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Content Marketing How to Build an Audience that Builds Your Digital Business. Content marketing means creating and sharing valuable free content to attract and convert prospects into customers, and customers into repeat buyers. The type of content you share is closely related to what you sell; in other words, you're educating people so that they know, like, and trust you enough to do business with you.
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Sep 19, 2014 · What Is Content Marketing? josh steimle subscriber. opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. You've just heard someone mention "content marketing" and you get the idea you should already know what it is, but you're too embarrassed to ask anyone.


The fourteenth regular session of the Northern Committee of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) finishes up Friday, 7 September, after three days of meetings in Fukuoka, Japan.
The committee has been considering a draft conservation management measure for a Pacific bluefin tuna catch documentation scheme. General goals for tuna management were already outlined at the committee's December meeting in Manila, the Philippines. These included keeping WCPFC members' total fishing effort in the area north of the 20th parallel below the 2002-2004 annual average catch levels; and keeping total catch of Pacific bluefin tuna weighing less than 30 kilograms at less than 50 percent of the 2002-2004 annual average levels. The proposal calls for any overage of the catch limit to be deducted from the country's catch limit for the following year.
In order to achieve these goals, the establishment of conservation management measures was promoted, with certain requirements, with the prerequisite that members will cooperate to establish a catch documentation scheme to be applied to Pacific bluefin tuna; and that members would also take measures to strengthen monitoring and data collecting system for Pacific bluefin tuna fisheries and farming in order to improve the data quality and timeliness of data reporting.
The goal of the CDS is to make it difficult to sell illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fish, as they would lack the necessary paper (or electronic) trail. A major point to be decided is whether the CDS would be paper-based or electronic. Other questions to be debated include whether the documents should be validated and by whom, and whether there should be an exemption for artisanal and recreational fisheries.
During its meeting, the WCPFC will also investigate the systems used by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT).
Australia has played host to an international team as part of a wide operation against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the high seas of the Pacific Ocean, its Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has said.
Over four weeks, AFMA hosted representatives from Australia's Maritime Border Command; the New Zealand ministry for primary industries; the US Coast Guard; the French ministere des armées; and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) as part of "operation Nasse".
The participating nations, all members of the Quadrilateral Defence Coordination Group, worked together to coordinate at-sea inspections, aerial surveillance, and maritime intelligence sharing.
The operation successfully demonstrated Australia's ability to coordinate aircraft and surface patrol boats from all four countries, to monitor fishing operations and target IUU fishing on the high seas.
34 fishing vessels inspected, with 27 suspected violations identified, which have been reported to the relevant flag states for action, said AFMA. The operation was focused on tuna, and violations of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission rules.
Reaping greater economic benefit from regional fisheries is expected to be high on the agenda at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' summit in Nauru this week.
Large-scale and small-scale fishing in the waters off Madang in Papua New Guinea.
Increasing the yield of the Western and Central Pacific tuna fishery shows the greatest potential for growth.
FFA figures show two-thirds of the catch is taken by foreign vessels and as much as 90 percent of the fish is processed overseas.
A joint regional taskforce has been set up to tackle these areas and extract more value through longline fishery reform and value chain participation.
Increasing ways to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing will also be a focus and one that underpins the new regional security framework, the Biketawa Plus, which may be ratified on Nauru.
A just completed Pacific operation to combat illegal fishing found no breaches of the region's rules.
The exercise, the third this year and called Operation Island Chief, aimed to detect, deter, report and/or apprehend potential illegal, unregulated or unreported fishing activity.
Using boats and aircraft it covered more than 16.5 million square kilometres of ocean and found no infringements or breaches.
The Pacific's 10 Forum Fisheries Agency member nations were involved, along with Australia, New Zealand, France and the United States.


text:
McCrory, Moy
Dr Moy McCrory
Programme Leader/Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing
College of Arts, Humanities and Education
Identity, Culture and Representation Research Centre
Kedleston Road, Derby Campus
m.mccrory@derby.ac.uk
Creative Writing theory and practice.
Teaching responsibilities
Core Modules, Focus on Narration, Focus on Short Fiction, Focus On Genre Fiction, Writing and Representation. PhD Supervisor.
Hawthornden Fellow, Senior Fellow of the HEA, Advisor/ex-Committee Member The Arvon Literature Foundation, Member of NAWE (National Association of Writers in Education). On the Editorial Board for Short Fiction in Theory & Practice.
History and development of narrative writing including early writing systems, narrative patterns, structural development and methods
Interest in Irish writing & history with especial attention to the role of women and writing from the Irish diaspora/Irish in Britain/Second generation identity
Iconographies/Image/ early cinema/graphic novels.
Most recent academic & relevant publications
Chapter; 'Dragging the Corpse; Landscape & Memory' Creative Writing & Education ed. G Harper, Channel View Publications, Bristol, Spring 2015
Fiction:'Combustible World' ( Fictional narrative about the impact of the Troubles set in 1970's Belfast , based on real events but questioning the role of the narrator and of memory) The Warwick Review, vol VII, no.4 ed M.Hulse, University of Warwick, Oxford University Press, Jan 2014
Article:'Primo Levi as storyteller; the uses of fiction, creative non-fiction and the hard to classify in `Levi's narrative of the Holocaust' in Short Fiction in Theory & Practice, vol3, no.1, ed. A. Cox, Intellect Books, Bristol, Summer 2013
'This Time and Now: Identity and Belonging in the Irish Diaspora: The Irish in Britain and Second Generational Silence.' Chapter in Land & Identity. Theory, Memory & Practice. Rodophi, 2012. ISBN-13. 978-9042034600
'The Lure of Gravity: Primo Levi In Liverpool ' (creative non-fiction) in Spilling Ink: Collection of Fiction, Non-Fiction & Prose Poetry. Vol I,Unbound Press, Glasgow, 2011 ISBN 978-0-9568519-0-1
'Amongst Barbarians: Ovid, the Classics and Creative Writing' in International Journal for the Practice & Theory of Creative Writing. Vol.7, No.3, Routledge, Taylor & Francis, Philadelphia, USA, Autumn 2010. ISSN 1479-0726
'Writing Marathons. Introducing Creative Spaces.' Article in Writing In Education, NAWE Journal, No 51, Summer 2010
'Joan of Arc, Ringo Starr & Me' Shortlisted for Creative Non-fiction prize, in Loose
Leaves Anthology, Vol I,Unbound Press, Glasgow, November, 2010. ISBN 978-0-9558360-9-1.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
BunaB was the name of a line of purposely useless novelty products, promoted as if they were useful via carefully written marketing hype. They were created by American radio host Al Crowder (1904-1981). Beginning in the 1950s BunaBs were purportedly produced by the firm of Orville K. Snav and Associates and distributed from its headquarters in Snav Towers, Mason City, Iowa. The company's chief product was the Improved No. 7 BunaB, an assembly of two  insulated wires, red and blue, held together with neatly applied yellow electrical tape at the ends. BunaBs have been described as examples of primitive conceptual art.

History
In 1951 Al Crowder was a music store employee and radio host at KSMN in Mason City.  A cryptic gift of an object resembling a water jug from Crowder's father-in-law to Crowder's son inspired Crowder to write to the manufacturer, the International Latex Corporation, to ask what the object was. The response, received from E.C. Jakoswiak, Assistant to the President, stated that the bladder was a component of a World War II inflatable attack boat. Inspired by the apparently useless object and by the response, Crowder created the Improved BunaB #7, the first of the line. The BunaB

"...will meet, or exceed specifications set up by the industry for accuracy, durability and simplicity of operation. No moving parts insures constant stability... With a minimum of practice, results equaling the conventional instrument may be expected."

The instructions continued:

"After prolonged use the BunaB may indicate a variation of one or two percent when checked against a new BunaB. In that case, the old one should be discarded immediately. Satisfaction in positive results will readily offset the slight cost of replacement."

Those who ordered the BunaB #7 received, in addition to their device, a registration card that, when returned to Snav Towers, automatically made the recipient an "Assistant to the President." Shortly afterwards a personal letter from Crowder would arrive, discussing in lengthy detail the difficulties that attended Snav's business empire and personal life. Crowder's use of the Snav name dated to a time in Fort Wayne, Indiana, when he would send a daily (but empty) envelope to a local radio station that was soliciting letters from listeners.

Crowder was "Chief Assistant to the President" from 1951 to his death in 1981. After he died, his wife Louise carried on as "Dame Minerva P. Snav" and managed the correspondence with the approximately 50,000 Assistants to the President and Key Personnel in the Field from the Hall of Science (an upstairs bedroom, said to cover "approximately 9000 square inches") at Snav Towers (the Crowder residence).

BunaB product line
Snav produced a number of other BunaB products.

 BunaB #2, also known as Zudirk. A board game with unplayable rules. In fact, the rules clearly stated that they were unplayable.
 BunaB #3, the "Man's Between Shave Lotion," an apparently empty plastic bottle, the contents to be reconstituted by the addition of water.
 BunaB #4, a small dial with an adhesive pad that, when attached to a surface, could be moved between "OFF" and "ON."
 BunaB #5, a record to be played while watching television. It was entirely blank. Side 1 was noted to be particularly suitable for "drama, mystery, adventure and afternoon serials" while Side 2 was best for "panel shows, interviews, news, weather and sports." The record could be played at all standard speeds, including , 45, 78 and the Edison 80 rpm standards with satisfactory results.
 BunaB #6, remarkably similar to the Improved #7 BunaB to the extent of being identical.
 BunaB #7, the company's signature product. About 40,000 BunaB #7s were produced. The BunaB #7 is noted for its durability, ease of use and resistance to obsolescence.

While not a part of the BunaB line, Snav also produced the Post Meridian Morning (PMM) Shield. This black half-disc could be attached to the left side of a clock dial to obscure the morning hours. Snav also marketed the "Exigency Conversion Apparatus" (ECA), a plastic bag containing labels "MEN" and "WOMEN", allowing instant conversion of any room to a restroom. The C-K Key, made of Snav-Metal, opened all models of chastity belt. Delinquent accounts were referred to a Snav subsidiary, the Octopus Collection Agency.

Media coverage
Crowder appeared four times on The Garry Moore Show to discuss the BunaB #7, introducing the BunaB #5 on the show in the fall of 1957. In April 1958 Crowder was the subject of a Playboy profile entitled "The Little World of Orville K. Snav." In the Bullwinkle cartoon series, Bullwinkle read poetry from a music stand holding the "BunaB Anthem", first aired in September 1961. Jay Ward, the producer of Bullwinkle, awarded Snav a "Certificate of Exceptional Adequacy".

Notable BunaB owners
Television host Dave Garroway gave away BunaB #7s to test recipients' sense of humor. The BunaB he gave to Jimmy Carter was returned. H.R. Haldeman bought one for Richard Nixon. There is no record of whether Nixon found it funny. All of the Mercury 7 astronauts had BunaBs. Other "Assistants to the President" included Groucho Marx, Hugh Downs, Jerry Lewis, Helen Hayes, Barry Goldwater (who termed it "Absolutely irreplaceable. Use it constantly"), Cary Grant, Myrna Loy ("Absolutely indespensible!") and Hugh Hefner.

As conceptual art
The BunaB line of products has been cited as an early form of conceptual art, as described in the 2001 Dictionary of the Avant-Gardes. BunaBs #3 and #5 are in particular cited as examples of praecisio, defined as the act of making a point through silence.

References

External links
 The Improved #7 BunaB, from Orville K. Snav & Associates with a picture of a #7 BunaB and its instruction sheet

Conceptual art
Novelty items

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


HR management is very crucial in any human-resource driven business. IT is no exception. We understand that very well.
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DCSS follows stringent recruitment process, so that every employee feels the competition and brings the best to the firm and its customers. In 2005, we have received 300 applications for the position of 5. We have recruited highly qualified professionals after 3 rounds of test and interview.


I am constantly striving to create design that balances beauty and functionality.
Based in Boston Massachusetts I work as a user interface and experience designer. I am a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art & Design and have spent my career working at small start ups, big agencies and currently as an freelancer. I enjoy designing simple interfaces that solve complex problems.
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Feel free to reach out: Email, Twitter, Dribbble, and LinkedIn.


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Charlottetown is the capital city of Canada's smallest Province, Prince Edward Island, population: 140,000. Meetings which took place here in 1864 led to the formation of the great nation of Canada. A brief history of Prince Edward Island may be found here.


text:
Q: how does padding work in structure? The output of this program is 28. I don't understand how?
According to me this should be 32(4+4+4+4+12)+4(to maintain the alignment)=32.
Please explain the reason for displaying the output 28??
struct test{
    char c;
    int d;
    int x;
    int y;
    long double p;
    }t1;

printf("%d",sizeof(t1));

A: Maybe your "long double" is actually the same as a double (8 bytes), and if you're on a 32bit processor the alignment is 4-byte.
4+4+4+4+8 = 24
What is sizeof(long double)?
EDIT:
I used GCC's __builtin_offset_of() and __alignof__ to investigate.  The actual answer that explains the size of the struct is:
4+4+4+4+12 = 28
sizeof(long double) is 12.
No padding is necessary because __alignof__(long double) is 4 and.  Interestingly, __alignof__(double) is 8.

A: According to this, long doubles in gcc 32-bit mode (using gcc -m32 or with a gcc that was built to produce 32-bit output, regardless of what your platform actually is) are only 4-byte aligned. Might be good to consult the gcc manual to verify that, though.

A: On a 64 bit system sizes are
char - 1 byte(its not 4 bytes)
int - 4 bytes
long double - 12 bytes
so total is 1+4+4+4+12+padding = 28 bytes!!

A: That seems right to me.  A field immediately following p would be 4-byte aligned, so there's no need for padding at the end of the structure.
4+4+4+4+12=28
On my system, the output is 32, but on my system, sizeof(long double) is 16. (x86_64, LLVM3).

A: The 28 sizeof output is of course correct = 1 byte for char, 3 bytes padding, 3 x 4 int and 12 bytes for long double (96 bits size but 80 bit precision), which makes in total 28 bytes.
Remember that even tho you compile on x86-64 machine, you probably compile for x86-32 machine using mingw32 and that makes a difference.
Mingw32 uses 4 byte allignement for long double.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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I guess we could just accept it as the new norm, but that just seems to be giving in to a cruddy way to live. Perhaps we have been approaching the situation all wrong. We almost exclusively seek the solution from a management perspective. But what if the issue isn't a scarcity of time but an issue of passion. When we lack clarity about what matters most to us, about what our passions are, then everything seems to be important and the white space on our calendar gets squeezed. Yet when our passions dominate our commitments then the fluff gets forced from our calendars. In some ways, our passions act like river banks for our time, serving to keep our time commitments from flooding out to everything. So instead of sharpening up our time management skills perhaps we should be asking ourselves what our passions are and whether they are they driving our time commitments.
In the Bible, God asks us repeatedly to keep the right passions front and center. A few samples: "you are to have no other gods before me", "love the Lord your God with all your heart, your mind, your soul and strength", "seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness", "work out your salvation with fear and trembling", "don't grow weary in doing good", "keep fervent in your love for one another" and so forth. You get the idea. Clearly, Jesus was able to manage all the demands placed on Him because He stayed passionate about His mission to "seek and to save that which is lost".
– Establish a daily time to connect with God, perhaps using our 2017 Easter devotional focus: Journey to the Cross. There are also ample of number of resources available on line and on apps like Bible Gateway or The Bible.com.
– Prioritize inviting a friend or two to attend church with you. Holy Week certainly confirms that reaching new people is always on God's heart.
– Participate in some of the special worship opportunities such as our Good Friday service, April 14, 6:30 pm.
I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.


Join fellow birders & educators as citizen scientists for Winter 2012 Operation RubyThroat expeditions to observe, capture & band hummingbirds in Belize, Nicaragua & Costa Rica. There's also a Costa Rica trip in Nov 2011. No experience necessary!
We were honored the first weekend in April to give an after-dinner presentation for the Eastern Bird Banding Association, through which we have a life membership that was some of the best money we've ever spent. EBBA met on the banks of the Delaware River in eastern Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains; lodging and programming were at historic Shawnee Inn, whose walls are covered with photos of famous guests from Sam Snead to Dwight Eisenhower to Jackie Gleason. The inn was once owned by Fred Waring, known for his "Pennsylvanians" big band and also for "inventing" the Waring Blender. (Waring's ties to the inn likely explain why muzak played over the in-house PA system included lots of songs from the 30s and 40s.) We were awed by the natural beauty of the setting and were pleased by the opportunity to share results of our Neotropical hummingbird research with some of the most accomplished bird banders in the country. When we weren't attending sessions by these esteemed colleagues we had some time to wander the grounds of Shawnee Inn. There were a few birds in evidence--a Ruffed Grouse drumming on the hillside was one highlight--but the river valley was mostly quiet. We noted a few piles of snow left over from what had been a very long and white winter and observed that "green-up" of trees and other vegetation was scarcely under way (top photo). This scene was much different from what we saw when we got back to Hilton Pond Center and encountered numerous "Signs of Middle Spring 2011."
Indeed, by 1 April much of the Carolina Piedmont is well past green-up as the first sign of spring, and we estimate the southern Poconos of Pennsylvania were at least three weeks behind what we saw here in York, South Carolina. Whereas trees around Shawnee Inn weren't showing much in the way of bud swell, the vast majority of deciduous species at Hilton Pond had already leafed out. Granted, some of those local leaves were still small and tender, but even the huge terminal buds of late-leafing Shagbark Hickory, Carya ovata, were beginning to open (above). Hickories have big compound leaves and coming out of the nearly opened bud in the photo are five delicate petioles--each with several leaflets that will lengthen significantly in coming days. As the bud opens completely, the thin, translucent sheath that protected the developing leaflets will wither and turn brown. Meanwhile the Shagbark Hickory leaflets themselves can get down to that all-important task of photosynthesis.
Bud burst is triggered in part by day length, but ambient temperatures also can play a role; even if there's enough sunlight, cold weather may inhibit metabolic processes required for a bud to open. By middle spring, of course, temperatures around Hilton Pond in most years already have reached the 70s and 80s, so any "heat-dependent" organism by then has shaken off the winter chill and become active. That was certainly the case this week when a healthy-looking six-foot-long snake slithered down the trunk of a Flowering Dogwood just outside our office window (above). We're not 100% positive but based on behavior and general markings we suspect this elongated reptile is none other than "Blackie"--the only wild animal we've ever named during all our years at the Center.
Blackie--an apparent male Black Ratsnake, Elaphe obsoleta--has been around for at least a decade and is noted for his frequent trips up and down the dogwood, in full view as we sit at the computer. Blackie spends part of his working day inside the attic of our old farmhouse, where he performs the valuable function of catching and eating mice that think THEY own the dwelling. The ever-hungry snake enters the attic through a small hole he accesses from the roof over the office and is welcome to come and go as he pleases. If this serpent really is Blackie, he's twice as big as he was when we first started observing his arboreal habit; furthermore, he looks very healthy and well-fed--which may explain all those shed snakeskins in the attic.
Frequenting one of our sunflower tube feeders this week is a second black creature that likewise indicated we're in the midst of "middle spring." We speak here of a male Red-winged Blackbird (below right, in a photo taken through two layers of glass). This species might seem common and even undesirable to some observers but it's an infrequent local visitor at Hilton Pond Center. In 30 years we've banded only 24 red-wings and we almost never see one around the Center during the breeding season. This seems a little odd in that some ornithologists consider Red-winged Blackbirds to be North America's most abundant bird--one that occurs in huge flocks with Common Grackles and other icterids in the Southeast during winter. Red-wings are omnivorous and in addition to taking his fill of sunflower seeds the bird in the photo appears to be spending time probing the margins of Hilton Pond--see the mud on his upper mandible--perhaps in search of snails and tadpoles and macroinvertebrates. What's really exciting about this red-wing is he has staked out a shrubby area at the north end of the pond where he has a couple of singing perches. We find it delightful this spring to hear the sound of "konk-a-reeee" several times a minute. We have high hopes our highly vocal Red-winged Blackbird will attract a female--or two or three--and breed on the property in 2011.
All winter we gaze out the kitchen winter at Hilton Pond Center at a dead Eastern Red Cedar that serves as a perch for birds as they fly to and from our feeding station. Growing on the snag is a scraggly, tan-colored vine that by middle spring simultaneously puts out perfoliate leaves and brilliant red tubular flowers that--as one might suppose--provide nectar for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds who arrive "early." This is Trumpet Honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens (above), a native plant whose flowering period begins by the first of April and runs through June--sometimes with a second bloom in late summer. We're particularly fond of this little two-inch blossom--not just because it's a hummingbird attractant but because we enjoy its deep red color against the myriad shades of green found on middle spring foliage.
Another sign that winter is on the wane and spring is fully underway is a drop in numbers of local Pine Siskins--this at the same time big flocks of American Goldfinches have swarmed in to replace them. Unlike two months ago, a look this week at the ground beneath our big sunflower seed feeders revealed dozens of goldfinches and just a few siskins (above). In fact, our banding ratio this week was 171 goldfinches to 13 siskins--a noticeable change from last week's 41:38 ratio but a big flip-flop from 15-18 February when we had 32 goldfinches overwhelmed by 89 siskins. As spring progresses all our Pine Siskins and most American Goldfinches will be leaving for more northerly breeding grounds, but if summer results from the past few years are an indication then ever-larger numbers of goldfinch pairs will stay to breed. We just wonder where this influx of goldfinches that showed up recently has been all winter.
Another sign of middle spring here in the Carolina Piedmont is that male goldfinches have just about completed their molt into breeding plumage, and even their prospective mates are much brighter; the adult female in the photo above still bears a few drab winter feathers but is far more yellow than in December. This particular American Goldfinch is of special interest because when we caught her this week on 8 April she became our 56,000th bird banded since 1982 at Hilton Pond Center, which is a LOT of birds.
Incidentally, a few days before that (5 April) American Goldfinches became the second species to join Hilton Pond Center's elite "8,000 Club" of banded birds--second only to 8,439 House Finches (which have declined significantly the past several years). Since 1982 we've averaged 269 banded goldfinches annually, with a record high of 838 in 2007. We find it interesting that 81% of our American Goldfinches have been caught during the first six months of the year.
Early spring wildflowers often are those that bloom in deep woods where there's protection from the elements but leafless trees aren't yet blocking sunlight from reaching the forest floor. By middle spring, however, the canopy is already casting shade on woodland flora that can't garner enough light to photosynthesize. Thus, one sure indication middle spring has arrived is when flowers begin blooming along roadsides that bask in full sun. One of the first of these this year has been Common Cornflower or Wild Bachelor's Button, Centaurea cyanus (above), an annual non-native from Europe that now grows across North America. Oddly enough, because of herbicide abuse and intensive farming Common Cornflower is considered an endangered species in its native England, where it now grows naturally at only three sites. Like many roadside, sun-loving blossoms Cornflower is in the Composite Family (Asteraceae), with sterile ray flowers surrounding a center of fertile disc flowers. Each flower head can produce dozens of seeds that have a high germination rate in disturbed areas and freshly plowed ground, hence its frequent occurrence in corn fields--a habitat that gave rise to the plant's common name. Non-native Common Cornflower is often confused with non-native Common Chicory--which also grows as a roadside weed in the Carolinas and beyond--but the former has a dark flower center.
Blackbirds and blacksnakes, goldfinches and siskins, honeysuckle and cornflower . . . if what we've been observing at Hilton Pond Center is any indication, things happen fast in the natural world during April. All this is too good to ignore, so our advice is to get outside as often as you may for as long as you can to witness your own "Signs of Middle Spring 2011."
"This Week at Hilton Pond" is written & photographed by Bill Hilton Jr., executive director of Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History.
Thanks to the following fine folks for recent gifts in support of Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History and/or Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project. Your tax-deductible contributions allow us to continue writing, photographing, and sharing "This Week at Hilton Pond." Please see Support if you'd like to make a gift of your own.
If you like shopping on-line please become a member of iGive, through which 800+ on-line stores from Amazon to Lands' End and even iTunes donate a percentage of your purchase price to support Hilton Pond Center . Every new member who registers with iGive and makes a purchase earns an ADDITIONAL $5 for the Center. You can even do Web searches through iGive and earn a penny per search--sometimes TWO--for the cause! Please enroll by going to the iGive Web site. It's a painless, important way for YOU to support our on-going work in conservation, education, and research. Add the iGive Toolbar to your browser and register Operation RubyThroat as your preferred charity to make it even easier to help Hilton Pond Center when you shop.
Operation RubyThroat has teamed with EarthTrek so citizen scientists--like YOU--can contribute observations about hummingbird migration and nesting behavior. Membership is free for this great new opportunity to help increase scientific understanding of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Data entry forms for 2010-11 are on-line, so please register today at EarthTrek.
NOW is the time to report your 2010 RTHU fall departure dates for the U.S. & Canada, and fall arrival dates for Mexico & Central America.
--Overnight storms on 4 Apr played havoc with the surrounding community, but there was no significant damage to vegetation, wildlife, dwellings, or people at Hilton Pond Center. We did go without power for two full days, however, a bit of an inconvenience when an electric pump motor provides the water supply. Having survived Hurricane Hugo--when power was off for a full week--we're always careful to hold numerous gallon jugs of drinking water in reserve on the top shelf of the pantry. The best thing about not having electricity was that the house was exceptionally quiet and we could see the night sky without light pollution from the neighborhood glut of outdoor lighting. We kinda liked the outage and just need to remember to go out and buy replacement oil for our antique hurricane lamps that always see us through the darkness. The good news is that after two big storms in the past ten days Hilton Pond is about 6" deeper than it was a week ago, even though it's still a foot below maximum.
--In case you're wondering, the Center dodged a bullet on the afternoon of 9 Apr when another line of strong thunderstorms barreled through the region but caused no damage locally. Son Garry Hilton wasn't so lucky; his car--parked at Fort Mill High School on the east side of York County--lost its rear window and windshield to baseball-sized hailstones. Ouch!
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History is a non-profit research, conservation & education organization in York, South Carolina USA; phone (803) 684-5852. Directed by Bill Hilton Jr., aka "The Piedmont Naturalist," it is parent organization for Operation RubyThroat. Web site contents--including text and photos--may NOT be duplicated, modified, or used in any way except with express written permission of Hilton Pond Center. All rights reserved worldwide. To request permission for use or for further assistance, please contact Webmaster.


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Al Jefferson suspended five games for an unnamed drug (pot) infraction
Ball Don't Lie December 9, 2015, 8:42 PM UTC
Michael Jordan and Al Jefferson discuss ethics. (Getty Images)
Al Jefferson will turn 31-years old in January, he is a potent NBA scorer and rebounder, and a respected teammate.
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The Charlotte Hornets center has also been suspended five games by the NBA for an unspecified drug violation.
The suspension will begin once Jefferson returns from the calf injury that has limited for the last week, and possibly keep him out for another two weeks. As such, the Hornets could be without Jefferson for the rest of the 2015 calendar year.
The Hornets and Jefferson released a statement on Wednesday:
"We are disappointed in Al's decisions that led to this suspension. As an organization, we do not condone this behavior. We have addressed this with Al. He is regretful and understands that we expect him to learn from this mistake."
The below statement is from Al Jefferson regarding the situation:
"I want to apologize to the Hornets organization, our owner, my teammates and my coaches for the poor decision that I made. I know I have let people down, especially the Hornets fans that have been so supportive of me since I arrived in Charlotte two years ago. I am blessed to be able to play the game that I love for a living and I do not take that for granted. From the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry, and I am committed to making smarter decisions in the future."
Jefferson, over 17 games, averages 13.7 points and 6.4 rebounds in 26 minutes a game. The Hornets, at 12-8 and boast the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference.
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If you're reading an NBA blog on a Wednesday afternoon about a Charlotte Hornets center, you likely know that there is exactly one drug-based five-game suspension, and that is for testing positive for marijuana three times. The NBA and NBPA, whether this is by design or unintentional, leaves little guesswork for those on the outside.
Al Jefferson, a tall man with ankle and calf issues that runs up and down the court quite a bit prior to battling in the paint with the league's biggest players, was "caught" smoking marijuana three times per the league's (at first) random testing policy. Jefferson, who tore his ACL in 2008, probably should have taken more caution once the first positive test allowed the NBA (per the league's collective bargaining agreement) to schedule further tests, is right when he says he needs to make "smarter decisions in the future."
Not regarding his use of the drug, which is still illegal in North Carolina. From getting caught the two other times.
Marijuana isn't harmless, it's still mostly illegal, and a lot of people (including this narc right here) are not a fan. It's still far more preferable to pro athletes than gobbling an unending string of anti-inflammatory meds (which can cause all manner of kidney and liver diseases), painkillers, or liters of liquor as they attempt to chase away what results from our nightly cheering – perpetual pain, as they work through a contact sport. Are we really still doing this?
Al Jefferson, more than just about anyone in the NBA, subscribes to the "contact" aspect of this sport as he does his business in the low post. It isn't great that he'll possibly have to miss the rest of December because of the infraction, but as 2015 shifts into 2016 I think a lot of us can agree that it is rather silly that we're still demonizing things like this, prior to watching that Grey Goose vodka ad that the local broadcast will play in between quarters.
Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KDonhoops


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News & Opinion » Seven Days
Jean Quan's Groundhog Day
Her second raid on Occupy Oakland went off peacefully, unlike the first. But will the campers return?
The October 25 raid on Occupy Oakland was a textbook example of what not to do. First, Mayor Jean Quan and city officials gave into intense pressure from those who wanted the City Hall encampment cleared. Then they failed badly to make their case — especially to the city's progressive community — as to why it needed to happen. Predictably, a massive backlash from the left ensued, and protesters marched on City Hall. City officials and the police department then compounded their mistakes by overreacting and showering the demonstrators with tear gas and other less-than-lethal weaponry.
But in the past few weeks, Quan apparently realized that she would have a Groundhog Day moment with Occupy Oakland, and may have figured out how to get it right the second time around — or at least not make some of the same mistakes twice.
Prior to Monday morning's peaceful second raid on the encampment, Quan, her staff, city officials, and the mayor's supporters worked hard to convince Occupy Oaklanders, particularly those inclined to nonviolence, to leave the encampment before police arrived. It worked. The camp gradually thinned out from a high of 185 tents to less than 100, and by the time cops descended on downtown in the early morning hours of November 14, City Hall plaza was basically abandoned.
Then, city crews — unlike after the first raid — worked quickly to clean up the plaza and reopened it the same day. The fast turnaround was key. It allowed Occupy Oakland protesters to come back to the plaza peacefully, and it helped the city to avoid another potentially violent clash with police, because officers didn't have to worry about guarding the plaza in force.
As a result, there was no repeat of the October 25 melee. No one got shot in the face with a tear gas canister. There were no bottles thrown, and no stores vandalized. And there were no ugly videos of police clashing with protesters going viral on YouTube or making their way onto The Daily Show.
Yet even with the peaceful outcome of Monday's events, don't expect the mayor's critics to give her any credit, especially the law-and-order crowd who harangued her in the past few weeks for not cracking down on the encampment sooner. Indeed, many of them in the past few days have praised City Administrator Deanna Santana and Interim Police Chief Howard Jordan for Monday's peaceful raid, even though the two also had made serious mistakes on October 25.
And don't expect Quan to regain her standing with Oakland's progressive community any time soon, either. Her longtime close friend and legal advisor Dan Siegel made that clear when he resigned prior to Monday's raid. Many progressives believe that Quan was wrong to clear the encampment again — although they seem less angry this time around.
What remains unclear, however, is whether the Occupy Oaklanders will return in force to the plaza to pitch their tents again. Quan said Monday that police would take tents down if they're erected. "We'll keep removing tents ... like other cities have done," she told the Express. "We'll take them down as soon as we can."
But if the protesters are insistent, this approach could result in a cat-and-mouse game that might go on for weeks. And if that were to happen, then Monday's second raid may eventually be viewed as having been a waste of time and money. The raid itself is expected to cost up to $500,000 in outside police help alone, pushing the total costs of the city's response to Occupy Oakland to more than $2.4 million.
But as of Tuesday, it wasn't clear how determined the protesters were about reoccupying the plaza. Some demonstrators say they intend to do so. Others have moved to the nearby Snow Park encampment, which has become known for being peaceful. And still others have urged for the occupation of abandoned buildings.
This fracturing of Occupy Oakland seemed to begin when the City Hall encampment refused to condemn violence or expel those who engaged in so-called "Black Bloc" tactics after the massive and mostly peaceful general strike on November 2. In fact, Monday's peaceful clearing of City Hall may have been an indicator of not just Quan and city officials learning from their mistakes, but of a growing divide within Occupy Oakland in which many protesters want nothing to do with vandalism and violence.
Three-Dot Roundup
In addition to Siegel, Sharon Cornu — one of Quan's deputy mayors — resigned on Monday, saying she felt she was no longer effective inside City Hall. ... UC Berkeley police and officers from other departments beat protesters with batons last week in order to stop them from establishing an Occupy Cal encampment. The over-the-top police response drew immediate outrage, even from police tactics experts, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. ... Iraq War veteran Scott Olsen, who suffered a fractured skull when police shot a less-than-lethal weapon at him on October 25, was released from the hospital on Monday, the Chronicle reported. ... A Sacramento Bee investigation found that a key inspector on the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge routinely falsified structural test results. Caltrans fired the inspector and his supervisor, and the agency maintains that the new span will be safe when it opens in 2013. ... California cities and counties can ban medical cannabis dispensaries, a state appellate court ruled, the Los Angeles Times reported. ... Congress appears to be poised to pass a law that would allow states to force online retailers like Amazon.com to charge sales taxes to their customers throughout the nation, the LA Times reported. ... The Obama administration has decided to put off making a final ruling until late 2012 on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, which would bring dirty tar sands oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast. ... And BART has transferred embattled spokesman Linton Johnson to a new job within the agency, the Chronicle reported. Johnson came under intense fire after he convinced BART to kill cellphone service in August to disrupt a planned protest.
Seven Days Occupy Occupy Oakland Jean Quan Groundhog Day City Hall plaza The Daily Show Deanna Santana Howard Jordan Dan Siegel Snow Park Black Bloc Sharon Cornu UC Berkeley police Occupy Cal Scott Olsen Bay Bridge Caltrans medical cannabis dispensaries Amazon.com Obama administration Keystone XL pipeline BART Linton Johnson


VR's "Value Top 10" List for MLB Betting Market !!
The NBA and NHL seasons are officially over and it's all MLB until football takes center stage. This means that recreational bettors looking for action will be forced to get involved in MLB throughout the summer months. Odds makers are well aware of this yearly phenomenon and will look to help their clients, the sports books gain an edge by shading the lines to reflect the biases of the market.
When the market is saturated with sharp bettors the odds makers will tend to send out "true lines". A true line is meant to split the result over time. Since bettors are forced to lay a vig, this gives books the best chance to profit while limiting their exposure.
When the market is saturated with recreational or public bettors the odds makers will instead aim to send out a "fair line". A fair line is meant to split the action which will once again limit the book's exposure while profiting from the vig.
Obviously it's close to impossible to split the betting action right down the middle on every game so the vig also helps compensate for errors. With that said, by shading the lines to reflect the biases of the market…odds makers help books increase their hold so that it's more than just the built-in edge.
The reason I bring this up is because at the moment odds makers understand that the MLB betting market will see an influx of unsophisticated bettors when compared to those months when other sports received the bulk of the action. So they will look to factor in the biases of those bettors to help increase the bookmakers edge.
Ultimately this results in more value for sharp bettors. But when the action of public money outweighs that of wise guy money, it becomes a trade-off they're willing to take. So it's even more important than ever for handicappers and bettors to go into each day and week, with a list of teams that are over and under valued.
They are only 2.5 games out of 1st place in the NL Central and above .500 this season but a $100 bettor is down backing them…Odds makers have added a premium so unless they win at a much higher rate, bettors won't be able to make any money…They turned a profit in back to back seasons so it's not surprising to see them over-priced this year, especially since they attract public money nightly.
Expected to contend for the division coming into this season, they now find themselves 5.5 games out of 1st place in the AL Central…They have a negative run-differential and a $100 bettor's down over a nickel…Chi Sox receive plenty of support at the betting window and odds makers know to add a premium…They're 5-5 over their L/10 games but have been favored in 8 of them.
Now 10 games out of 1st place in the NL West after losing 9 of their L/10 games…They have a -38 run-differential and have won only 35% of home game…They were the listed favorite in 8 of their L/12 home games so it's no surprise that a $100 bettor is down over a dime backing them this season.
After coming out of the gate winning 7 of 10 games on average but are now only 4 games above .500...That may be good enough for 1st place in the AL West but it's not turning a profit for their backers…With a big premium added it's tough to make any money backing this team…They were favored in 8 of their L/10 games even with "9" of them on the road…They'll have to win at a higher rate than their current 52.7 % for bettors to profit backing them.
They're 7 games above .500 this season, winning close to 55% of their games overall…Even so, they've yet to show a profit for their supporters at the betting window…They're only .500 on the road so bettors shouldn't be in any rush to back them as favorites there…But they do, and because of that odds makers will continue to add a premium, making them a long-term losing proposition.
As long as this team hovers around .500 this season they should continue to show a profit…Currently 2 games below .500 but a $100 bettor is up over a nickel backing them…They may not make any noise in the NL East standings but showing a positive run-differential like they do means they'll win some games…Odds makers continue to offer them at a discount and as home dogs they're definitely positive EV.
Yes, you read that correctly…the Twins are now an under-valued team after having a horrific start to the season…That perception created early on means odds makers are forced to send them out at a huge discount since bettors look to fade them nightly…They've won 9 of 10 and even at 8 games below .500, a $100 bettor is now down only 2 dollars backing them.
We'll keep the Pirates in the Top 5 because perception hasn't changed and they continue to offer value…At 2 games below .500, only 2 teams in the entire NL have made their backers more money…They are only 5-5 in their L/10 games but were offered as Dogs in 6 of those and -105 or less in 4...Odds makers know bettors are conditioned to fade them so they'll continue to be discounted.
Still the most profitable team for bettors in the NL and going back and forth w/ the Giants for 1st place in the NL West…They have a +13 run-differential and may be 5 games above .500 but bettors are in no rush to back them, especially on the road…Since they're a .500 team away from home and being offered at a discount on the road, getting them as dogs offers a lot of value.
Only 1 game out of 1st place in the AL West and the 2nd most profitable team in the entire AL, but books report very little betting action on them…In fact, they receive more action against them so we'll continue to see them discounted by odds makers…They've gone 6-5 the L/11 games and were the listed dog in 7 of them.


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Portland Arts & Lectures 2022/23: Patrick Radden Keefe
ON THE NINTH SEASON OF THE ARCHIVE PROJECT, ENJOY DISCUSSIONS FROM PORTLAND ARTS & LECTURES, PORTLAND BOOK FESTIVAL, AND OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS FROM OUR HOME IN PORTLAND, OREGON AND BEYOND.
Better Worlds: A Panel on Ursula K. Le Guin's Legacy
Russell Banks (Rebroadcast)
Amy Bloom & Michael Cunningham
Oregon Book Awards & Fellowships
Applying for an Oregon Literary Fellowship: Frequently Asked Questions
By Susan Moore
The deadline to apply for a 2023 Oregon Literary Fellowship is August 5, 2022.
For the 2023 Oregon Literary Fellowships, Literary Arts will award 12 fellowships in the amount of $3,500. One of these fellowships is specifically for a writer of color. Three of these fellowships are funded by the Oregon Arts Commission. Three of these fellowships are funded by the Oregon Arts Commission.
Literary Arts will award two fellowships in the amount of $10,000 , for writers of exceptional talent, to assist in the further development of their career. One of these fellowships is specifically for a writer of color.
Literary Arts will award two publishers fellowships in the amount of $3,500 to support Oregon's independent publishers and small presses that demonstrate a commitment to literary publishing.
Here are some frequently asked questions about applying for an Oregon Literary Fellowship, including many of the commonly asked questions about the most important aspect of your application, the writing sample.
Honestly, I felt a little silly applying for the fellowship year after year and not getting it. And then one day I got it, and I was so surprised. It was a great reminder to go ahead and try for those pies in the sky.
Amy Miller, 2021 Oregon Literary Fellowship Recipient
DEADLINE, APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY
When is the deadline to apply for a 2023 Oregon Literary Fellowship?
Friday, August 5, 2022 by midnight. Applications can only be submitted online.
Where are the guidelines and application form?
They are on our web site at: https://literary-arts.org/2023-oregon-literary-fellowship-guidelines/
Do I have to be an Oregon resident to apply?
Yes, you must be a current, full-time Oregon resident, both at the time of application and of award. If you move after applying, please inform Literary Arts as you would no longer be eligible if selected.
What genres do you award fellowships in?
Literary Arts awards fellowships in poetry, fiction, literary nonfiction, drama, and young readers literature. Young readers literature includes writing for children and young adult literature. Drama includes screenplays and scripts for television.
Do you award fellowships for graphic literature?
We do not currently offer an Oregon Literary Fellowship for graphic literature.
I received an Oregon Literary Fellowship in the past. When can I re-apply?
According to the guidelines, a writer is not eligible if they received an Oregon Literary Fellowship in the last five years. This means for the 2023 fellowships, the years that make a writer ineligible are 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018.
Are works of translation eligible?
The writers fellowships are for writing that originates with the writer submitting the application. Works of translation and adaptations of other authors' works are not eligible.
May I apply in two categories?
You may only submit one Oregon Literary Fellowships for Writers application. However, if you own a small press or magazine and are also a writer, you may submit an Oregon Literary Fellowships for Publishers application for your press and an Oregon Literary Fellowships for Writers application for yourself.
If I'm applying for the Oregon Career Fellowship of $10,000, will I also be considered for a $3,500 Oregon Literary Fellowship?
All writers who submit additional materials and ask to be considered for the Oregon Literary Career Fellowship will automatically be considered for an Oregon Literary Fellowship of $3,500 as well.
Help your odds, of course, by submitting work you're most excited about, and edit the bejeezus out of it, but most importantly, keep applying.
Taylor Koekkoek, 2020 Oregon literary fellowship recipient
JUDGES AND THE SELECTION PROCESS
Can you describe the judging process?
The judges are asked to judge the applications based on literary merit. The judges for poetry, fiction, and nonfiction review all the applications in their respective genres. Then they review the top applicants selected by the other genres' judges, and meet via ZOOM or conference call to discuss the recipients.
The young readers' literature, drama and publishers' fellowship judges consider their applications individually.
Will the judges provide feedback on my application if it's not selected?
Due to the volume of applications received, unfortunately the judges are not able to provide individual feedback.
What are the judges looking for in an application?
This is a question without a definite answer. The judges for the Oregon Literary Fellowships change every year. Work that a judge does not select one year could be selected for a fellowship by another judge the following year. The writing sample is usually the most important aspect of the writer's application that is considered by the judges.
The applications are not pre-screened by Literary Arts. We select out-of-state judges who are established in their genre to judge the applications, and we ask them to use literary merit as the criterion. We encourage applicants to follow the guidelines closely, and present their work in the most favorable manner possible. Writers often apply several times before being selected for a fellowship.
Who are this year's judges?
The identity of the judges remains confidential until the recipients are announced.
When are the recipients announced?
The recipients will be announced on our website and e-news in January 2023. The applicants are informed by email first.
The stories that comprised my sample were ones I'd written–revised, put aside, and then revised again–over a long stretch of time. Trust your instincts about your work.
Olufunke Grace Bankole, 2020 Oregon Literary Fellowship Recipient
THE WRITING SAMPLE
Can the writing sample be from a published work?
Yes. You can submit published or unpublished work for your writing sample.
Is it okay to send 25 pages of prose that are excerpts from a few different works, or does it need to be 25 pages of prose from one work?
Either is fine.
Some of my writing is prose and some of my writing is poetry. Can I submit both in one application?
You can only submit your application in one genre. If your application is a mixed genre, you will need to choose one genre to submit it in. We don't currently have a mixed or hybrid genre category for fellowships.
Should my name be on my writing sample?
Yes your name should be on your writing sample. The writing sample and application is not judged anonymously.
What format should it be submitted in?
Please submit your writing sample in typewritten, manuscript format. This means 12 point standard font, double-spaced, for fiction and nonfiction, with one inch margins on all sides. Poetry can be single spaced, 12 point standard font, one inch margins on all sides.
May I include illustrations?
Illustrations do not need to be included, and will not be forwarded to the judges.
Can I include a title page and is that counted in the 25 page limit:
Yes. Also, one synopsis page is allowed but not required. Include it as the first page of your work sample. It is counted in the total pages allowed (25 in prose, 15 in poetry). If the work sample consists of multiple excerpts, use the synopsis page to give information for each. The synopsis page can also indicate whether the selections are from a larger series, additional description, or details about where the piece fits within a larger body of work.
WHO SHOULD I CONTACT IF I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
Susan Moore (susan@literary-arts.org) and Jessica Meza-Torres (jessica@literary-arts.org) are happy to answer any questions you might have.
Announcing the 2023 Oregon Book Awards Finalists
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Nestled in the heart of Siem Reap Central Area, Apsara Centrepole Hotel is an ideal spot from which to discover Siem Reap. The excitement of the city center is only 0.1 Km away. With its convenient location, the hotel offers easy access to the city.
Located in the exciting central old market area of Siem Reap city, just 2 minutes walk away from Pub Street and the night markets. The hotel is about 7 km from Siem Reap Airport, 15 minutes drive to Angkor Wat and 20 minutes drive to the floating village at Tonle Sap.
All rooms and suites feature en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning and many other modern conveniences to make guests feel at home. The hotel offers 24 hour front desk, restaurant and lounge bar, swimming pool, free Internet access, tour desk, free pick-up for direct bookings, ticketing services, daily housekeeping, massage and laundry services.
Our reception desk offers a range of services to enhance the guest experience, e.g. transport, ticketing, sight-seeing advice, laundry, currency exchange etc. In addition, we also have an outdoor restaurant, swimming pool, lounge bar and library.
Copyright © 2016 Apsara Centrepole Boutique Hotel, Siem Reap Cambodia. All rights reserved.


Magnus was the first to arrive on Egilsay, where he waited for the arrival of his cousin.
"gone to another part of the island, to a certain hiding place".
After a search, Magnus was found, captured and brought before an assembly of local chieftains. There, the saga stresses, Magnus was concerned only for the welfare of his deceitful cousin's immortal soul.
Magnus made three suggestions that would save Hakon from breaking his oath by killing an unarmed man. The first, that Magnus would go on a pilgrimage and never return to Orkney, was rejected, as was the second, that Magnus be exiled to Scotland and imprisoned.
"have me mutilated in anyway you choose, rather than take my life, or else blind me and lock me in a dungeon"
Hakon deemed this acceptable, but the assembly were not so keen. The chieftains leapt to their feet and announced that one of the earls had to die. They had had their fill of joint-rule in Orkney.
Hakon smugly informed the dissenters that, as he preferred ruling and was not ready to die, Magnus should be slain.
Magnus put forward no argument so "was doomed to death".
Informing his followers they were not to die defending him, Magnus stepped forward to accept his fate.
When did Earl Magnus Die?


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[R]EVOLUTION
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However, when it comes to how global consumers react to the trade war, this story has a silver lining.
According to IPSOS's latest index in August 2019, global consumer confidence hit its highest level since 2018. Countries with the highest confidence scores are China, India, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. Asia and the U.S. are the leading forces in boosting the global economy, and consumer demand in these two regions are bringing new opportunities to brands.
In our report, we capture the latest trends, shifting mentalities and policy changes, along with the resulting marketing opportunities, in three key consumer groups:
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A large rally of Ex-servicemen was organized at JM from 1100h to 1600h on 15 June 2017. More than 1200 Ex-servicemen from 12 states (including far off states of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra) attended the rally. Ex-servicemen were very disappointed that Government has failed to rectify anomalies in OROP even after one year and six month of issuance of OROP letter.
32 Ex-servicemen expressed their views and expressed their anguish on this constant neglect of veterans. Veterans were very disappointed with Govt that even the recommendations of the One Man Reddy Committee appointed to remove anomalies of OROP have not been made public despite repeated confirmation by the then Defense Minister Sh Manohar Parrikar.
Justice Reddy has submitted his recommendations to Govt on 26 Oct 2016.
Ex-servicemen expressed anguish that OROP agitation and relay hunger strike at JM is going on for last 572 days. It is the longest agitation for justice anywhere in the world. Speakers have vowed to keep it peaceful and within the limits of law but sounded a warning to Government that constant neglect of veteran community and denial of their justified demands may lead some ESM away from peaceful agitation. Responsibility of this will be that of Government and not of organizers as it is the Government which has refused to initiate dialogue with agitators at JM.
Ex-servicemen signed in their blood a memorandum to be presented to PM Sh Narendra Modi ji. 425 Ex-servicemen signed the memo with their blood. Memo is attached with this report along with signatures. Relevant photographs are also attached with this report.
Sh Arvind Tekait, President of Bharitya Kissan Union, also joined in the rally and expressed solidarity with cause of veterans. Large number of Kisans also joined the rally. He expressed that Kisan and Jawan are inseparable and come from one family. Jawan's problems are that of Kisan and vice versa kisan's problems are that of Jawan. Sh Arvind Tekait expressed his full support on pan India basis to the cause of Ex-servicemen and communicated that BKU will always extend support to the fight of Veterans. Gen Satbir Singh thanked Sh Arvind Tekait and BKU for their support and pledged Veterans' support to the problems of Kisans.
Gen Satbir Singh expressed that it is a very sad day that two important pillars of society one (Kisan) who produces food for India and second (Jawan) who protects the borders have to fight for their justified rights. Kisans ensure that every Indian has food to eat and Jawan ensures that all Indians live freely in India. Both are today distressed; Kisans are committing suicide and Jawans are sitting on street since last two years for their justified demands. Gen Satbir Singh stressed that if Jawan and Kisan join together then they can form Government of their choice as they have formidable number of votes to elect any representative in elections. Sh Arvind Tekait supported this call. A sash of OROP was presented to Sh Arvind Tekait by Gen Satbir Singh.
Gp Capt VK Gandhi explained progress on the cases filed for welfare of veterans. Some details are given below.
He explained that as per legal rules one petitioner cannot file case on same issue in two courts. Some of the ESM have applied in two courts first on payment to an organization and then they have given their name to IESM also just because IESM is offering this facility free of charge. This has resulted in loss to them as they have been disqualified from our case but second more serious damage is that this act has delayed justice to other petitioners. He requested members to be true while giving affidavit and ensure that each ESM only applies in one court.
He explained that OROP case has been filed in Honorable SC and Govt has also filed their reply. But in view of 7CPC there was a need to file amended petition, and this has been done. Honorable SC has given notice to GOI, and hopefully GOI will file its reply by end June or early July. The issue will come up for discussion after that.
Three cases have been decided in favor of litigants. In the case of Hon Lt K Pandey and 11 others Vs UOI, the case has not been accepted on the ground that petitioners have not exhausted all avenues available to them. All petitioners are expected to write to their respective CDA for broad banding of their disability. Their petition will then be filed in AFT if the CDA refuses their request of broad banding. All veterans are requested to write to CDA that they should be given broad-banding advantage from the date of their disability. Draft of the letter to be written to CDA has already been circulated.
This issue has been worrying many JCOs/ORs. Many of them have approached him at JM and requested that this issue be taken up centrally. He explained to all that proper calculations of the arrears and the actual arrears given to them are required so that these can be compared and explained in the court that justice has not been done to petitioners.
He explained that despite lapse of one year not even a single JCO/OR has approached him with the information required for the case. Hence this case can only be taken up if at-least 10 JCO/ORs bring their calculations.
Reservist case: He explained that case for reservist has been intentionally delayed in view of 7 CPC with the aim that all reservists must get increased pension of Rs 9000/ before filing this case. Some documents for filing this case were required. These documents have now been asked through RTI and are expected to be available by mid-July. The petition will be filed after that.
Gp Capt Gandhi further explained that OROP in true sense has not been granted and our fight at ground and court needs to be intensified. The golden rule for our fight to be effective is if we unitedly tell Government that Jawan and Kisan together will make the Government of their choice because they control a large chunk of votes.
Delhi Police was there in large numbers and they ensured that all help was provided to rally and there was no interference in veterans' rally.
DCP and ACP police discussed the arrangements with Gen Satbir and other ESM present at JM.
Following five veterans were selected to visit PM office and deliver the Memo which was signed in blood of veterans.
The team visited PM office and requested to meet the PM to handover the blood signed Memorandum. The officer in PMO cordially informed the team leader that there is no appointment with PM for the veterans. The team leader applied for an appointment and handed over the Blood signed memorandum to the official.
The Press was present in large number to cover the rally. Prominent among visual media were Republic TV, Times Now, AAJ Tak and News Nation. Print media was represented by Hindustan and DNA. Rally got extensive coverage in print as well as visual media. We thank media for covering the rally and taking up the issue of Veterans.
All present vowed to continue their agitation till realization of full OROP.
Vote of Thanks: Maj Gen Satbir Singh thanked Gurudwara Bangla Sahib and Gurudwara Rakabganj Sahib administration for providing accommodation to ESM and support for the rally.
All ESM who came to attend the rally from large distances to press for their demands.
Press for covering the rally extensively.
Dr Lal's Path Lab for supporting campaign for signing in blood.
Volunteers who worked selflessly and made the rally a grand success.
OROP is our right. Dilution in OROP will NOT be accepted.


Whether you've invested money in a rental property, or are renting out your own home, it is wise to be supported by expert property management. Our central locations and established track record, makes Peter Blackshaw Real Estate one of the first ports of call for many major institutions, national and multinational companies, embassies and the Defence Forces.
Our property managers are highly trained, always contactable and willing to assist in all matters relating to your investment. We pride ourselves in the ability to meet and exceed our clients' individual needs and expectations.
We offer a number of expert property management services to our clients. These services are designed to make your property as profitable as possible.
Property Management at Peter Blackshaw Real Estate has been structured with consideration for all landlords to assist in obtaining the best possible return on their investment. Our dedicated teams work together to ensure your investment grows. All members of the property management team are aware of current legislation and Peter Blackshaw Real Estate policies.
All of our rental properties are listed on both www.peterblackshaw.com.au and www.allhomes.com.au. We also have access to realestate.com.au and domain.com.au and can list rental properties on these sites at the discretion of owners. These sites allow us to meet our target audience faster. Our websites are updated every hour to ensure that the most current information is displayed. All of our advertisements are presented with accurate information and current photos. We make sure that your property is presented in the most favourable light.
Our leasing consultants work tirelessly to ensure that a suitable tenant is located as soon as possible, ensuring the vacancy time is limited. This has allowed us to have a vacancy rate lower than the state average. Duringtheleasingprocess you will receive regular feedback from the leasing team.
All applicants go through a strenuous qualification process including both employment and rental history checks. Once the applicants have been reviewed, the recommended applications are provided for your selection. At no time do we select your tenants; we believe that you need to have the peace of mind of knowing who is residing in your investment.
Every tenancy agreement is signed in person in our office with all tenants present. Our property managers go through every clause with the tenants. This ensures that there is no confusion and all expectations are understood at the very beginning. We believe that a clear and concise explanation of everyone's obligations makes for a happy tenancy.
in their rent, you will be contacted immediately, and all legislative steps will be followed to protect against any loss.
We believe the standard requirements are the most important. Our Property Managers have strict procedures to follow to ensure that rent reviews and routines are carried out. Legislation permits rent reviews on an annual basis and routine inspections once in the first month and bi-annual inspections after.
Regular maintenance assists in keeping your property in the best possible condition, which allows you to gain longevity from your investment. As the owner, you will be advised of all maintenance noted at routine inspections and be provided with possible solutions for rectification. We believe that prevention is better than cure, and understand this is key to maintaining your property in the best possible condition.
Peter Blackshaw Real Estate understands that your rental property is an investment. We supply our landlords with a statement at the end of each month that outlines all income and expenditure. This statement is sent via email at the time of payout, and a hardcopy is issued with the relevant invoices attached. At the end of the financial year, an income and expenditure report is issued promptly.
Whilst we do our best to ensure that the tenant in your property is of the highest standard, we recommend that owners seek Landlord Insurance for the added peace of mind in the case of property damage or non-payment of rent. For more information please contact your local Peter Blackshaw Real Estate office.


ElectraLink, the UK's Energy Market Data Hub (EMDH), has partnered with Western Power Distribution (WPD), the company responsible for electricity distribution in South Wales, the South West and Midlands, on a ground-breaking project that will allow WPD to understand the impact of electric vehicles and other low carbon technologies on its network.
The new project, launched today and called the Low Carbon Technologies (LCT) Detection project, will allow WPD to identify areas where there is a high proliferation of electric vehicles, solar panels or other low carbon technologies and manage its network accordingly.
Electric vehicle (EV) ownership is on the rise and will continue to increase – with the Government predicting that there could be 10.5 million EVs on the road by 2030. While this brings significant benefits such as improved air quality and reduction of noxious emissions, it also poses a challenge to our electricity networks.
Managing this new demand will require smart charging and other smart solutions but these necessitate visibility of where EVs are connected to the distribution network at the local level – something that, up to now, has proved difficult for Distribution Network Operators (DNOs, the companies responsible for managing the networks that deliver electricity at a local level).
The LCT Detection project will make use of ElectraLink's unique energy market dataset combined with other data and enhanced by IBM's Watson Studio to help provide WPD with much needed insights into the ever-growing demand for electric vehicles, as well as other low carbon technologies such as solar panels and heat pumps. By infusing AI into the project, data that has not been combined previously will be tied together – including images and text – to provide increasing visibility into where LCT equipment is located. This will allow WPD's network planners to accurately assess the existing network capacity and understand how this is likely to change in the future.


or "Perhaps Suzy you can sit next to me" statement.
as IPODS should be labled with the child's name) DON"T FORGET TO RETURN THE ITEM TO THE CORRECT CHILD.
1. ALLOW YOUNGER CHILDREN TO SIT IN WITH OLDER SIBLINGS (If possible).
THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING YOUR TIME. WE PRAY GODS RICHEST BLESSINGS UPON YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO HELP.
Due to the fact that we teach in one large group we prefer children younger than a 4 year old be with a adult relative at all times. Many times younger children become distracted or are distracting to the older children.
We need a mature group of volunteers to help with discipline (See above). One adult for every ten children is the minimum needed. Some of these should arrive early (30 minutes or more) to greet and register the children.
They then gather them someplace other than the sanctuary (if possible) until it is time to begin. They should also be prepared to entertain the children with an organized activity.


PELLSTON - The streak was in jeopardy, but after five games Pellston's record was intact - 84 consecutive Ski Valley Conference wins.
The Hornets defeated Central Lake, 25-15, 25-21, 22-25, 14-25, 15-10, in a Ski Valley volleyball match on Thursday.
Pellston began the fifth game down, 4-0, but came back. Pellston led, 11-10, then closed it out with a kill by Kasi Fyke, a kill by Emily Maglothin, an ace from Katie Dzedzie, and a kill from Nicole Madigan.
"What an exciting match," Pellston coach Tim McNitt said. "Central Lake totally controlled the ball in the third and fourth games. In the fifth game, we had great hustle and determination to battle back."
Pellston is 20-9-7, 8-0 in the Ski Valley.
For the Hornets, Fyke had 10 kills, two blocks, 17 digs and three aces; Dzedzie, eight aces, 14 kills, two blocks, 15 digs; Kelsey Kirsch, 10 assists, five kills, 28 digs; Madigan, seven kills, two blocks, nine digs; Amanda Friend, three kills, 11 digs; Rachel Hutto, six digs, seven assists; and Maglothin, 29 assists, seven digs, three kills.
Pellston won the JV match, 25-8, 25-17, 15-10, to imrpove to 36-6. For Pellston, Cassie LaCost had seven aces; Chelsea Bonter, six aces, 20 assists; Maggie Mikus, seven kills, four aces; Kristi Lewis, five kills, two aces; Mackenzie Myers and Kaylee Mansfield, three kills apiece.
EAST JORDAN - Charlevoix claimed at least a tie for the Lake Michigan Conference title with a 25-22, 25-22, 25-17 win over East Jordan Thursday.
The Rayders are 37-7-8 and 12-0 in the league, with two matches remaining.
For Charlevoix, Tammy Potter had 12 kills; Murphy Gillespie, 11 kills, nine digs; Desi Fasut, nine kills, 13 digs; Aubrey Way, 32 assists; Michelle Burke, 11 digs; Shauna Spencley, three aces; Lauren Mielke, two aces.
East Jordan won the JV match, 25-19, 25-20, 15-12. Maribeth Poindexter had seven aces and three kills for the Red Devils, while Michelle Finley had three assists.
VANDERBILT - Harbor Light Christian beat Vanderbilt in three games, 25-13, 25-11, 25-10, Thursday to improve to 18-6-4.
For Harbor Light, Lindsey Walker had five aces, five kills, 20 digs; Christina Johnson, 14 assists, five kills; Kaylee Hewitt, 16 kills, 27 digs; Stephanie Cornett, four kills, 14 digs; Lydia Auger, five aces, 12 assists; Yubin Choi, two kills; Hannah Smela, thee aces; and Mandy Himebaugh, three kills.
MACKINAW CITY - Jennifer Hofbauer was Alanson's top server and top hitter Thursday as the Vikings defeated Mackinaw City, 25-15, 19-25, 25-15, 25-20. Andrita Hammond led the Vikings in passing.
Petoskey split a pair of eighth-grade matches with Cadillac on Thursday.
For Petoskey, Olivia Pizii had 11 aces, Mallory Briolat had seven aces, Kaitlyn Ostrander had three, Logan Hebert had four blocks and two aces, and Anna Godzick had two kills.


text:
Blazers' Offensive And Defensive Strengths Analyzed
This new Portland team has now spent enough time on the court to be properly analyzed. What are the Blazers' biggest strengths and weaknesses?
By JustinGreen Nov 24, 2015, 11:31am PST
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Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Almost a month into the season that has produced mixed results for the Blazers so far, Andrew Cutler of BBallBreakDown.com offers his analysis on the young squad, particularly breaking down Portland's offensive and defensive strengths and weaknesses.
Cutler points to the high-scoring back court duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum as having a positive and negative impact on both ends of the court, as the pair leads an offense that ranks in the league's top ten while the Blazers' defense is in the NBA's bottom ten.
These issues aside, many of the concerns stem from the defensively challenged backcourt. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are small, screenable, and athletically limited, making it difficult for Stotts to play the matchup game that he was able to in previous years. There's only so many players that you can hide, and without Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum, the freedom to cross-match is gone.
Although the Lillard-McCollum pairing has been problematic defensively, that same pair has kept the Trail Blazers afloat on offense. When they share the court, Portland scores about 1.09 points per possession, per NBAwowy. The pair carries a huge load, with both Lillard and McCollum inside the top-20 in pick-and-rolls received per game.
Cutler continues to analyze many of the Blazers' offseason acquisitions, including how Mason Plumlee and Al-Farouq Aminu have fit so far in head coach Terry Stotts' system. The article touches on the rest of the roster and concludes that fans should continue to expect tinkering with playing time and personnel going forward.
Read Cutler's entire analysis here.
The Blazers play their 16th game of the season tonight against the Chicago Bulls at the Moda Center. Tip off is set for 7:00 p.m. PST and the game will be shown on CSNNW.


Best Buy stores are a Black Friday/Cyber Monday mainstay, one of the retailers most likely to have deals worth checking out and this year is no exception. The most interesting thing about this Cyber Monday is that Best Buy is undercutting rival Amazon on its own products by matching prices but also offering free shipping on all items without requiring a membership. Hey, competition is fierce out there!
Amazon products that can cost you less at Best Buy include the Echo Dot discounted $10 to $39.99 and the Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote, also discounted $10 from $39.99 to $29.99. Best Buy also has the 7" Fire tablet for $33.33 and the Fire HD 8 for $59.99.
Best Buy is offering a free Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Legacy Edition game with purchase of the PlayStation 4 Slim for $249.99 or the PlayStation Pro for $399.99. The PS4 Slim is discounted $50, making it sell for the same price as at most of the other big box chains, but the PS Pro is full price. Still, you do get a free game at Best Buy. Get a free Select Controller with purchase of the 1TB Xbox One, now discounted $50.
Best Buy doesn't have any major doorbusters but does have some good prices on popular TVs like the Samsung 55" Curved 4K Ultra HDTV for $699.99, a saving of $300. The Samsung 60" 4K Ultra HD LED TV is discounted $500 to $1,199.99. Save $82 on the Samsung 40" 1080p LED HDTV selling for $247.99 and $50 off the Samsung 49" 4K Ultra HDTV on sale for $749.99.
Get a free $300 Best Buy gift card with purchase and activation of the LG G5 with monthly installment plan from AT&T, Sprint or Verizon. This is a fairly decent deal for this year when smart prices on smartphones are hard to come by.
Get a free $250 Best Buy gift card and Samsung Gear VR headset plus $50 worth of Oculus content with purchase and activation of a Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 edge with monthly installment plan from AT&T, Sprint or Verizon.
Best Buy has plenty more Cyber Monday deals so check their site for everything that's on sale.
Best Buy can always be counted on for killer Black Friday deals and the current ad flyers are packed with them. The chain released a mammoth 80-page ad last week and just added a 20-page flyer with even more doorbusters and special deals. Here are a few to look for.
The one deal that really stands out is the combo of a 55" Toshiba Smart 4K UHD TV with a PS4 Pro bundle for $749.98, a saving of $200. This is like a one-stop dream machine for the avid gamer and if you buy this, you'll never have to leave the house again – until the credit card bill comes in January and you have to go to work.
The other game bundles are the same ones the other big box chains have: Xbox One S Minecraft bundle for $249.99, PS4 Uncharted 4 bundle for $249.99 (Best Buy does throw in two free games) and Nintendo 3DS for $99.
All the national chains have Black Friday sales on big screen TVs but Best Buy has some really, really big TV like the 75" Sony Smart 4K UHD TV for $2,499.98, a discount of $800. If that's just a bit too big for your wall (or your budget) there's a 70" Vizio 4K UHD TV with built-in Chromecast for $999.99, a saving of $300. Best Buy also has TVs in every other size and price range going down to a 24" LG TV for $79.99.
Alas, gone are the days when every Black Friday ad was full of free smartphone deals with a two-year contract. This year Best Buy is offering a gift card up to $250 if your buy an iPhone 7 with an installment billing agreement from AT&T, Sprint or Verizon. There's a $349.99 bundle of the Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge purchased with a plan from AT&T, Sprint or Verizon that includes a $250 Best Buy gift card and free VR headset.
At Best Buy you can save $125 on any 9.7 iPad Pro or $100 on the 16GB 10.1" Galaxy Tab A that's now $199.99. Save $30 on the 16GB 8" Amazon Fire HD tablet now $59.99.
Save $200 on the Garmin Fenix 3 HR, now selling for $399.99. Save $50 on Apple Watch Series 1 models starting at $219. The Garmin Vivoactive HR is discounted $80 to $169.99.
Best Buy stores will open at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day and remain open until 1 a.m. Then the stores will reopen at 8 a.m. for Black Friday with the same deals available online.


Whether you suffer from a severe or minor food allergy or intolerance, it makes eating difficult … period.
It makes meal planning and grocery shopping more difficult. Convenience, eating out, and even going out to a friends house can become nearly impossible and, frankly, frustrating.
What I can't emphasize enough, is that this is a symptom and the root cause needs to be dealt with in order to protect the integrating of your gut.
These frustrations and symptoms are all preventable if you deal with the real issue. But you have to make the decision to invest in changing your lifestyle.
It's a bit of tough love—but you can find freedom from your symptoms, and I really want that for you!
One of the top food sensitivities in the world is lactose intolerance which affects about three quarters of the worlds population (ouch).
When first avoiding dairy, it's easy to feel like you're missing out on foods that you love.
That's why I wanted to introduce you to my favourite non-dairy indulgence when I need just a little sweetness loaded with healthy fats, antioxidants, and chocolate. Because, well, chocolate.
Give this recipe a try and fall in love with dairy-free, gut-friendly goodness!
Combine frozen banana, avocado, syrup, and mint leaves in a food processor or blender for 1–2 minutes, until smooth.
Mix in chocolate chips (or dairy-free dark chocolate).
Serve immediately or place in an airtight container and store in the freezer.


I'm currently practicing songs to record later this year and will form a four track e.p. called Top Secret. The songs included are 1)top secret 2)let it go 3)endless hymn 4)hold on. I'm also selecting songs to record soon for my 5th album, 13 , and will look to release it early next year.