What can I say? Mom has always been a bit of a rebel. After high school, she defied her parents, by taking a job as a "welderette" at the Zenith Dredge Company in Duluth, Minnesota, building ships during World War II. Grandpa thought she should work on landing a husband, while Grandma felt at least a secretarial desk or department store counter was more "respectable."
When the war ended, Mom moved to Grand Forks, where she worked as a bank teller and finally agreed to a dinner date with a handsome customer who was a regular on paydays -- Dad. A year later they were married and bought a rancher in a new neighborhood just outside of town. Of course Dad thought she should stay home, cook and clean, but he didn't know the force he was reckoning with. She fought to keep her career, continuing to work part time, even after we girls came into the picture.
After Mom and Dad retired, they stayed so busy. When they weren't tending their garden, they were trout fishing at Turtle River, playing cards with the neighbors, volunteering for some community group or church project. When Dad's health took a turn, Mom was determined to stay in the house, taking care of him herself, day and night, for over two years before he died. Now that he's gone, we've noticed she's not getting out much and I don't think she ever has a decent meal. She's too independent to come and live with Sis or me, and we just live too far away to help as much as we'd like to.
When family members or friends aren't able to help the older adults they love, Home Instead CAREGiversSM can. With a network of locations across North Dakota, and worldwide, Home Instead Senior Care is all about taking care of older family members long-term in the homes they've enjoyed and treasured. We provide a range of services including companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, shopping, errands--everything you'd do for your loved one, and more--to give you peace of mind, whether you live several states away or in the next county.
Our responsible, experienced CAREGivers are members of the local community, familiar with the resources available in your area of North Dakota. Home Instead Senior Care services are available 24/7, every day of the year, including holidays, and are delivered by trusted CAREGivers who are screened, bonded and insured employees--never independent contractors.
Request your free, no-obligation consultation today by selecting the North Dakota location nearest you and filling out the Request Home Care inquiry form on their Web site. A representative will call you within 24 hours.
Find your location now on the map below or you can read more about the range of companionship and personal services we provide in North Dakota.


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Cincom® and CRM Dynamics Announce Partnership
Posted on February 10, 2021 by Cincom Systems
# TagsCincom Partners, Cloud/Web-Based Software, CPQ/Configure-Price-Quote, Microsoft Dynamics
Companies Join Forces to Deliver a Better Way to Configure, Price and Quote Complex Products and Services
Cincinnati, OH (February 10, 2021) – Cincom Systems, Inc., a global supplier of enterprise software solutions, announced today that it has entered into a partnership with CRM Dynamics to implement CPQSync™ by Cincom. CRM Dynamics is one of the largest Gold Certified Microsoft Dynamics 365 partners serving clients across the globe. They have over 20 years of experience in virtually all industries, with a core focus on empowering clients using integrated solutions.
"We are incredibly excited to be entering into this partnership with Cincom," says Rob Triggs, VP of Sales & Marketing at CRM Dynamics. "CPQSync is such a powerful solution and paired with the full Microsoft Dynamics 365 suite, it allows for a compelling end-to-end system that will bring extraordinary value to our clients."
Building upon Cincom's 25-plus years of CPQ experience, CPQSync by Cincom is a fully cloud-based solution that delivers an unprecedented way for companies to take the frustration out of buying and selling complex products and services. The solution is a native, Microsoft Azure, multi-tenant solution that is fully embedded within Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales. CPQSync is integrated with Microsoft F&O (Finance and Operations), leverages Microsoft Power Platform, and is the only CPQ solution that offers a Power Automate Certified Connector.
Susan Fine, Cincom Director of Channels and North American Sales, says, "We are thrilled to partner with CRM Dynamics. With CPQSync by Cincom and CRM Dynamics, businesses can be assured that they are receiving the most from their investments in Microsoft Dynamics."
Want to See the Power of a Complete, End-to-End Manufacturing Solution in Action?
Join Cincom and CRM Dynamics for an informational webinar on March 2. With CPQSync by Cincom and Microsoft Dynamics 365, manufacturers can streamline the sales process and optimize their supply chain.
About Cincom
Cincom is a global software company with a legacy of innovation dating back to its founding in 1968. The company's solutions help clients improve their most critical business processes and operating results. For more information about CPQSync, visit https://www.cincom.com/cpqsync. If you are a reseller, VAR or partner in the Microsoft CRM Channel, please contact Claire Oancea, Channel Development Manager for TeamSync™, at teamsync@cincom.com.
Carla McQueen, 513-612-2113, cmcqueen@cincom.com
Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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PIMCO's decades of fixed income leadership would not have been possible without a culture that embraces diverse points of view. This deliberate approach encourages discussion and debate, helping us mitigate risk and create opportunity. Our people are our greatest asset, and we are committed to fostering an environment of diversity, inclusion and equity that helps our employees and clients thrive.
Ideas that come from people with different backgrounds and experiences expand our known universe, invigorating constructive dialogues and facilitating product innovations.
Colleen Dean Miller
SVP, Funds & Operations
I have colleagues from all over the world. They feel welcomed and valued not in spite of their race, color, gender or beliefs, but because of them.
Ketish Pothalingam
EVP, Portfolio Manager
Being your authentic self in a supportive and collaborative environment is important for bringing diverse perspectives to our roles and our clients.
Manager, Marketing
⏸
Each of us has a unique and evolving set of perspectives, experiences, backgrounds and styles to contribute. Our programs are designed to support and empower our people personally and professionally throughout their lifecycle.
Supports Black employees through programs designed to provide a sense of community, foster inclusion and help recruit, retain and develop Black professionals at all career stages.
Provides meaningful support to employees as they integrate their career and caregiving responsibilities.
Supports Latinx/Hispanic employees by fostering a sense of community and cultural awareness, and help recruit, retain and develop Latinx/Hispanic employees at all career stages.
Celebrating, supporting, and promoting cultural diversity within PIMCO.
Promotes initiatives focused on improving mental and physical health and general well-being.
Fosters a culture that enables all employees to be their authentic selves, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
Increases collaboration and encourages a culture of connectivity while fostering increased appreciation for diverse skills and perspectives.
Contributes to the success of the firm by supporting veterans' transition to civilian life and work through networking and mentoring initiatives.
Focuses on gender equality and on the attraction, development, retention and engagement of women at all stages of their careers.
Our gender focused partners were instrumental in informing our efforts early on. Today, we proudly partner with multiple distinguished organizations across multiple identity and experience dimensions, to advance progress within our organization and across our industry.
Signatories and Awards
June 2021 June '21
https://nl.pimco.com/en-nl/88z8v8p00ld4
In Support of Authenticity
To honor Pride Month, three PIMCO executives share their perspectives on authenticity in the workplace.
global, non product
By Barbara Clancy, Chee Yang Lam, Vassilis Milias June 2021
March 2021 March '21
https://nl.pimco.com/en-nl/88l9fz6yy7dq
What are Future Leaders Looking for from Our Industry?(video)
What are Future Leaders Looking for from Our Industry?
Girls Who Invest and CFA share learnings from their programs which invest in attracting women to the financial services industry. Specifically, what drives these future hires and the importance of thinking through what inclusion means for future generations. View the full discussion here.
videos, non product
https://nl.pimco.com/en-nl/88l4shl70qzy
Valuing Diverse Perspectives
As International Women's Day approaches, three PIMCO executives share their perspectives on diversity in the workplace.
women and investing, non product, blogs
Women and Investing Designed to Advocate for Gender Equality Learn More
LIFE AT PIMCO Making a Difference Is at Our CORE Our values
Purpose at Pimco We Give. We Act. We Advocate. Visit Now
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PIMCO Europe Ltd (Company No. 2604517) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (12 Endeavour Square, London E20 1JN) in the UK. The services provided by PIMCO Europe Ltd are not available to retail investors, who should not rely on this communication but contact their financial adviser. PIMCO Europe GmbH (Company No. 192083, Seidlstr. 24-24a, 80335 Munich, Germany), PIMCO Europe GmbH Italian Branch (Company No. 10005170963), PIMCO Europe GmbH Irish Branch (Company No. 909462), PIMCO Europe GmbH UK Branch (Company No. BR022803) and PIMCO Europe GmbH Spanish Branch (N.I.F. W2765338E) are authorised and regulated by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) (Marie- Curie-Str. 24-28, 60439 Frankfurt am Main) in Germany in accordance with Section 15 of the Securities Institutions Act (WplG). The Italian Branch, Irish Branch, UK Branch and Spanish Branch are additionally supervised by: (1) Italian Branch: the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (CONSOB) in accordance with Article 27 of the Italian Consolidated Financial Act; (2) Irish Branch: the Central Bank of Ireland in accordance with Regulation 43 of the European Union (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2017, as amended; (3) UK Branch: the Financial Conduct Authority; and (4) Spanish Branch: the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV) in accordance with obligations stipulated in articles 168 and 203 to 224, as well as obligations contained in Tile V, Section I of the Law on the Securities Market (LSM) and in articles 111, 114 and 117 of Royal Decree 217/2008, respectively. The services provided by PIMCO Europe GmbH are available only to professional clients as defined in Section 67 para. 2 German Securities Trading Act (WpHG). They are not available to individual investors, who should not rely on this communication.| PIMCO (Schweiz) GmbH (registered in Switzerland, Company No. CH-020.4.038.582-2) . The services provided by PIMCO (Schweiz) GmbH are not available to retail investors, who should not rely on this communication but contact their financial adviser.
PIMCO as a general matter provides services to qualified institutions, financial intermediaries and institutional investors. Individual investors should contact their own financial professional to determine the most appropriate investment options for their financial situation. This material contains the opinions of the author and such opinions are subject to change without notice. This material has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission. PIMCO is a trademark of Allianz Asset Management of America L.P. in the United States and throughout the world. ©2021, PIMCO.
CMR2021-0601-1669868


We welcome you to this afternoon/evening Bible class!
This is a vibrant group with Fellowship, Service, and Devotions as its goal.
S.O.C. combines the efforts and assets of the Men and Women of Champion Presbyterian Church and the community with those of the Ladies Aid Society. Luncheon meetings, programs, service projects, and a variety of activies - which include day-trips to locations of interest - are some of the most popular events at C.P.C. Carol Cibella and the S.O.C. Board may be contacted for more information about this group.


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Chiawana softball player Annalisa McKinney voted athlete of the week
By Scorebook Live May 17, 2019 May 17, 2019
Leave a Comment on Chiawana softball player Annalisa McKinney voted athlete of the week
Congratulations to Chiawana High School softball player Annalisa McKinney for being voted our Washington Federal Athlete of the Week!
McKinney, a senior pitcher/1B/3B, had nine hits (including two home runs) and six RBI over a four-game stretch. She also struck out 21 batters over 12 innings.
McKinney received 37% of the vote, with Seattle Prep track & field star Aisha Watt finishing second with 30%. Ferris soccer goalkeeper Jadon Bowton finished third, receiving 20% of the vote.
Here are the five other athletes who were nominated for May 6-12:
Nick Mardesich, Everett baseball: Mardesich threw a seven-hit shutout on Saturday, May 11 to lift Everett to a 6-0 win over Shorewood in the 3A District 1 Tournament championship game.
Tyler Forner, Camas baseball: Forner, a senior outfielder, went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBI — including a momentous three-run homer — to lead Camas to a 10-6 victory over Puyallup in the West Central III/Southwest 4A bidistrict title game on Saturday.
Jadon Bowton, Ferris soccer: Bowton tallied a clean sheet in regulation, then made two huge saves in a penalty kicks shootout to lift Ferris to a 1-0 win over Pasco in the District 8 4A championship game on Saturday.
Spencer Barrera, Mt. Spokane track & field: Barrera dominated the Greater Spokane League district meet on Friday, winning four events. He captured the 200m (22.23 seconds), the 400m (50.74), the long jump (22 feet, 6 inches) and the triple jump (40-1) for the Wildcats.
Aisha Watt, Seattle Prep track & field: Watt, a senior, won the 100m (12.07), 200m (24.85) and anchored the winning 4x100m relay (49.43) at the Metro League championships on Friday.
Chiawana softball player Annalisa McKinney was voted the Washington Federal athlete of the week.
Tags: annalisa mckinney athlete of the week chiawana high school
Previous Entry Former Seattle Sounders star Steve Zakuani brings new flavor to Bellevue High School soccer – a taste of winning
Next Entry Hockinson 2020 athlete Sawyer Racanelli commits to University of Washington football


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I managed the whole INSEAD application process while preparing my wedding and juggling a few major projects at work. Everything went smoothly and I was accepted. I was indeed overwhelmed by the excitement and was really looking forward to the experience, until…
… my father-in-law found out about it.
Well, I didn't tell him earlier not because I wanted to hide it from him, but because I really wanted to make sure that everything (especially finance) was properly sorted out before breaking the news.
That turned out to be not enough. Having graduated from Stanford Business School, run an energy business for many years and managed a large personal investment portfolio, he quickly poked holes in my research and swamped me with his scepticism.
"Why do you have to do it full time?" "Do you think the reputation of INSEAD could really translate into tangible ROI after graduation?" "Why don't you go for a Singaporean university, which offers you the same skills at one-third of the cost?" "How do you know that the employment statistics would mean that your prospects are equally rosy?" "How do you know your classmates are willing to help you as they are in a way your competitors?"
I had thought about all these– they were covered in essays and admission interviews. However, the level of detail I had was obviously not sufficient to convince him – no chances. I couldn't simply dodge this bullet but had to come back and present a stronger case to convince him. It came down to how I could properly justify the investment. I am sure this is a challenge that many of my future classmates are having as well: it is a significant commitment, is it worth it?
During the following two weeks, I met up with industry leaders who had an MBA from INSEAD or other top schools; I spoke with contacts overseas over the phone; I even went to admission events of other top schools. Interestingly, after all the research, I not only realised that it was not really possible to quantify the value (or ROI) of an MBA at INSEAD but also understood it is not really necessary to do so.
The benefits of an MBA that matter to me are the following:
1) It will change your thinking process, allowing you to analyse and solve complex problems at ease. This is extremely valuable for people like me who do not have a consulting background. It is very hard to quantify the value of this – but it is certainly phenomenal.
2) Many of your classmates are indeed going to be lifelong friends. It is a shared (and intense) experience in a non-competitive environment. INSEAD (and many other top schools) has a non-disclosure policy forbidding students to reveal their grades to each other and to recruiters: this allows students to work more collaboratively (and encourages people to try new subjects they are not familiar with).
3) It opens up opportunities. You have an idea about what you want to do post-MBA. And bouncing off ideas with similarly talented and ambitious people from diverse backgrounds will allow you to refine your target (with less cost than doing so at work).
4) It makes you ready to become an entrepreneur. Many of us have encountered opportunities to create our own business but just did not know how to take them up. A good MBA gives you the skills in different areas of running a business, mentorship from former and current entrepreneurs, and alumni network to source for support.
5) The investment is never wasted. My uncle, who is a successful entrepreneur, told me that "this is not like making a trade, where you could lose all you have invested. With an MBA, worst comes to the worst the skills and connections will still be yours and nobody can take that away."
As for the investment in a life-changing experience, the return should not be looked at from the salary package immediately after graduation – but your 60 years of life after that. Many people told me that for the first one or two years after the MBA, they did not feel the difference – but soon afterwards their career started to take off because they were more prepared for opportunities than their colleagues who didn't have an MBA.
And the funny thing is – Almost none of those who write in newspapers dismissing the value of an MBA are MBA graduates.
What is more important (as far as my father-in-law is concerned) is that through this thinking process, I have a clear roadmap with all the options and their probabilities, which I will discuss in a later blog entry. The plan might be adjusted as the experience goes on, but at least it is a good base to start from.
In addition to that, I have gathered a team of supporters, whose endorsements are very powerful. A friend who now has a senior post in a top tech company even told me "I am happy to bring my two senior colleagues who are INSEAD alumni to meet your father-in-law."
The application essays were already an excellent reflection exercise, and I am glad that my father-in-law gave me this kick, which forced me to research further and come out with much better confidence. At the end of the day, the person I was really trying to convince was not my father-in-law, but myself. It also told me how easy it is to take family support for granted. A lot of times it might look easy at the beginning, but to go through the whole process with consistent support from family – that is something we need to work on.
An alumnus told me "There are three things which are very important. Career & networking: you must put 50 per cent of your energy on it; studies: you must also put 50 per cent of your energy on it; and your family – especially wife and father-in-law: for them you also need 50 per cent of your energy."
I said, "hey that means 150 per cent in total?!"
"Precisely," he replied. "And on top of that, you need to prioritise."
If I could do the whole process again, I would definitely engage with my father-in-law with my plans from the very beginning.
Jianggan LI
The Most Valuable Thing I Learned At INSEAD Business School
Is INSEAD Better Than Harvard Business School?
What Are The Top Five Best Decisions You Ever Made?


Thank you for considering Houston ENT & Allergy for your medical needs. Houston ENT & Allergy is a participating provider of most insurance plans and we are accepting new patients at all of our locations.
We use electronic health records (EHR) in our practice. You will be asked to log into our patient portal to register as a patient and enter your medical history and medications. If you don't have computer access, don't worry! We will ask you to arrive 30 to 45 minutes early to enter your patient information on our in an electronic tablets.
If you have questions about becoming a patient at Houston ENT & Allergy Clinic, we encourage you to call our main number at 281-649-7000.


Do you enjoy entertaining but don't have the time to cook? We at Yang Yue Chinese Learning Center can put the fun back into entertaining by doing the cooking for you. We have a menu of great authentic Chinese cuisine and western cuisine for you to choose from.


The objective of The London Metal Exchange is to provide facilities, along with the management and regulatory structure, for trading in LME contracts. It is a Recognised Investment Exchange (RIE), regulated directly by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Although its activities are closely related to the physical markets, it operates within the regulatory framework of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.The Act closely defines the conditions under which the Exchange operates and requires that as an RIE it maintains orderly markets in all it's contracts.
When it carries out its activities in the United States (US), the Exchange is governed by the relevant US legislation and by the Commodities and Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). It is also subject to any relevant directives of the European Union.
The Articles of Association of The London Metal Exchange is available to download.
Sir Brian was appointed chairman of The London Metal Exchange in 2010. Sir Brian retired from the civil service in 2009, having been a Permanent Secretary for nearly 10 years.
His portfolio includes non-executive Directorships with the Financial Reporting Council and Pool Re; two not-for-profit roles (Governor of Dulwich College and trustee of Lloyds Register Foundation); and advisory positions with MHP Communications (Chair of their Advisory Board) and Honda (Chair of their European Communications and Consultation Group).
Mrs Laura Cha was appointed an independent non-executive director of The London Metal Exchange on 8 May 2018. She is currently the Chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, independent non-executive director of HSBC Holdings plc and non-executive director of Unilever plc.
Mrs Cha was formerly an independent non-executive director of China Telecom Corporation Limited from 2008 – 2018, the vice chairman of China Securities Regulatory Commission from 2001 to 2004 and held various roles within Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, including deputy chairman, between 1991 to 2001.
Mrs Cha is a qualified lawyer. She holds a Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University and was admitted to the State Bar of California. Mrs Cha is also an Honorary Fellow of the Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute.
Mr David Graham was appointed a Board director of The London Metal Exchange Limited on 6 December 2012. Mr Graham has over 30 years of experience in legal and financial services. He started his career with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in the UK in 1982, was promoted to Partner in 1991 and moved to Hong Kong in 1999. Mr Graham joined Morgan Stanley as General Counsel, Asia excluding Japan in 2001 and has been working in the financial services sector since then. He was with UBS for several years (including a period as Global General Counsel for UBS Investment Bank) and joined Nomura in 2011 as Global Head of Legal and General Counsel, Wholesale Division.
Mr Graham holds a Master of Arts degree from Oxford University in the UK.
Mr Stuart was appointed as an Independent director of The London Metal Exchange on 26 April 2016. Mr Stuart is a Chartered Accountant and Investment Banker. He was a Managing Director and Executive Committee member with N M Rothschild, where for thirty years he advised on strategy, financing and M&A for a wide variety of companies in the UK, Europe and Australia. He has held a number of non-executive directorships since his retirement in 2011 and currently is the Hon Treasurer and a Council member at the University of Surrey. He is also an Independent director of LME Clear Limited.
Mr Charles Li was appointed a Board director of The London Metal Exchange Limited and LME Holdings Limited on 6 December 2012. Mr Li is currently the Chief Executive of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited.
Before joining HKEx, Mr Li was the chairman of J.P. Morgan China from 2003 to 2009. Prior to that, Mr Li was the president of Merrill Lynch China from 1999 to 2003 and served Merrill Lynch from 1994 to 2003. He was an associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell, New York and Brown & Wood, New York from 1991 to 1993 and from 1993 to 1994, respectively.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Xiamen University, a Master of Arts degree in Journalism from University of Alabama and a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia University.
Mr Stephen Yiu was appointed to the Board of The London Metal Exchange on 15 June 2017. Mr Yiu was the Chairman and CEO of KPMG China and Hong Kong from 2011 to 2015.
Dr Herta von Stiegel was appointed as an independent non-executive director of The London Metal Exchange on 18 January 2019. Herta is currently the Executive Chair of Ariya Capital Group Limited, a regulated financial services firm and project developer focusing on clean energy and enabling infrastructure investments in Africa, independent director of LeasePlan Corporation N.V., director of Britam Asset Managers (K) Limited and chair of Women Corporate Directors, Kenya. Until 10 November 2017, she served as the first independent chair of the CHAPS Clearing Company Ltd, the primary UK whole-sale clearer of sterling payments with volumes of GBP 76 trillion per annum. She has over 25 years' experience in international finance with a consistent track record of building profitable highly regulated structured finance businesses. She was Managing Director at AIG Financial Products and has held senior positions at Citibank and JP Morgan in London and New York.
Herta has a Juris Doctor degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan, a Masters of Law degree in Taxation from New York University School of Law, a B.A. and Doctorate of Humane Letters (honoris causa) from Andrews University and completed the Executive Programme in Corporate Finance at the London Business School.


'A place to connect with strangers', that would be my immediate reply if someone asked me to describe Twitter in 6 words. Most of us reading this blog would more or less have clicked on a link on twitter, so the audience is right, please do keep reading, it will get a bit more interesting, I hope.
You might have noticed from time to time, a few tweeting, with urgency about an individual (that's right, not 1000's, just 1) in need of blood. Most tend to just RT and pass the information to their followers who are active at the time it is pushed out. With a deeper increase on twitter users and usage, it gives a sense of hope for matching blood types and getting at a few to donate their blood.
The current methodology does work, I would not argue about it. A number of dedicated twitter handles do push out these urgent information (case in point – @bloodlk, @BloodNeedSL and @thebloodgroup – would encourage those still not following these handles to do so if interested in helping the community as a whole).
A tweep organised blood donation event also took place almost exactly an year (in April 2014) back with the hashtag #iDonateLK (more details of it can be traced through that hashtag and this article).
What this article is about is to see if we can improve the connection (efficiency and sort of streamline) and time taken to find the donors via twitter. But, this can only be done with the cooperation from the tweeps in our community in Sri Lanka.
And with the above conversation with @WarAkaMadula we started adding our relevant blood group hashtag. A number of tweeps who noticed this conversation also believed it would be one step closer to finding blood in future and changed their bios (few tweep bios shown below with the blood group added).
So what you think? Shall we? Shall we add our relevant blood groups please to the twitter bio? Once this is done, we can easily track the tweeps with relevant blood group and in need, we can approach them directly if needed when the urgency arises. We may never know, it might save minutes in finding one, and those few minutes could be the difference at times, noh?
If you don't agree with the above, you can close the tab to this article. What follows is a Phase 2 attempt which I hope this article would be able to articulate.
With the help of @thameera and @Malithsen we now have a website which shows the hashtags in operation realtime. Those curious can surf to the url and see the demands in a less cluttered manner. In addition 8 twitter handles have also being reserved purely for the purpose of RTing the relevant hashtags. The site and these 8 twitter handles are components of Phase 2.
Now here is the thing to note. Do not follow…. That's right, do not follow all 8 if you are keen to get involved with Phase 2. Only follow the twitter handle that is relevant to your blood group or the group that you want to get updates from. We have a small script running which will basically RT a tweet everytime someone tweets with the blood group hashtag (as few like Umesh and Gagani et al have noticed).
Now this is where it gets really interesting… (sathhai, ahannako itin). There is just one more step to really turn the wheel in motion. Once you start following, if you are in a position to donate for future callings from tweeps, why not enable mobile (or email) notification for the twitter handle you followed. This means, that even if you are not active on twitter or didn't see the request, you still get an alert and the request won't go unanswered. Thereby, we have a more effective blood request system with the help of twitter, a few scripts and most importantly the humble attention and ability of help given by the everyday Sri Lankan tweep.


If you're like most mortgage borrowers, the interest rate is your hot button. A 2019 survey by Fiserv, Inc. finds that 76% of respondents placed "mortgage rate" at the top of their criteria when choosing a lender. So when most people ask, "How to shop for a mortgage?" what they really want to know is "how to find the best mortgage rates."
Researchers from Stanford University, HUD, Fannie Mae, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and others conclude that mortgage rates are very important to consumers. And yet, many borrowers don't do the single most important thing they to get the best mortgage available to them -- shop.
On any given day, mortgage rates typically vary by 0.25 to 0.5 percent between mortgage lenders for the same borrower.
To get the best deal, its important to shop and compare mortgage quotes from several competing mortgage lenders. In fact, Stanford researchers find that it takes at least four quotes to maximize your savings (typically over $2,500 for a $200,000 loan). Still, about half of all borrowers look at only one or possibly two quotes before committing to a lender.
That's potentially leaving money on the table. Here's how to avoid doing that.
Before the mortgage industry became so competitive and automated, lenders could issue rate sheets that were good for days - even a whole week. Today, mortgage rates might change several times a day.
This means a quote from Lender A at 9 AM on Monday can't be reliably compared to one from Lender B at 2 PM on Wednesday. Ideally, you want to obtain several quotes at the same time. It's possible to do this by getting on the phone and going through your qualifications with several lenders in a short time. But it's probably easier to do it online.
If all lenders have the same information, you should be able to accurately compare mortgage quotes.
What is APR, and what does it tell you?
Which is the better deal? It's not obvious. However, when mortgage lenders quote you an interest rate, they must by law also disclose the loan's annual percentage rate, or APR. The APR incorporates both the upfront cost of a loan as well as its interest charges, expressed as an interest rate you can compare across different offers.
Many mortgage advisers and writers recommend that you just choose the offer with the lowest APR. That could be wrong.
The mortgage APR calculation has a few shortcomings that could be costly if you rely on it exclusively when making a mortgage decision.
The APR in the above example clearly points to Lender A's offer as the best deal. But consider the first shortcoming of the APR calculation: It assumes that you're going to have the loan for 30 years. Yet many borrowers don't keep their loan for ten years, and first-time buyers often sell or refinance even sooner.
When the term is shorter, the loan with the lowest upfront costs becomes cheaper.
APR also doesn't readily compare loans with different terms. For instance, a 15-year fixed loan vs. a 30-year fixed loan, or a 30-year fixed loan vs. a 5/1 ARM. APR also doesn't reliably tell you what an ARM would cost, because it assumes that financial conditions remain the same as they are the day of the disclosure.
Instead of simply selecting the mortgage lender with the lowest APR, request quotes based on a specific interest rate - for example, 4.75 percent. Just ask each lender to quote you the costs of a loan with a 4.75% interest rate, and then consider the lender that provides the lowest costs.
Alternatively, you can ask each lender to prepare a quote based on the amount you wish to pay. You might ask them to quote a loan with zero points and fees, or one with one percent in origination charges and no other fees. Then just consider the loan with the lowest interest rate. That's an easy way to find the best mortgage lender.
To find the best mortgage rates, review multiple quotes from competing lenders. Lenders normally provide you with either a Loan Estimate, which is a government-mandated form and obligates them to the charges listed, or some kind of "worksheet" or "scenario." The worksheet comes with fewer consumer protections and does not obligate the lender to honor the charges listed. That said, most lender quotes are reliable.
How long is a mortgage quote good? Perhaps not long, given that mortgage markets are like stock markets, constantly changing. Your lender is not committed to a quote until you actually lock in the interest rate. Lenders do have to quote real rates offered to borrowers who are ready to lock in -- no baiting and switching allowed.
While finding the best mortgage rate is important, the mortgage processing experience is also crucial. An inefficient mortgage lender can cost you money if the loan fails to close on time. You can even lose the property you want. And you should not have to work harder on your loan than the person getting paid to originate it. So get a couple of competitive quotes, and then see which lender is the best fit for you.
Your lender should return your calls or messages promptly - within an hour most of the time. And he or she should communicate in the manner you choose. If you text, your loan professional should text you back. If you call, or send a message asking someone to call you, you should get a call in return. It's not easy to work with someone who goes dark when you need answers, or a tone-deaf provider who inundates you with unnecessary status updates.
A great mortgage lender doesn't just take your order. He or she should be asking you questions - about your credit rating, about your time-frame, and about your priorities (lower interest rate, lower payment, minimal out-of-pocket costs, faster payoff, etc.) You should feel comfortable asking questions about the program and the process, and discussing potential problems like credit issues or coming up with your down payment.
Your lender should be able to make recommendations about products, and be able to tell you why a particular loan is right for you. And your risk tolerance and time frame are important: Yes, you can get a lower interest rate with a 5-year adjustable mortgage. But that's a poor trade-off if you don't plan to leave your home for ten years and you are concerned about future interest rate changes.
A good loan officer or mortgage broker should be able to explain the required disclosures in plain English. If he or she doesn't understand them well enough to avoid jargon, find someone else. And check out the licensing information with the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System & Registry (NMLS). Look for mortgage lenders in your state that are licensed, with no disciplinary actions on file, and possessing at least a few years of experience.
A great lender stays on top of your file and makes sure that everything gets done on time. He or she makes sure that all requirements, including your appraisal, inspections, flood certification, are met. Your lender should stay on top of requests from the underwriter and keep you in the loop about your progress. If something comes up in underwriting, a great lender can assist you - from writing a letter of explanation to switching programs to helping you calculate your self-employment income.
How to shop for a mortgage?
Shopping for a mortgage means first locating the best mortgage rates. Then, narrow down your list of candidates and find the best mortgage lender for your needs. What you want is an effective team working to get your loan processed fast, and at an affordable cost.


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Kenilworth Nub News
Local List
Vaccination appointments in Kenilworth cancelled as vaccines not delivered
Posted: 30.12.20 at 14:15 by The Editor
Castle Medical Centre
Vaccinations for Covid-19 at the Castle and Abbey medical centres in Kenilworth have had to be cancelled due to vaccines not being delivered
Appointments for today (Wednesday, December 30) and tomorrow (December 31) have had to be cancelled and patients with appointments have been notified.
Vaccinations for next week are still expected to go ahead.
The medical centres have also requested that patients who have had their appointments cancelled do not phone the centres to re-arrange. The medical centres will contact patients individually to reschedule appointments.
Dr David Spraggett, Chair of South Warwickshire Clinical Commissioning Group said "This is the largest vaccination programme the NHS has ever run, and, as with any programme there will be logistical challenges that need to be resolved.
"Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances outside of the practice's control, some vaccination clinics have had to be postponed. We apologise for any difficulties that this postponement may have caused to patients and the practice will be in touch to rebook all affected patients as soon as possible.
"Staff across all the GP practices in Warwickshire have been working really hard over the past weeks to deliver the vaccination to as many eligible people as possible and we are grateful to all our local residents for their support."
MP for Stratford-Upon-Avon Nadhim Zahawi, the DHSC for the Covid-19 vaccination programme has been contacted for more information also.
A post on social media by Castle Medical Centre said "Regrettably, despite our best efforts we have not been supplied with our ordered vaccine for appointments scheduled for today (Wednesday 30th December) and tomorrow (Thursday 31st December).
"We have therefore cancelled all appointments.
"We apologise for this but it is due to non delivery of vaccine. Please be aware all Five practices in Kenilworth and Warwick are calling patients booked into these clinics, as we wish to prevent patients having to travel unnecessarily.
"As soon as we receive a confirmed delivery date we will contact all cancelled patients to re-book appointments.
"Any patient due their second vaccination next week, should still come for their vaccination as planned.
"Please can we request you do not phone the surgery to try and re-book, as we will call you as soon as we have confirmed dates.
"Our apologies, please be reassured we are totally committed to vaccinating our patients, as soon as we receive vaccine from the National supply."
Next Kenilworth news item...
Kenilworth escalated to Tier Four - what are the new restrictions?
Following the announcement by Health Secretary Matt Hancock today (December 30) Kenilworth is to be escalated to Tier Four of the four-tiered rest...
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REEL 1 Recollections of operations as regimental medical officer with 2nd Bn Scots Guards, 5th Infantry Bde during Falkland War, 1982: background to hearing of crisis; reaction to watching first elements of Task Force leaving Portsmouth, 4/1982; departure of QE2, 2/5/1982; contrast between conditions on board QE2 and later active service; battlefield first aid training; period in waters around Ascension Island; accidents and illnesses on voyage southward; arrival at South Georgia; realisation of nature of conflict; transfer to SS Canberra; importance of BBC World Service; landing at San Carlos Water; weather conditions for 5th Infantry Bde's landings. REEL 2 Continues: medical effects of carrying heavy equipment; problems digging in terrain; abortive attempt of 1st Bn Welsh Guards to march across islands; additional medical support available; problems of cold and wet conditions; embarking on board HMS Intrepid; reaction to briefing on move to Bluff Cove; conditions on board landing craft; under fire from British ships; navigational problems on board ship; weather conditions on disembarkation at Bluff Cove; rotation of companies from hills outside Bluff Cove; opinion of efforts of Falkland islanders to aid exposure cases in unit. REEL 3 Continues: physical condition on night time move by landing craft; Argentinean Air Force attacks at Bluff Cove; unit's opening fire on Argentinean aircraft; Argentinean bombing of ships at Bluff Cove; casualties during patrol to Port Harriet House area; opinion of regimental aid men; question of pipes being played going into action at Mount Tumbledown. REEL 4 Continues: question of strength of unit; Argentinean shelling of unit at Bluff Cove; move to Goat Ridge area, 13/6/1982; plan of attack for Mount Tumbledown; dealing with first casualty prior to attack; casualties during diversionary attack; opposition faced from Argentinean 5th Marine Regt positions on Mount Tumbledown; problems with casualty evacuation; degree of casualties dealt with by regimental aid post; death of NCO who could not be reached; opinion of role of unit in taking Mount Tumbledown; unit casualties; story of guardsman who was missing from unit for 47 days. REEL 5 Continues: reasons for delay in picking up wounded in Westland Sea King helicopter; aiding wounded Gurkhas; question of need to have helicopter evacuation pilot attached to unit and need to train commanding officers in use of medical procedures;; orders of unit not to move into Port Stanley; cases of trenchfoot on Saint Edmund; role as garrison troops on West Falkland; return to GB on board MV Norland.


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Browsing Classics Explained: BEETHOVEN - Symphony No. 6, 'Pastoral' (Siepmann) by Track Title
Classics Explained: BEETHOVEN - Symphony No. 6, 'Pastoral' (Siepmann)
Harmonic fluideity - instability - as the central engine of the Development section (Second Movement: Scene by the Brook)
Siepmann, Jeremy ; Beethoven, Ludwig van ; Siepmann, Jeremy [01:40]
Harmonic instability, thematic dissolution increase, then lessen with approach of Recapitulation (Second Movement: Scene by the Brook)
Harmonic movement emphasised by violins; oboe takes up the First Subject (Second Movement: Scene by the Brook)
Harmonic rhythm speeds up, giving the impression of an accent on every beat (Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": I. Awakening of Cheerful Feelings on Arriving in the Country)
Siepmann, Jeremy ; Beethoven, Ludwig van ; Siepmann, Jeremy (1808) [00:34]
Hints of a return to main theme; long 'pedal point'; running commentary from the violins (Fifth Movement: Shepherd's Song - Happy and Thankful Feelings After the Storm)
A hush falls, followed by a return of the movement's most familiar tag in strings (Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": I. Awakening of Cheerful Feelings on Arriving in the Country)
Immediate response; Part One is answered by a march more singing, continuous legato (Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": III. Merry Gathering of Country Folk)
Increased unease and suspense as harmonic rhythm accelerates (Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": I. Awakening of Cheerful Feelings on Arriving in the Country)
Just when we know what's coming, Beethoven changes the rules (or at least the harmony) (Second Movement: Scene by the Brook)
The 'lashing rain' motif - downward-driving arpeggios from the first violins and violas (Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": IV. Thunderstorm)
The 'lightning' motif, and its recurrnece later in the movement (Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": IV. Thunderstorm)
Main theme heard three times in a row - and yet never the same way twice (Fifth Movement: Shepherd's Song - Happy and Thankful Feelings After the Storm)
Main theme, re-orchestrated; unexpected drift into another key and a new, gently flowing theme (Fifth Movement: Shepherd's Song - Happy and Thankful Feelings After the Storm)
Main theme returns, but significantly altered, and not entirely intact (Fifth Movement: Shepherd's Song - Happy and Thankful Feelings After the Storm)
The makings of a conversation: contrast and variation (Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": I. Awakening of Cheerful Feelings on Arriving in the Country)
Mega-repetition: violins play exactly the same little fragment ten times in a row (Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": I. Awakening of Cheerful Feelings on Arriving in the Country)
More Beethovenian frustrations of expectations which he himself has just set up (Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": I. Awakening of Cheerful Feelings on Arriving in the Country)
More thematic transformation through the agency of tone-colour (Second Movement: Scene by the Brook)
More variation: pitch rises; violins joined frist by the clarinet, then by the oboe (Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": I. Awakening of Cheerful Feelings on Arriving in the Country)
The 'motto' theme introduced by violins and treated to round-like overlappings (Second Movement: Scene by the Brook)


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Home » Nemo Tile expands
Nemo Tile expands
KEYWORDS Nemo Tile
NEW YORK, NY -- Following the opening of its new showroom in Red Bank, NJ, Nemo Tile & Stone is pleased to announce that the company is continuing its push into new markets, now, into New England. Nemo's latest hire, Steven Wallace, director for specifications in New England, will lead this phase of the family owned company's expansion. Steven will be managing day-to-day sales efforts, constructing a go-to-market strategy and establishing a long term vision for the brand in this new region.
Previously, senior architectural representative at Dal-Tile, and more recently Specifier at Shaw Floors, Steven has a strong technical background in surfacing, which he plans to apply to his new role with Nemo as a valuable resource for clients selecting products. Nemo was a natural next step for Steven; he was drawn to the company, headed by president and CEO Matt Karlin, by its unique product offerings and energetic leadership.
Steven will continue to build Nemo Tile & Stone's established reputation with homeowners, architects and commercial designers in the region and position the company as the area's go-to tile and stone distributor. With his spirited client-focused approach, Steven is positioned to disrupt the tile market in the region and bring a whole new consumer base to Nemo.
Nemo Tile + Stone Expands Team with Exemplary Hires
Nemo Tile expands executive team
Nemo Tile's new director of national accounts expands company reach
Nemo Tile expands national presence
TILE April/May 2019 Issue
The Tile Book: HISTORY, PATTERN, DESIGN
ANSI A108, A118, And A136 American National Standard Specifications For The Installation Of Ceramic Tile
Nemo Tile


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Home / HIGH SCHOOL / BASKETBALL / Anniston girls sidestep past pitfalls to win
Anniston girls sidestep past pitfalls to win
UPDATED: Bulldogs' inside game outduels Madison County's outside shot
JACKSONVILLE — At this time of year Anniston girls coach Eddie Bullock tends to remind himself of all the bad things that could go wrong as opposed to the good things that could go right.
It's because the bad things can get you beat and end your season, and should be avoided at all costs.
Bullock has been constantly reminded of the bad box-outs and poor free throw shooting that cost his team post-season advancement the last two years.
Those things didn't happen Monday, though, as the Bulldogs beat Madison County 54-49 in the girls 5A Northeast Regional. They'll meet Springville Thursday at 9 a.m. for the regional title.
The box-out was no trouble, as the Bulldogs (26-8) outrebounded Madison County 41-27 and scored 13 second-chance points. The free throws were no problem, either, as they hit 13 of 18 from the line, including four of six in the final 40 seconds when the Tigers were fouling to stop the clock.
"When you get in this time of the season you can't beat good teams turning the ball over and not following what you do in practice on a daily basis," Bullock said. "One box-out last year cost us a trip to the finals; we led Calera and we missed one box-out and it cost us the game. Two years ago, one box-out cost us a possible state championship against Oneonta when we played up here. That just goes through my head over and over and over.
"We're a good rebounding team, but we didn't cover the 3-point line like we should have and we made too many turnovers. … We're a great free throw shooting team and that goes back to two years ago. We were up by two (on Oneonta) and my best free throw shooter had the ball in her hands and we missed a free throw at the end that possibly could have sealed it. I took it upon myself to say we didn't practice free throws enough, so we spend 30 minutes, sometimes even an hour, daily every practice. I know that sounds exaggerated, but it's the honest-to-God truth.
"You only learn from your past, so what I try to do as a coach, I don't dwell on it, but I try to fix those mistakes that I may have made that cost them an opportunity to advance."
Most of the current players were part of those teams that came up short and guard Raven Cooley said they have heard the coach's reminders "quite often" during the season. It gets their attention.
"We basically come together as a team to try to form a defensive mentality so we won't end up like that," she said. "We basically do what we have to do to get to the final and get the ring."
It was a matter of Anniston's inside game against Madison County's outside shooting.
The Bulldogs regularly got inside and scored 26 points in the paint. Kiyana Bullock ruled the inside for Anniston with 16 points and nine rebounds.
"Their post players, when we scouted them, they didn't play good defense and I knew they were pretty young," Eddie Bullock explained. "I lost my voice telling (Kiyana) to flash to the basketball. Flash because you are the option.
"Raven (Cooley) was hitting some nice jumpers, but you always want to go inside first. … We were trying to get as many points in the paint as we could. What we were hoping is they would start tightening down and once they did that it would open it up for Raven."
Cooley hit three 3s in the first half and helped stake Anniston to a 29-19 lead at the break.
Madison County (21-9) stayed in it with the 3. Although they were 1 for 12 beyond the arc in the first half, the Lady Tigers were 7 of 14 in the second half. Sophomore Taylor Jennings, a 40-percent shooter from beyond the arc, found her stroke in his second half and hit all five of her 3s after going 0-for-6 in the first half.
Jennings finished with 15 points. Madison Baggett led all scorers with 22 points.
"I knew they had two girls who could shoot it," Bullock said. "We've been practicing multiple defenses to keep them confused and we wanted to press them to slow it down.
"The block points were not going to hurt us. It was the 3 that was going to hurt us. I couldn't get them to buy into it. I was just fortunate enough the clock ran out."
It truly was a game of runs. Anniston scored the last eight points of the half to build its 10-point lead and extended it to 33-22 early in the third quarter. The Tigers bounced back with a 14-4 run to cut it to 37-36 going into the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs finally took control with an 11-0 run at the start of the fourth quarter and held on.
"I knew it was going to be tough," Bullock said. "They beat Jacksonville so that sent me a message that it was going to be a tough game. Just glad to get the win out the way."
Anniston 54, Madison County 49
MADISON COUNTY (21-9) – Madison Baggett 8-16 3-5 22, Shaynn Nance 1-7 0-0 2, Beth Maples 1-10 0-0 2, Taylor Jennings 5-11 0-0 15, Jasmine Baker 3-4 0-0 6, KaDaesha Cross 0-0 0-0 0, Rachel Hooker 0-0 0-0 0, Lindsay Pierce 0-0 0-0 0, Tatyana Smith 0-2 0-0 0, Morgan Haywood 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 19-51 3-5 49.
ANNISTON (26-8) – Miajah Bullock 2-10 5-5 9, Raven Cooley 4-9 2-4 13, Davia Palmer 4-5 0-0 8, Carsheuna Curry 1-3 2-2 4, Kiyana Bullock 6-11 4-7 16, Carlina Welch 1-1 0-0 2, Takia Shears 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 19-43 13-18 54.
Madison County 11 8 17 13 — 49
Anniston 15 14 8 17 — 54
3-point goals: Madison Co. 8-26 (Baggett 3-9, Nance 0-5, Jennings 5-11, Smith 0-1); Anniston 3-9 (M. Bullock 0-2, Cooley 3-6, Palmer 0-1). Rebounds: Madison Co. 22 (Baker 5), Anniston 41 (K. Bullock 9, Curry 7). Total fouls: Madison Co. 17, Anniston 7. Officials: Booker, Dixon, Putnam.
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Small Biz Trends
Leave a Comment on Under Biden, expect more scrutiny of Big Tech and mergers
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The Biden administration is expected to take a tougher stance against acquisitions than President Trump's while continuing a recent flurry of antitrust cases against Big Tech.
"Antitrust law and policy are poised for a course correction," says Andrew Gavil, an antitrust expert at Howard University School of Law. "The degree of that correction remains to be seen and will be influenced by both politics and the composition of the courts."
Trump's antitrust regulators, led by Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim, loudly tried stopping AT&T from acquiring Time Warner in 2017—only to suffer a stinging defeat in court. Overall, however, Trump's Justice Department made 19% fewer requests for data about mergers—which delay closings to allow regulators to take a closer look—and filed 18% fewer cases to block mergers than the prior administration.
From time to time, the Trump administration even wrote legal opinions opposing antitrust lawsuits from other agencies, like the Federal Trade Commission's case against Qualcomm. On the other hand, at the end of its tenure, Delrahim's team did file high-profile antitrust suits against Google and Facebook, signaling that the concentrated power of big tech companies was alarming to Republicans as well as Democrats.
"The approach we took—that this is legitimate, to look at it and not be afraid of the tech companies—opened up the ability of the staff to investigate," the outgoing assistant AG said at Fortune's Brainstorm Tech conference earlier this month. Delrahim added that he hopes under the Biden administration the battle against Big Tech "continues, but is not overzealous."
Biden didn't make antitrust or cracking down on Big Tech major parts of his campaign, but he has named to his transition a few lawyers who worked on antitrust cases during the Obama administration, notes Stanford Law professor Mark Lemley. Bill Baer, who had Delrahim's role under Obama, is part of Biden's transition team for the FTC, along with Laura Moy, a privacy expert and professor at Georgetown Law School. Gene Kimmelman, senior adviser at nonprofit Public Knowledge and an Obama Justice Department veteran, is on Biden's DOJ transition team.
"Based on these early steps, it looks like they will take a more expansive view of antitrust than the Trump administration," Lemley says. "But this is not the radical 'break them all up' view you might associate with Sen. Elizabeth Warren. This is not the full swing towards populism."
The Trump administration has done little to slow the wave of tech mergers. Large deals like Intel's $15 billion Mobileye purchase and IBM's $34 billion RedHat buy garnered no opposition, and even T-Mobile's $24 billion merger with Sprint won approval eventually. Similarly, there have been no tough reviews of smaller acquisitions by Microsoft, Adobe, PayPal, Salesforce, and others.
Wall Street expects continued scrutiny of the four or five largest tech companies but not all out warfare, says analyst David Heger, at Edward Jones. "It seems to be the one issue that is bipartisan in nature," he says. "And at least for now, investors are not anticipating something dramatic out of these cases, which are going to take years to play out."
For example, Google has been hit with three separate antitrust cases over the past three months, but its stock is up 16% during that period.
Biden taking over from Trump won't change that calculus much, Heger says. "Both sides feel action needs to be taken, so the flavors may be slightly different in the finer points, but I don't see a dramatic change," he says. "Certainly no one is pulling back on these cases."
More must-read tech coverage from Fortune:
How hackers could undermine a successful vaccine rollout
Why investors jumped on board the SPAC "gravy train"
GitHub CEO: We're nuking all tracking "cookies," and you should too
Innovation just isn't happening over Zoom
Upstart CEO talks major IPO "pop," A.I. racial bias, and Google
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The fate of $2,000 stimulus checks gains momentum, increasing the pressure on Senate Republicans
Novavax's COVID vaccine candidate is the fifth to reach final-stage testing in the U.S.
When it comes to the Capitol riots, we see things differently
Map: A state-by-state breakdown of vaccination rates as Biden takes over
Andreessen Horowitz is developing its own media outlets. That might not be good for investors.
The pandemic reveals the surprising differences in how men and women network
A second act seems in the works for Anthony Levandowski
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The Walking Dead Almost Cast Lost Actor as Ezekiel
by Michael Kennedy
Lost actor Harold Perrineau says that he was almost cast as King Ezekiel on The Walking Dead, a role that ultimately went to Khary Payton. In his short time on the series, Ezekiel has become a favorite character of many, and Payton's portrayal has had a lot to do with that. Still, there's no reason to doubt that Perrineau could have pulled off the role as well, as the actor has several memorable entries on his resume already.
Perrineau certainly would have been a much more widely known name to cast as Ezekiel, as the majority of Payton's notable acting work prior to The Walking Dead wasn't in the live action realm. Payton has done voice acting for dozens of animated series and video games, including Metal Gear Solid 4, Justice League Action, and The Lion Guard. Appropriately, Payton's voice has come in quite handy when playing Ezekiel, especially to establish the contrast between the royal front the character puts on for his subjects and his real American accent.
Related: Negan's Backstory Will Be Explored on Walking Dead Season 8
Perrineau is still probably best known for playing Michael Dawson on Lost, but he's also had memorable stints on such series as HBO's Oz, FX's Sons of Anarchy and NBC's sadly short-lived Constantine. Perrineau also played Link in the Matrix sequels, and appeared in the Oscar-nominated drama Zero Dark Thirty. Perrineau recently revealed to ComicBook that he was in talks for the Ezekiel role, although he thinks Payton has done great things with the part. Here's his full quote:
"There was a little bit of a talk about it. For a while there was. I was already doing something and it would've been a big juggle. Not that he's not great! There was just a talk. It was a talk and it didn't go down. I'm really excited for him."
Perrineau was actually rumored to have been cast as Ezekiel prior to the character's TV debut, but this is the first time the actor has confirmed that said rumors had some truth to them. As gracious as Perrineau's above statement is to Payton, he does still admit "it would be fun to have a tiger," referring to Ezkeiel's loyal big cat companion Shiva.
In one respect, it's actually more fitting to Walking Dead tradition that Payton was cast instead of Perrineau. For the most part - Supernatural vet Jeffrey Dean Morgan being one of the most notable exceptions - TWD has avoided casting immediately recognizable names in its main roles. Most of TWD's cast have since become stars due to their work on the show, but people like Andrew Lincoln, Melissa McBride, Jon Bernthal, and Danai Gurira were unlikely to be faces that the masses readily recognized back when they first signed on for Robert Kirkman's apocalyptic tale of survival.
More: The Walking Dead: 10 Best (And 10 Worst) Characters
The Walking Dead season 8 airs Sundays on AMC.
Source: ComicBook
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A lawn sign from the 2017 Holyoke preliminary municipal election.
The ACLU of Massachusetts is suing the city of Holyoke over new restrictions on signs.
Holyoke's sign ordinance, which passed in October, requires anyone placing a temporary sign on their property during December, January and February to fill out a form with the city's building department.
"At a time when the federal government seeks to chill free speech, Massachusetts residents should be encouraged to voice their support and opposition for candidates and social issues, not silenced," the ACLU's Carol Rose said in a statement.
City Councilor David Bartley, who sponsored the ordinance, called the criticism "laughable."
"I could care less what their hyperbole is. 'Chill speech?' What does that even mean?" Bartley, a lawyer, said. "It that [registration requirement for signs] chills speech, by filling out a one-page form, the ACLU — I suggest — needs to get a life."
Bartley said the December-to-February registration requirement has nothing to do with the "content" of the signs.
"It's for time, place and manner. It's for aesthetics. It's for public safety," he said.
The ACLU's lawsuit also claimed the ordinance would essentially ban bumper stickers on cars. The ordinance does not specifically mention bumper stickers. It prohibits what it calls "temporary" signs on vehicles, while exempting "permanent" ones.
The suit was filed on behalf of seven Holyoke residents, several of whom currently have "Black Lives Matter" signs in their yards.
Holyoke's mayor, Alex Morse, said he will not fight the lawsuit.
Morse opposed the ordinance, but the city council overrode his veto.
"I'm certainly not surprised by the lawsuit and I certainly welcome it," Morse told NEPR. "I'll make sure that no city resources are used to defend the ordinance that was passed by the city council. So what I think that means legally, is that it will be much easier to come to settlement."
Morse said he wants the council to rescind the ordinance or amend it.
Regardless, the ACLU is seeking a temporary restraining order.
Federal Judge Mark Mastroianni granted an expedited hearing on the request for Wednesday, November 28.
Three Democratic senators have filed a lawsuit challenging the appointment of Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general.