Good practice to determine organisational needs!
It is that time of the year again when Skills Development Facilitators and other skills planners find themselves drowning in work preparing for their Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) submission. Most practitioners' dread the task of compiling a WSP, but what should be happening is getting everyone involved i.e. line managers, employee representatives and the employees themselves.
Most important is that the WSP is informed by the needs of the organisation as well as those of individuals working for that organisation, and not for the sake of SETA compliance.
A properly planned training and development plan should contain information on how to retain current skills and develop scarce and critical skills for the future of the organisation. This would be preceded by skills audits and/or training needs analyses, which may include Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). This process should assist in determining whether current employees have the required skills and identify gaps between needed skills and available skills.
"Increasingly, line managers are becoming skilled coaches, mentors and RPL advisors in partnership with HRD to support integrated learning strategies at organisational level. I predict that over the next decade, Occupationally Directed Education and Training Development competence will form an integral part of both supervisory and management qualifications as well as workplace competence requirements," said Mark Orpen, CEO of the Institute Of People Development. Thorough preparation and better training on skills development can lead to sustainable investment in skills of the organisation.
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Assessment, Moderation & Evaluation 115753 - Conduct outcomes - based assessments.
115755 - Design & develop outcomes - based assessments.
Needs Analysis & Skills Planning 15232 - Coordinate planned skills development interventions in an organisation.
15217 - Develop an organisational training and development plan.
15218 - Conduct an analysis to determine outcomes of learning for skills development and other purposes.
15221 - Provide information and advice regarding skills development and related issues.
15222 - Promote a learning culture in an organization.
15228 - Advise on the establishment and implementation of a quality management system for skills development practices in an organisation.
Learning Program Design & Materials Development 123401- Design outcomes based learning programmes.
Facilitation, Coaching & Mentoring 117877 - Prepare for one-to-one training on the job.
117865 - Assist & support learners to manage their learning work experiences.
117874 - Guide learners about their learning, assessment and recognition opportunities.
National Diploma in OD-ETD Practices (RPL) 50333 - National Diploma: Occupationally directed education, training and development practices.
50332 - Further Education & Training Certificate: Occupationally - directed education training and development.


text:
England win Women's Euro 2022, but the tournament's biggest victor is the sport itself
180dMark Ogden
24mSam Marsden
Mark OgdenSenior Writer, ESPN FC
LONDON -- The full-time whistle on England's 2-1 Women's Euro 2022 final win against Germany was still being blown Sunday when "Three Lions" -- aka "Football's Coming Home" -- began to ring out from Wembley Stadium's sound system. The song has been something of a curse for English football since being released in the buildup to Euro '96, but finally, after so many heartbreaking near misses for the nation's men and women, England has a team of winners to celebrate in Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses.
- Report: Kelly inspires England to historic '22 win
- Hamilton, McNamee: England's supersubs lead Women's Euro 2022 hosts to glory
Captain Leah Williamson, tournament Golden Boot winner Beth Mead and other star performers -- including Ella Toone, Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo -- have, with their performances over the past month, taken the women's game to a whole new level, and their success will ensure a future without limits in England.
For the men, the wait to add to their solitary World Cup win in 1966 goes on -- Gareth Southgate's team might just do that at Qatar 2022 later this year -- but the women have ended their own lengthy years of hurt. Two losing semifinals in the World Cup, in 2015 and 2019, and losses in the European Championship finals of 1984 and 2009 had been England women's tale of woe in major tournaments, but goals from substitutes Toone and Kelly, either side of Lina Magull's 79th-minute equaliser for Germany, sealed this team's place in English football history.
Wiegman: England title 'much more than football'
177dKathleen Mcnamee
England's supersubs lead Women's Euro 2022 hosts past Germany to win first major title
180dTom Hamilton and Kathleen McNamee
German chancellor repeats call for equal pay
180dReuters
The collective success of the team is one thing, and its importance cannot be overstated for a country as powerful, but traditionally underperforming, as England. Yet the Lionesses have done more than simply end the country's lengthy wait for glory. They haven't just brought football home; they have enabled the game to rediscover its soul, on and off the pitch.
It is perhaps unfair to draw too many comparisons between the men and women's game, but with both reaching a Euro final Wembley within 12 months, it is inevitable that both occasions will be measured against each other. A year ago, the men's final was marred by disgraceful scenes of fan violence outside the stadium, with ticketless supporters rushing the turnstiles and physically intimidating children in order to illegally enter the ground. An inquiry has since confirmed excessive alcohol and drug consumption during a day of carnage before and after England's biggest game since 1966.
England triumphed at Wembley in front of a brilliant, welcoming record crowd in a game that showcased all the reasons why we fell in love with the sport in the first place. Harriet Lander/Getty Images
But for the women's final, the atmosphere was completely different. It was welcoming and inclusive, as young families were able to mingle without fear of being attacked or verbally abused. There were no abusive chants, and no booing of national anthems from a crowd of 87,192 -- a record for both the men's and women's European championships, surpassing the men's 1964 final, in which 79,115 watched Spain play the Soviet Union in Madrid. (Also, the overall tournament attendance finished with 574,875 across the past three weeks, more than double the previous record of 240,055 in 2017.) It was a day when football showed that it can still take place in an atmosphere of civility.
Women's Euros: News & features | Fixtures & results | Tables
The louts that attach themselves to the men's game have shown no interest in Euro 2022, for which we can be eternally grateful. As Emma Hayes, the Chelsea women's coach, said on ESPN, "The fans have been immense. It's not been hostile."
Of course, there are many fixtures in the men's game that pass without incident and many clubs are a welcoming environment for families, but that has not been the case with the England national team for too long. The English FA must now find a way to make the men's game as welcoming and as friendly as the women's for what is clearly a huge audience wanting to build on their experience of Euro 2022.
This tournament, and the final, gave us all a reminder as to why we fell in love with football in the first place. There was no nonsense or aggravation off the pitch. While on it, the game was played without the anger and ego that has become a regular sideshow in the men's game. That is not to say that the final wasn't fiercely contested. Both sets of players threw themselves into challenges, forcing Ukrainian referee Kateryna Monzul to issue five yellow cards for over-physical tackles and fouls. But there was a refreshing honesty to it all, as well as an acceptance that the officials were in charge and had the last word, rather than a succession of players waiting to argue with or berate them.
LIVE ON ESPN+ (SELECTED GAMES)
The beautiful game lives here. Stream top leagues, tournaments and teams.
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FRIDAY, JAN. 27 (all times ET)
• RB Leipzig vs. Stuttgart (2:30 p.m.)
• Man City vs. Arsenal (3 p.m.)
• Almeria vs. Espanyol (3 p.m.)
SATURDAY, JAN. 28 (all times ET)
• Girona vs. Barcelona (10:15 a.m.)
• Bayern vs. Frankfurt (12:30 p.m.)
• Man United vs. Reading (3 p.m.)
SUNDAY, JAN. 29 (all times ET)
• Brighton vs. Liverpool (8:30 a.m.)
• Wrexham vs. Sheffield United (11:30 a.m.)
• Leverkusen vs. Dortmund (11:30 a.m.)
• Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad (3 p.m.)
None of the above would really matter, though, if the spectacle on the pitch failed to measure up. There has to be top-level quality and determination to excel and win, but both England and Germany displayed world-class technical ability during 120 minutes, as did Sweden, France, Spain and the Netherlands in the earlier rounds.
In all, Euro 2022 has shown that there is a depth to the women's game that deserves the biggest possible stage. Who will forget Russo's stunning back-heel goal in the semifinal against Sweden, or Georgia Stanway's long-range winner against Spain? How about Alex Popp's double strike in Germany's 2-1 semifinal win against France?
The muscular strain -- suffered during the warm-up -- that forced Popp to pull out of the final possibly cost Germany their chance of winning a record ninth Euro title. But this has been England's tournament, and the manner of their victory will inspire a new generation.
Toone's stunning opener -- a cool lob over Merle Frohms from Keira Walsh's pinpoint long pass -- was a magical moment, but the honour of scoring the winner fell to Kelly, who turned the ball in from close range in the 110th minute before racing away with a Brandi Chastain-style celebration, taking off her top and waving it above her head. (The USWNT legend certainly noticed, tweeting, "I see you Chloe, well done!") It earned her a yellow card, the sixth of the game, but she had also just sealed England's Euro 2022 final victory, so it was probably worth it.
The next challenge is the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023. Who knows whether the men's team will beat them to becoming world champions later this year. Regardless of whether or not Harry Kane & Co. do it, it's the women who have shown them how to win.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Pensacola's fan favorites This Day Will Tell have just released their brand new single entitled "Unthinkable." This is the band's second single off their forthcoming follow up to the successful 2010 Indianola Records debut Too True To Be Good. The song may now be found streaming on YouTube below. This Day Will Tell's new album will be available this coming spring.


text:
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What Happens If Donald Trump Doesn't Concede?
No U.S. presidential candidate in modern history has refused to acknowledge defeat.
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Voting in the 2020 U.S. Election may be over, but the misinformation keeps on ticking. Never stop fact-checking. Follow our post-election coverage here.
On Nov. 7, the U.S. news media projected Democratic candidate Joe Biden the winner of 2020 presidential race. U.S. President Donald Trump, however, did not accept that outcome and accelerated an attack on the integrity of vote counting in key battleground states.
Trump's lack of a concession raised questions among Americans over the next steps of the election process, which runs on federal statutes, state laws, and constitutionally mandated procedures under healthy conditions. No U.S. presidential candidate in modern history has refused to concede defeat once all legal challenges were resolved and votes tallied.
Following the historic announcement Nov. 7, the Trump campaign released the following statement:
The simple fact is this election is far from over. Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor.
Below, we explain the status of the 2020 presidential election, as well as laws governing procedures before the next presidential term officially begins.
What Exactly Was Announced Nov. 7?
Before we address concessions, it's important for us to explain the democratic process under Constitutional mandates and federal law.
When Americans cast ballots in presidential elections, participating in the country's popular vote, they are actually voting for a group of people in their state to formally choose the president through the Electoral College.
Each state and the District of Columbia have two such designees, plus a varying amount based on their number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. In total, there are 538 electors:
In other words, when county and states count ballots for president, they're deciding for which presidential candidate their electors will vote — culminating in an intense focus on battleground states with a sizable number of electors and diverse politics.
That said, the news media project winner in a presidential race when a candidate secures a majority of the nation's electoral votes: 270. Journalists make that call by looking at states' Secretary of States' websites, where poll workers publish official vote tallies under state and federal regulations.
That announcement can take days, as statistics experts compare the number of votes counted to the difference in totals between the losing and winning candidate.
As in the case of the Biden-Trump election, ballot counting was especially drawn out because of the surge in mail-in voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic and states' varying rules and deadlines for counting those ballots. Biden was announced the winner on Nov. 7, as shown in the tweet by The Associated Press below.
JOE BIDEN DEFEATS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
The Associated Press declares Joe Biden the winner of a grueling campaign for the American presidency. He will lead a polarized nation through a historic collision of health, economic and social crises. #APracecall pic.twitter.com/lInwqjX3PB
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 7, 2020
What About Lawsuits Over Votes?
The Trump campaign is relying on lawsuits to challenge its narrow losses in several key battleground states. It is the first presidential campaign to contest voter returns with litigation since the 2000 race between George Bush and Al Gore.
Almost immediately after polls closed, the Trump campaign filed several lawsuits over alleged discrepancies in widely publicized tallies in the popular vote. The lawsuits were part of Trump's aggressive messaging strategy to try to convince people into believing widespread, or even sporadic, fraud had corrupted the ballot counting.
The Nov. 7 statement from the Trump campaign read:
Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated.
In other words, the Trump campaign is relying on the outcomes of court cases to set aside votes to prevent Biden from assuming the White House — and, as a result, some states would have to hold off on certifying their voter tallies as those legal battles play out.
But, per legal experts' analysis, most of the lawsuits were small-scale legal challenges that did not appear to impact many votes, according to The Associated Press, which provided the following analysis:
Bush v. Gore in 2000 was a good example of how litigation can affect the outcome of an election. But legal experts say today, a lawsuit with that kind of power would have to come out of a state where the result there would determine who wins the overall election. Also, the difference between the candidates' vote totals would have to be smaller than the ballots at stake in the lawsuit. And neither condition has been met yet.
Put another way, a lawsuit would impact the outcome of the presidential election if it was filed in a state that would determine the end result of the popular vote, and the margin of difference between votes for Biden and Trump in that state were smaller than what's currently outlined in pending litigation.
Judges quickly dismissed Trump campaign lawsuits in Michigan and Georgia, though the Trump campaign could appeal those decisions. Likewise, the campaign won an appellate ruling to get party and campaign observers closer to election workers who were processing votes in Pennsylvania.
Do Losing Candidates Have To Concede?
Nope. No constitutional mandate or federal law requires losing presidential candidates to publicly acknowledge defeat by conceding to their opponent or addressing the nation for the presidential transition to start.
Additionally, the process for certifying elections results continues, regardless of candidates' public or private statements.
Over the decades, concession speeches have come to be an informal part of the U.S. election process that symbolizes the losing candidates' willingness to aid in a peaceful transition of power. The remarks often signal to supporters of the losing candidate how to accept the elections results.
Ryan Neville-Shepard, a University of Arkansas professor who specializes in political communication, wrote in the Washington Post in 2018 that:
Ever since Democrat William Jennings Bryant sent a telegram to William McKinley to end the 1896 presidential election, candidates running in national races have tended to follow the same pattern of officially ending the campaign. A private concession is followed by an official phone call, followed by a longer speech addressing a national audience … Since most candidates recognize the importance of these norms, they usually make some statement that declares defeat while calling for unity behind the victor.
No evidence showed Trump was preparing to publicly acknowledge a loss as of this writing, while an MSNBC journalist tweeted:
Biden's team has asserted it would "escort" Trump and his allies out of the White House, should Trump refuse to leave when, or if, the law says he's no longer president on Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, 2021.
"The American people will decide this election. And the United States government is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House," campaign spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement to media.
Below, we outline the steps of the elections process after the popular vote shows a winner, no matter if a losing candidate concedes.
What Happens After Media Declare a Winner?
With a concession or not from the losing candidate, state officials at polling sites nationwide continue to count remaining ballots over the course of days or weeks according to their respective rules.
In other words, whether a ballot is counted on election night or in the days afterwards, once it is cast and counted in accordance with the law, it must be counted.
Then, state executive authorities certify the elections results and governors prepare a "Certificate of Ascertainment" that lists the names of the state's chosen electors.
That would mean if Trump won the popular vote in Arizona, for example, (which had not happened as of this report) that state's slate of Republican electors would appear on the certificate and cast the official vote for president. Likewise, if Arizona's ballot results went in Biden's favor, the certificate would list a separate group of people — electors who pledged to vote for the Democratic presidential candidate — would send their vote for president to Washington, D.C.
What Is The Electoral College?
The Constitution offers very few provisions governing the qualifications of electors and what rules they must follow.
As a result, states have established their own rules for picking electors, and the two major political parties — Republicans and Democrats — often choose their slate at conventions or via a vote of the party's central committee. Per the National Archives, an independent agency of the U.S. government that oversees historical records and documents:
Political parties often choose individuals for the slate to recognize their service and dedication to that political party. They may be State elected officials, State party leaders, or people in the State who have a personal or political affiliation with their party's Presidential candidate. (For specific information about how slates of potential electors are chosen, contact the political parties in each State.)
It was within the process of choosing electors or sending their votes to Washington, D.C., that elections experts were preparing for the Trump campaign or Republican supporters to intervene, should he continue to contest the results of the country's widely publicized popular vote.
Read here for how Congress would decide the outcome of the 2020 election, pending what happens with the Electoral College.
Can Electors Defy the Popular Vote?
Yes, it's possible — though a rare occurrence throughout history.
Neither the Constitution, nor federal law, requires electors to vote according to the results of the popular vote.
On rare occasions throughout American history, electors have gone against their pledge to their party and voted for someone other than its chosen candidate. Political scientists call them "faithless electors," and their motivations to change political allegiances vary. Russell Wheeler of the Brookings Institution wrote of the phenomenon:
Faithless electors have never changed an election outcome. But in this chaotic election year, their potential to disrupt the presidential election may loom larger. As a further twist, state legislatures in battleground states might try to replace state-certified electors with alternative slates of faithless-elector equivalents. […]
So to "constrain" electors' behavior, as Wheeler put it, states have established laws for governing electors' actions.
In addition to the District of Columbia, 33 states, for example, require electors to vote for whichever candidate won the popular vote, according to FairVote, a nonpartisan voter-rights advocacy organization. However, the majority of those laws (in 16 states plus Washington, D.C.) do not create penalties or any mechanism to stop electors from going against their pledges.
Meanwhile, five states do lay out punishments for faithless electors, and some states' laws allow for the party designees to be replaced with someone new.
Parties must officially designate their state's electors for the "Certificate of Ascertainment" by early December, per Wheeler's analysis.
After that, the groups meet in their respective state capitals to cast official votes for president. By that point, as Wheeler wrote, each state has presumably replaced faithless electors or accepted that they will go against their pledge.
In the end, after electors cast official votes, state officials send those results to the president of the Senate, who, in 2020, was Vice President Mike Pence. Then, on Jan. 6, the electoral votes will be counted and certified in front of the newly convened Senate and House of Representatives.
Lastly, on Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, the vice-president-elect and president-elect will take an Oath of Office at the U.S. Capitol. After that, they will officially lead the 46th presidential administration of the United States.
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Leisure bag made of waxed cotton by Barbour Perfect for your outdoor activities - this cap impresses with the waxed cotton quality. The light rain simply peels on the accessory. Form / workmanship: Waxed cotton hat. Narrow stitched brim. Logo patch on the outside. Lined. Measurements: For size M head circumference approx. 56 cm. Material: 100% waxed cotton, lining: 100% cotton. Color / Pattern: Checked in navy blue.


September 7th, 2015. I leave with the Red Planet Expedition Tour on a 3 day guide to Salar de Uyuni & basically a bunch of other stuff I don't even know or care about. I came here for 1 big reason and the salt flats are it! We set out and initially stop at a train graveyard.
Cool, surreal place, but again I can't wait to see the salt flats. Screw these broken down trains. Just give me a motorcycle, point me in the direction and I'll get lost for as long as I have to. However, I must admit this train graveyard looks really cool. I play and climb these trains like a little kid. I am so excited. I'm even wearing my favorite travel gear for the pictures I know I'll take later of me, the salt flats, infinity & me.
After we leave the train graveyard we arrive in a little town where they make stuff out of the salt… AHHHHH can we just go to the flat! I don't care about how salt gets inside of a bag! Get me to the flats!!! I smile through my exterior and patiently wait even longer for my destination. This is the one thing I hate about tours, subject to their schedule and random side tours that no one came here for. I would go off on my own if I knew any information of where to go to navigate the barren terrain to Chile. So for now this tour is a must.
Finally, we get to the edge of the flats. The salt here is a bit chunky in places. I see this cool mound with various poles and flags attached. Today is an especially windy day and the flags are flying. I wouldn't have it any other way. The spirit of this place is as energetic as my own. Off we drive into nothingness.
We drive for about an hour and arrive in the middle of nowhere. I step out and look to the horizons… Nothing. Nothing whatsoever… and I love it! This is my dream. This is what I envisioned. I also think of how cool it'd be to come here after the flats flood in the summer rain season to see the reflection. Yet the beauty here is still unmatched. As I look to the horizon I think of all the time I've spent imagining this place. It is everything I wished for. I feel my mind freeing itself. After years of hard work, sacrifices for others as well as for myself, I finally made it here. I left everything at home for this.
Admittedly, I've spent a lot of my life being stuck in this subconscious silo. Never feeling like I belong where I've lived with trust issues stemming from those closest to me. I needed to break free. I've been burnt many times by those I've cared about the most, and over time I started to hurt others close to me as well as a result of my mishandling my emotions. I had lost myself in my care for others. The hurt had become reciprocal and I wanted nothing to do with anybody. All I had left is to finally care for myself. Then and only then could I properly care for others. So here I am, fulfilling my dream, showing myself love, overcoming all doubts & fears. Screw fear, I am at the point in my life where I will do whatever it takes to accomplish my goals. I have had enough of the disappointment and pain. Pain & fear no longer bother me. I decide how to handle life's jabs. This is what I needed to do before I could do anything else and here I am doing it. It is done, accomplished. Now, I know there is nothing I can't do. As I see to the horizon and to infinity, my heart and mind have become free as well. My consciousness, like my eyesight sees no limits, no restrictions, no pain, no regret, just me and a blank slate of the world. Whatever I write on this slate from here on is mine. It's a chance to start fresh. I am proud of myself, truly proud. Nothing else matters in this moment except for me, and it feels great! For all the time I've spent being my own worst critic, listening too well to the critique of others, putting others before me, I finally learned how to love myself in the best way possible. I see too many people define their happiness by their love for others and I too have been guilty of this in the past. I felt the pain of that dependent happiness being ripped away several times. Finally, I've reached the point where I need no one else to be happy, or joyful. Here, by myself, I have found peace. Peace within my heart, my mind & my soul.
Now I sit a top this rocky island, listening to my favorite songs: Paul van Dyk – Nothing but you & Solarstone – Jewel. This moment is mine & I have found inner peace. This trance music has given me the uplifting spirit I've so often needed at times I've felt down or out of energy. Here I am at my pinnacle, reaching higher. Where might I go next? Happy thoughts are all the cross my mind as well as the feeling of being present in this amazingly fulfilling moment.
I start to wonder… "So what's next?" Here, I found peace and anything else I'll ever want to do for the rest of my life will never be on the same level as this. THIS was my #1 goal and I accomplished it. This was my #1 item on my bucket list. Do I just now go down the list? I feel now not a sense of disappointment or lack of enthusiasm, yet a knowing that because I accomplished my #1 goal that now there is nothing I cannot do. I feel a sense of power that I've never had before. Nothing is impossible. I CAN do whatever I set out to do. I have done it. This is the proof.
Whatever happens next in my life, I'll be ready. I am now above the limits of anyone or anything this world has placed on me, and above all else I am above any limits I've seen for myself. I see above and past everything. I have never felt better. I am complete. I didn't need anyone else. All I needed was me and the belief in something better for myself.


visit.alvaraalto.fi is a web service created around Aalto's architecture. The website is now also in Russian. It offers a fascinating selection of Aalto's designs from different decades and various parts of Finland.
"The online service launched in May has met with a positive reception, with nearly 36,000 visitors in its first six months. Travellers have found their way to Aalto's architecture, and the service has helped us reach new publics, among them tourists from Finland and abroad," Noora Kiili, Producer in charge of the project of the Alvar Aalto Foundation, is happy to report. The web service has been designed and produced in partnership with tourism experts and local businesses in each location. The project has been backed by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture's project fund for the productization of cultural tourism.
Along with architectural sites, there are Aalto tours and tempting travel suggestions for encounters with culture, unique nature, and delicious local food and relaxing saunas, not forgetting beautiful Finnish design gifts. visit.alvaraalto.fi makes it easier to plan trips, with practical information including opening hours and maps of each site, travel timetables and travel-agency contact details.
Alvar Aalto's world-famous architecture can be enjoyed at several points around the national capital, in the centre of Helsinki and on the Otaniemi university campus in Espoo. Aalto designed extensive housing areas for forest-industry managers and workers alongside the Kymijoki River in Kotka, Kouvola and Hamina. The latest addition to the website is a real gem: the Church of the Three Crosses in Vuoksenniska in Imatra. This was completed in 1950, and combines Alvar Aalto's sculptural architecture with a human scale.
Homely atmospheres can be enjoyed in Villa Mairea at Noormarkku in Pori and in the Terraced House at Kauttua in Eura, as well as at Paimio Sanatorium, which was a full-time home for patients. The Varkaus region on the shores of Lake Saimaa also tells the story of Aalto's work for the Ahlström family, who owned the major Finnish forest company of the same name. In Varkaus, besides the architecture, you can also savour Carelian caviar. This is of superb quality and comes from cultivated virgin sturgeon. The best prices are found near the farms that produce it.
From Alajärvi you can take a trip to see works of Alvar Aalto's younger day, such as Villa Väinölä, designed for his brother, and the family grave. In pauses between shopping in Seinäjoki you can pop into the splendid library, theatre or City Hall in the administrative and cultural centre. All of this is crowned by The Cross of the Plains Church, its bell tower looking down over the city centre.
Jyväskylä – known as a vibrant student city – offers activities and accommodation to suit all tastes. Jyväskylä's numerous Aalto sites include the Alvar Aalto Museum, which provides insights into Aalto's wide-ranging output and personal history. The Museum shop has a unique selection of high-quality Finnish design products. For travellers to Rovaniemi we warmly recommend a visit to the Administrative and Cultural Centre, which includes the Town Hall, Library and Lappia House, incorporating Rovaniemi Theatre.


Pianello del Lario (IPA phonetic pronunciation in dialect: /pjaˈnɛlː/), is an Italian town of 1,050 inhabitants in the Province of Como in Lombardy.
It is a country with scattered hamlets located on the lake and on the slopes of Mount Bregagno.
The villages between the lake and the mountains are connected by very beautiful paths. Near the shore there is the church of S. Martino, full of beautiful frescoes.
Its population, once involved exclusively in agriculture and sheep farming, now bases its economy on a developing tourism.
Density: 106,71 inhab. per sq.km.
Countries of the same district: Bellera, Belmonte, Calozzo, Camlago, Crotti, Garuso, Maggiana, Mianico, Nasina, Riva, Saliana, Sant'Anna, Tre Terre.
Neighbouring municipalities: Colico (LC), Cremia, Dervio (LC), Dongo, Dorio (LC), Garzeno, Musso.


The Manitoba government will be providing $950,000 in grants to projects for non-profit and community-led organizations across the province, Municipal Relations Minister Jeff Wharton announced today.
The relevant documents are available by clicking the links below.
Please join us for our annual holiday networking event.
The Pinawa Chamber of Commerce All Candidates Forum is scheduled for October 16, 2018 at The Pinawa Community Centre at 6:30 pm. Doors open at 6:00.
The President's Dinner at The Pinawa Club is coming up on May 4th, 2018. Details available soon.
The big Bonspiel weekend is coming up on Feb 23-25. We are expecting more teams than last year, with most of them being non-member teams! We are seeking donations towards our Silent Auction table. Please see the request letter here. Donations can be dropped off at The Club, to Carly Krampetz, Richard Muntain, Linda Gifford, or Kara Bissonnette. We will also be looking for people to sit at a table and sell the silent auction and 50/50 tickets on Saturday, please watch for a sign up sheet in the Clubhouse.
The Boreal Shores Art Tour takes place August 18 & 19, 2018. The organizers are currently looking for sponsorships. A copy of the sponsorship package is available by clicking here.
Shane Li knows a thing or two about creating opportunities.
When the Asper MBA graduate heard that North Forge Technology Exchange was looking to expand its operations from Winnipeg into rural Manitoba, he wasted no time reaching out to them. As an economic development officer working for the Local Government District of Pinawa, he saw that a partnership with North Forge, an innovative economic development agency, was just the kind of boost his community needed.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) will hold open houses to provide information about the environmental assessment and licensing process currently underway for the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories' In Situ Decommissioning of the Whiteshell Reactor #1 Project.
The open houses are being held during the public comment period on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS). The objectives of the sessions are to inform the public of the environmental assessment and licensing process for the proposed project; provide information on the proposed project; and clarify how the public can participate in the process, including providing comments on the draft EIS. In particular, CNSC staff will be available to discuss the content of the draft EIS and answer questions from the public about the project.
For more information, visit nuclearsafety.gc.ca, email cnsc.information.ccsn@canada.ca or call 1-800-668-5284.
Regional doctor recruitment to continue without third party: Skinner.
Blair Skinner, chair of the Eastern Region Community Health Committee (ERCHC) reported that his group of community representatives was in full agreement with the IERHA decision.
Click here to see the full article as it appeared in The Clipper.
Boreal Shores Art Tour is fast approaching – August 19 & 20, 2017. The Pinawa Chamber of Commerce is excited to be a major sponsor. If you would like to volunteer a couple of hours on the 19th or 20th to greet visitors and stamp their passports, we'd love to have your help. Contact Patty Drew pattydrewc21@mymts.net or Nancy Zubriski nzubriski@gmail.com if you would like to spend a bit of time amid some of the most beautiful artwork in the province.
Click here to view the brochure which gives you the full details on timing, location and artists.
During the month of May, The Pinawa Foundation will increase donations made to Survivor's Hope through the foundation by 20%.
Beausejour Brokenhead Development Corporation will be hosting a FDI Training – Level 2. This training is especially prepared for Economic Development Practitioners and Municipal Leaders to learn how to complete the Request for Information (RFI) to meet the Site Selector criteria and to be considered for further selection.
Often the companies are hiring Site Selectors to provide them the best location to invest. Reputable, well known site selectors have proven methodologies and produce impressive results in resolving the specific needs of their clients; they can consistently produce project results that directly benefit a company's bottom line and therefore, large companies like Wal-Mart use site selectors extensively to search out new market opportunities. The Site Selectors are sending RFI to Economic Development Practitioners….and we NEED TO BE READY!!!
Please see attached Registration Form.
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Whiteshell Site Closure Project is pleased to host an Industry Day. An opportunity for business and industry to learn about the multi-million dollar job to decommission and remediate the former nuclear research site located near Pinawa, Manitoba. Please see the attached ad and visit www.cnl.ca/idwl for details and registration information and The Industry Day Notice.
Feature your business by including an advertisement in the Boreal Shores Art Tour Brochure.
Limited space remaining. Quick response required.
NetSet is thrilled to offer the residents and small business owners of Pinawa and area a free installation, saving $199.95!
They will be marketing this offer during the NetSet launch period and inviting those interested to call the 24/7 Help Desk to take advantage of this limited time offer.
More information on dates and events planned will be provided over the next few weeks.
To sign up today, call toll free 1-877-NET-SET1 , or contact your local NetSet dealer.
*To qualify for this offer, members must remain with either data package for a minimum of 12 months, though may alternate between the two plans if required. The offer cannot be combined with any other NetSet promotions.
—Posted February 25, 2017 – The Pinawa Chamber investigated the new internet provision promised by NetSet and sent a letter to Mayor, Council and PCDC January 31st to garner further information about their service. NetSet contacted the Chamber and gave two Executive members a Webinar on their proposed tower and network February 24. This Brandon-based business may bring competition to the region, and we believe competition is healthy – quite often it brings down prices and bumps up service. What NetSet seems to offer is better expandability in service with greater speeds as needed and paid for by the customer, compared to existing services. However, how factual those benefits are can only be verified after installation. NetSet may offer a free install to business customers at it's inauguration. This new internet service based on TD-LTE microwave signals from a network of towers is of no cost to Pinawa. NetSet is a community friendly business with support for community gatherings and business employee benefits. NetSet's offering will be beneficial to the region and a stimulus to grow Pinawa's business community, thus the Pinawa Chamber of Commerce fully supports and welcomes NetSet's arrival.
The Pinawa Chamber of Commerce will hold their Annual General Meeting on Monday, May 8, 2017 at The WB Lewis Business Centre from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm.
The Pinawa Chamber of Commerce is presently seeking members for the 2017-18 Board of Directors. Nominees must be Chamber Members as of April 28th, 2017.
To express your interest in a board position please email info@pinawachamber.com.


text:
<?php

namespace AppBundle\Listener;

use Symfony\Component\Security\Http\Event\InteractiveLoginEvent;
use Symfony\Component\Security\Core\SecurityContext;
use Doctrine\Bundle\DoctrineBundle\Registry as Doctrine;
use Symfony\Component\HttpFoundation\Session\Session;

/**
 * Custom login listener.
 */
class LoginListener
{
    /** @var \Symfony\Component\Security\Core\SecurityContext */
    private $securityContext;

    /** @var \Doctrine\ORM\EntityManager */
    private $em;

    /**
     * Constructor
     *
     * @param SecurityContext $securityContext
     * @param Doctrine        $doctrine
     */
    public function __construct(SecurityContext $securityContext, Doctrine $doctrine)
    {
        $this->securityContext = $securityContext;
        $this->em              = $doctrine->getEntityManager();
    }

    /**
     * Do the magic.
     *
     * @param InteractiveLoginEvent $event
     */
    public function onSecurityInteractiveLogin(InteractiveLoginEvent $event)
    {
        if ($this->securityContext->isGranted('IS_AUTHENTICATED_FULLY')) {
            $request = $event->getRequest();
            $origin  = $request->get("_origin");
            $session = $request->getSession();
            $session->set('origin', $origin);
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Zuora serves more than 1, 000 companies around the world, including Box, Komatsu, Rogers, Schneider Electric, Xplornet and Zendesk. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Zuora also operates offices in Atlanta, Boston, Frisco, Denver, San Francisco, London, Paris, Beijing, Sydney, Chennai and Tokyo.
As a technical leader you will conduct high quality in-person or virtual technical product training courses for support agents in our global offices. You will be defining and developing the technical material to be covered in the educational curriculum with an emphasis on hands-on exercising, learner engagement, and validation of knowledge through regular testing and certification exams.
Passion to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment Bachelor s or Master s degree in Education, Training, Computer Science, or equivalent At Zuora, different perspectives, experiences and contributions matter. Everyone counts. Zuora is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.
Content provided by Zuora Inc, Info Edge India Limited disclaims all warranties against infringement.


When someone smiles at you, how does it make you feel? Flirtatious? Warm? Do you wonder why that person is smiling? All kinds of thoughts can possibly fleet through your mind often depending on your mood at the time. If a smile is taken for the right intent, it can surely make a cloudy day full of sunshine.
The beauty of a smile: blazes, amazes, teases, pleases, warms, never harms, satisfies, gratifies, an ever burning flame of love, hope, desire! That's something to smile about!
Sisterhood of the World Bloggers!
1. Leave a comment that you would like to be a member of the Sisterhood.
2. Grab the badge for posting to your blog, thank catnipoflife for this award and provide a link to her blogsite.
3. Answer the same questions as posed to catnipoflife (see below) in your blog posting.
5. Return to catnipoflife as soon as your posting is complete to provide a link to your blogsite. Those links will be added to this posting as comments of completion are received.
6. Do you prefer getting or giving presents?
1. Posthumously Sandra @ Dare to Dream Big!
Character books for kids and Kids Can Do It! Dare to Dream Big!
Beauty/Fashion, Diary of a Cat Prince, Letters to Celebrities. . .
On Any Given Day: Life is Full of Beauty. . .
. . .regardless of the weather. . .
how often do you take the time to notice the simple things in life . . .
the innocence within a single smile, the laughter of children on a playground, the helping hand as an elder crosses the street, the young man holding the door or the young woman tendering a sweet, loving kiss, the aroma of a bakery with its fresh baked bread or gooey cinnamon rolls cloaked in snowy white drizzle, the soft purr-r-r-r of a kitten, the bumble bee savoring sugary nectar from a sunflower or the attala butterfly hovering over a field of daisies, perchance the melodies drifting about with the wind or the raindrops pelting a windowpane on a steamy summer afternoon?
Ah-h-h-h! Could there be an endless list of possibilities?
Stop and notice it. . .
In some way, we all notice beauty around us.
What in life represents true beauty in its purest sense to you?
Last week I was 'Tagged' by Claire Cappetta! Claire is sharing her journey, fears, tears and joys, through her first novel, A Broken Ring. It is a story of a woman's journey from abuse to empowerment. Claire also shares thoughts and messages why she loves New York with her husband, Vincent, who inspires readers with poetry of his own. OK, Vinny, why haven't you been writing lately?
There are rules to this TAG which require my answering questions about myself. This should prove to be interesting. I have not read the questions in advance so here goes. . .but first the rules. . .
2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post.
4. Tag (eleven) people with a link to your post.
1. Where is the most exotic place you have traveled?
Interpreting exotic to be foreign and striking, it would have to be the Swiss Alps. Kind of sad for this American's first visit to the mountains to be in Switzerland!
No doubt about it, the CAT. I am moody, want to be petted only when I am in the mood, finicky about my food, sometimes giddy, sometimes aloof, love a fur coat but most of all, my nickname is Kitten. Go figure! Sh-h-h-h! Don't tell anyone. Yeah, right!
3. If you wanted to be famous what would it be for?
Not really into be classified as famous but would like to be remembered for helping people, being there when needed.
4. You are stranded on an island… what 3 things do you have with you?
EASY – My heart to keep me strong, My mind for prayerful thoughts, My soul already promised: Anything else necessary for survival is already there. FOR REAL!
5. What is the craziest thing you've ever done?
My dad's '54 Ford, except his was dark green.
6. Tattoo or piercing? What and why?
No, tattoos, OOPS! unless your count permanent eyeliner! If I ever got a tattoo, it would be a butterfly. Only piercing is the ears. That hurt enough!
7. What's the best movie you've ever watched?
8. You could live in a lighthouse on a cliff top or a cabin in the deep dark woods, which would you choose?
Definitely the cabin. Don't mind stairs but the lighthouse might be a bit much on a daily basis although the view would probably be magnificent. However, the woods holds adventures of its own and there are always candles and perhaps a flashlight. (Batteries?) Just may have to carry a big stick sometimes.
9. What is your best feature?
Definitely my eyes. Have been told many times I have eyes of an angel. Too mushy, huh?
11. What is the most inspiring thing you think you have ever done?
Suppose that would have to be through my writing. I only say this because of comments received from readers of my books, especially Echoes.
1. What is the worst food you ever tasted, when and where?
2. What does your spouse/significant other do sometimes that is totally annoying?
3. If you could go anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go and why?
4. What is your favorite sport, participating or watching? Why do you like it so much?
5. Describe you most hair-raising experience?
6. What was the most embarrassing moment of your life?
7. Complete this thought: A friend is one who . . .
9. Who inspires you the most? Why?
10. What is your favorite music, era and artist(s)?
AND, the final question is. . .
11. What 11 words would best describe your personality?
You've been tagged by catnipoflife!
Knit one, pearl two, knit one, pearl two. . . brings to mind the ol' nursery rhyme "He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me, he loves me not" because of its repetition. The Decision of the Flower results in either "yea" or "nay" with perhaps dropping an un-named petal along the way to alter its destined outcome. The knitter faces a similar fate, "keep it" or "leave it", dependent upon whether too many stitches have been dropped in the process.
Every "petal plucker" and "kicker knitter" drops stitches. C'st la vie! The stitches of each rely on the rhythm of the moment. If you stop paying attention, even for a second, suddenly you've lost track of whether it is true love or not, OR a loop has slipped off the needle going unnoticed. Too much delay and you might end up completely fumbling the nursey rhyme or in the case of the knitter, continuing to knit several rows before you see the tell-tale ladders of yarn filling the gap where the stitch initially dropped.
Are you in sync? What is your Rhythm of the Day?
papa, mr. catfish and me!
Oh, I can just hear you now! WORMS! UGH! You shiver and squimishly shy away! But, WAIT! Don't be in such a rush; there is actually a good reflection going on here. I do believe the reason this hit me last night is because throughout the entire day yesterday, my dad was heavy on my mind.
What a great man! He loved the out of doors and was his happiest either fishing on Lake Seminole or playing golf. He was also an avid hunter but that seemed to be put aside as he approached his senior senior years. How I loved the times he would take me fishing! The day before we would go digging for worms and set out early the next morning for the lake with his fishing boat in tow. No fancy rods and reels, just simple cane poles and the red wigglers for bait. He let me know right away he would not be baiting the hook for me. No, sir! He said he would have enough to do to keep his own pole baited and in the water.
There are no pictures of us in the family album but this is a very good replica of Daddy's fishing boat. Could not find a photo of Daddy/daughter fishing!
Once on the water we road around and in a short while stopped at one of Daddy's favorite fishing 'holes'. With poles in hand, the first task at hand was baiting the hooks. I would shut my eyes and hesitantly dip my hand in the bucket coming out with a handful of squishy, wiggly worms. I would just look at them twisting and turning trying to crawl out of my hand in search of good ol' Mother Earth. I would look over at Daddy silently hoping he would say, "OK, little girl, let me take care of that for you." But, silence prevailed as he carefully tended to his own hook. I knew he was watching me out of the corner of his eye. Even his pipe could not hide the sly grin.
I carefully selected the prize worm and put the others back in the bucket to await their fate at a later time. Mother had already taught me how to sew so I decided I would just pretend I was threading a needle. [Not a very good analogy, I know.] Anyway, with the wiggly, swiggly worm between my fingers, I held my breath and voila managed to get it hooked without losing my breakfast. Whew!
Alas, with that done, I took a deep breath, sighed, smiled at my dad, and said, "At least the worst is over." Oh, was I in for a surprise! With a flip of the line, the little worm hit the water, "Splash!" Dad and I sat in his fishing boat what seemed like forever but was probably no more than ten, maybe fifteen minutes. He glanced my way, asked if I was hungry and I said I would pass for the time being. After handling the worms, thoughts of eating just did not seem very appealing. Another ten, maybe fifteen minutes passed.
I squirmed, shifted in my seat, yawned (we hit the lake at dawn) and tried not to seem too bored or impatient. After all, I was nine years old and a girl for heaven's sake. I should be home with Mother in the kitchen or playing with my baby dolls. Right? No way! I was like my dad and absolutely loved the outdoors. We both had looked forward to this day.
Of course, you know mine was no where near this big but to me it was the biggest catfish in the lake!
Then, it happened! It started with a slight tug on the end of the line. The tiny cork began to bobble up and down in the water, disappear and reappear within a matter of seconds. Daddy laid his pole aside and gently put his arm across my shoulder. The pole began to bend and I just knew it was going to break as it curved into a half moon. With a quick jerk, Daddy set the hook and helped me bring in the grandest catfish I had ever seen! I squealed with smiles and giggles as most girls do and wanted to jump up and down but remembered we were in the boat. That would have to wait until we were ashore. I was so excited but all I could do was simply stare at this huge fish with a half-eaten worm dangling from its mouth who appeared to be staring right back at me.
Oh, do you remember a little while ago my mentioning I was in for a surprise when I thought the worse was over? Have you figured that out yet? Yep, the next step was getting the fish OFF the hook. Of course, Daddy would not let me do that by myself since I was a novice and he did not want me to get finned. But I was required to watch diligently so I could learn the perfect technique for later fishing trips. With that task out of the way, we continued fishing for awhile, catching a few more catfish, and decided to end the trip with a ride around the lake.
After a few hours, we returned to shore, Daddy loaded the boat on the trailer and we headed for home. We talked about the fishing trip and how there would be more times like this one. I could not wait to get home and tell Mama about MY fish. That would come later, much later, for little did I know at the time that first the fish had to be CLEANED!
Need nourishment? Visit Daily Soul Food at Pinterest!
Whether you call them ladybugs, ladybirds, or lady beetles, what is it about this 'bug' that so lovingly captures our attention? After all, it is an insect! Oh, my, yes, but what an adorable little insect that can lovingly tickle the palm of our hand or lightly rest on your arm! Let's take a closer look at this phenomenal tiny creature and its impact on life.
Did you know this tiny beetle is an emblem of good luck, links to spiritual ideals and carries a powerful message? With its tiny, short legs, transparent wings and brightly colored black, yellow or reddish markings, the ladybug fascinates us with her delicate and loving nature.
A Ladybug's appearance often signals new happiness and a renewed sense of well being, worries will fade and higher goals will be attained. Some say if you count the spots on a ladybug they correspond with the number of wishes and gifts that will come to you in the future but take warning, hurt a ladybug and the spots show how many misfortunes await you. Ladybugs remind us there will always be opportunities to pursue and capture our dreams.
Inspiration for this post came in an email notification from Inspiration Import ~ Art & Words – Spirit & Soul – Create & Creations. What messages have you received from the ladybug? What stories do you have to share about the ladybug and how she touched your life?


These eight women with their talent and achievements have set a benchmark for the meaning of true beauty.
Indian sports personalities like Saina Nehwal and Smriti Mandhana have shown us the true meaning of being bold and beautiful.
There achievements have been an inspiration for women to rise.
Beauty and style have always corresponded with looks, but these Indian sportswomen have shunned such critics. With their style and achievements, they have told us that beauty is about the way you embody confidence and lead in life. Their accomplishments have inspired many Indian women to be like her.
Smriti Mandhana is a 21-year-old Indian cricketer who currently plays for the Indian women's cricket team. She made her Test debut in against England August 2014 and helped her team in winning the match by scoring 22 and 51 runs in her first and second innings, respectively. The sports personality came into the limelight after she scored a 90 against England in the group matches in World Cup 2017.
Babita Kumari Phogat, the younger sister of Geeta Phogat, is a 27-year-old Indian female wrestler and a gold medal recipient in the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The Haryana girl has won a silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in Delhi, and a bronze medal at the 2012 World Wrestling Championships.
Deepika Pallikal is an Indian squash player, and the first one to break into the top 10 WSA rankings. She was honored with Arjuna Award in 2012 and Padma Shri in 2014. Her highest ranking has been World no. 10. Her current ranking is World no. 19. Apart from all her achievements, She is one the beautiful indian sportswomen.
Saina Nehwal is an Indian badminton singles player, who is currently the World No. 12. She became the World no. 1 in 2015. Nehwal has won over twenty-one international titles. She after, Prakash Padukone became the only Indian player to achieve this ranking. Nehwal has represented India three times in the Olympics and won a bronze medal in her second appearance.
Akanksha Singh is a 28-year-old Indian Basketball player and the current captain of the country's Women's National Basketball Team. She has been a member of the national women team since 2004 to till date. She has been accoladed with the best player in many national and state championships. During her captaincy at Delhi University, she won a gold medal in All India University basketball championship at Nallor.
–by Megha Acharya of NewsGram.


The International Day of Peace, also known as Peace Day, was brought into being by United Nations Resolutions in 1981 and 2001. Each year, hundreds of students take part in a student observance of Peace Day at the United Nations which includes Messengers of Peace. View the UN's Peace Day page: www.un.org/peaceday.


ST. PAUL, Minn. - Some help is on the way for Minnesotans struggling with poverty, thanks to a half-million-dollar grant from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation, made to the Minnesota Community Action Association Resource Fund.
Neal Steffl, executive director of the Southwestern Minnesota Opportunity Council, says the grant funds will go to eight of the Minnesota Community Action agencies across the state.
"They will be using that money for a number of efforts, ranging from homelessness assistance, food assistance, transportation, any number of needs that the low-income people in their counties are facing right now."
Steffl says the agencies sharing in the funds serve 39 counties in the state, including the ten with the highest poverty rates.
"There is poverty in every county in Minnesota, but there are certainly some counties that have higher concentrations of poverty. That's what the contribution from Blue Cross and Blue Shield is going to address, and we think it's a wonderful, wonderful thing that they're doing."
Carolyn Link, executive director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation, says the decision to award the grant to Minnesota Community Action makes sense because they're the folks on the ground every day.
"They're in a great position to know the local community best and to determine the local needs, and by making the funds available to them, they can make those decisions about the best use of funds in their community."
The number of Minnesotans living in poverty increased by nearly 77 percent in the past decade to almost 600,000 people. The ten counties in Minnesota with the highest rates of poverty are Beltrami, Blue Earth, Cass, Clearwater, Mahnomen, Ramsey, St. Louis, Todd, Wadena and Winona.


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text:
Wrecked Wrimo - Chapter 3
Chapter 3: The Phone That Never Rings
"If God lived on Earth, people would break His windows."
-Yente
The breakthrough comes when Lilly has the idea to snork[1] Jim's webcam that he uses to Skype home and duck tapes it into the back corner of the freight elevator and sets it to record on a laptop that she leaves up in the lights so that she can see what the scientist does to make the elevator descend past where she's been led to believe it reaches its descent limit, and it turns out that all he does is stand there, which she does but is too scared to actually leave the elevator today, and she's a little pissed that her initial plan of hiding in the elevator, which she had and then immediately dismissed a month ago exactly, would have accidentally worked, it turns out.
30 May 1431: The Present
In between when the torch is lit and when the fire from it is applied to the logs underneath her, Joan is able to remember a great many things which have happened and also it seems is able to remember things that haven't happened yet, which she didn't think would feel like remembering, even though it turns out it does.
Her regrets low in number as to seem to be zero if she was put on the spot and forced to answer quickly, but given ample time to think she'd say, if pressed, that not knowing God face to face, and instead being content to merely listen, would be the big one, she reckons. She's read of Moses' burn and would abide both that and the discomfort, although now it's kind of a moot point anyway.
Her proudest moment doesn't involve any of her groundbreaking (in terms of both eschewing traditional gender roles and also strategic theory) military exploits, but is instead the leap that she took from the Vermandios tower into the soft ground of a recently dried-out moat[2] in an escape attempt which surely would have succeeded had the force of the fall also not trapped her in the mud from the waist down. She'd wriggled there in the night for a while until she was found.
Her holy communication existing in her internal and wholly private hierarchy of accomplishments above any contributions to large-scale group pugilism.
She remembers for instance that she became a saint in 1920, and she suspects this memory is some kind of a gift from on high, some kind of perhaps mental anesthetic.
She will be burned in a way unlike the way Moses was burned, though the principal characters are similar.
The man holding the torch has eyes that don't seem to see anything around him, or else a face that just doesn't register what his eyes see, and so he applies the torch fire, and will in the future be unable to remember this moment right now, the moment of torch-fire application, he will be unable to remember anything between this moment and a moment that came a few weeks before this moment, when a prominent political figure offered him a spot in what he referred to as the world's premier society of gentlemen. There are several blank weeks in Mr. Geoffrey Therage's life, and upon his waking he will say that he doesn't know what he's done during that time, but he fears damnation for it.
Joan burns, burns, is burned again.
One of the things that makes little axioms of eternal truth[3] so utterly infuriating is the fact that they are generally true, and manage to condense truth into insipid little asides where truth should be something unattainable to justify the general human aversion to it.
One of those axioms that you don't here that A. Atom Severe might endeavor to enter into the canon is "when you're at an avant-garde performance art theatre-with-an-"r"-"e"-type setting, and someone shoots to murder the lead actor, it will be a while before the audience knows that it isn't part of the performance, the fact that he's been murdered, especially since it's a one-man show."
10 September 1864: The Present.
Someone who the fellow Booth can't see is addressing him inside a building that doesn't allow much in, ambient light-wise.
"Let me ask you a question," is what the voice says.
"Actually two questions: how committed to this are you, and how committed to this are you willing to be?"
"Very to the first, and even more to the second, sir."
"Do you know who I am?"
"The leader of the Knights of the Gold-"
"No, but to you know who I am?"
"I do not."
"That will change."
This is the last conversation that the fellow Booth remembers before he is inside a barn that is on fire and expending one hundred percent of his mental energy towards finding the absolute quickest way the hell out of it. It's like he fell down and got up all full of nothing and stayed that way until April of the next year.
He'd be shocked to know that he killed the sitting prez, but let's be clear: he'd be shocked in a very happy kind of way.
And so in this moment, right after he said "alright," in a manner that wasn't exactly free of wary, concerned inflection, like he was saying it but not because he especially wanted to say it, but because he thought that it was what he was supposed to say. Which it was, but right after the last syllable leaves his mouth, the fellow whose job had been to pretend to be other people became what might as well have been a completely different person than the Booth who entered the poorly lit barn that the Knights of the Golden Circle have their meetings in.
If he were aware of his surroundings in any way, he'd realize that there is no one else in the barn aside from himself and the figure hidden by the lack of much ambient light, and he'd realize that he can see pretty much everything else in the barn at least a little bit, but this bloke who's supposedly calling the shots is completely shrouded in some kind of darkness, that seems like it even goes beyond absence of light, like it's the absence of even the idea of light, which in not so many words it is.
So even when the so-called leader of the Knights of the Golden Circle steps forward, the darkness follows him or maybe more accurately, the light stays away from him.
And so even when he steps further forward, till he's very nearly face to face on top of face with the fellow Booth, registering not a thing at this point, the pocket of darkness or rather the pocket of the absence of light follows him and continues to keep him shrouded or enveloped in it, and what he says is "welcome to Chernabog, my friend." Which if he could hear or respond, the fellow Booth might reply to the effects of what is Chernabog and why isn't it the Knights of the Golden Circle?
Though of course he can't respond, and his next voluntary response to external stimuli will be "you'll never take me alive."
5 August 2021: The Present
And so even when Felix walks into his hated HH this morning, several hours after he's supposed to be there and several hours also before the first customers tend to show up.[4] This is Felix's favorite part of the day, the part of the day when he doesn't have to talk to anyone at all, and often times he'll stand behind the cash register even during the lunch rush thinking "stay out. You stay out," as loudly as he can at anyone who comes near the saloon-style doors that some nerd thought would give the place a pleasing atmosphere or some such hooey[5].
So when the Christ bag is still in the spot off to the side where customers who have called ahead pick up the food that called ahead for, Felix is irritated but has no one to direct it to. He looks at Squatch (who is here before Felix everyday and stays later) who shakes his head, communicating to Felix in no uncertain terms that the bag stays.
"When it starts to stink, it's gone," is Felix's response, but it is halfhearted because he knows better than to in any way irritate Squatch, and he also doubts that Squatch understands.
And so then also when some elderly fellow with what looks like an ancient walking stick comes in and just stares at Felix for a few minutes and then leaves, he's not only confused but also doubly annoyed and with no one to vent his annoyance in their direction.
Right before he leaves, the man says "I have something very important to tell you, but not right now," directed at Felix, but Felix barely hears it over how annoyed he is that someone is in Hamburger Purgatory ahead of schedule.
The next person to come into the restaurant does so some 3 hours later, at a reasonable lunchtime, and is wearing the collar of a preacher, and so Felix assumes that there's a chance that the bag's for him, and so he kind of does an awkward thing with his eyes where he looks back and forth between the bag and the clergyman, between the bag and the clergyman, and the clergyman is deciding what to order but Felix interprets the raised eyes of his decision-making to some kind of prayer, for guidance or else for thanks, guidance or thanks with regard to the burger in the bag, and Felix chimes in by making a thumb-motion towards the bag and saying "why would he order more than one burger when we could just give him one and then he'd break it in half a bunch of times or whatever." Felix would be unable to communicate capital H's verbally, but he doesn't think that way.
The clergyman's response to that is to say nothing but instead to narrow his eyes at Felix, indicating non-verbally that he doesn't care for that joke, and then he indicates it verbally as well.
Felix meaning well, and operating under the assumption that the Christ bag is the clergyman's, which it becomes abundantly clear that it isn't, when he (the clergyman) leaves.
[1] Which is McMurdo janitor colloquial slang for "borrow secretly but with full intention to return."
[2] 70 (!) feet
[3] "You have to break a few eggs to make an omelet," "Take it one day at a time," all the variations of "it's not how hard you're hit/fall down…" etc.
[4] Whoever is responsible for the business model of opening the old HH for breakfast but never actually serving breakfast food is, in Felix's mind, the highest order of asshat, but since he knows of no one ranking higher than him within the organization, nor does he know of any other Hamburger Heaven, he does not voice his concerns out loud for fear that he is actually the one responsible. But if he's in charge, who does all the tax-type stuff? Is something that Felix routinely wonders.
[5] See above f/n.
Lisa | Labor Posters link
I really loved the thought of it, hope to hear more from you, God Bless you all.. :)


text:
Q: Changing a person's name into an adjective What do you call it when a person's name or group's name is changed into a adjective? Is it "conversion" or "functional shift"?
For instance, saying a band's music is "Beatlesque" or that someone's singing will be "Aguilerian" (implying she will be singing with some gusto).

A: It's called an eponymous adjective.
From Wikipedia:

An eponymous adjective is an adjective which has been derived from the name of a person, real or fictional. Persons from whose name the adjectives have been derived are called eponyms.

The linked article has a huge list of such words.

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What is First Session like – online or First in person visit?.
What is the Second Session like?.
What happens in regular visits?
What happens when YOU IGNORE, REJECT, AVOID or SUPPRESS life's problems.
What are the practices and tools we offer?
We utilize National Institute of Health guidelines and studies in helping you manage your problems.


text:
Ravenna
By Dion Protani
Latest update: 5 January 2023
The city of Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna with a population of 157,663 inhabitants.
Situated 11 kilometres inland of the Adriatic coast, it covers a total area of 653 km² and lies 80 kilometres east of Bologna, the regional capital of Emilia Romagna.
The one time capital of the Western Roman Empire, Ravenna is one of the most historic cities in Italy and is particularly renowned for its numerous examples of Byzantine art, particularly its mosaics.
Via IV Novembre, Ravenna
Basilica di San Vitale, Ravenna
Mercato Coperto, Ravenna
Archiepiscopal Chapel/Cappella di Sant'Andrea, Ravenna,
Piazza del Popolo, Ravenna
Basilica di Sant'Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna
Must See Italian Cities
Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy
Things to see in Emilia Romagna
Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna - Byzantine mosaics
It is to this legacy of art and architecture that Ravenna owes its UNESCO World Heritage listing. Included under the heading "Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna", the city was added to the UNESCO list in 1996. There are eight buildings in the list and most, but not all, can be visited on foot from the city centre.
The full list of UNESCO-listed monuments in Ravenna is as follows: Basilica di San Vitale, the Mausoleum di Galla Placidia, the Neonian Baptistery, Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, the Arian Baptistery, the Archiepiscopal Chapel, the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare in Classe and the Mausoleum of Theodoric.
Basilica di San Vitale and around
The main square in Ravenna is Piazza del Popolo, an elegant square built in the 15th century by the Venetians with porticoed sides and two distinctive columns which honour the city's patron saints: Saint Apollinaris and Saint Vitalis. Using Piazza del Popolo as a starting point, it's a 6 minute walk (500 metres) to the first of the city's most important sights: the Basilica di San Vitale.
Built in the 6th century by the Ostrogoth king Theodoric, the Basilica di San Vitale is home to a breathtaking array of Byzantine mosaics and other artwork. It's also just a few steps from here to the Mausoleo di Galla Placidia, a small mausoleum with further mosaics which are among the most famous in the city. The San Vitale complex is completed by the National Museum of Ravenna and the Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore; all of which are situated in the same small area.
Ravenna Cathedral
At the opposite end of the city centre and a ten minute walk (750 metres) from the San Vitale complex lies another important area of sightseeing. At the centre of these sights is Ravenna Cathedral which is flanked by the Neonian Baptistery. Behind the cathedral is another UNESCO site, the Archiepiscopal Chapel which is housed within the eponymous museum (Museo Arcivescovile).
Museo Dantesco
Most of the remaining sights within the city centre are more spread out. Heading north east from the cathedral for 4 minutes (350 metres) you come to Dante's Tomb and the Museo Dantesco. Legendary Italian poet Dante Alighieri wrote his masterpiece The Divine Comedy whilst he saw out the last of his days in Ravenna, having been exiled from his native Florence. The neoclassical building that houses his tomb was built in the 18th century while the Museo Dantesco displays memorabilia in celebration of his life.
Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and Arian Baptistery
Continuing on foot, 6 minutes east from the Museo Dantesco you reach one of the major sights in the city: the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo which was, along with the Basilica di San Vitale, built in the 6th century by Theodoric. Inside the basilica you'll find some of the best mosaics in the city, rivalling those already mentioned at the locations above. From the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo it's a 5 minute walk (350 metres) to the Arian Baptistery which is another building housing an extraordinary collection of Byzantine mosaics.
The aforementioned King Theodoric is one of the most important characters from Ravenna's illustrious history. He was King of the Ostrogoths in 476 when the Western Roman Empire lost the Battle of Ravenna and with it, control of the city. A cultured ruler, it was he who was responsible for much of the city's architecture and the art housed within it. He died in Ravenna in the year 526 and his resting place, the Mausoleum of Theodoric is situated a 15 minute walk (1.3 km) from the Arian Baptistery.
The 8th and final of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ravenna, the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare in Classe, is the only one that can't be reached on foot in a short time. It's just over seven kilometres from the city centre but reachable in 20 minutes with the number 4 bus which you can catch from Piazza Caduti. Whatever slight discomfort comes from having to leave the city, the trip is absolutely worth it.
Torre Civica - leaning tower
One of the most curious sights in Ravenna is the Torre Civica; it's only 26 metres high but it leans quite dramatically and had its top third removed just twenty years ago in order to save it from crumbling to the ground.
Comune di Ravenna
Province: Ravenna
Region: Emilia Romagna
Population: 155,836 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023)
Size: 653 km²
Elevation: 4 metres
Top sights: Basilica di San Vitale, Neonian Baptistery
Recommended accommodation: Hotel Sant'Andrea
Close by: Cervia, Faenza, Forlì, Cesenatico, Cesena, Bellaria
Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna
Ravenna Travel
Ravenna's train station is situated 750 metres from Piazza del Popolo, a 9 minute walk. By train you can reach Bologna in an hour and ten minutes, stopping along the way at Imola among other destinations. Heading in the other direction you can travel south along the coast towards Rimini in 58 minutes with stops in Cervia, Cesenatico and Bellaria of particular interest.
Ravenna is practically equidistant from Emilia Romagna's two airports so you can head 58 minutes south (69 km) to Rimini & San Marino Airport or 58 minutes west to Bologna Airport (83 km).
Public transport: Central train station, city buses, local buses
By car: Cesena - 39 minutes (38 km), Forlì- 40 minutes (30 km)
By air: Bologna Airport or Rimini & San Marino Airport - 58 mins
By train: Rimini - 58 minutes, Bologna - 1 hour 10 minutes
Ravenna Gallery


text:
The Friend is a novel by the American writer Sigrid Nunez published by Riverhead Books in 2018. The book concerns an unnamed novelist who adopts a Great Dane that belonged to a deceased friend and mentor.

Writing and publishing
Nunez was inspired to write the novel in part due to acquaintances and friends convinced their lives would end by suicide. A friend of Nunez's died by suicide as she was writing The Friend. Nunez also drew inspiration from Elizabeth Hardwick's novel Sleepless Nights.

The novel contains autobiographical elements, and is written in the stream of consciousness style, which Nunez has said allowed for "essay writing" and "meditation" within the book.

Plot summary
The unnamed narrator, a writer living in Manhattan, recalls the life and recent suicide of her best friend and mentor, also unnamed. Addressing him in the second person, she recounts her friend's three troubled marriages and his career as a college professor. The narrator reveals that the main point of contention between her and her friend involved his illicit affairs with his female students. The narrator meets with her friend's third wife, who asks her to adopt her friend's senior Great Dane, Apollo. The wife, whom the narrator calls "Wife Three", explains that Apollo appears to be in mourning and has been temporarily placed in a kennel. Recalling the story of Hachikō, the narrator reluctantly agrees to take Apollo in.

Though dogs are prohibited in her building, the narrator thinks of a New York law regarding the keeping of pets in apartments: that, if a tenant openly keeps a dog in an apartment for a period of three months, and during those three months the landlord does not take action to evict the tenant, the tenant may legally keep the dog. Though the narrator's building superintendent, Hector, tells her to get rid of Apollo, the narrator hopes Hector will not inform the landlord within the three months.

In her free time, the narrator teaches a writing workshop at a center for victims of human trafficking. As she reads the work of the victims and cares for Apollo, she recalls several films and novels with themes of suffering, suicide, and human-canine bonds, including the films Lilya 4-ever and White God, and the novels Disgrace (a particular favorite of her friend) and My Dog Tulip. As the narrator forms a stronger bond with Apollo, Hector reveals that he has told the landlord about her dog. As the narrator becomes more withdrawn, it becomes evident that her eviction is likely, and her friends and relatives attempt an intervention. The friend's second wife, "Wife Two," finally offers to take Apollo so the narrator can keep her apartment. To the dismay of her friends, the narrator refuses.

She begins reading Letters to a Young Poet aloud to Apollo, finding that it soothes him, and recalls author Rainer Maria Rilke's definition of love: "... two solitudes that protect and border and greet each other." Inspired, and with her therapist's approval, the narrator registers Apollo as an emotional support animal, enabling her to keep the apartment.

The narrator notices Apollo's arthritis becoming more severe, and dreads his eventual death. She imagines a final conversation between her and her friend, in which she tells him that she is writing a novel about him. Though the narrator says that she's changed key details, her friend is upset, and asks her to reassure him that nothing bad will happen to the dog.

Sometime in the near future, the narrator is taking a summer vacation in Long Island with Apollo, who is now very sick. From the porch, she listens to the ocean and watches Apollo, lying in the grass. She sees a swarm of white butterflies moving across the lawn, and thinks that they should watch out for Apollo, who could take out most of them with one bite. However, the butterflies land on Apollo, and the dog does not move. The narrator realizes what has happened, and, in the last sentence of the novel, mourns, "Oh, my friend, my friend!"

Reception

Critical reception
Overall, the novel received mostly positive reviews. Critics praised the depiction of the relationship between the narrator and her adopted dog. Nunez said that she was surprised by the response to the novel, in part because her other works have not received as much attention.

Heller McAlpin, writing for NPR, describes how "Nunez deftly turns this potentially mawkish story into a penetrating, moving meditation on loss, comfort, memory, what it means to be a writer today, and various forms of love and friendship — including between people and their pets. All in a taut 200 pages." Similarly, Lidija Haas of Harper's Magazine writes how "Sigrid Nunez's sneaky gut punch of a novel, is a consummate example of the human-animal tale. It presents itself as a thinly fictionalized grief memoir in which an unnamed, Nunez-like writer, after the suicide of her beloved mentor, adopts his heartbroken Great Dane, Apollo." Haas continues, noting that "The Friend's tone is dry, clear, direct — which is the surest way to carry off this sort of close-up study of anguish and attachment. More for aesthetic than for moral reasons, the narrator gives up her attempt to write about a group of traumatized women with whom she's been volunteering to slowly, painfully, construct instead the book we're reading. Someone is being played here, but whether the game is at the reader's expense or the subject's (the dead mentor's) remains deliberately unclear. Part of the tease involves the question of whether 'something bad' is going to happen to the dog."

Honors
The novel won the National Book Award for Fiction.

References

2018 American novels
Riverhead Books books
Novels set in New York City
National Book Award for Fiction winning works

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- Increased funding for the Local Crisis Prevention Fund (a 'last resort' fund which provides emergency assistance to the poorest people in Bristol), funded by increasing fees on scaffolding and skips that block the road.
- Using a small amount of money from reserves to build two houses for children in care with complex needs, who are often sent outside the city at a greater expense.
- Hiring a planner to restrict the growth in Houses of Multiple Occupancy and support a more balanced housing mix across some areas of the city.
Together the Green budget proposals will raise over a million pounds for the Council and secure more funding for important local services.
"I'm delighted that our budget amendments have been accepted. These are sensible, effective amendments that will reduce some of the impact of the deep cuts in Labour's austerity budget, protect vital emergency funding for some of the poorest people in the city, and provide housing in the City for children in care with complex needs. While it is disappointing that councillors did not support all of our amendments, voting down the amendment to scrap free car parking for councillors, it is encouraging that most of our proposals have passed today.