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Fleet Restoration
Photo courtesy of Wrapmate.
Kraus Restoration is a restoration contractor based in New Jersey that specializes in recovering residential and commercial property that has suffered from water, fire, smoke, or mold damage.
When Kraus Restoration started looking for someone to wrap its growing fleet of vehicles—which includes Ford Transit vans and Kia Souls with more vehicles on the way—they happened upon Wrapmate in an Instagram ad.
"We were looking for something that we didn't have to do much of the leg work on," says Corey Kraus, owner of Kraus Restoration, in a video for Wrapmate. "I was really hoping for a company that would just listen to what I had to say and convert that into a graphic that we were looking for and transpose that onto a vehicle.
"I wanted to be able to depend on a company that was going to take care of that for me."
Wrapmate, a nationwide vehicle wrapping company that designs, produces, and then pairs businesses and individuals with wrap installers, was happy to take on the project.
Wrapmate CMO Javier Lozano, Jr., says the company's business model is perfect for busy companies like Kraus Restoration. "It creates efficiencies for the company because now the fleet manager or the business owner doesn't have to manage three different projects on top of their job—they can talk to one company that's going to handle their entire graphics, all of the design, all of the installation/coordination, and all that fleet manager has to do is drop the vehicle off at the specified location," he explains.
Photo courtesy of Keystone Wraps.
Wrapmate customers start by using a vehicle wrap calculator that provides a quote based on the vehicle and desired wrap coverage.
From there, Wrapmate has the customer fill out an intake form to gather more information—including the vehicle's VIN number, pictures of the vehicle to catch any existing imperfections or decals/wraps that need to be removed, and design details like logos. If the customer doesn't have a logo, Wrapmate will even design one for an extra fee.
"That intake form helps us alleviate the pain from both sides," says Lozano, Jr. "It gives us a starting point."
Next Wrapmate will have a conversation with the client about their vision for the wrap—color schemes, stand-out details, etc. Using the Adobe Creative Suite—with heavy use of Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop—Wrapmate gets to work on designing the wrap. They will create a mock up on the vehicle to show the customer, who then has up to three rounds of revisions on the proposed wrap design.
"The customer is in control," says Lozano, Jr. "They can experience the entire process of making sure they're putting together the best wrap for their brand to stand out from the crowd and promote their business 24/7/365."
For the Kraus Restoration fleet project, Wrapmate put together a design featuring the brand's colors of blue, white, and black.
A dynamic graphic of water in motion is also included on the Kia Souls in the fleet. Large symbols representing fire, water, and mold run along the side of the vehicles, along with the words "water," "mold," "fire," and "smoke," to make it clear what the company does.
The wrap also includes the company's contact information—its Instagram handle, phone number, and website address.
"We try to make the wrap do two things—one, cover the brand in so far as it stands out so that it has 'pop,' it has great color, and it has something that draws attention," says Lozano, Jr. "And then two, make sure it has a very simple call to action. Sometimes that call to action can literally be just a phone number and then a QR code. Other times it can be a website.
"We try to keep the call to actions very simple and not use graphics that are difficult to read."
"I highly recommend putting a QR code on the wrap because everyone is now accustomed to scanning QR codes," continues Lozano, Jr., who says the codes can go directly to a phone number or even a website that can include more information than you can fit on the wrap.
Once the design has been approved, Wrapmate works with a company that does all of the printing for them to help maintain consistency across factors like color. For the Kraus Restoration job, the wrap was printed on 3M Controltac Graphic Film with Comply v3 Adhesive IJ180CV3. A 3M Scotchcal Gloss Overlaminate 8518 was applied.
The wrap was then shipped to a Wrapmate installer located near Kraus Restoration—Keystone Graphics in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, which specializes in vehicle wraps, privacy films, architectural films, wall murals, and retail graphics.
"Our installers know exactly how to install that wrap because we give them exact instructions on how each section is going to be placed on that van, truck, car, or whatever the vehicle is," explains Lozano, Jr. "It makes it very seamless."
Wrapmate builds out its network of installers in a number of ways. Sometimes it reaches out to installers, especially if it likes their work.
Wrapmate also has a collaborative relationship with 3M, and the vinyl company has recommended and encouraged its certified installers to join the Wrapmate network.
Finally some installers reach out to Wrapmate on their own and are then interviewed for eligibility. (Note: Interested installers can sign up at wrapmate.com/pro.)
"[Installers] want to join the network because it's another way for them to add some revenue into their business," explains Lozano, Jr. "At the end of the day, these installers are motivated to want to be in our network because they don't have to go acquire the customer. They don't have to design the actual vehicle wrap. They just have to install.
"We're giving them a customer that is actually ready to move forward."
For Keystone Wraps, the ease of the process was one reason they decided to join Wrapmate.
"Wrapmate offers a seamless process for the client, and as a result, we found we could work easily with their team," says Patrick Mulreaney, owner of Keystone Wraps, who is a 3M Preferred Installer and has over fifteen years of experience in the industry. "Their wrap designs are well thought out and appeal to the installer, as the body lines of the vehicle are taken into account when creating each design. So not only will it look great on paper, but it will look just as good in real life when installed."
Kraus Restoration dropped off its fleet vehicles at Keystone Wraps to be wrapped in phases since it's a 24/7 business and couldn't afford to have all of its vehicles off the road at once.
Mulreaney says each wrap took about one day to complete.
"We are always sure to take the extra time to mock up the graphics onto the vehicle prior to installation to be sure both the driver and passenger sides are placed the same and follow the same body lines of the vehicle," he says. "This helps to ensure both sides are symmetrical and sets us up for consistency across all of the vehicles in the fleet."
Kraus Restoration is already reaping the benefits of its newly wrapped fleet. "Showing up to a job site now with our vans just looks professional [and] it feels right," said Kraus, in a Wrapmate video. "A customer who sees us when we pull up knows who we are."
Lozano, Jr., says it's this branding awareness that's one of the main benefits of a company using fleet graphics. "When they're sitting in front of a customer's house, for instance, other neighbors are going to be seeing that brand," he says. "From a marketing standpoint, it helps them generate inquiries and leads."
It's also a form of advertising that is always "on."
"There's no other more cost-effective and cost-efficient way of marketing your business than a vehicle wrap right now," says Lozano, Jr. "A vehicle wrap in a town can get as much as 70,000 impressions in a day—and that's literally pennies on the dollar."
—Ashley Bray
The post Fleet Restoration appeared first on Sign Builder Illustrated, The How-To Sign Industry Magazine.
Published first here: https://www.signshop.com/graphic/vinyl-graphics/fleet-kraus-restoration-wrapmate-keystone/
Posted on September 2, 2022 Author Anaheim SignsTags Sign Company Irvine ca.
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This 1 bedroom, 1 bath condominium is for rent and located at 309 Holland Lane in the Eisenhower East neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia.
AVAIL Jan. 8, 2016 King St. METRO is just 5 min walk! Upscale corner unit is largest 1BR condo w/granite countertops, SS appls, washer/dryer & walk-in. Sunny, quiet courtyard views from balcony. 1 reserved PARKING space. Gas included in rent (cooking & heat). Gym in building. Conveniently located above Whole Foods, near all that Old Town has to offer!! NO PETS. No smoking. Tenant pays electric.


sehr seltener Kriegteppich Nato einsatz aus Afghanistan, handgeknüpft, Flor aus reine Wolle.
Dann schauen Sie doch mal in unserem Shop nach einem anderen Kriegteppich!
The Afghan weavers who produced "war rugs" showing Russian weapons during their occupation of Afghanistan, have now begun to use some NATO and ISAF propaganda leaflets as the source for the design of their latest war rugs.
AFGHAN WAR RUGS ARE AN EXCEPTIONAL WORK OF ART, HAND KNOTTED WITH TRIBAL AFGHAN SHEEP WOOL IN UNIQUELY DESIGNED PATTERS FROM THE AFGHAN-NATO AND ISAF WAR. THESE UNIQUE RUGS TELL A STORY AND COULD EITHER BE USED AS FOOR RUGS OR WALL HANGINGS. THE RICH AND SOMBRE COLOURS USED WITH THESE DESIGNS REMIND US OF A HISTORY WHICH SHOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN AND LEAVE US WITH A MOMORY OF THE LIBERATION OF AFGANISTAN.


As always, I've failed to keep up with blogging. This year however I am aiming to get my life together somewhat and actually progress the blog into what I originally set out to make it. Thus, let's talk about my first semester of studying Mathematics at UEA and all that I've discovered so far in my life as a university student.
Mathematics Undergraduate, Kuk Sool Won Instructor and Aspiring Mathematics Teacher.
On June 22nd 2018, I completed the last of my ten A Level exams for this year, bringing my two year enrolment at East Norfolk Sixth Form College to an end. I thought I'd take this opportunity to share my experience of A Levels and Sixth Form in general as I found my experience to differ hugely from what I expected both academically and socially.
Hello and welcome to the new and improved S-Blog. For those who didn't follow the old blog, I'd like to thank you for your interest in reading my blog and I hope you enjoy it so much so to subscribe to be notified of new posts by entering your email address in the form at the bottom of this post.
Mathematics Undergraduate at UEA; Kuk Sool Won instructor and second degree black belt; aspiring mathematics teacher. Originally from Lowestoft, UK.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Nicole Arbour a popular YouTuber from Canada is today's Donkey Of The Day. Nicole Arbour obviously isn't a rapper and she did probably the worse parody/remix of a song that I have ever heard in my life.
Nicole Arbour claims she is a comedian, so the remix is actually funny. The song is the laughing at her funny not laughing with her type funny. Charlamagne fried her for creating this wack remix. Check out Charlamagnes rundown for Donkey Of The Day.


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Who's the Real Criminal: Blackbeard the Pirate or Governor Spotswood Who Hunted Him Down?
By Samuel Marquis
In Blackbeard: The Birth of America, Historical Fiction Author Samuel Marquis, the ninth great-grandson of Captain William Kidd, chronicles the legendary Edward Thache—former British Navy seaman and notorious privateer-turned-pirate, who lorded over the Atlantic seaboard and Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy. A Robin-Hood-like American patriot and the most famous freebooter of all time, Blackbeard was illegally hunted down by Virginia Governor Alexander Spotswood, the British Crown's man in Williamsburg obsessed with his capture. This year marks the 300th anniversary of Blackbeard's death.
On February 14, 1719, Virginia Lieutenant Governor Spotswood wrote a letter to Lord Cartwright, a proprietor of North Carolina, in which he attempted to explain his justification for authorizing the invasion of his lordship's colony and killing of Blackbeard the pirate and nine of his crew members at Ocracoke Island on November 22, 1718. The pirate, whose real name was Edward Thache of Spanish Town, Jamaica, and his men had recently been pardoned by Governor Eden of the colony, and Spotswood wanted to make sure that he was not accused of exceeding his authority and committing murder in North Carolina waters. His deliberately misleading letter was one of the British governor's usual interminable fussy letters, and in it he falsely boasted to have rescued "the trade of North Carolina from the insults of pirates upon the earnest solicitations of the inhabitants there," even though only one complaint involving a single minor incident had been filed. He further expressed his hope that his actions would "not be unacceptable to your lordships." He admitted that he had not informed either the proprietors or Eden about his invasion plan, which was required by law, but chose not to mention that this was because he believed Eden to be conspiring with Blackbeard.
When Spotswood invaded the proprietary colony of North Carolina to the south, neither he nor the seventy Royal Navy officers and crew members he commanded to hunt down Blackbeard and his pirates had the authority to invade another colony. In the fall of 1718 at the time of the attack, Blackbeard was, legally speaking, a citizen who had broken no laws and was in good standing. He had been pardoned by Governor Eden for his previous piracies, had paid the appropriate fees to the governor and customs collector Tobias Knight in the form of casks of sugar, had applied for and received legal approval to salvage a French vessel captured near Bermuda from that same governor, and had yet to be indicted for any crime. Spotswood had, in effect, authorized the kidnapping or killing of the resident of another colony—depending on whether Blackbeard resisted or not.
But the governor was not bothered by the overt illegality of his scheme. He had already made up in his mind months earlier that he was going to go after Edward Thache without reservation, by taking action first and seeking approval from the British Board of Trade and lords proprietors later. He wanted the notorious Blackbeard—and Governor Eden and Tobias Knight too—so badly that he could taste it. He had long been intent on extending his control and influence over Virginia's southern border, which he never considered to be far enough south, and he was intent on acquiring the fledgling proprietary colony and folding it into his own powerful royal colony of Virginia. By finding damning evidence that Eden and Blackbeard were in collusion and that Eden and Knight were receiving bribes for looking the other way, he hoped to make a Virginia takeover a reality.
The aggressive overreach of Spotswood begs the question: who is the criminal in this case, the lawfully pardoned and likely retired pirate or the colonial governor who knowingly broke the law to hunt him down, killed him and his crew, and then put the survivors on trial?
Between January 1716 and November 22, 1718, when he was killed at Ocracoke at the hands of Lieutenant Maynard and the Royal Navy, Edward Thache captured more than thirty merchant vessels along the Atlantic seaboard, Caribbean, and Spanish Main, and one 200-ton slaver, which he converted into his flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge. At the peak of his freebooting career in April 1718, he served as commodore of a 700-man, five-ship, 60-plus-gun pirate flotilla that rivaled the strength of any pirate fleet in history. According to one researcher, Blackbeard and the other pirates of his short-lived era had at their zenith "disrupted the trans-Atlantic commerce of three empires and even had the warships of the Royal Navy on the run." And yet, during the course of his career, he never physically harmed anyone until the day he was battling for his life (he was reportedly shot five times and stabbed more than twenty times before he finally fell from being decapitated by a seaman's cutlass). In fact, Thache typically showed his victims respect and let them down easily after taking their ships as prizes, giving them vessels in trade, food and provisions, and even receipts for merchandise.
In an age when violence was commonplace, he did no more harm to captured ship captains than to detain them for a brief period of time. As pirate historian Arne Bialuschewski states: "I haven't seen one single piece of evidence that Blackbeard ever used violence against anyone." Colin Woodard, author of The Republic of Pirates, echoes this sentiment: "Blackbeard was remarkably judicious in his use of force. In the dozens of eyewitness accounts of his victims, there is not a single instance in which he killed anyone prior to his final, fatal battle with the Royal Navy. "
The son of a wealthy plantation-owner from Jamaica and a former Royal Navy officer and privateer on behalf of the British Crown, by 1716 Thache became a no-holds-barred outlaw taking the vessels of all nations. But he and his men did not view themselves as outlaws, but rather as Robin-Hood-like figures and American patriots fighting against British domination and the Atlantic mercantile system that favored the 1% of their day. And that was how the American people largely viewed them, too. While the upper-middle-class Jamaican was portrayed as a "barbarous" monster by the pro-British newspapers, merchant elite, and Alexander Spotswood, he was known as a Robin-Hood-like folk hero defying the British Crown among his fellow American colonists. The image of Blackbeard as a cruel and ruthless villain imbued with almost supernatural powers was largely created by propagandist newspaper accounts of the era (particularly the pro-British Boston News-Letter) and Captain Charles Johnson's (Nathanial Mist's) A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates, first published in 1724 six years after Blackbeard's death. As Bialuschewski states about the latter: "This book has been plundered by generations of historians, despite the fact that it is riddled with errors, exaggerations, and misunderstandings." More than any published work, Captain Johnson's propogandist tome created the notorious but unrealistic Blackbeard image that we know today and celebrate in movies like Pirates of the Caribbean and TV shows like Black Sails and Crossbones.
And what about Spotswood? While Blackbeard was playing out the role of Robin Hood of the high seas, the governor of Virginia was getting rich and fat at the colonists' expense and showing open contempt for the colony's lower house of elected representatives and the colonial democratic process. The governor's many critics claimed he employed heavy-handed tactics to control tobacco exports through his Tobacco Inspection Act, rewarded his loyal friends with patronage positions, and acquired large tracts of valuable land through shady practices. With his Indian Trade Act, he granted the Virginia Indian Company that he created a twenty-year monopoly over American Indian trade, and charged the company with maintaining Fort Christanna, a settlement in the southern tidewater region for smaller Indian tribes. Establishing the company was Spotswood's attempt to circumvent political opposition by shifting the financial burden of defense against Indians from the colonial government to private enterprise, but in doing so, he angered those who had invested in private trade. All in all, his policies were unpopular with Virginia tobacco planters, landholders, and commoners alike since all sought to maintain their independence from the British Crown. By 1722, he was toppled from government due to "an accumulation of grievances" from Virginia's House of Burgesses and his own Governor's Council, but by then Spotswood had made so much money from questionable land deals that his governorship had become immaterial. He would remain the wealthiest man in Virginia until his death in 1740.
One of his more disgraceful actions was to deny payment of the promised reward money to Lieutenant Maynard and the other Royal Navy seamen who had battled Thache at Ocracoke until four years after the battle—even though Spotswood had, by binding decree, promised prompt payment upon the capture of the pirate and his crew. After four years of delay, many of those who had fought valiantly and spilled blood upon the decks of the two naval sloops had died or retired from the service, and so never received a penny.
For Spotswood, the judgement of history has been severe, particularly when it comes to Blackbeard. He knowingly launched an illegal expedition in violation of the King's and governor of North Carolina's pardons to destroy the freebooter (who was likely retired from piracy) and his crew, all in an effort to gather evidence to be used to undermine Eden and his second-in-command and thereby further his own career and financial gain. In the eyes of history, it is Spotswood who is far more criminal, immoral, and unethical than Blackbeard, Eden, or Knight. Not only did he knowingly and illicitly violate the sovereignty of a neighboring colony, he conspired with and was closely associated with the ethically suspect Edward Moseley, Colonel Maurice Moore, and Captain Vail. In December 1718, the Moseley gang broke into the house of North Carolina Secretary John Lovick in an attempt to examine Council records for incriminating evidence against Eden and Knight. When Spotswood's North Carolina conspirators Moseley and Moore were tried the following year, the event was a sensation and Moseley was fined and barred from public office for three years. Spotswood did his best to distance himself from Moseley and Moore, but his critics knew better.
In the end, he is remembered as a slave-owning British elitist, stodgy bureaucrat, hypocrite, and profiteer who used the governor's office to lord over "the people" in the name of the Crown, promote his own self-interests at the public expense, and destroy his political enemies or those, like Blackbeard, that he disapproved of.
He will always be Inspector Javert to Blackbeard's Jean Valjean from Victor Hugo's Les Misérables.
The ninth great-grandson of legendary privateer Captain William Kidd, Samuel Marquis is the bestselling, award-winning author of historical pirate fiction, a World War Two Series, and the Nick Lassiter-Skyler International Espionage Series. His novels have been #1 Denver Post bestsellers, received multiple national book awards (Foreword Reviews Book of the Year, American Book Fest Best Book, USA Best Book, Beverly Hills, Next Generation Indie, Colorado Book Awards), and garnered glowing reviews from #1 bestseller James Patterson, Kirkus, and Foreword Reviews (5 Stars). Book reviewers have compared Marquis's WWII thrillers Bodyguard of Deception and Altar of Resistance to the epic historical novels of Tom Clancy, John le Carré, Ken Follett, Herman Wouk, Daniel Silva, and Alan Furst. Mr. Marquis's newest historical fiction novel, Blackbeard: The Birth of America, commemorates the 300th anniversary of Blackbeard's death. His website is www.samuelmarquisbooks.com and for publicity inquiries, please contact JKS Communications at info@jkscommunications.com.
Author RonovanPosted on March 5, 2018 March 4, 2018 Categories InterviewsTags American history, Black Beard, Black Beard: The Birth of America, Historical Fiction, History, Sam Marquis1 Comment on Who's the Real Criminal: Blackbeard the Pirate or Governor Spotswood Who Hunted Him Down?
#BOOK REVIEW BY @COLLEENCHESEBRO OF "The Hunter's Moon," BY AUTHOR @BETHTRISSEL
Title: The Hunter's Moon, Book One of the "Secret Warrior Series"
Author: Beth Trissel
Page Numbers Source ISBN:
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, LLC
ASIN: B017OCROM8
Formats: Kindle
Genres: Fantasy, YA Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery
*The author provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for a candid review which follows*
Running for their Lives!
Sixteen-year-old Morgan Daniel and her younger brother Jimmy are forced into hiding as members in a witness protection program while concealing themselves from a gang called the Panteras. Witnesses to a gang-style murder, Morgan and Jimmy attempt to live under the radar with the help of their aunt.
When the Panteras hunt them down once again, Morgan and Jimmy flee while Morgan drives her decrepit vehicle into the mountains of Virginia. Following the detailed instructions their aunt has given them in the event they are forced to run once again, their escape route leads them into unknown territory.
Desperate to survive and protect Jimmy, Morgan feels an overpowering urge to pull off the road at a specific gap in the forest even though the Panteras are in hot pursuit. Morgan crashes her ancient vehicle as the Panteras give chase with assault rifles at the ready. The kids run from their burning vehicle and hide in the woods.
Morgan Meets her True Destiny
Suddenly a black wolf emerges from the trees. Soon, another wolf appears. Morgan and Jimmy hear the sounds of fighting deep in the woods. Finally, all is silent.
When a young Native American man named Jackson appears, Morgan and Jimmy are plunged into solving the mystery surrounding an ancient prophecy that Morgan finds she is bound to. Her destiny is clear. On her seventeenth birthday, Morgan is forced to come to grips with her ancient blood curse as a she-werewolf!
If you love fantasy and paranormal activity this book has it all. Mysterious ghostly beings, shape-shifters, witchcraft, ancient Native American creatures, including aliens from other planets all coalesce around a story steeped in age-old American history and primeval folklore. I was in reading heaven!
I am a huge fan of stories about werewolves and this was by far one of the best written and most interesting young adult tales I have ever read. The writing was sharp and clear with descriptions that you could see and feel.
Be prepared to slip into another world as you are introduced to the Warrior Clan of the Wapicoli, a group of Native American shape-shifters who live under the control of an old warrior and mystical being called Okema. It is then that Morgan learns the Wapicoli have a special connection to wolves. I especially loved the blending of Native American lore and mythology which was liberally sprinkled throughout the novel which gave the story a distinct link to the past.
I enjoyed all of the characters and could envision Morgan grappling with the reality of her blood heritage. The little brother Jimmy is a fascinating study of a young boy. Jimmy is in many ways gifted in all the things that Morgan is not. At times, I wondered if he was taking care of his sister instead of the other way around. Morgan is the typical teenage girl who is forced to accept her destiny. I loved the banter between the siblings.
All in all, this was a page-turner I did not want to end. Beth Trissel weaves her love of history, paranormal activity, and YA fantasy into a storyline that will haunt your thoughts every full moon. From what I could tell, I found a bit of the author between these pages as she shares her knowledge of gardening and her love for animals which she skillfully wove between the pages of this book.
For Beth Trissel, The Hunter's Moon is the first in her series of YA paranormal suspense thrillers under the subtitle of the "Secret Warrior Series." The next in the series is called, "Curse of the Moon," which has a publication date of May 4, 2016. The book is available for pre-order now. It's not quick enough for me!
Sorry, I have to run! These pre-order copies run out fast! There's no time to lose!
Character Believability: 5
Flow and Pace: 5
Reader Engagement: 5
Reader Enrichment: 4.5
Reader Enjoyment: 5
Overall Rate: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Meet Beth Trissel:
Married to my high school sweetheart, I live on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia surrounded by my children, grandbabies, and assorted animals. An avid gardener, my love of herbs and heirloom plants figures into my work.
The rich history of Virginia, the Native Americans and the people who journeyed here from far beyond her borders are at the heart of my inspiration. In addition to American settings, I also write historical and time travel romances set in the British Isles, YA fantasy romance, and nonfiction about gardening, herbal lore, and country life.
"The Secret Warrior Series was inspired by my love of history, fantasy, and fascination with the mountain people and Native Americans. Living in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia surrounded by mountains veiled in mist and mystery lends itself well to creating the characters and setting for The Hunter's Moon, and the stories that will follow as the series unfolds. Some of the characters and creatures are based on lore I've learned over the years. Others appeared to me, as characters have a way of doing. A great deal of research and intuition went into writing The Hunter's Moon. I hope you will enjoy it and the stories yet to come. Next in the series, Curse of the Moon."
My blog is the happening place at https://bethtrissel.wordpress.com/ or her author website at BethTrissel.com
You can find Beth through her Twitter @BethTrissel or on Facebook at Author Beth Trissel.
Book Review by @ColleenChesebro of silverthreading.com
Author Colleen M. ChesebroPosted on April 19, 2016 April 11, 2016 Categories Book ReviewsTags American history, Beth Trissel, Native American Mythology, paranormal fantasy, Secret Warrior Series, The Hunter's Moon, werewolves10 Comments on #BOOK REVIEW BY @COLLEENCHESEBRO OF "The Hunter's Moon," BY AUTHOR @BETHTRISSEL

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Review: Bromance
Vulnerable and impressive circus returns five years on.
dance review (edinburgh) | Read in About 2 minutes query_builder
By Emma Ainley-Walker
Barely Methodical Troupe's Bromance first opened at the Fringe in 2014, winning them the Total Theatre Award for circus, but this exploration of friendships between men and how they are expressed is still relevant five years on. It starts with an explanation of the handshake the three performers and co-creators, Beren D'Amico, Louis Gift and Charlie Wheeler, are comfortable with.
When it comes to more emotional expression, they're not as comfortable. The circus skills spring out of these handshakes, back slaps, hugs and trust falls, mixing acrobatics and hand-to-hand with b-boy and contemporary dance elements.
Circus is the perfect medium to explore the competitive edge to many male friendships. Wheeler in particular competes with D'Amico desperately seeking the connection and trust shared between his two co-performers.
The Cyr wheel becomes a symbol of emotional openness. Feeling left out by the other two, Wheeler performs a fluid, and mesmerising solo towards the final third of the show, becoming a catalyst for the three men to become closer, less "bro-ish" in their relationship to each other.
The three interweave their physical performances with some comedy, both talking to the audience, and visual gags. They play up, too, flashing abs to the audience to great cheers. In the final, showstopping routine they perform trick after trick in only their shorts, but it is the talent and vulnerability in the performance that has made this show such a success.


Does FDA Clearance Mean a Medical Device is Safe? No!
If a medical device or a drug is "cleared" by the FDA, is the device or drug safe? Surprisingly, the answer is No.
With the premiere of the Netflix Documentary, "The Bleeding Edge," Illinois residents and those across the United States are finally becoming aware of a startling fact that Illinois defective product attorneys at Koester & Bradley have been monitoring for over a decade. Namely, that FDA approval does not make a medical device safe.
Pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers are in business to make money. Many companies put profits over safety in order to keep shareholders happy. This attitude has dramatic and catastrophic impact on residents of Illinois who are victims of bad medical devices. Although the FDA and other regulatory entities have to approve these goods, defective products still reach the market. This is because drug and medical device companies do not always disclose all of the potential risks of the products they sell.
Our experienced products liability attorneys based in Champaign Illinois investigate claims related to defective drugs such as Uloric, Pradaxa, Xarelto, and Actos, and defective devices such as vaginal mesh, IVC Filters, knee implants, metal hips and other devices.
Koester & Bradley, LLP has decades of experience representing patients who have been harmed by defective medical devices and dangerous drugs. We have represented injured victims in Illinois and across the country.
Consumers should be educated about the risks associated with defective drugs and medical devices. An educated consumer, whether in Central Illinois or another state must do their research before filling a new prescription or agree to have a medical device implanted. Medical care providers are ready to help. Ask your doctor about the risks including side effects and history of recalls and poor performance. If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective device or drug, contact your doctor and Koester & Bradley, LLP.
Again, it is important to understand that a drug or medical device that has received approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not necessarily mean it is safe for all uses for all people or that it is not defectively designed or manufactured. Drug companies are often known for marketing drugs for uses for which they were not originally approved. Medical device manufacturers know all of the loop holes in the federal approval process that can be used to bring a dangerous device to market faster. This is known as the 510(k) process.
At Koester & Bradley, LLP we have a team of attorneys, located at home in Champaign-Urbana Illinois, dedicated to holding the medical device and drug industry accountable. We are constantly staying appraised with up-to-date information about dangerous products and continually update our online resources. If you or a loved one has been injured from a defective medical device or drug, call Koester & Bradley, LLP or submit a claim-- we have the experience to help.
Winter time in Illinois is certainly the high point for slip and fall and premises liability cases. Follow these tips to keep yourself safe.
It's early march in Illinois and we know one thing for sure--winter is not over yet. As Central Illinois and the Chicago Illinois area alike experience nearly 100 degree temperature fluxuations, ice and bitter cold are here for at least a few months. Residential home and business owners should take care to prevent weather-related accidents and injuries. Accidents happen, but often weather-related accidents can be avoided by careful observation of your property and surrounding area.
What types of injuries happen during winter time in Illinois?
Many homeowners are unaware that they are responsible for clearing the sidewalk adjacent to their home. While the your local government is often charged with clearing roads, typically, it will be the homeowners obligation to clear and salt the sidewalk. If you live in an apartment building, it will be the building owner's obligation to clear the areas of ingress and egress.
Business owners should take care to clear and salt outside entryways. Moreover, customers often carry water, snow and icy on their shoes and clothes that end up on the entryway floor. The business owner should take care to monitor the entrance area and make sure it is routinely cleaned and mopped to avoid slip and falls. Customers should also be alerted to the possible danger with a caution sign.
Another area that poses risk to passersby is awnings and other covered areas. In cold temperatures, icicles hang from buildings. As temperatures rise, falling icicles may result in injury. Larger icicles falling from 30 feet or higher may result in serious injury or even death but even small icicles can cause harm. If your home or business has a covered area or awnings, you should take particular care to safely remove icicles. Individuals should take care to observe their surroundings while passing by buildings to prevent injury due to falling icicles.
Hopefully you can avoid injury as winter winds down. However, if you are injured because a home or business owner negligently failed to clear ice, snow, or icicles, from their premises, please contact us for a free consultation.
One take away from the recent financial crisis is that BOTH borrowers and lenders are capable of fraud--which can put us all at risk.
Mortgage fraud in Illinois and across the country covers a wide range of crimes, all pertaining to funding for a home. While an individual may falsify information to get a mortgage that they otherwise might not be able to afford, professionals also can be guilty of mortgage fraud. Real estate professionals can flip houses and work with appraisers to increase their own profits. Mortgage professionals can give loans out, knowing that the people shouldn't be approved for a loan.
Because the crimes are so different, there are many defenses that come into play with mortgage fraud. Here are some common defenses that you and your lawyer may want to consider for your case.
False identity. Since many people steal other people's information in order to buy or sell a home, your lawyer may fight that you didn't know what was going on. Your identity could have been stolen or you might have been framed so there is no way that you knew about any illegal happenings that took place using your identity.
If someone else gets convicted because they stole your identity, they may also be accused of theft, along with mortgage fraud.
Property owner gave consent. Since most mortgage fraud cases are performed by professionals, you might be able to fight that the owner of the property gave their consent and you had good faith intent.
The property owner might be held accountable for mortgage fraud, instead of you.
Entrapment. Entrapment is another commonly used defense. Your lawyer must have evidence showing that you wouldn't have committed mortgage fraud, unless you were forced to do so.
If you are looking at a case of mortgage fraud, you need an experienced lawyer to fight for you and your rights. A good lawyer will help you go through your options and potential defenses so together you can decide the best way to proceed. If you don't have a lawyer on your side, you are leaving your fate in someone else's hands. This can be a big mistake.
We are dedicated to protecting your money and identity. Don't hesitate to contact us for any questions that you may have about identity and mortgage fraud.
According to the New York Times, snowball fights are now officially legal again in Severance, CO.
Snowball fights have been a childhood pastime for as long as winter and children have existed. Apparently the exception, at least for the past century, has been the town of Severance in Colorado. Its law against throwing snowballs was incorporated in the town charter sometime in the 1920s for reasons that are unknown to history, according to the New York Times. The law has never been enforced, and no one knew what the penalty was for tossing a snowball at someone.
However, whether the law was enforced or not did not sit well with a nine year-old third grader named Dane Best. During a class trip to the Severance City Hall, the mayor of the community of 6,000 mentioned that some laws, such as the ban on snowball fights, are on the books for no discernible reason. Dane, understanding that the law had made him and just about every child in the town technically a criminal, decided to do something about it.
In due course, Dane presented his case at a recent meeting of the Severance Town Board, accompanied by 20 letters of support from his classmates and teacher and a PowerPoint presentation. Dane made the case that the law was outdated and that young children needed an incentive to abandon their computer games and go play outside, The Town Board, duly impressed by the young man's incisive legal logic, unanimously voted to make snowball fights legal for the first time.
As an award for his successful fight against City Hall, Dane Best was presented with a plaque and a gift certificate to buy a snowball machine. He was also presented with a snowball that had been preserved in a freezer, which he duly tossed into the air in triumph.
And who would be the target of Dane's very first legal snowball? Why his little brother, of course.
If you've been the victim of a car accident, Medical Malpractice, or you were hit with a snow ball with a rock in the middle, you're probably entitled to more compensation than you think. Make sure to contact a law firm that has your best interests in mind, so that you'll get the highest compensation possible.
Illinois receives a wide range of winter weather from snow to freezing rain, to sheets of ice. How can you protect yourself in the event of an accident? Follow these tips.
Illinois has some of the Most Severe Weather in the Midwest. Here is How to Stay Safe on Winter Roads.
Winter is here, and Illinois is seeing its share of snow, sleet, and ice. When driving in that type of weather, it's crucial to be prepared. Here are some tips on safe driving and how to avoid auto accidents while driving in the snow. You may have heard these before, but they bear repeating. When we counsel clients about auto accidents that take place in the winter, and especially in inclement weather, we hear the same types of stories repeatedly.
Try not to use cruise control when driving on icy roads. This may seem like common sense, but cruise control causes accidents across Illinois in the winter and insurance companies will try to use the fact to pay less on your injury claim.
Speed up and slow down slowly and with caution. Keep your head up and give yourself plenty of time to react.
Double your normal following distance. Usually, it should be around four seconds. When the roads are slippery, increase it to around eight seconds.
When going up a hill, make sure to get the inertia going before you reach the hill. Don't try to power up the hill right when you reach it. When you reach the top, slow down and go down the other side with caution.
Never drive when you're fatigued. You don't have to be tired to be fatigued and be a dangerous driver. Unfortunately this is a major problem in the trucking industry where drivers routinely drive tired and are forced to do so by their companies.
Keep the temperature in your car comfortable, so that you're able to concentrate.
Always keep your gas tank half full. In addition, keep a safety kit with warm clothing, food, and drink. You will have a place to stay if you get stranded. ALso, make sure you have an ice scraper.
Keep your local AAA or towing company's number in your contacts.
Never turn on the car until you make sure the exhaust pipe isn't blocked by snow or mud. This can cause carbon monoxide to leak into the car.
Keep up with your local weather forecast. Avoid going on long trips if snowfall is predicted.
If you've been the victim of a car accident, you're probably entitled to more compensation than you think. Make sure to contact a law firm that has your best interests in mind, so that you'll get the highest compensation possible.
In the United States, Opioids officially kill more Americans automobile accidents. It is safe to say that Opioids have reached epidemic proportions.
In the United States, opioid abuse runs rampant, and in truth large drug companies such as Purdue Pharma and distributors such as Cardinal shoulder the bulk of the blame. Still, in certain circumstances, doctors have some responsibility as well.
Despite knowing that opioid pain relievers are addicting, the companies responsible for making and marketing the drugs continued to supply them liberally for years. During this time, these companies told doctors that the powerful narcotics were not addictive. Thus, many doctors were victims as well and this resulted in huge amounts of dependency.
However, the country is just starting to acknowledge our massive opioid problem and they are looking for someone to blame. If you have a loved one that got wrapped up in opioid addiction after being legitimately injured, can the doctor be held to blame?
It is a doctor's duty to take the best possible route of care for all their patients, and if they breach this duty, then it can be considered a medical malpractice case. There have been cases in other states where doctors, and more specifically their insurance companies, have had to pay millions of dollars in damages for the over-prescription of opioids. These cases often take a long time and a lot of evidence, investigation and money to fund. Additionally, it is incredibly rare that only one doctor was prescribing opioids. Most individuals who are seeking narcotics visit many doctors and even cross state lines to do so before turning to illicit drugs and heroin purchased on the street. Most of the time the individual doctors are actually unaware for the amount of opioids that the addicted patient is actually taking.
In order to recover damages for a medical malpractice case of this nature, you would need to prove that the doctor prescribed a gross amount of opioids over a period of time and that the prescription kept being filled for longer than the injury needed. In cases where the doctors have been held responsible for opioid addiction, it was discovered that they fed the addiction for years without pursuing other, less addictive means of treatment. These cases represent only a small portion of the problem as the federal government and local law enforcement has worked tirelessly to shut down so-called "pill mills." THis means that most of the time the prescribing doctor has to rely on an accurate medical history from the compromised patient and other objective forms of determination such as drug testing. This has put a great deal of strain on the system and made it very difficult for doctors, most of which are honest and diligent, to treat pain.
At Koester & Bradley, we believe that the manufacturers and distributors of opioids are truly the responsible parties in this epidemic. This is why we are representing counties and municipalities in Illinois along with our co-counsel firms. However, we are here to provide guidance to the families of opioid victims as well in every way we can.
Do you or a loved one need help? If you believe that it was your doctor's fault that the addiction got so bad because they continued to wantonly prescribe you pills, then contact us today. We may be able to help you pursue a case of medical malpractice against your physician or provide some insight and closure about the issue. If you are a member of a county board, or part of the law enforcement community in an Illinois County or municipality, also feel free to reach out and we will meet with you about the pending litigation. This can help you recover damages so you or your loved one can get the treatment that they need.
One of the keys to receiving fair compensation for your injuries in an Illinois auto accident or personal injury case is to prove that your injuries are permanent.
In Illinois like almost every other state, if you were hurt in an accident and if you can win your personal injury case, you will receive compensation for your injuries. However, if you had to endure very serious injuries, there may come a time where you reach what is referred to as the maximum medical improvement. Typically, this determination is most often made in workers compensation situations, but it is relevant in automobile wrecks and trucking accidents as well. A determination of maximum medical improvement means that you will not heal anymore than you have already healed, and this determination usually comes from a doctor.
Does maximum medical improvement mean that I have no permanent injuries?
The answer is no. For example, assume that you fractured your back in an automobile accident. You undergo surgery and physical therapy. Finally, after months of treatment your spine surgeon establishes that you have reached your maximum level of improvement. This determination does not mean that you will not suffer the repercussions of you injury for the rest of your life, but only that you not get any better.
For some, this point of maximum medical improvement comes when they are fully healed. Their compensation stops and they return back to work and normal activities. Unfortunately, for serious accidents, this moment of maximum medical improvement doesn't mean they are fully healed. If you will no longer improve in condition, you will then be considered to have permanent impairment. In some cases, this means that person will never regain full range of motion in their shoulders, or it can be even more serious like a person no longer regaining the use of a limb. If this is the case, a doctor will examine your impairment to see if it will be considered partial disability or full disability. This percentage of disability will affect how much you can receive for the impairment.
If you have reached maximum medical improvement, but still are not fully healed, having your injury labeled as permanent will mean you can continue to collect a certain amount of compensation for that impairment. However, you can't ask for this during your personal injury case. It is something that must be accessed after the healing is done. If you suspect you may have permanent impairment, this means you need to communicate that with your lawyer so the settlement has provisions to provide for permanent compensation just in case permanent impairment does manifest. Koester & Bradley is an Illinois leader in receiving compensation for permanent injuries and building a case for such injuries.
If you have been hurt in an accident, you hope you won't have long-term injuries, but if you do, you want a settlement that can cover it. If you have been hurt and need help with your personal injury case, contact us today.
All across Illinois every weekend, thousands of unsuspecting home improvement enthusiasts unwittingly put themselves and their families at risk by using common solvents and products.
You are spending a Saturday afternoon finally stripping the paint off the bedroom floor. Little do you know that the product you are using to strip those stubborn layers of old paint could kill you. There lurking on the storeroom shelves are products containing a highly-toxic chemical known as methylene chloride, also called Dichloromethane (DCM). Methylene chloride identified by its Chemical Abstract Number: 75-09-2 is a volatile, colorless liquid with a sweet-smelling odor. If the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is advising its workers to avoid products containing methylene chloride, then why does the general public still have access to these products?
Methylene chloride is a chlorinated solvent used in a variety of industries and applications. It is primarily used in paint removers but also is used in aerosol formulations, in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, as a degreasing agent, in metal cleaning, in electronics manufacturing and as an ethane foam blowing agent. The Environmental Protection Agency states that paint and coating removal poses some of the highest exposures among the various uses of methylene chloride.
Increased airborne exposure without proper safety equipment can cause suffocation, loss of consciousness, coma and sudden death.
May lead to early onset heart attacks and arrhythmias in workers with heart disease due to an increase in carbon monoxide.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) warns that if a worker smells methylene chloride, then he/she has already been overexposed because methylene chloride cannot be smelled until the level in the air is higher than OSHA's permissible exposure limits (25 ppm (parts per million) in an 8-hour time-weighted average or 125 ppm in a period of 15 minutes (short-term exposure limit)).
WARNING: Contains Methylene Chloride. INHALATION OF VAPOR CAN KILL YOU. DO NOT USE IN ENCLOSED AREAS such as basements, bathrooms or closets. SYMPTOMS MAY NOT BE NOTICEABLE. Avoid contact with eyes or skin, as severe irritation can occur.
DANGER! POISON. VAPOR EXTREMELY HARMFUL. MAY BE FATAL IF USED IN ENCLOSED AND UNVENTILATED AREAS. USE ONLY WITH ADEQUATE VENTILATION TO PREVENT BUILDUP OF VAPORS. MAY BE FATAL OR CAUSE BLINDNESS IF SWALLOWED. EYE & SKIN IRRITANT. Do not use in areas where vapors can accumulate and concentrate such as basements, bathrooms, bathtubs, closets or other small enclosed areas. Whenever possible use outdoors in an open air area. If using indoors open all windows and doors and maintain a cross ventilation of moving fresh air across the work area and across floor. IF STRONG ODOR IS NOTICED OR YOU EXPERIENCE DIZZINESS, EYE-WATERING, OR HEADACHE – STOP! VENTILATION IS INADEQUATE. LEAVE AREA IMMEDIATELY, AND GET FRESH AIR. IF THE WORK AREA IS NOT WELL-VENTILATED, DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT. IF used properly, a respirator may offer additional protection. Obtain professional advice before using. Cannot be made non-poisonous.
Methylene Chloride has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Reports have associated repeated and prolonged over-exposure to solvents with neurological and other physiological damage. The risk to your health depends on the level and duration of exposure. Intentional misuse of this product by deliberating concentrating and inhaling vapors can be harmful or fatal. Avoid breathing vapors or mist and contact with skin, eyes and clothing. Do not swallow.
SAFETY DIRECTIONS: USE OUTDOORS IN AN OPEN AREA. It is dangerous to use this product indoors. If you must use indoors, cross-ventilate work area by opening all windows and doors and circulating fresh air through the work area to reduce vapor accumulations. Always wear chemical-splash goggles and chemical-resistant gloves when handling this product. A dust mask does not provide protection against vapors.
Gloves made of polyethylene vinyl alcohol(PVA)/ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), or other laminate materials that are resistant to methylene chloride (required regardless of methylene chloride levels). LATEX, NITRATE, NEOPRENE AND POLYETHYLENE GLOVES DO NOT PROTECT AGAINST METHYLENE CHLORIDE. BUTYL RUBBER GLOVES DO NOT MEET THE REQUIREMNET OF THE OSHA METHYLENE CHLORIDE STANDARD BECAUSE THEY DEGRADE IN LESS THAN 1 HOUR.
OSHA requires workers to wear a full-face atmosphere-supplying respirator when engineering and work practice controls cannot decrease methylene chloride levels below OSHA's permissible exposure limits.
A 2015 study conducted by the Center for Public Integrity determined that methylene chloride exposure was responsible for approximately 56 deaths since 1980. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted its own risk assessment of methylene chloride in paint stripping uses in 2014 and had proposed to ban the consumer and commercial paint stripping uses in January 2017. However, in June 2017, the EPA announced that it would not re-evaluate the paint stripping uses of methylene chloride. An EPA News release of May 10, 2018 announced that: (1) The EPA intends to finalize the methylene chloride rulemaking; (2) The EPA is not re-evaluating the paint stripping uses of methylene chloride and is relying on its previous risk assessments and (3) The EPA is working to send the finalized rulemaking to the EPA'S Office of Management and Budget (OMB) shortly.
Methylene chloride is one of 10 specific chemicals that the EPA chose to evaluate for changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act of June 2016. The new rules would require when a chemical poses an unreasonable risk that the EPA be required to take action within two years, with a possible extension of four years. If the chemical is assessed as unreasonably dangerous, then phaseouts and bans of this chemical must occur within five years of that assessment.
On May 6, 2009, the European Parliament passed Decision 455/2009/EC which banned the use of methylene chloride in paint strippers by private persons and commercial entities. Industrial uses are the exceptions to the decision but all products must be labeled accordingly.
News media have reported that Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, Sherwin-Williams, Menards, Ace and Truce Value will no longer sell paint strippers made with methylene chloride or N-methyle-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) in its United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America stores and will cease the selling of these products on its e-commerce sites as of February 2019.
An often overlooked cause of injury in Illinois is pedestrian and vehicle accidents.
Many cities across Illinois, including Champaign-Urbana, are taking measures to increase bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Most pedestrian traffic is centralized in a downtown area, however motorists are well-served to keep a lookout for pedestrians on all roadways.
n that some drivers simply do not pay proper attention to pedestrians. This problems presents itself in almost every city in Illinois. While drivers should share in the responsibility of ensuring that pedestrians get to their destinations safely, there are several things that you can do as a pedestrian to decrease your chances of getting hurt.
Use sidewalks when they are available. When there are no sidewalks available, walk on the far left side of the road. You will be out of the way of traffic, and you will be able to see oncoming traffic better.
Always cross at crosswalks when they are available. When possible, you may even want to cross at a stop light that has pedestrian lights. Do not cross the street until it is safe to do so even if you should have the right-of-way.
Make yourself visible to drivers. One of the big keys is that you should never suddenly come out from behind something, such as a parked vehicle or even some bushes by the side of the road. If drivers can't see that you plan to cross the street, they will not know to stop for you. Being visible to drivers also includes wearing bright clothing during the day. At night or during bad weather, you should wear reflective clothing. For extra safety, especially if you are walking in a poorly-lit area, you may want to also use a flashlight.
Always look both ways before crossing the street, and teach your children to do so as well.
Never assume that a driver has seen you. Even if you have the right-of-way, make sure all drivers have stopped before you attempt to cross the street. You may even want to make eye contact with drivers to ensure that they have seen you and that they know that you plan to cross the street.
Consider the weather and adapt accordingly. If visibility is reduced because of rain, snow, fog, or other weather conditions, you will want to be extra careful when crossing the street. Wet or icy roads may also make it harder to safely cross the street.
Get rid of distractions. Yes, that means you should put your cell phone down. You should also avoid walking with headphones on or while reading a book. When walking, you should always be a fully alert pedestrian.
Unfortunately, some drivers do not always pay attention to pedestrians. Automobile on pedestrian accidents keep hospital emergency rooms crowded in Illinois. If you are a pedestrian who was injured in an automobile accident caused by an inattentive driver, contact us.
The Illinois Consumer Fraud Act is aimed at allowing victims of fraud in Illinois to recover monetarily, and to punish those actors who commit fraud. Recently, Illinois Fraud scams are targeting entrepreneurs.
The Illinois' Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act was implemented to protect product buyers from personal damages. As more citizens in Champaign Urbana and throughout the Illinois are taking advantage of the opportunity to gain additional income or pursue their dream of business ownership, it is becoming more prevalent that entrepreneurs and small business owners, as well as individuals are opening themselves up to becoming the victim. While the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act covers a variety of actions, the so-called distant-buyer scam is beginning to proliferate due to the rise of internet commerce.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE actions considered as fraud under the Illinois consumer fraud act?
False advertising across all media channels. This includes the internet, print, and even the phone.
False or misleading statements made by salespeople on the phone, the internet, or in person.
False or misleading marketing materials.
Concealing relevant information or facts about a particular good or service.
The eager Illinois entrepreneur that is seeking quick business ideas on a budget often steer towards resale-based business ventures. To begin their customer base, these new business owners hit the internet to promote and sell their products. These inexperienced business owners are often encountered with the distant buyer scam.
The distant buyer scam occurs when an unknown buyer sends the business an inquiry on one or more products that it sells. Typically, the product that the buyer wants to purchase carries a high ticket price. The buyer offers to pay more for the product than what the seller is asking and insists on sending their own shipper to pick up the product. In these events the buyer does send a legitimate looking check or money order that increases the level of trust the seller has. The seller is instructed to send the additional funds to the shipper, often to a P.O. Box. The seller is then out the product and the money as their bank collects the funds from the business or individual's account to cover the fraudulent check or money order when it doesn't clear.
If you are one of Illinois' home business owners that suspects you have encountered a distant buyer scammer, Illinois Consumer Protection and Fraud attorneys can help you. These professionals are able to assist you with reporting the occurrence with the proper authorities and federal agencies. They have the knowledge and expertise to begin research into your case which offers a better chance of finding the culprits that have caused you the loss. Should a suspect or suspects be found in your case, your attorney will begin the necessary proceedings to help you collect the monetary compensation you are due.
Save any correspondences you have received from the buyer.
Contact your local state police post and file a victim's report.
Contact an Illinois Consumer Protection and Fraud attorney.
Do not attempt to cash any check or money order regardless of how legitimate it may seem.
If your home business has experienced a loss or you are unsure of the legitimacy of a distant buyer, contact us and we will help you sort it out. You will have a better understanding of your rights and the scams which are lurking.
Ryan R Bradley is a civil litigator based in Champaign County Illinois focused on representing plaintiffs in a variety of cases form medical malpractice to automobile accidents.
Tom Koester is a civil litigator based in Champaign County in Central Illinois focused on representing the injured and victims of Medical Malpractice and Personal Injuries.


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Interactive Plenary & IIDIAS
Oral Presentation Session
Terms and Conditions for the NCRM NICHE 2022 Event
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I found an illustrator! – Say No to Kids!!
heatheranne1970@comcast.net June 10, 2016 June 10, 2016 Comments Off on I found an illustrator!
After years of having this book on my mind, and randomly asking people if they wanted to illustrate it or knew an illustrator I wasn't sure where the book would end up! I figured it just wasn't going to become a reality…and then, I found an illustrator!
Toward the end of last year my friend Carole shared a drawing/illustration that her stepdaughter Rosy had done for her. The character traits of the artwork were exactly what I wanted – whimsical and out of the norm of what people might be expecting!
In January of this year I happened to be at the house and said "You think Rosy wants to illustrate my book?" One thing led to another and by the 20th of January Rosy had sent me a couple of illustrations to see if that was the look I was going for, and now here we are in June trying to raise money via Kickstarter to get the book published.
Not only am I excited for my dream to come true – I love the idea of being able to help a 13 year get her illustrations published for the world to see!
This was the first one she created for me. It's perfect! It absolutely portrays what I was going for (you will have to wait for the published book to find out what this illustration means!
Keep following us here on the website, on Instagram and my new Facebook page for more information about how things are going with meeting our goal!


Beautiful and elegant Beach Blanket designed for everyday use as well as indoor decor. Perfect for a day at the beach, or can beautifully accent any room in the house. Inspired by those who live in the sun these blankets are designed to be durable, breathable and enjoyed!


text:
Клименовка, в 19 веке Гомольшанские Пасеки () — село,
Великогомольшанский сельский совет,
Змиёвский район,
Харьковская область, Украина.

Код КОАТУУ — 6321781503. Население по переписи 2001 года составляет 57 (27/30 м/ж) человек.

Географическое положение
Село Клименовка находится на северном склоне Гребенникова яра в большом лесном массиве (дуб) в 2-х км от села Пасеки и в 5-и км от села Великая Гомольша.

Рядом с селом проходит автомобильная дорога  и железная дорога, ближайшие станции Беспаловка (4 км) и Новоберекская (3 км).

История
 1640 — дата основания.
 В 1869 году хутор назывался Гомолшанские Пасеки.

Примечания

Ссылки
 Сайт Верховной рады Украины

Населённые пункты Змиёвского района

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Winery Colle Uncinano - Spoleto - Umbria
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"The theme of Integral Spiritual Center is teachers teaching teachers. And we wanted to put some of the finest teachers together and have them take turns teaching each other. And so the first person I asked to grace us doing this was Genpo and basically we locked everybody in a room for three days and shut the doors and I basically looked at Genpo at 8 o'clock on the first morning and said you've got eight hours to enlighten everybody in the room. Go. And he did. We did six hours of Big Mind Process... with people who are already pretty far along the old road."
"I wouldn't hesitate in saying that was one of the most extraordinary experiences of my entire life."
"What we discovered... was that we had disowned or suppressed a lot of qualities, a lot of aspects of ourself in order to train in such a disciplined way. And also in a way that didn't really allow for inclusion of anger and jealously and... a negative way of being. We didn't really include that. In fact, we were basically told not to get angry, it was wrong to be angry, it was one of the three poisons... It's wrong to be aggressive. There was a number of things. So what became clear was that we had a bunch of disowned aspects of ourself that were working on us in a covert way, meaning that they went underground, they were still present, but we're not aware of them. They're shadows, so we didn't see them. So I started to really work with the voice dialog process in '83 and we trained a number of us... and we got to a place where we really saw that this could compliment the tradition... And I worked on that for 16 years and then in 1999 I had a breakthrough in seeing how the technique... could actually open the door to The Transcendent, to help us drop the ego self and move into that no boundary, limitless place."
"All I know is that it is completely revitalized, rejuvenated, inspired me to continue to go deeper with students and the shift that I see possible with students after doing the traditional after all those years, almost 30 years, continues to blow my mind."
In this video clip Genpo Roshi speaks on the potential of the Big Mind Process and how it can awaken everyone regardless of their religious or spiritual level of experience. He speaks of the urgency in this day and age for all of us to awaken, meaning the ability to fully understand, embrace and transcend the personal and global paradigms.
"The Big Mind, since June of 1999, has really made that possible for the world and for anyone. Anyone who is willing to approach the Big Mind Process, within a very limited amount of time, like an hour, an hour and a half, can come to a state of awakening and raise their consciousness at least one level. Because awakening is ever presence. It is always possible for us as human beings to reach a new state of awareness simply be letting go of wherever we are at that moment -- wherever we are stuck.
"The Big Mind Process is really a non-invasive, non intrusive, non-intimidating way for everyone to get past their ego. What we do is we incorporate the ego, enlist the go to actually support us in our goal which is to go beyond the ego. And before we discovered the Big Mind Process, this somehow eluded us and wasn't possible. So as Ken Wilber sees it, as Bernie Glassman and myself all see it, in connection with the vast sky work, is that the Big Mind Process is going to really be at the forefront of our work in raising the level of consciousness on this planet.
"Ken is probably the best supporter of The Big Mind Process. In fact, he might even be a better supporter than I am. And I think it is because of his brilliance. He really sees the potentiality of this process. And it is far beyond just a kind of spiritual awakening. The possibilities of the Big Mind is to move into politics, into social action, into all kinds of work of mediation, even on a global level. If we could just get some of the nations right now who are at war to sit down together and do Big Mind, I think we could really do a very good thing. Of course getting them together is not so easy. It has the potential to do amazing work in psychotherapy, in psychoanalysis, in education, just in so many arenas. And I think Ken, having the kind of vision that Ken has, is able to really glimpse at the potential of what this means for the world. In fact, he calls it the next turning of the wheel of the Dharma -- the fourth turning of the wheel -- that this is going to be one of the key players in the turning of the wheel of the Dharma."
"Big Mind / Big Heart"
Let me state this as strongly as I can: the Big Mind Process (founded by Dennis Genpo Merzel Roshi) is arguably the most important and original discovery in the last two centuries of Buddhism. It is an astonishingly original, profound, and effective path for waking up, or seeing one's True Nature. It is such a simple and universal practice it can be used in any spiritual path you wish, or even just alone, by itself, as a practice for realizing your True Nature -- which you can call God, Allah, Jahweh, Brahman, Tao, Ein Sof -- it doesn't really matter, because the core of the Big Mind Process is Emptiness itself, which, having no specific content at all, can and does embrace anything that arises, integrating it all. What Dennis Genpo Roshi has done is not only the most original discovery in Buddhism in the last two centuries, it is unbelievably simple, quick, and effective. In Zen, this realization of one's True Nature, or Ultimate Reality, is called kensho or satori ("seeing into one's True Nature," or discovering Big Mind and Big Heart). It often takes five years or more of extremely difficult practice (I know, I've done it) in order for a profound satori to occur. With the Big Mind Process, a genuine kensho can occur in about an hour -- seriously. Once you get it, you can do it virtually any time you wish, and almost instantaneously. It is nothing less than the discovery of your True and Unique Self, Ultimately Reality, the Ground of All Being -- again, call it what you like, for "they call it Many which is really One."
But Genpo didn't work merely with Buddhism. He took some of the central discoveries of Western psychology -- particularly Voice Dialogue and subpersonalities -- and found an astonishingly effective way to integrate the best of the East (or simply the best of the contemplative traditions) -- which is finding one's True Nature and Infinite Self or Infinite-Empty Consciousness -- Big Mind itself -- satori itself! -- and then integrate that with some of the best of the West (namely, working not with infinite Reality but with finite reality and with finite selves, helping to make them conscious and then healed and wholed). The wondrous part is that he then found an easy and effective way to integrate the Infinite and the finite selves (again, using the overall Big Mind/Big Heart Process).
Big Mind Process works with your own mind, with your states of consciousness, just as they are now. What you don't know, if you haven't had a satori or awakening of some sort, is that right now, reading this page, is Big Mind, or God, or Spirit. And it is so close and so obvious that you can't see it. But Genpo, in this book (which is a simple handbook of how to do Big Mind/Big Heart practice yourself), will show you that part of your own awareness, right now, which is already enlightened, already one with Spirit, already fully awakened. And once you spot that, an entirely different world opens for you. The book you have in your hands right now will, I can almost guarantee it, open your mind's eye and show you how, in this very instant, Spirit is fully and completely present, looking through your eyes, listening with your ears, holding this book in its hands: right now! And it always has been, but it was too close to see, too obvious to notice, too simple to believe. This extraordinary discovery awaits you in this book.
Genpo did not include developmental psychology in this integration of the best of the East and West, and for a reason: it simply does not matter what stage of development you are at in order to do Big Mind Process. It works at virtually any major stage of development -- whether you are at magic, mythic, rational, pluralistic, integral, or super-integral: any stage can do Big Mind and awaken to the ever-present, all-pervading, infinite Reality of All Being (again, name it as you wish). But, if you want, you can study how these stages mesh with the states of Big Mind: Genpo Roshi is a founding member of Integral Spiritual Center (at Integral Institute), and has been instrumental in studying ways to fit together stages of consciousness with states of consciousness. Again, his work can be found at IntegralSpiritualCenter.org, and at his own website BigMind.org. And you can find all of this in a book that I happened to author, called Integral Spirituality.
But start here, with this book, and this simple but profound process, and be prepared to find your own True Self, possibly for the first time, but joyous in any event. And you will learn to integrate the finite or dualistic selves (the skeptic, the controller, the victim, the damaged child, the angry mind, the seeking mind, etc.) with the Infinite or Non-dual Self in its many displays (Big Mind, Big Heart, Integrated Feminine/Masculine, Great Joy, Great Gratitude, Integrated Free-Functioning -- the Ultimate Goal). A genuine taste of all of this awaits your reading pleasure, my friend, and I am happy and hopeful for you that you will simply relax the mind, rest in the present, let your consciousness go free, for it has no walls—and then read this book, or simply let it soak into you, let the words wash through you, and soon enough, that "you" will be "YOU" -- which is to say, I AMness, your own True, Infinite, and Eternal Nature: "before Abraham was, I AM." This book is truly a handbook of Awakening to I AMness, which is already looking out of your eyes right now.
I am adding my own blessings to these wonderful words of awakening that this book contains, and may the merit of all of this be dedicated to sentient beings everywhere, that they too may wake up and discover who, and what, they really are. In that awakening, suffering can find no purchase; in that enlightenment, hatred and anger can find no home; gratitude and joy inexplicably arise in their place, dancing wildly in the deepest clarity and most astonishing thankfulness, all of which together provide an endless fountain of awakened joy, happiness, compassion, and wisdom, pouring out of your mind and your heart (now your Big Mind and Big Heart), and into the world in a gushing and uncontrollably overflowing superabundance of radiance, release, bliss, luminosity, celebration, and joy.
Now look at me, my friend, and listen, please, I'm truly serious: isn't it time for you to wake up? How long have you been lost in this dream? Can't you feel the wisdom holders shaking you, saying, "Wake up, please, this is just a dream!" You know this, don't you? You know that in the deepest part of your being, you can wake up, don't you? You have been searching for how long now? Well, it is time for the Great Search to end. As long as you are searching, you are looking for a future moment that will be better than this moment, but it is this moment that holds the entire key: why are you running away from your own awakening?
So stop searching, take a breath, and start reading this manual for Awakening to the present moment, and I think you will never be able to look back. And then, if you and I ever meet, we will know each other, won't we? With a twinkle in your eye, a slight smile on your face, a radiance in your heart, you and I will look into the eyes of each other and see the one and only Self, Big Mind, Big Heart, and the days and nights of the endless search will have lost its dreadfully painful meaning.
And we will have Dennis Genpo Merzel Roshi to thank, for discovering a simple and original process of Awakening right now. And so I offer the deepest bow to Genpo, offer the merit to all sentient beings, and into your hands, with infinite blessings, I now pass on this extraordinary book to you.


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More Changes for Facebook Admins: Text Updates Won't Work as Well Anymore
January 22, 2014 by Kami Huyse 6 Comments
Facebook has two goals:
To make more money from companies and organizations who maintain Facebook Pages by selling advertising
To drive more use of the platform by those who use it in order to do more of #1
What if testing concluded that you could accomplish both of these goals with one change?
That is exactly what Facebook announced it would do today when it said that it would boost text status updates for regular users while degrading the same type of updates from brand and user pages.
"Through testing, we have found that when people see more text status updates on Facebook they write more status updates themselves. In fact, in our initial test when we showed more status updates from friends it led to on average 9 million more status updates written each day. Because of this, we showed people more text status updates in their News Feed.
Over time, we noticed that this effect wasn't true for text status updates from Pages. As a result, the latest update to News Feed ranking treats text status updates from Pages as a different category to text status updates from friends. … Page admins can expect a decrease in the distribution of their text status updates, but they may see some increases in engagement and distribution for other story types."
Emphasis is mine.
Latest Facebook Changes Impact Status Updates for Brand Pages
It is no secret that Facebook often changes its algorithm for what it shows users in their newsfeed, leaving marketers who prefer (or can only afford) to use an organic approach scrambling for how to keep up with the changes. Early last year, my colleague Julie Pippert started talking to me about the tactical approaches that Page Managers were taking to be seen on Facebook. And late last year, Facebook finally admitted that pages will more and more need to pay to be seen. A Facebook advertising presentation obtained by AdAge revealed that, "marketers should think about fan acquisition: as a tool for making paid advertising more effective."
One of the approaches that has been working for many page administrators is to use text updates instead of link updates. Admins would drop in a link, then delete the auto generated photo by pressing the "X" in the top right corner (see photo above with the "X" circled in red). They would then type the status update with the link embedded. For a time, these updates, as well as uploaded photos that contained a link, performed better in terms of reach than the auto generated "link-tool" on Facebook.
In their latest announcement, Facebook said this would no longer work as a tactic. Instead they recommend that Page Mangers use the auto-generated, link-share status from now on. See the quote below:
"The best way to share a link after this update will be to use a link-share, so it looks like the one below. We've found that, as compared to sharing links by embedding in status updates, these posts get more engagement (more likes, comments, shares and clicks) and they provide a more visual and compelling experience for people seeing them in their feeds."
Build Relationships, Test and Boost Posts
Ten minutes after posting these identically worded updates, the old way of doing things was still working. 121 people saw the link without the preview while only 33 people saw the text-only post. An hour after the post, this still held true. 303 people had seen the text-only post with the embedded link, while the photo generated update was only seen by 224 people. For now it seems this change has still not rolled out, but I have no doubt that it WILL over the next few days.
So what should you do as a page manager?
On a weekly basis check which post type (Link, Status Update, Photo, Video, etc.) is driving the most action, such as clicks, likes, comments, and shares.
Also, check which types of posts get the most reach.
If you are using the Boost button to pay for extended reach, you can go a step further by comparing your organic performance against paid performance.
Keep up with what Facebook says, but continue to do more of whatever seems to working for your page.
Don't get stuck in a rut, things change.
In a conversation about this topic on my personal Facebook page, Robert Taylor, whom I met through social media and have interacted with on behalf of a brand, wrote the following:
"Personally, I rarely care for Pages updates even from pages I truly like. I use FB for friends, mainly. So; I'm in favor of this change. As to the link-share style vs embedded or attached link: I agree the link-share example in the post is more appealing. Note: I don't use FB for brand engagement on any level. I think I'm pretty much in the majority in that."
He went on to say,
"I'm really good at ignoring ads, once I learn how they're positioned in a page. When it comes to brand engagement I actually prefer engaging with someone at a brand name company rather than an official (faceless) account. True even if said person mainly promotes brand-related material."
I add this conversation in as a postscript to this post because as marketers and public relations professionals it is easy to get fed up with the endless changes (or roadblocks) that Facebook seems to throw up to make our engagement with fans harder and harder – unless we pay to boost our posts. However, those fans who we want to reach care less about messages/posts and more about learning what they need to know in a timely fashion. The biggest losers in this battle are the small, hyper-local business owners and nonprofits, all who are blocked the same way a megabrand might be, and all who have to compete with much deeper pockets to be seen.
How will you deal with continued changes at Facebook?
Filed Under: How To, Social Networks Tagged With: Facebook


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