I have noticed something very significant over the last eight years or so at the time of this writing. Simply put, people expect to reap where they have not sown. That's like going to the bank trying to make a withdrawal when you have not made any deposits. We would say that is silly, but Christians do it all the time. They expect God to swoop down and rescue them from their dilemma when they have never taken the time to invest in their own spiritual wellbeing and to learn what God has already made available to them for that situation.
In this lesson, I am going to present to you the importance of sowing the word of God into your own heart so that when situations arise, good or bad, you will be able to act according to the word of God and with wisdom. We are going to use the parable of the sower and the seed as a launching point for this topic as well as other parables that highlight the importance of the word of God from Matthew Chapter 13.
Jesus presents four environments of the sown seeds.
It is very good for us that Jesus gives us the meaning of this parable and the message is profound. When this parable is referenced, it is usually associated with money. However, this parable is not about money directly. It is a principle of life that we should follow if we are to obtain anything—even from God.
Let's look at Jesus' own explanation of this parable. Read Matthew 13:18-23.
Seeds sown along the path represent those who hear the word of God, but do not understand. Satan comes along and takes the word of God that was sown in his/her heart. This is a very critical thing. Many who hear the word of God don't understand it, but only a few will seek the matter out (See Matthew 7:14-15). If you don't understand what you read in the bible, then you should seek understanding. Jesus promised us that if we seek we will find (Matthew 7:7-8). Therefore, those who do not understand the word of God that was sown into them, have not reckoned the word of God important enough to seek the matter out. I would say that this is a heart issue more than anything else. If you want to understand the word of God so that Satan doesn't take what you've heard away, then the only thing you need do is pursue understanding. Pursue God and know him (See Proverbs 9:10). Know that he is not hiding things from you and wants to reveal his ways to you. In other words, God wants you to understand and understanding is a choice you have to make.
Let me stop for a moment and discuss the concept of the heart. It is from the heart that we do what we do. Jesus said that we speak from what our hearts are full of (See Matthew 12:34). If your heart is not full of the word of God, which consequently produces faith, then you will not measure the word of God very highly at all. The things of God are not important to you so you will have little fruit from the word of God.
A person has to want to pursue God. People have to want to feed upon his word. However, we tend to feed upon what the world offers us. Spiritual things seem to far-fetched to pursue—to unreal or uncertain. Therefore, we prefer and confide in medical science, the latest "get rich" scheme, the stock market, etc. instead of God, even though we say we trust Him.
The bottom line is that our heart is not for God and what we say and do reveals this. Our hearts are tied to the world because in our minds that seems more secure and certain. We therefore pursue the things of the world instead of the things of God. Therefore, why should we expect to reap from the Word that which has not been sown into our hearts. The word of God found us and entered our ears, but that is as far as it got and therefore no fruit was produced.
The issue of the heart affects all of the conditions presented in this parable. It all depends on how we prioritize God and his kingdom.
Jesus said that this represents those who hear the word of God and immediately receives that word with joy. However, he has no root within himself and only endures for a while when trouble comes because of the word. I like the way that the New Living Translation states this.
Matthew 13:21 (NLT) — 21 But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word.
Though this person receives the word of God with gladness, the fact that they are not strong and nourished means that they will only endure for a short time when trouble comes because of the word.
This reminds me of a church service where people are shouting and praising God because of what was said by the preacher. However, when they get back home and into their normal everyday life, that excitement wears off rather quickly. Again, they are not pursuing the word to understand it and strengthen themselves with it. Therefore, the initial boost of the word wears off and that word does not produce for them.
These are those who hear the word, but are distracted by the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches. Keep in mind that those who purportedly preaches the word of God are promoting cares and riches. How many times have you heard preachers tell you that God wants you rich and your pursuit should be for those riches (blessings). We totally miss the mark here and only heighten our propensity to seed material things to be consumed by our own lusts.
Jesus said that you cannot love God and money at the same time (Matthew 6:24). You cannot have a heart for the things of the world and the things of God simultaneously. Either you desire the world or you desire the things of God. I am not suggesting that we forgo anything having to do with the world. That would be silly and impractical. We need the things that are in the world such as food, furniture, housing, etc. The point here is that those things should not be what our heart is full of. Again, you can see we are back to the issue of the heart.
Jesus said that these are those who hear the word (same as the previous three), understands it and produces. The process is rather simple according to Jesus here.
All we have to do is hear the word and understand it and it will produce fruit. However, recall from the first condition that we said understanding the word is a choice. We have to seek the matter out. This means reading and studying the bible and asking God for wisdom and understanding. The bible says that the knowledge of God is the beginning of understanding so we should therefore pursue God.
Pursuit seems to be very important here and that is the very thing many if not most professed Christians do not do. You would be hard pressed to have a conversation with a "Christian" about the word of God because they really don't know it. They can tell you about the latest sports game, shopping craze, soap opera, or school outing, but not the word of God.
If you pursue God and feed upon his word to understand it and do it, then you will produce fruit from that word. The word of God will affect your life!
How important are the things of God to you? How important is the word of God to you? If Martians were to come down on earth to examine your life for a few months, would they be able to conclude that a belief in a God and that God's kingdom is important to you or will they say that school, children, occupation, fun, etc. is most important to you? We may have an ideal situation for ourselves where we would like to think that we trust God, love God, and his kingdom is important to us. However, the reality is that those things are not as important to us as the things of the world.
Consider a couple of parables from Matthew 13 that highlight the importance of God's Kingdom (and his word) in our lives.
Matthew 13:44 (ESV) — "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Matthew 13:45–46 (ESV) — 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
How far would you go for the things of God? Is understanding a new-found revelation from scripture (from reading the bible, a preacher quoting the scripture, etc.) more important than the next episode of your favorite soap opera (sitcom) or football game? Do you look forward and are excited about what God is going to show you next or are you anxious about what is going to happen to your favorite character on your favorite sitcom? Are you truly pursuing God as evidenced by the activities of your daily lives? Many would say yes, but the Martians would conclude no (see illustration above about Martians). In other words, the truth of the matter is that you are more likely to pursue the next episode of your favorite sitcom or sports game than you would in pursuing the word of God to understand it.
Now here is where it gets interesting. There are so many people that do not pursue God and yet expect to reap from the Word of God that they never secured in their hearts. Some don't spend the time to sow the word of God into their own hears. Instead they sow fear, hype, and the world into their minds and hearts. It is no surprise that most experience a defeated life and are beaten down by the Kingdom of darkness.
Jesus said that Satan is a thief, murderer, and liar. He goes around seeking who he might destroy. God has provided many weapons for us to defend ourselves against the devil and his demons, but many have no idea what those weapons are. Professed Christians do not sow the word of God in their heart and therefore there is no fruit to pick from in a time of need.
Christians expect to reap from the word of God what was not sown. This is why many Christians practice "hero worship." That means that they seek the preacher, minister, evangelist, healing minister, etc. to get the job done for them instead of learning and doing for themselves and teach others. That is the model of discipleship found in the bible. We learn from God and we practice what we learned. Freely you have received, freely give (See 10:8).
If a farmer who has corn seeds does not plant those seeds, would we think it silly for him to come back weeks later to harvest corn? Yes. We would think it very silly for a farmer to expect to harvest corn that he has not planted. Yet we do this same thing with God all the time. It is not that God is withholding from us, but rather that we do not take the time to discover what God has already provided for us. All we have to do is eat it and allow the nourishment from the word of God to produce fruit in us so that we can sow to others and repeat the process.
Typically, as I said earlier in this article, we correlate the sowing and reaping to money. However, the bible reveals much more than that. As a matter of fact, I would say that the principle of sowing and reaping that the bible reveals is the antithesis of the sowing and reaping typically preached by ministers. What we normally hear is how we can sow money into a ministry and God magically blesses us with an abundance. They speak of the new car we can have, the luxurious home we can live in, and the large amounts of cash we can accumulate. However, God does not bless us with an abundance so that we can consume it on ourselves. God intends for us to share, i.e., sow what we have to help others and to teach them to do the same. God expects us to be disciples! Imagine that.
If we sow sparingly then we will reap sparingly. That is common sense. If I deposit $5 into my bank account then I can only withdraw up to $5. It would be silly of me to think that I can withdraw $20. If I deposit $1000 then of course I can withdraw the $20. I think we would do much better in life if we treated the word of God like that. If we don't sow the word into our heart then we shouldn't expect to receive from the word of God what we have not planted (what we do not know or what we do not truly believe).
God has promised us so many things, but how many Christians really know it? How many Christians take the time to discover what God said in his word? How many Christians feed upon the word of God daily? How many of you knows what to do when sickness comes, trouble comes, or whatever?
You would think that going to church is a great place to pursue God and to learn from the word of God. However, I have found in my own personal experience that such is not necessarily the case and you have to be diligent to ensure that you receive the word of God and not someone's dogma. Many churches are social entities not centers of discipleship. Many churches simply do not promote the word of God. They may have a plethora of programs, functions, and committees, but very little in the way of ministry and the promotion of the pursuit of God.
You might find that you drift away from feeding upon the word of God with much activity in church. You may find that you are being busy, but not effective. It is easy to get busy in churches with all of the groups, services, ministries, anniversaries, functions, etc. and totally miss the point of pursuing God. The pastor of my youth taught us to "Eat, drink, and digest the word of God and know God for yourself." Read your own bible. Study your own bible. Do what you can to understand the word of God so that you can bear fruit and have a harvest from which to take when you need it.
When you decide to pursue the word of God and live by what you have learned, you may find that you are alone. Jesus told us that only a few people will find the narrow road (Matthew 7:14-15). Therefore, those who pursue God are the minorities. You may be attempting to practice the word of God for your health, finances, career, business, or whatever, only to find many negative people from your own family and friends. You will find that many people will criticize you for your belief and attempt to stir you back to the way of the world and depending on man instead of God. You have to not only defend yourself against the kingdom of darkness, but you will also have to protect yourself from those around you else they will pull you back into the bucket of unbelief so to speak. You will definitely have to learn to encourage and motivate yourself to stay on the narrow road.
Don't rely on people to be a support system for you because it is most probably that they will not be. Find others who are also pursuing the word (even if that is an internet relationship) and continue. Finding a good church that promotes the word of God and the pursuit of God is a plus.
The responsibility is on you to sow and then reap from what you have sown. Don't expect to reap from the word of God when you have not filled your heart with the word of God. Don't have the attitude that you only need have someone pray for you for you to get better or be delivered. Learn to pray for yourself and others. Pursue God and his kingdom as the number one priority in your life and live what you learn. Remember that faith without works is dead (See James 2:14-26) and that faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). Recall from this lesson that you need to understand what you hear.
Many people, because they do not put ample time into pursuing God and pursuing the word of God, try to reap from what they have not sown. Since they have not sowed the word of God into their own hearts, they rely on others to help them in times of need. God has provided so much for us and we only need read the bible to learn what those things are.
If you find that you are one of those many people who constantly try to reap where they have not sown, then repent and start sowing the word of God into your heart today. Put down the newspaper for a bit, turn off the television for a change, don't spend so much time worrying, and instead sow the word of God into your own heart. Meditate on the word of God regularly and allow that word to produce in you and through you. Reap where you have sown and stop trying to reap where you have not sown. Amen.


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Disclaimer: *COSTCO MEMBER OFFER: To qualify for the $1,000 Costco Member-Only Bonus, you must be a Canadian resident holding a valid driver's license, have been a Costco member since January 4, 2021, or earlier and must: (1) Register with Costco to receive your non-transferable Authorization Number; (2) Present the Authorization Number to a participating dealer; (3) Retail purchase, finance or lease an eligible new or demonstrator in-stock 2021 GMC: Canyon, Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500HD, Sierra 3500HD; delivered from January 5, 2021, to March 1, 2021. Bonus is deducted after taxes are applied to the purchase price. The purchase or lease of a vehicle does not qualify for the calculation of the Costco Executive Membership 2% Reward. Offer may not be redeemed for cash. Conditions and limitations apply to this limited time offer. See participating dealer for details. For full program details and for any applicable exclusions see a participating dealer or costcoauto.ca. Tax, title, registration and license fees, personal property registration fees, and additional products and services are not included in the $1,000 Costco Bonus. Offer is valid at participating authorized GM Canada dealers. Offer not available in the U.S. or Mexico. Offer is subject to change without notice. Void where prohibited. Costco and its affiliates do not sell automobiles nor negotiate individual transactions.®: Registered trademark of Price Costco International, Inc. used under license. CANYON FINANCE: Offer available to qualified retail customers in Canada on select vehicles purchased and delivered January 5, 2021 to February 1, 2021. 0% purchase financing (0% APR) offered on approved credit by TD Auto Finance Services, Scotiabank® or RBC Royal Bank for 60 months on eligible 2021 Canyon Crew Cab Elevation models; includes $750 Cash Delivery Allowance (Tax Exclusive) and $500 Finance Cash (Tax Exclusive). Participating lenders are subject to change. Rates from other lenders may vary. Down payment, trade and/or security deposit may be required. Monthly payment and cost of borrowing will vary depending on amount borrowed and down payment/trade. Example: $41,592 financed at 0% nominal rate (0% APR) equals $677 monthly for 60 months. Cost of borrowing is $0, for a total obligation of $41,592. Freight ($1,900) and air conditioning charge ($100, if applicable) included. License, insurance, registration, PPSA, applicable taxes, and dealer fees not included (all of which may vary by dealer and region). Dealers are free to set individual prices. Limited time offer which may not be combined with certain other offers. General Motors of Canada Company (GM Canada) may modify, extend or terminate offers for any reason, in whole or in part, at any time, without notice. Conditions and limitations apply. See dealer for details. These offers may not be redeemed for cash and may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives. Conditions and limitations apply. Void where prohibited. Chargeable paint costs may vary depending on the vehicle/colour. See Dealer for full program details. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. TD Auto Finance is a registered trademark of The Toronto-Dominion Bank. CANYON LEASE: Offer available to qualified retail customers in Ontario for vehicles leased and delivered between January 5, 2021 to February 1, 2021. Lease based on suggested retail price of $42,842, towards the lease of an eligible 2021 Canyon Crew Cab Elevation model; includes $750 Cash Delivery Allowance (Tax Exclusive). Bi-weekly payment is $214 for 24 months at 2.9% lease rate (2.9% APR) on approved credit to qualified retail customers by GM Financial. The $107 weekly payment is calculated by dividing the bi-weekly payments. Payments cannot be made on a weekly basis. Equivalent weekly payments are for informational purposes only. Annual kilometer limit of 20,000 km, $0.16 per excess kilometer. $1,000 down payment required. Payment may vary depending on down payment trade. Cost of borrowing is $2,109 for a total obligation of $12,106. Taxes, license, insurance, registration and applicable fees, levies, duties and, dealer fees (all of which may vary by dealer and region) are extra. Option to purchase at lease end is $32,095. Chargeable paint costs may vary depending on the vehicle/colour. See dealer for details. Credits vary by model. Dealer may sell for less. Factory order may be required. Limited time offer which may not be combined with certain other offers. General Motors of Canada Company may modify, extend or terminate offers in whole or in part at any time without notice. Conditions and limitations apply. Offers may not be redeemed for cash and may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives. See dealer for details.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Addressing the Gender Pay Gap
Recent figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that women earn an average of 17 per cent less than working men per week, which equates to around $262.50 per week. While the gap has decreased slightly since the last figures were released in August 2013 when the difference was 17.5 per cent it is still a persistent problem which should be of concern to business.
According to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), Australia's national pay gap has ranged from a low of 15 per cent to a high of 18 per cent for the last two decades. The WGEA says this is due to a variety of factors including industrial and occupational segregation, a lack of women in leadership, the fact that women do most of society's unpaid caring, a lack of senior part-time and flexible roles and direct or indirect discrimination.
Director of the WGEA Helen Conway says the pay gap is concerning and frustrating.
"Sadly, there is a pay gap in favour of men in every single industry and some of the highest gender pay gaps are found in female dominated industries including health care and social assistance and finance and insurance services," said Ms Conway.
However, Ms Conway said this is some evidence to show that employers are taking measures to ensure they pay staff fairly.
A WGEA survey of 2594 people conducted in 2013 showed that one third of respondents said they had conducted a gender pay gap analysis and a quarter of organisations had undertaken an analysis in the previous 12 months. In addition, one in two organisations said they had plans to conduct a gender pay gap analysis in the coming 12 months.
Ms Conway said that it is fair to assume most employers don't set out to discriminate between men and women but many organisations simply don't realise they have a gender pay gap.
"I say to organisations who think pay equity isn't an issue for them, 'how do you know?' Unless you've analysed your payroll data, any assertion that you don't have a problem is uninformed," said Ms Conway.
What can employers do to address the gender pay gap?
Employers seeking to proactively tackle the gender pay gap should consider the following strategies proposed by the WGEA.
Understand the issues it is important to understand what the gender pay gap is all about, what the implications of the pay gap are, why it is a problem worth addressing and what benefits you can expect from maintaining a more equal pay system.
Undertake a payroll analysis to identify and eliminate any occupational gender pay gap (i.e. between women and men doing the same or similar jobs) and set goals for decreasing any organisational gender pay gap (which may be a result of a lack of women in senior roles). Payroll analysis should happen on a regular basis as results may change.
Improve accountability once you have established an equal pay policy, you need to ensure its effective implementation through management accountability. This could include monitoring the policy, ensuring implementation by the board or governing body and linking the achievement of pay equity to the KPIs of CEOs and managers.
Examine HR processes including those around recruitment, performance assessment and recognition, to determine whether they lead to unequal outcomes between genders e.g. are men more likely to be awarded bonuses or pay increases than women?
Increase the promotion of women in to senior roles
Eliminate gender bias in job evaluation to ensure that female-dominated roles are rewarded on the same basis as male-dominated roles requiring similar skills.
Provide transparency in relation to wage brackets/salary bands
Create a gender inclusive workplace culture at all levels of the organisation. In male dominated industries, work with industry associations and educational institutions to source highly-skilled women and ensure women know the variety of career options that are available to them from an early age.
Offer flexible work responding to the growing demand for flexible work opportunities for both men and women will improve the equitability of your workplace.
For more information and tools on how to identify and address the gender pay gap visit the Workplace Gender Equality Authority.
1. Australian Bureau of Statistics
This Better Workplace Bulletin was First Published in April 2014
The cost of unplanned absences Using Flexible work to Boost Staff Retention


All insurance companies are legally bound to act in good faith when it comes to their clients. As the clients pay for the insurance in an event that something might happen, they expect protection from the insurance company. This will be as per the contract signed. Some companies pay less than what was claimed while others don't pay at all.
We have several cases whereby the insurance companies don't cover the claims raised by their clients. The most common cases are accidents at the workplace, personal injury, premises liability and car accidents. The company might decide to deny claims if they believe the client cause damage or the claim wasn't presented in time. There has been even cases whereby the insurance adjuster claims that the marital status of the victim doesn't require the company to pay! Whichever the case, the insurance company will find a way to insert some jumble of legal sounding phrases in the contract. These will be used against the client when raising a claim to cover the damages.
Go through the policy and understand the benefits, what is covered and all exclusions that will not be covered. Ensure you understand everything in case of any hidden meaning or jargon words used. Better yet, have a lawyer look at the document so as not to miss anything. Why go through all this? When presenting your case, it will be better to have an understanding of everything that is covered in the policy. As the saying goes, forewarned is forearmed.
It is important to know who to talk to incase the claim is denied. When this happens, have a contact person you can call at the insurance company to explain why it was denied. Note their names, contact details and designation in case of clarifications. If you need to appeal, go through the process with the representative or ask them to send you a written process on how to appeal. Insurance companies have a procedure on how the appeal process is carried out. Keep records for future reference as well as to provide evidence incase its needed.
If you have an insurance cover from your place of employment, ask your employer to provide a letter explaining why the claim is valid. This might make the insurance company reverse its decision not to cover the damages.
Every client has a right to file for appeal when the claim is denied. For example, if it was a medical claim denied due to incomplete or inaccurate records, get your doctor to clarify and correct before submission. Set all the paperwork and evidence needed for the appeal and submit them to the insurance company. Ensure that you keep a copy of the documents for yourself. These will act as proof in case the insurance company misplaces the other copy. The process might be complicated for a layman, so it's always advantageous to involve a third party. This third party should be someone who is an expert in the field so as to ensure the process runs smoothly. Ensure the appeal process is within the dates set so as not to lose the case, so it's important to find out whether there are any deadlines for appeal.
When you file an appeal to a denied claim, the insurance company gets an employee who wasn't involved in the original decision to take a second look. This will be based on all the evidence and documentation provided in order to make an informed decision. Thereafter, they will give you a call or send a letter of the decision made. It it's still not in your favor, there are still other options to follow. You can involve an independent third party who is not an employee of the insurance company to do their own review. The insurance companies are also supposed to be involved in this external review so that all parties are represented. You can even go as far as involving a lawyer to file a law suit if you believe the case is strong enough. Insurance companies will most likely shy away from hiring their own lawyer and litigating the case in court which they might lose and incur further expenses: the legal expenses.
In case you have a denied claim, you will know what to look for next time to avoid history repeating itself. Play the insurance company at their own game and win. The insurance companies are counting on your ignorance to profit so don't let this prevent you from getting your claim approved. Go through the policy and ask questions and clarifications where needed. As stated, the best way to avoid falling into their trap is by understanding the policy, which will go a long way into preventing all these issues. After all, prevention is better than cure.


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Virus and Spyware Removal Aussie PC Fix Canberra
Aussie PC Fix guarantees complete removal of all viruses, spyware, and any other unwanted or malicious programs (malware) from your computer. The relatively new threat of spyware is much more common than a virus infection and often causes computer slow downs and program or Microsoft Windows errors.
Antivirus programs only detect a small percentage of spyware, and while the antispyware programs do their best it's evident that not one security program seems to be able to keep up with the hundreds of newly released spyware each day and sometimes manual removal can be the only option.
Contact Aussie PC Fix today via our Online Booking Form or call
0410 628 935 for quick removal of viruses, spyware and other types of malware from your computer.
We can also help you prevent infections by recommending and installing antimalware and security programs to keep you well protected from the above malicious programs.
We can get your computer free of nasties with our guaranteed removal service. If your computer is acting strange/slow, you are having Internet problems, or your PC is displaying adverts then you probably have a spyware or similar infection.
Aussie PC Fix use a combination of scanners and specialised tools to analyse your computers files, programs and their behaviour to remove any spyware or other infections. We can also inspect your hard drive without running from your Windows installation because an existing infection can hide itself from Windows and any other programs including security software.
Removing spyware can be a complex task which can only be learnt through experience. After removing hundreds of infections you can see particular patterns and then learn to recognise similar infections. This is important because knowing from exactly which family your spyware or viral infection is based on can help in it's removal, as the behaviour and files used will also be similar.
Downloading a free antispyware program is a great first step for spyware removal which you could do yourself. Make sure you download a trusted antispyware product such as Spybot or another product that is recommended, but only by someone you trust or on at least another dozen websites!
There are certain review websites out there that will recommend downloading antispyware products that are actually spyware in disguise, or they are set up with the sole purpose to get a commission on any of their recommended products you buy. See below for more information on these fake/rogue antispyware products.
Aussie PC Fix does resell several Antivirus and Internet security products available at discounted prices!
After being constantly asked what the best antivirus software is, we have chosen what in our opinion are the best two antivirus / firewall products made and decided to resell them for easy purchase onsite by our customers.
We have now also enabled purchasing licenses online because we want all users around the world - not just our Canberra customers - to have the best protection possible! We pick the best, not the most profitable, because our happy customers keep coming back!
Getting infected with Spyware
Getting infected with spyware is unfortunately all too easy if you have not secured your system specifically against spyware. Having antivirus and a firewall is not enough because most spyware is not detected by antivirus and will go straight through hardware firewalls.
You can infect your computer with spyware just by visiting a bad or hacked web page. Because Internet Explorer (IE) is the most popular web browser, it is also the most targeted by malicious code writers. Firefox is a great alternative to Internet Explorer and is regarded as a much safer browser to use on Windows and it will prevent most spyware infections, though nothing is completely secure!
Spyware is also commonly bundled secretly with other programs, for example some 'free' screensavers, games, and email icon programs will also install spyware that track your computer. Aussie PC Fix will check all your running programs/processes as well as every single program that is installed on your computer. This not only removes the security and privacy threats. but usually improves Windows overall speed and boot time, and can also get rid of errors and problems with Internet Explorer and other legitimate programs.
Please make sure you don't download or buy any Rogue Anti-Spyware Products that pretend to be antispyware but are actually spyware themselves! If you're already infected with these products, they can display advertisments stating you are infected with some other false or otherwise unrelated virus or spyware - and you must buy their product to get rid of it. If you mistakenly download these rogue products, they will usually scan your computer and present you with some false results saying that you're infected and must upgrade to the full and non-free version of the program to remove the spyware.
These products are not real antispyware and when tested with known infected computers, usually don't remove any real infections, but pretend to remove your spyware infection that no other product could remove ...because it didn't exist in the first place! Your original spyware infection is alive and well, but they will keep you happy for a while after purchase before displaying adverts again, if you're not getting adverts from multiple real infections it failed to remove anyway.
Software (or Personal) firewalls can usually help detect spyware infection but are not foolproof, especially if spyware has hijacked Internet Explorer. Many antivirus and Internet security products have started including spyware protection, but the effectiveness of these can be even worse than their bundled spam filtering products which also leave a lot to be desired!
Spyware is different to a virus because spyware is not meant to harm your computer, though it often does. The reason for spyware is also nearly always financial, and companies are making millions each year by infecting computers worldwide.
Spyware, Viruses and Malware
What is a virus?
A virus is a program that is written as a joke, to cause damage, or to make money, but the main function of a virus is usually simply to spread to other computers. Early viruses were mostly people playing pranks or someone wanting to show off. But because computers will perform whatever action you tell them to do (within their limits of course!), viruses can easily be created to fulfill whatever needs the virus creator has in mind.
Many viruses damage user files or corrupt system files, but sometimes this is just an unintentional side effect of a virus trying to spread, in other cases it is a targeted or random attack made to cause damage .Viruses have grown in number and become much more complex over the years, while our computer antivirus software has also had to develop new methods to detect and remove them.
Viruses developed several important characteristics over the years to improve their spread and survival. They developed stealth techniques to make their detection and removal more difficult by hiding themselves, and can run in the background without the user detecting it. Trojans are injected into otherwise useful files so users are more likely to purposely run the file to use the program, infecting themselves with hidden code at the same time. Rootkits were developed that change the code beneath Windows itself so that programs running on the infected computer (including Windows itself!) cannot even see these hidden files.
Viruses were also easy to detect by antivirus software because they just needed a sample and that fingerprint would be added to the virus definition database. When a file with that pattern was found, it could be flagged and removed. Virus creators then started to give their viral releases real world characteristics of a virus, for example the virus code can now change or mutate each time a new infection occurs.
This code-changing ability called polymorphism makes the virus much harder to detect because now the fingerprint or signature changes each time it spreads. If the virus can change itself enough, it will remain undetected. Antivirus had to fight back and developed better strategies to deal with the advancements in virus technology. With the huge increase seen because of the ease of transfer via the Internet, it will always be a cat-and-mouse game between the malicious coders and our protectors.
The Internet also helped distribution of viruses with thousands of new and unprotected computers connecting each day, along with the millions of others already online. The virus writers started to develop code that would actively seek out other computers and infect them.
The worm turned viruses into living code that once released into the wild can spread very rapidly over the Internet, automatically infecting as many computers possible then using those hosts to infect even more computers. Read on after the spyware section for more on RATs, bots, zombies and other types of viruses and malware.
Spybot is a popular antispyware program
What is spyware and adware?
Viruses can cause a lot of damage, but they usually do not make any money for the virus coder unless they were specifically hired to do the job. Virus creators could get fame but not fortune, though the criminals soon discovered that with thousands of new potential victims connecting to the Internet each day, this could be a potential goldmine to make money if they could just find someone to finance them and pay for their work.
The Internet has always been plagued by advertising, as it is one of the only true tried and tested revenue sources that actually works. People are willing to pay quite a lot of money to get clicks on their site and product, so it was inevitable that infections started planting software that was paid by advertisers and marketers - with some they just need to add their affiliate link! Legitimate software makers also saw it as an easy revenue making model by making their software free to the user but bundling spyware to make money instead.
Kazaa was a famous Australian example of a useful program with bundled spyware. It included Cydoor, GAIN/Gator, eUniverse, MyBar, SaveNow, WhenU. Other popular infections removed recently include: 180 Solutions, CoolWebSearch, Dope Wars, ErrorGuard, Grokster, HuntBar, Internet Optimizer, DyFuKa, Morpheus, WeatherBug, eDonkey2000, Smitfraud, WildTangent, WinTools, Zango.
Spyware is malicious software that tracks your computer usage and may display advertising on your computer screen. They can change your Internet Explorer or other web browser startup pages, display annoying popups, or add shortcuts to your Favourites list. The can also add Internet shortcuts to your desktop which are advertising links or direct you to sites with other infections ready to be automatically downloaded.
Popular fake/rogue antispyware: ErrorSafe, System Doctor, MagicAntiSpy,
SpyAxe, SpyShredder, Spy Sherrif, UltimateCleaner, WinAntiVirus Pro, WinFixer
This new generation of infection with the pure intention to make money for the code writers and others led to the terms spyware and adware, to differentiate them from the traditional virus. Viruses are still being spread, but spyware is the biggest threat because of the large number of variations being created every day, so far there isn't one product that can cope with it all.
It's also a good idea to run several antispyware programs simultaneously and do not rely on your antivirus product to protect you from spyware. Some antivirus products are starting to include antispyware, but from test results by Aussie PC Fix and from various reviews it seems the job is best left to a dedicated antispyware program to at least have a proper chance of detection and removal.
Spyware programs usually upload logs of every web site that you visit and sell your data to marketing companies, or they can record every keystroke and mouse click that you make which can be a serious security issue if your passwords, credit card, or other personal details are sent over the Internet for use by the hacker.
Adware refers to a particular group of spyware that focuses on displaying advertising on your computer. This is usually easy to spot as the bombardment of unwarranted advertisement pop-ups are a giveaway sign of infection. Unfortunately for families with children, the most common advertising is adult orientated, or the ads will have links to fake antispyware programs that are actually spyware themselves.
Contact Aussie PC Fix today via our Online Booking Form or call 0410 628 935 for quick removal of viruses, spyware and other types of malware from your computer.
Spyware is not designed to hurt your computer because it's in the creator's interest to infect your computer for as long as possible to make the most amount of money. Unfortunately spyware is often poorly coded and because of the many different ways it attempts to get around your security it can cause stability and speed issues for Windows, especially Internet Explorer.
When multiple spyware infections occur on a computer spyware programs can end up competing with each other, each trying to intercept your data first. Each piece of spyware will infect your system in different ways and the results can be unpredictable. A computer with dozens of infections is not uncommon, with most people eventually realising something must be wrong when their computer gets noticeably slower, shows strange behaviour, or starts displaying errors or crashing.
Malware, Badware, Grayware ...and the rest!
Malware, Badware, Grayware
Worms, Trojans, Rootkits, RATs, Bots, Botnets, and Zombies, Loggers, Diallers
Malware, Badware, Grayware...
The term malware is shorthand for malicious software and refers to any undesirable software installed on a computer. Malware, Badware, and Grayware all describe unwanted software that is usually installed without the computer users' permission (or, for example, on page 67 of a 200 page software license shown an inch at a time!). Viruses are officially included within the definition, but some also use it to mean 'malicious software except a virus'.
Other terms seen coined around the Internet include theftware, stealware, hijackware, exploitware. Ransomware is worth a mention - it's where criminals encrypt your files on your hard drive, then demand ransom money for the password to get your data back!
Because all malware needs to infect your system and spread to other computers, they use similar methods to achieve this so we categorise them into various different types. There is a large overlap of definitions because many types of malware use multiple methods of delivery, infection, payload (the main action the code performs), stealthiness, and replication - these are called blended threats. Below are just some of the popular types of malware that can compromise computer systems.
Worms were quickly released over the Internet from it's beginning with the infamous Morris worm in 1988 taking credit for the first significant network infection. This worm was apparently not intended to cause harm but due to a coding error it would reinfect the same computer over and over again and slow the computer and network down.
A worm is distinct to a virus because it uses the network or Internet to replicate itself and spread. A virus needs to be activated by the user by running it, only then will it infect other files on the system. A worm effectively lives on the network trying to infect as many computers as it can reach, without any user intervention. Most viruses today are actually worms or have some worm-like functionality, but technically a worm is not actually a virus. A worm is often called a type of virus but the term worm more precisely refers to the method of distribution through a network and its automated infection.
A Trojan Horse, or simply Trojan, is a program that pretends to perform a particular task, but instead (or also) performs another function such as virus infection. Most Trojans install other malware or hide malicious code in the running program, they are most popular for delivering RATs or bots.
The word Trojan Horse comes from the legendary Trojan War when Greek soldiers were hidden inside a large wooden horse and given as a peace offering to the city of Troy in the Trojan War..
Spyware is often delivered similarly to a Trojan by secretly being bundled and installed with other programs.
A rootkit is a special type program that infects a computer deep inside the operating system, at its root. The term root actually comes from Unix/Linux and is equivalent to full administrator access in Windows. The term is used because rootkits can bury themselves underneath the operating system so they're hidden from Windows itself. Rootkits are usually used to hide infection and make removal of the infection more difficult. They modify Windows system files so that its own files are invisible to Windows and other programs.
This design makes rootkits extremely hard to detect because as far as any program running in Windows is concerned, and even Windows itself, it simply doesn't exist. Rootkits have been used by security software since inception to give us the best possible security. They detect viruses before they have a chance to run because they have modified Windows to route files through their virus filter first, using low-level system functions.
Windows Vista proved a great challenge to antivirus and security program writers because Microsoft changed the way any program could access the operating system and the hardware. This gave Vista a security boost because it stopped many ways the operation system could be compromised, but the security program authors had to develop different ways for their own programs to work with this new system.
Rootkits can also be used legitimately in commercial or software (e.g. Daemon Tools and Alcohol CD/DVD emulators), but also abused by others apparently with our best interests at heart such as in the Sony DRM Rootkit scandal.
RATs (Remote Administration Tool)
Remote Administration Tools were originally designed for system administrators to use a computer from a remote location over a network. RATs usually let you view a computer screen as if you were sitting in front of the computer and are still popular today for remote logins. Windows XP and Vista have remote access built in, and tools such as VNC are very popular..
Virus writers quickly borrowed this technology, usually hiding the software in a Trojan, and soon it was possible for a hacker to have complete control over a computer from a distance. In fact, some RATs included handy short cuts to system functions which give the hacker easier and more control of Windows than the user in front of it!
RATs are also sometimes called Remote Access Trojan, which specifically refers to a Remote Administration Tool used in a malicious way which also uses the popular Trojan as a distribution method. A RAT is a type of backdoor, because it allows remote access without the users' permission.
Bots, Botnets, and Zombies
An Internet Bot (from robot) is like the next generation Worm, not only spreading far over a network but also performing automated functions for the creator. The functionality of a bot is usually more complex than a worm, but like a worm may actually be legitimate - such as when the Google Bot spiders (indexes) the Web and Internet to deliver our search results, but increasingly bots are being used to control hundreds or even millions of computers for malicious or money making uses.
Botnets leverage the benefits of distributed computing, were many computers combined can offer a lot of computing and networking power. When someone infects multiple computers, this forms a Botnet and can harness a lot of power stealing other people's resources, such as their processor usage, memory, disk, and Internet/network connections.
A Zombie is an infected computer that awaits commands from its controller and is usually part of a Botnet. Many use hidden remote administration tools to control the computer and this activity is usually not noticed by the user, hence you have a zombie computer. Most SPAM is sent by Zombies and they can be told at any time to send one hundred or one million emails using your Internet connection. Since many ISPs try to stop the sending of SPAM, this may also get your email or connection blacklisted.
Botnets and Zombies are also used to launch attacks on a network or computer server called a Denial of Service (DoS) attack. By attempting to connect to a computer many times in short succession, it is possible to overload a server and so deny others to be serviced by it. By using a botnet, hackers can create a Distributed DoS (DDoS) attack which is extremely hard to protect against because the attacks are initiated by many different computers at the same time. Many large companies have been targeted at some time by DoS attacks, some successful enough to bring very large websites and networks down.
Loggers can come in several forms, but all record some type of user input into the computer. Keystroke loggers were the first to appear, and are the simplest, as they simply record everything that is typed on the keyboard by the user. You should never store your passwords in a file on a computer as this can easily be found and transmitted to hackers, but loggers are designed to record your passwords and other information as you are actually typing them in to gain access to a website or other resource.
Loggers are a common way to steal passwords, credit card details and bank account information and can also lead to identity theft. The logs can be sent to a predefined Internet site or are sent by email to the hacker at a regular interval.
Some web sites, particularly online banking sites, have tried to combat this attack by using pictures instead of a password, or pictures of number keypads with random number positioning so that keystroke loggers cannot record this information.
Unfortunately the logger coders also became more advanced and starting writing screenshot loggers which take periodic snapshots of your computer screen, and even video capture loggers which can record your screen like a video to see exactly what your doing.
Diallers
Diallers are less popular than they used to be because they require an older dial-up modem to work, but since most people now connect to the Internet via broadband, these programs do not work unless a 56k modem is also connected to the computer and phone line.
A dialler changes your dial-up settings so that instead of calling the number of your ISP when you 'dial up', it calls a premium rate number e.g. at $5 per minute. Usually they delay the bill for at least a month, so you can easily rack up a bill in the hundreds of dollars without knowing during that time.
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text:
Josep Sánchez Gavilán (Llagostera, 27 de marzo de 1971), también conocido como Pep Sánchez, es un periodista de videojuegos español, fundador y director ejecutivo de MeriStation, mayor revista electrónica del sector en habla hispana.

Biografía

Nacido en Llagostera, en la provincia de Gerona, Pep Sánchez trabajaba en el restaurante Can Meri, propiedad de sus padres y del que saldría el nombre de su futura revista. En 1992, el restaurante se convirtió en un cibercafé en el que Pep con amigos probaba videojuegos para computadora con la intención de demostrar que podían tener tanta potencia como los de PlayStation, tras su lanzamiento en 1995. Con el tiempo, se decidió a publicar en la página web del local críticas de videojuegos que escribían los mismos que llegaban al cibercafé a jugarlos, y en el año 1997 por fin Pep creó junto a un grupo de aficionados (Elena Avellaneda, Félix de la Concepción, Jordi Espunya, Eduardo Paradinas, Oroel Praena, Xabier G. Santos) la página de MeriStation.

Desde los inicios de la publicación, Pep mantuvo contactos con el Grupo PRISA, fruto de los cuales coordinó entre 1998 y 2009 la sección de tecnología del periódico El País. Un acuerdo entre ambas partes en 2002 establecía la posibilidad de que el grupo generalista pudiera comprar MeriStation, lo que se materializó en 2007 cuando, con el pretexto de un cambio injustificado de servidores, Prisacom (filial de PRISA) decidió adquirir la web, lo que llevó a un juicio que concluyó a favor de PRISA. Un recurso ante el Tribunal Supremo confirmó en 2011 la sentencia anterior, pero tras la compra se permitió a Pep y su equipo continuar trabajando en MeriStation.

Además de redactar artículos y gestionar la página de MeriStation, Pep Sánchez ha participado en conferencias y eventos del mundo del videojuego, como la Tenerife Lan Party o el Curso GameLab de la Universidad de Oviedo. En septiembre de 2006, durante el Tokyo Game Show, Pep Sánchez y Nacho Ortiz, director y jefe de redacción de MeriStation entrevistaron a Ken Kutaragi, creador de PlayStation. Los lectores de la revista hicieron numerosas caricaturas retocando una de las fotografías que recogían el encuentro. Pep Sánchez también ha tomado parte en la política: ha sido concejal y teniente de alcalde de su municipio natal, Llagostera.

Pep estuvo casado con Elena Avellaneda, quien también colaboró en la fundación de la revista, con la que tiene dos hijas.

Referencias

Concejales en municipios de la provincia de Gerona
Críticos de videojuegos
Empresarios de la provincia de Gerona
Periodistas de la provincia de Gerona
Periodistas de España del siglo XX
Periodistas de España del siglo XXI
Nacidos en Llagostera

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Control Exterminating offers residential pest control in NYC, Queens, Brooklyn and beyond paying attention to the well-being of your home. If you're looking for a home exterminator service provider in NYC who is at the top of their game, you have come to the right place. Our exterminators in New York will be able to provide your home with the best and most thorough extermination and control services possible.
With our efficiency and knowledge in residential pest control, you will receive the most eco-friendly solutions possible from experienced, reliable pest control experts.
At Control Exterminating, we are committed to your total satisfaction. This is why we have built our business on applying core principals and values that translate to great customer service. We use the best equipment, hire the most qualified pest experts and exterminators. Aside from pest control in NYC homes, we treat hospitals, care facilities, apartment buildings, co-ops, restaurants, and condos.
Below you will find a list of the most widely used residential pest services requested.
With our bed bug exterminator service, we'll be able to quickly eliminate your bed bugs. We find them in all types of buildings and in various public places. They can also be found in mattresses, box springs, bed frames, window and door moldings, chairs, couches, behind wallpaper, in picture frames, computers, carpeting under cracks in floors, outlets and wall voids.
With our rodent control services, we'll be able to effectively and safely remove rats, rodents, and mice that might invade the structure of your home seeking food and shelter. They can cost you in building repairs because they gnaw on things that they shouldn't, including wiring.
Certain types of mites infest buildings. Mites are extremely small and they are closely related to ticks. An infestation of mites is very hard to detect and this is why they go unnoticed for such a long time. We find and exterminate bird mites wherever they are found in NYC.
Fleas also considered parasites, typically feed on blood. Their preference is for humans, dogs, cats, rodents and opossums' blood. They can literally jump as much as 8 inches high and are often found on the bottom of shoes, blankets and pant legs. It may actually be your pest that is infesting your NYC home with pests. If this is the case, contact us for our Flea Extermination Services offered in and around Manhattan.
Many people don't know that termites have wings, which they later shed upon finding the right place to build their nest. Termites have been in existence for more than 200 million years. They build colonies that eat all the time, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. This is why they cause so much expensive property damage in Manhattan, New York.
Grain moths, Indian meal moths, and pantry moths live in dark, humid and dirty places. They generally live in areas undisturbed by people. Sometimes they will become a problem when they infest your pantry or closet. Control Exterminating's moth extermination services are perfect for safely eliminating this problem.
When you have a problem with roaches in NYC, we want to rid you of them quickly. Cockroaches transmit diseases, induce allergies and can contaminate your food supply. If you have a building or business in NYC or live in a multi-unit building in Manhattan you should know that if one apartment has them, you are susceptible to getting them.
There is no doubt who you should depend on for your pest control NYC, Control Exterminating. Contact us prior to experiencing a problem with an infestation NYC. We'll be more than happy to treat your NYC home or NYC business, regularly, so that you can avoid a pest infestation NYC.
If you ever have questions about pest control and pest management, contact our NYC extermination services to speak with one of our NYC pest control experts. They are sure to have the right answer to your questions.
We offer complimentary consultations at Control Exterminating: Call 212-847-3842 today!


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Every Sunday at 6:00 pm 95.9 The Rat's Jersey Rock Podcast brings you the latest music and interviews from the bands who make NJ rock! Check back each week for a new episode or subscribe to the Jersey Rock E Newsletter through Club Rat and have it delivered straight to your e-mail.
Asbury Park's Chris Brown will perform at the Pierce Memorial Church in Farmingdale on Tuesday 4/16. The Pierce Sessions will also feature a performance from Gen Evieve. Learn more and check out Chris Brown's "One More Night" EP at chrisbrownap.com!
Matt O'Ree checks in to tell us about his upcoming album "Live From The Stone Pony." The album will be released on 4/20. The same day Matt O'Ree Band will host an all-day event at Jamian's in Red Bank to raise funds for a new touring vehicle. M.O.B will be joined by a number of great artists and acts including David Bryan from Bon Jovi, Brian Kirk, The Moroccaan Sheepherders, and The Shady Street Show Band. If you can't make it on 4/20, but would like to donate to the effort check out the band's Go Fund Me campaign! More info at mattoreeband.com.
We rock a rad cover from Kingston & GreyStarr! It's their rendition of INXS' "Don't Change." The dynamic duo is currently working on a new album. We'll keep you posted on that. Kingston & GreyStarr are available for events. Check them out at kingstonandgreystarr.com!
Experiment 34 is in action at with Molly Rhythm at The Asbury Park Yacht Club this Friday! Admission is FREE. Experiment 34's "What Dying Feels Like" album is out now. Check it out at experiment34.com!
Check out last week's Jersey Rock Podcast!


text:
Jimmy McDougall was Procurator Fiscal in Dumfries when Pan Am Flight 103 crashed at Lockerbie, Scotland, on 21 December 1988 killing all 243 passengers and 16 crew on board, as well as 11 people in the town of Lockerbie .

Responsibility
In Scotland, responsibility for the investigation of sudden deaths rests with the Procurator Fiscal, who will attend the scene and may direct the police in the conduct of their inquiries. The Procurator Fiscal holds a commission from the Lord Advocate who is a government minister. At the time of the bombing the Lord Advocate was a member of the UK government but, since devolution, is now a member of the Scottish Executive.

Investigation
On 28 December 1988 – just a week after the crash – air accident investigators were able to announce that they had found traces of high explosive and that there was evidence that PA 103 had been brought down by an improvised explosive device. The prime responsibility for the investigation into the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 fell to Jimmy McDougall, the Procurator Fiscal in the nearby town of Dumfries, and to the Dumfries & Galloway police force – the force with the fewest officers in Britain. The police effort was augmented by officers from all over Scotland as well as the north of England. McDougall was given support from the Crown Office in Edinburgh and in particular from Norman McFadyen, then head of the Fraud and Specialist Services Group and now Procurator Fiscal covering the Edinburgh area but also with special responsibility for the Lockerbie case.

References
 the Lord Advocate Colin Boyd's account

See also
 Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial
 Alternative theories into the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103

Pan Am Flight 103
Law enforcement in Scotland
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
Place of birth missing (living people)
Scottish lawyers


Complete your sound system with this 9.2-channel Yamaha A/V receiver. It produces up to 220W per channel to deliver dynamic surround sound, and its specially engineered feet provide stability to minimize vibration. This Yamaha A/V receiver connects to your home wireless network via built-in Bluetooth, letting you stream music from wireless devices.


What are Bridgewater Candles made of?
Something we are asked about a lot is what we use to make our candles. While our fragrance formulations are a tightly held secret, we can tell you a lot about the different ingredients we use to make our candles.
First, let's talk about the wax. We us a proprietary soy-blend wax for our candles which was created to provide the best pool and fragrance throw possible for your Bridgewater candle experience. We adhere to strict safety standards set by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA). Likewise, we also follow the National Candle Association (NCA) for general wax and candle safety standards. According to the NCA, validated scientific studies have shown that all major candle waxes produce virtually identical combustion byproducts. To date, no peer-reviewed scientific study has ever proven that candle wax emissions are harmful to human health.
Next, let's discuss the fragrance. We actually have a fragrance team on staff, and their job is to create new scents you'll love while regularly quality checking your current favorites to make sure they're up to snuff. This makes us different than many other candle companies, because most businesses in our industry outsource fragrance creation. Since we create our own fragrances, we control the ingredients that go into them. As with most scented candles, our fragrance contains both natural and synthetic ingredients. Incorporating synthetics allows us to be sustainable as we formulate because we don't deplete natural resources. While we use natural materials as well, please keep in mind that just because a product uses all-natural materials does not mean that it is safer or contains fewer allergens. (IFRA) Creating our own fragrances in house is beneficial for many reasons. Most importantly, it means that we can make sure the ingredients we use are safe for you and the environment. It also allows us to control cost so that we can put a greater quantity of fragrance oil in our candles than most companies are able to afford. That means stronger scents for you!
What about the wicks and the glass? Our candles use cotton or paper wicks that are free of lead and zinc. All of the glass we use has passed rigorous third party ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) safety testing.
The finishing touch for a Bridgewater candle is its hang tag. The hang tags we add to each candle are made of card stock, and they help you learn more about our #lightacandlefeedachild mission. Each hang tag has a picture of one of the children you are providing 3 meals for with the purchase of your candle. The hang tags include a short bio about the child, in addition to their name, age, and the country in which they live. On the front of the hang tag, we include information about the fragrance and the burn time for the candle. Hang tags accompany our jar candles only, so the Sweet Grace Collection candles include information about #lightacandlefeedachild on their dust covers.
If you want to see candles in the making, you can watch the process our team takes to pour each candle at our headquarters in Spartanburg, SC by tuning in to our next Instagram Live!
Have more questions about our candles? Take a Look at our FAQ page to see if your question has already been answered!


Microsoft South Africa has announced the winners of the 2006 Microsoft Partner Programme Awards.
The awards recognise Microsoft Gold Certified and Certified Partners, as well as registered members in certain areas, that delivered exceptional performance over the past year.
"It is our pleasure to congratulate the winners for the outstanding contributions they have delivered to their customers over the last year," said Pfungwa Serima, managing director of Microsoft South Africa.
"Microsoft`s success is built on our close relationship with our partners and by working with them to ensure that we are meeting the unique needs of our customers. It is this level of collaboration that enables Microsoft and our partners to continue helping local businesses maximise technology to reach their full business potential."
Winners were announced at the Microsoft Partner Summit 2006, the company`s premier annual event for industry partners. This year Microsoft recognised partners in each of the 13 competency areas, as well as awards that are aligned with Microsoft`s key strategic initiatives, namely Customer Experience, Winning Customers, Distributor of the Year and the Small Business Specialist Community. There was also a special award this year, presented on behalf of the OEM regional director, which signified the beginning of the new OEM organisation formed within Microsoft South Africa. The coveted managing director`s award was also presented at the ceremony.
More than 121 entries were submitted by partners throughout South Africa and these were judged, and winners appointed, in each of the 17 self-nomination award categories. Judging teams for each award category were made up of several stakeholders within Microsoft to allow for cross-sectional representation of all areas of the business. Each submission was judged on 7 key criteria, namely: strategic value, revenue impact, reference-ability, customer satisfaction, innovation, corporate responsibility and bonus factors.
This award signifies the beginning of the new OEM organisation formed within Microsoft South Africa, to focus on multinational, named and system builder partners, and recognises a partner that has closely aligned its business with Microsoft.
The Customer Experience Awards recognises the outstanding customer service that partners have provided to their customers by demonstrating an understanding of their needs, and honours partners` ingenuity in developing unique and relevant approaches to customer outreach.
The Winning Customer Awards recognise the successful implementation of solutions on the Microsoft platform, resulting in the migration of customers to Microsoft technologies from competing technologies such as Novell`s NetWare, Unix or Linux. Partners received this award by expertly developing customer solutions that exemplify the benefit of working on the Microsoft platform rather than those of other technology vendors.
The Distributor of the Year Award recognises the distributor that achieves the targets set by Microsoft; is strongly aligned to Microsoft initiatives; and whose approach to customer satisfaction ensures a high level of service to the channel.
The Small Business Specialist Awards are for Microsoft Small Business Specialists that demonstrate the innovation of deploying a Microsoft-based solution in a business with fewer than 50 employees or fewer than 25 PCs. Key Microsoft products in the small-business solutions stack include Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003, Microsoft Office Small Business Accounting 2006, Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Small Business Edition and Microsoft Small Business Financials.
The Advanced Infrastructure Solutions Awards recognise partners with proven expertise in designing and/or implementing any or all of these complex infrastructure specialisations. Network infrastructures are growing increasingly complex with the demand for Web-based applications, internal and external portals, solutions for managing large amounts of data and translating it into business intelligence, and more efficient communications both within the enterprise and from remote sites. Enterprises are looking to Microsoft technologies to meet these demands, and looking for technology partners with the skills and expertise to design and implement innovative, cost-effective solutions that incorporate these technologies.
The Business Process and Integration Solutions Awards recognise best practices for selling and deploying business process management (BPM) and integration solutions. These awards are intended for systems integrators, solution and service providers, and software developers that concentrate on enterprise application integration, business-to-business application integration, BPM, and adapter development using Microsoft BizTalk Server.
The Custom Development Solutions Awards recognise partners that focus primarily on development of customised solutions and tools built on Microsoft technologies and solutions using the Visual Studio family of development tools. Specifically, custom development partners may deliver highly custom-built solutions to support customer-unique business practices, deliver individual enhancements that allow customers to integrate existing systems with new technologies, or develop extensions to existing Microsoft solutions that the customer may already employ.
Business intelligence. These solutions help organisations improve their business insight by enabling all employees to make better, faster and more relevant decisions.
Database management. The backbone to any mission-critical application, these solutions demand high availability, mission-critical reliability and high performance. Companies that deploy innovative applications are the ones that will be the front-runners in the competitive marketplace.
With increasing demands on IT resources, companies must find new ways of maximising their data platform investments. Microsoft provides the next-generation data management platform that enables customers to unleash the full potential of their data assets.
The Information Worker Solutions Awards recognise exceptional partners that have excelled in offering breakthrough Microsoft Office system solutions. These awards recognise partner solutions that showcase a unique and positive impact on their customers` business pain points through their expertise in the Information Worker Solutions Competency.
The ISV/Software Solutions Awards recognise partners that specialise in developing and marketing packaged software solutions based on Microsoft technologies. Independent software vendors (ISVs) face a unique set of challenges among Microsoft solution partners. Increasing business needs and ever-changing customer and technology demands all add to the pressure of running a successful software business.
The Learning Solutions Awards recognise partners` commitment and ability to deliver high-quality learning services using a consultative engagement model. It also validates the impact that skills assessment, technical training, student mentoring and Microsoft Certified Professional exam preparation have on customer satisfaction, and the application of Microsoft technology to solve business problems.
The Licensing Solutions Awards recognise partner innovation and sales and marketing expertise, as well as specific capabilities related to licensing delivery or software asset management specialisations. The Licensing Solutions Competency was created to allow partners to establish their licensing and software asset management expertise and differentiate their services in the marketplace.
The Microsoft Business Solutions Awards honour partners that are unsurpassed in providing product and service excellence. These are true champions of financial management, supply chain management, customer relationship management, and/or retail management software whose energy, persistence and integrity have allowed Microsoft to strengthen its leadership across multiple platforms and markets. These partners demonstrate leadership in managing their businesses through new customer additions, total revenue and revenue growth.
The Mobility Solutions Awards recognise partners that specialise in developing, deploying, supporting and marketing packaged software solutions and services based on Microsoft Windows Mobile technologies. Companies and organisations worldwide are implementing mobile business solutions to accelerate business cycles, increase productivity, reduce operating costs and extend their enterprise infrastructure. ISVs, systems integrators and related services partners are utilising this unique opportunity and very effectively developing, deploying and supporting breakthrough mobility solutions.
The Networking Infrastructure Solutions Awards honour partners that have infrastructure practices with proven proficiency in implementing solutions based on the Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 or Windows Server 2003 operating systems. These awards also recognise partners with innovative solutions that help small and midsize customers realise their potential by providing operational efficiencies with the help of the Windows Server System.
The OEM Hardware Solutions Awards recognise outstanding system builders, independent hardware vendors and original device manufacturers. As customers expand and upgrade their information technology assets, there is a demand for high-quality hardware solutions - such as desktops, servers and peripherals - built and designed to work with Microsoft technologies. These hardware solutions are configured according to the customers` needs and supported to ensure customer satisfaction.
The Security Solutions Awards recognise exceptional partners that have demonstrated expertise in providing the most advanced security solutions and services to protect their customers` information assets.
The Managing Director`s Award recognises a partner that has over-achieved in a number of areas important to Microsoft and the industry. These include: corporate and social responsibility, alignment to Microsoft and its objectives, revenue and market share growth, innovation and customer satisfaction as well as an overall commitment to excellence.
Microsoft`s Partner Summit provides Microsoft`s partner community with access to key marketing and business strategies, leadership, and information regarding specific customer solutions designed to help partners succeed in the marketplace. Along with informative learning opportunities covering sales, marketing, services and technology, the summit is an ideal setting for partners to garner valuable knowledge from their peers and from Microsoft.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.


Timeless Vaughan Williams meets fateful Tchaikovsky and a blast of Finnish forcefulness. The Russians are coming – and how.
Tchaikovsky might have thought his 5th Symphony a failure but posterity has begged to differ. And like the 4th Symphony you can hear in December when the LSO comes a-calling, it too wrestles with fate. Applying balm is Vaughan Williams' simultaneously 'ancient and modern' Tallis Fantasia, premiered up the road in Gloucester Cathedral not long after the Sibelius Concerto, whose ever-changing moods suggest a kind of Scandinavian film noir.
Book for 3 or more concerts and save up to 30%.
The Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio was originally founded as the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1930 as the official symphony for the Soviet Radio Network. Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1993, the ensemble was renamed to recognise the central role the Russian composer's work plays in the orchestra's repertoire.
Current Director Vladimir Fedoseyev has been leading the ensemble for the last 30 years, and has turned the orchestra into one of Russia's most widely acclaimed ensembles. His interpretations, which are famous for their depth of emotion, great sense of national character and penetration of the composer's conception, set the Orchestra apart from others and have earned it international acclaim.
The orchestra's discography includes a complete collection of Beethoven's symphonies, the first by a Russian orchestra with a Russian conductor. Other recordings include works ranging from Mozart, Mahler and Brahms to contemporary music.
Vladimir Fedoseyev graduated from Moscow's Gnessin State Musical College and Tchaikovsky Conservatory. In 1974, he became artistic director and chief conductor of the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, now known as the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio. From 1997 to 2004 he was also chief conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
Fedoseyev is world famous for his interpretations of composers from a variety of epochs and styles. He has won numerous international awards, including the Gold Star from the city of Vienna and the Gold Medal of the International Gustav Mahler Society.
Renowned for her "dazzling interpretative flair and exemplary technique" (Classic FM), British violinist Jennifer Pike has taken the musical world by storm with her unique artistry and compelling insight into music from the Baroque to the present day. In demand as soloist and recitalist all over the world, she is known as an artist of exceptional integrity and depth, whilst her ability to "hold an audience spellbound" (The Strad) and "luminous beauty of tone" (The Observer) have established her as one of the most exciting artists performing today.
She first gained international recognition in 2002, when, aged 12, she became the youngest-ever winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year and the youngest major prizewinner in the Menuhin International Violin Competition. Aged 15 she made acclaimed débuts at the BBC Proms and Wigmore Hall, and her many subsequent Proms appearances have included the role of 2009 "featured artist". She was invited to become a BBC New Generation Artist (2008-10), she won the inaugural International London Music Masters Award and became the only classical artist ever to win the South Bank Show/Times Breakthrough Award. Passionate about helping young people from all backgrounds enhance their lives through music, she was recently invited to become an ambassador for the Prince's Trust and Foundation for Children and the Arts, and patron of the Lord Mayor's City Music Foundation.
Really enjoyed Tchaikovsky Symphony + Jennifer Pike last night @Colston_Hall ! Great performances all round, благодаря !


Thank you for a great 2018! We wish you joyous and peaceful holiday season and all the best and continued success in 2019!
Our office will remain closed between December 22, 2018 and January 1, 2019. We are looking forward to serving you and your projects beginning January 2.


"Extrapolating the effect of deleterious nsSNPs in the binding adaptabi" by C. George Priya Doss, N. Nagasundaram et al.
Extrapolating the effect of deleterious nsSNPs in the binding adaptability of flavopiridol with CDK7 protein: A molecular dynamics approach.
Background: Recent reports suggest the role of nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) in cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) gene associated with defect in the DNA repair mechanism that may contribute to cancer risk. Among the various inhibitors developed so far, flavopiridol proved to be a potential antitumor drug in the phase-III clinical trial for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Here, we described a theoretical assessment for the discovery of new drugs or drug targets in CDK7 protein owing to the changes caused by deleterious nsSNPs. Methods: Three nsSNPs (I63R, H135R, and T285M) were predicted to have functional impact on protein function by SIFT, PolyPhen2, I-Mutant3, PANTHER, SNPs&GO, PhD-SNP, and screening for non-acceptable polymorphisms (SNAP). Furthermore, we analyzed the native and proposed mutant models in atomic level 10 ns simulation using the molecular dynamics (MD) approach. Finally, with the aid of Autodock 4.0 and PatchDock, we analyzed the binding efficacy of flavopiridol with CDK7 protein with respect to the deleterious mutations. Results: By comparing the results of all seven prediction tools, three nsSNPs (I63R, H135R, and T285M) were predicted to have functional impact on the protein function. The results of protein stability analysis inferred that I63R and H135R exhibited less deviation in root mean square deviation in comparison with the native and T285M protein. The flexibility of all the three mutant models of CDK7 protein is diverse in comparison with the native protein. Following to that, docking study revealed the change in the active site residues and decrease in the binding affinity of flavopiridol with mutant proteins. Conclusion: This theoretical approach is entirely based on computational methods, which has the ability to identify the disease-related SNPs in complex disorders by contrasting their costs and capabilities with those of the experimental methods. The identification of disease related SNPs by computational methods has the potential to create personalized tools for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of diseases. Lay abstract: Cell cycle regulatory protein, CDK7, is linked with DNA repair mechanism which can contribute to cancer risk. The main aim of this study is to extrapolate the relationship between the nsSNPs and their effects in drug-binding capability. In this work, we propose a new methodology which (1) efficiently identified the deleterious nsSNPs that tend to have functional effect on protein function upon mutation by computational tools, (2) analyze d the native protein and proposed mutant models in atomic level using MD approach, and (3) investigated the protein-ligand interactions to analyze the binding ability by docking analysis. This theoretical approach is entirely based on computational methods, which has the ability to identify the disease-related SNPs in complex disorders by contrasting their costs and capabilities with those of the experimental methods. Overall, this approach has the potential to create personalized tools for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of diseases. © 2013 George Priya Doss et al.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


248 Campbell Lane, Pleasant Hill, Ca.
Welcome home to this beautifully updated Pleasant Hill Treasure! Nestled on a quiet private street and a short distance to trails, restaurants, Bart, shopping and downtown Pleasant Hill, this is the perfect location. Complete with a fully updated kitchen, dual master suites and natural light that pours into every corner of the home. The open kitchen leading to the large backyard is an entertainer's dream. You won't want to miss this dream home!


Thanks for visiting The Book Fairy! I hope you enjoyed the book that brought you here, or, if you're just browsing, that you're interested in the idea behind this page and the whole initiative.
You can be part of the book sharing revolution by answering the four questions below; just select your answer and hit 'vote.' We'd appreciate it if you did, if only so we can see how far these books have travelled.
This page contains a list of all the books the Fairy has released into the world right now.
In random locations throughout the city of Leicester (and beyond!) you'll find books with this label on the front or inside cover: These books are free, a rolling gift from me, to you, designed to be passed on once you have read and enjoyed them.
The list below contains all the books that are currently out there somewhere, waiting to be passed around. Interact with us and other readers by selecting the book you've read and sharing whether or not you enjoyed it. To take it a step further, please also indicate if you have passed the book on and to whom; it would be great to know how far these books have travelled.
If you want to play more of a part then use this downloadable sheet. You can print off more of the stickers above and stick them in books want to pass on. Spread the love of reading as far as you can!
What does Patron of Reading involve, then?