text:
\section{Introduction}

The equation of state (EOS) of hydrogen and helium at high pressures is of
great relevance for models of the interior of giant planets and other
astrophysical objects as well as for inertial confinement fusion experiments.
For detailed calculations accurate knowledge of the EOS over a wide range of
densities and temperatures is needed.  Especially, in the range of
\textit{warm dense matter} with high densities characteristic for condensed
matter and at temperatures of a few eV the EOS is crucial for modelling giant
planets. This region is challenging for many-particle theory because strong
correlations dominate the physical behavior. Progress in shock-wave
experimental technique has allowed to study this region only recently.

To probe the EOS, experimental investigations were performed statically with
diamond anvil cells or dynamically by using shock waves, see~\cite{Nellis06}
for a recent review. The experimental data indicate that a nonmetal-to-metal
transition occurs at about 1~Mbar which is identified by a strong increase of
the conductivity~\cite{weir} and reflectivity~\cite{Celliers00}. Some
theoretical models yield a thermodynamic instability in this transition
region, the \textit{plasma phase transition}
(PPT)~\cite{SC1,SC2,EbelNorm,BHRO,FIL06}, which would strongly affect models
for planetary interiors and the evolution of giant
planets~\cite{MIT-Planets,CSHL,Planets-PPT}. After a long period of
controversial discussions, new results of shock wave experiments on deuterium
support the existence of such a PPT~\cite{Fortov}.
This fundamental problem of high-pressure physics will also be studied with
the FAIR facility at GSI Darmstadt within the LAPLAS project,
see~\cite{Tahir,Tahir-PNP12}.

In this paper we present new results for the EOS of dense hydrogen within the
chemical picture. We treat the reactions pressure dissociation and ionization
self-consistently via respective mass action laws. We identify the region of
thermodynamic instability and calculate the phase diagram as well as the
reflectivity in order to verify the corresponding nonmetal-to-metal
transition. The EOS data is used to model the interior of Jupiter within a
three-layer model. The agreement with astrophysical constraints such as the
core mass and the fraction of heavier elements can serve as an additional test
of the theoretical EOS.

\section{Equation of state for dense hydrogen}

Warm dense hydrogen is considered as a partially ionized plasma in the
chemical picture. A mixture of a neutral component (atoms and molecules) and a
plasma component (electrons and protons) is in chemical equilibrium with
respect to dissociation and ionization.  The EOS is derived from an expression
for the free energy of the neutral ($F_0$) and charged particles ($F_\pm$),
see~\cite{SFB-CPP,SCCS05}:
\begin{equation}
F(T,V,N)=F_0+F_\pm+F_{pol}.
\end{equation}
The first two terms consist of ideal and interaction contributions and can be
written as $F_0=F_0^{id}+F_0^{int}$ and $F_\pm=F_\pm^{id}+F_\pm^{int}$.
$F_{pol}$ contains interaction terms between charged and neutral components
caused by polarization~\cite{PolRR}.

Applying fluid variational theory (FVT), the EOS is determined by calculating
the free energy $F_0^{int}(T,V,N)$ via the Gibbs-Bogolyubov
inequality~\cite{RRY}. This method has been generalized to two-component
systems with a reaction~\cite{FVT1,FVT2,N2} so that also molecular systems at
high pressure can be treated where pressure dissociation occurs, e.g.\ H$_2
\rightleftharpoons$ 2H for hydrogen.  In chemical equilibrium, $\mu_{\rm
  H_2}=2\mu_{\rm H}$ is fulfilled, and the number of atoms and molecules can
be determinded self-consistently via the chemical potentials $\mu_c=(\partial
F/\partial N_c)_T$.  The effective interactions between the neutral species
are modeled by exp-6 potentials, and the free energy of a multi-component
reference system of hard spheres has to be known; for details,
see~\cite{FVT1,FVT2,PCCP05}.

The charged component is treated by using efficient Pad\'{e} approximations
for the free energy developed by Chabrier and Potekhin~\cite{Potek}. The
coupling with the neutral component occurs via the ionization equilibrium,
H$\rightleftharpoons$e+p. In chemical equilibrium, the relation $\mu_{\rm
  H}=\mu_{\rm e}+\mu_{\rm p}$ determines the degree of ionization.

Since atoms and molecules are particles of finite size there is an additional
interaction between the charged component and the neutral fluid. According to
the concept of reduced volume, point-like particles cannot penetrate into the
volume occupied by atoms and molecules. This leads to a correction in the
description of the ideal gas of the charged
component~\cite{McLellan56,Kahlbaum92} so that the ideal free energy of
protons and electrons $F_\pm^{id}$ is dependent on the reduced volume
$V^*=V\cdot(1-\eta)$,
\begin{equation}
F_\pm^{id}(T,V^*,N)=N_\pm k_B T \cdot f_\pm^{id,*},
\end{equation}
where $\eta$ is the ratio of the volume which cannot be penetrated by
point-like particles to the total volume.  It is derived from hard sphere
diameters obtained within the FVT self-consistently. The free energy density
$f_\pm^{id,*}$ is given by Fermi integrals which take into account quantum
effects. In order to avoid an intersection of pressure isotherms, which is
important for modelling planetary interiors, a minimum diameter $d_\text{min}$
has been introduced.  It was determined starting at low temperatures where it
remains almost constant up to 15.000~K, then it increases up to 20.000~K and
remains constant again for higher temperatures, see
Fig.~\ref{fig:dmin}.  These values are in the range of the results for the
diameter of the hydrogen atom derived from the confined atom
model~\cite{confatom}.

\begin{figure}[ht]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.5 \textwidth]{bilder/dmin}
\end{center}
\caption{Minimum diameter for expanded particles (atoms, molecules) introduced
  within the reduced volume concept. \label{fig:dmin}}
\end{figure}

Consequently, the reduced volume concept changes the chemical potential of
each component drastically at higher densities and results in pressure
ionization. This is due to the fact that additional terms appear in the
chemical potential, which is the particle number derivative of the free
energy, and thermodynamic functions of degenerate plasmas are very sensitive
to changes in density.

This current model FVT$^+$ includes all interaction
contributions to the chemical potentials, thus being a generalization
of earlier work~\cite{PCCP05} where only ideal plasma contributions have been
treated (FVT$^+_{\rm id}$).

\begin{figure}[htb]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.49 \textwidth]{bilder/comp020}
\includegraphics[width=0.49 \textwidth]{bilder/comp050}
\end{center}
\caption{Composition of dense hydrogen for 20.000~K (left) and 50.000~K
  (right). \label{fig:compo}}
\end{figure}

In Fig.~\ref{fig:compo} the composition of hydrogen derived from the present
approach is shown for two temperatures. Hydrogen is an atomic gas at low
temperatures (left) and low densities. With increasing densities molecules are
formed due to the mass action law. Pressure dissociation and ionization can be
observed in the high-density region. The nonideality corrections to the free
energy force a transition from a molecular fluid to a fully ionized plasma. At
higher temperatures (right) the formation of molecules is suppressed and
pressure ionization becomes the dominating process. At low densities and high
temperatures a fully ionized plasma is produced due to thermal ionization.

We show pressure isotherms over a wide range of temperatures and densities in
Fig.~\ref{fig:Piso}. At low densities the system behaves like a neutral fluid.
Between densities of 10$^{-3}$ g/cm$^3$ and 10$^{-1}$ g/cm$^3$
nonideality corrections to the free energy of atoms and molecules lead to a
nonlinear behavior of the isotherms.  For still higher densities a phase
transition occurs which is treated by a Maxwell construction.  The
thermodynamic instability vanishes with increasing temperatures, and the
critical point is located at 16.800~K, 0.35~g/cm$^3$, and 45~GPa.

\begin{figure}[htb]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.5 \textwidth]{bilder/press}
\end{center}
\caption{Pressure isotherms for dense hydrogen. \label{fig:Piso}}
\end{figure}

The critical point and the related coexistence line are shown in
Fig.~\ref{fig:PT} and compared with results of other EOS. The critical point
itself lies within the range of other predictions, whereas the coexistence
line is lower than most of the other results. For a comparison of data
concerning the PPT, see Table~\ref{tab:cp}.

New shock-wave experiments~\cite{Fortov} imply that a PPT occurs in deuterium
at densities of 1.5 g/cm$^3$ and a coexistence pressure of about 1 megabar.
Each of these values is twice as high as evaluated in the recent model.

\begin{figure}[htb]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.5 \textwidth]{bilder/beuleppt}
\end{center}
\caption{Phase diagram for dense hydrogen. Present results of the FVT$^+$
  (red) are compared with other predictions for the PPT:
  SC~\protect\cite{SC1,SC2}, RK~\protect\cite{Robnik},
  MH~\protect\cite{MH}, ER~\protect\cite{EbelRich},
  SBT~\protect\cite{SBT}, RRN~\protect\cite{RRN},
  BEF~\protect\cite{BEF}, MCPB~\protect\cite{MCPB}.
\label{fig:PT}}
\end{figure}

\begin{table}[htb]
\begin{footnotesize}
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{ccclll} \hline\hline

$T_c$  & $p_c$  & $\rho_c$   & Method & Authors & Reference \\
(10$^3$ K) & (GPa) & (g/cm$^3$) & & & \\ \hline

12.6  & 95     & 0.95   & PIP    & Ebeling/S\"andig (1973) &
 \protect\cite{EbelSand} \\
19    & 24     & 0.14   & PIP    & Robnik/Kundt (1983) &
 \protect\cite{Robnik}\\
16.5  & 22.8   & 0.13   & PIP    & Ebeling/Richert (1985) &
 \protect\cite{EbelRich} \\
16.5  & 95     & 0.43   & PIP    & Haronska {\it et al.} (1987) &
 \protect\cite{Harry} \\
15    & 64.6   & 0.36   & PIP    & Saumon/Chabrier (1991) &
 \protect\cite{SC1}\\
15.3  & 61.4   & 0.35   & PIP    & Saumon/Chabrier (1992) &
 \protect\cite{SC2}\\
14.9 & 72.3    & 0.29   & PIP    & Schlanges {\it et al.} (1995) &
 \protect\cite{SBT}\\
16.5  & 57     & 0.42   & PIP    & Reinholz {\it et al.} (1995) &
 \protect\cite{RRN}\\
11    & 55     & 0.25   & PIMC   & Magro {\it et al.} (1996) &
 \protect\cite{MCPB}\\
20.9  & 0.3    & 0.002  &  & Kitamura/Ichimaru (1998) &
 \protect\cite{Ichi}\\%[3mm]
16.8  & 45     & 0.35   & PIP    & present FVT$^+$ & \\
\hline\hline

\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\end{footnotesize}
\caption{\label{tab:cp}Theoretical results for the critical point of the
  hypothetical plasma~phase transition (PPT) in hydrogen which was
  predicted by Zeldovich and Landau~\protect\cite{Landau} and Norman and
  Starostin~\protect\cite{Norman}. }
\end{table}

\section{Conductivity and reflectivity}

The PPT is an instability driven by the nonmetal-to-metal transition (pressure
ionization). We calculate the electrical conductivity as well as the
reflectivity by applying the COMPTRA04 program
package~\cite{Comptra04,www-comptra} in order to locate this transition in the
density-temperature plane.

Optical properties are calculated within the Drude model.  The reflectivity
$R(\omega)$ is given in the long-wavelength limit via the dielectric function
$\varepsilon(\omega)$ which is determined by a dynamic collision frequency
$\nu(\omega)$ or, alternatively, by the dynamic conductivity
$\sigma(\omega)$~\cite{collision}:
\begin{eqnarray}
   R(\omega) &=&
 \left|\frac{ \sqrt{\varepsilon(\omega)}-1}{\sqrt{\varepsilon(\omega)}-1}
 \right|^2,\\
   \varepsilon(\omega)&=& 1-\frac{\omega_{pl}^2}
 {\omega\left[\omega+\text{i}\nu(\omega)\right]}
 = 1+\frac{\text{i}}{\varepsilon_0\omega}\sigma(\omega) ,\\
   \sigma(\omega)&=& \sigma(0)\left[
 1-\frac{\text{i}\omega}{\varepsilon_0\omega_{\text{pl}}^2}
 \sigma(0) \right]^{-1}.
\end{eqnarray}
$\omega_{\text{pl}}=\sqrt{n_e e^2/(\varepsilon_0 m_e)}$ is the plasma frequency
of the electrons.

The reflectivity was determined along the Hugoniot curve and is compared with
experimental results~\cite{Celliers00} and those of the earlier model
FVT$^+_{\rm id}$~\cite{SCCM} in Fig.~\ref{fig:reflex}.  The results of the
current model show a much better agreement with the experiment. The
characteristic and abrupt rise with increasing pressure was reproduced more
accurately. This drastic increase appears due to pressure ionization in the
vicinity of the criotical point of the PPT. As a result, the reflectivity
advances from very low values to metallic-like ones almost instantly.

\begin{figure}[htb]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.5 \textwidth]{bilder/celliers}
\end{center}
\caption{Reflectivity of dense hydrogen within the models FVT$^+$ and
  FVT$^+_{\rm id}$ along the Hugoniot curve in comparison
  with experiments~\protect\cite{Celliers00}.  \label{fig:reflex}}
\end{figure}

\section{Planetary interiors}

Modelling the interiors of giant planets and comparison with their
observational parameters offers an alternative tool besides laboratory
experiments of probing the EOS of the components the planets are predominantly
made of. Giant planets such as Jupiter and Saturn consist mainly of hydrogen
and, in decreasing order, of helium, water and rocks, covering a wide range of
pressures and temperatures.  Independently from the H-EOS used for modelling,
the simplest interior structure that is compatible with the observational
constraints requires at least three homogenous layers with a transition from a
cold molecular fluid in the outer envelope to a pressure ionized plasma in the
deep interior and a dense solid core of ices and rocks. A solid core may be
explained as a result of the formation process and the seperation into two
fluid envelopes with different particle abundances by an existence of a PPT as
provided by the FVT$^+$ EOS. The constraining observational parameters are the
total mass of the planet $M$, its equatorial radius $R_{eq}$, the temperature
$T$ at the outer boundary, the average helium content $\bar{Y}$, the period of
rotation $\omega$ and the gravitational moments $J_2, J_4, J_6$. From
measurements of the luminosity it has been argued \cite{Hubbard68} that the
temperature profile should be adiabatic.  For a given EOS, the interior
profiles of pressure $P$ and density $\rho$ are calculated by integration of
the equation of hydrostatic equilibrium
\begin{equation}
	\label{eq_hydrostatGG}
	\frac{1}{\rho(r,\theta)} \nabla_{\vec{r}} P(r,\theta) =
	\nabla_{\vec{r}}
\left(G\int_{dV}d^3r'\frac{\rho(r,\theta)}{|\vec{r}-\vec{r}'|}
		+  \frac{1}{2}\omega^2 r^2\sin\theta^2\right)
\end{equation}
along an isentrope defined by the outer boundary. The first term on the right
hand side of eq. (\ref{eq_hydrostatGG}) is the gravitational potential and the
second term the centrifugal potential assuming axialsymmetric rotation. We
apply the \textsl{theory of figures} \cite{ZharkovTrubitsyn} up to third order
to solve this equation and to calculate the gravitational moments. They are
defined as the coefficients of the expansion of the gravitational potential
into Legendre polynomials, taken at the outer boundary. Being integrals of the
density distribution weighted by some power of the radius, they are very
sensitive with respect to the amount and distribution of helium and heavier
elements within the planet.

In accordance with previous calculations \cite{SC92,TGs}, mixtures of hydrogen
with helium and heavier elements have been derived from the EOS of the pure
materials via the additive volume rule. It states that the entropy of mixing
can be neglected.

Assuming a three-layer structure, we present results for Jupiter for the
profiles of temperature, density, and pressure along the radius in
Fig.~\ref{fig-profileJup} using two different H-EOS, the standard Sesame table
5251 for hydrogen~\cite{Sesame} and the FVT$^+$ model presented above.

\begin{figure}[htb]
\begin{center}
\rotatebox{270}{\includegraphics[width=6cm]{bilder/profile5SepNN}}
\end{center}
\caption{\label{fig-profileJup}
  Profiles of temperature, density, pressure
  along the radius within Jupiter using two different H-EOS, FVT$^+$ (solid)
  and Sesame 5251 (dashed).}
\end{figure}

The profiles of temperature appear very similar, meaning a small uncertainty
about the real profiles. Contrary, the density and pressure profiles exhibit
more differences and require some explanation. In the fluid part of Jupiter,
the presence of a PPT leads to a jump in density between the envelopes. Since
the gravitational moments as integrals over the density have to be the same
for both H-EOS, the density profile of a H-EOS with PPT has to be smaller in
the outer envelope and larger in the inner envelope. The different size and
composition of the core for these specific H-EOS are a consequence of their
different compressibility in the regime of pressure ionization at about
1~Mbar, where the gravitational moments are most sensitive to the density
distribution.

In case of a stiff H-EOS like Sesame, a larger amount of heavy elements is
needed in the two fluid envelopes to compensate for the smaller hydrogen
density at a given pressure.  As a result, this material is added to the
well-known density-pressure relation of degenerate electrons in the deep
interior, leaving less material for the core.  Thus, in case of the
Sesame-EOS, the amount of heavy elements becomes with 10\% very large and an
unlikely solution with a very small core of light material (e.g.\ water) can
be found.

In case of the FVT$^+$ EOS which is more compressible than the
Sesame EOS at about 1~Mbar, the helium content is below the value of 27.5\%
for the protosolar cloud in order to reproduce the lowest gravitational moment
$J_2$. Furthermore, the next gravitational moment $J_4$ cannot be reproduced
correctly because the transition to the metallic envelope occurs already at
about 90\% of the radius and, thus, at too low densities. For opposite
reasons, both the Sesame and FVT$^+$ EOS applied in a three-layer model of
Jupiter are not compatible with {\it all} of the observational
constraints. While Sesame is probably too stiff, the FVT$^+$ model is likely
too soft in the WDM region at about 1~Mbar.

\section{Conclusions}

In this paper, we have extended the earlier chemical model FVT$^+_{id}$ to
calculate the EOS of dense hydrogen. The current model FVT$^+$ includes
nonideality corrections to the free energy of each commponent of the partially
ionized plasma. We have shown results for the composition and the
thermodynamic properties of dense hydrogen. The PPT was located in the phase
diagram, its critical point coincides with earlier results. Furthermore, we
have determined optical properties such as reflectivity and conductivity,
within linear response theory using the program package COMPTRA04.  The
calculated reflectivity along the experimental Hugoniot curve shows a good
agreement with the experiments. However, application of the FVT$^+$ EOS to the
interior structure of Jupiter indicates that the behavior at about 1~Mbar is
probably too soft. The same conclusion can be drawn from a comparison with
shock-wave experiments that indicate the existence of a PPT~\cite{Fortov}.
FVT$^+$ predicts the PPT at too low pressures as well as at too low densities.
Further efforts to solve this problem, especially concerning the reduced
volume concept, are necessary.

\begin{acknowledgement}
  We thank P.~M.~Celliers, W.~Ebeling, V.~E.~Fortov, V.~K.~Gryaznov,
  W.-D.~Kraeft, and G.~R\"opke for stimulating discussions.  This work was
  supported by the DFG within the SFB 652 Strongly Correlated Matter in
  Radiation Fields and the GRK 567 Strongly Correlated Many Particle Systems.
\end{acknowledgement}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


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text:
Academic journal articles
McKnight, A.D., Harwood, V., McMahon, S., Priestly, A, Trindorfer, J. (2018). 'No Shame at AIME': Listening to Aboriginal philosophy and methodologies to theorise the 'removal' of shame from educational contexts, Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. Online first: https://doi.org/10.1017/jie.2018.14
McMahon, S., Harwood, V., Bodkin-Andrews, G., O'Shea, S., McKnight, A., Chandler, P. & Priestly, A. (2016). Lessons from the AIME approach to the teaching relationship: valuing biepistemic practice. Pedagogy, Culture and Society.
Check for open access link Link to publication eprint
O'Shea, S., McMahon, S., Priestly, A., Bodkin-Andrews, G. and Harwood, V. (2015). 'We are history in the making and we are walking together to change things for the better': Exploring the flows and ripples of learning in a mentoring program for Indigenous young people. Education as Change, 20(1): 59-84.
Link to publication webpage Check for open access link
Harwood, V., McMahon, S. O'Shea, S., Bodkin-Andrews, A. & Priestly, A. (2015). Recognising Aspiration: The AIME program's effectiveness in inspiring Indigenous young people's participation in schooling and opportunities for further education and employment. Australian Educational Researcher.
Priestly, A., Lynch, M., Wallace, C. and Harwood, V. (2015). Pathways to success: AIME's educational mentoring model. Learning Communities: International journal of learning is social contexts. Special Issue: Indigenous pathways and transitions into higher education, 17: 45-53.
O' Shea, S., Harwood, V., Kervin, L., & Humphry, N. (2013). Connection, Challenge and Change: The narratives of university students mentoring young Indigenous Australians. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 21(4) 392-411.
O' Shea, S., Chandler, P., Harwood, V., McMahon, S., Priestly, A. and Bodkin-Andrews, G. (2014). AIME and the University of Wollongong, in the National Centre for Student *Equity in Higher Education (ed.). Partnerships in Education. Author: Perth, W.A. (pp. 63-4)
Link to publication webpage Direct link to PDF
Kervin, L., McMahon, S., O'Shea, S. & Harwood, V. (2014). Digital Storytelling: Capturing the stories of mentors in the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience, in P. Brindle (ed.) SAGE Research Methods Cases. London: Sage Publications.
Link to publisher's version Check for open access link
Bodkin-Andrews, G., Harwood, V., McMahon, S. & Priestly, A. (2013). AIM(E) for Completing School and University: Analyzing the Strength of the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience. In R. Craven & J. Mooney (eds), Seeding Success in Indigenous Australian Higher Education: Diversity in higher education, Emerald Publishing: USA.
Harwood, V., Bodkin-Andrews, G., Clapham, K., O'Shea, S., Wright, J., Kervin, L., & McMahon, S. (2013) Evaluation of the AIME Outreach Program, University of Wollongong: Australia. Available here
Harwood, V., Chandler, P., Bodkin-Andrews, G., McKnight, A., O'Shea, S., McMahon, S., Johnstone, A. and Priestly, A. (2016). Understanding the achievements of the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME). Symposium at AARE, Melbourne, VIC, 27 November – 1 December.
Harwood, V., McMahon, S., Chandler, P., O'Shea, S., McKnight, A., Bodkin-Andrews, G., Priestly, A. (2016). Focus on AIME Mentoring. First in Family National Forum, Wollongong, NSW, 24-25 November, University of Wollongong.
Harwood, V., McMahon, S., Chandler, P., O'Shea, S., McKnight, A., Bodkin-Andrews, G., Priestly, A. (2016). Best practice in online remote mentoring: iSee online mentoring with young people in remote settings. First in Family National Forum, Wollongong, NSW, 24-25 November.
Murray, N., Harwood, V. and Brown, L. (2016). Promoting Educational Futures: LEAD MY LEARNING and the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME). Presentation at the University of Aukland, New Zealand, 3 November.
Harwood, V., Chandler, P., O'Shea, S., McMahon, S., Priestly, A. (2016). 'It is the best thing you can do at uni': How volunteering as an AIME mentor enhances university students' learning and positively impacts their community. Good Practice Report presented at STARS conference, Perth, Australia, 27 June – 2 July. It is the best thing you can do at uni
Harwood, V., Chandler, P., O'Shea, S. and McMahon, S. (2016). Community benefits from university students mentoring in the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience program. Poster presented at Universities Australia Conference, Canberra, 9-10 March.
Johnstone, A., O'Shea, S., Harwood, V., Chandler, P., McMahon, S., Bodkin-Andrews, G. and Priestly, A. (2015). The university and the AIME learning environment: Inspiring and supporting Indigenous learners on campus, invited workshop at National Association of Enabling Educators of Australia Conference, Sydney, 25-26 November.
Chandler, P., Harwood, V., O'Shea, S., Bodkin-Andrews, G., Priestly, A. and McMahon, S. (2015). Smashing the gap: Indigenous Australians accessing and transitioning to university the AIME way, at the Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia (EPHEA) conference, Geelong, Australia, 9-12 November. Presentation available here
Bodkin-Andrews, G., McMahon, S., Harwood, V. and Hogan, M. (2013). 'Culturally appropriate pathways to enhancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students' positive self-perceptions: Findings from the AIME mentoring program', Australian Association for Research in Education, Adelaide, 1-5 December.
McMahon, S., Johnstone, A., Newton, B., Gillard, J., Harwood, V., Senior, K. and Priestly, A. (2017). Virtual Mentoring Potential: exploring possibilities for extending the reach of campus-based mentoring programs, editorial published by National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE), 19 April. Available here
AIME Research Partnership (2016). Real Mentoring in a Virtual World [6 minute video documentary]. Available here
O'Shea, S., Harwood, V. & Chandler, P. (2015). Getting students into uni is one thing, but how to keep them there?. The Conversation (25 September, 2015).
Check for open access link

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Moorland, woodland, hedgerows, river banks, sand dunes and mountains. Although they live in a variety of habitats, they prefer undisturbed areas.
The adder is Britain's only venomous snake and grows up to about 60cm in length. Its skin is made of tough scales and, from time to time, as the adder grows it wriggles out of its old skin and grows a new, bigger one. If you are lucky you could find an empty adder skin on the ground. Adders vary in colour – some are brown, some are grey and some are black. They have a dark zig-zag line along the back, which helps with camouflage, and a V mark along the back of the head.
Like all reptiles adders are cold-blooded and depend on the warmth of the sun to warm their bodies. Early in the day they bask in the sun to warm up and as the day becomes hotter they move into the shade to cool down. Adders survive cold winters by hibernating from October to March in a cool, dry place, usually a hole or crevice in the ground. A group will often hibernate together.
Their bodies are highly sensitive to vibrations in the ground and this helps warm them of danger. Adders usually hunt for food during the daytime. Their prey includes lizards, amphibians, young birds and small mammals such as mice and voles. They kill with a bite from their fangs, which injects venom into the victim and paralyses it – usually the adder swallows its prey whole. Adders do not eat every day; a large meal may last a week or more.
Female adders give birth to between 3 and 20 baby adders in August. The babies stay close to their mother for a few days and then slither away to look after themselves.
Adders are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and must not be killed, injured or sold.
If you are walking on moorland on a warm summer day, keep a careful eye on the path in front of you. If you are lucky enough to see an adder, keep still and don't try to touch it. It will probably be more frightened of you and will disappear into the heather. Usually adders know when you are coming. They are deaf, but they can feel the vibrations of footsteps through the ground. It's often the sleepy ones we see along the paths.
Adders are very shy and will only attack if threatened. Very few people have ever been killed by the bite of an adder; however the bite is painful and requires urgent medical attention.


Stan Lee back in action?
Red presents: The King Kobras, oh snap!
Check this out! Season 2 preview of LOS!
Tier level for stronger characters?
What happened to the vs Forum?
Does Marvel really hate te Gays?
Comic Clitches That Are Used Way Too Much.
Greatest Jobber of All Time !
Your Favourite Hero vs Hero fights!!
Recomended Starting Points for a DC newcomer.
Is the head watcher "the one" a proemial god?
Who is The Anti-Matter Man?
Should Sentry die in WWH?
Solar Vs XO Manowar. What issue?
So... Who was behind the sinking of San Diego?
Is it worth reading at the moment ?
What KMCer creates the greatest Vs. Matches?
Iron man is really APOCALYPSE!!!
Morrison is going to shove Damian Down our throats!
Who has screwed over death too many times?
What hero would best fit in the real world?
Your thoughts on the upcoming Skrull Invasion Story.
Who's Wiser: Adam Warlock Or Thanos?
Looking to get a few good comics.
Can Batman exist in real life?
The Punisher Or The Hulk?
Superman and WW have a kid in the main time line?
A Fistful of Comic Books!
Comic Characters that JUST NEED TO DIE!!!
Have DC & Marvel become too alike?
Will Kyle Rayner be Redeemed or Can He?
teen titans third series to end soon?
Hulk and Pre-crisis Superman crossover?
What was old Darkseid's fate, in Losh:foundations?
Amazons Attack: Worst Comic Event EVER!
Who Can you Trust? Who else is a Skrull?
superstrongguys and their heights and weights?
DC Comics: The Final Crisis!
Which Fantastic Four/Hulk/X-Men villain would you want to be?
The attack of the second stringers!!!
So....Who's DC Gonna Kill Next?
So then, what superhuman abilities would exist in our world?
Would you find this believable?
Now you can own Stan Lee.
What's your opinion on the registration act?
Superman and the Omega Effect.....Where's the scan.
Do anybody like Hudlin's Black Panther?
Do you think they will bring back Elvis?
What heroes are disliked by their fellows?
How many people has 616 Magneto ripped apart?
venom slays teh avengers? return of symbiotes?
Wich would you rather have.
Please DC, make this a series!
Where has Deathstroke's staff gone?
Who is the Secret Villian in Spawn ?
Wheres the fun heroes ?
Who are the top 50 X-Men?
GLI/Deadpool summer One shot !!!!


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Canadian Treasury and Finance Systems Hacked
Canadian officials have confirmed that systems in the national treasury department and the department of finance have been compromised by hackers, according to reports.
Government systems is Canada, as in most nations, are regularly targeted in attempts to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, but officials characterized this instance as being more serious that the norm.
"It was a significant one - significant that they were going after financial records," said Canadian Minister Stockwell Day, the president of the treasury board.
Though reluctant to provide any specifics on the the nature of the attacks or their level of success, officials initially seem confident that security protocols prevented the hackers from accessing the most sensitive of information in the systems.
"Every indication we have at this point is that our sensors and our cyber-protection systems got the alerts out in time, that the information doors were slammed shut," Stockwell said.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corp and other national media report the attackers used targeted spear-phishing methods to gain access to executive's computers.
The attackers then produced fraudulent emails that were sent out to numerous department staff which contained attachments infected with malware that would harvest data from the recipient's computers and transmit the information back to the attackers.
The systems in both the Treasury and Finance departments were isolated to prevent further damage while investigators worked to determine the extent of the systems breach.
The incident left thousands of Canadian civil servants without Internet access from their government offices, forcing many to either work from home or to seek access via local Internet cafes.
The use of home networks and public Wi-Fi access on such a large scale over the course of at least six weeks also presents some potential security concerns.
Reports indicate the IP addresses used in the attacks were traced to China, but there is no hard evidence yet that the attacks were state-supported.
Similar spear-phishing operations intended to infiltrate government systems have come to light in the United States. Fraudulent emails were sent in 2009 to five State Department officials contained malware-infested attachments.
British foreign secretary William Hague also recently issued statements confirming that government systems have been targeted by state-sponsored cyber espionage operations originating in China.
McAfee recently released a report titled "Global Energy Cyberattacks: Night Dragon" which detailed a long term systematic data stealing operation conducted against unnamed energy companies based in China.
Top Ten Security Questions for CEOs to Ask
FBI: Russians Face Charges for International Cyber Crimes
NASDAQ Issues Statement on Security Breach
HBGary's Open Letter to Customers and the Defense Marketplace
Managing Cyber Security in Today's Ever-Changing World
Tags: China malware Headlines Espionage hackers spear-phishing Treasury Department Canada


Richard was recently interviewed for the OREA EDGE newsletter about the team approach in real estate, together with Melanie Piche who runs the BREL Team at Toronto's Sage Real Estate in partnership with her husband, Brendan Powell. Here is an excerpt from the article, but you can find the whole article here.
Everyone brings different strengths. Each of us is better at something than others. Some people speak a different language. Our team contains different cohorts, Baby Boomers and Millennials, and they all provide different viewpoints.
Silver employed a coach to help the team get organized, determine responsibilities and settle on the method of compensation. He believes the smooth running of the team flows from that approach.
I choose to share all my leads with the team and no longer solely represent anyone. I also wanted their compensation to be high so they would not be tempted to leave and go out on their own.
Real estate is a competitive business, but neither team has had much internal conflict. Silver's team members are careful not to step on one another's toes. Silver says the team can always turn to management at the brokerage if it encounters a problem that seems insurmountable.
Although Realtors are often viewed as rugged individualists, both sources say it is possible for real estate salespeople to work and thrive in teams if the right conditions are present.
People who can't work as part of a team are the same people who might also have problems in an office environment. If it is all about you, don't choose to be part of a team. Our team members have come to depend on each other and, for the most part, have become social friends, as well as business friends.
Realize that you're in it for the long haul; it's not just about getting one deal done.
If you're thinking of joining a team, talk to the other team members and get a complete picture. Ask in-depth questions.
In considering a team, see what the track record is and the longevity of members.
Be sure that both the team and its affiliated brokerage are a good fit for you.
Remember, it's not all about what you can get. What do you bring that can make the team better?
Consider hiring a coach or finding a mentor when you are starting a team so you can avoid painful mistakes.
Put people with complementary skills together on your team. The complexity of the market today means no single individual is an expert on every type of property or aspect of the business.
Originally posted in the EDGE newsletter and OREA site, by Elaine Smith.
This entry was posted in Business, Toronto Real Estate News and tagged richard on May 2, 2017 .


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FELLOWSHIP Duke Eye Center, Durham, NC
RESIDENCY Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
INTERNSHIP Rush-St. Lukes-Presbyterian Hospital, Chicago, IL
MD Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
BS Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
BOARD CERTIFIED American Board of Ophthalmology, 1989
"Dr. Hanneken was my husband's eye doctor for many years. I have the utmost confidence in her and appreciate her kindness as well as her determination to do what is best for her patients."
RCSD Patient Review
Dr. Anne M Hanneken was born in Wisconsin and attended Marquette University as a chemistry major. During college, she was best known for playing competitive tennis on the Men's Intercollegiate Tennis Team and simultaneously starting the Women's Athletic Program. Subsequently, she attended The Medical College of Wisconsin and was awarded a research internship to study at Harvard Medical School in the laboratory of Dr. Judah Folkman, whose research in angiogenesis revolutionized the treatment of macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Dr. Hanneken attended the world-renown Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital for her Ophthalmology residency and completed a two-year fellowship with the father of vitreoretinal surgery, Dr. Robert Machemer, at the Duke Eye Center.
She received multiple clinical awards during her fellowship and was recruited to San Diego to head the Division of Ophthalmology Research in the laboratory of Dr. Roger Guillemin, the 1977 Nobel Laureate and former President of the Salk Institute. Dr. Hanneken brings both clinical and research expertise to her patient care at Retina Consultants San Diego. She maintains an active research laboratory at the Scripps Research Institute where she is an Associate Professor of Molecular Medicine.
Dr. Hanneken enjoys providing excellent and compassionate clinical care. She is known for tackling clinical problems in the laboratory and bringing therapeutic insights back to the clinic for the benefit of her patients. She is a frequent lecturer at national academic meetings, has published in Science, PNAS and multiple top scientific journals and has a wide network of national and international clinical colleagues. Dr. Hanneken has research programs focused on innovative treatments for macular degeneration and macular transplantation. She is an accomplished surgeon, participates in clinical trials, and works with the San Diego County Medical Society to provide clinical care to those in need.
Peer-reviewed Publications
Our doctors have been published in top scientific journals.
Book an Appointment with RCSD


True lifestyle spot, just a few steps from great coffee shops, gyms and the beach!
Rouse Street is an amazing location . One block back from the beach, one block from Bay Street. Awesome coffee 100 metres away at Third Wave and the Exchange Pub 150 metres. And a 3 block stroll to the light rail and in 15 mins, your in the heart of the Cbd.
"One of the best in Port Melbourne"
Beautiful Street in Port Melbourne that connects Bay Street to Pickles Street. On the Pickles Street end is a really nice apartment complex, and it is also home to the [email protected] apartment building complex.
Rouse St is a little bit of a thoroughfare, but not too much of an issue as it quite wide. On street parking is mostly available, and being so close to the beach and all the fantastic amenities on Bay Street makes Rouse a hard street to go wrong in.
On the whole, Rouse St continues to be one of the most desired streets in all of Port Melbourne.
"One of the best streets in Port Melbourne, hands down."
"Like living in the suburbs"
"Port Melbourne West (towards Docklands) of the light rail is very undervalued"
"Eclectic with a lot of history"
"The hidden golden mile of Port Melbourne"
"What an amazing lifestyle this offers"
"A little community within a community "
"The most convenient soho street in port melbourne"
What's the best pizza in Port Melbourne?
Is Bay Street Port Melbourne a nice place to live?
Best hairdresser in Port Melbourne?
What is Bay Street like for shopping?
The best dry cleaners in Port Melbourne?
Where is the closest little athletics club to Port Melbourne?
Can anyone recommend a plumber in the Port Melbourne area?
Are there any child care places available in Port Melbourne?
When is storytime at the Port Melbourne library?
Can anyone recommend a piano tutor in the Port Melbourne area?


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Hell for leather: how low paid workers made Theresa May's trousers
In INVESTIGATIONS, NEWS
Gethin Chamberlain, for the Sunday Mirror, 18 December 2016
Theresa May's £995 leather trousers are made in a Turkish factory by workers paid as little as £1.49 an hour.
The Prime Minister's luxury Amanda Wakeley desert pants last week triggered a spat between No10 and former Tory Education Secretary Nicky Morgan.
Ms Morgan was barred from Downing Street after saying she would be unable to look her constituents in the eye if she had spent £995 on a garment.
But it later emerged Ms Morgan herself owns a leather Mulberry handbag that currently sells for £950.
A Sunday Mirror investigation can reveal both items are produced in Turkey by workers expected to toil 10 hours a day while earning well below a living wage.
It would take all their pay for three months to buy either item.
Our reporters tracked down the back-alley factory in Istanbul's leather district where the PM's luxury trousers are made.
The Pasha Leather workshop is tucked away in the rundown Güngören district, where pay is as low as £297 a month.
For the 10-hour day that is common in Turkey's garment trade, that is just £1.49 an hour.
And it means that, despite the back-breaking work, many of those producing high-end goods for Western shoppers will spend their lives in abject poverty.
Engin Celik, national organiser for the Deriteks union, said some cannot even feed their families – and those who complain are fired on the spot.
He added: "There are 90,000 leather workers in Turkey, and only 2,500 are union members. Firms employ undocumented workers more and more.
"They are paid cash-in-hand and as soon as anybody tries to join a union they are sacked. Workers have no rights."
Engin said UK designers look to Turkey for the cheap labour – and "to take advantage of employees who are not able to stand up for their rights."
Ms Morgan ended up having her own hide tanned after blasting the trousers worn by the PM for a newspaper interview.
After learning of the cost, she said: "My barometer is always, 'How am I going to explain this in Loughborough market?' I don't think I've ever spent that much on anything apart from my wedding dress."
But after critics pointed out her high-end handbag, the row became so embarrassing that she pulled out of Friday's episode of BBC comedy Have I Got News For You.
Producers then replaced her on comic Paul Merton's team – with a handbag.
Ms Morgan's bag is understood to have been made 12 years ago. We discovered the same model being produced in Turkey, in a factory used by upmarket label Mulberry.
The SF Leather plant, in Izmir, northern Turkey, recently fired 14 workers for joining the Deriteks garment workers' union.
The minimum legal wage in Turkey is 1,300 Turkish lira (£297) but labour rights group the Clean Clothes Campaign claim workers need £900 a month to survive.
Workers at the SF Leather factory in Izmir making handbags for Mulberry are paid £343 a month – and were stunned to find out the retail price.
Mehmet Cin, 41, one of the staff sacked by the factory, told the Sunday Mirror up to five hours' overtime was often imposed.
He said: "We decided to try and join a union because we looked online and saw how much the bags were sold for.
"One of them could pay three of our salaries for a month.
"We were making 300 or 400 of them in a day, getting paid next to nothing for this."
Mulberry posted an operating profit of £6.1million this year.
Mehmet added: "I have a wife and two children, but I can barely afford to put the kids into school and pay the rent.
"Normally we started work at 7.15am and did not finish until 5.15pm. With some of the overtime we were forced to work I didn't leave until 10.15pm some nights."
Abdulhalim Demir, of the Turkish Clean Clothes Campaign, said the factory makes around 8,000 handbags for Mulberry every month. But he said: "When they join the union to ask for higher wages they are fired.
"Mulberry does nothing. What message does this send to their rich customers?"


This is an extremely difficult list to do, as will be the overrated Top 10 when I do that one, due to the problem of deciding whose rating am I going by? In the end I decided to just go by a combination of things, from value on sites such as transfermarkt to the media and posters on the sites. Though not if just one poster raves about a player, such as one particular poster who used to rave about Mateo Kovacic like he was a combination of Pele, Maradona, Best with a sprinkle of Makalele thrown in for good measure. It needed to have felt like the majority of posters overrated the player.
This might seem a surprising choice, but Seri was so highly rated while in French football that the likes of Barcelona were regularly having him scouted. I have no idea why as he has never looking even a good player when I have seen him play, whether in French or English football. He does have good pace and a decent workrate, but technically he has shown nothing to me to suggest he belongs at the top end of the game. His first touch is poor, his passing is awful, his movement off the ball is poor and his defensive acumen is virtually non-existent.
One of those highlight reel players who does some lovely, flashy things but is incapable of doing the basics of the game. He is still young with the potential to learn, but he has shown little inclination of improving his game or his end product. He has a lot to learn yet.
Yes he is a good player, but he is not exactly showing himself to be the successor to Lionel Messi as he was hyped up to be. In fact he is not even good enough to make himself a regular for either club or country. The techique is there but he has a long way to go to make himself into the player he is often touted as.
A very average midfielder who has been acclaimed for being responsible for almost every good Real Madrid performance since Rafa Benitez left. Funny how the media crucified Benitez for playing him but hail it as a masterstroke when Zinedine Zidane does it! The only reason he gets games is because he is the only option for them in terms of a player that will sit and break up play. It is not because he is anything special, just that Florentino Perez only wants to spend money on players who will sell lots of merchandise.
While there are worse defenders about, there are very few that are so highly rated (though Harry Maguire and John Stones run him close) with so little ability to actually defend. His positioning is truly dreadful and his tendency to make basic, silly mistakes is amazing. Even though he has the pace to often make up for being completely out of position, he usually makes a mess of something simple to gift the ball to the opposition anyway. It beggars belief that the media have made him such a darling and consistently overlook his many deficiencies as a defender.
A goal in the World Cup and a few advertising deals for the likes of Pepsi have somehow spawned the idea that James is a top class player. He lacks the mobility for the way he tries to play and ends up spending most of the game as a passenger, unable to get forward or back quickly enough to keep up with play. If he was not such a 'superstar' I am sure someone would have told him by now that he needs to just sit in central midfield and be a playmaker. Then his range of passing could have more of an effect on the game, despite his lack of movement.
I have variously read him described as the best holding midfielder in the world to the best defensive midfielder of his generation and he quite simply is neither. There is a reason Barca have struggled in Europe in recent years, despite their domestic success, and that is partially down to him not being very good at actually defending and he gets found out when teams make the attempt to attack Barca. Something that very rarely happens in La Liga. When he is having to do some defending he is so lacking in mobility, he can barely run, that it exposes the defence completely.
This is purely because of the English media's hysteria during the World Cup, where he was acclaimed as the best right back in the world. He is not even the best right back in the England squad, let alone the world. An extremely average full-back with a decent cross if given space to put one in.
He has so much ability that it is frustrating to watch him play as he will put in so little effort over the course of 90 minutes but think a flick and a trick is enough to make up for doing so little. What he does makes for a great YouAreACompleteTube showreel, but is not good enough for a full match. He would be much better in freestyle football than he is on the pitch expecting other players to do the work so he does not have to.
There could only be one winner. It had to be Neymar. There are still people out there who believe he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as one of the best players in the world. He is not even close. In terms of pure ability on the ball, he is close to being comparable to those two, but in terms of positives he brings to a team he is not. There are times when his attitude and way of playing are more of a negative to his team than a positive. That is without even mentioning his constant diving and crying over every little thing!


THANK YOU Nandi Kannada Koota, Jacksonville Kannada Koota, Orlando Kannada Koota, and Tampa bay for participating and displaying your amazing talents in music, dance and drama!… Thank you to Anuradha Bhat and Chinmayi Athreyas group, who came all the way from India for the fabulous music. The ICC dance floor was filled all night!
Once again, I would like to thank everybody who helped with making this event successful. It would have not been a smooth, festive event without the teamwork of volunteers, donors and committees in registration, cultural, food, and decoration. Cheers for many more successful events to come!


Not everyone is a designer, so it's understandable why image types and file extensions can cause confusion.
To help you better understand some of the most common file types (and when and where they should be used), we've created a quick cheat sheet for reference.
This is a common conversation we have with clients when discussing images used in print and web. We're sure you've heard the term DPI. So, what's the difference between high-resolution and low-resolution files, and why does it matter?
300 DPI (or anything higher) is high-resolution and can be used for print. High-resolution can also be used for web, but should be sized down, as images this heavy can weigh down a website.
Often times, people hear that an image is 72 DPI and they need it for print, which has a minimum requirement of 300 DPI, and they try to 'trick' the system by changing the DPI. While this would be an easy fix, it does not work that way. Adding dots to a low-resolution image will result in it rendering grainy (looking horrible) in print.
JPEGs are known for their "lossy" compression, meaning that the quality of the image decreases as the file size decreases. Paying attention to the resolution and file size with JPEGs is essential in order to produce a nice looking project. JPGs are most commonly used for print projects and adding images to Microsoft Office documents.
PNGs are perfect for interactive documents such as web pages, but are not suitable for print. While PNGs are "lossless," meaning you can edit them and not lose quality, they are still low-resolution. They are also popular for web projects because you can save images with more colors on a transparent background, creating a much sharper, web-quality image.
GIF files are typically animated files that may be used in banner ads or social channels. GIFs are a common file type for web-based usage when an image needs to load quickly.
PDF stands for portable document format and were 'invented' by Adobe. PDFs are very popular when assembling files created in a variety of file types, as they preserve all elements of the original document. PDFs should be be 'optimized' if you plan to use them online, as they can become very heavy if they include a lot of images or graphics. This is extremely helpful if you're sending a project to a printer, colleague or client. Anyone can view a PDF file if they have Adobe Reader, which is free.
PSD files are created and saved in Adobe Photoshop. These files contain 'layers' that assist designers in creating and modifying the image seamlessly. You will often hear people reference a 'native' file. A PSD is an example of this, since it is the original format in which the file was created. Be aware: if you do not have Photoshop on your computer, you will not be able to open or modify a native PSD file.
AI is the image format preferred by designers when they are creating artwork from scratch. This file type is not typically used by non-designers, as it's purpose is to create artwork and/or edit existing artwork. In addition, one must have Adobe Illustrator software to access this file type. If you need help with editing artwork, you'll most likely want to reach out to your graphic designer for assistance.
An INDD file is a native file created in InDesign – a commonly used design program for newspapers, eBooks and brochures. This file type is not typically used by non-designers, as it's purpose is to create artwork and/or edit existing artwork.
While there are many more file types out there, we hope this guide helps you feel a bit more comfortable with these terms!
Ah, it's that time of year again. The time when we all get out a pen and a pad of paper to start jotting down our New Year's resolutions.
Some of these probably sound familiar. While it's imperative to have personal goals (and even better to strive to reach them), businesses often fall short when it comes to planning for the new year, and even more importantly, reflecting on the past year.
Do I Have Efficient Systems and Processes in Place?
Systems and processes can make or break a business. Wasting time on tasks that could be automated or completed in half the amount of time is, at the end of the day, stupid. Yep, we said it. Take a look at the list of things you do regularly in a given day. Is there anyway to systematize these things?
It's understandable why you might want to avoid this one. For some, it may open up a deep, dark hole of unpleasant thoughts. But, the only way to avoid these same headaches in 2016, is to figure out the culprit.
The client is a very large, successful real estate developer. At showings and broker previews, they would collect business cards – sometimes hundreds in a week. Someone on their team (who had far greater capabilities than data entry) would then have to spend hours entering the names into a spreadsheet and categorizing them into the email database.
So, what did we do to solve this problem?
We set up lists within their email marketing system (prospective buyers, other agents, etc…). Whenever they hosted a broker preview or conducted a showing, visitors were greeted with a beverage and an iPad (that already had the appropriate form on the screen) and were asked to enter their information there.
The assistant was paid $25 / hourly and was spending 8 hours a week to manage their previous archaic system. That's $200 a week, which equated to $10,400 annually!
We recommended the client purchase five iPads so that visitors didn't have to wait in line to enter their information. That cost broke down to approximately $1,500.
At the end of the day, this client is now saving $8,900 annually, not to mention the assistant now has an extra eight hours a week to actually contribute to the business versus doing busy work.
Shifting a process or creating a new system isn't always a complex task. It may be something as simple as implementing a new tool or consolidating two systems. Think small before becoming overwhelmed by complex big.
Do I Have the Right People or Vendors in Place to Support My Overall Goals and Objectives?
This is another big one. Often, as business owners or top-level management, we take on too much. "It would be easier to just do this myself." Or, "I don't have the money to hire someone to do this." This type of thought process, while tempting, can backfire.
Let's cut to the point: time is money. I'll share with you a personal story.
When I started my first business, I did it all – designing, copywriting, web builds (not to mention accounting and marketing). Unless you're funded or start a business with a good amount of capital, this is just what you do. But I soon realized that I was pushing off sales calls because I was too busy designing a brochure to meet a deadline.
So, I was essentially sacrificing new business to complete a project that could have easily been executed by an individual who could 1) probably complete it in a shorter period of time than me and 2) focus 100% on that task. It was at this time that I realized I couldn't do everything.
Am I innately skilled to complete this task?
Do I have the time to complete this task without sacrificing other higher priority tasks?
Is this something that I know would be completed more effectively by someone who is specialized?
Be honest with yourself. At the end of the day, more is not always better. If you plan on growing and scaling your business, you'll at some point have to bring on others to help, so why not start testing the waters now?
What Did I Spend Money On This Past Year That Paid Off (Or Didn't)?
People seem to always want to avoid this one. Perhaps it's because there was no system in place to track results, or money was spent without a plan of what it would work to accomplish. Obviously, to track success, you need to establish metrics and goals up front.
These are questions that should come with an answer, not an, "Ugh. I don't know." reply.
If you can't answer these sorts of questions, it's easy to get started for the year to come.
Start a spreadsheet, fill-in what systems, tools and services you plan to pay for. Take a hard look at the list and figure out which items are providing value and which items are not. This doesn't always mean cutting something out. It might just mean allocating money from one bucket (that isn't valuable) to another one that is.
Something to keep on your radar – some strategies take time to produce results, so don't cut the cord before giving something ample time to produce.
This list could very easily go on and on, but we don't want to overwhelm you. We are firm believers in quality over quantity, so start small. Once you have a solid foundation, you can look at other areas of your business. That's the beauty of operating a business or managing a brand; it's a never-ending journey that constantly shifts and requires refinement.
If you're feeling stuck or have any questions, we're here to help!


Significance: The Supreme Court broadly interpreted the religious exercise clause of the First Amendment and held that the clause was applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.
Newton Cantwell, an active member of the Jehovah's Witnesses, went door to door trying to make converts. A few people complained about his diatribes against the Catholic Church. Cantwell was arrested and convicted for violating a state law that required a license for soliciting funds. By a 9-0 vote, the Supreme Court reversed the conviction and invalidated the law. Justice Owen J. Roberts's opinion for the Court emphasized that the Constitution protected religious conduct such as proselytizing. He wrote that a state may reasonably regulate the time, place, and manner of activities to prevent fraud or disorder, but it cannot entirely forbid unpopular conduct. The Connecticut law constituted a form of religious censorship because it gave public officials excessive discretion for approving or rejecting applications for licenses.


text:
Scharafetdinow oder Scharafutdinow  (tatarisch , russisch  oder , weibliche Version russisch  oder ) ist ein Name tatarischen Ursprungs und der Familienname folgender Personen:

 Imil Irfanowitsch Scharafetdinow (* 1987), russischer Ringer im griechisch-römischen Stil
 Jelena Maratowna Scharafutdinowa (* 1983), russische Bogenbiathletin
 Raschid Imamowitsch Scharafetdinow (1943–2012), sowjetischer Langstreckenläufer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


To look the detailed plan of location of JSC "Lesya Ukrainka" and salon "Ukrainian souvenir" in Poltava guide the cursor on a map.
Embroidery is one of the most popular and widespread kinds of Ukrainian folk art. Colour rangers and rythms of ornaments, motives and plots demonstrate national spirit, glorious history, the wonderful nature of our land. Fairy images of flowers and birds tell about eternal dreams of Ukrainian people for peace and kindness and mercy.Embroideries of Poltava are a combination of geometrical and vegetative ornaments, gentle color scale of blue, ochre, greenish, grey and white tones.
Ukrainian souvenirs are widely presented in salon "Ukrainian souvenir" in the city of Poltava. Poltava souvenirs occupy a significant part of an exposition. Poltava souvenirs are represented by oberigs and candlesticks, black smoky ceramics, coffee services, Opishnyanska decorative ceramics, potter's painted utensils - ugs, makitras, bowls, flowerpots, kumanci, kegs. The utensils is produced on a potter's wheel and undersigns by engobes, mainly vegetative ornament, by technics of horning and flandring. Warm colour is created by brown, red and ochre paints. The second group of products - modelled utensils of sculptural character with animalized subjects. The basic form is produced on a potter's wheel, plastically is processed and added to separate details. The third group of products - fine ceramic plastic - animalized toys in the image and likeness of traditional national samples. In assortment of Petrikivska paintings wooden turned and painted vases , plates, salad dishes, circles, sets for loose products, metal dishes , porcelain services, others are.
You can order the Embroidery and the Poltava souvenirs by mail, having sent the application for the address specified on this page or through the Internet.


text:
Dating Advice From A Woman Who Tried Speed-Dating
Kirsten Curtis | 11 May 2015
Last summer I had a date with a prison guard named Shawn. He had tattoos on his neck: "Alisha" and "Jasmine." The names of his daughters, it turned out—not ex-lovers sharing everlasting real estate on the banks of his carotid artery.
I have no desire to speak with Shawn again, for reasons unrelated to his all-too-visible life decisions. What disqualified the guy was his earnest, unending, obvious monologue about the importance of family. Blood runs thick, you know. Loyalty, fraternity, on and on for what felt like eternity.
But it was only 5 minutes. Then the bell rang, and Shawn moved on to the next woman.
I went on 100 first dates last year. Fifteen dates one night, 12 another, and more the next. The typical setup: A speed-dating company rents out a room in a bar and sells seats for about 30 bucks a pop. Usually, more women than men show up. The women stay seated while the men rotate through.
For 2 to 6 minutes, we meet, greet, bedazzle, or bore one another, and decide, Yes, I'd like to see more of this one, orNext, please. Please, please. Then we stand, shake hands, switch partners, and repeat. At the end we turn in a sheet indicating which ones we'd like to see again. When two people show mutual interest, they receive contact info. And a beautiful love is born.
That's the idea, anyway.
My mission was to meet 100 men and assess their first-impression skills. It was efficient and it felt legit: Relationship researchers are now using speed dating in their laboratories o' love.
Like Paul Eastwick, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychology at Texas A&M, who says speed dating has real-world parallels: "Everyone goes to parties or bars and has brief conversations with people they've never met before. The lessons apply to all initial romantic encounters." Fair enough.
Let's look at a few of the men I met, and see what I learned about first impressions.
We Don't Know What We Want
Call him: The Total Package
First noticed: Sharp clothes, great smile
Thought to myself: Stop flirting with her! Look at me!
His name was Jake. Really. Chiseled jaw, broad shoulders, big brown eyes. Swoon. He was smart, driven, and thoughtful. We liked the same music, we'd read the same books. On paper, perfect.
He was also arrogant as hell, and boring. Afterward I did not mark "yes" next to his name.
Ask a woman about the traits she looks for in a boyfriend or husband, and she'll rattle off a list of requirements strict enough to make you surrender your man-card on the spot. My advice: Just ignore the damn list. It means next to nothing.
In one study of over 10,000 members of the speed-dating service HurryDate, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Arizona State University found that, aside from race, a woman's list of preferred characteristics didn't correlate much with the men she actually liked.
We all have misconceptions. A study of 163 college speed daters conducted by Eastwick and Eli Finkel, Ph.D., of Northwestern University, found that men, contrary to their stated assumption, care just as much about a mate's earning potential as women do.
And women are just as motivated by attractiveness as men are. "People have these elaborate theories about the qualities they're looking for in a partner, but ultimately they have little real insight into themselves," Eastwick says.
Your move: Don't try to be the man she wants you to be
"Being too agreeable and connected actually hurts you," Eastwick says. "If you agree with everything she says, you come across as submissive or weak. You're not her best friend yet; you're still trying to establish yourself as someone unique and interesting." Throw in some lighthearted teasing or a contrasting viewpoint. We like the give-and-take, and you'll stand out from the spineless, personalityless crowd.
You Can't Really Read Her
Call him: Presumptuous Peter
First noticed: Graying hair, refined; coat and tie
Thought to myself: Loosen up—this is pleasure, not business.
Peter looked about 15 years older than I am—fine by me, as long as the gent makes me laugh and treats me as an equal. We chatted amicably, and I asked him what he did for a living.
He paused. "I'd rather save that information for the next date, sweetheart."
What next date, hotshot? The condescending "sweetheart" was bad enough, but in my mind, playing coy about his employment implied that he thought I was interested in his money. He wasn't being friendly, so he never had a shot.
The cold truth is that we sometimes make up our minds within 5 minutes of meeting someone. The scarier truth is that the criteria we use to judge strangers are often skewed and irrelevant.
Psychologists classify personalities in five dimensions: agreeableness, extroversion, conscientiousness, openness, and emotional stability. Upon meeting someone, we most often judge their agreeableness, researchers from Columbia University found. But the same research also shows that this is precisely the dimension we're least accurate in judging.
Your move: Smile. Make good eye contact. Smile some more
Be as friendly as possible. No posing, please. Researchers from Texas State University at San Marcos surveyed speed daters' "thin-slice judgments," based on 30 seconds of interaction. Women who had positive first impressions gave five reasons. Three of the five: The man communicated well, had a great smile, and acted friendly. Do you notice a trend?
We Can Be as Shallow as Men
Call him: Ugly Owen
First noticed: Wonky teeth and worse hair—wispy and thinning and wild, like a meth-head clown
Thought to myself: No, thank you.
Owen was from London. He was delightful, a music producer and a fascinating conversationalist. A friend and I agreed: Owen is awesome. Just, not for us. "I almost want to mark 'yes' next to his name so that we can hang out and be friends," my friend said. Talk about the kiss of death.
Beauty rules early on, says Shanghong Luo, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, who conducted a speed-dating study testing the principles of attraction. "In the first 5 minutes, you don't have that much other information about the person besides what he or she looks like."
Great news for men like Jake. But what of the others? Eastwick weighs in: "You might not be the most attractive person in the room, but some people in that room are going to think you are."
Your move: Sell yourself
In that thin-slice judgment study, women listed attractive traits. "Tall" and "handsome" were there—but so were "clean-cut," "neatly groomed," and "stylish clothing." So packaging matters. I might have marked "yes" if Owen had tamed his mane. A close cut is superior to the circus look.
You Can Play the Odds
Call him: Card-carrying Kevin
First noticed: His stack of notebook cards
Thought to myself: I'm curious.
Kevin fanned the cards in his large hands and then asked me to pick one and read it. "If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be?" His answers: Barack Obama, Martin Luther King Jr., and Britney Spears.
This guy was good. By the time the bell rang, I was smitten. Then Kevin sat down with the woman to my left, and out came the cards and canned answers. I pouted as I erased the "yes" by his name. Mine was a typical reaction: According to Luo's research, people are attracted to those who like them (big surprise), but only if the interest seems unique. Poor Kevin was a perfect example. I loved our connection, but then felt slighted when I saw I wasn't the only queen in his deck.
Your move: Be an open book
If you're jonesing for pretty lady number 9, make it clear how you feel, says Luo. Compliment her, but drop in a line about how great it is to meet someone you can connect with. Singling her out as above the rest will make her remember you.
You Can Connect in 5 Minutes
Call him: Barbecue Ben
First noticed: He looks like Michael from Lost.
Thought to myself: Great smile!
Ben did everything right. He said he'd seen me from across the room before the event and was eager to talk to me—a textbook "you're special" ego boost. Within 30 seconds, we learned that we were both from North Carolina, and a lively conversation about NC barbecue commenced. My energy was higher than it had been with any of the dozen or so guys who came before him. Our back-and-forth made me laugh and eager to hear what he'd say next. When the bell rang, we were shocked—5 minutes was up already?
Ben received a definite "yes."
Your move: Have a conversation
Eastwick's research reveals that both men and women say the best dates have a 60-40 split—you talk about the other person 60 percent of the time, and yourself 40 percent. So ask questions, listen, and respond accordingly. You want to focus mostly on her while still communicating information about yourself. Easy enough, right?
One Last Point
Research shows that women are much better at faking interest than men are. I met a few guys who sized me up from word one and checked out immediately. Mistake. Because if I run into one of them, I'll tell my hot girlfriends that he's the one from speed dating who couldn't stop looking at his watch.
In other words, just be polite. Remember: You only have to keep it up for 5 minutes.


text:
Anonymous culture in crypto may be losing its relevance
Crypto has inherited many values that were popularized in the early days of the internet.
Many participants in the crypto space have been anonymous since the beginning of Bitcoin (BTC), since using this digital money offers a certain degree of anonymity so long as nobody knows the public address of the user. The true identity of its creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, remains unknown to this day.
The most recent wave of innovation spearheaded by decentralized finance (DeFi) and nonfungible token (NFT) projects have anonymous teams that maintain their general right to remain unknown.
The founder of DeFi analytics dashboard Defi Llama, 0xngmi, released a bug bounty on his identity. Rather than giving out this quest to find vulnerabilities in the Defi Llama code, he offered 1 Ether (ETH) to whoever could reveal his identity with a detailed explanation of how they found out. No one has managed to reveal his identity at the time of writing.
0xngmi has also been educating people that would like to become anonymous with a guide on "How to stay anon," which is a collaborative document that allows contributors to add and edit to improve it.
Navigating through Crypto Twitter, there are plenty of pseudonymous "celebrities" that, based solely on the reputations they have built, have a digital persona with a substantial amount of followers.
Another account that remains anonymous on Twitter, The DeFi Edge, tweeted the reasons why he has decided for the account to remain anonymous. The founder of the eponymous DeFi analysis site has no intention to reveal their identity for the time being, but has dropped some minor details:
As the industry rebrands to Web3 and a wide array of talent is being lured into the ecosystem, a greater number of participants in the space have decided to take a different approach. They are in the position to later reveal different characteristics of their physical persona to become pseudonymous or reveal their true identity altogether.
After the recent Terra collapse, the BBC reported that a man presented himself at Do Kwon's home in Seoul only to find his wife answering the door. The 30-year-old founder of Terra has been active on Crypto Twitter, using his real identity to promote his protocol and communicate with the community in these times of crisis. Having his identity open to the public might have helped him convey trust to investors and the community, but it also exposed him to threats in real life. Situations like these are some of the reasons why many entrepreneurs in the space remain anonymous.
In a constant struggle between the open flow of information and retaining the privacy of the individual, protecting anonymity and avoiding getting doxxed has become an important issue of the new cultural and technological revolution taking place in online society.
One of the biggest controversial identity reveals was when journalist Kate Notopoulos authored an article titled "We found the real names of Bored Ape Yacht Club's pseudonymous founders," in which she uncovered the identities through publicly available records associated with Yuga Labs.
Protestors in Guy Fawkes masks. In the internet age the mask has become a symbol associated with anonymity and privacy.
Revealing an identity ≠ doxxing
Usually referenced as a hostile action via the internet, doxxing is meant to insinuate the ability to find a person and reveal private information about an individual or organization. Although the term was coined by extreme groups as a way to threaten and intimidate marginalized persons online, the word doxxing currently blends into the meaning of revealing an identity without exclusive extremist connotations.
Recently, 0xngmi gathered some findings that linked Charlotte Fang as the person behind the anonymous account Miya. The founder of the NFT art project Milady Maker allegedly used this pseudonymous online profile to spread hate speech toward minorities through social media.
After being recognized as the person behind the pseudonymous account allegedly linked to an online cult, Charlotte had to step down from the project as Milady Maker's floor price plummeted.
Anonymous teams handling fortunes
Decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) have opened the door for many participants to be able to contribute to the governance of a project while remaining anonymous. Either for safety reasons or to avoid regulation, the majority of these projects have anonymous founders and contributors. This has been the norm in recent years.
Grug, a pseudonymous account on Twitter, told Cointelegraph his reasons for remaining anonymous as CapitalGrug and the value of being judged solely on performance and ideas:
"I think the main reason that I chose to be anonymous is so that I can participate in and help maintain the same type of irreverent culture that I found so cool about crypto from the start."
Plenty of good actors in the space have remained anonymous, bringing value to projects and communities by not having other defining characteristics influence people's perceptions of that persona.
Being anonymous can also be the path for people that need a fresh start, but this can also have the effect of allowing malicious actors to infiltrate the space.
Back in January, the true identity of 0xSifu, founder of Defi protocol Wonderland, was unveiled as Michael Patryn, the co-founder of now-defunct crypto exchange QuadrigaCX.
The co-founder of the scandal-ridden exchange had previously been sentenced to 18 months in a United States federal prison for identity theft related to credit card fraud. Patryn is not even his real name; following the prison term and previous to founding QuadrigaCX, he reportedly changed his name from Omar Dhanani.
The Wonderland protocol collapsed with this news and the debate of whether anonymous teams should be allowed to handle large sums of money took the center stage. Even Danielle Sesta, co-founder of Wonderland, said that he expects anonymous teams to lose relevance in favor of teams that have their full identity revealed.
Redefining anonymous identity
Although with the transition toward transparency in crypto in recent years, anonymous culture is still very strong. One doesn't have to remain completely anonymous in the space, as Grug shared:
"Our fund is all anon for instance, although we have all doxxed to one another. When I go to events and people whip out their phone to follow me on Twitter they are usually anonymous."
Identity, whether it's public or anonymous, is a very delicate subject that we all struggle with. Finding the balance between fully anonymous and a public identity will be the key to a more rich and diverse crypto community.
Up to this point, anonymous culture in crypto has proved to bring some positive value, as it minimizes biases and allows individuals to fully express themselves. Bad actors can take advantage of this to pursue a fresh start, which can be dangerous if they keep acting maliciously. But, if they become healthy contributors to an ecosystem and provide value to the community, it could prove people deserve a second chance.


Josh & I got to spend this past weekend with two of our closest friends, Jennifer & Bart.
The four of us spent the majority of our college years together . . . minus a year or two here and there.
Josh had no clue Bart was coming, so he was pretty stunned to open my car door and find this individual sitting there.
Bart was pretty excited about bringing Josh some of his beer he had been brewing, and told Josh that "his surprise brought him a surprise".
We spent most of the weekend either laughing til we cried or eating.
We are so blessed with these amazing friends, and I was very thankful to be able to enjoy another relaxing weekend (not studying) with some of my favorite people!
Who was on team JB or team JE?
After Jennifer & I spent most of Saturday checking out the new H&M, we made a quick trip to Spranks to try out the new German chocolate cupcake.
Too bad I only got to eat one of those three . . .
. . . thanks to a particular little monster I know.
We also bought the last pack of Dogfish Head's seasonal Punkin Ale in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex.
. . . so we were told by the kind liquor store man.
For the record, I'm not a pumpkin fan, but that beer was pretty dang good.
Jennifer & I also got to try out the Skinny Girl drinks too.
. . . I know we're jumpin on that train a little late.
Saturday night we got to enjoy the cooler weather on the porch of The Ginger Man for their Oktoberfest celebration.
While Josh was working Sunday, Jennifer & I took Charlie to play at the nature preserve.
Then we treated ourselves with yogurt.
. . . pink lemonade sorbet with strawberry boba balls and kiwi to be exact.
. . . and then I had to say goodbye to this adorable little face.
i visit and get no blog mention... or superior... emily..
next time ricker. no worries. just a fair 24 hour warning so i can actually be in town, it's pretty hard for me to turn down superior's queso.


Cozy Chicks: Yet more Author Swag!
The Cozy Chicks are hootin' and hollering in Bethesda, MD this weekend at the annual Malice Domestic conference. This year we gave out very cute little totes filled with Cozy Chicks author swag.
Oh, you didn't get to go to the conference? Well, fear not, we're giving away the same Author Swag to five of our faithful readers here on the blog.
Sadly, the last time we gave away swag, two of our five winners never claimed their prizes. That's why this time we're asking that winners send us an email with their complete snail mail address. This way we won't have to go looking for you.
All you have to do is write and tell us why you think the Cozy Chicks should give away next, and why you'd like it. We'll announce the winners next Saturday.
Wow, I certainly would love to win swag. I emailed you right away.
I wish you all lots of fun at Malice!
Reposting to answer the question.
Ok, this is a seriously SWEET bag...pink+black+skulls= wicked cute.
For the next giveaway, I vote for more bags, swag, and maybe some signed books.
That is an adorable tote. Who wouldn't want one---more giveways with that sweet tote and of course a book. Hope you're having a great weekend.
I love surprises in the mail. Have fun at the conference.
That tote would be a perfect addition to my collection of bags! I've got to run now-but I'll be sure to e-mail once I return from the Herb & Wine Fest!
I'd love to win that awesome swag!
For the next giveaway- anything themed- for instant if it's a donut mystery book, then send some donuts and coffee, if it's a knitting circle that solves mysteries, then send a knitted scarf or tea cozy. Personally, chocolate is always great- though maybe not for the summer months!
And I agree that anything signed it good!
Incredible giveaway. I bet the Malice Domestic conference was terrific.
I will be sending my email soon!
Cozy Chicks should give away books. There never can be too many, and they need not be new. Perhaps you have some of gently used copies of books by authors who inspired or encouraged you. I look for new authors all the time and believe you could suggest some great options.
Would love to hear, and to have, them. Recently retired with time now for my favorite thing, reading for pleasure, without worrying about tasks left undone (still undone but not getting paid to worry or work late). Have said I just recently discovered cozies, but Dame Agatha was part of my earlier life--just lost in the turmoil.
I wish I had time and funds to go to the Malice Domestic event but that was not possible. I love your books. I'm emailing my suggestion for the next give away as soon as I'm done with this.
Thanks for the contest and I've sent an email off to you. Figured I'd post my idea here as well as on the email.
An idea that came to mind was a prepackaged contents for baking cookies such as the chips, flour, sugar, etc - just add milk/eggs and bake, maybe with a cookie cutter of skull and cross bones? You could add in bookmarks, post cards and so on from the various writers on the blog.
My email has been sent. Swag is always nice to try to win. I am cozying up with a cozy myself today.
As to what you should give away next, totes and books and bookmarks are always wonderful!
I'll send my mail addy as soon as I figure out who to send it to.
I totally love that tote! Would be proud to carry it around. As far as future giveaways, signed books would be awsome. Or, how about Cozy Chicks book covers - covers that would fit over the books when traveling to protect them - with the pink/black/skull Cozy Chicks design? Have fun at the conference!
Re: giveaways, I always have to vote first for books, but perhaps bookmarks or pens with Cozy Chicks emblems would be delightful as well!
Hope the conference was fabulous.
Cozy Chicks should give away books or bumper stickers.
I'd love to have the tote to help advertise The Cozy Chicks everywhere. Think of the questions people would have about the tote.
I love bookmarks. I pick them up whenever I find them. So, that would be my choice.
I sent an email earlier with a couple ideas, but have thought of another one - Cozy Chicks mugs complete with the logo! Maybe with a little packet of cocoa, tea or coffee in it. Again, playing off that "Cozy up to our killer books" tagline. Just like the other ideas in my email, I think it would be a useful and cute tie-in that would raise questions when others saw me using it. A great way for us as readers to show our support and introduce others to your books.
Like I always tell my friends' new babies, you can never have too many books or too much chocolate!
@ Whalehugger...and everyone. I'm lucky enough to live in the heart of NY state wine country. There are many wine trails and most of these have special events throughout the year. For the Wine and Herb Fest you get a commemorative glass then at each winery along the trail you get an herb (they've branched into veggies as well now), food made with that plant (and the recipe) and wines to taste. I made all 16 wineries of the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail today! I recently wrote an article about wine trails for a web magazine-there are wineries in EVERY state and wine trails in most, so everyone interested in wine should check out what exists in their area. Of course, they're not limited to the US either! Hmmm who wants to write about a murder on a wine trail?
I like pins. I think they are fun to collect.
Who doesn't love swag? I love totes, T-shirts, mugs, socks and bookmarks. I'll be sending an e-mail soon. Thanks for the chance!
Yes, I know, not only have I already made a comment, but I've also sent an email, too...what can I say - I really enjoy brainstorming, so when someone gives me something I just go nuts! Anyway, what about a bookmark or magnet that is a check list of all Cozy Chicks books published to date. A great, useful way to keep track of all the ones I've read and all those left to read. I got the idea last night as I was trying to help my Grandma get books. She keeps lists of those she has read, but then cross-referencing those to author websites to figure out the ones she hasn't read was, well, time consuming to say the least. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! Thanks for putting up with me!
Oh awesome! Love the pink tote! How about giving away author memorabilia? I have received some cool things in the mail over the years from authors like booklights, postcards from the authors hometown, makeup, keychains, and even jewelry. Books are always a fun thing to get!
Would love, love, love to win! Personally, I think any swag is great!


Happy Valentine's Day to all the lovers out there! Thank you to Tamara for this V'day meme.Enjoy!
1)How do you typically celebrate Valentine's Day?
I usually buy Bubba a large box of chocolates and a frilly pink card.
2)Do you like to get A) chocolates B) flowers C) a sweet card or D)all of the above?
I'm all about sentiment so a sweet card is good enough for me.
3)Would you consider yourself a "cuddler"? If not,would you at least cuddle on Valentine's Day?
I'm a very affectionate person so I'm definitely a cuddler!
4)What is your favorite movie about love or with a love story?
5)Do you believe in "love at first sight"?Did it happen to you?
I do believe in love at first sight but no its never happened to me.
6)Do you believe love can conquer all things?
I don't know.I have no positive examples of true love in my life,so I can't say.
I love a man who has ambition and is willing to work hard to get what he wants…including me!
8)If you could have the perfect Valentine's date,what would you and your loved one do?
9)Tell me about your first crush!
My first crush was on Michael Jackson.I saw his music video for 'Scream' for the first time and I just…fell in love.
10)Do you have any embarrassing or horror dating stories?
Yep. I started talking to a man I met on a bus.He and I had great phone conversations for about a month.I was finally ready to go out with him when I received a phone call from a woman.She wasn't hostile in any way,but she did let me know that the guy was her husband and had been for 20+ years! I was horrified,I apologized and assured her I had no cludme he was married.She said he had been unfaithful to her their entire marriage and she wasn't mad at me at all.Awkward!
I hate flowers.All of my memories of flowers are associated with funerals.
12)What's the first type of chocolate you hope for when you reach into a box of chocolate?
Something with a caramel center. I don't care for fruit centered candy.
That's a tough one. I 'm going to say Just Because by Anita Baker.Its the song I want to be the first dance song when I get married.
14)What is the best break up song?
Another tough one. Don't You(Forget About Me) by Simple Minds.Remember the theme song to The Breakfast Club?
I have no faith in celeb couples.
16)Overall,are you pro or anti Valentine's Day?
Definitely pro.I'm a sucker for love and romance and showing it in a big way.
17)If someone did that "Say Anything" boombox thing outside your window,would you be into it,or call the police?
I'm not sure what this mean but if its a showcase of love,I'm all for it.
18)First thing you notice about the objects of your affection?
Their smile definitely! My fave smiles belong to Michael Jackson,Tyler Perry,and Bubba(my daughter).
19)What's the best thing you've ever gotten for Valentine's Day?
There is a tie for best gift. In 8th grade,my boyfriend gave me the deluxe edition of Michael Jackson's HIStory CD. In 9th grade, my crush gave me a Hello Kitty charm bracelet. He got down on one knee(in front of the entire class), asked me to be his girlfriend while putting the bracelet on my wrist. We are still really close friends!
I have become a big fan of the American Horror Story series. I just wrapped up the third season( AHS:Coven) which was the first season I watched of the show.For the last few days,I've been catching up with Season One.I don't want to give it away for those of you who may not have seen it,but I'll give a brief synopsis for you.
A family moves into a beautiful but old house that has a dark history behind it.I know,I know, it sounds like a lot of other movies but it does have its own twist on it.I won't go into detail about it but the sad thing about it was that anyone who dies on the house's premises is stuck there( their spirit is,not their body) and they are forced to watch other people make memories there. I watch a couple other shows about ghosts and hauntings( Paranormal Witness, Celebrity Ghost Stories,My Ghost Story,The Haunting Of…) and it is widely believed that when people die of a violent death or with unresolved issues,their spirit remains in the place where they died.Sometimes they know they are no longer living,sometimes they don't.
This made me think of my mother.She did not die a violent death but she and I did have unresolved issues and she passed away in my home.Sometimes I feel her in the house.Nothing weird or spooky ever happens,but sometimes I'll be washing dishes and I can feel her staring at me from the couch,like she did when she was alive.Or when I'm in my room,	I feel her staring at me from the doorway silently like she did before.I wonder if she watches me as I go about my day.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS/SPIRITS? HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ONE?