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Unstoppable: Q&A with author Lauren Ruotolo
Filed under: books,issues — posted by Paula @ 11:06 am
Lauren Ruotolo is a gorgeous redhead with a great job–Director of Entertainment Promotions for the Hearst Corporation–a glam wardrobe, a cool boyfriend, and a hot new book about getting a leg up in life, no matter what size your legs happen to be.
The 4' 2" Long Island native was born with a rare disorder called McCune Albright Syndrome that has caused not just her short stature and the use of crutches but a host of other physical challenges, all of which she details in her new memoir, Unstoppable in Stilettos: A Girl's Guide to Living Tall in a Small World .
In addition to being a funny (anecdotes about LL Cool J!) and moving autobiography about coping with and triumphing over her condition, Ruotolo's book is an old-fashioned, Dale Carnegie-esque motivational work organized around themes like "Rejection can be your greatest ally," "Being different is a gift," and "Avoid the word 'no'." She encourages readers of all abilities to get over self-doubt, self-consciousness–just get over themselves, period–and create happiness on their own terms.
We spoke to the vivacious author at her office in the Hearst Tower.
So, the advice—both life- and dating-related—in your book is geared towards a mainstream audience.
I'm wondering if you have any specific dating advice for people who have physical challenges or physical differences.
I think that the first piece of advice–and it's not just for people with physical disabilities or mental disabilities–is that you have to love yourself in order for someone to love you. That was something that I had to learn–that I had to love myself the way that I wanted to be loved by somebody, and I had to learn to be comfortable with knowing that I am different from other people, that my body looks different, that when it comes to sex or being intimate with somebody that it's going to be a little bit different, so I think that I had to understand all those aspects and love every aspect of who I was before I could allow somebody in. I was always so insecure about it.
And I think that you become insecure when you're dating, anyway–everybody is insecure! But it really becomes difficult when there's something different about you. I hope that I teach in the book–for people to really love themselves–and, like I said, love themselves like you want to be loved.
Your experiences with online dating were not very positive.
No! (Laughs.) Not at all! Oh my god, it was such a nightmare! I hope to never have to do that again in my life. When it comes to online dating, yes, you want to put yourself out there, and put as much information about yourself up front. But as I wrote in the book, how I have always seen myself is not really as a "handicapped" person. I knew that if I presented myself as a girl walking with crutches, that's all anyone would see, and I would be labeled as a "Girl With Crutches"…
You mention in the book that you entered therapy, and the key lesson there for you was acceptance. How would you define "acceptance"?
Acceptance, for me, was when I stopped hiding. I said, "I love myself, I have a family who loves me, I have friends that love me, and the next man I meet is gonna love me for me and I'm not gonna hide behind a barstool, and I'm not going to hide behind a photo online. I'm just gonna put myself out there and see what happens."
And I did–I met [current live-in boyfriend] Nelson on a staircase. So it was that acceptance and getting rid of that insecurity in my head that got me there. I was always so strong in so many other ways—but when it came to relationships–well, like I said, I think everyone has these fears. Because society is like, all right, you get to a certain age, girls, and you gotta find that husband, and you gotta have babies, and that's your life! When you're a child, you dream about your wedding–you know, there's this idea promoted by magazines, especially here at Hearst, and at Seventeen magazine, that they're like two of the greatest moments in a girls' life: her prom, that she'll always remember, and her wedding.
"Who are you gonna take to your prom? Who are you gonna marry?" (Laughs) So it's just always a constant conversation that makes us all nervous, but we all have to accept who we are, and that was really what I learned in therapy.
The wedding thing–is that something that has been in your mind pressuring you, or have you let that go?
I think as Nelson and I get closer, and as I get older, it's something that I've thought about a lot more often than I ever did in my life–
–but, because you have the relationship–
Right, because I have the relationship–
–not because you're thinking about the dress.
Exactly! (Laughs) Well, now that I'm in the relationship, I do think about the dress!
Ha! Tell me about Glamour Gals Foundation.
Oh, Glamour Gals is such a great organization. It's an intergenerational organization that brings teen girls and elderly women together. The teen girls provide complimentary makeovers and facials and, more than anything, companionship to the elderly women.
My great-grandmother was in a home, so I know–when I would come visit, she would want to get dressed and she would want to put lipstick on and make herself presentable. With women, from the time we're three years old, we want to wear lipstick 'til the time we're 93. We want to wear makeup! It just makes you feel good. And I think that it's such a great opportunity for community service for girls. You know, when else are you really going to teach them that there are these wonderful older women out there, unless they have somebody in their family. And I think it really makes teens feel good about what they're doing, and obviously the ladies feel great about themselves. So I'm really happy to be part of the organization.
The way that I found out about it was when my article in Marie Claire came out in March of 2009. The president and founder Rachel Doyle read it and contacted somebody here at Hearst called Susan Schultz who was on the advisory board and was like "Do you know this girl? I would like to nominate her for our Glammy, for most glamorous gal of the year." And they did, and I accepted, and it was such a wonderful honor!
And now I'm on the advisory board, and I'm heading up their first gala in February.
Do you have any plans for a follow-up book?
I really want to do a children's book. Children—at least from my understanding and the research that I've done on the street where children stare at me—don't see racial differences these days because it's everywhere. So, they have black friends, they have white friends, they have Puerto Rican friends, they have Chinese friends, and they don't see the difference anymore, which is wonderful. But they still see the obvious physical differences of people with different abilities. And I think parents get nervous because kids are just outspoken. Not because they're mean, because they just want to know!
They see somebody who's different, and say, "Mommy, why is that lady so short?" or "What are those shiny things that she walks with?" And parents get embarrassed. And I see a lot of times where the parents are like "Shh!" or they just pull them away, and they don't wanna notice it.
And that's not the way. I really want to help children understand those differences.
(To read more about people living with short stature, click here.)

Tags: careers, difference, differently abled, disability, dwarfism, height, inspiration, Lauren Ruotolo, linkedin, looks, motivation, redheads, short stature | Comments (1,259)
Better dead than redhead?
Filed under: Comedy,pop culture — posted by Breakup Girl @ 1:59 pm
Tags: Broadsheet, hair, looks, Mary Beth Williams, redheads, Salon | Comments (2)
The Betty not taken
Filed under: media,News,pop culture,Treats — posted by Breakup Girl @ 9:57 am
Struggling with the ultimate romantic choice? The one you've got vs. the one that got away? Familiar and stable vs. fizzy and exciting? Veronica vs. Betty?
Well, envy Archie.* Looks like our man in Riverdale may get to have it both ways.
As today's Times reports: "That perennially teenage redhead…made headlines around the world when word leaked, back in May, that he would propose to his longtime love interest, Veronica Lodge, in issue No. 600 of the comic that bears his name. But that issue, published in August, was only Part 1 of a six-part story. Although Archie did marry Veronica, things will take a turn in November, when Archie proposes to the lady in waiting, Betty Cooper. That's just the latest twist in the romantic triangle that has thrust this nearly 70-year-old character, and his parent company, into the media spotlight."
How's he gonna pull that off? Easy: alternate universe! "The wedding story was written by Michael E. Uslan and illustrated by Stan Goldberg, a longtime 'Archie' artist. The first half was called 'Archie Marries Veronica,' but issue No. 603, on sale next month, is called 'Archie Marries Betty.' The end of bachelorhood began in issue No. 600, in which Archie found himself on a road named Memory Lane, which he has often traveled. This time he walked a different direction and encountered a fork in the road. He chose the left path, which allowed him to see his future with Veronica and their twins, and himself working for her tycoon father. At the end of the October issue, No. 602, Archie goes for an evening stroll and encounters the fork again. In the November issue Archie will find himself back in Riverdale High, this time envisioning a future with Betty as his wife. (A set of twins factors into this destiny as well.)"
(Doctor Who fans will recall when this totally happened to Donna Noble, only instead of twins there was a giant bug. And — Halloween preview — let's not forget Breakup Girl Friday in Ghost Ex!)
But the question remains: who do you think he should wind up with? ("Jughead" would of course be a revolutionary twist, but I don't think we're there yet.)
* And talk to The Guy At The End of the Bar.
Tags: Archie, Betty, choices, Comics, love triangles, marriage, popping the question, proposals, redheads, Veronica | Comments (3)


Fly Day, Swing Day, Date Night, or Party Time — whatever you call Friday, we call it Sizzling Evening here in Android Authority with all these hot apps ready for you to take home. This week, our sizzling offerings gear up for your creative and adventurous side as we give you a quick review of our hot seven.
Don't let me keep you folks waiting. Here are our hot picks.
Travel enthusiasts and bloggers will definitely love Trekea Mobile's LiveTrekker, a live traveling blog that tracks your movement via GPS and outlines your journey on a map. The app lets you add a photo, video, comment, or voice recording to a particular spot you have stayed in. You can also add, save, track, and review the places you've visited using the app. The information on LiveTrekker is completely private, but you can opt to share your trip with your friends and family via Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail. Best of all, this app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store for free.
Even with all the files you can stream and download from the Internet, I still miss my good old telly. What can I say? It's difficult to outgrow watching TV programs especially when you're unsure about what to watch. That's why I was particularly psyched when I found Paragon West's Phone TV- Free Live Online TV. This app has some local channels available from different countries. The channels are unfortunately limited, but streaming is seamless. The app doesn't have annoying ad pop-ups, but it will install a search icon, bookmark link, and browser homepage to your phone that you can easily delete. Sadly, some channels won't play and you can't set the screen to HD. Some frames are also pixelated, but the display is decent and viewable.
A while back, we couldn't imagine what relying on a smartphone for everything would be like. Those were the days before multitasking and the ability to switch easily to the most recently used apps. Nowadays, however, long pressing on your Home button or tapping on the dedicated multitasking button can bring up that menu. Unfortunately, that means having to move your thumb away from the screen. Swapps! All Apps, Everywhere by SchizTech doesn't require you to move your thumb at all. Simply swipe from the left side of your screen to bring up the Swapps! menu. The app is available for free from the Google Play Store.
Though artists have a variety of art programs available for them to use, you just can't go wrong with the simple ones. Easy Paint by GEM Studios is as easy as it gets. The app is perfect for people who want straightforward tools without complicated effects. Feel like doodling on a picture you took? No problem. Feel like scribbling notes and prettifying them? Easy Paint can let you do that too. You can use your fingertip or your device's stylus to doodle, sketch, and scribble. If you're picky about colors, you'll be happy to know that Easy Paint lets you select colors that you need using the color picker.
Thanks to the evolving nature of the Internet, it's now easier to find news from our friends via our social networks. However, if you want to find news in a much more organized manner, there's NewsWhip Media's NewsWhip. Thanks to this application, you can see what news is hot in several countries, in various topics, and worldwide. NewsWhip makes sure that you can find news that's relevant to you, and you won't even need to register or log in to start using it. If you want to let others know what's happening, NewsWhip also lets you easily share the article via Facebook and Twitter.
With the surge of many many photo editing and photo sharing apps in the Google Play Store, one may get confused as to what app to download and try. And, because one of our many jobs here at Android Authority is to scour for apps that are worth checking out, we recommend you check out Pixel Artist by Volar Development. Pixel Artist lets you edit your photos in another cool way. Play with your photos' pixels as you turn them into comic-like and sketch-like images. Play with different filters and overlays to make your photos cooler or even play with different combinations. Pixel Artist can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.
If you easily get bored and want something interesting to occupy your time, Inq's MATERIAL (BETA) will get you hooked for sure. MATERIAL is a content discovery service where you'll get to know news, blogs, and articles tailored to your preferences and interests. You may even discover new content that you may never have come across. MATERIAL can be downloaded for free and with it, you can use either your Facebook or Twitter account to get started with discovering new interesting content.
Let's end the week with these seven new sizzling hot apps that you can try out this coming weekend and probably keep for life. With the apps we've included on this list, you will be able to discover new apps that may help you in one of your many tasks or just keep you entertained on days when the time runs slow. Did you find any app you're willing to try out? Let us know in the comments, or you can also show some love by voting for your favorite apps in the poll below.


Avignon Floral pima cotton knit 1-piece features sweet white crochet lace around neckline and sleeve openings.  Runs true to size.  Coordinates with Avignon Floral Loungewear Collection and even mom can match! IN-STOCK!


iPad- Professional business tool, cool accessory or family toy?
3 quick scenarios: You justified buying an iPad "for work" and 1) Now you never take it to work because the family uses it too much 2) You take it to work for the "cool factor" and you really just read articles or take notes on it and 3) You just don't know how you can use it for your business.
It's time to take back the iPad and actually use it to enhance your business by reducing costs and increasing the professionalism you provide to your clients. If your just carrying it around to be cool – Stop and learn. In my Real Estate business I have reduced basic printing costs by an average $55 per month. I have reduced my gas costs by at least $75 per month and I can't measure the time I have saved using the iPad to sign a quick document and send it back to the Title Company or Brokers office to close a deal while I am still out in the field showing homes to new clients.
Knowing how and when to use the iPad presents several situations to confirm you are a Professional using a tool instead of being "Cool" by carrying it around. If you use the iPad correctly it will enhance your customers experience and allow your clients to see you as a professional which is worth far more than the initial cost. Imagine sending a contract in without going back to the office to prepare the docs or having a customer pay you and get a receipt and the invoice of work done immediately directly on the iPad. Not to mention the presentations that you can show on a projector or large TV or in person directly off the iPad. I vote that the iPad is a business tool first and foremost! Ok, I also will admit that my team alerts on ESPN are cool and Flipboard is fun reading as well. have some fun – but be professional and earn more!


Commercial property owners simply must ensure that the windows and buildings are in pristine condition. Their tenants rely on their customers or clients to patronize the business in order for them to pay rent, and put food on the table. People won't patronize dirty looking properties. It's essential that the windows are clear and clean, in order to ensure the businesses will continue to be profitable. RK Cleaning Services offers regular window maintenance services for commercial properties in Palm Beach County.
RK Cleaning Services is the "go to" company for a wide variety of cleaning services for commercial property owners. They offer storm damage services, mold remediation, and high reach vacuum cleaning services in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Call 954-999-4030 for windows hard water stains removal in Boca Raton.


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Cameron Lard Watch is (almost) over
Rob Gray, Jan 06 •	0 Comments
AMES — The wait is nearly over.
Four-star recruit Cameron Lard is expected on the Iowa State campus sometimes tomorrow before the Cyclones tip at 8:15 p.m. against Texas.
Whew? Sure.
New — yes. And raw as heck, so ISU coach Steve Prohm expects to take the baby-steps approach with the talented 6-9 220-pound prospect who finally cleared the final academic hurdle to join the Cyclones' program.
"He'll get here tomorrow, we hope," Prohm said. "He's supposed to get here tomorrow. I've been meeting on Texas all morning so I just got out of the meeting on Texas right now, so I haven't even thought about Cameron to be honest, but he'll get here tomorrow. I'll meet with him probably on Sunday and then we'll slowly just integrate him into the process, really, of just academics. Getting his physical. Really just getting acclimated his first week and then slowly get him with the strength and conditioning program started and individual workout program started. And then slowly just acclimate him into practice."
Again, baby steps.
And Prohm's rightly focused on trying to get to 2-1 in a rugged-as-heck Big 12 — beginning against the talent-laden Longhorns Saturday night at Hilton Coliseum.
Still, Lard's presence on campus has been keenly anticipated. So what if he could be a big-time difference maker? Like, an 'add him in and ensure an NCAA Tournament bid' type of player? Would be possibly play this season, then? Prohm's response to those types of questions hasn't changed.
He's pragmatic about it and utterly realistic, considering the transition Lard faces.
"If there's an opportunity to make a difference then we've got to seriously look at it, but that's a long way off," Prohm said. "But it's something we would look at."
Lots of "ifs." At least the anticipation is finally, nearly, over.
Rob Gray
View articles by Rob Gray	administrator
Rob, an Ames native, joined Cyclone Fanatic in August, 2014 after nearly a decade and a half of working at Iowa's two largest newspapers. He spent 10 years at the Des Moines Register and, after a brief stint in public relations, joined the Cedar Rapids Gazette as an Iowa State correspondent three years ago. Rob specializes in feature stories for CF.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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These services are primarily for Attorneys and law firms which do not have offices in nor are admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia. Counsel from outside D.C. may need to initiate Complaints (or respond to them) — or other Court related actions and filings — in the Federal Courts or local Courts of the District of Columbia.
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text:
require File.expand_path('../course', __FILE__)

module Eduenv
  class CourseObjective < AbstractEntity
    property :description
    property :name

    has_one :in, :course, type: :HAS_OBJECTIVE, model_class: :'::Eduenv::Course'

  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The Division of Hasluck is an electoral division of the Australian House of Representatives, located in Western Australia.

History

The division was proclaimed at a redistribution of Western Australia's electoral divisions on 20 November 2000, and first contested at the 2001 federal election. The eponyms of the division are Sir Paul Hasluck, the member for the Division of Curtin in the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1969 and subsequently the Governor-General of Australia from 1969 to 1974, and his wife, Dame Alexandra Hasluck, an author.

Hasluck is a marginal seat and changed hands between the Labor Party and Liberal Party at the first four elections it was contested. At the 2013 federal election there was a swing towards the incumbent Liberal member Ken Wyatt, breaking this pattern. Wyatt was the first Indigenous Australian member of the House of Representatives.

Geography
Federal electoral division boundaries in Australia are determined at redistributions by a redistribution committee appointed by the Australian Electoral Commission. Redistributions occur for the boundaries of divisions in a particular state, and they occur every seven years, or sooner if a state's representation entitlement changes or when divisions of a state are malapportioned.

From its creation at the 2001 election to the 2013 election, the Division of Hasluck was a north-south arc across Perth's eastern suburbs from Southern River/Gosnells (in the City of Gosnells) in the south to Caversham/Midland (in the City of Swan) in the north. It also incorporated the more urbanised western parts of what was then the Shire of Kalamunda, such as Forrestfield and Kalamunda, and the Shire of Mundaring.

In the redistribution prior to the 2016 election, the Division of Hasluck ceded its portion of the City of Gosnells south of the Canning River to the newly created Division of Burt and the suburb of High Wycombe to the Division of Swan, among other changes. In turn, it gained most of the less urbanised areas of what was then the Shire of Kalamunda, the remainder of the Shire of Mundaring and further territory in the City of Swan from the Division of Pearce. As a result of adding in more rural and semi-rural areas, the area of the Division of Hasluck increased from 245 km2 to 1,192 km2.

In August 2021, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) announced a number of changes to the boundaries of Hasluck. The Gosnells suburbs of Beckenham, Kenwick and Maddington, along with the seat's portion of Gosnells, were transferred to the electorate of Canning, thus removing the City of Gosnells from Hasluck entirely. In addition, the Kalamunda suburbs of Maida Vale and Wattle Grove, along with the seat's portion of Forrestfield, were transferred to the electorate of Swan. Hasluck consequently gained a large portion of the City of Swan from the seat of Pearce, including the suburbs of Aveley, Baskerville, Belhus, Brabham, Brigadoon, Dayton, Ellenbrook, Henley Brook, Herne Hill, Millendon, The Vines, Upper Swan, West Swan and Whiteman, a portion of Lexia, and the remainder of Middle Swan and Red Hill, also gaining the suburb of Bennett Springs from the seat of Cowan.  These boundary changes took place as of the 2022 election.

On its current (2022) boundaries, the Division of Hasluck includes the following suburbs:

* Split between Hasluck and Swan.

Members

Electoral results

References

External links
 Division of Hasluck - Australian Electoral Commission
 Hasluck - ABC Australia Votes 2013
 Hasluck - Election Blog

Electoral divisions of Australia
Constituencies established in 2000
2000 establishments in Australia
Federal politics in Western Australia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Over the past few years since the launch of the Ethereum network and other blockchains that can create tokens, initial coin offerings (ICOs) have been all the rage as all of these token projects have raised billions of dollars in ether, bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies. A great majority of the ICOs today are 'ERC-20 tokens' created by the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) with no more than a few hundred lines of code. Unfortunately, there's a big misconception that a bunch of nerdy geniuses created these blockchain-based tokens, and today we're going to show you just how easy it is to create an ERC-20 token — In less than thirty minutes.
Today we decided to create a contract using the programming language Solidity, in order to create a custom token using the Ethereum network. We want to demonstrate just how easy it is for anyone with very little coding knowledge to launch a coin. There are lots of ICOs out there in the crypto-space and a great majority of them are ERC-20s derived from the public Ethereum blockchain. Essentially an ERC-20 token is a contract written in Solidity that sets the parameters of the coins attributes, like where the tokens are stored, the token's name, ticker symbol, supply, and more.
Finding out how to create a token only takes a minute with a quick Google search on the subject. We followed a short walkthrough written by Moritz Neto, and watched a quick video filmed by the Youtuber Ivan on Tech. Both instructions detailed the creation of an ERC-20 token that can be done in less than 20 minutes, and we created a token called 'Posternut (PTN) in 25 minutes. In light of our first time creating a Solidity contract, we used ETH testnet tokens on the Ropsten Network so no real funds were lost.
Using a text editor to modify the copied Solidity code is helpful as you can find the lines of code that need to be updated more easily. The max supply, token name, address output, and token symbol are just some of the things you can change within the code.
Next, we decided to download the Metamask Chrome extension Ether wallet, a fairly smooth platform but still in beta. Other wallets can be used to create a token contract as well, like Mist and the My Ethereum Wallet (MEW) platform. You are also going to need some testnet ETH for the 'gas' (network fee) to create the contract on the Ropsten Network, and there are a bunch of Ropsten faucets that dispense testnet ETH. We stocked up on some coins and then found a contract which we got in Moritz Neto's guide, but there are all types of solidity contracts that can be re-written. Basically, we left this page open in the browser to copy and paste the Solidity contract, and all that is needed next is some slight modifications.
Using Remix to set the parameters of the code, double check it and deploy on the Ethereum Ropsten Network. This entire process can also be done on the ETH mainnet with real funds.
Then we went to a website called remix.ethereum.org which is used to launch the contract. This process can also be processed on the aforementioned wallets above as well, but we used the Remix Solidity IDE platform. After copying a token contract you need to paste the code into the Remix platform and edit a few parameters. This is when you want to choose the tokens name, the token's symbol, the max supply, and the Ethereum address to deposit the tokens. After all of that is chosen and changed within the copy and pasted code, the next option is to 'run' the codebase you edited. If there are any warnings that are 'critical' the Remix platform will tell you something is wrong. In the 'run' section choose 'Injected Web (Ropsten)' and the name of your contract.
Deploying the contract and confirming it using Remix and Metamask. After this step simply wait for an error or wait for the transaction to confirm and when it does your token will be complete.
From here the Metamask address is also tethered to our account and we simply pressed deploy. If something is wrong with the contract then it will display warnings in yellow or red and you may need to fix these issues before deploying the code to the Ropsten Network. After pressing 'deploy,' the transaction will be sent across the network. As soon as the transaction confirms the contract should be complete as long as there were no errors.
After Posternut (PTN) token was created we then sent the newly minted coins to another Metamask wallet address.
Testnet Ethereum or real ETH can be used for gas.
The name of our token is called 'Posternut (PNT)' and there are 100Mn tokens now in existence on the Ropsten network. Creating the token took only 25 minutes and the same thing can be done on the main Ethereum network with less than $20 USD worth of real mainnet ETH for gas. Most of the time-consuming parts of the process is basically studying the directions on how to create an ERC-20 token, and following each step. After creating the Posternut tokens we decided to send the 100Mn PTN to another address which was sent with no issues.
The Posternut (PTN) token was created on May 10, 2018, on the Ethereum Ropsten Network by Jamie Redman.
As we stated above, it doesn't take a genius to build an ERC-20 contract and now that you have seen the different Solidity contracts that make this process work, you can also see if an ICO project used this same method. Simply look at the contract code to see if it resembles something copied from another project, as you'd be surprised to find quite a bit of them. After creating the Posternut tokens there are only a few other things needed to launch an ICO. Observers will find that all a team needs to push a project, is a website, and a white paper. We all know that these ICOs raise a lot of money as token sales have raised over $5.6Bn in 2017 alone, and continue to raise funds this year. If all it takes is a website, 25 minutes of coding, and a white paper this may be why over 46 percent of ICOs fail.
So before investing in an ICO do some research on the project and make sure it is not some 'fly by night' guy who coded a coin in less than thirty minutes. The fact is just because a person(s) can build an ERC-20 token doesn't mean the project is worthy, and investors should diligently research ICO teams and the tokens they are selling. Otherwise, you could be purchasing a quickly made coin, and buying into a word salad white paper written to make you believe Posternut (PTN) tokens are the future of decentralization.
What do you think about launching an ERC-20 in less than thirty minutes? Let us know in the comments below.
Disclaimer: Walkthrough editorials are intended for informational purposes only. This is a guide using testnet coins as real funds could be lost experimenting with this method. There are multiple security risks and methods that are ultimately made by the decisions of the user. There are various steps mentioned in reviews and guides and some of them are optional. Neither Bitcoin.com nor the author is responsible for any loss of funds, mistakes, skipped steps or security measures not taken, as the ultimate decision-making process to do any of these things is solely the reader's responsibility. For good measure always cross-reference guides with other walkthroughs found online.
Images via Shutterstock, Twitter, and Jamie Redman.


A rooftop unit installation is a very attractive option for many people. It saves a lot of room on the side of your building or office space. Apart from that, rooftop units are a lot more difficult to reach when it comes to thieves and vandals. However, should you go for it? What are the things you need to know before you do? As usual, we are here to answer all your questions!
Many people get confused among all the different HVAC terms professionals use or that they read online. So, first things first. Let's get one thing out of the way – what is a rooftop unit to begin with? To put it as simply as possible and in laymen's terms which we know you love, a rooftop unit is an HVAC piece that has been installed on the roof of your office or any building you might be located in.
You might have also heard or come across the term 'packaged rooftop unit.' This means that the entire HVAC system with all the pieces it needs to create the air conditioned has been housed in one single and concise unit on top of your house. It's a modern solution that keeps away thieves, vandals, and, of course, weather elements such as rain, ice, snow, and lightning.
What Is the Difference Between a Rooftop Unit and Common ACs?
That's a fantastic question, and we're glad you've asked it because this is exactly the type of thing you should know before you even think of installing a rooftop unit.
So we've already established that rooftop units are also known as package units. On the other hand, we also have split systems, which comprise your average AC and heat pump that you can find in most houses. The latter has both outdoor and indoor cabinets with different components. They are also not located on roofs but rather on the side of your house.
Therefore, here are your first major differences. Your rooftop unit is, evidently on the roof while your split or AC system is on the side of your house. At the same time, a rooftop unit houses everything in one place while the AC system has components in two places. Apart from that, rooftop systems can be both air conditioners and heat pumps. Therefore, they can either heat or cool your house. If you install a humidistat, they will also control the humidity in your house and allow fresh air to be ventilated through your system.
This is something that an AC system cannot do. Therefore, think of this option and benefit before you purchase and then go for a rooftop unit installation. Which brings us to this.
Installing a new rooftop unit from scratch should always be handled by a professional in the HVAC business. Licensed professionals can get the job done correctly and very fast whereas if you attempt to do you on your own you might put yourself in danger. Apart from that, if the unit in itself has not been installed properly it might lead to a damaged cooling system not to mention increased inefficiency. An inefficient unit will only up your bills unnecessarily.
However, there are several things you need to know and be aware of yourself when installing a new rooftop unit.
Here's a simple assessment you can make yourself. Since this is a rooftop unit we're talking about, it will be exposed to the outside elements as much and as directly as possible. Therefore if you live in an area with a lot of scorching heat and direct sunlight such as the south, your rooftop unit may need to be tended to a lot more than usual because of that.
Another obvious consideration you need to have in mind prior to a rooftop unit installation is just how accessible your roof is. This will dictate how easy it will be for the HVAC team to come in and install it and then how easy it will be for you to maintain it. Can your rooftop accommodate all that?
3. Do you have permission?
There are rules and regulations when it comes to urbanism and landscaping and, sometimes, town or city councils don't allow you to modify the way your building looks even if you are the owner. Therefore, find out if you have permission to install a rooftop unit first. This idea also brings us to this.
As you might have already guessed, rooftop units are very heavy and have a huge number of components. Therefore, one thing you need to do before the installation itself is to call in a building expert who can assess if your house or office building are structurally sound enough to take the weight. They will also assess how strong your roof is for the same purposes.
If they determine everything is in good order, you can proceed. If not, you may ask them for advice on how to improve the strength of your building.Since rooftop units come in so many sizes and types, not to mention brands, you might need a professional to choose the one that is best suited for your needs.
Always put the comfort of your customers or your employees first and make an informed decision when buying and installing rooftop units in Lutherville-Timonium. We are always here to help you if you have any questions or need assistance of any kind!


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AJ Pruis
AJ Pruis recently celebrated another #1 with Matthew West's "The God Who Stays", which he co-wrote and produced. Pruis co-wrote and produced every track on West's latest release, Brand New, and Leanna Crawford's self-titled debut EP. Pruis co-wrote "We're Not Friends" on Ingrid Andress's debut release from Warner Music Nashville. AJ has had cuts with Hey Violet, Maddie & Tae, Matthew West, LOCASH, Scotty McCreery, Leanna Crawford, Sanctus Real, and FLETCHER.


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Mesut Ozil Admits Arsenal Are 'Lucky' to Have Quartet of Talented Young Future Stars
Transfer Rumours: Kean to Everton, Atletico Madrid Contact Olmo, Leicester Eye Up Praet & More
Joe Marcovitch 10 Jul 2019
It's transfer rumour time, once again.
Most teams have returned to training and next season's squads are beginning to take shape but, with around a month left to go in the summer transfer window, there are plenty of twists and turns still on the horizon.
Here's a quick roundup of some of the rumours which are currently doing the rounds
Manchester City Cool Interest in Brazilian Wonderkid Antony
Rumours suggesting that Manchester City were set to make an approach for Sao Paulo's Antony had previously been circulating in the Portuguese press, but it now appear as though the deal won't come to fruition.
It was previously reported that City had made plans to acquire Antony before immediately loaning him out to Sporting CP as a part of an agreement between the two clubs. However, according to O Jogo (via Sportwitness), Sao Paulo are not willing to part ways with Antony for anything less than $30m.
It seems unlikely that City will be willing to pay that sort of money just to send him straight out on loan, which means that the 19-year-old may be staying put for the time being. Sao Paulo's manager Alexandre Passaro has also recently claimed that the Brazilian outfit recently turned down a $20m proposal for Antony from an unnamed club, as per Globe Sports.
Everton Keeping Tabs on Moise Kean
Moise Kean is one of the hottest prospects in Europe, having exploded onto the scene with Juventus last season, netting eight goals in 21 appearances.
Naturally, that means Juventus are already looking to sell the Italian youngster this summer. That's according to the Daily Mail anyway, who are suggesting that I Bianconeri are looking to renew the 19-year-old's contract before selling him abroad.
Everton are said to be interested in snapping him up and could be willing to pay the £31m fee Juventus are currently demanding, as they look to provide some much needed firepower for the 2019/20 season. Juventus aren't cutting their losses entirely, as they are also planning to insert a buy-back clause into any prospective deal, which will sit at £40.5m.
Aston Villa Turn Attentions to Tom Heaton
Aston Villa went through three different keepers on their way to promotion last season, but it still appears as though they are far from satisfied with their current options.
After dropping their interest in Stoke's Jack Butland, Villa are now said to be eyeing up a move for Tom Heaton, with Sky Sports reporting that the Villains have made an enquiry regarding a potential deal.
Heaton was Burnley's first choice keeper during the second half of 2018/19, but it is understood that the Clarets will be listening to offers for the 33-year-old - as well as Joe Hart - after recently handing Nick Pope an extended contract at Turf Moor.
Leeds Set to Miss Out on Felipe Caicedo
Leeds have been enduring a difficult transfer window and their rumoured pursuit of Felipe Caicedo is now said to be grinding to a halt.
Lazio manager Simone Inzaghi has recently been in talks with the forward to convince him to stay put at the Serie A club and Il Messaggero are now reporting that the Ecuadorian's departure from Rome is no longer a foregone conclusion.
The news also comes after Football Insider sources have revealed that Leeds are now on the brink of selling their fourth defender in the space of a week after agreeing to part ways with Tyler Denton. As it stands, Leeds have only managed to add one player to their current squad in the shape of Helder Costa.
Atletico Madrid Contact Dani Olmo's Agent
Dani Olmo was one of the stars of Spain's Under-21 European Championship winning side, so it is no surprise to see him linked with a big money move this summer.
Tottenham have been cited as one of the interested parties, but it appears as if they are going to face stiff competition from Atletico Madrid who, according to AS (via Inside Futbol), have recently been in contact with the Dinamo Zagreb winger's agent.
Atletico are yet to make an official approach and are still just testing the waters, but they will pose a significant threat to Tottenham, who have already broke their transfer record this summer after snapping up Tanguy Ndombele.
Leicester Line Up Approach for Dennis Praet
Having already smashed their transfer record twice this summer, Leicester don't appear to have finished improving their squad just yet.
Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio is claiming that Leicester have joined the race to sign Sampdoria midfielder Dennis Praet, who has developed into a promising young midfielder during his time with the Serie A outfit.
Praet - who previously played alongside recent signing Youri Tielmans at Anderlecht - will not be a cheap acquisition. Sampdoria are well aware of the interest that is currently surrounding the Belgian and as reported by Teamtalk in June, they are valuing him at around £22.5m.
Milan Set Their Sights on Want-Away Arsenal Defender Krystian Bielik
Krystian Bielik spent last season out on loan at Charlton and, upon his return to Arsenal, has been told by Unai Emery that he's not part of the club's first team plans going forward.
The Poland Under-21 international is keen to prove himself at the Emirates but, with opportunities appearing to be limited, there is a distinct chance he could leave the club on a permanent deal.
According to the Evening Standard, Milan are considering a potential move for Bielik and he could find the move difficult to turn down if he is provided with a clear path into the first team setup - something Arsenal cannot currently provide.


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Except otherwise stated, all results below include the premium.
See also : LWB to GTO Cars 1951-1959 Cars 1958-59 Cars of the 1960s Cars 1960-61 Cars in movies
Chronology : 1959
List and history of cars by barchetta.cc : LWB, SWB.
Concerned about competition, Enzo Ferrari was not interested in convertibles, but he could not ignore these sports cars that will be necessary to the profitability of his business. He includes in his catalog in 1957 the Ferrari 250 GT Pinin Farina Cabriolet which will bring a great commercial success. In the same year, the improvement of the 250 GT chassis is primarily intended for competition berlinettas.
Two dealers, Von Neumann in California and Chinetti in New York, considers that the new Ferraris do not respond to the desires of the American market. The Cabriolet Pinin Farina targets a clientele of billionaires and should not be compared with a sports car. The berlinetta interposes its hardtop between its seaters and the Californian sun. It is even more unfortunate when considering that celebrities enjoy the convertibles for better agglutinating the paparazzi around the luxury and elegance of their privileged lives.
Both manage to convince Ferrari to assemble a convertible on the new frame, for the wealthy American customers wishing to have a vehicle usable altogether for city and sport.
Enzo Ferrari is reluctant. In December 1957, however, he releases a prototype that meets the demands of his US partners. Scaglietti, the coachbuilder who was assembling the TdF, had used the same chassis model to build a cabriolet, without bringing other technical innovations. Nevertheless this car intended for an American use already includes the option of covered headlamps, prohibited in Italy.
The prototype is delivered in January 1958 to a customer in Florida via Chinetti. It was sold for $ 6.6M by Gooding on August 19, 2012.
The new 250 GT is finally announced as a separate model in December 1958, under the name Ferrari 250 Granturismo Spyder California which can be abbreviated as Ferrari 250 California. The term 'cabriolet' is carefully avoided to maintain the sales of the very expensive 250 GT Cabriolet Pinin Farina. The word Spyder, with a Y like for the Porsche Spyder, appeals new customers who desire a dual use in road and competition. This model will soon be known as Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider.
Scaglietti begins assembling a series in June 1958 with an average rate of two cars per month, without making any other prototype.
In 1960, the chassis is shortened for both spiders and berlinettas and referred as SWB (Short Wheelbase) for improving the stability when cornering. The earlier design is renamed Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider.
50 LWB spiders and 56 SWB spiders have been made.
Ferrari did not restrain the 250 GT spider to the American market as he will do in 1967 when Chinetti will force his hand for another cabriolet, the Ferrari 275 GTB / 4 NART Spider.
2019 SOLD for $ 10M by Gooding
Ferrari is relying on its 250 GT chassis to offer high-end commercial models. The berlinetta, which will soon be nicknamed TdF, appears in 1956 and the Cabriolet Pinin Farina in 1957. The Ferrari dealers in the United States, Von Neumann on the West Coast and Chinetti in the East, welcome these novelties with the highest interest.
Von Neumann and Chinetti conclude that the new Ferraris do not respond to the evolution of the American market. The Cabriolet Pinin Farina targets a clientele of billionaires and should not be compared with a sports car. The berlinetta interposes its hardtop between its seaters and the Californian sun. It is even more unfortunate when considering that celebrities enjoy the convertibles for better agglutinating the paparazzi around the luxury and elegance of their privileged lives.
Enzo Ferrari is not convinced. In December 1957, however, he releases a prototype that meets the demands of his US partners. Scaglietti, the coachbuilder who was assembling the TdF, had used the same chassis model to build a cabriolet, without bringing other technical innovations. Nevertheless this car intended for an American use already includes the option of covered headlamps, prohibited in Italy.
The prototype is delivered in January 1958 to an American customer via Chinetti. It was sold for $ 6.6M by Gooding on August 19, 2012.
Scaglietti begins assembling a series in June 1958 with an average rate of two cars per month, without making any other prototype. Enzo remains reluctant but is pragmatic. If Scaglietti does not make this Speciale, the customers will commission him to transform their berlinettas and Ferrari will lose the commercial control of this model.
Built in November 1958, a California Spider was sold for $ 8.8M by RM on January 18, 2014 and passed at the same auction house on August 20, 2016. It was sold for $ 10M by Gooding on August 16, 2019, lot 44. It is driven by David Gooding in the video shared by the auction house.
The 14th and last California Spider of the first production was sold for $ 6M by RM Sotheby's on August 20, 2022, lot 339. Its engine is in matching numbers. It is accompanied by a color matched red hardtop.
1959 Competizione
2017 SOLD for $ 18M by RM Sotheby's
Designed on the 250 GT chassis as a cabriolet to please American customers, the California Spider (originally Spyder) was not expected by Ferrari to compete in endurance racing against the berlinetta nicknamed TdF built on the same chassis.
It was however tempting to push the California into the competition. Luigi Chinetti is acting between Ferrari and American customers. Having been at the origin of the California project, he obtains from Ferrari the delivery of aluminum alloy bodied spiders.
In 1959 the 250 GT chassis is still in its long version which will later be identified as LWB. For the 24 hours of Le Mans in that year Chinetti and his NART team enter three Ferraris : a 250 Testa Rossa, a 250 TdF and a California Spider.
Released from the factory under pressure from Chinetti five days before Le Mans with a simple flash of paint and a far from complete interior layout, this 250 GT LWB California Spider is the second of its kind in the Competizione configuration. Driven by its first owner and a co-driver, this brand new car ends the event with a very good result : 5th overall and 3rd in class. It was afterward honorably participating in various American competitions in 1959 and 1960.
This high-end car with a competition history is still more desirable since it was restored in 2011 by Motion Products Inc., the company of Wayne Obry. It was sold for $ 18M from a lower estimate of $ 14M by RM Sotheby's on December 6, 2017, lot 141 estimated $ 14M.
Ferrari and NART did not push this solution much further : only three SWB Spiders will be built for competition.
Cars 1951-1959
1959 Competizione
The Ferrari 250 GT California Spider in the wheel base later identified as LWB is a series of 50 sports cars produced to please American customers between 1957 and 1960. The SWB is its successor. The brand continually works to improve its products and remains attentive to specific needs, which can create significant disparities from one vehicle to another.
Nine 'LWB' were originally built for competition with a lightweight body in aluminum alloy. A California Spider 'LWB' Competizione built in 1959 was sold for $ 18M on August 20, 2016 by Gooding, lot 033. It is illustrated in the post shared by Forbes.
The settings of this model had been specially effective, including some engine components from the Testa Rossa to achieve a compression ratio of 9.8: 1, the highest of all the LWB, and a power of 275 hp about 50 hp over the basic model. Its features include from the origin the disc brakes, a rarity at that time, and its headlights are covered.
Sold to Chinetti for George Reed who was Ferrari's agent in Illinois and Wisconsin, it was raced with some parsimony until 1964 and remains in a matching numbers configuration for all its major elements.
This car is exceptional when considering that it is the best performing from all the LWB and that only three SWB California Spider Competizione were later assembled.
2021 SOLD for $ 10.8M by Gooding
The California Spider Competizione cannot be considered as a separate variety. They were not supported in racing by the brand. Being assembled by hand by Scaglietti, they accepted the specific requirements of the customers. Most of them were delivered to the USA.
An LWB spider was assembled in 1959 with many competition features for an Italian amateur racing driver, replacing a slightly damaged 1956 competition TdF berlinetta. The spider was mostly raced in local hill climbs in 1959 and 1960 and finished also 5th overall at the 1959 Monza Coppa InterEuropa.
Its state of the art components include a one-off stylish steel body, the latest version of the Colombo V-12, a heat tolerant gearbox, a cold air box, a long range 136 liter fuel tank, a quick release fuel filler, and among the factory standard options the covered headlamps and the highly rare removable hardtop.
This bespoke spider retains its original chassis, body, engine and gearbox and is accompanied by its hardtop. It has been repainted in its original Italian colors, red with white and green central stripe. It was sold for $ 10.8M by Gooding on August 13, 2021, lot 36. It is illustrated in the pre sale press release.
The TdF was sold for $ 5.7M by RM Sotheby's on August 20, 2016, lot 232.
1959
2015 SOLD for $ 8.5M by RM Sotheby's
An LWB is released in 1959 from factory to be sold to an Italian aristocrat. This spider includes some refinements that make it one of the prettiest units of the series. Maintained throughout in matching numbers, it was sold for $ 8.5M by RM Sotheby's on August 13, 2015, lot 118.
In August 2010, Gooding sold for $ 7.3M a Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione of 1959.
A car of the same model was sold for $ 11.3M from a lower estimate of $ 7M by Gooding on August 18, 2012. Made in 1960, it had been used as a show car by George Reed, Ferrari's agent in Illinois and Wisconsin. It is in excellent condition but with no racing history.
SWB
1961 ex Baillon
2015 SOLD for € 16.3M by Artcurial
I once believed that the top prices rewarded the cars in perfect condition. The ex Delon-Baillon California Spider cancels such a view. Hidden in a barn since 1975 after the bankruptcy of its owner, it had been retrieved under stacks of magazines. Ferraris are vehicles of an exceptional robustness : it had valiantly withstood four decades of neglect in the wet French countryside.
More important for its position on the market : it has never been disassembled. Despite its pitiful look, it has everything to become through a careful restoration the best car in its glorious class. Its short belonging in 1963 to a movie star, widely reported by the media before and after the sale, probably had no impact on its price.
Here is its story :
The Ferrari 250 GT California Spider with chassis 2935GT was released from factory in 1961 and exhibited at the October 1961 Paris Motor Show. It was very elegant with the new short wheel base SWB chassis, now systematic for this model, and the rare option of covered headlights. The actor Gérard Blain bought it one week after the Salon closed.
Its second owner is Alain Delon, who uses it in Monaco and Los Angeles and is pictured with it with lovely passengers : Jane Fonda, Shirley MacLaine, his wife Nathalie. Delon sold it in 1965 with 37,000 km from new.
After several intermediaries, the car is acquired in 1971 by Roger Baillon and his son Jacques, contractors in truck bodywork and transport. In 1950, more than ten years before the Schlumpf brothers, Roger had started to recover and restore automotive masterpieces, with a view to create a museum.
Baillon puts the Ferrari in the barn. He probably does not use it, although he paid for its tax disc until 1975. The Baillon collection is secret, in large part because of the bankruptcy of the company. Some elements of the collection were seized and sold at auction near Niort in 1979 and 1985. The others remained hidden.
Jacques Baillon died in 2013. The heirs opened the hangar for an expertise by Artcurial on September 30, 2014, thus creating the most sensational "barn find" of modern times.
The storage had not been homogeneous. Two cars had been preserved from mist during these four decades, the Ferrari and a Maserati A6G 2000 Gran Sport berlinetta. Under its layer of dust, the Ferrari is in matching numbers, with intact bodywork except for the hood distorted under the magazines, and with its original upholstery and documentation.
Artcurial managed the auction in Paris on February 6, 2015, making a hype with the former belonging of the Ferrari to Delon. Connoisseurs are not mistaken : this car is an extremely rare untouched California Spider. Estimated at a daring 9.5M, it was sold for € 16.3M, lot 59. The Maserati fetched € 1.96M. In a near collapse condition, an exceptional Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport by Saoutchik was sold for € 1.7M.
From LWB to GTO
2016 SOLD for $ 17.2M by Gooding
On March 11, 2016, Gooding sold for $ 17.2M a California Spider, lot 069. This specific example has many qualities that make it one of the most desirable Ferrari cars.
This car built in 1961 has the two outstanding aesthetic achievements by Scaglietti : the bodywork on the shorter frame and the covered headlights. Its color is the best symbol of the brand : it is painted in red and the leathers are black.
It had only three owners from new who carefully maintained and serviced it without modification and it so remains one of the most original from that model. It had probably never left Italy.
This California Spider is the dream car in the film Ieri, Oggi, Domani released in 1963. The movie is composed of three episodes of the Italian life unconnected in location or time, whose only common point is the leading couple, Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni.
The central story, Oggi, was inspired from a short novel by Moravia whose title Troppo Ricca demonstrates the intention of social criticism. The woman drives with her lover the Rolls-Rolls of her husband and suddenly considers that she must make a choice between man and car. Relationships become nervous and Sophia crashes the Rolls.
The woman leaves on the road both car and lover and makes hitchhiking. They are near to Milan and the car that boards Sophia is our Ferrari, lent by its owner of that time to the film producer. Italy did not need to rely on concept cars to show on screen the ideal car : they had the 250 GT SWB California Spider.
An SWB California Spider from 1961 was sold for $ 16.8M by Gooding on August 16, 2015, lot 129.
This car has desirable original characteristics : SWB chassis, covered headlights. It remained untouched until an engine overhaul in 2014. It has all the assets to be submitted to a full restoration according to the best current practice and to start a new career at the highest level in the Concours d'Elegance.
On May 18, 2008; RM Auctions in association with Sotheby's sold for € 7M the 1961 SWB that had belonged to the actor James Coburn from 1964 until his death in 2002.
Another 1961 SWB was sold for $ 15.2M by Gooding on August 16, 2014, lot 18.
This car was exhibited at the Salon de l'Automobile at the Grand Palais in October 1961. It briefly belonged to actress Barbara Hershey. Owned by a suite of careful collectors since 1974, it has been from 1993 one of the most regular stars of the Concours d'Elegance.
This spider has a rare option, the removable hardtop, which allows if needed to use it as a coupe.
2023 for sale by Gooding on March 2-3
waiting for catalogue
One of the most sought-after vintage Ferraris, this 250 GT California Spider goes to auction in March. @goodingandco https://t.co/zCTjrwnOoC
— Uncrate® (@uncrate) January 24, 2023


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The ISQOLS Certification in Quality-of-Life Research program is designed to help QOL researchers specializing in community indicators projects obtain additional training and become officially certified in the field. This certificate program is administered by the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS), a globally-recognized academic and professional association, with its own publications, journals, conferences, and identity, and the Management Institute for Quality-of-Life Studies (MIQOLS).
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Learn the Ins and Outs of Planning, Developing, and Implementing Community Indicators Projects
This course focuses on the process of planning, developing, and implementing community QOL indicators in the context of a town, county, city, rural area, or a metropolitan region. The program is self-paced and facilitated mostly one-on-one through personal communication with the instructor.
The certification course includes:
9 major content-rich learning modules
Support from a renowned quality-of-life/wellbeing scientist
An official certification on successful completion of the course work and examination
To learn more about the certification program, watch this video overview presented by the course instructor, Dr. Joseph Sirgy.
I: Theoretical Foundations
II: An Example
III: Organizing
IV: Making Decisions about Indicators
V: Data Collection
VI: Data Analysis
VII: Data Reporting
VIII: Promotion
IX: Follow-Up
Theoretical Foundations
The first module discusses the theoretical foundations of community indicators research. Five theoretical concepts are described guiding the formulation of community indicator projects.
Topics in this module include:
examples of theoretical concepts that underlie the planning of community indicators projects
concept of personal utility
concept of opulence
concept of social justice
concept of human need satisfaction
concept of sustainability
The second module provides an example of a community indicators project as an illustration of the entire process without delving too much into details.
what motivates a community indicators project
how to form an indicators committee
how to develop an initial set of indicators
how to refine the set of indicators
how to collect and report data based on refined set of indicators
how to validate the objective indicators with subjective ones
how to translate the system indicators into program and policy indicators
how to disseminate the indicators' findings
The third module discusses the organizational aspects of indicators projects—holding a feasibility meeting, developing an organizational structure, visioning, finding an organization that will conduct the process, securing funding, and developing a budget.
holding a feasibility meeting
how to develop an organizational structure
how to engage in visioning
a suitable organization that will conduct the process effectively
how to secure funding
how to develop and sustain a budget
Making Decisions about Indicators
The fourth module discusses how indicators decisions are made—deciding on geographic boundaries, selecting the quality-of-life dimensions, selecting the quality-of-life indicators, and considering subjective indicators.
how to decide on geographic boundaries and units within
how to select the quality-of-life dimensions
how to select the quality-of-life indicators
whether subjective indicators should be used
The fifth module discusses the data collection process of indicators projects. The module makes a key distinction between primary and secondary data and how these data can be collected effectively.
the distinction between secondary and primary data in community indicators research
how to deal with the time element of secondary data
how to manipulate the data using formulations such as ratio, proportion (and percent), rate, per capita, constant dollar, weighted averages, and composite index
the traditional goals of a survey study in community indicators research
what questions should be asked in a survey and why
what approaches are commonly used in the development of survey items
whether indicator researchers should develop their own measures or borrow measures from published studies
how indicator researchers go about developing their own measures of community well-being
how indicator researchers figure out the survey's sample size
common sampling techniques used in indicators projects
some common data collection techniques used by indicators projects
how indicator researchers validate their subjective measures
how indicator researchers weight the sample at the data analysis stage
The sixth module discusses the data analysis process. The module covers basic statistical concepts related to data variables and measurement scales. These basic concepts are foundational in performing descriptive and inferential statistics. The module also describes data mining, a trend that is increasing in popularity and use.
variables in statistical terms
measurement scales in statistical terms
distinction between descriptive and inferential statistics
commonly used descriptive statistics in indicators projects
frequency and percent descriptive statistics
commonly used descriptive statistics capturing central tendency
some advantages and disadvantages related to central tendency descriptive statistics
commonly used descriptive statistics capturing data dispersion
commonly used descriptive statistics capturing position
common objectives of inferential statistics
inferential statistical methods Indicators commonly used by indicators researchers to test hypotheses
how indicators researchers go about selecting the proper inferential statistical technique to test hypotheses
the distinction between independent and dependent variables
how composite indices constructed
data mining and how is data mining used in indicators projects
The seventh module discusses the process related to data reporting. In doing so, we discuss a key difference between reports written for the general public versus report that are more technical that can pass the muster of technical scrutiny.
the purpose of indicators reports
what the public report includes
what popular formats are used in preparing the public report
what the research report includes
how to report results in actionable terms
The eighth module focuses on promotion issues. That is, we discuss issues related to distributing the reports (both public and research reports). We describe how the public report can be effectively promoted through public relations and e-marketing techniques. We also describe strategies to stimulate community action and translate outcome indicators into action indicators.
how to promote the indicators reports through printing and hard copy distribution
how to promote the indicators reports through a public-relations campaign
how to promote the indicators reports through e-marketing
how to promote the indicators reports through other forms of promotion
how to stimulate community action guided by the findings of the indicators report
The ninth module focuses on follow-up issues. Specifically, the chapter the five W's related to annual reviews: What? Why? When? Where? And Who? We also discuss how to measure the impact of indicators reports, an important aspect of the follow-up process.
what annual reviews serve to accomplish
what a review committee is
the composition of a review committee
what questions the review committee tries to answer
examples of review questions capturing the what, why, when, where, and who
how do indicators researchers measure the effectiveness of their indicators project
This certification program is aimed at:
Community planners
Researchers working in nonprofit organizations
Consultants who want to specialize in community indicators research
Researchers in local government agencies who want to receive additional training in developing indicator systems related to a particular domain such as public health, the environment, etc.
Academic researchers who are interested in developing research and/or teaching expertise in this area
A World-Renowned Instructor
M. Joseph Sirgy is a management psychologist (Ph.D., U/Massachusetts, 1979) and the Virginia Tech Real Estate Professor Emeritus of Marketing at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (USA) and Extraordinary Professor at the WorkWell Research Unit at North West University – Potchefstroom Campus (South Africa). He has published extensively in the area of business ethics and quality of life (QOL). His awards include: International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies' (ISQOLS') Distinguished Fellow Award, ISQOLS' Distinguished QOL Researcher, Academy of Marketing Science's (AMS) Distinguished Fellow Award, AMS' Harold Berkman Service Award, Virginia Tech's Pamplin Teaching Excellence Award/Holtzman Outstanding Educator Award and University Certificate of Teaching Excellence, the EuroMed Management Research Award, and the Macromarketing Society's Robert W. Nason Award. Best paper awards include articles published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, the Journal of Travel Research, and Applied Research in Quality of Life. His editorial responsibilities include co-founding editor of Applied Research in Quality of Life, editor of the QOL section in the Journal of Macromarketing, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Macromarketing, editor of ISQOLS'/Springer's book series on International Handbooks in QOL, Community QOL Indicators--Best Cases, Applied Research in QOL--Best Practices, and co-editor of the Springer book series on Human Well-Being and Policy Making.
What our former students say:
The program is self-paced and administered mostly one-on-one through personal communication with the instructor. Course participants are assigned an online training manual. After reading the manual and interacting with the instructor, the participant is assigned several case studies to analyze. The instructor then certifies the participant upon successful completion of these case analyses. Since there is no set timeline, the length of the course will vary based on the how quickly the student can master the material.
How much does the certification program cost?
ISQOLS members can take the course for certification for $700.
Non-ISQOLS members can take the course for certification for $900.
Access to the lecture slides
Access to the lecture videos
Discount from Springer to purchase the textbook that supports the course
Direct communication with the instructor by e-mail and/or video conferencing
Certification upon demonstrated learning (evaluated through successful completion of several exams)
ISQOLS members can audit the course for $50.
Non-ISQOLS members can audit the course for $200.
Are there any prerequisites to this course?
No. However, to make the most out of the material provided in this course, it is recommended that the applicants have at least some background in social sciences and rudimentary knowledge of population statistics.
Will I receive any continuing education units (CEUs)?
ISQOLS can provide educational credit in terms of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for the Community Indicators Projects Certification Program. 1 CEU is equivalent to 10 contact hours. The Community Indicators Projects Certification Program involves an estimated 15 contact hours in total. This translates into 1.5 CEU. As such, the program provides 1.5 CEUs.
Those interested in receiving the CEUs should provide enough information to their own educational institution about the ISQOLS certification program and their own institution would determine if they would accept these CEUs.
Many occupations require CEUs to stay licensed in their profession (planners, pollsters, survey researchers, public administrators, etc.). Those who wish to use the certification program for CEUs in meet continuing education requirements of their profession should contact their state/country licensing board and submit information about the course.
What is the use of receiving the certification in community indicators projects?
This certification is provided by the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS), a global organization with a mission to promote and encourage research in the field of quality-of-life (QOL), happiness, and wellbeing studies. ISQOLS has members all throughout positioned in academic institutions as well as stakeholder groups, and are well-respected for their contributions to QoL. As such, an official certification would be beneficial to anyone who wants to apply the science of wellbeing to guide community indicators projects, academic research projects, policy making, managerial decision-making, population statistics, and/or coaching and counseling.
Some benefits of the certification expressed by our former students include:
"This certification program has so many impacts, especially in my work field as a psychologist, lecturer, and happiness and wellbeing researcher. I have broadened my knowledge about how to build indicators in quality of life and involved relevant parties in this study. I feel confident that I'll have a brighter future as a researcher, which is still rare in Indonesia with this certification." - Yufi Adriani
"This certificate program increased my knowledge particularly in the field of quality of life measuring. Particularly it made me look broader on the different theoretical approaches when considering different quality of life dimensions. My field of research is closely related to such issues as I am doing the analyses of relationships between income inequalities and different dimensions of wellbeing. Because of more skills and knowledge to evaluate quality of life I will be able to do in-depth analysis on the relationships between income inequalities and different dimensions of wellbeing from the perspective of social justice. In this perspective it gives me the possibility to write more advanced papers and publish it in important journals." - Małgorzata Szczepaniak
"I have attended many conferences, and workshops around the world on QOL. Usually, the sessions or presentations reflect a specific part of the project or outcome. But each of the cases presented in the certification program provided the whole picture from start until end. Each case posed questions of (why?), and (why not). Each case made me go deeper into the (circumstances) and the (realities). The cases presented (hard) realities that copying the best of what other countries or cites have done is not the way. The cases force the (dedicated) analyst to look deeper into the communities with its unique features and settings. I am in charge of the QOL survey in Abu Dhabi, this unique experience gave the in-depth understanding of the whole process. It gave me many ideas that I would implement to enrich my understanding of the whole process." - Masood A. Badri
"Currently, I am working on a book chapter for the forthcoming Phillips and Trevan Research Handbook for Community Development (Elgar Publishing) writing a case study for a city in the southeastern part of the United States that has a community indicators project. The course allowed me to ask certain questions to professionals and the academic research partner that I might have missed. The certificate has allowed me now to write a case study on this southern city's program looking critically from both a theoretical and indicators perspective but the value of both subjective and objective validation of what the needs of the community actually are. In my case that I am working on for that handbook, I have found that there was no community validation outside of elites (community leaders, government leaders and the like) to see if the selected indicators actually capture what should be measured." - Patsy Kraeger
"This program gave me a practical in depth model on how to choose theoretical concepts, how to plan for a quality of life research, the stages involve in planning and validation of data collected. This certification will enable me produce tools for research with confidence and also will enhance my research reporting skills." - Helvecia N. Takwe
What skills will you gain?
The principal benefits you will obtain from the certification course are:
a theoretical foundation to guide the development of community indicators projects;
knowledge of how to plan a community indicators project;
knowledge of how to collect and validate data, and insight into how to best utilize primary and secondary data;
knowledge of how to prepare, promote, and disseminate community indicator report;
and knowledge of how to stimulate community action and measure the subsequent impact of the community indicators project.
What support will I receive during the course?
This course is administered by a seasoned QoL scholar, Prof. Dr. M. Joseph (Joe) Sirgy. Students will additionally gain access to lecture slides, videos, the book (training manual), and one-to-one communication with the instructor through e-mail and video conferencing.
The International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS)
office@isqols.org
ISQOLS


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The "Locked Down" actress appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," where she explained the reasoning for her request.
Anne Hathaway no longer wants to be referred to by the name everyone knows her as.
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