text:
Germany Wants to Get Rid of Russian Oil by the End of 2022
By Daniel Jones On Apr 12, 2022
It is no secret that Europe imports oil and gas from the Russian Federation. However, the war in Ukraine underlined the importance of the topic. Last week, the European Union announced a fifth packet of sanctions against Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine. The bloc continues to take measures against the country. Besides sanctioning individuals as well as restricting shipping, the bloc's packet included a ban on Russian coal imports from August onwards.
According to the German Association of Coal Importers, in 2021, Germany imported 41.1 million tons of coal.
About half of Germany's hard coal (used for heating) and three-quarters of its steam coal (used for power production) come from Russia. Last year, Europe's largest economy paid Russia about 2.2 billion euros ($2.4 billion). Overall, Europe annually buys about 8 billion euros ($8 billion) worth of coal from the Russian Federation.
The region buys about 20 million euros ($21.84 million) worth of coal from Russia daily. However, Europe spends hundreds of millions of euros a day on Russian oil and gas.
The government of Germany has confirmed its willingness to get rid of Russian energy altogether. Still, the federal economy ministry said it might take a while in a statement last month.
The country says it wants to completely phase out coal from Russia by autumn. Moreover, by the end of the year, Germany plans to get rid of Russian oil as well.
Russian oil and India
Germany is working hard to adapt to the new reality. India is not ready to change its position regarding Russia and its oil.
On Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that buying more oil from Russia was not in India's interest and could complicate the U.S. response to the war in Ukraine.
India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar expressed his opinion on Monday. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, at a news conference on Monday, pushed back against a question on India's energy purchases from Russia, saying the focus should be on Europe, not India.
India tried to balance its ties with Russia and the West. However, unlike other members of the Quad countries, it has not imposed sanctions on Russia.
Attracted by steep discounts following Western sanctions on Russian companies, the country bought at least 13 million barrels of Russian crude oil in less than two months. For example, India bought 16 million barrels for the whole of last year.
China's crude oil imports in March
China is the biggest crude importer in the world. In March, it brought in 10.88 million barrels per day, up from a four-month low of 9.51 million barrels per day in February.
The jump in March can be largely attributed to increased demand from refiners as pollution restrictions were lifted after the Winter Olympics in Beijing and fuel demand increased following the Lunar New Year holidays.
However, the situation in China is quite complicated. There are a number of question marks over the strength of fuel demand in China. The biggest issue is the Covid-19 pandemic in China. Authorities in major cities are trying to limit the spread of the virus.
One way to improve the situation is to export more oil. It is worth mentioning that the country reduced export quotas in its first allotment for 2022, cutting them by 56% to 13 million tons, as part of efforts to cut pollution and ensure domestic supplies.
Another bearish factor is that retail gasoline prices are at their highest levels in a very long time, further discouraging drivers already wary of traveling due to the pandemic, even in cities not under lockdown.
Chinese EconomyCommodity PricesCOVID-19 PandemicGlobal EconomyIndian EconomyOil PricesOPEC
Russia Has Defaulted on Its International Obligations
Still Bearish Stocks?
Fuel Oil Stockpiles Fall
Palm Oil Shipments From Indonesia Dropped By 8.5%
Robust Corn Barge Bids And Steady Soy
Gold Prices Drop, Limiting Losses With A Weaker Dollar


A quiet seaside retreat between the mountains and the sea, with only seven miles to lake Windermere, Grange-over-Sands is perfectly positioned for a great day out. Its Edwardian character makes for a pretty town scene and there are plenty of central shops to explore.
Reserve a cheap parking spot in advance with YourParkingSpace, so you can enjoy Grange-over-Sands hassle-free. You can even do this on the go, by downloading our free app.
Got access to empty parking spaces in Grange-over-Sands? Register your driveway, parking space or lock-up garage with us. It's free to list and takes just two minutes. Sit back, relax and watch the bookings roll in.
Got space in or near Grange-over-Sands?
List your space in Grange-over-Sands - it's free!


ANZPAA reports to the ANZPAA Board which is comprised of Police Commissioners of Australia and New Zealand and the ACT Chief Police Officer. ANZPAA is also responsible for progressing work on behalf of the Australia New Zealand Council of the Police Profession (ANZCoPP).
ANZCoPP is comprised of the Police Commissioners as well the presidents of the Police Federation of Australia (PFA) and the New Zealand Police Association (NZPA).


Angry workers have criticised the lack of support after they were hit by redundancy at Teesside car retailer South Cleveland Garages.
Receiver PricewaterhouseCoopers revealed 255 workers of firm's 300-strong workforce would lose their jobs because of the failure to find a buyer for the company.
Workers have been left reeling by the announcement yesterday, and say no help has been provided to find other work.
However, Government agencies say plans are now being drawn up to assist employees.
South Cleveland Garages, which has seven sites across Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Darlington, went into administrative receivership last week with all but a core workforce of 35 sent home last Friday.
Eric Ward, 41, of Skelton, had worked for the company for more than nine years in its parts department at the Rover Hyundai dealership, on the Trunk Road, Middlesbrough.
He said: "Everybody was absolutely shocked. We went into the meeting and were expecting to be told a buyer had been found for the company and we could return to work on Monday, but instead we were told we were being made redundant.
"The jobs have gone from across the company. The remaining people have been told they are completing admin until the end of the month and then that will be it unless there is a buyer.
"We thought there would be job agencies on hand to give us some advice, but we were just handed a leaflet, told to fill in a form and then told to go home."
But Government officials said work was under way to provide support for staff. A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said its JobCentre Plus organisation had a rapid response team to deal with sudden major redundancies.
He said: "The team will speak to all interested parties on Monday to find out how best we can help those affected. We are moving very quickly but realise that different employees will need different help, with some needing assistance to find new work and some requiring advice of skills and training."
PricewaterhouseCoopers said it was continuing to hold talks with interested bidders in an attempt to rescue the company.
A deadline for offers expired on Wednesday, but receivers yesterday admitted no buyer for the overall company had been found.


Young@Nor-Shipping will again be part of the official Nor-Shipping week (4 to 7 June 2019). In the period leading up to Nor-Shipping 2019, YoungShip Oslo will present to its member and other interested parties, through events and news articles, the life cycle of a ship from its pre-construction phase to its recycling.
Phase one is as of today officially initiated, and will kick off with a interactive workshop at Lloyd's Register on 24 May 2018 where we will learn about the classification society's role in the vessel's first phase: Back to the Future: Classification - Who?, Why?, What?, Where? and When? Click here for more information and to sign up for the event.


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Spring Review | Cards' LBs a stout group
Louisville position series continues with Fields, Kelsey, Thomas, Young and the linebackers
Spring Review | Cards' LBs a stout group Louisville position series continues with Fields, Kelsey, Thomas, Young and the linebackers Check out this story on courier-journal.com: http://cjky.it/1TeQBje
Steve Jones, @stevejones_cj Published 11:48 a.m. ET May 13, 2016 | Updated 4:56 p.m. ET May 14, 2016
U of L's Stacy Thomas, #32, center, runs through drills during practice. Apr. 5, 2016(Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr.; The C-J)Buy Photo
The position-by-position look at the University of Louisville football roster after spring practice continues with an examination of the linebackers. You can read previous installments about the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and offensive line and defensive line.
RETURNING PLAYERS
(*Projected starters)
*OLB DeVonte Fields, Sr., 6-4, 245: Former TCU standout pass rusher excelled in the second half of last season and tied for third in in the FBS in tackles for loss (22.5), first in tackles for loss per game (1.73) and 11th in sacks (11). His 64 total tackles were fourth-most on U of L's team. Held out of contact drills in spring after a shoulder operation.
*ILB Keith Kelsey, Sr., 6-1, 236: Already a two-year starter, he was first-team All-ACC in 2015 while leading the Cardinals and tying for No. 8 in the ACC with 107 tackles. He was third on the team with 12 tackles for loss.
*ILB Stacy Thomas, Jr., 6-1, 225: Former four-star recruit stepping into spot vacated by James Burgess. Has extensive game experience, including leading U of L with 11 tackles in bowl game against Texas A&M after Burgess was ejected on first play. Also has been U of L's top special teams coverage player, and had 31 tackles last season.
*OLB Trevon Young, Sr., 6-4, 243: Was second on the team with 8.5 sacks, all coming during a four-game midseason stretch. Suffered a fractured and dislocated hip in the bowl game, putting his 2016 season in jeopardy.
OLB James Hearns, Jr., 6-3, 250: Former four-star and national top-150 recruit is a pass-rushing specialist who also plays defensive end and looks poised to challenge for a first-string spot at whichever position he's labeled. Had 12 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, last season.
OLB Jonathan Greenard, R-Fr., 6-4, 252: Redshirted last season but got all first-team reps this spring while Fields and Young were out and looked like a capable contributor.
ILB Isaac Stewart, So., 6-2, 245: Made seven tackles, mostly on special teams, as a redshirt freshman last season. Positioned to be primary backup at inside linebacker positions.
ILB Amonte Caban, R-Fr., 6-1, 248: Former four-star recruit was a volume tackler in high school, then redshirted last season, and he has added 22 pounds, according to official 2015 roster. He and Stewart ran with No. 2 defense all spring.
OLB Henry Famurewa, R-So., 6-2, 256: Didn't play last year but could be part of the rotation at outside linebacker and defensive end.
OLB Finesse Middleton, R-Jr., 5-11, 242: Played in one game last year.
NEWCOMER TO WATCH
Junior-college transfer Gary McCrae (6-4, 220), who's expected to arrive in August, was a four-star University of Georgia signee in 2015 but didn't qualify and ended up at East Mississippi Community College, where he has taken enough classes to finish his requirements in just one year. McCrae had only seven tackles in 2015 as a defensive end but is said to be better suited to be a standup, pass-rushing outside linebacker, like U of L uses. And he became an intriguing late addition to U of L's 2016 class, committing on signing day. If Young is unable to return full strength this season, McCrae, who has three years of eligibility left, could be called into action early.
REASONS FOR OPTIMISM
The return of Fields and Kelsey, who both considered an early jump to the NFL draft, will provide the Cards with two of the best defensive players in the ACC. Fields had a slow start to the season after arriving from junior college right before fall camp began, but he was dominant during the second half of the season. His 22.5 tackles for loss were second-most in U of L history. Perhaps motivated by a poor showing in the midseason loss to Florida State, Fields went on to record 18 tackles for loss over the final seven games, and his average of 2.6 tackles for loss per game during that stretch far exceeded his national-leading season average. With a season of experience in U of L's system and a summer of conditioning that he didn't get in 2015, expectations will be high for Fields to have a big-time season that could make him a coveted 2017 draft prospect.
Kelsey, meanwhile, is a stabilizing force and consistent playmaker in the middle of the field, and he would figure to be among the ACC's leading tacklers again. The loss of Kelsey's longtime running mate Burgess would be a concern if not for Thomas' solid play. There was little drop-off for Louisville when Thomas was called into action against Kentucky (after Kelsey was hurt) and Texas A&M. He tied for the lead in tackles (7.5) and tackles for loss (2.5) in the spring game for the first-string Red team.
REASONS FOR CONCERN
Coach Bobby Petrino said Young's recovery from major hip surgery on Dec. 31 has been encouraging, and maybe he'll be able to play this season. However, given the severity of his injury and the multi-month rehab process, it's still too early to tell if Louisville will have him at or near full strength this season. If it doesn't, that's a significant loss. Young was a force in 2015 for a month-long stretch against Florida State (two sacks), Boston College (three sacks), Wake Forest (three sacks) and Syracuse (half-sack and interception). If he returns, he and Fields would be a daunting duo for any offensive line.
This is a strong group. Fields is an elite pass rusher. Kelsey is a reliable leader, and Thomas appears to be a more-than-adequate replacement for Burgess. So U of L's linebackers should be as formidable as just about anybody's in the ACC. If Young can return to provide even more of a pass-rushing threat, the group is even better. And even if he can't, U of L has some nice options with a combination of Hearns, Greenard and McCrae playing the rush end/OLB positions.
Denny Crum is making significant progress since his second stroke
Could 'The Tornado' become the first UFC fighter from Louisville?
We've finally got a date for 2019's U of L vs. UK basketball game
4-star center Zach Loveday remains Louisville target
Eating 10 times a day? What the heck are the Cards chowing down on?
Louisville prep star takes long road to college basketball

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: How to get users from a existing database for identityServer4 i try to understand how i can bind users (email, password, firstname, lastname and os on) which are stored in an existing database (located: localhost:3306) into my identityserver4 project so that i can use these information to login a user or register a new user into that database?
I read some tutorials (specially http://docs.identityserver.io/en/release/quickstarts/8_entity_framework.html) but i think this is always for db in the same project. my db isn´t in the same project.
In this context i read about asp.net-core Identity. but i don´t understand completely how that´s related.
Can someone tell me how can i bind a db in my project and what´s the role of identity with application User and so on?
thanks in advance

A: This article is more relevant to your situation. The one you linked is for configuration data and not for user data:
http://docs.identityserver.io/en/release/quickstarts/6_aspnet_identity.html
In short, you want to access your user data through Asp.Net Core Identity.
You need to:

*

*Make a user class containing the relevant fields as your database

*Create an EntityFramework DbContext class to map your database to your class

*Register your user class and dbcontext with aspnet core identity

*Tell IdentityServer to use AspNetIdentity

This is what your Startup ConfigureServices method might look like once implemented. Not pictured here is the DbContext and User classes you need to make.
public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
{
    // Add framework services.
    services.AddEntityFramework()
        .AddSqlServer()
        .AddDbContext<YourUserStoreDbContextHere>(options =>
            options.UseSqlServer(Configuration["Data:DefaultConnection:ConnectionString"]));

    services.AddIdentity<YourUserClassHere, YourRoleClassHereIfAny>()
        .AddEntityFrameworkStores<YourUserStoreDbContextHere>()
        .AddDefaultTokenProviders();

    services.AddIdentityServer()
        // Other config here
        .AddAspNetIdentity<YourUserClassHere>();
}

Refer to the docs on AspNet Identity for details on configuring your user class and dbcontext: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/security/authentication/identity

A: You need to implement your own UserStore (example)
public async Task<TapkeyUser> ValidateCredentialsAsync(string username, string password)
{
      //This is pseudo-code implement your DB logic here
      if (database.query("select id from users where username = username and password = password")
      {
           return new User(); //return User from Database here
      } else {
           return null;
      }
}

And use this in your AccountController:
    [HttpPost]
    [ValidateAntiForgeryToken]
    public async Task<IActionResult> Login(LoginInputModel model)
    {
        if (ModelState.IsValid)
        {
            // use our custom UserStore here
 -------->  if (_users.ValidateCredentials(model.Username, model.Password))
            {
                AuthenticationProperties props = null;
                // only set explicit expiration here if persistent.
                // otherwise we reply upon expiration configured in cookie middleware.
                if (AccountOptions.AllowRememberLogin && model.RememberLogin)
                {
                    props = new AuthenticationProperties
                    {
                        IsPersistent = true,
                        ExpiresUtc = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow.Add(AccountOptions.RememberMeLoginDuration)
                    };
                };

                // issue authentication cookie with subject ID and username
                var user = _users.FindByUsername(model.Username);
                await _events.RaiseAsync(new UserLoginSuccessEvent(user.Username, user.SubjectId, user.Username));
                await HttpContext.Authentication.SignInAsync(user.SubjectId, user.Username, props);

                // make sure the returnUrl is still valid, and if yes - redirect back to authorize endpoint or a local page
                if (_interaction.IsValidReturnUrl(model.ReturnUrl) || Url.IsLocalUrl(model.ReturnUrl))
                {
                    return Redirect(model.ReturnUrl);
                }

                return Redirect("~/");
            }

            await _events.RaiseAsync(new UserLoginFailureEvent(model.Username, "invalid credentials"));

            ModelState.AddModelError("", AccountOptions.InvalidCredentialsErrorMessage);
        }

        // something went wrong, show form with error
        var vm = await _account.BuildLoginViewModelAsync(model);
        return View(vm);
    }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Q: Not able to pass option parameter in Legacy Flows in Datahub 5.2 I am using Legacy Flows in Datahub 5.2 and passing parameter for harmonization in gradle command.
When I am passing parameter like -Pdhf.source, I am getting error like:

Task '.source=ABC' not found in root project

How can I fix this?


text:
Ole Paus (* 24. Oktober 1846 in Skien; † 20. März 1931 in Bygdø, Oslo) () war ein norwegischer Stahlgroßhändler, Fabrikbesitzer und Bankdirektor.

Leben
Er gründete 1872 die Eisen- und Stahlunternehmen Ole Paus. Ab 1897 war er Mitglied der Direktion der Den norske Creditbank (heute DNB ASA) und ab 1903 deren Sprecher. Von 1910 bis 1918 war er Präsident der Eisenunion. Außerdem war er Mitglied des Stadtrates von Oslo und Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrates der Zeitung Morgenbladet.

Als Sohn des Reeders und Bankdirektors Christopher Blom Paus aus Skien und Erasmine Ernst aus Kopenhagen gehörte er der Familie Paus an,  Henrik Ibsen war sein Vetter. Er war mit Birgitte Halvordine Schou (1848–1923), einer Cousine des Großindustriellen Halvor Schou, verheiratet.

Er war Vater des Generalkonsuls und Gutsbesitzers Thorleif Paus und des Großhändlers Christopher Blom Paus. Seine Tochter Martha Marie Paus (* 1876) war mit dem Adelshistoriker Otto von Munthe af Morgenstierne verheiratet und seine Tochter Else Margrethe Paus (* 1885) mit ihrem entfernten Cousin, dem Fabrikbesitzer Nicolay Nissen Paus. Er war Großvater des Generals Ole Paus und Urgroßvater des Musikers Ole Paus.

Die "Villa Paus" auf Bygdø wurde 1907 für ihn gebaut.

Literatur
 "Paus, Ole". In: Hvem er Hvem?, 1912, S. 204
 Aftenposten 1931.03.20

Industrieller
Unternehmer (19. Jahrhundert)
Unternehmer (20. Jahrhundert)
Ole
Norweger
Geboren 1846
Gestorben 1931
Mann

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Clemson Baseball
Roper's homer carries Tigers
Doug Roper hit a game-winning two-run homer down the right field line in the top of the ninth to propel Clemson to a 6-4 victory over eighth-ranked South Carolina at Sarge Frye Field on Apr. 1.
The homer was only Roper's second of his career and came off USC closer Jason Pomar, who entered the game allowing only one earned run in more than 24 innings pitched. The home run also came when he was 7 for his last 40 (.175) at the plate. Kurt Bultmann and Peter Nystrom also added homers for Clemson.
Starter Matt White had a strong outing, going 7.1 innings and allowing four runs. Closer Scott Clackum (4-0) picked up the win in relief by pitching the final 1.2 innings and getting Ryan Bordenick to groundout with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to end the game. With the win, Clemson improves its record against SEC teams in 1998 to 3-0 (Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina).
Clemson Announces Signing Class
2019 Season Review
Davidson Named ACC Baseball Scholar-Athlete-of-the-Year
Clemson Baseball Timeline


When 16-year-old Chelsea Wilder stumbles along to a doctor's appointment with her stepmom, she expects only one thing: relief. Feverish from the pneumonia that's making her miserable, she can't wait to get some strong medicine and collapse back into bed. In the meantime, she's huddled in the backseat of her family's new Escalade trying to sleep while her stepmom fills her prescription at a nearby pharmacy. It's supposed to be a quick stop. Then, home to bed. Only the person who climbs into the driver's seat is a stranger. And his destination is definitely not her house.
Chelsea can't see her abductor, but she can hear the hesitation in his voice, smell his anxiety, and sense his panic. Legally blind since the car accident that killed her mother, Chelsea's been training herself to pick up non-verbal clues from everything around her. The vibe she gets from the car thief is that he's young, scared and just as flummoxed by the situation as she is. Still, Chelsea knows she can't rely on the hesitant promises of a thief. Will he really let her go as soon as he strips the car? She's not going to wait around and find out. She may be blind, sick and terrified, but, she's not helpless. Not yet.
As the situation worsens - she's trapped in an isolated house in the woods, her temperature's spiking, and her kidnappers are asking her wealthy father for a ransom - Chelsea tries to coax her captor into freeing her. Griffin's only a pawn in his dad's greedy games, after all. He still has a heart, which means she should be able to wrangle herself into it. But helping Chelsea would mean betraying his family, risking prison, and losing out on a whole lot of cold, hard cash. Can Chelsea convince him to help her or will he leave her to his cohorts, all of whom are nastier than even Griffin can imagine?
Despite the blindness angle, Girl, Stolen, a new novel by April Henry is a pretty typical abduction story. It unfolds with the usual bumbling criminals making a mess of things while a resourceful victim figures out how to save herself with the help of a sympathetic captor. That may be spoilerish, but it's also pretty obvious from the get-go. The book just doesn't hold a lot of surprises, which is unfortunate because the idea of a sightless teenage girl getting herself out of such an impossible situation is definitely a fresh one. Despite that initial promise, though, Girl, Stolen, dwindles into just one more book that intrigued me with its premise, but lost me with poor execution. I really wanted Henry to surprise me, to thrill me, if not with a twisty plot than with well-rounded characters or enticing prose - unfortunately, none of that happens here. The book had enough of a hook to keep me reading, just not enough to make me think anything more than, Meh.
I'm really looking forward to this one - I've heard that Stolen is similar from several people and that it's more well done than Girl, Stolen.


text:
GIGGLE DAM
EVIDENCE: 2014-2019
Please wear your headphones & boost the volume to get an accurate account of the EVPs.
VSPI visits many historical places each year, performs research and looks for clues to aid them in understanding EVPs (electronic voice phenomena) & other evidence gathered during their visits.
Reminder: due to privacy and confidentiality, we will not reveal some names and locations. However, we can give you a little background to go with each EVP.
More evidence will be added soon.
Alcatraz (Federal Penitentiary 1934-1963) -- VSPI visited this island prison in January 2016 for a 5 hour period. Although we arrived on a boat load of people, we found that we could separate ourselves from the tourist crowd once we waited for them to clear the area to move on elsewhere. This gave the two investigators a chance to perform evidence gathering using digital recorders and electromagnetic field instruments.
What became the focus of the investigation were the D Block cells, known as"the Treatment Unit" or "the Hole". It was where the most dangerous criminals spent time, some in total darkness. The block included six closed-front cells (used for the most severe disciplinary problems, solitary confinement) which had two sets of doors; the outer one being solid with only a small grated window, while the inner one was a barred door like the cells in other blocks.
Please read our Blog for information on the Penitentiary and the team's account of what they experienced, discovered and research they performed.
Below, find the one & only EVP they gathered while in Cell #14 of D Block.
January 2016 - I'm Not Happy
EVP of male spirit @ 7 secs - Investigator remarks to the other that she looks different in Cell #14. A male responds. No one was present in the D Block at the time, other than the 2 investigators.
Cemeteries in Sonoma County, California
Note: to protect the families of the deceased, we will not disclose the names of the cemetery markers at the grave sites where we picked up the following EVPs.
January 2016 - A Cry is Heard
EVP of a cry @ 6 secs - Evergreen Cemetery -Investigators found a rock circle. Wondering who was buried there, they used a pendulum to assist. However, what seems to be a baby crying is heard in the recording (not with their ears). Birds were recorded in the area, but none sounded like this cry, nor were their animals around at the time.
January 2016 - Yes
EVP of male spirit @ 2 secs - Fulton Cemetery -
At a gravesite, the investigator asks for contact and a voice is heard responding. Only two investigators were present at this cemetery.
At the same gravesite, the investigator requests the spirit to speak loudly into the recorder she has in her hand. A positive response is heard.
Boot Hill Cemetery - aka "BC Penitentiary Cemetery", New Westminster, BC
This cemetery was in use from 1913 - 1968 when the last unclaimed body of an imate was interred. For more information & for links to our blogs on the convicts, check the bottom of our Evidence Page.
March 2016 - Yes
EVP of male spirit @ 4 secs - sitting at gravemarker #1475, known to be Frank Wilson, died on July 20, 1967 at the age of 72, serving life sentence as a habitual criminal after 44 petty convictions. The investigator pointed out her EMF (electromagnetic field device), advising she had used it on a prior visit and hoping he would manipulate it with his prescence.. a response is heard. The EMF did spike during the session at his gravesite. Only two investigators were present at this cemetery.
Circa 1935-Cordova & Cambie (photo courtesy VPL Archives)
Note- SGW is situated to the far left, last shop in the buildings shown. The Brinsmead Block to the right with J.W. Horne block attached on
left side. Addresses: 301-312 Cordova W. See below photo of today.
Salmagundi West - 321 Cordova St. West, Vancouver BC
After the Great Fire of 1886, where Vancouver (mainly Gastown at the time) was destroyed, a building frenzy began. The J.W. Horne Block was in building mode in 1888 & completed in 1889. Salmagundi West housed some interesting people and companies. Such as bankers, shipping company brokers, and teamsters (horses & hauling <<-- although the horses were kept in a building on Beatty). After the Asian Riots of 1907 rampaged through Chinatown and nearby areas, the site housed real estate brokers, a messanger service & a light moving company, clothes cleaners, hat shop cleaners, parcel delivery, and a tailor shop. Salmagundi West moved into the space in 1973 and became a well known, sought after Antiques, Oddities, and Novelties shop. Anne Banner (owner) welcomed VSPI, sharing a host of interesting stories & accounts they've experienced over the years. We now have
amazing new friends, and enjoy visiting the shop from time to time.
If you are ever in the area, please drop by and say hello!
In the News: http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/10/vancouvers-haunted-salmagundi-west/
http://www.westender.com/news-issues/feature/a-haunting-on-cordova-street-1.1454006
BlogSpot: http://vspispook.blogspot.ca/2014/11/the-ghosts-of-salmagundi-west.html <<-- from our first investigation.
Claims Reported: voices heard, objects move, shadows seen, a feeling someone is watching or standing nearby, footsteps, uneasy feelings, mediums have confirmed several entities and past owners are in visitation, plus more!
Evidence Captured: during our 2nd visit to SWG, we were fortunate to capture evidence we had been unable to substantiate in a previous investigation. Due to the thin walls, investigating this space is best done when the city is asleep, as sounds can bleed through from the street and alley which border the shop. Below find our EVPs and a short description of what happened.
Salmagundi West - Female Whisper
EVP of female whisper @ 2 secs - a team member is heard speaking in the background, as the team prepares to investigate the basement area; however directly after, you hear a female whisper next to the recorder. What is she saying? To us it sounds like "Elizabeth". What do you think?
Salmagundi West - Big Bang
EVP of Big Bang - In the basement we call out to a previous owner and ask for confirmation of who he was. A big bang is heard in response.
Salmagundi West - Big Bang #2
EVP of Big Bang #2 - In the basement an investigator kept hearing whispers but couldn't make out whom they belonged to. A big bang is clearly heard. All investigators had been sitting still on a bench.
Salmagundi West - Here!
EVP of woman say "here" @ 11 secs - In the basement an investigator calls out to "talk to us" and a woman responds with "here"!
Salmagundi West - Tap
EVP of tap @ 18 secs - In the basement an investigator feels an Asian man who had his head in bandages was reaching out. She calls out & a tap is heard
Salmagundi West - No Problem
EVP of male responding @ 4 secs - In the basement an investigator thanks a previous inhabitant of the space, Gerald. You hear him respond. We believe he's saying "no problem". The voice was not heard at the time but captured on recording device.
Queen Anne Hotel - 1590 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA
In 1898, Senator James G Fair built an elegant boarding/finishing school for girls. In 1890 it opened as Mary Lake School for Girls, and was run by Miss Mary Lake, born in Little Falls, NY (Jul.15/1849). She moved with her family in the 1850s to San Francisco, where her father, Delos Lake, became a renowned lawyer. Soon after Senator Fair passed away (1894), in 1896, the school closed due to financial problems. Mary sold everything within the school in an auction and the Estate of Senator Fair took over and leased the property to a exclusive men's club called the Cosmos Club. Mary went on to teach school elsewhere in the city, but in 1904 news came that Mary had passed away while visiting her sister in Montclair, New Jersey.
The Queen Anne went through a number of changes. In the early-1980's it was sold and revived as a posh bed and breakfast known as the Queen Anne Hotel.
It is thought that during renovations, the hotel became alive with the "spirits" of the past, Mary Lake being the main one. For a detailed report, read our BLOG.
Claims Reported: being tucked into bed, cold spots, voices, Mary appearing in mirrors, being watched over, and breezes felt in room 410 (Mary's room). Other claims involve a man seen in the lobby area, and shadows in different areas of the building.
Evidence - We spent New Year's Eve in the grand Victorian era hotel. Guests were free to roam and explore. Staying up late, they discovered a staircase that led to the roof area, however was blocked off. Sitting quietly, they felt a breeze hit them (although no windows or drafty areas were nearby), and then experienced an electrical feeling pass through them. In the recordings they discovered voices unheard at the time. With no further occurrences, they enjoyed a wonderful evening and a comfortable stay.
If you are interested in staying at this wonderful hotel, please check it out! It is a piece of history in San Francisco's story.
Queen Ann, 4 Floor - 8 sec breath - VSPI EVP
EVP of "sigh" @ 8 secs - 2 Investigators discussing being naive about what is truly going on spiritually in the hotel. A breath is heard in the recording, but not with our ears. We were sitting on the staircase off the 4th Floor leading to nowhere in the early hours of the morning.
Qeen Anne, 4 Floor - 22 & 36 secs - giggle - VSPI EVP
EVP of "giggle" sounds @ 22 & 36 secs - The name "Karen" came to the investigators, and therefore they called out to come and talk. The giggle sounds were not heard at the time, but found them captured on our recording. This was while they were sitting on the staircase off the 4th Floor leading to nowhere in the early hours of the morning.
Napa River Inn - Napa, California
This beautiful Inn, garnered as a Historic Hotel of America Destination, was purchased by Captain Albert E Hatt (a German immigrant), owner of a steamship shipping company, and dates back to 1884. The Captain used the buildings to store goods in the warehouses, and constructed a wharf. When his shipping business slowed, the area reverted to the wine growing industry. The warehouses were originally used to store grains, seeds, coal,and animal feed; later used for wine storage. The Hatt Building (1886) housed a 2nd storey rollerskating rink, a library and more. It was also used as a public meeting place. In 2000, several buildings were restored and became the Napa River Inn. Today it is a resort with entertainment complex, and a beautiful place to stay & explore the region.
Evidence: While Some believe it to be haunted, 2 investigators checked in Jan/2019 for a night. It was an adventure. After continually hearing disturbances coming from the bathroom in their suite and the feeling of being watched, they investigated, catching an EVP. Albert Hatt Jr had committed suicide in the space just below their suite, now a bakery. Could this have been him? -- Note: the Inn is a safe & beautiful place to stay. Nothing there told our investigators it was of negative energy.


The Zeitgeist hotel Vienna opened in March 2013. Our rooms cater for your well-being. The hotel is only 300 meters from the main station, the perfect location no matter if you come by plane, car or train. Additionally, you can enjoy many free offers such as highspeed WiFi, sauna, fitness etc.
Book directly at Zeitgeist to save time and money!
In case you arrive sooner or depart later, you can leave your luggage at the reception.
The Zeitgeist hotel in Vienna is known as THE hotel at the Vienna main station and perfectly combines central location with top quality for your overnight stay in Vienna.
Our hotel offers a free gym, free sauna with terrace, chill-&workout area, free bike rental, garage and free e-gas stations. Our á la carte restaurant Pergola as well as our breakfast buffet offer culinary delight with organic and home made products.
For our business guests, we have some very special treats as well: 3 seminar rooms, free Wi-Fi, 42"" LED HD TV, free iPads, 15" notebook safe as well as spacious storage shelves and a work desk in the hotel room. Do use our direct booking benefits: early check-in, late check-out, 10% discount, best price guarantee, 1,200 m² of fitness centre and a free WIFI hotspot to go.
You want to travel by car to Vienna? Don't worry about short-stay parking zones. Take it easy and use our hotel's own garage.
For our business guests, we have some very special treats as well: 3 seminar rooms, free Wi-Fi, 42"" LED HD TV, free iPads, 15" notebook safe as well as spacious storage shelves and a work desk in the hotel room. Do use our direct booking benefits: early check-in, late check-out, always -10 % exclusive discount, best price guarantee, 1,200 m² of fitness centre and a free WIFI hotspot to go.


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Betting Previews & Picks
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Prediction: Arsenal vs Crystal Palace
XenBet January 13, 2021 Leave a Comment on Prediction: Arsenal vs Crystal Palace 0 12
Prediction: Arsenal win
Best Odds: 8/15
Bookmaker: 888sport
As millions around the world continue to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, one slice of normality has remained the same – sport. We're now in a new year and that means we're going to be experiencing a whole lost of games coming at us thick and fast between now and May, which is especially true in the English Premier League. Today, we're going to take a look at the latest in a string of top flight London derbies as Arsenal prepare to host Crystal Palace at the Emirates.
A few weeks ago Mikel Arteta's job was at serious risk, and yet now, Arsenal fans can't get enough of him. The real test will come when they're once again faced with the challenge of competing with the Premier League's finest, but you can only beat what is put in front of you and that's exactly what the Gunners are doing. They've got a strong core within their squad and in January, Arteta will be expected to make the changes necessary to get this team to where it needs to be.
Gabriel and Partey are both set to face late fitness tests before this game with the only confirmed absentee being Martinelli who injured his ankle in the warm-up prior to facing Newcastle, leaving a hole in Arsenal's forward depth chart.
Despite the handful of attacking stars they have at their disposal, Crystal Palace are still being viewed as a team that can accomplish little more than hovering around midtable – and most of the time, they also wind up being dragged into the relegation battle. As a club they're starting to expect much more than that, which is one of the reasons why it feels like just a matter of time before Roy Hodgson is sent packing.
Milivojevic is expected to feature despite breaching COVID protocols on New Year's Eve with Cahill and Dann both being fitness doubts. In terms of other injury problems, the following players have been officially ruled out for Palace: Sakho, Kelly, Wickham, Ferguson, Hennessey and Schlupp.
In their last meeting in January 2020, Crystal Palace and Arsenal drew 1-1.
Arsenal have won four and lost two of their last six games.
Crystal Palace have won one, drawn two and lost three of their last six games.
Arsenal have scored 12 goals and conceded seven in their last six games.
Crystal Palace have scored four goals and conceded 13 in their last six games.
Crystal Palace have served as strong opponents to most teams in the Premier League over the years but right now, they don't seem to be in the sort of position necessary to mount any serious challenge to just about anyone. This game is an absolute gift for Arsenal who themselves are riding a nice wave of momentum, and we're expecting them to run through the Eagles and take their current winning streak up to five games.
Source of the article
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Author: XenBet
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text:
Ǵopčeli () is a village in the municipality of Dojran, North Macedonia.

Demographics
As of the 2021 census, Ǵopčeli had 116 residents with the following ethnic composition:
Turks 104
Persons for whom data are taken from administrative sources 10
Others 2

According to the 2002 census, the village had a total of 155 inhabitants. Ethnic groups in the village include:
Turks 151
Bosniaks 1
Others 3

References

Villages in Dojran Municipality
Turkish communities in North Macedonia


text:
class CommandUpdater;
class Profile;
class ReloadButton;
class ToolbarModel;

namespace views {
class WebView;
class Widget;
}

namespace chromeos {

class StubBubbleModelDelegate;

// View class which shows the light version of the toolbar and the web contents.
// Light version of the toolbar includes back, forward buttons and location
// bar. Location bar is shown in read only mode, because this view is designed
// to be used for sign in to captive portal on login screen (when Browser
// isn't running).
class SimpleWebViewDialog : public views::ButtonListener,
                            public views::WidgetDelegateView,
                            public LocationBarView::Delegate,
                            public ToolbarModelDelegate,
                            public CommandUpdaterDelegate,
                            public content::PageNavigator,
                            public content::WebContentsDelegate {
 public:
  explicit SimpleWebViewDialog(Profile* profile);
  virtual ~SimpleWebViewDialog();

  // Starts loading.
  void StartLoad(const GURL& gurl);

  // Inits view. Should be attached to a Widget before call.
  void Init();

  // Overridden from views::WidgetDelegate:
  virtual views::View* GetContentsView() OVERRIDE;
  virtual views::View* GetInitiallyFocusedView() OVERRIDE;

  // Implements views::ButtonListener:
  virtual void ButtonPressed(views::Button* sender,
                             const ui::Event& event) OVERRIDE;

  // Implements content::PageNavigator:
  virtual content::WebContents* OpenURL(
      const content::OpenURLParams& params) OVERRIDE;

  // Implements content::WebContentsDelegate:
  virtual void LoadingStateChanged(content::WebContents* source) OVERRIDE;

  // Implements LocationBarView::Delegate:
  virtual void NavigationStateChanged(const content::WebContents* source,
                                      unsigned changed_flags) OVERRIDE;
  virtual content::WebContents* GetWebContents() const OVERRIDE;
  virtual InstantController* GetInstant() OVERRIDE;
  virtual views::Widget* CreateViewsBubble(
      views::BubbleDelegateView* bubble_delegate) OVERRIDE;
  virtual PageActionImageView* CreatePageActionImageView(
      LocationBarView* owner,
      ExtensionAction* action) OVERRIDE;
  virtual ContentSettingBubbleModelDelegate*
  GetContentSettingBubbleModelDelegate() OVERRIDE;
  virtual void ShowPageInfo(content::WebContents* web_contents,
                            const GURL& url,
                            const content::SSLStatus& ssl,
                            bool show_history) OVERRIDE;
  virtual void OnInputInProgress(bool in_progress) OVERRIDE;

  // Implements ToolbarModelDelegate:
  virtual content::WebContents* GetActiveWebContents() const OVERRIDE;

  // Implements CommandUpdaterDelegate:
  virtual void ExecuteCommandWithDisposition(
      int id,
      WindowOpenDisposition) OVERRIDE;

 private:
  void LoadImages();
  void UpdateButtons();
  void UpdateReload(bool is_loading, bool force);

  Profile* profile_;
  scoped_ptr<ToolbarModel> toolbar_model_;
  scoped_ptr<CommandUpdater> command_updater_;

  // Controls
  views::ImageButton* back_;
  views::ImageButton* forward_;
  ReloadButton* reload_;
  LocationBarView* location_bar_;
  views::WebView* web_view_;

  // Contains |web_view_| while it isn't owned by the view.
  scoped_ptr<views::WebView> web_view_container_;

  scoped_ptr<StubBubbleModelDelegate> bubble_model_delegate_;

  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(SimpleWebViewDialog);
};

}  // chromeos

#endif  // CHROME_BROWSER_CHROMEOS_LOGIN_SIMPLE_WEB_VIEW_DIALOG_H_

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


If someone were relocating from South America to Tulsa would this (Tulsa Ahora) forum be a good source of information and support? In short, would they be welcomed here and in a sense mentored if they had any questions?
That's actually a very good question. It's always a bit of mixed bag when you ask a question on here, would hope that civilization would prevail in such a case.
Tulsa Ahora is probably going to be the best bet. Forum Chat might have better exposure, but that also may be a drawback.
I would suggest here primarily if you're looking for a spanish-speaking response. That makes up a sadly small part of the forum.
Hablo Espanol aunque no perfecto pero me gustaria ayudarles.
For some reason, I was under the impression that in Brazil the primary language was Portugese, not Spanish. I could be wrong.
From what I know, there is not a huge Brazilian population in Tulsa. Actually, I do not know of a city in the US with a notably large Brazilian population. My ignorance probably.
I'm guessing you know Brian Harrington... he hosts a ton of students from Brazil and speaks Portuguese.
No, I do not know Brian Harrington. I have been here since last february. I came over here to marry my husband, an american. I really would like to meet brazilian people in Tulsa.


HomeUK Visa Information BlogIs there a limit on the number of UK Tourist Visas my Thai girlfriend can have?
For couples that have been together a long time, a common question is regarding if there is a limit on the number of UK Tourist Visas that a Thai girlfriend can have. Usually, this question is asked by those people who split their time between Thailand and the UK. There are a lot of people who don't wish to get married for a variety of different reasons so a UK Settlement Visa is not applicable and nor would it be appropriate.
So, what is the rule regarding the number of UK Tourist Visas that your Thai girlfriend can have? Well, the simple answer is that there isn't a written ruling. However, the visa clearing officers at the British Embassy in Bangkok do tend to have a rule of thumb that they try to stick to in order to reduce confusion and also to be as transparent as possible. The fact that here at Thai Visa Express we deal with the British Embassy on a daily basis puts us in good stead for being able to advise our clients.
The purpose of a UK Tourist Visa is exactly as the name suggests, to allow your Thai girlfriend to visit the UK to meet friends and family as well as take in some sightseeing. By the very nature of being a tourist, your Thai girlfriend is expected to return to Thailand and it is not intended as a long-term visa. They are certainly not intended for you and your Thai girlfriend to live together permanently and for many, six months is perceived to be a long period – especially as countries such as Australia only issue three month visas.
To put this into greater perspective, if your Thai girlfriend does spend six months in the UK it would be reasonable to expect her to spend at least six months in Thailand on her return. Visa applications made within this six month period are likely to be rejected unless there are extenuating circumstances. So, the rule of thumb can be interpreted as your Thai girlfriend can have one UK Tourist visa each year.
If she tends to spend six months in the UK and six months in Thailand on an annual basis and a pattern starts to form, the chances are that she will be granted the visa relatively easily. In fact, a good record of travelling between the two countries will actually work in your favour for future applications.
As with most things in life, if you are sensible and don't flout the rules things tend to run smoothly. The British Embassy in Bangkok has no interest in preventing people from entering the UK out of malice, they simply have rules, criteria and procedures that must be followed to make the system fair for everyone.
Regardless of how many times you have applied for UK Tourist Visa in the past, we would always recommend using the services of a professional company. Here at Thai Visa Express, we can have several years' experience in dealing with such applications. You can call us on: +66 (0)80 102 2328, +66 (0) 38 420 313 or +44 (0) 20 8133 8059, email us on: info@thaivisaexpress.com or alternatively contact us via our website.


Welcome to the weekly Start/Sit column! Each week I'll aim to analyze upcoming games, research team injury reports, and check-in on any depth chart movement – all in an effort to offer you weekly start/sit recommendations.
The starts will feature some under-owned, off-the-radar, sleeper-types week-in and week-out – and our sits feature more popular players that I think will underperform. I'll list a must start/sit for each position, then briefly touch on some other options that I like/dislike. While this is useful when setting your weekly lineups in your season long leagues, this can also be a valuable tool if you're playing daily fantasy sports (DFS).
Since we don't have a lot of data to go off of in week one, for the first edition I'll be basing most of my choices off of the average draft position. The starts of the week are players that were drafted in the middle or late rounds; the guys that are probably sitting on the bench but should be inserted right into the starting lineup. When it comes to the sits it will be just the opposite; I'll be selecting players that were probably drafted to be starters, but should be shown the pine in week one.
Jacksonville is taking on a Giants defense that finished 31st against the pass last season and didn't make any key defensive additions. The Jaguars have a stout defense and want to lean on the run game with Leonard Fournette, but the Giants could put up some points with the bevy of offensive weapons they've assembled. It's possible that this turns into a high scoring affair in New York, and as he proved at the end of 2017, Blake Bortles can be a fantasy stud when Jacksonville is forced to throw the ball.
Now that the regular season is kicking off all the Aaron Jones truthers out there will have to hold their breath as Jamaal Williams gets his shot as the Packers lead back. While the Bears could become a formidable defense with the blockbuster addition of Khalil Mack, it will likely take some time for them to gel. With the return of Aaron Rodgers the Packers should put up plenty of points and Williams will get the lion's share of the carries, including at the goal line. He averaged nearly 19 PPR points in weeks nine through fourteen last season and will easily have that kind of scoring potential in week one.
Rookie quarterbacks rarely find early success on the road, so when Sam Darnold starts for the Jets in Detroit it will likely have a negative impact on the wideout. On top of that, I expect Anderson to be covered primarily by All-Pro corner Darius Slay. Slay has the talent to shut down the top receivers in the league, so he should have no problem smothering the Jets top receiving option.
Stills has been one of the more underrated fantasy players over the past three years, and now that Jarvis Landry is gone to Cleveland and Devante Parker is out with a broken finger he will be the unquestioned number one option for Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins. They face the Titans who, despite having a new defensive-minded head coach, finished 25th in pass defense last season. Stills has big-play ability and will definitely see the target volume to be a worthy start in week one.
You can't put too much weight on preseason performances, but it's tough to ignore Ebron's showing in the all-important third preseason game. The Colts new tight end caught all five of his targets for 54 yards and a touchdown. Ebron's talent has never been a question, and now he gets to take on a questionable Bengals defense with Andrew Luck throwing him the ball.
The Lions have a new defensive-minded head coach in Matt Patricia. They get to play at home against a bad Jets team that will be starting a rookie quarterback in week one. They definitely aren't the sexiest pick, but if you are planning on streaming defenses Detroit is a good place to start.
I can see Jared Goff and the Rams putting the pedal to the medal and trying to make a statement against the Raiders on Monday night.
In a battle of bad defenses, Andy Dalton could put up some big numbers against the Colts.
James White has been one of the few constants in New England, so with injury questions in the backfield and depth questions at wide receiver he could have a huge week in PPR formats.
The Lions backfield is a fluid situation, but LeGarrette Blount is listed as the starter and they should easily handle the Jets. His value may never be higher this season than it is in week one.
While Kansas City focuses their defensive effort on stopping Keenan Allen, quarterback Philip Rivers should spread the ball around. Mike Williams could be the biggest beneficiary with his athleticism and big play ability.
I expect the Lions to run away with the game against the Jets and Kenny Golladay to stake his claim as a legitimate fantasy wide receiver for 2018.
Mike Gesicki is already the starting tight end in Miami, his athleticism is off the charts, and Ryan Tannehill will need to throw the ball to somebody besides Kenny Stills and Danny Amendola, especially in the red zone where Gesicki skill set can shine.
At this point in his career, Antonio Gates has one skill: Catching touchdowns. It wouldn't shock anybody if he came down with a score in week one.
Mahomes and his rocket arm should end up scoring plenty of fantasy points this season, but not many of them will come in week one. The first official game of the Patrick Mahomes era begins on the road against a tough Chargers defense that finished third against the pass in 2017.
Beast Mode's ADP skyrocketed through August after some nice preseason performances, but the 32-year-old running back is about to run into the defensive wall that is Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh. As much as the John Gruden and the Raiders want to establish the run game, they'll have a tough time against a Rams team that led the entire NFL in scoring last season. If they fall behind early game script will not be favorable for Lynch. He may have some big performances this season, but he belongs on the bench in week one.
Njoku is one of the many Cleveland skill position players that has been hyped all offseason. I can see him finishing as a TE1 this season, but he won't break out against the Steelers. Njoku's best attribute is his red zone ability, and Pittsburgh, who finished as the seventh-ranked scoring defense last year, will be stifling Cleveland drives before they get into the red zone.
The Bears defense is a popular pick right now with the addition of former Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack. The bad news for the Bears is that they travel to Green Bay to take on the high powered Packers offense in week one. It may take some time for Chicago's defensive unit to gel and while they should be streamable at times in 2018, you'll want to avoid them in week one.
I know you have to start Russell Wilson if you spent the draft capital on him, but he has a tough matchup in Denver with a questionable supporting cast, so it might not go well for week one.
Dak Prescott has to go on the road in week one and take on Carolina with a questionable cast of pass catchers, not an ideal situation.
The Browns could be facing a negative game script for much of their week one matchup against the Steelers, seriously limiting the upside of Carlos Hyde.
It could get ugly for the Buccaneers when they visit the Saints in week one, so despite Peyton Barber starting at running back, I don't see Tampa Bay finding much success in the running game in New Orleans.
Alfred Morris and the 49ers face an elite Vikings defense, and his lack of pass-catching skills will put him squarely behind teammate Matt Breida in week one.
I think the Packers will light up the scoreboard in their home opener against the Bears, but I don't trust Randall Cobb to have much of an impact. Green Bay just has too many other offensive weapons, including my must start running back Jamaal Williams.
Rishard Matthews missed most of training camp with a knee injury, so even though he is listed as the starter for the Titans he'll likely be overshadowed by other Tennessee pass catchers.
Rookie quarterbacks rarely find early success on the road, so when Sam Darnold starts for the Jets in Detroit it will likely have a negative impact on wideout Robby Anderson.
The combination of age, injury, and other options in Carolina give me a bad feeling about tight end Greg Olsen/profiler] this year, even against a subpar Dallas team in week one.
My main reason for not liking [profiler]Jack Doyle is how much I like Eric Ebron. Doyle will catch some passes but Ebron has a much higher ceiling.
The Houston Texans defense should be in line for a great year, but I'm not trusting them week one as they travel to New England.


This apprenticeship is ideal for someone who is interested in digital marketing, content development and social media.
Within this role you will work in the Marketing Department and will work closely with all departments. To be considered for this position you will have strong written and verbal communication skills and a good knowledge of social media platforms. Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop would be desirable but not essential. The right candidate will be pro-active, and someone who works well within a wider team.
* Drafting copy, producing content (BLOGs, etc.), designing graphics, producing videos and arranging corporate photography for a range of uses.
* Working with our SEO agency to research and formulate new ideas and perform analysis on what is working when implementing our SEO content strategy.
* Produce weekly internal staff enewsletter.
* Monitor social media analytics and propose solutions for the Marketing Team.
* Research, promote and engage with customers, influencers and other brands across social media.
* Search for ideas for new and relevant content for social media campaigns to build brand engagement.
* Review social media analytics with digital agency and look to continually improve upon efforts and gain more knowledge and insights about the audience to help strategy.
* Monitor and analyse competitor accounts to improve the social media strategy.
* Grow social media audiences by coordinating and managing contests and giveaways.
* Research and apply new ways to engage with social media followers and continuously build engagement.
* Work with the digital agency to design and manage campaigns for social media paid advertising.
* Involvement in the day to day running of the website through CMS to ensure the website is kept up to date.
* Work with the digital agency to review PPC campaigns and explore new ways of developing a better website visitor experience and encourage website engagement.
* Implement and monitor tracking tools for campaigns, producing reports on all digital campaign effectiveness.
* Monitor and report on the ROI of campaigns by review what generated visitors, engagement and sales from digital marketing campaigns and the website.
* Answer incoming telephone enquiries.
* Manage schedules and coordinate meetings with internal and external parties.
* Excellent organisational, verbal and written communication skills.
* Demonstrated ability to work with all levels of employees, and work alongside outside agencies.
* Strong attention to detail and good writing skills.
* Strong team player, including a willingness to give assistance to co-workers in other areas.
* Strong time management skills and a demonstrated ability to work independently under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
* Ability to multi-task and be flexible.
* A sound understanding of social media technologies and keen interest in wider technologies.
* Enthusiastic and Professional attitude.
* Self-starter with initiative and ability to follow-through.
The above list is not exhaustive and you may be required to carry out additional duties from time to time to meet the needs of the business.


text:
Act On Energy® Expands Free CFLs Offer
Act On Energy® has expanded its offer and now ALL Ameren Illinois electric customers can receive up to six CFLs Free. Also, the current offer which reduces already significantly discounted products an additional 50% has been extended until May 15, 2011.
All Ameren electric customers can log onto Act On Energy's Online Store and select between two options for their FREE CFLs. The first option is a 15/20/25w 3-pack and the other option is a 25w 3-pack. If you've already ordered a FREE CFL three-pack, don't worry, you can log on and still order another 3-pack for your business. Act On Energy will even pay for the shipping.
While you're ordering your FREE CFLs don't forget to pick up additional products from Act On Energy's store which will help you save energy and money. Products on the store include:
CFLs starting at $0.50(regular price starting at $2.25)
* Customers can save an average of $17 annually in energy costs for each CFL that replaces an incandescent bulb
* Ten different types of CFLs to choose from including dimmable CFLs
* Includes free shipping
LED Exit Signs– on sale for $6.88 (regular price $25.75)
* Can save up to $60 in energy costs per year, per sign
Beverage Machine Controls– on sale for $39.50 (Regular price $179)
* Can save up to $140 per year, per control
LED Exit Sign Bulbs– on sale for $3.75 (Regular price $17)
* Reduces electrical usage in exit signs to 2.7 watts per bulb
Wall-switches– on sale for $10.00
While these two offers have been extended until May 31, 2011, Act Now and start saving! These FREE products and discounted prices are an incredible way to save your business money and impact your bottom line.
Pekin Area Network Partners with Infinite Success
Pekin Area Network has partnered with Infinite Success (IS) and a new group is being created in Pekin! What is Infinite Success? IS is a fresh, new way of connecting and growing your business. We've done away with old formats of networking and have created a group that uses education and coaching, along with networking and "hot" referrals, to help you tap into the success that is already yours. More and more people are embracing the science of success, so come to our Kick-off Event on April 15th to find out what all the excitement is about! Change your view, change your life. Get ready for your best year yet! When: Friday, April 15th from 7:30 A.M. to 9:00 A.M. Where: Pekin Library
Members Save Money with Staples Advantage!
The Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce has chosen Staples Advantage as their preferred office supply vendor for all of their members to take advantage of. This is an exclusive offer available only to chamber members! Staples Advantage is a business to business program different from Staples.com or the Staples retail division. The website, StaplesLink.com, is Staples' business-to-business Internet ordering solution. With StaplesLink.com, you can order supplies electronically from your computer anytime. The site provides immediate access to over 30,000 products including office essentials, paper, ink/toner and cleaning supplies, etc.
If you have already registered with StaplesLink.com and have received your logon information, you can go directly to the StaplesLink.com login page and begin ordering.
If you have not registered with StaplesLink.com or have not received your logon information, please register by going to: http://linkregistration.stapleslink.com/c/s?RegFormId=860738. You will not be able to log in to StaplesLink.com until you have received an email confirming your registration. You should receive this email within approximately 3 to 5 business days of submitting this form.
CIRCLE Visits Springfield
The Central Illinois Regional Chambers Legislative Effort (CIRCLE) took over 100 business leaders from 16 Chambers of Commerce to Springfield today. In total, the group represented over 8,000 chamber members from throughout Central Illinois. Their message was a common agenda, with recommendations to improve Illinois' business climate.
The business and communities leaders shared their stories and concerns with legislators, and discussed the need to reform education, pensions, the states finances, and workers compensation. Several legislators were present at the four sessions, including Senator Koehler, Senator LaHood, Representative Unes, and Representative Sommer.
During lunch the group heard from Senate President John Cullerton and Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno, as well as Doug Whitley, the President of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
The 16 chambers involved in CIRCLE are from: East Peoria; Peoria; McLean County; Canton; Chillicothe; Jacksonville; Lincoln; Logan; Manito; Morton; Pekin; Peoria Heights; Springfield; Washington; Decatur; Champaign County and Clinton.
More pictures from this event are available at: http://picasaweb.google.com/PekinChamber
Tazewell County Jaycees Trivia Night!
The Tazewell County Jaycees will be hosting their monthly trivia night on Thursday, April 14 at 6:30 p.m. at EP's TimeOut located at 1011 East Washington St. in East Peoria.
Teams consisting of two to ten players will compete against wits in order to receive a coveted prize as well as the honor of decorating the Tazewell Trivia Traveling Trophy. The night also features door prizes as well as the opportunity to enter in a 50-50 drawing. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from EP's TimeOut.
Proceeds from this month's Trivia Night will benefit House of Hope, Tazewell County's shelter for victims of domestic violence and abuse.
The cost is $10 per person, $5 per Jaycee member. Seating is limited, Please email tazcojaycees@yahoo.com today to reserve your team's spot!
The Tazewell County Jaycees is a social and service organization for individuals 18-40, dedicated to individual and community development. For more information visit www.tazcojaycees.com.
Labels: Trivia Nite
Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society April Special Community Event
On Sunday, April 10th from 2:00 to 4:30, TCGHS is hosting our 2nd annual "We Can Help" event in conjunction with the NBC/Ancestry.com series "Who Do You Think You Are?" Last year TCGHS had over 60 attendees and were able to help nearly everyone. The event is free and open to the public. Our library is located at 719 N 11th St., Pekin.
Contact TCGHS
Website: www.tcghs.org
Email : tcghs@tcghs.org
Tazewell County Genealogical and Historical Society General Meeting
Dennis & Kathy Overstreet of Morton will be the speakers at the April 12th meeting of the Tazewell County Genealogical and Historical Society. They will present a program about the historical background of the banjo. There will also be a performance by the Central Illinois Banjo Club. The club includes many different types of instruments. The meeting, open to the general public, will be held on Tuesday, April 12th at the society's Erlicher Research Library, located at 719 N 11th St., Pekin, IL. The program will begin at 7:00 PM with a business meeting immediately following the program.
YWCA Women's Recognition Day
The YWCA of Pekin is accepting nominations for outstanding leadership and achievement awards to be presented at its 30th Annual Women's Recognition Day luncheon on Thursday, May 12th at the Pekin Country Club. Nominations to honor outstanding accomplishments and contributions of women in their careers and community service are being accepted at the YWCA office through April 12. Luncheon reservations are open to the public and must be made by Thursday, May 5th. Nomination and luncheon reservation forms are available at the YWCA during regular business hours or on the YWCA website at: http://www.ywca.org/site/pp.asp?c=agLJKXNLE&b=488381 For more information, call the YWCA at 347-2104.
Marigold Grand Marshal Nominations Needed
Each year the Pekin Marigold Festival Committee recognizes a local resident (or couple) who has given freely to the betterment of our community. The Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for Grand Marshal of the 2011 Pekin Marigold Festival. This chosen nominee(s) will be asked to serve as the 2011 Grand Marshal.
The Marigold Festival Committee is seeking nominees who have demonstrated their passion and dedication by giving generously of their time and talent to a variety of charitable and community organizations and activities. The nomination deadline is May 3, 2011. Nomination forms are available at the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce, 402 Court Street or can be downloaded at www.pekin.net/2011/11Marshal.pdf
1973 Mrs. Luella Dirksen
1975 Mr. David Burpee
1979 Mr. Ernie Banks
1980 Mrs. Dorothy Miller
1981 Mr. Tim Soldwedel
1982 Mr. Peach Preston
1983 Mayor & Mrs. Norman Shade
1984 John & Juanita Kriegsman
1985 Mr. Wilbur Korsmeyer
1986 Bud & Jean More
1987 Ms. Virginia Sams
1988 Mike & Norma Caringello
1989 Irv & Eleanor Abel
1990 Chuck & Nina Dancey
1991 Rev. Hubert Entwisle
1992 Robert & Dorothy Doan
1993 Bill & Sandy Sevier
1994 Joe & Shirley Carver
1995 Larry & Janet Homerin
1996 Katie Learned
1997 Henry & Alice Cakora
1998 Roy & Jackie Williams
1999 Mr. Ernie Cretaro
2000 Albert Gasper
2001 Mr. Frank Starcevich
2002 Mr. Bob Moore
2003 Ivan & Shirley Berg
2004 Mrs. Carol Shields
2005 Mr. George Beres
2006 Ralph & Marilyn Brower
2007 Jan & Jim Donahue
2008 Mr. Jerry Hall
2009 Mr. & Mrs. Larry Stone
2010 Mr. Ken White
IDOT Works on Route 9
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announces that work on a portion of IL 9 just west of Mackinaw will begin Monday, March 28th.
Traffic will be reduced to one lane for the duration of this bridge removal and replacement project. Flaggers will initially control traffic until a temporary barrier wall is installed.
The project is expected to be completed by mid-August.
Please slow down and use extreme caution while driving through all work zones.
Welcome New Member: TimbukTech Inc.
Welcome to another new member of the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce: TimbukTech Inc. is located on 486 N. Main Street in Canton. Phone: 309-647-7269; fax: 309-740-7320; website: http://www.timbuktech.com/; Robert Walker, Executive Account Manager; Scott Brown, Owner; Matt Roe, Owner; Office hours: 8:30 am- 6pm Mon- Thurs, 8:30 am -5 pm Fri, 10 am- 2pm Sat. TimbukTech is an affordable option to maintaining networks and workstations for businesses. TimbukTech becomes your IT team. They specialize in network development, remote back-up, anti-virus protection, hosting, VOIP telephones, DVR security systems, and Lenovo computers, software, and hardware. Lenovo authorized.
Leadership Graduation Dinner
The Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a graduation dinner on March 24th to recognize the twenty-four students who just completed the R. David Tebben Community Leadership Academy. Sixty people attended the dinner, and the audience included family and co-workers of the graduates, alumni of the academy, and chamber staff, officers, and directors.
This is the 13th year the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce has organized a leadership academy. A total of 240 individuals have now completed the program.
The featured speaker at the dinner was Reverend Lloyd Brock, Pastor of Pekin First Church of the Nazarene, and a 2010 graduate of the academy. Reverend Brock challenged the graduates to "embrace the community." He also noted that "leaders are servers, and not the other way around."
In March of 2009 the chamber's board of directors voted to change the name of the academy, adding R. David Tebben to the title as a way to recognize a former chamber president and leader who was active in a number of chamber committees and events, including the leadership academy.
"The Pekin area has been fortunate throughout its history to have strong volunteer leadership from the business community," said Bill Fleming Executive Director of the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce.
"The R. David Tebben Community Leadership Academy ensures that tradition of community leadership continues," said Fleming.
Fleming noted the mission of the academy is to identify, inform and educate existing and emerging leaders of the local community, and to motivate them toward leadership responsibilities by exposing them to the realities, opportunities and challenges of the local community.
"We accomplish our academy mission with weekly interactive classroom sessions featuring local subject experts, and weekly field trips," said Fleming.
This year's classroom topics included Welcome to Leadership, What is Leadership, Pekin Municipal Government, The Courts, The Media, Tazewell County Government, Pekin Coalition for Equality, Pekin Public Schools, Dirksen and Civil Rights, and The Pekin Park District.
Field trips included visits and tours at Excalibur Seasoning Company, Pekin Hospital, Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes and Crematory, a City of Pekin bus tour, Caterpillar, Tazewell Machine, Peoria Air National Guard, the Federal Correctional Institution in Pekin, and the Illinois State Capitol and Legislature.
The students each completed a class project – a report on an area non-profit organization. Additionally, the students were required to make a formal introduction of another student to the class, and attend community and government board meetings and chamber networking events.
The twenty-four graduates and their employers:
Tom Belk, Illinois Corn Processing
Bobbi Brienen, Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory
Linda DeFrates, Pekin Hospital
Jill Douglas, SJB Promotions
Lori Draeger, Pekin Hospital
Karen Duckworth, Pekin Hospital
Drew Eilts, Edward Jones - Drew Eilts Financial Advisor
Jamie Evans, City of Pekin
Debbie Gaines, Pekin Hospital
Amy Gehrt, Pekin Daily Times
Paula Gensel, City of Pekin
Chip Hill, South Side Bank and Trust
Chuck Hundt, Illinois Corn Processing
Jim Kaminski, City of Pekin
Dave Lannert, Pekin Park District
Ali Lohnes, Wolf, Tesar & Company
Marlo Mastalerz, Excalibur Seasoning Company
Katie Muller, CEFCU
Erin Schutte, Holiday Inn Express
Cheryl Sherwood, Pekin First Church of the Nazarene
Lori Utter, Pekin Hospital
Rod Wamsley, Henderson Funeral Home
Craig Wells, Herget Bank.
Rev. Daryle Wright, Pekin First Church of the Nazarene
Chamber Annual Meeting and Reception
The Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors invites you to attend their annual meeting and reception. "Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce Working its Magic" will be held Monday, April 25, 2011 at the Pekin Country Club. The cost is $25 per person and it includes hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar. Tables of eight are available, and there will be a drawing to win 2 round trip tickets with Allegiant Air. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. and introductions will begin at 5:45 p.m. There will also be entertainment by Stephen Bargatze at 6:00 p.m.
Labels: Annual Meeting
Business After Hours, April 7th
Puttin' on Pekin April 8th
Bard Optical Owner Diana Hall Featured in Leading Trade Magazine
Bard Optical owner, Diana Hall was interviewed for an article in Vision Monday in March, 2011. Vision Monday is the leading trade magazine for the optical industry. In the "Cover Topic" section of the magazine, is the article, "Defining Leadership". The article is comprised of opinions expressed by CEOs and Presidents of Eye Care Providers from across the U.S. Read "Defining Leadership" online at: http://www.visionmonday.com/ViewContent/tabid/211/content_id/27243/catId/183/Default.aspx
Bard Optical has 18 locations in Illinois. Log onto www.bardoptical.com to find the location nearest you and schedule an appointment today.
Women's Fund April 2011 First Tuesdays To Be Held at Re in the Metro Center
The next First Tuesdays will be held on Tuesday, April 5, from 5 to 7 pm at Re-in the metro center, 4700 N. University, Peoria, IL. The Women's Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Illinois invites area women to a monthly networking opportunity for Peoria-area women. Celebrate Spring and the spirit of giving by meeting other dynamic women who are passionate about empowering the women and children in our communities. Become part of a national movement towards Women's Philanthropy.
To automatically receive First Tuesdays' invitations, call The Women's Fund at the Community Foundation of Central Illinois at 309 674-8730 or email kristan@communityfoundationci.org and ask to receive the 'E-vite', an online invitation, for First Tuesdays. Appetizers and beverages will be served and door prizes awarded. Donations will be accepted to further the work of the Women's Fund.
Contact: Kristan Creek, Program Manager: Community Foundation of Central Illinois: 674-8730 or kristan@communityfoundationci.org
AAIM Employers' Association Benefits Boot Camp
AAIM Employers' Association is pleased to announce the "Benefits Boot Camp" conference will be held in three locations.
Rockford, IL: Tuesday, May 10, 2011, NIU—Rockford, 8500 E State Street
East Peoria, IL: Tuesday, May 17, 2011, Par-A-Dice Hotel, 21 Blackjack Blvd
Maryland Heights, MO: Tuesday, May 24, 2011, Doubletree Hotel - Westport Plaza, 1973 Craigshire Rd
Time: 8:00 am – 2:45 pm
Registration Fee: $179 AAIMEA Member/$225Non-member
Reservations/Information: 1-800-948-5700
Get the latest information on EVERYTHING BENEFITS! Benefits Boot Camp is a one-day seminar that will provide participants with tangible tools and information to apply to real business needs. Sponsorships are available for the event. Sessions include:
What Can Small Businesses Do to Control Rising Healthcare Costs?
Addressing the Challenge of Healthcare Reform—What Must I Do Today & What Should I Do Tomorrow?
State of Healthcare Reform—The Employer Perspective
Employee Wellness & Health Fairs Best Practices
What Are Other Companies Doing About Benefits That You Aren't?
AAIM Employers' Association is an HRCISM Approved Provider.
Chamber Calendar of Events
Apr 5 Ambassador Meeting Apr 12 Breakfast 2.0: Time Mgmt
Apr 6 New Board Member Orientation Apr 13 Transportation Committee
Apr 6 Executive Board Meeting Apr 14 Tech 'n Tell
Apr 7 Pekin 1st Committee Apr 20 Marigold Festival Committee
Apr 7 Business After Hours Apr 25 Chamber Annual Meeting
Apr 8 Puttin on Pekin Breakfast Apr 26 Business Advocacy Committee
You'll find additional member events by visiting our calendar online.
Do you have an event coming up, that you would like to add to our calendar? Contact us to find out how. This is just another benefit of your membership
Membership Renewals Through March 21st
Thank you to the following chamber members who have recently renewed their investment in the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce:
Avon Independent Representative, Teresa Ann Tucker
Carl & Nichols Shell ~ Dr. Anthony DeMonte, DDS
Edward Jones / Drew Eilts ~ Excalibur Seasoning Company ~ FCI Pekin
Great Clips for Hair ~ Greg's Garage Door Service
Griffin-Rahn Insurance ~ Illinois American Water ~ Charlotte Jibben
Kouri's Pub ~ Linde Group ~ MJ's Windshield Repair & Window Tinting
Pekin Area Network ~ Pekin Trophy House & Engraved Gifts
Sam Leman Auto Stop ~ Sound Choice Hearing Clinic
Sprint / Wireless Express ~ St. Paul Wonderland ~ Subway ~ Super 8
Tebben Insurance Services, Inc. ~ WTVP TV ~ X Waste Disposal
Labels: Membership Renewals
Breakfast 2.0: Personal Productivity / Time Management
Breakfast 2.0 will be held Tuesday, April 12, at 7:30 am at the Avanti's Dome Events & Sports Center of Pekin. The cost is $20 and includes a full breakfast and program. Please RSVP to the Chamber at 346-2106.
Employees often report their inability to manage their time is the biggest problem they face professionally. Time management is a skill few people master, but it is one that most people need. We live in a world of competing priorities, customers, supervisors, supervisees and organizational goals. Since we often cannot control these priorities we must learn the skills necessary to self-manage.
To provide participants with skills necessary to manage themselves and their time; participants will:
· Gain insight into their ineffective and sabotaging behaviors
· Identify techniques that can be used to manage their interactions
· Develop a plan to improve self-management
The presenter will be Marvis Meyers with AAIM Employers Association in St. Louis. Meyers manages the customized, on-site training programs and Organization Development consulting. Prior to joining AAIM EA, Meyers was the Manager of Training and Organization Development at Covidien, where she managed the managerial training function for all Tyco Healthcare. She was also the head of Branch Training for Edward Jones, and has been an Executive Coach and Personal Productivity Coach for seven years.
Tech Show & Tell
Bring your favorite app, widget, website, software tip, tech tip, blog, tech gadget or hardware and tell everyone how it makes you more productive. Or just come and learn about the latest technologies and how others are using them to be more efficient and productive.
Tech and Tell will be held Thursday, April 14th, 7:30 a.m. at the Avanti's Dome Events & Sports Center of Pekin.
No reservation is needed, but feel free to call and let us know what you're bringing!
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported nonfarm payroll employment increased nationally by 192,000 in February, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 8.9 percent. Job gains occurred in manufacturing, construction, professional and business services, health care, and transportation and warehousing. Locally, the unemployment stood at 9.6% in Illinois and 10.6% in Pekin at the end of January according to figures released by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
The Illinois Department of Revenue reports sales tax disbursements to the City of Pekin were up 8.1% in February, compared to February of 2010. February payments generally represent the sales tax collected in December. For the first quarter of 2011, sales tax disbursements to the City of Pekin are 4.6% ahead of the first three months of 2010.
The numbers of homes sold in Pekin during the first two months of 2011 are up 12.5% over the same first two months in 2010. A similar trend can be found in other Tazewell County communities according to information provided by the Peoria Area Association REALTORS.
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.5 percent in February on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.1 percent before seasonal adjustment. Though the seasonally adjusted increase in the all items index was broad-based, the energy index was the largest contributor, as the gasoline index continued to rise.
Executive Director's Report: Tech and Tell
Only nine members attended the Chamber's first "Tech and Tell" on March 10th at the Avanti's Dome. However, based on their enthusiastic feedback, other should make plans to attend future Tech and Tell events.
The format of the program was very informal, with an around-the-table presentation and discussion of various technologies. Participants were encouraged to bring their latest gadget, software tip, smart phone, or other technology tools that make them more efficient at work, and then tell the rest of the group about them.
The informal format allowed participants to come and go as their schedule allowed. A few participants were there just to learn, and did not bring anything specific to show the group. There were no IT people in attendance. Most were business people who would rate their technical knowledge as average or even below average.
What were some of the discussions and presentations? Well, someone brought their brand new Motorola Xoom tablet and gave us a demonstration of the features and how they are using the technology at home and at work. That led to a discussion of tablets in general and included several comments and opinions on iPads and other Android tablets.
Someone asked what Google Voice was all about and if anyone was using it productively. There was also a great discussion about QR Codes and how several of the participants are using them to quickly share information. There was a failed attempt to set up a video voice call between two smart devices, and some simple tips on typing numbers and symbols on Android devices and sorting and searching your Outlook emails.
Cloud computing was discussed and one company told how they replaced their mail server with a cloud email service. We also heard about Office 365, which will be Microsoft's next big cloud product. And finally, we had a live demonstration of an iPhone app and accessory that allows you to swipe a credit card and accept payments. Afterwards we learned that there is also an Android version of the app and accessory available and one of the participants has already ordered it.
The next "Tech and Tell" will be on Thursday, April 14th at Avanti's Dome at 7:30am. Coffee will be provided by the Chamber. Reservations are not required, but you could call and let us know what gadget you'll be bringing so we can promote it.
A Letter From the 2010 Miss Marigold Jordan Davis
Last fall I had one of the best experiences of my life when I entered and then won Pekin's Miss Marigold Pageant. It was the first time I had entered a pageant and from the first contestant meeting on, I have had the opportunity to meet new people and experience new things I never imagined.
One of those opportunities that have now come my way is the chance to compete at this summer's Miss Illinois Scholarship Association Pageant as Miss Pekin. The pageant will be held June 28- July 2 in Marion, IL.
The ISA is part of the Miss America organization and awards thousands of dollars in scholarship money each year. The pageant follows the same structure as the Miss America system and I will be competing in Interview, Talent, Swimsuit, and Evening Gown competitions. Although it has been several years now since Pekin sent a representative to the Miss Illinois pageant, we do have a strong history of success (including three former Miss Illinois Queens!) and I am so excited to get our community involved once again.
As I mentioned before, the Miss Illinois pageant is a scholarship pageant and as such, I will be competing for scholarship money to help me further my education. I have been accepted to the University of Illinois and will be headed there next fall to study Biology. The pageant also emphasizes the importance of community service and philanthropy by requiring contestants to raise money in support of the Children's Miracle Network.
In light of that and other expenses I will accrue in order to attend and compete in the nearly week-long competition this summer, I am asking for your support and a donation to help cover those expenses. The Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce Marigold Festival Committee has generously supported me already by paying for my pageant entrance fee, but I will still have approximately $2500 in expenses for meals, hotel accommodations for my local pageant director/escort, my wardrobe, and the mandatory CMN donation of at least $300.
I have established a separate checking account at Herget Bank and pledge that any money I raise above what is needed for my minimum expenses will be put toward the CMN donation. Please understand that all the money I raise will be used for Miss Illinois expenses or donated to the Children's Miracle Network.
Additionally, I am eagerly looking for opportunities to play the piano for audiences as a means of practicing for the talent competition. If you know of any such opportunities, please contact me or Shannon Tebben-Sandoval (at 347-2408.)
I hope you will give careful consideration to my request. I appreciate any support you can give me and I look forward to representing our community well and making Pekin proud this summer!
Jordan Davis
Miss Marigold/Miss Pekin 2010
Donations may be made payable to "Miss Illinois Fund-raiser" and sent to any Herget Bank location or to Jordan Davis at 1814 Valencia, Pekin, IL, 61554.
Health Fair & Open House
John M. Evans Supportive Living Community will be hosting a Health Fair and Open House on March 31 at 11 A.M. to 2 P.M. on 1320 Executive Court in Pekin. There will be vendors, door prizes, giveaways, and free food. Please call (309)447-8800 for more information.
Savant Capital Management Introduces New Division – Savant Portfolios
Savant Capital Management, a fee-only wealth management firm headquartered in Rockford with offices in Geneva, Peoria, Hoffman Estates, Chicago, Freeport and Madison announces the addition of a new division of its company – Savant Portfolios.
Savant Partners Thomas Muldowney, Brent Brodeski and Richard Bennett launched Savant Portfolios to accommodate investors that have traditionally been ignored by big brokers and banks because they were considered "too small." Whether they have just begun to accumulate wealth or are moving into retirement, all investors have a definite need for an advisor who can help them navigate to their goals.
Savant Portfolios clients who own $50 thousand or more in financial assets will receive the same disciplined, tax-efficient and proven successful investment strategies as existing Savant Wealth Management clients. Additionally, they will benefit from the trusted expertise a relationship with a Savant advisor brings. However, Savant Portfolios clients will find a lower fee arrangement as compared to other types of advisors because at this stage of their investment strategy they do not require the complexity of integrated financial planning and tax management.
"Savant clients are diligent about accumulating wealth to ensure financial autonomy in the future," said Managing Partner Brent Brodeski. "Many of our wealth management clients ask us to help their grandchildren, children or friends who may not have the complex needs that our existing wealth management clients have. We are now happy to offer a solution for them through Savant Portfolios."
"We think that it is important for our clients to not only have a personal relationship with their advisor, but to also to be able to talk to them about each and every need," said Managing Partner Richard Bennett.
Savant has assembled a team of specialists to advise and guide the Portfolios clients towards their goals. The team includes Financial Advisors Thomas Ptacin and Scott Demler, and Client Service Coordinators Elizabeth Muldowney Samuelson and Christi Swearingen.
As an Independent Registered Investment Advisor, Savant's primary mission is to deliver high-quality, best-of-class advice and investment solutions that are not contradicted by conflicts of interest.
Savant only receives compensation from its clients; they do not receive commissions, utilize proprietary investments and do not receive kickbacks for investments they recommend.
For more information on Savant Portfolios log on to www.savantportfolios.com or
IDOT Work on US 24
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announces that work is underway on US 24 near Cameron Lane.
The project includes replacement of the bridge carrying US 24 over Lamarsh Creek, construction of a right turn lane to Cameron Ln. and construction of a left turn lane to Wheeler Rd.
Lane closures will be in effect in each direction while median crossovers are constructed. Traffic will remain one lane in each direction during the first stage, with southbound traffic being shifted across the median onto the northbound side. Stage 2 is scheduled to begin this summer. The project is scheduled to be completed by early November.
Motorists should be alert for flaggers and expect delays in this area while the project is underway.
Community Foundation of Central Illinois Scholarship Opportunities Available
The Community Foundation of Central Illinois (CFCI) is currently accepting applications for the following scholarships until April 1 and April 15. Please see the CFCI website: www.communityfoundationci.org for more information and for applications:
Bleeding and Clotting Disorder's Scholarship: Applications due April 15
Dr. Valentine Jobst III Educational Fund Scholarship: Applications due April 1
Epilepsy Scholarship Fund: Applications: Due April 1
Illinois Mutual Employees Children Scholarship: Please contact Illinois Mutual for application packet. Applications due April 1.
MidAmerica National Banks Employee's Children Scholarship: Applications due April 1
Women in Leadership Scholarship Applications: due April 1
Women's Lifestyle Educational Fund Scholarship: Applications due April 1
The Vietnam Veteran's Moving Wall Scholarship: Applications due April 1
CFCI's Mission: The Community Foundation of Central Illinois (CFCI) is a philanthropic resource committed to Connecting People Who Care with Causes That Matter.
About CFCI: CFCI was established in 1988 by a group of community-minded citizens to meet a wide variety of social, cultural, educational, and other charitable needs throughout Central Illinois. CFCI carries out its mission by working with donors to establish permanent endowment funds to be used as charitable capital for enhancing the quality of life in the Central Illinois community. CFCI maintains high professional standards in the investment and management of the funds entrusted to the Foundation, and promotes effective and efficient grant making to serve current and future needs of central Illinois. For more information, please visit www.communityfoundationci.org.
Chamber Hires New Office Assistant
Brittney Beal was recently hired as the office assistant for the Chamber. Spending her childhood in places such as California, Arizona, Florida, and Georgia allowed her to be introduced to the true meaning of cold weather after moving to Pekin in 2006. In 2010 she graduated from Pekin Community High School and currently attends Illinois Central College. While her major is yet to be decided, she aspires to one day serve on the mission field. Working as the Chambers office assistant, Brittney will now work on member communications. She is excited about being part of the Chamber staff and looks forward to serving its members!
Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society ...
Tazewell County Genealogical and Historical Societ...
Bard Optical Owner Diana Hall Featured in Leading ...
Women's Fund April 2011 First Tuesdays To Be Held ...
Breakfast 2.0: Personal Productivity / Time Manag...
Savant Capital Management Introduces New Division ...
Community Foundation of Central Illinois Scholarsh...
Sprint Wireless Express Welcomes New Manager
Act On Energy® Business Symposium
Savant Recognized as One of the Top RIA Firms in t...
Welcome New Member: Town and Country Baptist Chur...
Leadership Visits Springfield
ciCarpool Ready to Match You
Community Foundation Encourages Contributions for ...
Herget Bank Promotes Kohaus
Herget Promotes Lori Golden
"Gluten Free Living" Program at Pekin Public Libra...
TAPS Wine & Dine
TAPS Needs Volunteers
BBB Torch Award for Business Integrity
Business Before Hours: KCB Info
IDES Skills Match
Daylight Savings Time - Reminder
Sunset Hills Golf Course Opens
Pekin Hospital Offers Free Screenings
St. Patricks Day at Mashie's
St. Patricks Day at Paddy O'Flarherty's
Herget Offers Low-Income Home Buyers Assistance
Business Before Hours, March 11th
Chamber Welcomes New Member, DD Homes
Tazewell County Jaycees Trivia Night ~ This Thursd...
Partners In Peace Awards Luncheon to Feature Tina ...
Pekin Hospital to Offer Diabetes Education Worksho...
Heart of Illinois Legislative Reception
SBA Announces Easter Egg Hunt & Derby Days
Stand Against Racism
Herget Bank Promotes Andrea Gschwend
Business After Hours at Bridgeway
Herget Bank Congratulates Neal Stimpert
Mashie's Mardi Gras Fun-Raiser
Herget Bank Promotes Dennis Short
Museum Will Unveil Altman Bust
Peoria Chiefs Tickets On Sale
YWCA OF PEKIN HOSTS FITNESS OPEN HOUSE & FREE COMM...
Jaycees Raise Money for March of Dimes With Trivia...
Business After Hours, March 3rd


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Hopefully that offers a better explanation of what I'm trying to achieve. Thanks for the help!