text:
AOL Successfully Implementing the Right Strategy to Deliver Long-Term Stockholder Value
I know we've been taking the piss out of Aol* all day, but someone in Aol PR must be drunk, because this bizarre "BREAKING: Board Has Presided over Improvement of AOL's Operating Results and Financial Strength and Unlocked over $1.7 Billion in Value in Two Years" press release just happened.
We figure that this must be some sort of Zodiac Killer-like word puzzle, where if you take out every three letters it's an actually a crazy rambling essay about how much whoever wrote this hates their life.
*Disclosure: Aol owns TechCrunch, even though I think they probably regret it at this point.
Full release below.
Board Has Presided over Improvement of AOL's Operating Results and Financial Strength and Unlocked over $1.7 Billion in Value in Two Years
NEW YORK, May 02, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — –AOL Urges Stockholders to Vote FOR the Board's Nominees on the WHITE Proxy Card Today
–Mails Letter to Stockholders
AOL, Inc. AOL -1.34% today mailed a letter to stockholders in connection with the Company's 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders scheduled for June 14, 2012.
The following is the text of the letter from Tim Armstrong, AOL's Chairman and CEO
Dear Fellow Stockholder:
Since AOL became an independent public company in late 2009, AOL's
Board of Directors ("Board") and senior management have successfully
charted a new strategic and financial course for the Company. This
new approach has significantly improved AOL's results, enhanced the
prospects for sustained growth, and created value for all
stockholders.
You now face an important decision about the future of your
investment in the Company. At our Annual Meeting of Stockholders on
June 14, 2012, Starboard Value L.P. ("Starboard"), an AOL
stockholder, is seeking to elect its own slate of three Director
candidates to your Board in order to advance its own interests. We
urge you to continue to support the AOL Board and our strategy for
Your vote is important in this election, and we urge you to
vote so that your voice is heard. To elect the AOL Board's
nominees, we encourage you to vote today by telephone, by
Internet, or by signing and dating the enclosed WHITE proxy card
and returning it in the postage-paid envelope.
AOL HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTING ITS CLEAR STRATEGY TO DELIVER LONG-TERM STOCKHOLDER VALUE
— We have STREAMLINED our operations by reducing annual costs by approximately $500 million prior to investment in areas of strategic focus, reducing headcount by 37%, ending unfavorable distribution deals and exiting unprofitable markets.
— We have MONETIZED our patent portfolio by entering into a definitive agreement with Microsoft Corporation ("Microsoft") to sell over 800 patents and license 300 additional patents and patent applications for $1.056 billion in cash in a tax efficient transaction.
— We have RETURNED capital to stockholders by buying back more than 12% of our outstanding shares since August 2011, and have committed to return a significant portion of the proceeds of the almost $1.1 billion patent sale.
— We have ENHANCED the consumer experience offered by our products by significantly reducing the number of advertisements on our pages, introducing industry-changing offerings like Project Devil, by investing in high-growth opportunities like The Huffington Post, goviral and Patch, by improving our search product, and by tailoring our Subscription service to our customers' needs through curated service bundles and
— We have FOCUSED our product portfolio by investing in key destination brands, including AOL.com, The Huffington Post, Moviefone, DailyFinance, Stylelist, Engadget and TechCrunch, while outsourcing non-core content such as Sports, Health and Real Estate Listings.
Our strategy has positioned the Company to succeed in a digital
landscape that is still being formed. AOL has developed a
premier portfolio of online brands. On a monthly basis, our brands
serve the needs of more than 200 million consumers around the
world and we have a full-service suite of advertising products
that allows our thousands of advertising partners to reach
meaningful audiences at scale. We believe our strategy has
positioned AOL for success today and in the future of the digital
media space. Our strategy is working, has created significant
stockholder value, and will create even more stockholder value
over the long-term–if YOU, by supporting the AOL Board, allow
that strategy to proceed.
AOL'S STRATEGY IS WORKING, GENERATING IMPROVED RESULTS AND POSITIONING THE COMPANY FOR GROWTH
AOL ended 2011 with our best relative performance as a Company
in the past five years with advertising revenue growing once
again for the first time since 2008, with significant improvements
in legacy revenue streams and with substantial cost reductions. As
a result, the Company is well on its way to achieving its goal of
total company revenue and adjusted operating income before
depreciation and amortization ("Adjusted OIBDA") growth in 2013.
Our improved results demonstrate the significant progress we have
made in executing our strategy.
— We have ACHIEVED revenue growth in global display revenue for the first time since 2007 in the first quarter of 2011 and grew global display revenue year-over-year in each quarter of 2011 and by 15% in the fourth quarter of 2011.
— We have ATTAINED four consecutive quarters of year-over-year revenue growth in search on AOL.com and three consecutive quarters of year-over-year revenue growth in Third Party Network revenue.
— We have ACCOMPLISHED significant improvements in key metrics in the fourth quarter of 2011, including a double-digit growth rate in video revenue, video ad impressions, Project Devil advertisers and revenue, and a triple-digit growth rate in local traffic, advertisers, ad impressions and revenue.
— We have PRODUCED substantial progress in moderating the decline in subscription revenues, with the first sequential growth in subscription revenues since 2006 occurring in the fourth quarter of 2011 and
— We have REALIZED two consecutive quarters of sequential Adjusted OIBDA growth through the fourth quarter of 2011 and the first increase in free cash flow year-over-year since the first quarter of 2009.
AOL is investing in high-growth areas, such as Patch. Patch
offers a flexible and powerful solution connecting national,
regional and local advertisers with highly-engaged, hyper-local
audiences on one platform. The opportunity for local online
advertising is massive and growing, with the market expected to
increase to $38.5 billion by 2016 (BIA/Kelsey, March 2012). As
part of our strategy to leverage our existing competencies in this
area by growing consumer traffic to Patch sites and then
implementing a scaled monetization plan, we have established more
than 850 individual Patches and we are now focusing on increasing
the monetization of those Patches. We believe this strategy is
working, as Patch ended the fourth quarter of 2011 with
triple-digit year-over-year revenue growth and approximately 6,500
advertisers. Furthermore, as of March 2012, Patch had already sold
advertising equivalent to over 80% of its revenue for the entire
year in 2011, illustrating that the growth witnessed in the fourth
quarter has continued into 2012. We expect to remain on this rapid
trajectory of revenue growth and assuming that trend sustains and
is coupled with expense control and continued strong consumer
engagement, we will maintain our course to take advantage of this
opportunity. We believe Patch is exceptionally positioned to grow
in the local space and we believe it will yield meaningful returns
for our shareholders in the years to come.
THE BOARD HAS TAKEN ACTIONS THAT HAVE DELIVERED SIGNIFICANT STOCKHOLDER VALUE
The Board has a clear and consistent pattern of unlocking
significant stockholder value and has increased our cash
position from $100 million as of December 31, 2009 to more than
$400 million as of December 31, 2011:
— In 2010, we DELIVERED $650 MILLION in stockholder value by divesting non-core assets, such as Bebo, buy.at, DMS, ICQ and certain real estate properties.
— In 2011, we INITIATED A $250 MILLION stock repurchase authorization and
— Now, in 2012, we will GENERATE OVER $1 BILLION in stockholder value from the Microsoft patent transaction, and we intend to return a significant portion of these proceeds to our stockholders.
Our Board is committed to creating stockholder value and
nowhere was this more evident than on April 9, 2012, when AOL
announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement with
Microsoft to sell over 800 patents and license 300 additional
patents and patent applications for almost $1.1 billion in cash.
The structure of this tax-efficient transaction, with a combined
sale and licensing agreement, allows AOL to monetize its valuable
patent portfolio without selling the Company's foundational
patents that span core and strategic technologies. The patent
transaction represented the culmination of a process of exploring
ways to monetize intellectual property that began in October 2011
and was the result of a robust auction process.
AOL will return a significant portion of the sale proceeds from
the patent transaction to stockholders. Having unlocked the
value of the Company's patent portfolio for stockholders, AOL
intends to return a significant portion of the proceeds to
stockholders and we will determine the method to do so prior to
the closing of the patent transaction. The current Board and
management of AOL have a track record of actively returning
capital to stockholders, with the Company having repurchased more
than 12% of its shares outstanding since August 11, 2011.
AOL'S STOCK PRICE HAS APPRECIATED AS THE MARKET HAS RECOGNIZED THE COMPANY'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS
As AOL's stock price has appreciated, it has outperformed the
Company's peers. Our strategy has delivered improved
performance and our stock price has increased. AOL's stock price
has appreciated approximately 144.6% from its 2011 low and 65.6%
year-to-date through April 20, 2012. Even before the recent
significant increase due to the patent transaction, AOL's stock
performance through April 5, 2012 represented a 80.2% increase
from its 2011 low and a 22.0% increase year-to-date. Furthermore,
AOL's stock price has outperformed the market over the last 12
months, appreciating 25.3% relative to (1.3)% and 7.1% returns for
the S&P Midcap 400 index and NASDAQ Composite index, respectively.
Our stock price also outperformed the market prior to the patent
transaction, with our 22.0% increase year-to-date as of April 5,
2012 beating 12.0% and 18.2% returns for the S&P Midcap 400 index
and NASDAQ Composite index, respectively. Your support will
enable us to continue to pursue the strategy that has achieved
these returns.
AOL'S BOARD IS EQUIPPED WITH EXPERIENCE HIGHLY RELEVANT TO OUR STRATEGY, IS INDEPENDENT AND REPRESENTS THE INTERESTS OF ALL STOCKHOLDERS
AOL's Board has the experience, qualifications and diversity
necessary to provide effective oversight and direction to the
Company. All of AOL's Directors have extensive executive
and/or public company board experience in a variety of businesses
that are highly relevant to oversight of AOL. These businesses
include display advertising, marketing, journalism, digital media,
television, finance and business development. Your Board has
brought its substantial experience to bear through active
engagement in AOL's turnaround strategy to create value for
stockholders, with members holding or having held senior
management or board positions at brand-name companies such as
Amazon.com, Automatic Data Processing, Inc., CBS Corporation, Gilt
Groupe, Inc., Google Inc., Kraft Foods Inc., The Proctor & Gamble
Company, and respected organizations including the John S. and
James L. Knight Foundation, and The Paley Center for Media, among
AOL's Board is independent and has a stockholder-friendly
corporate governance structure that provides rigorous oversight of
AOL's strategic direction. Your Board consists of eight
highly-qualified, annually elected Directors, seven of whom are
independent. In addition, all five of the standing committees of
the Board are comprised entirely of independent Directors and the
Board has a Lead Independent Director to ensure effective and
independent oversight of management. Because all of our Directors
have joined the Board within the past three years, each member
brings a fresh outside perspective.
The interests of AOL's Board and management team are directly
aligned with the interests of our stockholders. All of our
Directors and senior executives own AOL stock. To ensure that the
interests of senior executives are fully aligned with
stockholders, the Company instituted stock ownership guidelines
for AOL senior executives that encourage behaviors that have a
positive influence on stock price appreciation and total
stockholder return, and all executives are in full compliance.
Additionally, AOL Directors and executive officers collectively
hold almost 5% of AOL's stock. Furthermore, cash compensation
from performance bonuses for senior executives is almost entirely
tied to Adjusted OIBDA and Free Cash Flow. In 2011, over 69% of
our Chairman and CEO's compensation and 78% of our other senior
executives' compensation was from equity and cash performance
bonuses as the Company had its second sequential growth in
Adjusted OIBDA in the fourth quarter of 2011 and saw Free Cash
Flow grow year-over-year for the first time since the first
quarter of 2009.
PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT: SUPPORT YOUR BOARD'S EFFORTS TO ENHANCE STOCKHOLDER VALUE VOTE THE WHITE PROXY CARD TODAY
AOL seeks your support in electing the Company's eight highly
qualified nominees and your Board unanimously recommends that
stockholders vote "FOR" the Company's experienced and
highly qualified Director nominees: Tim Armstrong, Richard
Dalzell, Karen Dykstra, Alberto Ibarguen, Susan Lyne, Patricia
Mitchell, Fredric Reynolds and James Stengel.
Your vote is extremely important, no matter how many or how few
shares you own. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual
Meeting, you have an opportunity to protect your investment in AOL
by voting the WHITE proxy card. We urge you to vote today
by telephone, by Internet, or by signing and dating the enclosed
WHITE proxy card and returning it in the postage-paid envelope
provided. Please do not return or otherwise vote any proxy card
sent to you by Starboard. If you have any questions or need
assistance voting your shares, please contact MacKenzie Partners,
Inc., which is assisting us in connection with this year's Annual
Meeting, at 800-322-2885.
On behalf of your Board, we thank you for your continued support
of AOL as we work to create a lasting business that provides
stockholders with exceptional value.
Tim Armstrong
If you have any questions, require assistance in voting your
shares, or need
additional copies of AOL's proxy materials, please call
at the phone numbers listed below.
Mackenzie Partners, Inc.
(212) 929-5500 (call collect)
About AOL
Having helped millions of Americans to get online, AOL Inc. AOL -1.34% is on a mission to inform, entertain and connect the world. The home of a world-class collection of premium brands, AOL creates original content that engages audiences on a local and global scale. We help marketers connect with these audiences through effective and engaging digital advertising solutions.
From time to time, we post information about AOL on our investor relations website ( http://ir.aol.com ) and our official corporate blog ( http://blog.aol.com ).
This letter may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements concerning anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts. Words such as "anticipates," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "forecasts," "intends," "plans," "will," "believes" and words and terms of similar substance used in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs about future events. As with any projection or forecast, they are inherently susceptible to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Except as required by law, we are under no obligation to, and expressly disclaim any obligation to, update or alter any forward-looking statements whether as a result of such changes, new information, subsequent events or otherwise. Various factors could adversely affect our operations, business or financial results in the future and cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including those factors discussed in detail in the "Risk Factors" section contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 (the "Annual Report"), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, we operate a web services company in a highly competitive, rapidly changing and consumer- and technology-driven industry. This industry is affected by government regulation, economic, strategic, political and social conditions, consumer response to new and existing products and services, technological developments and, particularly in view of new technologies, the continued ability to protect intellectual property rights. Our actual results could differ materially from management's expectations because of changes in such factors. Achieving our business and financial objectives, including growth in operations and maintenance of a strong balance sheet and liquidity position, could be adversely affected by the factors discussed or referenced under the "Risk Factors" section contained in the Annual Report as well as, among other things: 1) changes in our plans, strategies and intentions; 2) continual decline in market valuations associated with our cash flows and revenues; 3) the impact of significant acquisitions, dispositions and other similar transactions; 4) our ability to attract and retain key employees; 5) any negative unintended consequences of cost reductions, restructuring actions or similar efforts, including with respect to any associated savings, charges or other amounts; 6) market adoption of new products and services; 7) the failure to meet earnings expectations; 8) asset impairments; 9) decreased liquidity in the capital markets; 10) our ability to access the capital markets for debt securities or bank financings; 11) the impact of "cyber-warfare" or terrorist acts and hostilities and 12) the approval of the patent transaction with Microsoft Corporation by antitrust authorities and the satisfaction of the other closing conditions to that transaction as well as to factors that could affect the manner, timing and amount of the return of any of the sale proceeds to AOL shareholders including the need for AOL to retain cash for its business or to satisfy liabilities.
In connection with the solicitation of proxies, AOL has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, a definitive proxy statement and other relevant documents concerning the proposals to be presented at AOL's 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The proxy statement contains important information about AOL and the 2012 Annual Meeting. In connection with the 2012 Annual Meeting, AOL has mailed the definitive proxy statement to stockholders. In addition, AOL files annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You are urged to read the proxy statement and other information because they contain important information about AOL and the proposals to be presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting. These documents are available free of charge at the SEC's website ( www.sec.gov ) or from AOL at our investor relations website ( http://ir.aol.com ). The contents of the websites referenced herein are not deemed to be incorporated by reference into the proxy statement.
AOL and its directors, executive officers and certain employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from AOL's stockholders in connection with the election of directors and other matters to be proposed at the 2012 Annual Meeting. Information regarding the interests, if any, of these directors, executive officers and specified employees is included in the definitive proxy statement and other materials filed by AOL with the SEC.
SOURCE: AOL, Inc.
AOL, Inc.
Maureen Sullivan, 212-206-5030
Maureen.Sullivan@teamaol.com
Eoin Ryan, 212-206-5025
Eoin.Ryan@teamaol.com


MOSCOW, Russia -- Russia said on Saturday it had no intention of invading eastern Ukraine following its annexation of Crimea, while the Black Sea peninsula's Muslim Tatars demanded autonomy.
Russia's Grand Mufti Ravil Gainutdin (C) greets a delegate as they attend the Kurultai, the assembly of Crimea Tatars, in Bakhchisaray.
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet on Sunday in Paris, the State Department said, as both sides moved to ease tensions in the worst East-West stand-off since the Cold War.
In a pivotal political development, Ukraine's presidential election effectively became a two-horse race when boxer-turned-politician Vitali Klitschko pulled out and threw his weight behind confectionary oligarch Petro Poroshenko.
This sets up a May 25 contest between the man known as the "Chocolate King" and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Speaking on Russian television, Mr Lavrov reinforced a message from President Vladimir Putin that Russia would settle - at least for now - for control over Crimea despite massing thousands of troops near Ukraine's eastern border.
"We have absolutely no intention of - or interest in - crossing Ukraine's borders," Mr Lavrov said.
Mr Putin called US President Barack Obama on Friday to discuss a US diplomatic proposal, with the West alarmed at the threat to Ukraine's eastern flank from what US officials say may be more than 40,000 Russian troops.
But Mr Lavrov said Russia is ready to protect the rights of Russian speakers, referring to what Moscow sees as threats to the lives of compatriots in eastern Ukraine since Moscow-backed Viktor Yanukovich was deposed as president in February.
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in an interview with Germany's Focus magazine published on Saturday, said the alliance is "extremely worried".
"We view it as a concrete threat to Ukraine and see the potential for further interventions," he said.
"I fear that it is not yet enough for him [Putin]. I am worried that we are not dealing with rational thinking as much as with emotions, the yearning to rebuild Russia's old sphere of influence in its immediate neighbourhood."
In the Tatars' historic capital of Bakhchisaray, the assembly representing the 300,000-strong indigenous Muslim minority voted in favour of seeking "ethnic and territorial autonomy" in Crimea.
They make up less than 15 per cent of Crimea's population of 2 million and have been overwhelmingly opposed to Russia's annexation of the territory.
"In the life of every nation there comes a time when it must make decisions that will determine its future. I ask you to approve ... the start of political and legal procedures aimed at creating ethnic and territorial autonomy of the Crimean Tatars of their historic territory of Crimea."
The assembly backed his proposal.
Critical of Russia's annexation of Crimea, the Tatars boycotted the March 16 vote to split from Ukraine and become part of Russia.
Moscow has tried to pressure them to drop their opposition.
However, their proposal to seek autonomy signals they would be ready to negotiate their status with Russia.
The West imposed sanctions on Russia, including visa bans on some of Mr Putin's inner circle, after Moscow annexed Crimea this month following a referendum on union of the Russian-majority region with the Russian Federation that the West called illegal.
Mr Lavrov called for "deep constitutional reform" in Ukraine, a sprawling country of 46 million people divided between those who see their future in closer ties with Europe and mainly Russian speakers in the east who look to former Soviet master Russia.
"Frankly speaking, we don't see any other way for the steady development of the Ukrainian state apart from as a federation," he said.
Each region would have jurisdiction over its economy, finances, culture, language, education and "external economic and cultural connections with neighbouring countries or regions," he said.
"Given the proportion of native Russians [in Ukraine], we propose this and we are sure there is no other way."
Mr Lavrov and Mr Kerry spoke by phone on Saturday, following up on the Putin-Obama call on Friday.
The White House said Mr Obama told Mr Putin that Russia must pull back its troops and not move deeper into the former Soviet republic.
The Kremlin said Mr Putin suggested "examining possible steps the global community can take to help stabilise the situation".
Ukraine remains deeply divided over protests that led to Mr Yanukovich's overthrow.
Many eastern Russian-speaking regions are sceptical about the policies of the new pro-Western government in Kiev.
Mr Yanukovich called on Friday for each of the country's regions to hold a referendum on their status within Ukraine, instead of the presidential election planned for May 25.
Mr Poroshenko was an influential supporter of the "Maidan" popular uprising that toppled Mr Yanukovich in February, three months after he spurned a deal on closer ties with the European Union and plunged the country into turmoil.
Mr Poroshenko confirmed his candidacy late on Friday.
Several opinions polls already had him in the lead even before he said he would run to succeed Mr Yanukovich.
Timoshenko can not be trusted in any circumstances. All her rhetoric against Russia is nothing but a bluff. Not a long a go just in 2009 she had same tough rhetoric and then turned around and signed unprofitable gas deal for Ukraine that coast Ukraine billions of dollars. She will do it again and again, betraying Ukraine.


Here's some pictures I drew using the Kid Pix art program! Woop woop woop!
"The Astute Vapidness of Being"
"Shed No Tears For Me For I Am Already Dead (Metaphorically)"
"In Space No One Can Hear You Yell 'Fire' In A Crowded Theater"
"Tenacity of The Poor Farmer in Utah For Whom The Bell Tomes"
"Stop The Hate By 2008"
A lone cry for peace in a world besieged by warfare and violence. I made this during the height of the Israel-Lebanon situation but even though there's now a cease-fire I think it's still as relevant as ever.
"Love and Memory Dwells Deep In The Heart of Mankind"


text:
Academic & Professional Books Ornithology Birdwatching
One Wild Bird at a Time Portraits of Individual Lives
By: Bernd Heinrich(Author)
218 pages, 8 plates with colour illustrations; b/w illustrations
ISBN: 9780544387638 Hardback May 2016 Usually dispatched within 1 week
In his modern classics One Man's Owl and Mind of the Raven, Bernd Heinrich has written memorably about his relationships with wild ravens and a great horned owl.
In One Wild Bird at a Time, Heinrich returns to his great love: close, day-to-day observations of individual wild birds. There are countless books on bird behavior, but, writes Heinrich, "some of the most amazing bird behaviors fall below the radar of what most birds do in aggregate". Heinrich's "passionate observations [that] superbly mix memoir and science" (New York Times) lead to fascinating questions – and sometimes startling discoveries. A great crested flycatcher bringing food to the young acts surreptitiously and is attacked by the mate. Why? A pair of Northern flickers hammering their nest-hole into the side of Heinrich's cabin deliver the opportunity to observe the feeding competition between siblings, and to make a related discovery about nest-cleaning. One of a clutch of redstart warbler babies fledges out of the nest from twenty feet above the ground, and lands on the grass below. It can't fly. What will happen next?
"[...] A reading of One Wild Bird at a Time: Portraits of Individual Lives will teach you many things about a small selection of eastern North American birds. But the most important things you will get out of this book are the reminder that birds are individuals and the realization that there is much more to discover, even about our most common birds, and that anyone can do so.[...]"
– Grant McCreary (24-07-2017), read the full review at The Birder's Library
"[...] As well as being an incisive scientist, Heinrich is a great writer (his Ravens in Winter [1990] is still one of the best science books ever written) and through a series of charming encounters he starts us out on the path that leads towards 'science'. Along the way he reminds that birds are not just statistics, they are individuals with lives of their own, and, while we can't all live in a cabin deep in the woods, time spent watching birds with a curious mind is rarely wasted."
– Rob Robinson, BTO book reviews
Bestsellers in Birdwatching
The Biology of Moult in Birds
The Birdwatcher's Yearbook 2020
Birding Estonia
A Birdwatching Guide to the Netherlands
Where to Watch Birds in Costa Rica
Where to Watch Birds in France
Birding Varanger
Where to Watch Birds in Britain
Birdwatching in Colombia
Mastering Bird Photography
Browse titles in Birdwatching
Other titles from Houghton Mifflin
Hawks in Flight
Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds' Nests (United States, East of the Mississippi River)
Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America
Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding
Common Birds and their Songs
Kingbird Highway
Peterson Field Guide to Finding Mammals in North America
Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled
Cattle Kingdom
How to Be a Good Creature
Browse titles from Houghton Mifflin

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Fry the bacon in the skillet over medium high heat until crispy. Remove bacon pieces using a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Pour off all fat except about a tablespoon. Reserve fat for another use.
Dredge the chicken pieces in flour and add to the pan. Brown the chicken, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds until garlic just barely starts to brown. Add the white wine and scrape up any bits.
Whisk together the chicken broth and tomato paste and pour into pan, along with the rosemary. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Serve with rice, potatoes or pasta.


text:
Сухомлин - українське прізвище. Дослідження історії виникнення прізвища Сухомлин відкриває забуті сторінки життя та культури наших предків і може розповісти багато цікавого про давнє минуле.

Прізвище Сухомлин належить до стародавнього типу слов'янських сімейних імен, утворених від особистих прізвиськ.

Традиція давати людині індивідуальне прізвисько на додаток до імені, отриманого при хрещенні, з давніх-давен існувала на Русі і зберігалася аж до XVII століття. Це тим, що з тисяч хрестильних імен, записаних у святцях і місяцесловах, практично використовувалося трохи більше двохсот церковних імен. Зате невичерпним був запас прізвиськ, що дозволяли легко виділити людину серед інших носіїв того ж таки імені. Як джерела могли використовуватися: вказівка на рід занять, на особливості характеру або зовнішності людини, національність або на місцевість, вихідцем з якої була людина.

Досліджуване прізвище походить від особистого іменування далекого предка по чоловічій лінії Сухомлин, утвореного від «сухий (не водяний, а вітряний) млин».

Отже, подібним ім'ям могли наділити власника такого млина або людину, яка працювала на ній.

Слід зазначити, що мірошники за всіх часів були дуже шановними людьми, оскільки їхня справа була пов'язана з виробництвом найнеобхіднішого товару – борошна, основи для хліба. В основному мельники жили на околиці села, де тримали млин. Млин приносив непоганий дохід, найчастіше його власниками були місцеві багатії або заможні селяни. Також мірошник часто був персонажем народних казок та пісень. Зазвичай справа батька переходила до сина, тому прізвисько, дане родоначальнику, швидко приживалося до його нащадків.

У XIV столітті до слов'ян із Західної Європи прийшла традиція створення прізвищ як спеціальних успадкованих родових імен. Спочатку вона утвердилася в Польщі, а також в Україні, що наприкінці XIV століття об'єдналася з Польщею в єдину державу, і лише потім у Росії. На початку XVII століття переважна більшість російських прізвищ утворювалася шляхом додавання до імені або прізвиська батька суфіксів -ів/-ев та -ін, які згодом перетворилися на найбільш типовий показник російських прізвищ (Сухомлін, Сухомлінов, Сухомлинський). Для українських і білоруських земель, а також у західноруських землях було характерно утворення сімейних імен за допомогою зменшувальних суфіксів -енко і -ук/-юк або закріплення прізвиська як прізвища взагалі без оформлення спеціальним фамільним суфіксом.

Оскільки процес формування прізвищ був досить тривалим, зараз про точне місце та час виникнення прізвища Сухомлин говорити складно. Однак з упевненістю можна стверджувати, що воно належить до найдавніших сімейних імен.
 Сухомлин Дмитро Олександрович (1986—2014) — солдат Збройних сил України, учасник російсько-української війни.
 Сухомлин Іван Мусійович (1911—1993) — льотчик-випробовувач, учасник Другої світової війни, Герой Радянського Союзу,
 Сухомлин Кирило Васильович (1886—1938) — державний і партійний діяч УРСР.
 Сухомлин Микола Олексійович (1940) — український державний діяч. Кандидат економічних наук. Академік Інженерної академії України, Академік Академії економічних наук України.
 Сухомлин Олександр Васильович (1900—1975) — радянський воєначальник, генерал-лейтенант.
 Сухомлин Сергій Іванович (1971) — міський голова м. Житомир.

Див. також
 Сухомлинов

Прізвища

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


When choosing fake diplomas, it's important to be sure it contains all of the necessary information so it looks as authentic as possible. This information can include anything from: the school name, date of graduation, and of course, your name. A signature line is also important to add the finishing touch. The type of degree you receive is also very important, and this includes the major or field of study that you've received the degree in. Some examples of fake diplomas include: the Associates of business, biology, liberal arts, accounting, nursing, office administration, and Management just to name a few. The Associates degree is typically received within about two years' time. It is the stepping stone towards a professional career in many different fields. You can purchase a fake college degree to serve as a display so others can see your educational achievements.
There are other forms of fake degrees aside from the Associates. You can also obtain a Realistic degree for the Bachelors or Masters or Doctorate degrees. The Bachelors is typically obtained by attending at least four years of college education, the Masters goes further and requires about four more post-graduate years of education and the Doctorate degree requires even further education of an additional four years beyond the Masters degree. In order to receive a Masters degree, students must successfully complete a passing thesis. Both of these degrees are necessary to get a career in many different fields. No matter what kind of degree you're looking for, fake degrees are a wonderful way to show others your "achievements". They look wonderfully displayed in any home or office, and look just like a replica of the real thing. Be sure to choose a fake diploma that shows your particular field of study and what kind of major you graduated with so that it properly displays your hard work and accomplishments.
We have a large number of degrees and majors available for RealisticDiplomas and Realistic Transcripts. The coursework is general in nature and may not exactly match the actual school's coursework.
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A doctorate is an academic degree of, in many countries, the highest level, second only to the habilitation in those (primarily Central and Eastern European) countries that grant the latter. The term doctorate comes from the Latin doctor, meaning "teacher." It originated in Medieval Europe as a license to teach at a university. In this sense doctoral training was a form of apprenticeship to a guild. The traditional term of study before new teachers were admitted to the guild of "Masters of Arts", seven years, was the same as the term of apprenticeship for other occupations. Originally the terms "master" and "doctor" were synonymous, but over time the doctorate came to be regarded as a higher qualification than the master's degree.


Just recently, RPS Solutions LLC confirmed its partnership with the National Community Stabilization Trust (NCST)—a partnership that would increase Baltimore homeownership and ensure housing is available to low-and moderate-income families.
Basically, RPS Solutions LLC specializes in creating affordable housing, and making sure that home ownership is achieved. National Community Stabilization Trust, on the other hand, is a non-profit organization in the U.S that facilitates the transfer of abandoned and foreclosed properties from financial institutions to housing organizations in order to promote the re-use of property and neighborhood stability. And as from 2009, NCST has successfully facilitated over 23,000 properties to non-profit home buyers across the U.S.
Kevin Seawright, the Managing Partner of RPS Solutions, expressed his excitement for the NCST model and hoped that it would ultimately make houses in Baltimore more affordable and increase the rate of homeownership, as well as boost the local economic growth.
Seawright was the founder of RPS Solutions, and he aimed to come up with a housing market that's affordable whilst strengthening the Baltimore community. Now Seawright works together with his dedicated team of experts to assist the residents of Baltimore to achieve homeownership. And he believes that the partnership with NCST—which is basically a non-profit strategic development program, will reduce the barrier of affordability and ultimately boost the rate of homeownership statewide. With NCST's First Look acquisition program, RPS Solutions LLC and other local housing and community development organizations can easily acquire REO properties right in their local markets before they are sold nationwide and at a higher price. This way, it is easy for the residents to exceed the current homeownership rate in the city eventually.
Founded in 2015 by Kevin Seawright, RPS Solutions is fundamentally a joint partnership venture, which renovates as well as constructs more affordable homes. Its key commitment is to create more homeowners in Baltimore city and its surrounding counties. RPS Solutions strives to create a great environment that supports and emboldens diversity throughout the city of Baltimore and its neighborhoods, where the community is healthy and thriving and, most importantly, home ownership is achieved through stabilizing and revitalizing the low-to moderate-income communities.
Kevin Seawright is a reputable financial and administrative professional with outstanding skills in Operations and Management of capital. He is located in Newark, New Jersey. His strategic vision and abilities in achieving business goals are well known. He possesses a combination of business acumen, efficiency, and knowledge regarding the private, federal, and state funds.
Before relocating to New Jersey, Seawright had successfully been involved in different government fields— Real Estate Development, and Local Government Education in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD.
In his community involvement, Seawright has been a coach for local youth sports teams. He also has been a member of an advisory board for the Babe Ruth Museum, National Forum for Black Public Administrators, American Society for Public Administration, and the National Association of Black Accountants.
Mr. Seawright has accomplished many things in his career, but some of the greatest accomplishments were achieved after he joined Newark Community Economic Development Corporation. One of Seawright's notable accomplishments was the boost of revenue that increased foretasted annual returns by over 25%. Besides that, he is also well-known for having helped solidify Human Capital Divisions retention of staff, improve recruiting efforts, compensation adjustments, collective bargaining, management, and negotiations.
Before working with Newark CEDC, some of his greatest accomplishments were achieved while he was in Government as Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Vice President. And while in government, he successfully managed a $600 million worth of educational renovation projects for Baltimore schools, and also $134 million annual operating budget.
It is clear that some of Seawright's responsibilities throughout his career have included building positive relationships with a broad range of associations, at the local, city, or state level. He has dedicated to coming out to help the city regions to develop with the aid of different initiative programs, which played an essential role in transforming the lives of people. Well, a partnership with NCST is, without a doubt, a great move.
You can find Kevin Seawright on social media platforms, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. He enjoys sharing information about his work history, achievements, and RPS Solutions LLC, which aims to help make housing affordable in Baltimore as well as its surrounding counties.


text:
Mountain Heights
Scroller 8m2 / Urban Furniture
Beirut Digital Constellation®
ABC Mall
Abdali Mall Channel
Urban Embellishment Faraya
CSR & Sustainability
Social Responsibility Engagements
Pikasso d'Or
About Pikasso d'Or
Alain Weill
Pikasso announces the acquisition of Greenberry, the Moroccan leader in malls advertising
Pikasso announces today the acquisition of 95% of Greenberry shares, the Moroccan leader in malls and retail advertising.
Founded in 2009, Greenberry has the exclusive concession of the 97 accesses to Carrefour, Carrefour Market and Atacadao of Label'Vie, the malls of Aradei: Label'Gallery in Rabat, Meknès, El Jadida, and in Safi, Socco Alto in Tangier, Almazar in Marrakech, Borj Fez in Fes, as well as AnfaPlace in Casablanca (Grit Group), Ryad Square in Rabat (FC2B), Tangier City Mall (Interavente) and Carré Eden in Marrakech (CMG).
The inventory is composed of 169 digital screens, totems, video walls and LEDs, as well as 300 classic faces including backlits, 2m2 scrollers and 12m2.
Greenberry has built a great reputation in the Moroccan market through the introduction of advertising in malls and retail.
The existing team will be reinforced with executives and technicians. In order to welcome its extended new team, the company moved on the 1st of September to new premises located at: 193 Boulevard de la Resistance in Casablanca.
Following this acquisition, Pikasso becomes the only Out of Home Advertising operator to extensively cover the 3 markets of North Africa: Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, and to be able to respond with homogeneous outdoor products to the requests of advertisers, along with regional and international media agencies.
The advertising market in Morocco is one of the largest in Africa and the MENA region, of which it holds the 3rd position. It is also an advertising hub, home to headquarters of media agencies and regional marketing departments of multinationals.
Morocco has a population of 35.5 million. The capital Rabat has 1.7 M inhabitants while Casablanca has 3.2 M. The GDP growth was 3.2% in 2018.
In Jeune Afrique July 21, 2019 issue has extensively reviewed the "Twenty Years That Have Changed Everything" since the accession to the throne in 1999 of His Majesty King Mohammed VI: "From north to south, the big cities of the Kingdom have all benefited from urban development programs that have significantly modernized them. You can now travel by electric bus in Marrakech or by tram in Rabat. A high-speed train connects Casablanca to Tangier in 2h10 and the geostrategic positioning in the Strait of Gibraltar is being strengthened with the world-class Tanger Med port and logistics complex. Regional Development Plans (RDPs) have also been put in place. "
"As for the Industrial Acceleration Plan (IAP) it should allow Morocco to join the much closed circle of emerging countries by 2020. 400,000 vehicles are assembled each year. The country's exports reached 25 billion euros in 2018. "
"The shares of Renewable Energy (RE) in the Moroccan electricity park will reach 52% in 2030 (35% today)."
"Casablanca Finance City (CFC) has already become the continent's leading financial center, according to the Global Financial Centers Index (GFCI), with nearly 200 economic and financial operators (of which 42% are European and 12% American)."
"Finally, Morocco has launched the legislative process for the ratification of the agreement for the establishment of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA), which became effective on 7 July, to facilitate the integration between markets in Africa."
Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Pikasso on every corporate aspects of this transaction with a team led by partner Alain Malek, head of the Casablanca office, assisted by associate Ismaël Sinaceur.
Antonio Vincenti, Chairman & CEO of Pikasso, said: "I am delighted of the agreement with Greenberry shareholders who have trusted Pikasso to continue the development of the company.
We are very proud of the partnership resulting from the exclusive long-term concession agreements signed with the Label'Vie Group, Aradei, Grit Group and the owners of the other malls: FC2B, CMG, and Interavente.
Our commitment to our partners is to deploy all our technical, technological and marketing know-how to enhance all the engagement opportunities with shoppers and visitors of these temples of consumption, leisure and entertainment that have become the malls today. The quality of the contacts and audiences offered being unique.
Our ambition is to contribute significantly to the development of the Out of Home (OOH) advertising industry in Morocco, by bringing all the innovations found in the most sophisticated markets to better serve advertisers and media agencies.
Our presence in Casablanca will also enable us to meet the OOH communication needs of the "Moroccan Economic Champions" beyond the Maghreb in their expansion plans in Senegal, Mali and Ivory Coast, where the Pikasso Group is present".
© 2020 Pikasso. All Rights Reserved.


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Not far from Surgut (Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia) in Russkinskaya village, lives Antonina Tevlina, her mother and father still live a indigenous way of life.
Nomadize and grazing reindeers in their ancestral territory of about 600 hectares, they faced a new problem, about 3 years ago oil producers came to their land again.
In order to visit Svetlana Stanislavovna Tevlina, you have to to walk three kilometers through the swamps, bypassing the checkpoints, about an hour by car on internal roads wich not marked on maps and around 10 kilometers afoot along marshes and swamps.
In consequence of the oil spillage three years ago, the number of the reindeers herd was reduced to three times.
Pollution of water and lakes, destruction of the ecosystem, all this leads to a reduction of the number of the reindeers.
"The Yagel is like a bread for a deer, and if something happens it took around 30 years to restore" - says Antonina Tevlina .
According to official data of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, as a result of accidents and transportation of oil, about 1.5 million tons of oil are poured out annually to the environment in Russian Federation, this figure is approximately twice the volume of the spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.
Due to the oil spills in the oil-producing regions such as KhMAO, not only the environment is harmed, there is infringement on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of Far North, for which the nomadic lifestyle and reindeer grazing is traditional, and for many, the only way of life.
The series was filmed on a 35mm black/white film, before develop, the film being soaked in oil-containing liquid which was taken from the shoot place. For all its "organic" and "naturalness" origin, oil destroys the gelatinous "flesh" of the film, invading the depicted world, burning and fragmenting it .
In 1989 was born in Energodar (USSR, Ukraine) .
Live and study in Moscow (Russia).
In 2017-2018 study Documentary photography in DocDocDoc school, Saint-Petersburg.


text:
THE LIVE REVIEW: Ringo Starr Rocks the AMP with a Little Help from His Friends
LIVE MUSICLIVE REVIEW September 4, 2018 Robert Locke
Arkansas Music Pavilion24 Ringo Starr1
Rogers – Peace and love was the message Sunday night as Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band brought 60s nostalgia to full flower-power glory at the Arkansas...
Rogers – Peace and love was the message Sunday night as Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band brought 60s nostalgia to full flower-power glory at the Arkansas Music Pavilion.
It's been a tremendous season at the AMP this year with huge shows from Janet Jackson, Slayer, and Weezer just to name a few, but nothing will ever compare to the experience of having a Beatle in our backyard.
Kicking off with the customary "Matchbox," the Carl Perkins classic that Ringo sang on the Beatles early Long Tall Sally EP, Beatlemania was in full swing as the band launched into "It Don't Come Easy," Ringo's first post-Beatles hit. The country-ish "What Goes On" from 1965's Rubber Soul was next and set the stage for the first All-Starr member to take the spotlight.
The 2018 edition of the All-Starr Band includes Colin Hay of Men at Work, Toto's Steve Lukather, Gregg Rolie of Santana and Journey and its most recent addition Graham Gouldman. Gouldman should be no stranger to classic rock lovers. Writing hits for everyone from The Yardbirds (For Your Love, Heart Full Of Soul) to The Hollies (Bus Stop), Gouldman is most well known as a founding member of british art-rockers 10CC. Introducing 10CC's "Dreadlock Holiday" as a "Worldwide hit everywhere except in America," Gouldman brought the crowd to their feet with the final line "I don't like Rogers, I love it."
Gregg Rolie was next, and the unmistakable sound of those early Santana records hit big with the Rogers audience as the band rocked a faithful rendition of "Evil Ways" with an absolutely devastating lead from Toto's Steve Lukather. Carlos would be more than proud. Lukather would take the lead on the next song and receive one of the loudest pops of the evening with Roseanna, the 1982 Toto hit that became an instant sing along. Colin Hay followed with a fantastic rendition of Men at Work's 1980 hit "Down Under" with Warren Ham handling the flute to such a fine degree that one stoned out attendee turned to his friends and proclaimed "He's no Ian Anderson but he's pretty fucking good."
Ringo returned to the forefront proclaiming he was going to play a tune from "the other band he was in" which drew a huge response from the crowd. After referring to his pre-Beatles band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, the joke was on everyone except us die-hards. Launching into "Boys," the deep cut from 1963's Please, Please Me, the excitement more than pleased fans of early mop-top era Beatles. "Don't Pass Me By" from 1968's The Beatles (aka The White Album) was a highlight and all but accented by the smell of what will only be called "Rock 'n' Roll Incense." "Yellow Submarine" was the next Beatles tune and received what was possibly the loudest ovation of the evening and the crowd was more than eager to sing along to every word.
The evenings two biggest highlights were most definitely the one-two punch of 10CC's etheral "I'm Not In Love" and the long jam on Santana's "Black Magic Woman." The latter finding both Rolie and Lukather trading licks back and forth as only these elder statesman of rock are capable of doing. Steve Lukather proved to be the MVP of the evening as Toto's "Roseanna," "Africa," and "Hold The Line" drew massive responses from the crowd. Seriously, who knew this many people were THAT into Toto?
Following big hits from Colin Hay (Overkill, Who Can It Be Now?), Ringo brought it all back home for the grand finale. His 1973 single "Photograph" is still the best song he ever wrote, and it sounded glorious with the full support of the All-Starrs. A playful romp through the Beatles favorite "Act Naturally" led to the inevitable "With a Little Help From My Friends." With the refrain of John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance," Ringo Starr and his All-Starr band bid farewell to the Arkansas Music Pavilion.
"Good night everybody, everybody everywhere, Good night."
Photos by Asherlee Marshall
Ringo Starr and the All-Starr Band Setlist
It Don't Come Easy
What Goes On
Dreadlock Party (Graham Gouldman)
Evil Ways (Greg Rolie)
Roseanna (Steve Lukather)
Down Under (Colin Hay)
Don't Pass Me By
I'm Not in Love (Graham Gouldman)
Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen (Greg Rolie)
You're Sixteen
Overkill (Colin Hay)
Africa (Steve Lukather)
Oye Como Va (Greg Rolie)
I Wanna Be Your Man
The Things You Do For Love (Graham Gouldman)
Who Can It Be Now? (Colin Hay)
Hold The Line (Steve Lukather)
Act Naturally
With a Little Help from My Friends/ Give Peace A Chance
Robert Locke
Robert co-founded FayetteSound in 2016 and ShindigMusic! in the summer of 2017. He is a singer-songwriter/musician from the Arkansas delta, avid vinyl collector, aquarium aficionado and connoisseur of all things rock 'n' roll. He currently is lead vocalist for Los Angeles based band Farmikos and co-conspirator at The Record Exchange. "Do You Remember Laughter?"


What Should I Do If My Business Receives an EEOC Complaint?
Our experienced Media Employment Attorneys are committed to providing sophisticated solutions for a wide range of employment matters.
Many times as experienced Media Employment Attorneys we will be asked what a company should first do after they receive an EEOC complaint.
The EEOC does not get involved with small companies and is reserved for large corporations.
You will receive a request from the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to send in your employee policies and if you have had any other complains of the same nature.
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Have you received an EEOC complaint and want to know what your next actions should be? Contact our experienced Media Employment Attorneys.


The accents of the brass against the white linen shades keep this piece both casual and elegant.
Minor assembly required. Extra rod available for purchase. Shades measure 6.5"dia x 6"h. Includes 5' max. adjustable ant. brass rod w/ 8' clear cord. Includes (3) 12" rods & (4) 6" rods. 5.5"dia. ant. brass canopy & backplate.
Dimensions As Shown: 23.5"h x 40"dia.


text:
1941 The Second World War in the Air in Photographs
1942 The Second World War at Sea in photographs
Series: The Second World War at Sea in Photographs
Phil Carradice
A unique look at the fourth year of the Second World War at sea, through the medium of old photographs.
As 1942, the fourth year of the war, began, victory for the Allies was still a long way off. German submarines were sinking ships off the coast of the United States in what would become known as the 'Second Happy Time' for the U-boat crews while Allied vessels were falling victim to Japanese aircraft and warships in the Far East. Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen made their dash through the Channel to German waters while in the Arctic the battleship Tirpitz and German aircraft and submarines menaced the convoys supplying Russia.
However, convoys continued to get through to supply beleaguered Malta despite heavy losses to submarines and aircraft, and in the Pacific the US Navy inflicted defeats on the Japanese at the key battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, battles in which the major vessels never actually saw each other, fighting with carrier-borne aircraft instead. Troops were landed on the island of Guadalcanal and in North Africa.
In this book, Phil Carradice uses many rarely seen images to tell the story of the Second World War at Sea in 1942.
1914 the First World War at Sea in Photographs
PaperbackPhil Carradice


RICHMAN-Janet. Adored wife of David. ''Tiger'' lost her courageous battle against cancer on November 21, 1998. Beloved daughter of Helen and Robert Gross; sister of Debbie Solomon; mother of Jerri Strauss and Steven Albrecht, and devoted nana to Josh and Doug. Service Wednesday, November 25, 10 AM, at Ballard-Durand, 2 Maple Ave, White Plains. Interment at Sharon Gardens in Valhalla. Donations to The American Cancer Society in the hope that a cure will be found for this horrible disease which took the life of someone with such vitality.


I'm pretty bad at blogging. I know this because I forgot my password for WordPress two days after I created an account and had to spend 30 minutes entering random names from my life (always the best passwords, ask your bank) along with my old high school jersey numbers until I picked the winning combination. I also know this because I started my first-ever blog post with "I'm pretty bad at blogging," the ultimate hook for potential readers. Yet here I am, already writing for a blog that is the 18th item that pops up when you Google "put away the whistle," just below an article from sports illustrated on Omar Moreno "the swift centerfielder with the whistle-tooting wife." If I could ever be described as a swift anything with a whistle-tooting wife (whatever that is), my life will officially be complete.
After this mental struggle, I usually fall asleep on the couch watching another episode of the Highlight Express on ESPNNews (which is much better than any other programming on the 4-letter network). Well, today was different, because today I finally decided on what to write about – a topic that will galvanize readers and excite the youth, a topic too poignant for Tom Rinaldi, a topic even bigger than Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin combined – I'm talking, of course, about fantasy baseball.
I recently became an "ESPN In-sider," proving that I can come up with the most creative avenues to waste $3.33 a month. I now have access to some of the best articles on the internet that I will never read, such as "Samardzija a good rotation gamble," and "Previewing El Tri's match vs. Canada." As I was sifting through this Eden of sports-writing, I noticed that "in" recommended that I become the proud owner of an ESPN Fantasy Baseball franchise. I figure that if Magic Johnson can pay $2 billion (what a steal!) for a team as bad as the Dodgers, I can sign up for a public ESPN Fantasy Baseball league. So without giving it a second thought, I selected the first public league with a draft post 11 am. The league is named "CLEVE'S LEAGUE," which I'm guessing pays homage to Cleveland, cleavage, or both. I should let everyone know that I have zero experience with fantasy baseball, and only signed up because my caffeine-charged eyeballs noticed the flashing advertisement on the computer screen (I probably would have signed up for fantasy gardening if there had been a similar flashing advertisement). With a few easy clicks, I joined the ranks of teams with names like "team cleondre brosefs" (whose owner I would be scared to meet in an alleyway), and "JC Seam Heads" (whose owner I could beat up in an alleyway).
My goal before the league draft (3 days, 16 hours, 18 min, and 53 seconds until I forget that is happening) is to find the best avatar to let these guys know that I mean serious fantasy-baseball business. I'm thinking something with Omar Moreno's whistle-tooting wife.


There are so many home maintenance and repair items that are important; it can be confusing trying to establish which are the most critical. To simplify things, we have compiled a short list of our favorites. These are by no means all-inclusive, nor do they replace any of the information in a home inspection report. They should, however, help you get started on the right foot. Remember, any items marked as priority or safety issues on your home inspection report need immediate attention.
1. Install smoke detectors as necessary (usually one on each level of the home, near any sleeping areas). Install carbon monoxide detectors, according to manufacturer�s recommendations.
2. Make any electrical improvements recommended in the home inspection report.
3.	Remove any wood/soil contact to prevent rot and insect damage.
4. Change the locks on all doors. Use a dead bolt for better security and to minimize insurance costs.
5. Correct trip hazards such as broken or uneven walks and driveways, loose or torn carpet or uneven flooring.
7.	Have all chimneys inspected before operating any of these appliances.
8. Locate and mark the shut-offs for the heating, electrical and plumbing systems.
9.	Label the circuits in electrical panels.
10. If there is a septic system, have the tank pumped and inspected. If the house is on a private water supply (well), set up a regular testing procedure for checking water quality.
11. Clean the gutters in the spring and fall.
12.	Check for damaged roofing and flashing materials twice a year.
13. Cut back trees and shrubs from the house walls, roof and air conditioning system as needed.
14. Clean the tracks on horizontal sliding windows annually, and ensure the drain holes are clear.
15. Test ground fault circuit interrupters, carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors using the test button, monthly.
16.	Service furnace or boiler yearly.
17.	Check furnace filters, humidifiers and electronic air cleaners monthly.
18. Check the bathtub and shower caulking monthly and improve promptly as needed.
19. If you are in a climate where freezing occurs, shut off outdoor water faucets in the fall.
20.	Check reversing mechanism on garage door opener monthly.


fly from the U.S. to Europe for under $200?
find friendly locals renting out lovely homes at well less than half the price of a hotel?
book comfortable transportation between European cities for as low as $5?
Bottom line: an awesome Euro Trip doesn't have to be so pricey — something I discovered while planning our two-month Europe trip to 12 countries in 2016. Want to know my secrets? Follow these easy trip-planning guidelines to travel farther, experience more, and save money on your upcoming Euro Trip.
1. Plan your trip to Europe for a time of low-demand.
One of the easiest ways to make your trip more affordable is to schedule your travels around the best airfare prices. Generally, the further in advance you can book, the cheaper your tickets will be. But certain airlines are known to offer extremely low prices for the first reservations on flights, even when flying as far as LA to London or Paris! Just think: if you can get one of those super cheap flights, you'll have more money to splurge on your trip. Read How to Fly to from the U.S. to Europe for <$200 for my tips on the best seasons to travel and the best cheap airlines to travel on.
P.S. If you can commit to those tickets six months beforehand, book 'em! The prices won't stay low for long (though sometimes two or three months of lead time can still get you a pretty sweet deal).
2. Book unconventional stays for a genuinely local (and affordable) experience.
Staying at traditional hotels is a surefire way to make your trip more expensive. Even "budget" hotels and hostels can be pricey. I recommend finding accommodations on Airbnb, which is what we're using right now for almost all of our stays on our current two-month Europe trip. We've stayed at some awesome Airbnbs (entire apartments and private rooms in a welcoming home) for awesome prices like $35/night. And that's for 2 people. If you're splitting the cost with a travel companion, the price is even sweeter!
Read How to Find a Safe, Comfortable and AFFORDABLE Place to Stay on Airbnb for our booking tips, and sign up here to get $20 off your first stay on Airbnb.
3. Plan a smart itinerary to save BIG!
Route planning and scheduling are probably the most complex part of travel planning, but they can have a big impact on how much you spend on your trip.
For example, we were able to travel by bus from Budapest to Ljubljana on a Wednesday, Friday or Sunday for just $25 per person, but any other day of the week our cheapest option was a $55 ticket with a different bus company. Thirty dollars may not seem like much, but small price differences can add up fast when you're visiting multiple European destinations.
In addition to schedule considerations, we closely analyzed our route as well, determining that direct travel from Amsterdam to Prague was (basically impossible and) much pricier than making a stop in Berlin on the way. Read How to Book Affordable Transportation in Europe for our route-planning strategies and the prices we paid for all of our city hops around Europe.
I hope these tips help you get started on planning your affordable trip to Europe! I know it's tough, so if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask in the comments. Good luck with planning!
Read more of our Europe posts right here.


Do you let your own light shine? Are you shining your light on others? Diogenes, a Greek philosopher, used to stroll around during the day carrying a lamp. When someone asked him what he was doing, he'd reply, "I'm simply looking for a human being." By that he meant he was searching for the positivity in mankind.
Create a possibility; to envision something new and unique.
Lighten a difficult circumstance; alleviating what otherwise would have been viewed as a probable failure.
Guide a young person who needs mentoring, a leader who can inspire her to reach beyond what she always thought she could do.
Do you see the "light of leadership" in others around you, no matter their age, position or appearance? Do your associates see and feel the light of leadership in you?
What can you do differently to bring out the light in others; whether they are co-workers, neighbors, friends, relatives, or people you've just met? What could happen if you do? You may not even realize the impact you can make.
So go ahead, speak openly from your heart, share your gifts, make time for others and what you love to do; as opposed to what you "should" do. You are full of light, so let it shine. The world deserves to see it.
"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us."
There's been very little research on boredom. But, a recent study by the University of Konstanz in Germany revealed five distinct types.
Read on to discover the variations and how to manage them.
Einstein said, "Question everything!" Deep, imaginative and "beautiful" questions help us identify issues and come up with game-changing ideas.
Read on to discover an array of beautiful questions and the power of impossible thinking.
Social media has changed the nature of support. Today's customers demand real-time responses and broadcast concerns to a multitude of followers.
Read on to learn ten ways to ensure your organization exceeds expectations in this growing medium.
We hope you have had an opportunity to cruise our new website. Our goal with the new site is to provide our visitors a faster and easier way to learn about our MAGIC®. You'll also be able to access a wealth of customer service articles, case studies, testimonials and tips for creating an exceptional MAGIC Service Culture.
We worked hard to make sure the new website contains valuable information that will assist with all your customer experience needs.


text:
ad(Nersesov, Sergey G) » Refine Search
An animal-assisted intervention with college students with Asperger's syndrome
by Engel, Suzanne Elizabeth, Psy.D. Alfred University. 2009: 145 pages; 3444111.
A kinetic multi-segment foot model with preliminary applications in clinical gait analysis
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A geographical classification of Master's Colleges and Universities
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by Moore, Lisa M. M., Ph.D. Marquette University. 2019: 301 pages; 13864292.
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by Wang, Jian, Ph.D. Carnegie Mellon University. 2018: 98 pages; 10932738.
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Influences of African American English that contribute to the exclusion of African American students from academic discourse
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Spinning Stories in Cloth: Constructing Female Voice and Agency via Domestic Textile Production in Nineteenth Century Literature
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text:
<?php

class User_model extends CI_Model {

    public $identity = null;

    function __construct()
    {
        parent::__construct();
    }

    public function getIdentity(){
        if($this->identity){
            return $this->identity;
        }
        $id = $this->session->userdata('identity');
        if(isset($id) && !empty($id)){
            $tmp = $this->doctrine->em->getRepository('Entity:User')->find($id);
            if($tmp){
                $this->identity = $tmp;
            }
        }

        //exit();
        return $this->identity;
    }

    public function setIdentity($Username){
        $tmp = $this->fetchByUsername($Username);
        if(!isset($tmp[0]) || empty($tmp[0])){
            throw new \Exception('Couldn\'t find user.');
        }
        $identity = $tmp[0];
        $this->session->set_userdata('identity', $identity->getUserId());
    }

    public function fetchByUsername($Username){

       $repo = $this->doctrine->em->getRepository('Entity:User');

       $user = $repo->findBy(array('Username' => $Username));

       return $user;
    }

    public function authenticate($Username , $Password){

        $user = $this->fetchByUsername($Username);
        if(!isset($user[0])){
            return false;
        }
        $user = $user[0];

        $crypted = sha1($user->getHash() . $Password);

        return $crypted == $user->getPassword();

    }

    public function add($Input){

        $user = new models\Entities\User();

        $user->exchange($Input);
        //var_dump($Input);exit();
        $hash = \Utils::generateHash(30);

        $user->setHash($hash);

        $password = sha1($hash . $user->getRealPassword());
        $user->setPassword($password);

        if(isset($Input['Cover'])){
            $user->setCover($Input['Cover']);
        }

        $this->doctrine->em->persist($user);

        $this->doctrine->em->flush();

        return $user;

    }

    public function save($User , $Data){

        if(isset($Data['Cover']) && !empty($Data['Cover'])){
            $User->setCover($Data['Cover']);
        }

        if(isset($Data['Username']) && !empty($Data['Username'])){
            $User->setUsername($Data['Username']);
        }

        if(isset($Data['Firstname']) && !empty($Data['Firstname'])){
            $User->setFirstname($Data['Firstname']);
        }

        if(isset($Data['Lastname']) && !empty($Data['Lastname'])){
            $User->setLastname($Data['Lastname']);
        }

        if(isset($Data['Quota']) && !empty($Data['Quota'])){
            $User->setQuota($Data['Quota']);
        }

        $this->doctrine->em->persist($User);

        $this->doctrine->em->flush();

        return $User;
    }

    /**
     * Return all users
     */
    public function getAll(){
        return $this->doctrine->em->getRepository('Entity:User')->findBy(array('Access' => 2));
    }

    public function getById($Id){
        return $this->doctrine->em->getRepository('Entity:User')->find($Id);
    }

    /**
     * Returneaza autorii
     */
    public function getAuthors(){
        return $this->doctrine->em->getRepository('Entity:User')->findBy(array('Access' => 2));
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The Obama administration has promised from the outset to articulate and develop an 'all of the above' energy policy. At first blush it sounds good; but one need only remember how Republicans, during the last administration, were chided by opponents for not developing a transparent and comprehensive energy policy which included renewables. Not surprisingly, many of these same individuals were very pleased to hear that the President would develop a policy that, at least as the name implies, would take advantage of all of our natural resources. He made a commitment to that effort during the latest State of the Union. Now, three years into the Obama administration, has the president lived up to his 'all of the above' promise?
The president's supporters point to the administration's efforts to boost domestic renewable energy sources. His detractors, of which there are many regarding energy policy, point to evidence that the president isn't serious about all forms of energy, and has instead undertaken a policy of demonizing tradition means of energy production. In 2010, for example, the president sounded a call to 'end our dependence on fossil fuels.'
Today, the Obama administration is pushing Congress to federally support wind manufacturers that would generate more 'clean energy' sources. The president insists the more than 500 facilities being built in 43 states would provide jobs to thousands to American workers and lessen our dependence on foreign oil.
To support his 'green, renewable and clean energy' agenda, the president also criticizes fossil fuels, arguing that drilling for new oil throughout the United States will neither solve our nation's energy problems nor lead to lower prices at the pump. However, America's natural gas drilling boom has in fact done just that. By increasing production by approximately 11%, natural gas prices have fallen dramatically, by almost 50%.
While one can attempt to diminish this remarkable decline in price by citing factors such as a warmer than usual winter in the Northeast, there is little doubt among economists that increased supply (or decreased supply from volatile areas such as Iran) has a marked and almost disproportionate effect on market pricing.
Clean energy has a nice ring to it and, after all, we should all be good stewards of our environment. But despite all the rhetoric, it is difficult to actually define what constitutes 'clean energy.' Is natural gas 'clean energy' because it results in approximately 42% lower emissions than traditional coal? Does clean coal qualify? Nuclear energy was gaining momentum as a near zero emission fuel source right up until the Japanese tsunami. Should we abandon pursuit of nuclear energy, or should we just learn how to build better facilities?
The government can maintain a level playing field by removing red tape and needless regulations that hamper the infusion of private investment in our energy sector. Rewarding industries where serious attempts are made to reduce carbon footprints is a good idea, but improvements in technology, carbon emissions, and pricing will naturally determine which sources are more economically sustainable. The American economy has largely been advanced and sustained by inexpensive and reliable forms of energy, and these traditional forms cannot be jettisoned on a whim in favor of 'clean energy;' rather, an 'all of the above' energy policy is required to power our economy moving forward.
Regardless of whether Republicans or Democrats occupy the White House, there is room at the table for everyone. The Obama administration's success will be measured by whether it can fulfill its promise of inclusiveness by implementing a comprehensive energy policy that acknowledges the strengths of all forms of energy and recognizes the resulting value of each in our economy based upon availability and cost.


Visit New York, Boston, Washington, DC, Niagara Falls, Philadelphia, Corning.
Passengers will be picked up in Philadelphia in the early morning. Our tour begins with sightseeing in Philadelphia, PA, home of National Independence Park. Here we will see the historic Liberty Bell, an icon of the American Revolution. Afterwards, we will head to Washington D.C. and visit the Lincoln Memorial. This grand monument overlooks the Reflecting Pool, the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol. Inside, the 19-foot marble statue of the 16th president is flanked by inscriptions of his Second Inaugural Address and the famous Gettysburg Address. We will also stop at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Korean War Memorial. Next, we will go to Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Later we can take photos with backdrops of the White House and the U.S. Capitol due to the visit limitation for the public. Summer Schedule: You will have the opportunity to take our exclusive DC cruise for sightseeing of the town along the Potomac River/ Winter Schedule: we will visit International Spy Museum. Along the way, you will also see and pass by the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, WWII Memorial and more.
Best trip for the money spent!!! Our tour leader Fei Fey is very well-organized, friendly, punctual and always dedicated to the customers' needs. Highly recommended!!!
We, 2 families, a group of 8 people, 3 from Philly and 5 from the San Francisco Bay Area, booked a 5 day US East Coast Tour from Philadelphia for our vacation during the 4th of July week. We got to see so many great places in just 5 days. Thanks to our guide, Caroline Zheng, who is very energetic, hardworking, knowledgeable, and professional, we had so much fun and a lot of memories. At time of booking we had some doubt about the tour, but after the trip, we all agreed that it was one of the best vacations we have had.
My wife and I really enjoyed the 5 day East Coast tour. The hotels booked for the accommodation were excellent, albeit some of them were at a distance from the main city. Allan, our tour guide was excellent as well. Very knowledgeable and courteous.
We took the 5 day East Coast tour from Philadelphia recently and had a good time. The tour guide Estella was friendly and helpful. The hotels were good and had all the amenities and we could cover quite a few places.Thank you.
I really enjoyed this tour and hats off to the Trip planners. The driver and Guide were kind and helpful. I recommend this tour to everyone.
Nice trip, enjoyed the trip alot.
My family just concluded the five days East Cost tour to Philadelphia, Washington DC, Niagara Falls, Boston and New York. Good sight seeing, quality time and good value for money. The journey was efficiently organized and hotels were reasonably good. Our tour guide Hao was very sincere, really nice and caring. The overall tour was fantastic. But it would be nice if more time would be allocated to at least few major attractions. It would be great if Statue of Liberty tour included a visit to Liberty Island.
Well organized. Tightly packed - 6 AM to 9 PM on most days. 3 out of 4 nights was in an excellent hotel ! Good value for money. Stop for food seldom has Indian food availability. Mostly catering to Chinese customers and cuisine.
A very well organized tour! Our tour guide, Jo Jo, was very helpful in showing us all the attractions. Niagara and Empire State Building were the best part. It would be great if Statue of Liberty tour included a visit to Liberty Island.


In order that a trademark can be registered and thus receive legal protection, the respective legal conditions for the registration must be fulfilled. In Switzerland the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) examines the registrability of the filed trademark. In a further step the area of protection of a registered national Swiss trademark can be expanded by registering an IR mark (internationally registered mark). It has to be noted that the Federal Institute of Intellectual Property, in the context of the registration procedure, is not legitimised to examine on its part in each procedure whether an equal or similar third mark exists already. However, if a third party opposes against the entry of the trademark the Federal Institute of Intellectual Property conducts the so-called contradiction procedure, in which it is judged whether the newly registered mark is confusable with the older mark and therefore must be deleted again.


text:
A transformational festival is a counterculture festival that espouses a community-building ethic, and a value system that celebrates life, personal growth, social responsibility, healthy living, and creative expression. Transformational alludes both to personal transformation (self-realization) and steering the transformation of culture toward sustainability. Some transformational festivals resemble music festivals, but are distinguished by such features as seminars, classes, drum circles, ceremonies, installation art (or other visual art), the availability of whole food and bodywork, and a Leave No Trace policy. Transformational festivals are held outdoors, often in remote locations, and are co-created by the participants. The events are psychedelic inspired, involving visionary art, speakers on topics of entheogenic substances, as well as audio and visual entertainment intended to amplify psychedelic experiences.

Transformational festivals exhibit features commonly found in cults and new religious movements. The events are characterized by heightened transpersonalism, collective ecstasis, utopian narratives, and community allegiance. They attract the atypical attendance of a social class characterized by expendable amounts of financial and temporal wealth. Their charismatic deployment of spiritual and entheogenic information emboldened by on-site ecstatic experience closely parallels religious revivals. Attendees may disengage conservative social norms and identify as an "evolved culture"—a worldview influenced by millenarian archetypes of planetary transcendence, and the evolution of consciousness.

Some examples of transformational festivals are Boom Festival in Portugal, Fusion Festival in Germany, Lightning in a Bottle, Symbiosis Gathering, and Lucidity in the United States, and Yaga Gathering in Lithuania. The prototypical transformational festival is Burning Man.

At TEDxVancouver 2010, filmmaker Jeet-Kei Leung presented a TED Talk about transformational festivals, and discussed their similarities to pagan festivals. Less than a year after a successful Kickstarter campaign, Jeet-Kei Leung and Akira Chan screened the first installment of their four-part documentary film series, The Bloom: A Journey Through Transformational Festivals (2013).

A.C. Johner's documentary Electronic Awakening (2012) investigates the emergence and origins of the festivals.

See also

References

External links

Counterculture festivals


Fox Chapel Publishing, has generously provided My Chip Carving with a supply of two previous copies of their magazine, Woodcarving Illustrated. In each issue you'll even find a chip carving article by Marty Leenhouts. Just pay shipping and get one of these two magazines for free. Thank you Fox Chapel!


Out of Production, only a few left in stock!
With the extreme popularity of the 2008 Challenger RT factory-built replica produced exclusively for Dodge, AMT now offers the 2010 Challenger RT as a Factory-Built model in the Showroom Replicas Line! These beautiful Promos were very limited. Round2/AMT was over-subscribed. We only got half of our initial order allocation and they did not last long. Now we get them occasionally from a collection we purchase. This one is mint in the box and has that sweet bumble bee look.


To celebrate her birthday, popular relationship blogger Elsie Godwin has launched her book titled 'Oya Start Blogging' in Lagos, Nigeria.
Oya Start Blogging is a carefully crafted body of work by Elsie Godwin, detailed and rich with information positioned not only to right the wrong perception created by a few about blogging in the eyes of the right thinking world, but to inspire even more creative, conscious and capable minded people that have thoughts about becoming bloggers, writers or any other form of literary connoisseur in Nigeria to pick up their pen and bleed the ink on the papers for the world to embrace, enjoy and be informed.
Everyone knows how tedious it can be to find a job these days, and sometimes it can prove to be such a daunting task finding the right fit online. Google has now made it easier, you can now get a job online with Google Jobs! Sounds cool right?
You know how you used to have to type in your search query and a thousand job websites pop up in your search, and then have to sift through all the sites just to get a head start? Well, Google has just simplified your search with the new Google Jobs feature.
Now, all you have to do is type in your search query, e.g, "Real Estate Jobs In Lagos", and you will be presented with a list of jobs that match your search query. You also get to see the job descriptions and requirements on the go, so you know exactly where to direct your application.
You can also turn on alerts to get notifications from Google when there is a job opening that matches your qualifications, and these alerts come straight to your email, so you do not have to worry about missing out on job opportunities.
Searching for a job? Get googling now!
SheLeadsAfrica and Facebook have teamed up to launch #SheMeansBusiness, a platform for African women to connect with other women and grow their businesses online. The collaboration is almost similar to the one between Google and Women Techmakers, (read about this here) and it is indeed quite exciting to see more tech giants doing more for women.
#SheMeansBusiness is designed to bring women in all aspects of industry together through a combination of offline networking and online community, providing women with inspiration and resources to help them build sustainable businesses in an ever changing world.
In collaboration with Facebook, SheLeadsAfrica, the foremost platform for African women looking to build businesses, will be offering Digital Marketing training to young Nigerian women across 6 states in the country. There will be training events in Aba, Abuja, Ibadan, Kaduna, Lagos and Portharcourt, and this might just be what you need to advance your career as a woman in business.
On the #SheMeansBusiness platform, young women who are interested in expanding their knowledge base can also learn basic digital marketing skills online, using Facebook Blueprint and other valuable resources. You also get to read up on the stories of other women who have grown successful business ventures for inspiration.
In-person trainings: SheLeadsAfrica will be offering 4,000+ young, ambitious Nigerian women the opportunity to attend an in-person training workshop facilitated by SLA and Facebook trainers. Trainings will teach attendees how to utilize digital resources that will help take their business online and compete in a global marketplace, and will be followed up with a 4-week email course providing information on further resources (including Facebook's Blueprint e-learning course).
Office hours: They'll be offering 1 Office Hour session per city where 3-5 trainers will be present to answer any digital marketing-related questions attendees may have. There will also be opportunities to form mentorship groups with peers.
While the event is completely FREE to all to attend, SheLeadsAfrica will NOT be covering the cost of transportation to the events, so take advantage of this opportunity to grow your business via online collaborations and learning.


text:
When you shouldn't tell the truth
I found a selection of a dozen letters on telling the truth at The Sun Magazine.
Here are two of them:
My little brother Beany was only two when Dad died of cancer. Mom packed the family into a white Ford station wagon and moved us from southern Ohio to the coast of New Hampshire, where we knew no one. Under my bed, in an old tin box, I kept the family photographs. Late at night I would take them out and organize them as a way to reassure myself that Dad had, in fact, existed.
One afternoon I found four-year-old Beany and his best friend, Peter, staring up at our imposing portrait of John Brown, the abolitionist who attempted to start a slave rebellion in Harper's Ferry, Virginia. Peter pointed to the painting of the man in a tattered uniform and asked who he was. Beany said, "That's my dad. He was killed in the war. Shot between the eyes." Peter's eyes opened wide, and he said, "Wow!"
To correct this misinformation, I went upstairs and got a picture of Dad to show Beany and Peter. When I returned, the boys were out in the yard, playing soldiers and gleefully reenacting Dad's death scene. I stopped and watched. The boys looked up at me.
"Hi, Mandy," Beany said. "We're playing war. What's that?"
"Oh, nothing. Just an old photo," I said. I tucked the picture into my pocket and walked back inside. Who was I to take away his truth and replace it with my own?
Amanda Donovan
I park in front of my friend Tanya's house and turn off the engine. My seven-year-old son, Jake, is testy, but he'll do his best to be polite, because he knows how important this visit is, especially to Tanya, whose life has been shortened to precious days.
I take his hand and lead the way to Tanya's back deck. She is curled up on a lounge chair, her once-athletic body a faint outline under her favorite blanket. Chemotherapy was not an option for her, so her hair is still thick and curly.
I lean down for a gentle hug. Tanya slides her sunglasses off to show me that her eyes have turned yellow, like marigolds. She slips the glasses back on, gives me a brave half smile, and shrugs as if to say, What can you do?
"You look beautiful, sweetheart," I say. "And you've baked cookies today. You're doing great."
Tanya says to Jake, "There's a bag of ginger cookies on the table with your name on it."
Jakes smiles and whispers, "Thank you." He takes the bag of cookies and returns to my side.
As we're driving home after our visit, Jake gently says, "I don't really like ginger cookies."
"I know."
"Sometimes it's OK not to tell the truth," he says.
"It is? When?"
"When your friend is dying of cancer."
Mary Jane Taub
Ashland, Oregon
Source: Telling the Truth, Letters from The Sun Magazine>>
Posted in 2010/08 | Tagged shouldn, tell, truth
What compelled him to kill?
Why we can't tell if someone is lying


text:
Hoplostethus metallicus is een  straalvinnige vissensoort uit de familie van zaagbuikvissen (Trachichthyidae). De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort is voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1938 door Fowler.

De soort staat op de Rode Lijst van de IUCN als Onzeker, beoordelingsjaar 2009.

Zaagbuikvissen
IUCN-status onzeker


I bought the Fusion 700 Headset and use it for 2 days now. I noticed a strange noise from the headset while its connected to the usb cable. Its kind of a higher pitched sound(the pitch, depends on the Quality of the Sound settings (96000 Hz = higher pitch, 48000 Hz = lower Pitch etc.)) And this is just when i connect it to the cable. on Bluetooth its fine and it dont have such issues but the quality over Bluetooth is pretty bad for PC-Gaming or even listening to music, its terrible, thats why i decide to use the cable and dont want it over BT conected to the PC. I checked with different cables and on different peripheral Interfaces, nothing seems to work. Is this just a bad manufactured device i have here or do others have this issue too? if so, could you solve the issue and if yes how?.
Had the same issue with 3 different headsets, all of them were returned to the shop as defective. Also can you notice the heat of left earcup when it is connected via usb?