So here's the deal for PART FIVE of this unique event.
Part FIVE will be the last episode and thus the last chance you have to win the author's books! It will run from Wednesday (the 29th of February, 2012) to the following Wednesday (the 7th of March), at which time the event will end. There will, however, be some exclusive follow-up interviews with the authors on their upcoming releases. So stay tuned.
* If the winner does not have a Kindle, he/she will be encouraged to download the free Kindle app to their computer or phone or other reading device. If this cannot be accomplished, alternative prizes will be given, though at this time, there have yet to be any decisions made as to what those prizes will be.
That's a total of 8 FREE eBooks! Any questions? Hit the contact tab and connect with me through there. Tell everyone you know!
click here to go to PART FIVE!


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Online portal will speed shipments and open export markets
Expanding into new global markets will soon be easier for Cambodian businesses thanks to a project launched today by the Cambodian government and the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, which will digitalise paper-based customs clearing processes for small packages sent through the post.
Cambodia's General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) and Cambodia Post already have established electronic systems for handling small package clearances but lack a digital link that would allow them to realise their full potential. So instead, customs declarations are still filled in and processed manually and only at or after arrival of shipment.
Through its implementing partner Swisscontact, the Alliance is clearing that roadblock with this new project, which will develop the missing digital link between the two systems. That link will enable faster clearance of parcels, end the dependence on burdensome paper processes, and allow shipping information to be transmitted before a package arrives at its destination country.
The Alliance is also working with the Cambodian Women's Entrepreneur Association (CWEA) to ensure that micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), many of them women-led, can take full advantage of these improvements. To this end, the project will be establishing a new online portal to act as an e-trade 'one-stop' service point for MSMEs to ship goods internationally and upscale their export capabilities.
H.E Pan Sorasak, Minister of Commerce of Cambodia, during the launch of the event stated, "the project will contribute to the implementation of the Cambodia Trade Integration Strategy (CTIS) 2019-2023, E-Commerce Strategy and current implementing Go4eCAM Project which lay down the needs to diversify and leverage opportunities in new growth sectors, especially emerging digital economy and cross-border e-commerce, for Cambodian SMEs. This project comes at a time when cross-border e-trade and development are needed like never before, particularly at a time where the on-going COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the uptrend shift towards e-commerce". H.E. Minister further mentioned that, "the Ministry of Commerce very much look forward to implementing our joint activities with the Alliance and Swisscontact and other partners and expect great progress in this regard from the project".
Once implemented, the project will provide a lift for Cambodia's MSMEs, which account for only 10% of its total exports despite a dominant role in the economy. That figure trails the 30% share of exports reached by MSMEs in other regional economies. Getting up to that level could potentially add USD3.2 billion in exports to Cambodia's economy.
"Allowing advanced sharing of customs and security information of postal items will facilitate the movement of cross-border postal shipments," said Then Samvisoth, Director General of Cambodia Post. "This, together with the creation of the e-trade portal, will ultimately lead to better engagement of Cambodian MSMEs in the global e-trade, allowing them to enter new markets and grow their businesses."
Samvisoth added: "Cambodia Post sees this project as the very first milestone that will open further opportunities to expand our cooperation with the Alliance in the future, particularly in enhancing postal capacity and helping Cambodia businesses to better seize better global e-commerce opportunities."
"The new e-trade portal will enable more women to do business effectively, and we are grateful to contribute to women's empowerment through trade," said CWEA President H.E. Oknha Keo Mom. "It is a great honour to be supported by the Alliance on this project. MSMEs will be able to take full advantage of improved customs processes for postal shipments on small package exports. If other countries can do it, why don't we?"
The launch comes a month after the Cambodian government and the Alliance signed a memorandum of understanding that formalised the terms of the project, which will contribute to Cambodia fulfilling its commitments under the World Trade Organization's Trade Facilitation Agreement.
"This transformative project shows how the benefits of digital trade and e-commerce can ripple through an entire economy," said Philippe Isler, the Alliance's Director. "Projects like these can break down the barriers that hamper competitiveness in global markets and also ensure that smaller businesses are not only aware of the new opportunities that result, but that they can make the most of them, too."
Improving Small Package E-Trade for SMEs
Improving Small Package E-Trade for SMEs (SeT4SME) is a two-year project (2021-2023) for the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation. This project aims to support Cambodia in improving its trade performance and driving inclusive growth in the country by enhancing trade facilitation implementation with improved transparency in trade practices and reduced time and cost of cross-border e-trade.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Iron Horse appoints Director, Business Development
By Canadian Security
Iron Horse Security announces the appointment of Dylan Dewdney as its new Director of Business Development.
Dewdney will provide strategic direction and lead relationship building for Iron Horse Security's business development in the Greater Toronto Area.
"We are so pleased to have someone of Dylan's stature, experience, and expertise leading our team in Toronto—it's a testament to how far we've come as an organization, and where we see our future headed," said Robin St. Martin, President of Iron Horse. "Dylan understands the security market in a sophisticated way and knows how to communicate effectively, finding thoughtful and creative solutions to the challenges and issues our future clients face, whatever their industry or business line," adds Justin Ferns, Vice President of GTA Operations.
Dewdney places himself at the intersection of an industry that is seeing its overall focus change to a more customer-service driven approach, of which he says, "Iron Horse is one of those companies that saw presciently from its inception over twenty years ago that customer service-minded security was the alpha and omega of this industry, and it has no doubt led to their impressive expansion and excellent reference base, from condos to warehouses to governmental institutions, like Export Development Canada's state-of-the-art head office complex; I am looking forward to carrying this ethos forward and proving the difference to our future clients, and I am honored that Iron Horse has vested me with the trust and responsibility to do so."
Since its establishment in 1994, Iron Horse has been recognized for four consecutive years within the Profit 100 Fastest Growing Companies in Canada by Profit Magazine, and is a 7 year consecutive award winner of the Consumer's Choice Award for Service Excellence. No other Security company in Canada has won these industry-leading awards.
Visitor pass changes colour overnight
Air cargo security program aims to improve safety, but at what price?
Garda suspends protesting screeners at Pearson airport
Canadians returning home from Boston Marathon carnage
Web-based access control
G4S staff members named to IAHSS boards


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HJU At The 009-1 Movie Premiere, Sakamoto's New Film
Home /Henshin Justice Unlimited, News/HJU At The 009-1 Movie Premiere, Sakamoto's New Film
Tom Constantine
Henshin Justice Unlimited,News |
Last night, I was lucky enough to be invited to the premiere of Koichi Sakamoto's new movie, 009-1: The End of the Beginning by the man himself. A remake of an old Ishinomori manga, the movie stars Mayuko Iwasa (Hanazakari no Kimitachi e), Nao Nagasawa (Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger's Hurricane Blue, Mao Ichimichi (Gokaiger's Gokai Yellow) and Minehiro Kinomoto(Kamen Rider Accel).
The main cast and director himself, Koichi Sakamoto, took to the stage before the screening of the movie. After the normal pleasantries, the cast could speak more freely about their experiences on the making of the film. Nao Nagasawa, almost a requirement in everything Sakamoto works on now, joked that fellow cast member, Mao Ichimichi, was "so cute that I wanted to pick her up on set and carry her home".
Minehiro Kinomoto, stated that "I actually didn't do any action this time round", to which Sakamoto pops in to say "I liked him that much that I wanted to include him in anyway".
Mao did bring up Gokaiger by name, but only to reaffirm "This is in no way something you'd see on the Sunday morning Superhero Time slot". Sakamoto expressed that he really wants female fans to like the movie as it has "lots of female action scenes", which he certainly was not lying about.
Mayuko Iwasa was missing from the Talk Show, but joined the conversation via Skype on the big screen in costume from all the way in France, publicising the movie at French film festival. Much to the hilarity of the cast and entire audience, the hotel wifi was quite unreliable, so she could barely hear what anyone was saying.
009-1 was another creation by Ishinomori, who wrote and illustrated the Japanese manga series back in 1967. The title character is a female cyborg, working as a secret agent trained specifically in espionage for the Western Bloc intelligence organization. The movie is set in a not-so-distant future that sees Japan's degeneration into a harsh world where the setting is split into an East and West Bloc. Being a cyborg has it's advantages, 009-1 is equipped with super strength, agility, vision, hearing and regenerative abilities. Most famously, she has a powerful if all else fails weapon located in her breasts.
The action in the film is typically top notch quality and would hands down beat other much higher budgeted action films. Nagasawa plays a cold emotionless cyborg that genuinely feels quite intimidating when pitted against the main title character. She proves that in this movie that she is at her absolute peak of physical ability, performing impressive stunt and action work that is clearly her, and not a stunt double. The main star, Mayuko Iwasa, manages to keep up with every punch and kick, apart from when she loses the fights against Nao.
Kinomoto plays a more fragile character here, while displaying a range of personality, barely walks 10 steps the entire movie. Ichimichi returns to a maid uniform from an early Gokaiger episode, working to survive in the dystopia world anyway she can, even if it means getting her hands dirty to take care of her loved ones.
Compared to the previous movie from Sakamoto, Travellers; it's still low budget, over-the-top (completely ridiculous towards the end), but better in aspect possible. The action is fantastic, some of the moves were almost cheer worthy, and worth the price of admission and DVD purchase. It's a lot of fun and not to be taken seriously, even though it's quite clearly the most mature target audience he's aimed it for. If you're a fan of his work on tokusatsu, this is definitely worth checking out. Just someone please, give this man a huge budget to make an original giant scaled action movie he is clearly capable of doing.
If that wasn't reason enough to check it out, Koichi was standing outside the theatre to shake the hands of every single person who saw the movie and thanked them for coming, answering questions from fans and taking photos. I thanked him for giving me the invite and joked around about some of the aspects of the movie, to which he just giggled at.
009-1: The End of the Beginning is being shown at limited cinemas, a list can be found here. It is probable that English subtitles will be included on the home release, like Travellers.
Kid Wants To Become Power Ranger, Internet Responds
EPIC TOKUSATSU MV
TAGS: 009-1 double gokaiger henshin justice unlimited hurricanger koichi sakamoto Review
Pentti Jakonen says:
I'm hoping that Rebellions gets done some day, looked awesome in the trailer and making-of's. But to this movie, I'm REALLY hoping that this gets released with English subtitles, looks really sweet so far. Not familiar with the original manga, but with Nao Nagasawa, most movies are worth a watch. = )
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Functional and structural MRI have been used for 15 years to highlight abnormalities in cerebral functioning that may explain bipolar disorder (BD). First results from our group demonstrated abnormal fronto-limbic connectivity in patients with BD but also abnormal communication between theses brain regions and those of the default mode network suggesting that abnormal emotion processing may underlie mood disturbances in this disease (Houenou et al., 2011 ; Favre et al., 2014, 2015). In addition, we showed that these functional and anatomic deficits could be moderated after the application of structured psychotherapeutic programs in the patients (Favre et al., 2013, 2016). Recently data sharing across international groups has considerably increased the power of MRI studies of BD. The study of such cohorts, as gathered by our team (n = 300), allowed to highlight specific impairment in subgroups of patients with, for instance, history of psychotic symptoms (Sarrazin et al., 2014, 2015). In addition, in collaboration with the ENIGMA consortium (http://enigma.ini.usc.edu/), we coordinated the analysis of an unprecedented sample of diffusion MRI data of patients with BD (n = 3033), which allowed to identify widespread white matter abnormalities in BD and also to demonstrate the interest of the use of machine learning methods to predict the diagnosis based on these measurements and allowed us to identify relevant subgroups of patients. In this talk, I will present the results from our group and the pros and cons of working on such large cohorts.


Taking you to school since 2008.
It was two and a half years ago that we brought your our first Co-Op Terminology Guide and while most of the terminology and definitions that surround co-op gaming remain, we figured it was a good time to do a refresh.
Let's start wtih the basics. Where do you find co-op games on Co-Optimus? All of our games are located in our handy-dandy database. This database is both searchable and listable by system. Eventually you'll find something within that piques your interest and you'll land at a database page - something like this. And it's here where you might be initially overwhelmed by the terminology used on the page - so lets take a look.
But first, how does Co-Optimus define co-op gaming? Many people have different perceptions and ideas of what co-op is to them, and honestly, that's perfectly fine. Ours is more the classic view of co-op gaming.
"A co-op game is a game where two or more players work together to accomplish a goal against AI opponents. Ideally the game will feature a strong story in which both players take part of. Co-Op can be online over the internet, offline on the same console, or via a LAN or Wireless Network. We do not consider team based games as co-op where players face off against another team of human players."
This means most racing games, including Blur, offering split-screen play are not co-op. Call of Duty (while it does have a co-op mode) isn't an 8 or 16 player co-op game because the mode that those player counts are available in are a team based versus mode. Basically, if the game requires you to compete against another human being, it is not co-op.


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Parkway offers a free mobile app that includes personalized information for all parents and students. Learn more.
Infinite Campus is Parkway's online student information system. Learn more.
Email, Text and Phone Messages
Parkway uses an automated communications system called Parkway Connect which sends email, text, phone and mobile app notifications to parents, students and employees. Learn more.
You can connect with Parkway Schools on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram where we celebrate our students and staff and engage with our community. Use the social media links at the bottom of our website to connect.
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Parkway sends monthly electronic newsletters to parents, employees and community members. These newsletters share important district information as well as stories from social or traditional media. If you wish to receive these emails, signup here.
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Parkway offers convenient, electronic access to flyers for parents using a service called Peachjar. If you prefer not to receive flyers about school and community events, you can opt out or adjust your preferences at Peachjar.com. Learn more.
We encourage students, parents, and residents to report safety and security issues and to feel assured that their information will be immediately evaluated, responded to and held in the strictest confidence.
You can send a tip using the Tip Line below or by calling 314-415-SAFE (7233).
The online Tip Line and the 415-SAFE phone line are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to anyone wishing to report any information. All reports and calls are handled confidentially.
Tips by phone are received on a recorded telephone line that is continuously monitored by the district's security department. This line is not immediately answered but goes directly to voicemail. After the call is completed, Parkway reviews and evaluates the recording and notifies the appropriate school, department or administrator of the complaint or information.
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1st Look: 'Ratchet & Clank' Trailer
Posted by Krypton Radio | Dec 14, 2015 | Movies / Video / Theater, Science Fiction / Fantasy, Toys / Games / Collectibles, Trailer Park
Ratchet & Clank is an upcoming 3D computer-animated science fiction action comedy film based on the platforming video game series of the same name. Series creators Insomniac Games helped with the film's production, screenplay, character development, and animation. The film will be directed by Jericca Cleland and Kevin Munroe, and feature an original story written by the original Insomniac Games writer T.J. Fixman. The entire approach to storytelling is faithful to the original, so nearly everything you see and hear is a satire of some sci-fi stereotype. It's made for laughs, and unlike some of the other offerings for the coming year which take themselves pretty seriously, this film is just for fun.
Several cast members from the games will reprise their respective voice roles. James Arnold Taylor is back as Ratchet the Lombax, David Kay returns as his companion Clank, and Jim Ward reprises his role as the studly but cowardly hero Captain Qwark. Assets from the video games will be utilized in the film, so it will look and sound substantially like the cut scenes from the games. The rest of the roles, though, were open for some surprising casting, including Sylvester Stallone, Rosario Dawson, John Goodman and Armin Shimmerman.
Initially planned for a theatrical release in 2015, it is instead set for a wide release on April 29, 2016 in the United States. Finally, we get to see an entire story at once without having to battle our way through every scenario ourselves. The chances that there will be no new Ratchet and Clank game coming from Insomniac Games to go along with the movie are probably about zero, though, and we're looking forward to seeing that too.
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Can You Exercise Too Much? Mental Health Experts Say Yes
Published	 Sunday 27 May 2007	 Published	Sun 27 May 2007
You run in the morning, train for your next marathon at night despite a nagging injury, and head to the gym to weight train in your free time. Missing a workout is not an option.
Are you exercised obsessed, or just an avid exercise enthusiast?
That depends on your attitude, say mental health experts. If you exercise frequently because you enjoy it and you like the health benefits it provides, you have the right reasons in mind. If you exercise because you feel compelled to do so, and in spite of having injuries, you may be at risk for developing an exercise disorder.
"There is no set formula or standard that reveals how much exercising is too much," says Theresa Fassihi, Ph.D., a psychologist with the Eating Disorders Program at The Menninger Clinic. "But if exercising is interfering in a person's life, and it is compulsory, then it may be a problem."
Dr. Fassihi treats patients in the Eating Disorders Program who over exercise in an attempt to burn off calories, build muscle or attain physical perfection. It is common for patients with exercise disorders to also have an eating disorder, Fassihi says. Problems occur when body perception doesn't match reality.
As with eating disorders, persons involved in activities or professions that require physical beauty or high levels of physical performance such as athletes and dancers are particularly vulnerable to developing exercise disorders. High achievers with perfectionist personalities are also vulnerable. Both men and women can have an exercising disorder, but they often have different goals for their exercise regimens. Women seek the "lean look" and typically exercise aerobically to become thin. Men want to bulk up and lift weights to increase muscle mass.
"If you have an exercising disorder, you also may be very preoccupied about your body's appearance, weight and muscle mass." Dr. Fassihi says. "You spend a lot of time looking at yourself, scrutinizing yourself, measuring yourself and constantly working out to create the muscle mass or lean body that you want."
Distorted body image, also called body dysmorphia, is a common component of an exercising disorder. Persons with body dysmorphia have a distorted view and exaggerated vision of their appearance thin women may think they are too big, and muscular men may think they are too puny or scrawny. The obsession with being too small or frail is a subtype of body dysmorphia called muscle dysmorphia, nicknamed bigorexia, which is most common in men. Men with muscle dysmorphia constantly weight train and exercise to achieve a more muscular or perceived "manly" body.
To achieve their ideal body or fitness goals, many persons with exercise disorders also restrict their calories, based on the mistaken belief that they will build a higher proportion of muscle if they restrict their food intake while exercising, Dr. Fassihi says. Instead, they lose both muscle and fat, putting their health at risk.
"Over exercising can cause significant damage to the body," Dr. Fassihi adds. "It can increase the risk of injuries for both men and women. Women may be more at risk for osteoporosis if they are over exercising and restricting their food intake, and they may stop menstruating completely. Men may use steroids and protein powders to help them achieve their goals, leading to other health problems."
Over exercising can also cause stress fractures, which can impede walking. Constant repetitive exercise can cause wear and tear on the body's muscle, bones and joints--in severe cases making joint replacement surgery necessary at a young age.
Despite their health problems, many persons who over exercise are reluctant to admit their behavior is problematic, Dr. Fasshi says. Exercise provides them with a sense of control, power, and in some cases, superiority. Exercise also relieves anxiety and releases endorphins, which provide a sense of euphoria. Because of the positive aspects of exercise, and its value in our achievement and appearance oriented-society, treatment for exercise disorders can be difficult.
"If you give up an addiction that is bad for you, you give it up cold turkey. However, you can't give up exercise completely, because it is healthy," Dr. Fassihi says. "You want to learn how to exercise moderately in a healthy way. That's very tough without help from a professional."
Staff members with the Eating Disorders Program at Menninger work with patients who over exercise to help them recognize normal levels of exercise. At the beginning of treatment, patients are limited to the mildest physical activity, such as walking, in an attempt to increase their body weight to normal levels. As treatment progresses, patients may increase their amount of exercise. By the time they leave Menninger, patients are exercising moderately every other day, for about four hours a week.
Men and women also learn to confront their anxiety about not exercising, and learn other methods to help them relieve their anxiety such as relaxation and breathing exercises. They may also participate in a body image group to identify negative beliefs they have about their bodies and how to dispute those beliefs.
With treatment, patients realize the toll that over exercising has taken on their lives.
"Over exercising interferes with their quality of life because they devote so much of their time to exercise to the exclusion of anything else," Dr. Fassihi says. "Their time is not available for socializing, relationships or work. It is all consuming."
Am I exercising too much?
Dr. Fassihi says your attitude toward exercising provides important clues about whether you have a problem with over exercising. You may be exercising too much if you:
-- Feel you absolutely cannot miss your workout. If you do miss a workout, you feel extremely guilty and uneasy.
-- Feel you have to exercise even if you notice that instead of helping your body; you are damaging your body.
-- Are getting more injuries.
-- Hear family and friends expressing concern about your exercise regimen or appearance, yet don't stop exercising.
-- Feel like you can't stop exercising. "It can feel like an addiction for some people," Dr. Fassihi says. "They feel like they are powerless to stop."
If you believe you have an over exercising disorder or at risk for developing an over exercising disorder, seek help from a trusted advisor, such as a coach or teacher, or a doctor or mental health professional.
The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to Houston in 2003 and is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital. For 16 consecutive years, Menninger has been named among the leading psychiatric hospitals in U.S. News & World Report's annual ranking of America's Best Hospitals.
Menninger Clinic
2801 Gessner Dr., PO Box 809045
http://www.menningerclinic.com
Breast cancer: Blood test may predict relapse New research introduces an innovative blood test that may predict the chances of breast cancer recurring by measuring a person's antitumor response. Read now
Common blood pressure drug may harm gut health Researchers using genetic analysis to estimate the effect of antihypertensive drugs on the risk of various diseases found negative effects on gut health. Read now
Are crickets and other creepy crawlies the new superfood? Researchers now show that crickets and other insects pack a very high antioxidant content, which could make them top contenders as super-nutritious foods. Read now
Can a cannabis-based drug treat cannabis dependence? Researchers have found a cannabis-based replacement therapy that effectively treats cannabis dependence, a new clinical trial suggests. Read now
Sports Medicine / Fitness Mental Health Psychology / Psychiatry
Visit our Eating Disorders category page for the latest news on this subject, or sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest updates on Eating Disorders.
Brown, Mark. "Can You Exercise Too Much? Mental Health Experts Say Yes." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 27 May. 2007. Web.
Brown, M. (2007, May 27). "Can You Exercise Too Much? Mental Health Experts Say Yes." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
Why orthopedic shoes may not really be good for our feet
New research into how calluses work for our feet and balance suggests that thick-soled shoes, such as orthopedic shoes, may do us more harm than good.
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What are the effects of bulimia on the body?


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Q: Speeding up enumeration for large numbers of items Some quick background - I've written some code which generates combinations of items based on the excellent (and seems to be highly efficient) Combinations library  from Permutations, Combinations, and Variations using C# Generics
If you were to write out what I'm trying to do in the simplest form it would be:
var items = dataService.GetAllItems();

PreFilters.ForEach(filter => items = filter.ApplyFilter(items));

var combinations = from item1 in items
                   from item2 in items
                   from item3 in items
                   from item4 in items
                   select new SpecialContainer(new List<Item>(){item1, item2, item3, item4});
combinations = combinations.Distinct().ToList();

PostFilters.ForEach(filter => combinations = filter.ApplyFilter(combinations));

...where SpecialContainer can calculate a unique key for the combination based on an Id field in Item (literally sorts by Id and concatenates into a string of Id1:Id2:Id3:Id4).
While the performance for combinations of 4 is not bad (280k items, 240ms actual), once we hit combinations of 8 (896mil, 16mins projected), things slow down a bit. I'd ideally also like to do combinations of 12, but considering there is a massive items created jump from 4 to 8, the jump from 8 to 12 may mean years of time to calculate when done sequentially.
I am filtering these combinations based on other criteria which helps reduce the complexity/number of combinations before the combination process (Items disqualified based on known criteria beforehand) and after the entire list has been enumerated as shown in the code sample.
So my questions:

*

*The combinations library I'm using exposes itself as an IEnumerable<T> and yields the combinations only on enumeration. Is there anyway I can take advantage of AsParallel processing while enumerating and discard irrelevant, non-unique combinations using the Filter classes as shown above?

*I have been using 'ToList()' internally in the Filter classes to convert the IEnumerable<T> to List<T> at each stage - should I rather leave them as IEnumerable<T> until the very end?

Update:
The actual call that creates the issue is as follows:
var combinator = new Combinations<Item>(items, 8, GenerateOption.WithRepetition);
var combinations = combinator.Select(x => new SpecialContainer(x)).ToList();

The ToList() in the above code is the call that takes the time.
Update 2:
Last night I ensured that all the PostFilter items did not call ToList() in their ApplyFilter implementations and neither did the combinations.Distinct() call so "pure" IEnumerable<T> everywhere up until the final call just before I bind it to a UI. I also added in an extra AsParallel() before the set processes.
So the new code looks like:
var combinations = combinator.Select(x => new SpecialContainer(x)));
combinations = combinations.Distinct().AsParallel();
PostFilters.ForEach(filter => combinations = filter.ApplyFilter(combinations));
var finalList = combinations.ToList();

The reasoning behind this was to allow the compiler to potentially optimise the resulting IEnumerable<T> operation stack. I kicked it off at 10pm last night and while the work was definitely being performed on separate threads, the whole process had not completed by 6am this morning (when previous performance was approx 16mins sequentially).
However, reading some further articles on LINQ Performance and about how PLINQ can affect performance, I think the next step in trying to optimise this in a parallel programming pattern is to change my filters to run against single objects which return a bool, so my code will end up like:
var combinations = combinator.Select(x => new SpecialContainer(x)));
combinations = combinations.Distinct().AsParallel();
combinations = combinations.Where(x => PostFilters.All(y => y.AppyFilter(x));
var finalList = combinations.ToList();

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Do you have plans for tonight yet? If not, grab a friend and two dollars and come on out to one of Mercer's most popular events! Movies are expensive these days, but QuadWorks has you covered with Midnight Movie! The movies that will be showing today, Friday, September 11th are Straight Outta Compton, The Perfect Guy, The Visit, and The Transporter Refueled. Movies are showing at Amstar Theatre on Zebulon Rd, and the line starts at 10 pm!
Straight Outta Compton tells the story behind N.W.A's debut album, "Straight Outta Compton." Starring Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, DJ Yella, and MC Ren, this movie explores the events in the hood where the members of N.W.A. formed to bring out the truth about life in South LA through their empowering music. Even though this movie outlines events that occurred in the 80's, its messages are still relevant and even controversial today. Come out and see how it all began!
The Perfect Guy may seem like a classic story of romance on the surface, but this thriller is sure to get your heart racing. After a breakup, Leah Vaughn (Sanaa Lathan) thinks she's found her next man in Carter Duncan (Michael Ealy) until he reveals his true self, and she realizes she may be in danger. Her ex, Dave (Morris Chestnut) may have to come back in the picture to keep her safe. You'll have to watch to find out what happens and who she ends up with!
The Visit is a horror thriller that tells the story of children Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and younger brother Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) who go to visit their grandparents for the first time. Other than the suspicious instructions to stay in their room after 9:30pm, things seem normal at first, but they begin to go awry soon after their arrival. When the children discover a shocking secret, they are unsure whether they will get home safely. If you're a thrill-seeker, this M. Night Shyamalan classic is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
In The Transporter Refueled, Frank Martin (Ed Skrein) thinks he has a boring transportation job, but when he goes on a weekend trip with his father, his world is flipped upside down. Frank is thrust into action after his father is kidnapped in France, and he must work to get him back while outrunning a Russian kingpin. To make matters worse, he gets involved in the bank heist of the century. This sequel to the action thriller Transporter is sure keep you entertained throughout!
There's a wide variety of great movies for you to choose from. I know I'm looking forward on this Friday night! We hope to see you there!


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Demi Lovato slams Lady Gaga for glamorizing eat disorders
UPI News Service, 03/16/2014
Demi Lovato, who has struggled with bulimia in the past, has taken issue with Lady Gaga's outrageous SXSW performance, in which the ARTPOP singer had an artist vomit paint onto her body.
"Sad... As if we didn't have enough people glamorizing eat disorders already," the 21-year-old former "The X Factor" judge tweeted Friday. "Bottom line, it's not 'cool' or 'artsy' at all."
"Would you let someone bring a needle and shoot up on you? Addiction is addiction," she added. "It's not 'shade' and it's not 'hate.' But someone has to come forward and say it and I'll take the heat for it."
Another Twitter user pointed out that Lady Gaga has previously struggled with an eating disorder, and discussed it before the performance, but Lovato said that didn't matter.
"So it's cool if I do a speech about self-harm and then proceed to watch someone cut themselves on my stage? No. That doesn't make it OKAY," she wrote. "Putting the word ART in it isn't a free card to do whatever you want without consequences."
"More than any of you know, and I sympathize for everyone's struggle," she said. "But people emulate what they see celebrities do or let happen. And that's why I had to say something.. to let the people who don't understand the art in it, that bulimia isn't cool, and it won't get you on stage with your favorite artist. I can't NOT say anything because I stand up for what I believe in and speak out about mental illnesses."
Millie Brown, the performance artist who puked on Gaga, told TMZ on Saturday that their show was about non-conformity.
"There's a clear difference between using my body to create something beautiful, to express myself and feel powerful, rather than using it to punish myself and conform to society's standards."
Savannah Guthrie: I secretly got married and am pregnant!
Wayne Knight: I'm not dead, didn't die in traffic accident!
Copyright 2014 United Press International, Inc. (UPI). Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.
Sarah Coffin: 7 things to know about 'The Bachelor' star Peter Weber's bachelorette Sarah Coffin
Page generated Tue Jan 21, 2020 15:52 pm in 3.1947820186615 seconds


Looking for a way to save money this winter? Radiant floor heating installation can help you lower your heating costs and reduce your energy consumption. In Zimmerman, MN and all across the country, energy costs are going nowhere but up. And as temperatures outside start to fall, your utility bills are likely to skyrocket if you don't take action.
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Hello loves, it has been awhile.
Always glad to meet these baes, gorgeous Bella and Kelly.
(Image by Kelly's camera and I further edited the pic using Snapseed).
We were gathered by Watsons Malaysia at Common Ground and the place was wonderful with loads of natural sunlight shining through. This marks the launch of the revolutionary Korean beauty care technology that "shields" our skin against air pollution - Illuminating Protective Skin Care Range.
"Inspired by Nature, Perfected by Science"
Illuminating Urban Shield Radiance Serum (RM59.90), Illuminating Urban Shield Capsule Essence (RM69.90), Illuminating Urban Shield Water Gel (RM55.90), Illuminating Urban Shield Radiance Cream (RM59.90), Illuminating Urban Shield Sun Protector SPF 50+ PA++++ (RM49.90).
Pure Beauty is based on 4Ps philosophy: Preparation, Preservation, Protection and Prevention.
It is dermatologically tested, paraben-free, lanolin-free and alcohol-free.
This new range, the Illuminating Urban Shield contains star ingredient of Neurolight (derived from Natural Star Lily) that helps decrease dark spots. By using this whole range, you will achieve healthy looking skin that glows from within, decrease dark spots, strengthens the skin's barrier and shielding the skin from harmful elements.
In the pretty PR package there are 3 out of the 5 items in the Illuminating Urban Shield range.
The Illuminating Urban Shield Capsule Essence is their Star Product.
In a typical skincare routine, after cleansing, hop into toner then essence step.
The pearlised capsule looks so interesting and cool. It not only looks cool but it also assures that each application is of the freshest and most effective state when absorb by your skin.
As it contains Neurolight (derived from Organic Star Lily), it reduces dark spot, helps even skin tone, giving you a more luminous and smooth skin. It dissolves into the skin leaving no residue but takes quite some time to be fully absorbed before the tackiness disappears too.
After the essence step, we move on to Illuminating Urban Shield Radiance Serum. It is slightly more heavy thus Shazreeyana herself uses it only at night.
As a dry to combination skin type, I lean more on the Illuminating Urban Shield Radiance Cream as my day and night moisturizer.
Look at the pearlescent tub with mirror-like cap. So luxe looking!
Just hoped that it comes with a mini spatula for better hygiene.
Anyhow, I do use my own mini spatula from other jars.
Lastly, the Illuminating Urban Shield Sun Protector SPF 50+ PA++++ that not only hydrates us but also protects us from our endless exposures to harmful UVAs and UVBs.
Place serum/essence on fingers/palm and rub gently to further activate the effect. Push serum/essence into skin by push & press motion on face and neck.
Why you should get them?
Dermatologically tested thus suitable for ALL skin types.


Designed to enable truly sick patients to engage in the palliative use of marijuana while preventing marijuana from being misused or diverted from its medical purpose.
Provides immunity from state criminal and civil penalties for physicians, patients, caregivers, dispensaries and producers who act responsibly in accordance with the law.
Connecticut General Statutes, Chapter 420f, Section 21a-408, An Act Concerning the Palliative Use of Marijuana, was signed into law on May 31, 2012.
Regulations (PDF) went into effect on 9-6-2013.
Not an inmate in a Department of Corrections institution or facility.
Patient is diagnosed by certifying physician.
Patient completes certification process online.
Caregiver completes certifications if required.
Upon approval by the Department, a card is issued to both the patient and caregiver (if needed).
Once card is issued, immunity becomes active.
Cards are renewed on a yearly basis after a new certification by the physician.
Marijuana cannot be used in a place or manner that puts others at risk.
Can only be responsible for one patient unless there is a parental, guardianship, conservatorship or sibling relationship with each patient.
Any other penalties, including disciplinary action by the Connecticut Medical Examining Board or other professional licensing board.
The statute provides immunity from state criminal and civil penalties for physicians, patients, caregivers, dispensaries and producers who act responsibly in accordance with the law.
In a motor bus, a school bus or any other moving vehicle.
In the presence of a person under the age of 18 years of age.
In any other way that endangers the health or well being of a person other than the qualifying patient or primary caregiver.
Patients must have a Connecticut Medical Marijuana Registration Certificate (card) in order to possess marijuana. Out of state Medical Marijuana Cards do not provide any immunity from arrest or prosecution.
Medical Marijuana will be dispensed in child proof container. However, no requirements on keeping dispensed product in the original container.
To verify a qualifying patient's or primary caregiver's medical marijuana card, law enforcement personnel must register with the Connecticut Prescription Monitoring & Reporting system at www.ctpmp.com.
Medical marijuana card images and security features are available by contacting the Prescription Monitoring Program at (860) 713-6073.
Police Chief or equivalent law enforcement personnel must authorize users.
A list of authorized users must be e-mailed to dcp.pmp@ct.gov.
Visit the CPMRS website at www.ctpmp.com and click on the "Not a Member? Register" link.
Provide your basic contact information along with your badge ID number.
Once the registration application is submitted online, you will receive a confirmation page.
Print the confirmation page and have the form notarized by a licensed notary or signature from any law enforcement personnel that can sign off on legal documents in your department.
Fax the notarized confirmation page along with a copy of your driver's license, passport or any government-issued photo identification card to (860) 622-2608.
Once your registration has been processed, your user name and password will be e-mailed to the address provided on the form.


'Soul Collection' is a small but superb collection of poetry written by a long-time sufferer of both schizophrenia and manic depression. David's poetry is full of expression and pathos as he tries to come to terms with his dual diagnosis and the effect that these illnesses have on his life. The poems reflect the darker days but also celebrate David's recovery.
David Mountain lives in Macclesfield where he runs his own business. He is married with two children.
David was first admitted to a psychiatric hospital at the age of 17 and was subsequently diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 21. The following could only be described as a nightmare resulting in the breakdown of his first marriage and alienation from family and friends.
Some ten years later David was re-diagnosed with manic depression / bipolar disorder and as a result of the new diagnosis combined with the meeting and marriage to Karen, his current wife, things have improved beyond belief.


Informatica Enterprise Data Integration Review: "A Powerful ETL Tool in Informatica PowerCenter"
Informatica is a complex, full-featured data integration tool. We use Informatica primarily to extract data from our ERP systems, transform, and load it into operational and dimensional data stores.
We have found that upgrading from version to version can be a bit clunky and complex.
Watch out for their audit department. They will hunt down development environments that are in use and try to back charge you for their repositories. Ensure your development environments are properly licensed.
Informatica allows us to achieve complex data integration among our systems and into our data warehouse environment. Without this tool in place, hours of manual manipulation would occur to integrate this data and extract it into the appropriate DW solution.
Our team enjoys using Informatica and feels that it is one of the best ETL tools on the market.
We are considering their PowerCenter Advanced version which will add metadata and business glossary capabilities.


A leading authority in the discipline, Jeffrey Haynes has contributed to many of the most significant debates in the fields of religion & politics and religion & international relations in the last twenty years.
This book brings together many of his most influential essays, offering a comprehensive analysis of religious actors and their political goals.
In recent years, scholars have identified a range of religious actors with a variety of political goals.
The aim of this collection is to identify and examine political activities of selected religious actors in both domestic and international contexts.
The introductory chapter sets the scene for the collection, providing a clear understanding of why, how and when religious actors act politically both within and between countries.
Over the course of 15 essays, Jeffrey Haynes presents a survey of the interaction of religion and politics, both domestically and internationally, in relation to a variety of issues, and draws the findings together in a new conclusion written for the volume.
This work will be of great interest to the growing number of scholars and students and practitioners internationally who work on religion and politics, in both domestic and international contexts.


text:
Speech & OT Screenings
Peer Socialization
The Sensory Studio – 225 Richmond Hill Rd.
The Sensory Studio – 445 Forest Ave.
The Sensory Studio – 971 Rossville Ave.
Dr. Michele DeSimone, CCC-SLP
Clinical Director and Speech Language Pathologist
Our Director of Clinical Services and Founder of The Sensory Studio, Dr. Michele DeSimone CCC-SLP, built the practice based on clinical foundations of teamwork with professional collaboration and mentorship in mind. Michele holds a Doctoral Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Kean University. She obtained a Master's Degree from New York University in Communication Sciences & Disorders as well as a Bachelor's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology. Michele holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from The American Speech Language Hearing Association and is an active member of The Special Interest Groups in Speech-Language Pathology for Language Learning & Education, Neurogenic Communication Disorders, Craniofacial & Velopharyngeal Disorders, Issues in Higher Education, Administration & Supervision, Swallowing Disorders, School-Based Issues, and Global Issues in Communication Sciences & Related Disorders. Dr. DeSimone is licensed from the New York State Office for the Professions and holds a Teacher of Speech and Language Disabilities certificate from The New York State Education Department, as well as a Speech-Language Pathology Certificate from The New York State Department of Health. Michele has extensive training in the treatment of pediatric motor speech disorders (including PROMPT and Kaufman Protocol Training), Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Peer Socialization Skills, and Early Childhood Language Development.
Mrs. DeSimone is licensed from the New York State Office for the Professions and holds a Teacher of Speech and Language Disabilities Certificate from The New York State Education Department, as well as a Speech Language Pathology Certificate from The New York State Department of Health. Michele has extensive training in the treatment of pediatric motor speech disorders (including PROMPT and Kaufman Protocol Training), Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Peer Socialization Skills and Early Childhood Language Development.
Michele is very happily married and resides in Staten Island with her husband, five-year-old son and Boston Terrier, Rocco. She enjoys traveling for work and pleasure, practicing yoga, and cooking for her family.
Jaimie Delfino, CF-SLP
Jaimie received her Bachelor of Arts degree from St. John's University in Speech Language Pathology/Audiology. She then attended St. John's University in Queens where she received her Master of Arts degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders. During her graduate studies, Jaimie experienced working with both children and adults in a variety of settings including a District 31 public school, a skilled-nursing facility, and inpatient and outpatient settings within Northwell Health Medical Center. She also volunteered for Loving Spoonfuls ensuring the safety of elderly adults during feeding. Additionally, Jaimie has participated in research on patients with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) at the graduate level. From these experiences, Jaimie has developed her clinical skills working with both children and adults with expressive and receptive language impairments, fluency disorders, articulation, phonological disorders, developmental delays, Apraxia, and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Jaimie recently transitioned into an additional role at The Sensory Studio completing her clinical fellowship in Speech-Language Pathology. She is eager and motivated to continue advancing her clinical skills within this field. In her free time, Jaimie enjoys spending time with her family and going on spontaneous adventures.
Christine Fowler, CCC-SLP
Christine is from Staten Island, New York. In 2014, she received her Bachelor's Degree in Speech Language Pathology with a minor in Occupational Science from Ithaca College. Christine then received her Master's Degree in Speech Language Pathology from Brooklyn College, one of the most competitive programs in the United States. Her graduate school clinical experiences included pediatric populations in early childhood and preschool settings, as well as adults in an outpatient hospital setting.
Since graduating from Brooklyn College, Christine has been working for The Sensory Studio. She has been servicing early childhood, preschool, and school-age children in both school and outpatient settings. Christine has experience working with children with receptive and expressive language impairments, articulation and phonology disorders, language learning disabilities, developmental delays, fluency disorders, voice disorders, and autism. She is trained in PROMPT therapy, which she incorporates into her assessment and treatment. Christine also organizes and leads Peer Socialization Groups at The Sensory Studio. She is passionate about providing child-centered intervention that includes play-based activities in naturalistic settings to increase engagement and generalization of skills.
Christine is licensed by the board of New York State, has her Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities initial certification, and currently holds a Certificate in Clinical Competence from the Speech-Language-Hearing Association. When she's not in the office, Christine enjoys traveling, reading, taking her dog to the park, and practicing yoga.
Samantha Cisternino, CCC-SLP
Samantha received her Bachelor's Degree from Kean University in Speech Language Pathology. She then attended Brooklyn College where she completed an Advanced Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Samantha graduated with a Master's Degree in Speech Language Pathology from Long Island University- Brooklyn, with her Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities initial certification. She is trained in PROMPT therapy, which she incorporates into her assessment and treatment. Samantha has enjoyed working with children of all abilities and is excited to continue to do so in the future.
Outside of the office, Samantha enjoys reading, outdoor activities, DIY projects, knitting, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends. She currently lives in Staten Island with her husband, Vincent, and dog, Bonnie.
Dominique Perk, CCC-SLP
Dominique received her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Speech Language Pathology through a five-year program at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Her graduate school clinical experiences include pediatric and adult rehabilitation, Aphasia, Cognition and Pragmatic Therapy groups, a public-elementary-middle school and High school in Scranton, PA, and Acute Care at Staten Island University Hospital.
After graduating, Dominique gained experience working as a speech therapist servicing school-aged children in school based and private clinic settings. She has experience working with children with receptive/expressive language impairments, articulation/phonology disorders, apraxia, developmental delays, cerebral palsy, autism, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Devices.
Dominique values building a strong rapport with her clients and their family members. She also makes her sessions individualized, creative, and fun in order to enhance the therapeutic experience.
During her free time, Dominique enjoys traveling, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.
Nicole Ezzo, CCC-SLP
Nicole is from Staten Island, New York. She received her Bachelor's Degree at Wagner College in Staten Island where she dual majored in Special/General Childhood Education and Psychology. Nicole then received a Master's Degree in Speech Language Pathology from Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. Her graduate school clinical experiences included Pediatric and Adult Rehabilitation Center, an inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation center at JFK Medical Center, and a public elementary-middle school in Guttenberg, New Jersey.
After graduating from Seton Hall University, Nicole worked as a home care early intervention provider servicing children from ages 0-3, and as a speech therapist servicing both pre-school and school-age children in a school-based setting. She has experience working with children with expressive/receptive language impairments, articulation/phonology disorders, learning disabilities, apraxia, developmental delays, and autism. Nicole is especially passionate about following a family-centered approach to therapy to increase generalization of skills and improving quality of life and communication outside of the therapy room.
Nicole is licensed by the board of New York State, has her Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities certification, and currently holds a Certificate in Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association. Aside from being a Speech Language Pathologist, Nicole has a background in studying music, where she enjoys singing live at restaurants across Staten Island. She is also an avid reader and CrossFitter who enjoys outdoor activities and spending her free time with friends and family. Nicole currently lives in Staten Island where she is planning a wedding with her fiancé, Vincent. She is looking forward to working with you and your family to support growth in your child's communication!
Maria Kotsonis, CCC-SLP
Maria graduated from St. John's University with her Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Speech Language Pathology. She has her New York State licensure in Speech Language Pathology and earned her Professional Certificate as a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD). Maria also holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA).
Maria has experience working with pediatrics and adults in a variety of settings. She has experience working in a preschool, an elementary school, home-based, and a private practice. Maria is trained in PROMPT therapy and uses this approach extensively during her diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of clients. She has experience working with clients with autism, language disorders, fluency, sensory-processing disorder, articulation disorders and voice disorders.
Lauren Belenski, CCC-SLP
Lauren received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola University Maryland in Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology with a minor in Italian Studies. She then attended New York University where she received her Master of Science degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders, including her Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities Initial Certification.
During graduate school, Lauren had the opportunity to work with both children and adults in a variety of settings throughout New York and New Jersey, including a pediatric and adult rehabilitation center, a pre-school, an early care & education center, a skilled-nursing facility, the NYU clinic, and the inpatient unit at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. She also volunteered as a graduate intern at the American Institute for Stuttering where she collaborated with other speech-language pathologists in guiding group therapy for teenagers who stutter. Additionally, Lauren has participated in research at both the undergraduate and graduate level related to Public Health as well as self-acceptance in individuals who stutter. From these experiences, Lauren has developed her clinical skills working with children with expressive and receptive language impairments, articulation and phonology disorders, developmental delays, fluency disorders, and apraxia.
She recently joined The Sensory Studio in January and is completing her clinical fellowship in Speech-Language Pathology as a new member of the team. Lauren is so excited to continue developing her clinical skills and expanding her knowledge while working in collaboration with other therapists at The Sensory Studio. Outside of the office, Lauren enjoys cooking, playing piano, going on runs, and spending time with family and friends.
Kristen Raskin, CCC-SLP
Kristen is from Staten Island, New York. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from St. John's University (Staten Island) in 2015 and her Master's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from St. John's University (Queens) in 2017. Kristen is dual licensed in New York State and New Jersey, has her Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities certification and currently holds a Certificate in Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association.
Kristen's graduate school clinical experience included pediatric and adult rehabilitation working in a variety of settings including: Acute Care, Skilled Nursing, Inpatient Rehabilitation at JFK Medical Center, Outpatient Pediatric, and Elementary and Middle school experience.
Kristen has gained experience working with children with receptive/ expressive language impairments, articulation/ phonology disorders, developmental delays, autism, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices.
Kristen spent time in Antigua, Guatemala working hands on with infants, children and young adults diagnosed with swallowing disorders in a hospital/ orphanage located in Guatemala. Outside the office, Kristen enjoys traveling, listening to country music, spending time with family and friends and exercising.
Emily Camacho, CF-SLP
Emily received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from St. John's University Staten Island Campus in 2017. She continued her education at St. John's University and received her Master of Arts degree in Speech Language Pathology in May of 2019. Emily holds a Teacher of Speech and Language Disabilities Certificate from The New York State Department of Education.
Her graduate experience included both Pediatric and Adult populations within various settings such as a private clinic, medical center, nursing home and District 75 public school.
Emily is beginning at The Sensory Studio, completing her clinical fellowship in Speech-Language Pathology. She is eager to continue developing her clinical skills and work closely with patients and families.
Outside of the office, Emily enjoys spending time with her friends and family, mastering new recipes and traveling as much as possible.
Gabrielle Pucciarelli, OTR/L
Gabrielle is a certified Occupational Therapist, born and raised in Staten Island. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from St. John's University and later went on to obtain her Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy from New York University. Gabrielle has always had a passion for working with children in many different settings. She has experience working with children with a variety of diagnoses including, but not limited to: ASD, ADHD, sensory processing delays, emotional and behavioral challenges, and learning difficulties.
Gabrielle finds the importance in taking a strength-based approach when treating clients, by focusing on what the individual enjoys and does well, rather than looking at their deficits. She is excited to be a member of The Sensory Studio, where she believes she can grow in her own profession while helping children to grow and function successfully in a variety of age-appropriate roles. In her spare time, Gabrielle enjoys cooking, spending time with family and friends, and traveling to new places.
Allison Smith, OTR/L
Allison is an Occupational Therapist at The Sensory Studio. She received a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Master's Degree in the field of Occupational Therapy from Sacred Heart University. Allison's occupational therapy career includes experiences with inpatient rehabilitation, the educational system, and early intervention.
Providing occupational therapy services within various settings has allowed Allison to deliver services to clients of all ages and needs. She specializes in working with both the pediatric and adult populations with areas of concern ranging from physical, cognitive, and emotional delays. Allison keeps up to date with new developments within the field of occupational therapy. In her free time, Allison enjoys reading, traveling to new places (near and far!), being outdoors, and staying as active as possible!
Olivia Tierno, OTR/L
Olivia graduated from Touro College with a Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy in 2017 with the highest academic achievement award and a DOE OT Scholarship Program recipient. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and Pi Theta Epsilon Occupational Therapy National Honor Society. Olivia has recently begun working with middle school aged children within the Department of Education with focus on ADL/life skills training, community integration activities, sensory regulation strategies, and visual motor and perceptual training. She strives to help children reach their full potential within an enjoyable, creative environment by collaborating with families.
Olivia is a co-author on a published paper titled SPOTS: A Model for the Creation of Sustainable, Population-Based, Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Sites, that was accepted into the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Congress 2018. Olivia continues to play in competitive basketball leagues, loves to travel when she can, and spend time with her family.
TheSensoryStudio
The Sensory Studio
225 Richmond Hill Rd.
Get Directions Gallery
445 Forest Ave.
Rainbow's Reach
971 Rossville Ave.
© 2020 The Sensory Studio
Website By Magicx Studios


text:
Q: Jquery UI dialog window non modal view clicking outside to close it I am running into some issues where I am unable to click outside the overlay to close it. I was wondering if anybody has any suggestions. This is a non-modal dialog.
$b("#rl_cover").click(function() {
    var overlayWidth = getWidth();

    var overlay = $b( "#rl_resize" ).dialog({
        width:overlayWidth,
        minWidth:962,
        height: 700,

        resizable:true,
        position: {
            my: "center top",
            at: "center top",
            of: "#bl_main_wrapper",
            collision: "none"
        }
    });

});

$b("#closex").click("rl_resize", function( event, ui ){
    $b("#rl_resize").dialog( "close" );
});

Please advise.
In addition to that I was trying to add a function to detect when I click in the document but that was doing weird things like showing the alert when I didn't click anywhere.
$b(document).click(function(e){
    alert('lk');
    closeme(e);
});

A: I think you can use this idea:
How do I detect a click outside an element?
You need to attach a click event to the html:
$("html").on("click", function() {
    // Perhaps detect if dialog is open. Less expensive than close.
    $("#rl_resize").dialog("close");
});

Then you dialog needs:
$("#rl_resize").click(function(e) {
    e.stopPropagation();
});

So this should allow all click events to bubble through your html except those that are part if on your dialog.
You could make your dialog modal. As you close it when you click off this should work:
$(".ui-widget-overlay").on("click", function() {
    $("#rl_resize").dialog("close");
});


At Leede Jones Gable, we are committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding your personal, business and financial information. As part of our commitment to you we have adopted principles designed to protect your privacy and prevent misuse of your personal information and help you understand our commitment to your personal privacy.
The policies and procedures that Leede Jones Gable practices in order to protect your privacy and that of our employees are in place across our firm. References to "Leede Jones Gable", "we" or "our" are to Leede Jones Gable Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Leede Insurance Agency Inc. Where we use the term "personal information" we are referring to any information that identifies you as an individual and includes information with respect to your name, address, age, gender, income, marital status, finances, employment, trading history and web site use information, together with your personal references and identification numbers (such as a social insurance number).
In the following pages, we describe our policies and procedures relating to personal information and how Leede Jones Gable Inc. puts them into practice so that you have control over how we collect, use and disclose your personal information.
Why does Leede Jones Gable collect personal information?
We are required to ask for your Social Insurance Number or other tax identification number when you open an interest bearing or investment account under the federal Income Tax Act.
With your consent, we may share your personal information, where not prohibited by law, to our affiliated company for the purposes of referring life insurance, annuities and other specific insurance products and services to you. Leede Jones Gable my use your personal information to provide you with information about the products of Leede Jones Gable, services and other matters. This consent is optional and you can decide to withdraw it at any time.
When does Leede Jones Gable share personal information with other persons?
We do not reveal your personal information to outside parties for their independent use unless you request or authorize it, the information is provided in order to complete a transaction initiated by you or the disclosure otherwise is lawfully permitted or required. We may disclose information to the authorities to serve a clear public interest and to fulfill our public duty, such as to protect against fraud, money laundering or other criminal activity. We may from time to time, be requested to disclose information to securities regulatory and securities oversight organizations that govern us such as the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC), or Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for the purpose of an audit or investigation relating to specific accounts or our business generally. In certain circumstances, Leede Jones Gable may disclose your personal information if it believes, in good faith, that disclosure is otherwise necessary or advisable to protect its interests. Leede Jones Gable may also release your personal information where there is an emergency that threatens your life, health or personal security.
At times, Leede Jones Gable may use the expertise of an outside company to do work for us involving some of your personal information – for example, processing your account information or the mailing of shareholder information. When we use an outside company, we have them agree to safeguard personal information about you and your products and services with us and to abide by applicable privacy law.
Leede Jones Gable does not sell client lists or personal information to others.
Can clients of Leede Jones Gable withdraw or refuse to give consent?
Leede Jones Gable will explain the implications to you of refusing or withdrawing consent to the collection, use or release of your personal information and we will respect your choices.
For how long does Leede Jones Gable retain personal information?
How does Leede Jones Gable safeguard personal information?
Leede Jones Gable is committed to the safekeeping of personal information in order to prevent loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, duplication, use or modification. Leede Jones Gable will take all commercially reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information in our possession, collected from you, is protected against loss and unauthorized access. This protection applies to information stored in both electronic and hard copy form. Access to your personal information will be restricted to selected employees or representatives. In addition, Leede Jones Gable will employ generally accepted information security techniques, such as firewalls and access control procedures to protect personal information against loss and unauthorized access.
The development of policies and procedures for Leede Jones Gable for the protection of personal information is an ongoing process. Leede Jones Gable is committed to developing, updating, and reviewing our information protection controls to ensure ongoing security.
How do clients of Leede Jones Gable access their personal information?
You may request access to your personal information held with Leede Jones Gable and information about how we use and disclose that information by contacting your investment advisor or by contacting the office manager of the office of Leede Jones Gable where your account is handled. We will advise you in advance if a nominal charge will be required for conducting the search and we will respond to your request promptly within 30 days. Please note that we may not be able to provide information about you from our records if it contains personal information of other individuals, is subject to legal privilege, contains confidential commercial information proprietary to Leede Jones Gable, or cannot be disclosed for other legal reasons. In such cases Leede Jones Gable will explain to you the reasons that it will not provide the requested information.
How do clients of Leede Jones Gable keep their personal information accurate?
Leede Jones Gable will make reasonable efforts to ensure that personal information is as accurate, complete and current as required for the purposes for which it was collected.
You can check your information to verify, update and correct it, and to have any obsolete information removed. If there is any dispute about your request for changes to your personal information, Leede Jones Gable will note your opinion on the file. There is no charge for verifying or correcting your personal information.
Who should clients of Leede Jones Gable contact regarding privacy issues?
Box 2, 1140 West Pender St.


text:
China move to tighten funding to hit foreign buyout firms
12:11 PM 2012
by Staff Reporter 
China plans to treat local money raised and managed by global private equity firms as foreign funds, industry sources said on Tuesday, restricting their access to sectors such as media and mining in the world's second-biggest economy.
Foreign private equity firms such as Blackstone Group and TPG Capital Management have been setting up yuan-denominated funds in cities such as Shanghai, hoping they could be treated as local funds and thus avoid curbs on the sectors overseas funds can make investments in.
In a move aimed at ending regulatory ambiguity and tightening supervision, China's Ministry of Commerce (Mofcom) is formulating rules that will classify all foreign-run yuan funds as non-Chinese, one source with direct knowledge of the plan said on Tuesday.
The rules are set to introduced before the end of this year, the source, who did not wish to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter, added.
"That would be a blow to foreign private equity firms as one of the main purposes of launching yuan funds is to become local," said Poddy Feng, analyst at consultancy ChinaVenture.
"Being treated as foreign means they're not allowed to invest in certain industries in China and there are also restrictions on ownership in some cases."
Mofcom wasn't available for immediate comment.
Global buyout firms such as Blackstone and Carlyle Group as well as investment banks such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Morgan Stanley have all launched yuan funds since 2009, hoping the funds will allow them to invest more quickly in a highly competitive market for deals.
China-focused private equity funds raised $32 billion in 2011, with yuan funds accounting for 68 percent of that sum, according to consultancy Bain & Co.
More than 60 yuan funds worth over 80 billion yuan ($12.68 billion) in total have been launched by foreign private equity and venture capital firms in the past four years, according to ChinaVenture.
NUMEROUS OBSTACLES
Foreign private equity firms also invest in China through U.S. dollar funds, but there are numerous obstacles, including investment restrictions, lengthy deal approval procedures and uncertainty surrounding overseas listings.
They are not allowed to invest in sensitive industries, such as defense-related companies, and face restrictions on investing in mining, media, telecommunications, education and the Internet, among others.
In 2008, China rejected Carlyle's $375 million bid for Xugong, China's biggest construction equipment maker, citing concerns over foreign monopoly.
The plan by Mofcom echoed similar moves by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top planning agency. NDRC has ruled that all capital in a yuan-denominated fund must come from local Chinese investors, failing which the funds will be treated as foreign, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
Mofcom and NDRC's attitude toward foreign private equity firms also reflect conflicting interests between China's local and central governments.
Shanghai has been aggressively courting global private equity and venture capital firms, hoping they can set up subsidiaries in the city to launch yuan funds.
Under Shanghai's own rules, it's widely understood that if a foreign private equity firm sets up a subsidiary in the city and raises money locally, that yuan-denominated fund would be considered as local.
This article is copyrighted by Reuters
private equity firms


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Olimpijski duhovi, duhovi spomenuti u nekoliko knjiga ceremonijalne magije, a detaljno u srednjovjekovnom grimoriju Knjiga Arbatela.

Sukladno magijskom sustavu, postoji 196 olimpijskih područja kojima upravlja sedam glavnih duhova. Svaki od ovih duhova u analogiji je s jednim od sedam astroloških planeta. Moguće ih je prizivati pomoću pečata i rituala.

Sedam Olimpijskih duhova

 Aratron, prvi duh, koji upravlja s 49 pokrajina. Može biljke i životinje pretvoriti u kamen, a blato u ugljen, te metale u neke druge metale. Zapovijeda nad 36.000 legija nižih duhova. Njegov planet je Saturn.
 Betor, drugi duh, daruje visoki položaj u društvu i mnoga blaga. Upravlja s 42 pokrajine i vlada nad duhovima koji izrađuju lijekove. Njegov planet je Jupiter.
 Faleg, treći duh, gospodar rata. Vlada nad 35 provincija i posjeduje sve kvalitete koje se inače pripisuju rimskom bogu Marsu, koji je ujedno i njegov planet.
 Oh, četvrti duh, ima moć da ozdravljuje ljude i čini ih mudrima. Također, poklanja dobre kućne duhove, slavu i novac. U stanju je svaki predmet pretvoriti u zlato. Vlada nad 28 pokrajina i nad 36.536 legija nižih duhova. Njegov planet je Sunce.
 Hagit, peti duh, poklanja ljepotu i sve ono što se povezuje s planetom Venerom koja je njegov planet. Posjeduje sposobnost pretvaranja bakra u zlato. Vlada nad 21 pokrajinom i zapovijeda nad 4.000 legija nižih duhova.
 Ofiel, šesti duh, rukovodi svime čime i njegov planet Merkur. Također daje dobre kućne duhove, a i podučava ljude umjetnosti. Vlada nad 14 pokrajina.
 Ful, sedmi duh, može izliječiti ljude od vodene bolesti i osloboditi ga utjecaja zlih vodenih duhova. Posjeduje i sposobnost da sve predmete učini srebrenima. Vlada nad 7 pokrajina, a njegov planet je Mjesec.

Bilješke

Literatura

 Havens, Nigel, Tradicija čarobnjaštva, Nova Arka, Zagreb, 1995.

Ezoterija

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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As a travel writer, I stay in a lot of hotels. In the past, I have learnt some vital lessons on when to save, spend, and splurge on hotels. Here is my guide on when and where to spend money and when you are better off saving your cash for other things.
Save: Nothing will ruin a trip faster than being in the wrong location. Before booking a hotel you need to determine where you want to spend the majority of your time on your vacation and how accessible that point will be from your hotel. Going to a city with great transit? Then save a least $100 by booking outside of the downtown core.
Spend: Bad or no transit can kill your vacation budget. What money you thought you were saving will be spent on parking, gas and may be outweighed by the frustration of sitting in traffic and the loss of time in your ultimate destination. Research the transit options wherever you are going and the parking costs to determine when you need to spend a little more on a hotel to inevitably save money.
Splurge: Major cities have some amazing hotels and sometimes its worth even just spending a night in one. Sometimes you just need a break from hard living however you define that and frankly expensive hotels are a great way to get away from it all. Its also usually a very different experience to stay right in the action. When visiting New York, I tend to book a cheaper hotel on the outskirts and then spend one night in a great hotel like The London NYC.
Splurge and Save: Instead of booking a weekend getaway with flights or car travel, consider splurging on a great hotel within or near your own city. For me, its the Four Seasons Toronto. What you save on flights you can spend in the spa and you probably won't want to leave the hotel anyways. I sometimes check into hotels in my own city, turn of my phone and computer and spend 24 hours of pure bliss. It truly takes the frustration out of vacations and I always spend less money than if I had gone away.
The Relaxation Pool at the Four Seasons Toronto.
Save: Tied directly into location, safety is a huge reason to spend or even splurge on a hotel room. Going somewhere where safety isn't really a huge concern? Don't be afraid to book hotels or motels with direct ground level outside access to rooms. Research the area first and if there isn't really a history of break-ins or crime, chances are you won't be the first victim.
Spend: Even in America, we have stayed in cities where every major hotel had security at the door. There is usually a reason for this. Worrying about where your car is parked and what you can and cannot leave in a room will make your excursions less fun. In New Orleans, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans where your elevator card gave you access only to the common rooms and the exact floor you were staying on. I found that I felt safer because of this and the hotel was quite a bit quieter at night than I expected. People were not lingering in the halls but meeting in the common spaces instead.
Splurge: Going somewhere with high crime rates or cities where tourists are often targeted? Its time to splurge. No one wants to spend their entire vacation looking over their shoulder in fear. If going somewhere that might be stressful to visit, make sure you pick a safe home base even if you have to splurge. The down time not worrying about your safety will make your outside the hotel explorations easier to deal with. Splurge hotels will often provide you free transportation to tourist destinations as well as give great advice on where or where not to venture.
Save: Heading somewhere cold in winter and not spending a lot of time at the hotel? Don't pay extra for a hotel with a pool unless you are actually going to use it. Also, don't always assume that expensive hotels will have the best pools. In Orlando, I love staying at the Nick Hotel which has two great pools complete with water slides. With rates as low as $99 a night, you will save a lot of money staying at this hotel with built in water park. The food in the hotel is also cheaper than a lot of the Disney area hotels.
The Nick Hotel in Orlando is an awesome save.
Spend: Going south in summer? Book a hotel with a pool. Even major cities often have hotels with rooftop pools and it can save your vacation. To say it is hot in July in New Orleans is an understatement. We met tons of adults traveling solo who were also glad they were staying at a hotel with a pool. By 3 pm, exhausted hot tourists all met by the pool to cool off and compare their days. A pool can be the break you need and its worth spending a little extra money to have one in your hotel. When traveling with my kids, I know the pool is the perfect reward after a long day and I'm very hesitant to book any hotel without year round pool access. Tip: If you do spend on a hotel for pool access and for some reason the pool is closed, ask for a discount. When we visited Disneyland last year, the pool was closed for a commercial shoot. I asked for a discount and while the pool closed and our room rate was reduced from over $300 to $125 a night.
Splurge: Sometimes it is worth it to spend more on a hotel to get access to great pools and water parks. A good example of this is the JW Marriott San Antonio. With the size of the water park, you won't need to spend money on visiting actual water parks. In San Antonio, water parks started at $30 admission per person at the gate. Once you factor in parking and gas, you probably could have booked a higher end hotel like the JW Marriott San Antonio for the exact same cost. Hotel pools tend to also have more reliable down times where you can have the amenities almost to yourself. Try to book arriving mid week and leaving on a Friday or arriving Sunday morning and you will find the pools and slides are less full. Its harder to project when an amusement park or water park will have similar downtimes in the summer due to group visits and kids camps.
Save: All-inclusive resorts can be great but that does not mean that they are worth the money for ever traveller. If you don't drink alcohol, you probably will be wasting money by booking an all-inclusive resort. My favourite all-inclusive with kids, Beaches Resorts, factors in a lot of money for child care. Don't have kids? Stay on a cheaper property near by which will have all the same amenities and beach access without the extra cost.
Spend: If you have expensive interests like scuba diving and golf, it often makes sense to spend a little more on a resort where these activities are included. Off-property scuba diving and non-included golf can run you hundreds of dollars a day. This is when it makes sense to splurge on Beaches Resorts or Sandals which offer unlimited scuba diving and golf. How do they do it? Most guests don't take advantage of these amenities so the ones that do tend to benefit from the extra spend.
Charlie, Will, Me and the Sesame Street characters at Beaches Resort.
Splurge: There are many reasons to splurge on all-inclusive resorts. Mine are that I like good wine and food. Also, because I travel solo I need childcare I can rely on and trust. I also want my kids to be in kids camps that are fun and not locked inside while I am out golfing. In the past, my biggest splurge was a last minute trip to Beaches Turks and Caicos when my father started a serious decline with Alzheimer's disease. The vacation gave me the time I needed to process and make level-headed decisions and also gave my children time away from all the stress. Each morning, they headed to camp to swim, play and run around the property while I took time to just think and relax. Our afternoons were spent together and it is to this day one of the best vacations we have had. Tip: When researching a Beaches vacation, the initial sticker price can be shocking. I will attest in the three times I have visited the property, I was shocked by how little money I spent on site. It is truly possible to go to this resort and not spend another dime. With airport transfers, all food, drinks and gratuities already paid for, there are few places to actually spend money on-site.
Travelling is expensive. If you want to be able to travel more each year, consider when you should save, spend, and splurge on hotels before booking. Research what food, parking and transit costs will run you and make the best decision for the vacation you want to have.
Love these tips! There are definitely things you don't want to skimp on on vacation!
Location location location is everything when it comes to booking a hotel. We stayed in stockholm a few years ago; it was cheaper for us to stay at a lovely Radisson hotel at the airport then in a dorm in the city centre – we chose the hotel as we had an early morning flight. You are so correct, if there is great transport link then saving a few bucks by booking a hotel on the outskirts is always a great idea!
Such great trips! Its always location for us. Especially if a taxi to and from attractions is more than the extra $$ to stay close by. Thanks for linking up to #SundayTraveler.
I definitely agree on location – it's the number one thing I'm willing to pay extra for!
In terms of safety, of course, there are places you don't want to wander around alone at night in any city, and that means there are hotels where you wouldn't feel safe walking home alone after a late dinner. As a women who usually travels alone, I definitely think about this when choosing where to stay.
But I still kind of feel bad for anyone who visits a new city and then only visits the hotel-recommended 'tourist safe' areas. And, as a former New Orleanian, I can assure you, your hotel's security checkpoints are because their guests have an exaggerated fear of the 'dangerous' city and want to be separated from actual residents, not because they're necessary. That close to the 'tourism' section of NOLA, the only threat is fellow visitors who are only there to get drunk. And the best way to avoid those types is by staying a few streetcar stops away, in the more residential areas.


The Geek Tree is back. There are no major upgrades this year; same white lights, same Buck Rogers-style lights, same Santa Yoda tree topper, same blue rockets-and-planets tree skirt. There's a new ornament — Hallmark's 2007 three-warp-nacelled, alternative-future Enterprise-D — but that's about it.
I found some cool pulsing LED stars at Target, which could have added some needed color to the tree, but unfortunately they flashed far too frequently and they had to be returned. I took the kids on a geek ornament shopping expedition to Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot and Target, but surprisingly I found nothing. It's disappointing, given that all four stores have had science fiction/fantasy ornaments in previous years.
I contemplated getting out the Harry Potter train set my wife got me a few years back but Sue nixed that after pointing out that our train/car obsessed son would want to play with it constantly.
So … different year but pretty much the same tree.
I am hoping to add a few new ornaments to it this year, specifically the U.S.S. Reliant (from Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan) and the Imperial Shuttle from Star Wars but there won't be any other major geek trees.
The Mini Geek Tree is back again this year as well. It's mostly the same as last year, with a few tweaks such as the addition of a few more Star Wars micromachines and LEGO minifigs.
One thing I'm thinking of picking up for next year's Geek Tree is a small set of LED lights. I've seen strands of 50, and I think they'd be a good fit. They'd also be a good test run for using such lights on the big tree.
I'm also strongly tempted to get the LEGO Star Wars Hoth set to serve as a base for the Mini Geek Tree. It'd be a lot of fun to build and display, but nearly $90 for a LEG kit is a bit steep.
As in previous years, you can check out full-size photos on Flickr.


text:
Tag: new department
Changes to the Department of Planning and Development
– New planning office takes effect January 1, 2016
2016 brings some significant changes to the leadership and organizational structure of the Department of Planning and Development (DPD). After 38 years with the City and 14 as director of DPD, Diane Sugimura will be retiring. At the same time, the department will become two – the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections and a new Office of Planning and Community Development. Current staff and services within DPD will remain in place for most of 2016. Staff in both departments will continue to work closely together to help ensure coordination as we move forward.
The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (Seattle DCI)
The new department will be led by Nathan Torgelson, current DPD deputy director. Seattle DCI will primarily include regulatory functions such as: permitting, construction inspections, code compliance, tenant protections, rental housing registration and inspections, but will also include a smaller unit for code development.
The Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD)
In June 2015, the Mayor issued an Executive Order 2015-04, announcing the creation of OPCD. Council approved the creation of the new Office as part of the 2016 Budget. This group will be primarily composed of staff from the City Planning division of DPD. As the Mayor stated, "I'm creating a new office to integrate all of our priorities and to better coordinate how we grow and invest." The office will take our planning efforts and look at them through a lens of race, social justice and economic equity for all Seattle communities.
The search process for a new OPCD director is underway. During that process, Diane will serve as interim director until the new director arrives. Major work items for the new office in 2016 include the update of the City's Comprehensive Plan Seattle 2035, and assistance with implementation of the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA), which will include approval and implementation of plans such as the University District, and 23rd Ave. at Union/Cherry/Jackson.
This new Executive Office will be working closely with many departments, particularly the capital departments. Departments are already starting to align their work more closely.
What Will Our Customers and Stakeholders See?
The department/office names will change on January 4, 2016
For the first part of the year, staff will continue to be in their same offices in the Seattle Municipal Tower (SMT), with the same phone numbers and email addresses
Around August, OPCD will be moving to the 5th floor of City Hall, and SDCI will use the City Planning space on the 19th floor of SMT for a much needed expansion
For more information read the Mayor's frequently asked questions.
Posted on 12/16/2015 Author DPD Community EngagementCategories UncategorizedTags Building Connections, Customer Alerts, department name change, Long-Range Planning, new department, new director, new office, Top News Stories