denton, R., & Keltner, D. (2012). Reply to Francis: Concerning the relationship between social class and unethical behavior. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109, E1588.
Keltner, D. (2010). The Compassionate Instinct. In Keltner, D., Marsh, J., & Smith, J.A. Eds., (2010). The Compassionate Instinct, pp. 8-15, New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.
Keltner, D. (2010). The Power Paradox. In Keltner, D., Marsh, J., & Smith, J.A. Eds., (2010). The Compassionate Instinct, pp. 213-222, New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.
Keltner, D., Gruenfeld, D., Galinsky, A., & Kraus, M. W. (2010). Paradoxes of power: Dynamics of the acquisition, experience, and social regulation of social power. In A. Guinote & T. K. Vescio (Eds.), The social psychology of power (pp. 177-208). New York: Guilford Press.
Keltner, D., & Marsh, J. (2010). We are all bystanders. In Keltner, D., Marsh, J., & Smith, J.A. Eds., (2010). The Compassionate Instinct, pp. 179-189, New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.
Goetz, J., & Keltner, D. (2008). Cultural variation in self-conscious emotion. In J. Tangney, R. Robins, & J. Tracy (Eds.), Handbook of self-conscious emotions (pp. 153-173). New York, NY: Guilford.
Keltner, D., Horberg, E. J., & Oveis, C. (2008). Emotional intuitions and moral play. Social Justice Research, 19, 208-217.
Matsumoto, D., Keltner, D., Shiota, M., & O'Sullivan, M., & Frank, M. (2008). Facial expressions of emotion. In M. Lewis, J. Haviland-Jones, & L. F. Barrett. (Eds.), Handbook of Emotion, (pp. 211-234). New York: Guilford Press.
Goetz, J. L., & Keltner, D. (2007). Shifting meanings of self-conscious emotions across cultures: A social functional approach. In J. L. Tracy, R. W. Robins, & J. P. Tangney (Eds.), The Self-conscious emotions: Theory and research (pp. 153-173). New York: Guilford.
Gruber, J., & Keltner, D. (2007). Emotional behavior: A survey of methods and concepts. In J. Rottenberg & S. L. Johnson (Eds.), Emotion and psychopathology: Bridging affective and clinical science (pp. 35-52). Washington, D.C: American Psychological Association Books.
Keltner, D., & Goetz, J. L. (2007). Compassion. In R. F. Baumeister & K. D. Vohs (Eds.), Encyclopedia of social psychology (pp. 159-161). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Keltner, D., & Langner, C. (2007). Power. In R. Baumeister & K. Vohs (Eds.), Encyclopedia of social psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Keltner, D., & Logli, M. (2007). Teasing. In R. Baumeister & K. Vohs (Eds.), Encyclopedia of social psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Gruber, J., & Keltner, D. (2006). Instructor's Manual. In K. Oatley, D. Keltner, & J. Jenkins (Eds.), Understanding Emotions, 2nd edition. Oxford, United Kingdom: Blackwell Publishers.
Keltner, D., Langner, C. A., & Allison, M. L. (2006). Power and moral leadership. In D. L. Rhode (Ed.), Moral leadership: The theory and practice of power, judgment, and policy (pp. 177-194). Wiley.
Keltner, D., & Beer, J. (2005). Self-conscious emotion and self-regulation. In A. Tesser, J. Wood, & D. Stapel (Eds.), On building, defending, and regulating the self: A psychological perspective (pp. 197-216). Psychology Press.
Anderson, C., & Keltner, D. (2004). The emotional convergence hypothesis: Implications for individuals, relationships, and cultures. In L. Z. Tiedens & C. W. Leach (Eds.),The social life of emotions (pp. 144-163).
Campos, B., Keltner, D., & Tapias, M. P. (2004). Emotion. In C. Spielberger (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology(pp. 713-721). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Gruenfeld, D. H., Keltner, D., & Anderson, C. (2003). The effects of power upon those who possess it: An interpersonal perspective on social cognition. In G. Bodenhausen & A. Lambert (Eds.), Foundations of social cognition: A festschrift in honor of Robert S. Wyer, Jr. (pp.237-262). Hilldale, NJ: Erlbaum.
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Keltner, D., Ekman, P., Gonzaga, G. C., & Beer, J. S. (2003). Facial expression of emotion. In R. Davidson, K. Scherer, & H. H. Goldsmith (Eds.), Handbook of Affective Science. (pp. 415-432). London: Oxford University Press.
Anderson, C., & Keltner, D. (2002). The role of empathy in the formation and maintenance of social bonds. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 25.
Keltner, D., & Ekman, P. (2000). Facial expression of emotion. In M. Lewis & J. Haviland-Jones (Eds.), Handbook of emotion (pp. 236-249). New York: Guilford Press.
Morris, M. W., & Keltner, D. (2000). How emotions work: An analysis of the social functions of emotional expression in negotiations. Review of Organizational Behavior, 22, 1-50.
Plant, A., Hyde, J. S., Keltner, D., & Devine, P. D. (2000). The gender stereotyping of emotions. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 24, 80 91.
Keltner, D. (1998). Riches of embarrassment. A review of Rowland Miller's Embarrassment: Poise and Peril in Everyday Life. Contemporary Psychology, 43, 25-26.
Keltner, D., & Harker, L. A. (1998). The forms and functions of the nonverbal display of shame. In P. Gilbert & B. Andrews. Interpersonal approaches to shame. (pp. 78-98). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
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[Awarded the 2001 Academy of Management prize for most influential article on conflict and negotiation].
Keltner, D., & Ekman, P. (1994). Facial expressions of emotion: Old questions and new findings. The Encyclopedia of Human Behavior, 2, 361-369. Academic Press.
Keltner, D., & Robinson, R. J. (1993). Imagined ideological differences in conflict escalation and resolution. The International Journal of Conflict Management, 4, 249-262.
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Ai in Recruiting: Make Better Hiring Decisions
Editor's Note: Know This, Do This is a blog series from System Soft Technologies. What is this series for? It's a cycle of articles that take you on a journey, exploring ways innovative technology can help leaders drive transformation and growth.]
In the already fast-changing world of HR, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is creating unimagined twists and turns as 2020 progresses. This is leading to unprecedented attention on HR technology to help employers manage these new challenges.
Arguably, no emerging technology has had more impact on the evolution and refinement of the pandemic workplace than artificial intelligence (AI), which is expected to continue in the months and years ahead.
One HR area that's benefited the most from AI-based solutions is primarily in recruiting for employers whose business sectors continue to thrive, or in managing hiring challenges, such as furloughs and layoffs, for the sectors hit hardest by COVID-19.
Growing Digitization Movement
The movement toward HR digitization, with the use of AI and machine learning, was already well underway at the start of 2020. But, it took off with coronavirus.
The overwhelming adoption of AI can be tied to its many benefits, which essentially center around making recruitment easier, more accurate, and more efficient.
AI enables recruiters and hiring managers to assess and interview candidates with much more ease compared to traditional methods. Research also shows that HR managers believe AI can significantly improve talent acquisition and retention.
Consider that 60% of organizations plan to boost their use of workplace automation during 2020, according to consulting firm Mercer's Global Talent Trends 2019 report.
For the last several years, finding the right candidate in high demand talent pools has been highlighted as one of the biggest obstacles to attracting top talent. And, AI has evolved accordingly to help solve this problem.
Implementing AI in talent acquisition, though, goes beyond accessing candidate data. Rather, it's about leveraging it at scale, helping companies find the best candidate for the job.
But note. While AI technology in talent acquisition has transformed and improved many traditional processes, human interaction is still essential.
The writing is on the wall, boldly: AI is here to stay, as it transforms every aspect of life and business. And, as many people now grapple for jobs, hiring teams often still rummage through loads of resumes and engage in other mundane tasks.
AI relieves most of this stress and enables human recruiters to focus on important aspects of the process like assessments and interviews. This saves a lot of time, while ensuring a more efficient recruiting process.
Overall, Mercer found, when it comes to AI for HR, companies are:
Using chatbots to look up information, such as company policies or benefits (56%).
Identifying the best candidates based on publicly available data like social media profiles (44%).
Providing recommendations for learning and training to employees (43%).
Using chatbots to engage with candidates during recruitment (41%).
Screening and assessing candidates during recruitment (40%).
And, as AI helps makes all that possible, organizations plan to keep investing in AI through the rest of 2020, targeting several uses, such as:
Chatbots for employee self-service like changing benefits or requesting time off.
The ability to identify employees who are disengaged or at risk of leaving.
Suggestions of job openings or career paths for current employees.
Help in the performance management process.
Customization or improving benchmarking in compensation.
The possibilities are potentially endless. Doing those things with AI at the helm will improve your quality of candidates, automate tedious manual tasks, create a better experience for candidates, optimize the recruitment process, make hiring cost-effective, and reduce time to hire.
And, that all means overcoming your biggest challenge as a hiring manager: Finding the right candidate.
Get Started With Intelligent Automation Journey
Professor Stephen Hawking said: "Every aspect of our lives will be transformed by AI, and it could be the biggest event in the history of civilization."
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a wide-ranging branch of computer science concerned with building smart machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. AI is an interdisciplinary science with multiple approaches. But, advancements in machine learning and deep learning are creating a paradigm shift in virtually every sector of the tech industry.
AI now helps us get to our destinations faster and predicts the weather better. These self-learning machines can analyze humungous loads of data in milliseconds and provide insights that make our decisions logical, smarter and more efficient.
This is a key reason why AI is one of the hottest technologies in the market, as the leaders look for ways to not only become more efficient but also better at what they do.
How Artificial Intelligence Can Help in Talent Acquisition?
AI for recruiting is the simulation of human intelligence, such as the learning or problem-solving a computer can do, to the recruitment function. It's designed to streamline or automate some parts of the recruiting workflow, especially repetitive, high-volume and time-consuming tasks.
For example, software that applies machine learning to auto-screen candidates or tools that conduct sentiment analysis on job descriptions to identify the potentially biased language.
9 Artificial Intelligence Applications in Talent Acquisition
Programmatic Job Advertising. Programmatic advertising is the buying, placement and optimization of ads performed by software, rather than people. It allows advertisers to target their ideal demographic across the web and keeps them from overspending on clicks that don't convert with automated bidding processes.
It uses complex algorithms and data to show people the right ads at the right time based on their probability to engage with a job ad. This leads to spending less money to generate quality applications.
Augmented Writing. The most important use of this tool is the elimination of job-ad bias. This studies job-ad content and job descriptions for words or phrases that suggest a preference for or aversion to gender, age, or ethnic-specific groups of candidates. AI continually gathers vast amounts of data from job-ad content and their results to pinpoint words or phrases that could negatively impact response. It then suggests smart alternative content to expand ad reach and improve application conversion rates.
AI applications can be used to observe the emotional response to job content by questioning recruiters about the emotions they are evoking and highlighting the areas that didn't properly convey the intended message. Are you trying to make the applicant feel happy? Angry? Amused? Once it knows your goal, the algorithm will assess your content and suggest alternatives.
Automated Candidate Sourcing. LinkedIn research shows that 46% of recruiters and hiring managers have identified "finding the right candidate" as the biggest obstacle in hiring today. To overcome this challenge, many companies use Big Data, Predictive Analytics and AI to automate recruiting processes, especially candidate sourcing, because it's the most time-consuming task.
This tool automates resume screening based on experience, skills, performance, tenure and turnover rates. Additionally, this solution can also enrich candidates' resumes by using public data sources about their prior employers, as well as their public social media profiles.
Candidate Rediscovery. We all are aware of the ATS black hole, which buries potential candidates, because of mismatched keywords. According to a recent study, 65% of resumes for high-volume roles are completely ignored. AI solutions can rediscover the talent from existing candidate pipelines that have been forgotten.
Candidate Matching. This facet of AI in recruiting focuses on a customized candidate experience. It means the machine understands what jobs and type of content the potential candidates are interested in, monitors their behavior, then automatically sends them content and messages based on their interests.
NLP and Chatbots. We've been using Natural Language processing as part of recruiting for several decades in the form of Boolean Search, which helps in text analysis to find appropriate resumes. NLP enables computers to process and analyze a large amount of natural language data. Chatbots speaking through NLP engage with applicants in human-sounding text conversations and collect their audio responses, pictures, videos and documents.
It hosts the interviews, starting from the introduction to open-ended questions to the next steps, followed by a conclusion. This saves a recruiter's time in pre-screening candidates. The timely feedback provided by chatbots leads to an enhanced candidate experience.
Video Interviews and Facial Expression Analysis. Video interviews have been used for a few years now. But, new technology can analyze a candidate's facial expressions, word choices and speech patterns, capturing mood, personality traits and, to an extent, determining the candidate's cultural fitment.
Diversity Hiring. AI solutions can support recruiters in diversity hiring by fighting bias and discrimination. This can take place through various means from AI-powered chatbots and pre-employment assessments to blind hiring and inclusive job ads.
Employee Referrals. One of the most reliable, quick and cost-effective sources of hiring is Employee Referral. AI has elevated this by helping companies proactively identify a stellar fit in an employee's network and automatically engage with the right employee to promote referrals.
4 Challenges of AI in Hiring
AI requires a lot of data. AI requires a huge data set to accurately mimic human intelligence. For example, to screen resumes like a human recruiter, machine learning needs several hundreds of resumes for a specific role.
There's a lack of human touch. No matter how empathetic and intuitive the AI in recruiting may become, such as chatbots taking over conversations, candidates might feel a lack of human touch and emotions, which may negatively impact the candidate experience.
AI can learn human biases. AI tends to learn patterns of human behavior based on data and past trends. This might even include learning unconscious biases based on age, sex, religion, etc. if such a pattern has not been excluded from the algorithm while implementing AI-powered tools.
What about reliability? AI in recruitment is still at nascent stages and might have significant inconsistencies and flaws based on the data being used by the tools. It can take some time for AI tools to recognize patterns and draw the proper conclusions.
Artificial Intelligence Impact on Recruiters
AI can bring a lot of efficiency during the recruitment process, especially when it comes to volumes, speed, time, bias, diversity, standardization, and candidate experience. But, humans will always want to invest in relationships and connect with individuals rather than machines.
AI in recruiting cannot fully replace the human touch and capabilities through technology. Instead, augmented intelligence suggests we should look to create technology to enhance human aptitude and efficiency.
By automating the repetitive and administrative tasks, it can save recruiters time, so they can better plan their hiring efforts and become more strategic in their approach, rather than reactive. Additionally, recruiters will get to spend more time interacting with candidates, building long-term professional associations, and determining the culture fit.
The insights and intelligence provided by AI tools, as it comes from reporting and tracking KPIs, will help recruiters use data in making decisions and persuading hiring managers based on available numbers, market data and trend analysis.
AI is changing the way the game is played in recruiting. If you're not adding AI in recruiting process, or at least reading up on the possibilities, you're missing out.
As you begin to test new processes or systems, you can learn more about what you and your candidates are looking for during the job hunt. With the right tools, software and programs, you can develop an automated process that improves the quality of your candidates and their experience.
For more than 20 years, System Soft Technologies (SSTech) has been serving clients, ranging from tech startups and mid-market companies to the Fortune 100, with their Staff Augmentation needs. And, AI is now a big part of our clients' success.
About the Author: Mahima Chhabra
Mahima Chhabra serves as Talent Acquisition Lead at System Soft Technologies. Mahima passionately builds productive business relationships and high performing teams through evaluation and implementation of HR best practices. She excels at matching the right talent with long-term opportunities and is a data-driven HR advisor. A genuine academic, she holds an MBA in Human Resources and is actively pursuing a CHRL Designation.
Written by: Mahima Chhabra | Posted on: Sep 18, 2020
Artificial Intelligence Automation Talent Management


The launch of IDAXC at "Blockchain Central" — a Blockchain-themed hub established in Davos by the Global Blockchain Business Council, GBBC.org — signalled a clear point of demarcation between the emerging 'asset-backed' crypto currency market ("Blockchain 3.0") and the older, un-anchored, non-asset-backed cryptocurrencies. Constituted as a not-for-profit, IDAXC is mandated to promote industry adoption; asset-tokenisation standards; and best regulatory practise in both asset-digitization, and asset-exchange, globally.
IDAXC's founding Chair is well-known UK Fintech figure Eric Van der Kleij, creator of London's Level39 Fintech hub and previously CEO of the U.K. government's Tech City initiative. Eric was also one of the initiators behind the creation of the U.K. Fintech trade body Innovate Finance, so he is no stranger to both supporting Fintech innovation and feeding into policy. His company, Centre for Digital Revolution ( C4DR.com), is active in Fintech and Blockchain projects in the U.K. and Switzerland; and will become a founding member of IDAXC, alongside a number of interested parties, such as China's ACChain, and Hong Kong based Courage Investment Group Ltd. (HK1145) and Ink Blockchain Co. Ltd.
ACChain is the source of this content. This press release is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as an endorsement by CoinIdol. We take no responsibility and give no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy. Readers should do their own research before investing funds in any company.


"My Olive Tree" is the name that most effectively captures our efforts to produce the best extra virgin greek olive oil. This is the virtual home of the whole project, where you can get information on the competitive advantages of our olive oil through all stages of production and distribution.
These stages coincide with a number of meaningful relationships, starting with the land of olive trees we are cultivating for many generations and ending with our recent decision to share the gifts of our land with families like ours.
MY OLIVE TREE OLIVE OIL PRODUCTION COMBINES TRADITIONAL AND MODERN METHODS. OLIVES ARE HAND PICKED WITH INTENSIVE CARE AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER HARVEST SQUEEZED IN A LOCAL TRADITIONAL MILL. ALL PROCEDURES ARE CLOSELY MONITORED IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT OUR OLIVE OIL MEETS OUR STANDARDS.


text:
A, Authors: A-C, Contemporary Literature, Crime, Thrillers and Mystery
All Night Long by Rachel Amphlett
January 9, 2023 January 9, 2023 by Jen Lucas
Today I'm sharing my thoughts on the latest Case Files short story from Rachel Amphlett, All Night Long. I love these shorts, a perfect filler for a boring lunch break at work. Here's what it's all about:
Source: Owned Copy
Publisher: Saxon Publishing
Zoe Michaels is working the late shift in the Easy Stop Diner on Route 15.
Vince, the owner is nowhere to be seen, and the fryers and griddle went cold over an hour ago.
But luckily for Zoe, it's a Monday – and quiet.
Because something smells off tonight, and it isn't Vince's famous fried bologna sandwich…
All Night Long forms part of the Case Files series of short crime stories from USA Today bestselling author Rachel Amphlett.
RachelAmphlett.com
Another absolute cracker of a short story from Rachel Amphlett as part of her Case Files series. Slightly longer in length this one has a few surprises and unexpected twists that will amuse, and perhaps also make you feel a little queasy.
There is a tension that bubbles through this story right from the start. You get that edginess, a feeling of unease and things not quite being Ona. Level but not really knowing why. I kind of a got a feeling for the story early on, for what one of the revelations might be, but I certainly wasn't expecting it to end quite as it did. I love that the author can do that and, in a few short chapters, set up the main characters in such a way that we are invested, whether we like them or not.
If you need a lunchtime distraction, this is most definitely worth a read.
Before turning to writing, USA Today bestselling crime author Rachel Amphlett played guitar in bands, worked as a TV and film extra, dabbled in radio, and worked in publishing as an editorial assistant.
She now wields a pen instead of a plectrum and writes crime fiction with over 30 novels and short stories featuring spies, detectives, vigilantes, and assassins.
Rachel's stories are available in eBook, print and audiobook formats from libraries and retailers as well as her own shop.
A keen traveller, Rachel has both Australian and British citizenship.
Follow the Author:
If you liked this please share the #booklove
Cold as the Grave by James Oswald


The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. It was co-founded by Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen in 1999. The event features musical artists from many genres of music, including rock, indie, hip hop, and electronic dance music, as well as art installations and sculptures. Across the grounds, several stages continuously host live music.Coachella showcases popular and established musical artists, as well as emerging artists and reunited groups. It is one of the largest, most famous, and most profitable music festivals in the United States and all over the world.
Take home a new find, or dig up an old favorite at the air-conditioned Record Store on site, curated by Record Safari. Flip through 30,000 new and used records including Record Store Day Exclusives on Weekend 1, and even hold your purchases at the shop during the festival.


text:
Der Polnische Fußballpokal () ist ein jährlich stattfindender Pokalwettbewerb für polnische Fußballmannschaften. Es ist der zweitwichtigste polnische Fußballtitel nach der Meisterschaft in der Ekstraklasa, der höchsten polnischen Spielklasse, und wird vom polnischen Fußballverband PZPN organisiert. Das Turnier findet nach einem frühen Vorspiel 1925/26 seit 1950/51 regelmäßig statt.

Modus

Jede Fußballmannschaft, die im polnischen Ligasystem spielt, hat Anspruch darauf, an dem Turnier teilzunehmen. Die Teams der niedrigeren Spielklassen müssen sich in regionalen Qualifikationsrunden für die Teilnahme qualifizieren. Diese Mannschaften spielen zusammen mit den Erst- und Zweitligisten in der Hauptrunde.

Jede Runde wird durch ein einziges Spiel im K.-o.-System gespielt, wobei die niederklassigere Mannschaft das Heimrecht besitzt. Das Finale wurde zwischen 2000 und 2006 sowie 2013 durch ein Hin- und Rückspiel entschieden. Seit 2014 ist das Warschauer PGE Narodowy Austragungsort des Endspiels. Aufgrund der COVID-19-Pandemie wurde das Finale 2020 in der Arena Lublin mit nur 3.500 Zuschauern ausgetragen.

Die Endspiele im Überblick

Rangliste der Sieger und Finalisten

Siehe auch
 Fußball in Polen

Weblinks
 90minut.pl: Liste der Pokalendspiele (polnisch)


text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.Mvc;

namespace Vaskelista.Controllers
{
    public class WeekController : Controller
    {
        //
        // GET: /Week/
        public ActionResult Index()
        {
            return View();
        }
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Luxury Home with front access to Shadow Mountain Lake, views of of the lake and Rocky Mountain National Park. This custom home was designed for relaxing with views from every room and a large outdoor deck overlooking the lake.
Brand new 5 star luxury home with views of Never Summer Wilderness, Rocky Mountain National Park and Lake Front access to Shadow Mountain Lake. This custom home was designed for relaxing with views from every room and a large outdoor deck to watch the boats and skiers go by.
Prepare dinner in a gourmet kitchen featuring a Wolf Range/Oven and granite countertops. Relax in the great room in front of the floor to ceiling rock double sided fireplace and flat screen HDTV. Or sit with family in the large dining room area on the other side of the open fireplace. Downstairs is another great room which includes a floor to ceiling rock double sided fireplace, flat screen HDTV, wet bar, pool table and patio.
Master suite features a king bed and master bathroom has a freestanding clawfoot tub, separate vanities, and double head glass shower.
The 2nd bedroom has it's own bathroom with a queen bed. Third and fourth bedrooms share a Jack and Jill bathroom with a queen bed and the other two twin beds. The 5th bedroom (above garage) has a private bath and two full beds and one twin bed.
Just minutes from the town of Grand Lake and the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Grand Lake provides a classic 'old west' town ambiance and fun for the whole family. Boat between Shadow Mountain Lake and Grand Lake through the canal to enjoy shopping, dinner and ice cream in town. Or drive your snowmobiles out onto the lake in the winter directly from the garage built for toys on the lower level of the home.
House was amazing. Lots of space. Beautiful views. Thanks!!
The house was beyond our expectation. The Dad's came from Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington. All our son's live in Denver. It was perfect for all of us. All the extra things in the house added to our fun and memory making weekend. The kitchen was great. We all like to cook so, it was great to have all the things we needed to make our meals complete. Thanks for helping us out and sending a package we forgot. The house made the weekend even more special. Fun to celebrate life with ones adult son. Thanks again for sharing this beautiful home with us.
The house was perfect for 10 of us. Gorgeous Views and a relaxing spacious environment. Everything was very clean and just as described. Thanks Will!
Wonderful stay at Shadow Mountain Villa!
Beautiful views! Wonderful house with all of the amenities! Space for everyone to enjoy time together and time apart! Family memories at the house and in the area!
This property is beautiful. It had a great floor plan and great space for everyone in our group. It had everything we needed and met our expectations and then some.
We stayed at Shadow Mountain Villa in May for my husband and I's wedding. We had both of our families stay with us in the house and everyone raved about how beautiful the house was! There was more than enough cooking equipment to make meals for everyone. We looked at all the photos thoroughly before we got there are were still surprised at how large the house was - plenty of space for 14 people.
Fabulous place for family reunion!
I loved this place! Just got home from spending Thanksgiving week here. The house was amazing. Such a beautiful view of the lake. There were 10 adults and 1 child in our group and it accommodated everyone nicely. We were able to make a great Thanksgiving dinner for everyone and the weather was so nice this year, we could all go walking to the nearby dock and campground. The town of Grand Lake is just minutes away with lots of nice places to eat and shop. Will was great and always available to answer any questions we had even though it was a holiday weekend. I would definitely consider visiting this property again!
Side note for anyone with food sensitivities: Over half of my family has celiacs disease which can make any eating out very tough. There are several restaurants in the town of Grand Lake that have extensive gluten free menus which was such an added bonus to an already great vacation!
This property is beautiful. Location has immediate access to Rocky Mountain National Park as well as local hiking. The house has everything you need but be aware, grocery shopping is best done in Granby. We stayed in early October and found this is vacation time for locals so not much action. We didn't anticipate the Trail Ridge Road being closed so couldn't get to Estes Park. Our stay was however was only for the weekend and we found plenty of outside activities.
The house was beautiful and easily accommodated 13 of us--the view was even better--we had one of the best family vacations ever--I loved this house!
Lovely, well-built home with ample space for the whole family. The first thing my daughters said when we went inside: "Oh, can we come back next year?"
This was our second visit, and it is still amazing! This house is great, perfect location on the lake with a boat dock. We brought our boat and a SUP, which was perfect for enjoying tubing/fishing/paddling. Thanks for the great vacation!!
Perfect house for our getaway!
We really enjoyed this house! It was absolutely perfect for us and our family. We enjoyed viewing the wildlife from the deck every morning and every evening. We watched a family of moose right in the back area, off of the deck for several hours one evening. The house is gorgeous and certainly has plenty of room.
Great house for our family vacation!
Perfect house for our family vacation, everything was great. The house was clean when we arrived and instruction booklet was out explaining area activities. Great house that we would consider renting next time we are in the area.
The house was better that we could have imagined, perfect view, just awesome!!!
We chose Grand Lake to have our wedding ceremony with just our children and significant others. We wanted an intimate setting in the mountains. The house far exceeded our expectations for all the these reasons and then some. We even had a private chef come in and cook us dinner in the luxurious kitchen. The photographer was able to capture the grand setting of what this house had to offer. I highly recommend this property for whatever reason you may have!!
We rented this property for a family vacation/reunion - ages 3 to 65. The house is amazing! We all had plenty of our own space but could gather in the spacious, joint living areas. Very clean. Kitchen is stocked, beds/bedding are comfy and the views are breathtaking. We caught trout from the dock and from our rented pontoon boat and saw Moose from the deck in the early morning. Rocky Mountain National Park is five minutes away. We would love to come back every summer!!!
I rent this home for myself and my family to stay for with me for our wedding weekend. As most of them had never been to Colorado before, I wanted to be sure it was special; jaws dropped as we all entered the house. The house was better than I could have imagined and we lacked for nothing. The house itself was grand and well appointed, but the views only added to our enjoyment of the weekend. There was plenty of space so everyone was comfortable and have privacy if they wanted, enjoy family meals together, or relax in the sun room and enjoy the fabulous view of the lake and mtns. There is nothing that I would change or add to this place - it was, in short, perfect. If I could give this place 10 stars I surely would. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a wonderful stay at Grand Lake.
We enjoyed this beautiful house with a great location on the lake. The views were breathtaking on the main level of the house. The house was beautifully appointed. The floor plan with the main floor at the entry level was perfect for our family. The den with the pool table was great for the younger set. We would be very excited to enjoy this house again in the future.
This place was perfect for our annual family vacation... The views were amazing! Loved taking the fishing boat and kayaks out in the lake. The beds were very comfy and the kitchen was great! We put a 1000 piece puzzle together in the sunroom where the lighting was just right! Loved this place! Will be back again next year!
This house is an unbelievable moutnain getaway! Located right on Shadow Moutnain Reservoir (which connects to Grand Lake via a short channel), with a private boat dock. We brought our speedboat and put in at the boat ramp just down the street from the house, and moored at the private dock all week. The dock is a 3 minute walk from the house and within view of the deck. Plenty of watersports and fishing all week. The house was perfect for extended family reunion with kids and adults. Easy access to hiking and biking as well. We will definitely rent this house again!
The lake house was fantastic, in every way. Our extended family of eleven enjoyed a 4 day weekend, with plenty of space for everybody. The kitchen is a dream, well appointed to meet all our needs. The views from the deck were awe inspiring, and we enjoyed bird watching all day long. Hiking trails within walking distance, fishing and boating too. All in all, a wonderful time , and a splendid house. Thank you.
I wanted to organize a relaxing nature-surrounded vacation for several of my friends as a way for us to reconnect since after college we had been spread out pretty far from one another - there was a lot riding on this trip for it to be a success since everyone else had basically put their trust in me that the place would be acceptable and everyone was blown away - the house is gorgeous, the rooms are very lovely, the view of the lake can't be beat. The little touches like the bird feeders were quite nice, and we all enjoyed reading and relaxing in the sun room and on the porch. The kitchen had no problems as well, and fortunately there was a handheld mixer because I forgot to bring my own - overall a very well stocked kitchen. We did a lot of cooking! Several of my friends even said they would be willing to do the trip again to come here. I know I would certainly be up for that! The weather happened to be perfect too despite the daily warnings of thunderstorms it was sunny most of the days. Cannot recommend more highly.
We had 12 people staying here and were all very comfortable. The home was very clean, plenty of room and the view was incredible. Thank you so much for helping to make our stay so amazing. We look forward to coming back soon.
Our expectations were more than exceeded. I would highly recommend this home as a family vacation site. Views were amazing. Loved the resident moose that visited! The photos do not do it justice. Lots of things to do in the area to meet a variety of interests or just sit on the deck and look at the view!
Magnificent property, very comfortable, and fully equipped for a wonderful family vacation.
My family and I spent four days at this incredibly beautiful property so we could all enjoy an early Christmas holiday together. It was beyond our expectations -- beautiful, clean and very comfortable. It was fully equipped with everything we could possibly need. All we had to do was bring our food -- everything else was there. The setting was beautiful and serene and highly contributed to one of the very best family vacations we've ever had. Far beyond my expectations -- truly a perfect family getaway, any time of year.


You could make free mp3 ringtones online atmakeownringtone.comandmobicious.comor if your telephone has aminiSD card , you may add them that way.
With this new characteristic you may "weigh down artwork" and "renew art work" for all your mp3 information. solely bmp, jpg and png pictures are free to remain filled as art work, however you can use revived paintingss for your player, your smarphone or ipod.
Thank https://www.ffmpeg.org/ for visiting something2MP3. we are a number one, unattached on-line SoundCloud and Youtube to MP3 converter and downloader. we offer a really unique and specialised web software, an MP3 converter and downloader. although this net tool appears to be simple we give somebody a ride the most subtle custom made software on the internet. Our aim is to all the time improve the effectivity of our SoundCloud and Youtube Converter.
I even have an iAudio 9 which may MP3 and FLAC and with my low cost $200 headphones I can hear the difference.
FreeRIP can "rip" selected cD tracks and convert them to MP3, WAV, Wma, Ogg Vorbis or Flac information orconvert MP3 to WAVonto your hard thrust.
More content material, higher content show and proper formatting of information. we don't fruitfulness "revive as "dialogs on this app.Mp3 Downloader uses cutting edge know-how by means of skilled programmers, we've got inbuilt a send system for those that need help, hyperlinks to youtube tutorial videos if wanted.We went the additional mile together with this app.
With fre:ac you easily rip your audio CDs to MP3 or WMA recordsdata for use together with your hardware player or convert information that do not rough and tumble with other audio software program. you may even convert entire music libraries retaining the file and filename construction.


text:
RuPaul's DragCon LA: back, back, back, back again!
Travel Tips | Jim Werner | May 10, 2022
Sashay your way to RuPaul's DragCon this weekend in Los Angeles (May 13-15, 2022). Described as a mash-up of Comic-Con, BeautyCon and Hello Kitty Con, this is a chance for lovers of drag culture to come together, inspire each other and let their freak flags fly high. And if nothing else, it's a place to spill the tea with the fiercest queens in the country.
In 2015, RuPaul launched RuPaul's DragCon, an exciting and inclusive place for fans of all things beauty and drag to gather, meet, and of course, shop. From there it took off and is now a three-day extravaganza.
Weekend passes start at $80, and daily tickets range from $40-$50 depending on which day you'd like to attend. Kids are free! And all attendees 5 years and older must provide proof of up-to-date vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test upon entry into the venue.
Fagabond had the chance to talk to model/photographer Michael Freeby who says "DragCon was one of the greatest experiences of my life that I won't soon forget!" He had the chance to meet and photograph all the legendary icons from DragCon's of past including: best-selling author and original Party Monster fashion maven James St. James; "Sweet Love" singer Shuga Cain; Broadway superstar Peppermint; host of WOW Plus hit "Tails Of The City" and star of Starz' "Workhorse Queen" herself Mrs. Kasha Davis and was kind enough to share his photography. See below for pictures from DragCon 2019:
About Michael Freeby
Model/photographer, recently nominated for concepts and art direction at the MTV Video Music Awards, and host of podcast First Lady Style which reached top 20 on iTunes. New LGBT fashion podcast Future Fashion Icons now streaming on all major platforms!


WooCommerce is the most popular and highly customizable eCommerce platform you can use for building your online business.
It is a free WordPress plugin that easily installs on your WordPress site and allows you to run a fully fleshed eCommerce website on your own without any technical/coding skills.
When WooCommerce is used with Managed WordPress at SANGKRIT.net takes ten to fifteen minutes to start a fully fleshed online store on the choice of your domain.
To start with WooCommerce, you will need a WordPress site.
Now use WordPress plugin installer to install WooCommerce plugin on your website.
As soon the plugin is activated it guides you to a step-by-step process of configuring your online store.
You would be able to add new products from your admin area dashboard PRODUCTS – ADD NEW page.
All product listings can be accessed and edited from PRODUCTS -> ALL PRODUCTS page.
PRODUCTS menu on admin area lets you manage all product attributes and categories.
There are many free WooCommerce themes which can be searched and installed from WordPress theme installer.
Still if you couldn't find the perfect free theme for your website then buy a premium theme from theme forest etc.
There are tons of free and premium plugins available to add more functionalities to your WooCommerce store.
Free plugins are installed in the same way you installed WooCommerce on your WordPress site. Whereas premium plugins are first purchased, downloaded and then uploaded to your website for activation.
Now if you face any problem, make use of Google or post your question in the comment form below.


text:
Q: Can't install Telegram on Debian : ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'apt_pkg' I am Debian user.
I run the code in the shell as a root:
I want to install telegram with below command :
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:atareao/telegram

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install telegram

I get the following error:
    Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/add-apt-repository", line 11, in <module>
    from softwareproperties.SoftwareProperties import SoftwareProperties, shortcut_handler
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/softwareproperties/SoftwareProperties.py", line 27, in <module>
    import apt_pkg
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'apt_pkg'
Error in sys.excepthook:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport_python_hook.py", line 63, in apport_excepthook
    from apport.fileutils import likely_packaged, get_recent_crashes
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/__init__.py", line 5, in <module>
    from apport.report import Report
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/report.py", line 30, in <module>
    import apport.fileutils
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/fileutils.py", line 23, in <module>
    from apport.packaging_impl import impl as packaging
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport/packaging_impl.py", line 23, in <module>
    import apt
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apt/__init__.py", line 23, in <module>
    import apt_pkg
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'apt_pkg'

Original exception was:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/add-apt-repository", line 11, in <module>
    from softwareproperties.SoftwareProperties import SoftwareProperties, shortcut_handler
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/softwareproperties/SoftwareProperties.py", line 27, in <module>
    import apt_pkg
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'apt_pkg'

how can I resolve it?
Thanks

A: Tow way to install telegram on debian:
1) The telegram package can be installed through snap.
# apt install snapd

To find a package:
snap find telegram

Sample output:
Name                 Version     Developer       Notes  Summary
telegram-sergiusens  1.2.6       sergiusens      -      Telegram desktop client
telegram-cli         1.4.5       marius-quabeck  -      Command-line interface for Telegram. Uses the readline interface.
telegram-desktop     1.2.17      3v1n0           -      Official desktop client for the Telegram messenger
ubuntu-social-kit    3           keshavnrj       -      Bring social media apps to Ubuntu Desktop
squirrelbot          1.1.2       xordspar0       -      A Telegram bot that stashes away links that you send it
mup-plugins          2017.04.19  niemeyer        -      mup IRC and Telegram bot - plugins side
mup-accounts         2016.09.24  niemeyer        -      mup IRC and Telegram bot - account connection side
shell2telegram       1.7         msoap           -      Telegram bot constructor from command-line

To install telegram:
# snap install telegram-desktop

2) The package telegram-desktop is available on stretch-backports. Edit your /etc/apt/sources.list by adding the following line:
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ stretch-backports main

Save then run:
# apt update
# apt install telegram-desktop

The package is available also for debian Buster and Sid.
Remove the ppa:atareao/telegram (Under /etc/apt/sources.list.d/) and see the answer linked by @aicastell to fix the error.

A: why you want to download and install telegram from PPA ?!
follow me :
1) Download Telegram Desktop from Telegram.Org
2) Extract archive to /opt
3) execute /opt/Telegram/Telegram
Note : Telegram app automatically install telegramdesktop.desktop file on your application menu (~/.local/share/applications/telegramdesktop.desktop) . next time only click on icon .
FINE .

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Department of Theatre Arts and Dance at Loyola University New Orleans kicks off the 2011-12 season with "In The Blood," Suzan-Lori Parks' contemporary story based on the main character from Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter." The play will run in Loyola's Lower Depths Theater on Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 6, 7, 8, at 8 p.m. and Oct. 2 at 2 p.m.
Directed by Laura Hope, "In The Blood" tells the story of single mother Hester and her five children, living in poverty and struggling to make ends meet. With a soiled reputation and a dim future, she seizes the opportunity to receive help from her children's fathers. Tragedy unfolds as Hester continues to struggle to find help for her children. All the while, six other characters, all involved in Hester's predicament, reveal their personal confessions and stories.
This play is for mature audiences. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $8 for students, seniors and Loyola employees. For tickets and information, visit montage.loyno.edu or call 504-865-2074.


Hmm who's to blame for this? Why don't developers build purpose built apartment buildings? Instead they opt for condos. Could it be that the draconian rent controls imposed in rental apartments have discouraged new building? Since 1975, when rent controls were announced, the creation of new 'market built' apartment has hovered at zero.
What does responsible government do? In Ontario's case, the government has created even more regulations to further guarantee no new apartment development. If you care about skyrocketing rents call your Liberal MP and tell them the need to create incentives to build, not disincentives. If this doesn't change soon I guarantee its going to get much worse.


People love to complain about high taxes and budget cuts, but what would you do if the power was in your hands? Some cities are starting to experiment.
Ask the average person on the street how much money their city spends on education or health care or police. Even the most well-informed probably won't be able to come up with a dollar amount. That's because even if you are interested, municipal budgets aren't presented in a way that makes sense to ordinary people.
Balancing Act is a web app that displays a straightforward pie chart of a city's budget, broken down into categories like pensions, parks & recreations, police, and education. But it doesn't just display the current budget breakdown. It invites users to tweak it, expressing their own priorities, all while keeping the city in the black. Do you want your libraries to be better funded? Fine–but you're going to have to raise property taxes to do it.
Hartford, Connecticut is the first city in the country that is using Balancing Act. The city was facing a $49 million budget deficit this spring, and Mayor Pedro Segarra says he took input from citizens using Balancing Act. Meanwhile, in Engaged Public's home state, residents can input their income to generate an itemized tax receipt and then tweak the Colorado state budget as they see fit.
Engaged Public hopes that by making budgets more interactive and accessible, more people will take an interest in them.
If widely used, Balancing Act could be a useful tool for politicians to check the pulse of their constituents. For example, decreasing funding to parks draws a negative public reaction. But if enough people on Balancing Act experimented with the budget, saw the necessity of it, and submitted their recommendations, then an elected might be willing to make a decision that would otherwise seem politically risky.
Balancing Act's limitation is that it can't get into some of the minutiae of where exactly money should be raised or spent, like eliminating government inefficiencies or instituting a graduated property tax. But that's also its saving grace. If Balancing Act were more complicated, people wouldn't use it. The goal of a project like this is civic engagement, not developing robust public policy.