An ultra luxurious resort-style compound located in Los Angeles' Bel Air hood recently landed on the market. For the meager fortune of $24,995,000, you can call this 12,600 square-foot residence home.
Fantastic features include an entrance lobby fitting of a five star hotel, a 6-seat professional theater with 130" screen, a decked out gym, a yoga and pilates studio and a full-service day salon where you can receive a massage, get your hair and makeup done, or pamper yourself with a mani/pedi.
Wine enthusiasts will appreciate the temperature controlled wine preservation room that fits 600 bottles of your favorite vino, and those looking for a lavish soak will ooh and ahh over the tub in the master bathroom worth roughly $60,000. If you wander outside, you'll find a tree bar, an al fresco kitchen, an outdoor theater, and an infinity pool.
With nine bedrooms and fourteen baths, this compound—located at 1737 Bel Air road—will ensure you never have to leave home again.


One of the questions business owners often ask about online marketing is how long it will take to show results. With home improvement contractor marketing, companies traditionally relied on print media, word of mouth and bidding to get new work. Those methods took time to produce results; for example, it was rare for a contractor to see a flood of inquiries from a single print ad. Word of mouth only worked once a company has an established customer base, and you usually had to submit many bids before landing your first project. Fortunately, online marketing is very quantifiable and it's possible to track the results effectively so in this case you can actually get an answer to the question.
Pay Per Click advertising on social networks and search engines can yield instant spikes in traffic and leads, but it can also be a more expensive option, so it's best for a short-term boost.
Social media marketing usually takes two or three months to start yielding results, if done correctly.
Blogging and content marketing can take six to nine months to show results.
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, can take a year or more to get right.
Nothing happens overnight, but the good news is that unlike traditional marketing, everything you do with inbound marketing is cumulative, so what you do today, no matter how small it may seem, will work for you for years to come.
As with any kind of marketing, when you use digital and online marketing strategies to grow your construction business, you will have to balance your available budget against the results you want to achieve. Initially, you will need to invest in developing your business website and getting everything set up. After that, you can focus your efforts on growing your online presence over time.
Of course, if you can afford a bigger budget, you might see progress faster, but the good news is that even with a small budget, you can get good results with online marketing.
The fact is, with any type of marketing and sales (even old-fashioned cold calling!), you're going to need to put your brand and your products in front of prospective customers many times before you turn them into a sale. Inbound is no different in this respect. The difference is that, dollar for dollar, inbound blows all other kinds of marketing out of the water, in terms of the return on investment. Whether you start big or small, you will see results, and they will be a better value for money solution than traditional marketing methods will bring you.


Perfumezoneblog – Tips To Help You Uncover Your Healthy, Beautiful Skin!
Does skin care often give you a stressful feeling? Have you tried and failed in the past to improve your skin? Having healthier skin should not be a dream; it should be a reality. This article will show you how it is done.
TIP! Lower your stress levels to improve the health of your skin. Excessive exposure to stressful situations can cause your complexion to breakout, or become increasingly sensitive.
Don't try to shave if your skin is dry. Also, try not to shave unless you have a lathering product to help. Irritation can occur when you shave dry skin, causing razor burn and ingrown hairs. Once you have shaved, you should put lotion onto the shaved area. This helps soothe any irritation and moisturizes your skin.
One fantastic way to have skin that's glowing and healthy is to make sure you exfoliate it. Exfoliating allows you to remove a layer of dead cells and revel your fresher cells. Exfoliation helps to get rid of the bacteria that is in your pores.
Avoid putting on wet socks or gloves. If you wear wet gloves or socks, they can make your skin irritated which can cause itching, cracking and even sometimes, eczema.
TIP! If you want your moisturizer to be more effective, make sure it's warm before you put it on. This will improve the quality of the moisturizer the second that you apply it.
To keep your skin looking young and supple, skip using tanning beds. While many individuals use tanning beds as a way to look younger by staying tan, this actually results in skin on the other end of the spectrum. Tanning leads to skin damage and even premature aging. If your goal is younger, more vibrant skin, avoid tanning booths.
Try a tissue test to determine your skin type. This test is most accurate in the morning after you first wake up. Place the clean tissue on your face; let is sit for just a few seconds. Remove the tissue and look for the oil on the tissue. If there is no oil, then your skin is normal or dry. If there is oil in certain spots, then you have combination skin. If there is oil over most of the tissue, then chances are, you have oily skin. You can then determine the best way to take care of your skin, depending on its type.
TIP! To get healthy skin, drink plenty of water every day. Keeping yourself hydrated is necessary not only for your overall health, but to keep skin looking good.


text:
Mayan Culture Tours
Swim with Sailfish
Whale Shark Festival
Making a Difference with Sustainable Ecotoursim
Sustainable ecotourism has become a powerful tool for enacting change that anyone can partipate in. As travelers, we can keep an eye on the environmental footprint by taking simple steps such as using refillable water bottles during a biking trip.
Sustainable ecotourism...
Dates Announced for 10th Annual Whale Shark Festival in Isla Mujeres, a "Pueblo Magico" Destination
Celebrating the beauty and culture of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, the Isla Mujeres Department of Tourism, along with ecotourism company and international Festival sponsor Ceviche Tours, announce the dates for the 10th annual Whale Shark Festival, a cultural extravaganza that...
Dates Announced for 10th Annual Whale Shark Festival in Isla Mujeres
Celebrating the beauty and culture of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, the Isla Mujeres Department of Tourism, with ecotourism company and international Festival sponsor Ceviche Tours, announce the dates for the 10th annual Whale Shark Festival, a cultural extravaganza showcasing...
Experience the Thrill of Sailfishing in Isla Mujeres with Ceviche Tours
Isla Mujeres, Mexico has become the destination for fishing for sailfish; the Ferrari of game fish, which swarm the crystal blue waters off the coast of Cancun from December until late May. Get hooked on this adventure sport with ecotourism travel agency Ceviche Tour f...
Sailfish: A Sportfishing Adventure
From the beginning of December till late in May, sailfish and other big-game species feed in great
numbers off the sandy shores of the Yucatan Peninsula. This makes the area near Cancun and especially Isla Mujeres, Mexico a mecca for sportfishing enthusiasts. Isla...
Blue Water Adventures in Isla Mujeres
By John Vater, Co-Founder of Ceviche Tours
Situated eight miles offshore from Cancun on the northeast corner of the Yucatan Peninsula and 90 miles from Cuba, Isla Mujeres offers some of the world's best sail-fishing and a whole lot more. This beachy seaside locale with a laid-back vibe was named one of the best...
Swim with Whale Sharks Summer Savings
Ceviche Tours is offering a $20 discount when you book your Swim with Whale Sharks Tour before August 31, 2016.
With daily Whale Shark sightings off the coast of Isla Mujeres, Mexico numbering in the hundreds, now is the perfect time to experience the eco-adventure of...
Ceviche Tours Earns 2016 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence
Ceviche Tours has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence. Now in its sixth year, the achievement celebrates hospitality businesses that have earned great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor over the past year. Certificate of Excellence recipients include accommo...
Whale Sharks Are Coming to Isla Mujeres
Whale sharks are returning to Isla Mujeres, Mexico, where they swarm the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean from May through September. Guests can swim with the whale sharks, the world's largest fish, starting June 1, 2016 which is the beginning of whale shark season...
Dates Announced for Whale Shark Festival in Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Swimming with Whale Sharks, Traditional Dancing and More to Preserve a Fragile Marine Ecosystem
Celebrating the beauty and culture of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, and championing the need to preserve a fragile marine ecosystem, ecotourism travel agency Ceviche Tours and the Is...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Nikon Coolpix A Review
Nikon's latest flagship, the Coolpix A, features an APS-C type sensor and a 28 mm prime lens. Let's find out if this shooter will bring smiles to enthusiasts.
Anand TulianiJun 15, 2013 17:26:39 IST
The new breed of enthusiast digital cameras is completely different from the usual bunch of point-and-shoot, travel zoom and superzoom cameras. What sets them apart are large sensor, superior optics, RAW support and fine-grained control—all packed in a compact form. So, you get DSLR-like performance and flexibility in a solidly built camera that can fit in your pocket. Nikon's latest flagship, the Coolpix A, is one such camera featuring an APS-C type sensor and a 28 mm prime lens. Let's find out if this shooter will bring smiles to enthusiasts.
Features and performance of a DSLR packed in a compact shell
The 16MP CMOS sensor, around which the Coolpix A is built, is as large as those used in entry-level DSLR cameras. Mated to this is a 28 mm-equivalent prime lens with a moderately bright f/2.8 aperture. It's as wide as the stock 18-55 mm lens mounted on an entry-level DSLR, the difference being you cannot zoom because the focal length is fixed.
Switch to set the focus mode
Like many enthusiast digital cameras, the lens has a rotatable metal ring with fine ridges around the lens. Its sole function is to give you the flexibility to adjust the focus. There's a tiny switch on the left side to set the focus to Auto, Macro or Manual. Rotating the ring while keeping the shutter release half-pressed will override the set focus irrespective of the focus or shooting mode. Thus, you have the option to focus manually even in Auto and Program modes.
Above the focus selection switch are two ports that reside under a plastic flap. The USB port for PC connectivity doubles as host to the optional WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter, with which you can transfer photos from the camera to a smartphone over Wi-Fi. The other port allows connecting a wired remote or GPS unit (both optional). Over to the right side, there's a mini HDMI port that lets you hook up the camera to a TV.
Magnesium alloy top panel with metal dials
Despite the restrictive width, the top panel houses quite a few components—a concealed pop-up type flash (releasable by a button), a hot shoe, the mode dial, an on/off lever with a large shutter release button at its centre and a dial to change values. The rear panel is very different from what's found in mainstream Coolpix digital cameras. The control panel of the Coolpix A bears resemblance to a Nikon DSLR. The left side is flanked by buttons for EV, ISO and zoom control. To the right of the 3-inch LCD monitor lie a 5-way D-pad with a jog dial and buttons for playback, menu, info and delete.
If you are familiar with a Nikon DSLR, it won't take more than a few minutes to get used to this camera. Otherwise, it could take some time getting used to the user interface of this camera, after which you'll like the way it handles things. Starting from the top, the mode dial offers PASM modes in addition to the plain Auto mode. There are 19 scene modes including Food, Silhouette, Low Key, Sunset, Sports, Autumn Colors and Child, all clubbed into the Scene mode on the dial. The U1 and U2 are user-definable modes that allow you to set custom shooting parameters.
Rear panel and user interface
A notable feature of the control panel is the way the dials and secondary button functions work. In A and S modes, the dial on the top changes the aperture and shutter speed respectively, and the D-pad jog dial does nothing. To change the EV and ISO, you have to hold down the respective buttons to the left of the LCD monitor and rotate the top dial to change values—quick and very intuitive. The D-pad jog dial springs into action only in the M mode. Now, the top dial adjusts the shutter speed and the D-pad jog dial adjusts the aperture. With the EV button pressed, the functions of dials switch the other way round. So, you have choices—use individual dials for shutter speed and aperture, or use only one of them to adjust both the shutter speed and aperture in combination with the EV button.
The customisable Fn1 button. Also note the texture of the shell
Note that the ISO button has Fn2 mentioned above and there's the Fn1 button on the front easily accessible while you're holding the camera. The Fn1 button can be assigned one of the 11 available functions from the menu. These include Flash mode, Release mode, AE/AF lock, Self-timer and RAW. Likewise, you have 7 choices for the Fn2 button including White balance, Metering, Auto bracketing and Image quality/size.
The zoom buttons don't control digital zoom. Instead, they allow zooming in and out of the selected focus area in the frame so that you can check the focus. Moving the focus around the frame can be painful. You have to use the D-pad to move the focus, and the buttons have to be kept pressed until the focus moves to the desired area in the frame.
Unlike many digital cameras, there's no stack of controls/parameters that overlays the live view with the press of a button. The approach is more DSLR-like in this case. The Info button takes you to another interface that displays current settings and allows you to change image quality/size, white balance, ISO, autofocus mode, bracketing, EV, flash compensation and flash mode. You use the directional buttons to navigate and on pressing the OK button, you're allowed to change values. A bit fidgety, but you have everything in one place.
The biggest flaw in the UI is the absence of a dedicated button for video recording. It's not even available via the mode dial. It's highly likely that you won't find out how to record videos with this camera until you look up the user manual. Movie recording is available as one of the Release modes in addition to Single frame, Continuous (burst) and Self-timer.
Build quality and ergonomics
The fit and finish of the Coolpix A is spot-on. Nikon has paid great attention to detail to ensure that even the tiniest button, the dials and the spring-loaded door-like flaps have a premium feel. The front and rear of the shell is made of aluminium and has a matte, rough finish, which exudes a rugged feel. The top panel is made of magnesium alloy and the dials on the top are made of metal. The top right corner of the rear panel has a textured thumb grip made of soft rubber; the thumb just sticks to it. There's also a leatherette-clad vertical grip on the front to which your fingers latch on to, thereby inspiring good confidence and lending very good stability while shooting. The layout of the control panel is excellent. The dials are sufficiently large and the buttons on either sides of the screen are in comfortable reach of the thumb. Even the tactile feel of the buttons is nice—they make a distinct "tick" sound when pressed. All these factors along with the intuitive user interface make for quick operation and good shooting comfort.
The performance of the Coolpix A is quite a mixed bag. The large APS-C type sensor goes a long way in allowing you to shoot at high ISO without worrying about noisy results. Even at ISO 1600, the quality of images in low light is very respectable. Beyond that point, the graininess increases but there's not much colour noise. Check out these sample shots (100 percent crop).
Thanks to the superior optics, the level of details that the camera manages to capture is incredible. Even the details in distant objects are crisp and not muddled unlike mainstream digital cameras. The shallow depth of field or background blur is prominent if the subject is in close range. A larger aperture (f/1.8 or f/2.0) would have been more fun than the pedestrian f/2.8 in this camera. You would then have more control over depth of field and faster shutter speeds in low light.
Notice the distortion on the sides
The 28 mm equivalent prime lens is good for wide shots, but it feels restrictive when you want to capture close-ups or zoom into distant objects. However, the incredible level of detail won't let you down when you crop out small portions of the frame. Another problem of the wide angle lens is distortion towards the left and right sides of the frame. Tall, towering structures appear abnormally bent towards the centre of the frame. For this, Nikon has provided Perspective Control as one of the Retouch controls in playback mode. Others include Quick retouch, Straighten, Fisheye, Color sketch, Miniature effect and Selective color. We were particularly impressed with Selective color as it allows picking up to three colours in the frame as opposed to a single colour. There's also a bunch of filter effects including warm filter, RGB intensifier, Cross screen and Soft. A good thing about applying effects and filters after shooting is that you have the original image with you and the processed image is stored as a separate file. This isn't the case when you shoot with the effect filter already active at the time of shooting, which is usually the case with most digital cameras.
Wouldn't have been possible to shoot this without using the burst mode
The burst speed of the Coolpix A is quite commendable. At the fastest shutter speed (1/2000 sec), it can capture full resolution photos in RAW+Fine JPG at 4 fps. A maximum of 10 shots can be captured in a single burst, after which the camera takes a few seconds to write the photos from the buffer to the memory card.
The camera can record videos at full HD resolution and you have control over the white balance, EV, autofocus mode (single or full-time servo) and AF area (subject tracking, face priority, wide and normal). These parameters have to be set before you release the shutter to start video recording.
Sample shots (click on photos for full view)
Incredible control over focus!
Shot hand-held in low light—ISO 800 and 1/15 sec shutter
The only light source was a dim light in the car—ISO 1600
Excellent colours and details—ISO 800
Respectable quality at ISO 3200, in low light
Brilliant colours and details
Good background blur in close-ups
Panned shot with servo AF
Priced at an MRP of a whopping Rs 54,950, the Coolpix A does come across as being ridiculously expensive. However, bear in mind that the Coolpix A is targeted at enthusiasts who want DSLR-like controls and imaging quality in a compact form. It's worthy of being a primary camera if you don't mind the prime lens, or a secondary camera if you already own a DSLR—especially a Nikon DSLR and accessories that are compatible with the Coolpix A. Considering you can buy the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 for Rs 20,000 less or the Canon PowerShot G1X for Rs 10,000 less, the Nikon Coolpix A is highly overpriced. But if you have a deep pocket to make it yours, go for it!
Coolpix A
Coolpix A Review
Enthusiast Compact Camera
Enthusiast Digital Camera
High End Digital Camera
Nikon Coolpix A Features
Nikon Coolpix A Price
Nikon Coolpix A Price In India
Nikon Coolpix A Price Rs
Nikon Coolpix A Specifications
Prosumer Camera
Prosumer Digital Camera
Mini yet mighty - the 1st compact with a DX-format sensor: The COOLPIX A is Nikon's first and smallest compact camera with a DX-format sensor - the same sensor used in many of our high-end cameras. This palm-sized masterpiece delivers stunning D-SLR quality photos at up to 16.2 megapixels, with a level of performance that rivals that of a D-SLR. For quality images in a wide range of lighting conditions, the COOLPIX A features an ISO sensitivity range of 100 to 6400, which can be set to ISO 25600 equivalent (Hi 2). Breathe life into every photo: With its extraordinary image quality, the COOLPIX A lets you capture the essence of every moment. It features a specially designed retractable 18.5mm (28mm in 35mm [135] format equivalent) f/2.8 NIKKOR lens. Enjoy intentional front or rear focus while macro shooting, and use the manual focus for more versatility. Shoot in 14-bit compressed RAW (NEF) format for the highest quality images. For true-to-life details, the COOLPIX A uses no optical low-pass filter so extreme sharpness is attained even when shooting intricate subjects. Every nuance is brought to life, letting you relive the moment with every photo. Authentic craftsmanship: The COOLPIX A evokes the beauty of finely crafted photographic gear, where form and function go hand in hand. Built for endurance, the camera's body is crafted from aluminium alloy and coated in magnesium alloy. Available in black or titanium silver, the COOLPIX A is a pleasure to behold as well as to use. Performance meets simplicity: Using the COOLPIX A is a unique experience. Buttons and dials have been designed for comfort and usability. It features the same user interfaces as Nikon's D-SLRs, offering an unprecedented level of control. Versatile manual controls such as a focus ring and focus mode selector allow for precise and quick-access operation. For extra convenience, simply assign frequently used settings to customizable buttons.
Type of Camera
Effective Resolution
LCD Size
Shooting Specs
ISO Sensitivity Range
Auto / Cloudy / Daylight / Flash / Fluorescent / Incandescent / Preset Manual
1/2000 - 30
Scene Modes
Autumn colors|#|Beach/Snow|#|Blossom|#|Candlelight|#|Children|#|Close Up|#|Dusk/Dawn|#|Food|#|Landscape|#|Night Landscape|#|Night Portrait|#|Party/Indoor|#|Pet|#|Portrait|#|Portrait|#|Silhouette|#|Sports|#|Sunset|#|High Key|#|Low Key
Maximum Frame rate
Numbers of Shots
111 x 40.3 x 64.3 mm
Top reviews this week: Panasonic P51,Lava Iris 504Q, The Last of Us and more!
Fujifilm XF1 Review
Canon PowerShot G15 Review
Canon, Sony and Nikon artificially restricting memory of high end cameras to evade duty: DRI
Fujifilm FinePix SL300 Review
New Nikon Coolpix 2016 range announced starting at Rs 6,450


The National Water Commission (NWC) has advised that it will be implementing water supply regulations to sections of Spanish Town in St Catherine.
The commission said the move had become necessary to alleviate the broad water disruptions being experienced by some customers due to the heavy rainfall conditions that have forced the shutdown of the Spanish Town Treatment Plant.
DAYTIME: Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Water Meadows, Hartlands, Hampton Green, Valdez Road, and all roads leading off.
NIGHTTIME: Between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.
The regulations will remain in effect until the treatment plant has resumed normal operation.
The commission said during this period, some customers are still likely to experience reduced water pressure or some instances of outages.
The NWC said it will seek to provide relief trucking of water for the affected areas.


Kirkland's is seeking a Copywriter in Brentwood, TN.
The E-Commerce Copywriter writes, proofreads, and edits copy and content for the Kirklands.com website and corresponding marketing email campaigns; manages the day-to-day prioritization of online content; researches and creates rich content articles; and works continuously to improve key search terms, tag titles, metadata and SEO optimization.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the Kirkland's job posting here.


text:
December Dog Licenses in Montco
Montgomery County Treasurer Jason Salus today announced that beginning December 1st, residents are able to purchase their 2017 dog licenses through his office.
According to Salus, Pennsylvania state law requires all dogs three months and older be licensed by January 1st of each year. "If your dog is lost, a license is their ticket home. It helps animal control and shelters identify dogs to return them home safely," said Salus.
An annual dog license is $8.50, or $6.50 if the animal is spayed or neutered. Lifetime licenses are available for dogs that have permanent identification like a microchip or tattoo. Additionally, older adults and people with disabilities may be eligible for discounts. Owners who do not purchase a license could face state fines and penalties of up to $300 for each unlicensed dog.
"One of the goals of my office is to make getting a dog license fast and easy," said Salus. "Licenses can be purchased or renewed online, through the mail or at a number of satellite locations across the County. Salus added,
"Licenses make a great stocking stuffer – don't forget your pets this holiday season!" Licenses may be purchased at the Treasurer's office which is located on the sixth floor of One Montgomery Plaza in Norristown or online at www.montcopa.org/treasurer.
Posted by AboveAvgJane at 11/30/2016 09:48:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Montgomery County
Leary Nominated to Social Security Administration
The White House released a list of nominations that have been sent to the Senate. Among them is Michael P. Leary, of Pennsylvania, to be Inspector General, Social Security Administration, vice Patrick P. O'Carroll, Jr., resigned.
Wadlington a Champion of Change
On Friday September 30, the White House will recognize ten individuals from across the country as White House "Champions of Change" for extracurricular enrichment, afterschool, and summer programming for marginalized girls, including girls of color. One of the ten is from Pennsylvania:
Cheryl Ann Wadlington – Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaCheryl Ann Wadlington is the Founder and Executive Director of The Evoluer House in Philadelphia. Under Wadlington's leadership, The Evoluer House has delivered award-winning empowerment programs over the past 12 years to more than 1,200 teen girls of color experiencing unique social and emotional challenges and barriers to success. The Evoluer House works to equip the most underserved and hard-to-reach girls in Philadelphia with essential tools to become college-bound and career-ready and break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. As a testament to its success, 100% of Evoluer House graduates finish high school on time and 90% go on to attend a four-year college. Cheryl is also a fashion and beauty journalist, personal growth consultant, author, and motivational speaker.
Labels: Education
Porterfield a Champion of Change
This Friday eleven people will be honored this Friday at the White House as Champions of Change for College Opportunity. One of the eleven is from Pennsylvania:
Daniel R. Porterfield– Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Daniel R. Porterfield, Ph.D. has served as president of Franklin & Marshall College since 2011. Under his leadership, Franklin & Marshall has developed a distinctive student talent strategy built upon a significant increase in their need-based financial aid budget. Through his work, Franklin & Marshall has seen record application numbers and an increase in the academic profile, diversity, and selectivity of incoming classes. In addition, lower-income and first-generation students at F&M consistently achieve the same average GPA as the student body as a whole and maintaining higher retention and graduation rates. Porterfield sits on the boards of the College Board and the Lenfest College Scholarship Foundation. He has received awards for his work from the KIPP and "I Have A Dream" foundations and in 2016 was named one of the "Sixteen Most Innovative People in Higher Education" by Washington Monthly. Prior to leading Franklin & Marshall, Porterfield served as a Senior Vice President at his alma mater, Georgetown University. He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship and a Mellon Fellowship in the Humanities and earned his Ph.D. at The City University of New York Graduate Center.
Things to Do: State of Women's Health
On Wednesday, September 14, 2016 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Union League of Philadelphia, Lifecycle WomanCare (LWC) will host their second annual health forum on the State of Women's Health. The forum will feature keynote speaker Pennsylvania State Senator Judy Schwank and two panel sessions with policymakers, leaders, and experts in women's health issues.
At the event health expert panelists and Senator Schwank will discuss important health issues facing women today. Because 2016 is such a significant election year, participants will focus on the critical impact that public policy has on women and families' health and well-being. Topics at the event will include: integrative care; accessibility and other disability challenges; environmental and occupational health; maternity, lactation and reproductive rights; health disparities; employment accommodations and family and medical leave; violence; midwifery and collaborative partnership models of care; and economic family issues.
"In an election year such as this, it is critically important to have open dialogue about major issues of health and welfare being faced by women and families today, and bring to light innovative policy approaches that can play a significant role in helping our families," said Kathryn Boockvar, Executive Director of Lifecycle WomanCare. "This important event brings together some of the nation's and region's most innovative thought leaders on these issues, and our unique audience-interactive program allows the audience, as well as the experts, consumers, and practitioners, to interact and participate, in order to identify and deliver the most effective solutions out there."
LWC, founded in 1978 as a 501c3 non-profit organization, delivers high-quality and empowering women's healthcare in the greater Philadelphia region. LWC has served tens of thousands of families and has become a leading hub and a voice for a lifelong and partnership-based approach to healthcare.
The 2016 Keynote Speaker is Pennsylvania State Senator Judith L. Schwank of District 11. Sen. Schwank is CoChair of the Bipartisan Pennsylvania Legislature's Women's Health Caucus, as well as a member of the Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee.
Last year, she spearheaded legislation in key areas impacting women and family health and wellbeing. These have included addressing the opioid addiction and overdose epidemic; increasing the effectiveness of funding of services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault; including postpartum depression as an "at risk" category allowing for early intervention tracking and services; prohibiting surprise balance-billing of unaware patients; and criminalizing former intimate partner internet harassment ("revenge porn"). She also led the PA Agenda for Women's Health, to promote family-friendly working conditions, economic fairness, healthy lives, and support for victims of domestic violence
In addition, she is a member of Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial and Ethnic Fairness,
where she works to ensure the unbiased and fair delivery of justice and application of laws in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The 2016 panelists include:
Breakfast Panel (8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
Marla J. Gold MD, FACP, Dean Emerita and Professor, Drexel University School of Public Health
Honorable Art Haywood, Pennsylvania State Senator, Fourth District
M. Christiana Johnson, CNM, MS, FACNM, Director, Professional Practice & Health Policy, American College of Nurse-Midwives
Vicki Shabo, Vice President, National Partnership for Women& Families
Nancy C. Sharts-Hopko, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor and Director, PhD Program, Villanova University College of Nursing
Workshop Panel (10:30 a.m. – noon)
Peri Jude Radecic, Chief Executive Officer, Disability Rights Network PA
Pouné Saberi, MD, MPH, President, Board of Directors, Physicians for Social Responsibility
Carol E. Tracy, Executive Law Director, Women's Law Project
Panel Moderator
Kathryn Boockvar, JD, Executive Director, Lifecycle WomanCare
Tickets to the event are $60 for the Breakfast Panel program, and $85 for the full Breakfast Panel, Workshop Panel, and networking sessions, and are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. Tickets can be purchased at www.lifecylewomancare.org. Sponsorship opportunities are also available for businesses and individuals.
Book Review: Making Ideas Matter by Dwight Evans
Making Ideas Matter: My Life as a Policy Entrepreneur by Representative Dwight Evans with William Ecenbarger. Philadelphia: Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania, 2013.
State Representative Dwight Evans is currently the Democratic candidate for the 2nd Congressional District, defeating incumbent Chaka Fattah in the primary. This book was published before his congressional run, but after previous unsuccessful runs for higher office. It is a slim volume (181 pages with an index) providing a history of State Rep. Evan's political career. The first chapter is biographical, telling the story of his childhood and upbringing. He points out that after getting a part-time job in high school he didn't take money from his mother again, allowing her to focus on his younger siblings.
The rest of the book concerns his work as a state legislator and his personal life is not really mentioned again. Most of the chapters concern a particular subject -- one on education, another on the importance of access to healthy food choices. Others are on aspects of political culture -- there is a chapter on Walking Around Money (WAM) and how it can be used to leverage cooperation from political colleagues.
Evans outlines a number of projects he worked on,priorities he followed, strategies he used to reach out to fellow Democrats as well as Republicans, and how he developed rapport with legislators from other parts of the state to overcome overall hostility towards the Philadelphia area.
There is a focus on his work as chair of the Appropriations Committee, and his disappointment when he lost that position. He writes about his own personal values and how they informed his behavior, expectations of staff, and political behavior, and what happens to politicians who lose their moral compass.
He writes a lot about developing and maintaining relationships, not only with political allies but as ways of reaching across the aisle or to the far corners of the state. He writes about empowering staff (including giving staff the ability to tell him no), and holding them accountable for their work and ethics as well.
Evans only seems to write about one fault and that is the inability to tell his story effectively when running for mayor or governor. He wishes he could have continued as chair of Appropriations and that he could have helped a non-profit he had worked with maintain control of his district's main high school.
This book does explain how State Rep. Evans created some of the coalitions that passed legislation he wanted. It is a first person account and therefore does not include some of the context or reflection that a third person account might have. The writing is fast paced and easily read. The book could easily have gotten bogged down in self-congratulation or unnecessary details. As you might expect from a policy wonk, there are a lot of acronyms, but otherwise it avoids many of the pitfalls that other books of this kind fall into. Co-author William Ecenbarger is a former reporter and I credit his influence with a great deal of the book's readability.
Baring some sort of disaster Mr. Evans will be elected to Congress in November and his tenure in the state legislature will end. I hope that at some point a scholar writes a definitive history of his time there. I'm sure there are a lot more stories to be told. The book left me wanting more, which is surely the sign of a well-written book.
Labels: Book Review, Congressional Races (2016), PA House
SEPTA Updates
New schedules for SEPTA's City, Suburban and Victory Transit divisions go into effect beginning Sunday, September 4 and Tuesday, September 6, 2016. Most timetable adjustments are minor and are designed to account for seasonal changes in ridership and to improve customer service. However, SEPTA would like to alert passengers to the following service changes:
• Route 15: Trolleys return to service between 63rd Street and Girard Avenue and Frankford and Delaware Avenues following summer bus substitution due to a track renewal project. Buses will continue to operate on the portion of the route between Frankford and Girard Avenues and Richmond and Westmoreland Streets.
• Route 40: Added morning and afternoon weekday service. • Route 56: Added morning and afternoon weekday service.
• Routes 201, 204, 205 and 206: These routes will continue to operate on their current schedules as published online at www.septa.org. Schedules are subject to change with Regional Rail interim schedule changes and will be updated online.
• Norristown High Speed Line: Trains will operate on the current summer schedule until the end of the service day on Sunday, September 18, when the Radnor Station improvement project will be completed. A new schedule will go into effect beginning at the start of the service day Monday, September 19. Service information will be published on the System Status section of SEPTA's website (http://www.septa.org/realtime/status/system-status.shtml) prior to September 19.
New transit schedules are available at SEPTA customer locations and online at www.septa.org. Riders can also access real-time service information by using the official SEPTA App available as a free download for both Apple and Android devices, and by following the @SEPTA Twitter feed. #
Labels: Transit
Shaughnessy Naughton Update
Shaughnessy Naughton, who was a primary candidate for the 8th congressional district, sent out an email announcing her new professional direction. Here is part of her statement:
In the months since the primary, I've reflected on what we achieved together and the work that lies ahead.
I ran because I believed that we need new perspectives in Congress. As a scientist, entrepreneur, and business leader, I didn't fit the template of a conventional politician. And public service, like business, wasn't my first career choice.
But I saw a deficit of leadership that remains unfilled. For decades, Congress has shortchanged NIH funding, ignored climate change, and listened to special interests instead of scientists.
My mission to advocate for STEM priorities didn't end in April. That's why I've joined the board of 314 Action, a grassroots organization founded to empower the STEM community to affect public policy.
Labels: Bucks County
Rite of Passage: Students Become Voters
The American Association of State Colleges & Universities sponsored a report, released last April, called Graduating Students Into Voters. Ideas42 prepared the report, a 25 page pdf, outlining reasons college students may not vote (not sure of the process, don't know how to register, feel disconnected), and how to increase political participation among college students. It is very interesting reading. (The pdf can be found here: http://www.aascu.org/programs/ADP/StudentsintoVoters.pdf
In my house voting is a requirement of anyone over 18 living at home or taking parental money for college. It's a form of rent.
Latest EpiPen Issue
Nearly three years ago I wrote two posts about the increasing price of EpiPens (post in Oct 2013 and in Nov 2013). The topic is back in the news as the price has continued to go up. One issue is that there is no generic equivalent for an EpiPen. Mylan, the company which produces the EpiPen, raised the price again recently, just before a generic was expected to be approved ("Mylan raised EpiPen's Price Before the Expected Approval of a Generic," by Andrew Pollack, New York Times 8/24), However, the generic was not approved. Matt Egan of CNN Money reports that one may be available next year.
The CEO of Mylan, Heather, Bresch, appeared on CNBC's Squawk Box to try to diffuse the bad press (see video embedded in linked Slate article). What I found most startling in her remarks was her comment that "we have passed legislation in 48 states ...." Really? Mylan passed legislation? Who elected Mylan to do anything? What she meant, of course, is that Mylan lobbied for legislation and perhaps even wrote it. There would have been campaign donations to key state legislators. So, yes, Mylan probably does feel that it passed legislation. And that should give us all pause.
On a personal note I refilled our family's EpiPen prescription this week. It still just costs me $10 for a 2-pack. I work in a union shop and we have good health insurance. With Mylan's increase, though, it is no doubt costing the insurer a lot more and that will mean higher premiums all around.
News Programs Need a Daycare Rule
Daycares and child care centers often have rules on potty training. Some won't take kids that aren't potty trained. I've heard the phrase "3 sh*ts and you're out" as a rule. As I watch what are supposed to be news shows that rule comes to mind. I think if a pundit or spokesperson publicly states something that is provably wrong more than three times their contract should be cancelled. Surely it is possible to write something like that in, a truth clause, or make it part of a morals clause. It is so disheartening to watch people over and over again flat out lie or dissemble and then appear again the next night with no penalty.
The "Other" Talk
I have always referred to my children as the "little janes." Some people have assumed this meant I had only daughters, but I was using "jane" as a last name in this context. In fact, one of my children is male. He is an adult now and, at least for the present, not living in my house.
I've had "the other talk" with all of my children but reinforced it more often with my son. It goes something like this:
Unless asked for specific information, there are three acceptable answers when questioned by the police: "Yes, Officer;" "No, Officer;" and "I don't know, Officer." If pulled over when driving, keep both hands on the wheel, visible at all times. Don't make any sudden movements. Do not try to make jokes. If any movement is required explain in advance what you will be doing and why, and move slowly. If the police stop you walking down the street, stop immediately, keep hands out of pockets, stand still, no sudden movements, no jokes. If a police office tells you to sit down or lay down, do it without asking questions or making comments, hands visible. An officer has to assume you are armed and dangerous or potentially under the influence or mentally unstable. Their lives depend on starting with an assumption of the worst possible scenario. Give them the time and space to decide you are not an immediate threat.
The boy is tall and hit a growth spurt right around the time Pennsylvania passed some form of "castle doctrine." I told him if he went trick or treating that fall (or any fall thereafter) he couldn't wear a mask or anything that covered his face. Hats were okay provided his face was still visible. I told him that while he might still think of himself as a kid, he was as tall as a grown man and people who didn't know him would react to him as such. Someone seeing him walking around a house on Halloween (or any other night) might assume he was a burglar.
He went with me to a couple of political events and on the way to one I was pulled over. It was a teachable moment. After it was all over I talked with him about why I thought I hadn't gotten a ticket. What I did and did not do when interacting with an officer.
I know several of the police officers in our local force; some are my neighbors. Their jobs are difficult and often provide no margin of error. There was a shootout one street over a few years ago and an officer was injured. It is a dangerous, thankless, poorly paid job. I've also noticed that the drivers I see pulled over on our local streets are African American far more often than our demographics would suggest.
My family is on the very pale /translucent end of the pigmentation spectrum. We are very white. I cannot imagine the stress African American parents feel when that talk with their children. It is surely more involved than the one I had with mine. As we see all too often in the news, someone who follows all the rules of "the talk" can still be shot.
We need to find a way to help police officers do their job without injuring or killing people who are simply going about their business. We need to make sure racial prejudices don't factor into law enforcement decisions. In the meantime, parents all over country will be having the "other" talk with their kids, especially their sons.
Call for LGBT Non-Discrimination Bill
Pennsylvania remains the only state in the northeast that lacks laws that would protect citizens from being fired from their jobs or evicted from their homes based solely on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Senator Bob Casey and members of Governor Tom Wolf's administration met in Pittston yesterday to address the need for non-discrimination laws at both the federal and state level. LGBT Pennsylvanians deserve to live in a state that is inclusive and welcoming for everyone. Governor Wolf has already signed executive orders protecting commonwealth employees. It is now up to Congress and the state legislature to pass bills that will protect all Pennsylvanians.
White House Summer Interns from PA
Last week the White House Internship Program announced the participants for the Summer 2016 session. The mission of the program is to make the White House accessible to future leaders around the nation and to prepare those devoted to public service for future leadership opportunities.
Here are people on the list who are from or going to school in Pennsylvania:
Alarco Alarco, Claudia Hometown: Silver Spring, MD ; Villanova University, PA
Black, Cara Hometown: Bucks County , PA; Georgetown University, D.C.
Casey, Amy Hometown: Wayne, PA; College of the Holy Cross, MA
Cholli, Neil Hometown: Chelmsford, MA; University of Pennsylvania, PA
Gerstel, Dylan Hometown: Ridgewood, NJ; Swarthmore College, PA
Kiernan, Christopher Hometown: Chevy Chase, MD; Lehigh University, PA
Krulik, Sarah Hometown: Philadelphia, PA; University of Rochester, NY
Lee, Joshua Hometown: Wellesley, MA; University of Pennsylvania, PA
Maz, Rebecca Hometown: Radnor, PA ; American University, D.C.
Miller, Jordan Hometown: Chappaqua, NY; University of Pennsylvania, PA
Moreno-Rosa, Salomon Hometown: Amherst, MA; University of Pennsylvania, PA
Powell, Lindsay Hometown: Brooklyn , NY; Carnegie Mellon University, PA
Rooney, James Hometown: Pittsburg, PA; Georgetown University, D.C.
Serota, Jonathan Hometown: Brookville, NY; University of Pennsylvania, PA
Sheasley, Jamie Hometown: King of Prussia, PA ; American University, D.C.
Shulman, Sabrina Hometown: Washington, D.C.; University of Pennsylvania, PA
Smitham, Eleni Hometown: Bethesda, MD; Haverford College, PA
Labels: President 2012
SEPTA Refunds and Credits
Our friends at SEPTA are doing their best to ensure we have a safe, comfortable, and timely ride to wherever we are going. The altered schedules that started today are an inconvenience and SEPTA is offering refunds and credits to passholders:
– Due to the impact on customers from the Silverliner V portion of the rail fleet being taken out of service over a structural defect, SEPTA will provide refunds and credits for customers who have purchased Weekly and Monthly Regional Rail TrailPasses.
The refunds and credits are for customers who purchased Weekly Regional Rail TrailPasses for the week starting Monday, July 4, and those who bought Monthly Regional Rail TrailPasses valid July 1-31.
To receive refunds, customers will have to mail their passes to SEPTA no later than Thursday, July 7. Envelopes must be post-marked July 7 or earlier. A check will be sent to the address provided by the customer. Please note "Silverliner V Pass Refund" on the envelope, place the refund-eligible Regional Rail TrailPass inside and mail it to:
SEPTA P.O. Box 58609 Philadelphia, PA 19102-8849
For customers who want to continue using their TrailPass this week and for July, SEPTA will offer a credit on a future purchase. The credits can be redeemed on any pass purchase made through Monday, Oct. 10. These are the credits SEPTA is making available for TrailPass holders:
Weekly Regional Rail TrailPass Credits (passes valid the week that began Monday, July 4):
 Zone 1, 2 and Cross-County Weekly TrailPasses: $5 credit
 Zone 3 and Anywhere Weekly TrailPasses: $10 credit
Monthly Regional Rail TrailPass Credits (passes valid July 1-31):
 Zone 1 and Cross-County: $20  Zone 2: $25
 Zone 3: $30
 Anywhere: $35 For more information, visit http://www.septa.org.
Regional Rail Changes Start TOMORROW!!!
If you take Regional Rail on a regular basis be forewarned that due to needed repair on about a third of the railcars there will be fewer trains and a reduced schedule, starting TOMORROW!
Monitor this page for schedule updates: http://www.septa.org/service/contingency.html
Also, a special shout out to the so far unknown SEPTA employee who noticed the structural issue before a disaster happened. Thank you!
Article on Jared Solomon Campaign
The Philadelphia Citizen has published a nice article on Jared Solomon's primary state house race against Mark Cohen. "Insurgency in the Northeast," by Larry Platt (3/15/16) is available online at:
http://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/jared-solomon-mark-cohen-insurgency-northeast/
Labels: PA House Races (2016)
Roslyn Film Festival
The 10th annual Roslyn Film Festival will be held this Saturday, March 19th. This year's films are:
1. Gift Horses (David Block)
2. Out of the Depths (RJ Nestor and David Scoville)
3. Rockabilly High School (Win Heckert)
4. The Cubicle: How Norman Works In a Box (Michael Ofenheim)
5. Blaze of Glory (Bob Sweeney)
6. Centralia: America's Lost Town (Joe Sapienza II)
7. The Leg That Just Kept Living (Win Heckert)
Tickets are $5.00 and there is a red carpet entrance. Put on your party clothes are imagine you are at the Oscars!
(Proceeds benefit the Roslyn Fire Company).
Ellen Malcolm at the Free Library
Ellen Malcolm, founder of Emily's List, will be speaking about her new book at the Philadelphia Free Library on Thursday, March 24th. Tickets are $15.00 ($7.00 for students).
Ellen R. Malcolm is the founder and chair of the Board of EMILY's List, the largest resource for women in politics. Dedicated to helping women candidates win election to every level of political office, its over 3 million members community have helped elect 19 pro-choice female Democratic U.S. senators, 110 U.S. representatives, and 11 governors. Malcolm was also president of the voter-registration advocacy group ACT, national co-chairwoman of Hillary Clinton's 2008 election campaign, and a member of the National Park Foundation Board of Directors. Including exclusive interviews with many of the country's top female politicians, in-the-trenches stories of some of the toughest election fights in the past three decades, and Malcolm's own story of frustration, dedication, and triumph, When Women Win is the inside story of the rise of American women in elected office.In conversation with Tamala Edwards, anchor, 6ABC Action News morning edition
Leanne Krueger-Braneky a Rising Star
Emily's List has a list of six women they have identified as candidates for the Gabby Giffords Rising Star Award, given to an extraordinary woman in state or local office. One is Pennsylvania State Rep. Leanne Krueger-Braneky. You can vote for her on an Emily's List web page. (Be forewarned you have to provide an email and zipcode to vote so you'll end up on at least one mailing list)
Labels: Delaware County, PA House
Rebecca Ross Haywood Nominated for US Court of Appeals
from a White House press release:
Today, President Obama nominated Rebecca Ross Haywood to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
"Throughout her career, Rebecca Ross Haywood has shown unwavering integrity and an outstanding commitment to public service," said President Obama. "I am proud to nominate her to serve on the United States Court of Appeals."
Rebecca Ross Haywood: Nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Rebecca Ross Haywood is an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Pennsylvania, where she has served as Chief of the Appellate Division since 2010. As part of the office's Management Team, she regularly consults on and reviews filings for the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania. In addition, Haywood frequently practices before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and confers with trial attorneys on cases before the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Haywood was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania and raised in the neighboring town of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. She received her A.B. cum laude in 1990 from Princeton University. She then attended the University of Michigan Law School, where she served as an Associate Editor on the Michigan Law Review and obtained her J.D. magna cum laude in 1994. After graduating from law school, Haywood clerked for the Honorable Alan N. Bloch of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania from 1994 to 1996. From 1996 to 1997, she worked in the Pittsburgh office of the law firm of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue (now Jones Day). Haywood served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania from 1997 to 2001, where she handled civil matters, including representing federal agencies in employment and medical malpractice cases. From 2001 to 2003, she once again clerked for the Honorable Alan N. Bloch. In 2003, Haywood returned to the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, where she was promoted to Appellate Chief in 2010.
During her time in the United States Attorney's Office, Haywood has been actively involved in workplace management and training, serving as a member of the executive and training committees since 2011, as well as serving as the coordinator for prevention of workplace harassment from 2004 to 2010. In addition, she is actively involved in the community and regularly speaks to students and legal organizations about the law and her career.
Shapiro Statement on Finances
The campaign for Josh Shapiro, candidate for Pennsylvania Attorney General, released the following statement in response to attacks by Stephen Zappala:
"Once again the Zappala campaign is grasping at straws in the face of Josh Shapiro's strong position, not surprising for a campaign that could only raise $8,031 in donations under $250. We're proud that Pennsylvania's teachers, nurses, the largest Fraternal Order of Police and Governor Wolf have all backed Josh Shapiro for Attorney General. Josh is the only progressive in the race and unlike his opponents Josh will stand up to the frackers who pollute our drinking water, take on scammers that target seniors and consumers, and is someone we can always trust to defend the rights of each and every Pennsylvanian." --- Joe Radosevich, Shapiro Campaign Manager
The Shapiro campaign reported $10,179 in contributions under $50 and $29,131.18 in contributions between $51 and $250
Labels: Josh Shapiro
Senate Resolution 27
I'm not sure what to make of this. A resolution was introduced in the Pennsylvania State Senate on February 25th, Senate Resolution 27. The primary sponsor is Sen, Kitchen, with Farnese, Vance, Yudichak, Greenleaf, Brewster, Haywood, and Rafferty as co-sponsors.
This is the gist of the resolution:
Directing the Advisory Committee on Public Health Law of the Joint State Government Commission to study the issue of youth vaccinations and immunizations to determine whether any amendments should be made to the Commonwealth's public health law.
The full text of the resolution does not really provide any context or background. So I cannot tell if it is a cover for people who don't like vaccinations or a ploy to add more required or recommended vaccinations.
Labels: PA Senate
#FeeltheFern
George Matysik, executive director of the Philadelphia Parks Alliance, is encouraging supporters to contact Mayor Kenney and express their appreciation for Kenney's interest in investing in parks and recreation. On twitter use the hashtag #FeeltheFern
Philly School Substitute Numbers
Our friends at NewsWorks have put together a very useful list of daily substitute teacher fill rate by school. Some schools only get 1% of the substitute teachers they need, other get nearly 80%. Take a look.
Zivtech Launches New App
Philadelphia is home to a number of innovative tech firms. One of them, Zivtech, an open source web and app development agency, launched a new app this week. Here is an abridged press release:
Zivtech, is proud to announce the launch of a new web development tool that changes the game for the whole team. Probo, a continuous integreation app, allows a team to deploy features quickly, with no negative impact on an already functioning system. The people driving the request, such as business owners, project managers, marketers and IT, are now part of the process from the beginning.
Probo CI grew out of a need to accelerate the development process internally; once the product was built, there was a demand to share it with a greater audience. Probo is also much less expensive than other CI tools. Not only is the open source code available at no cost, but a basic account with 1 GB of disk space is free. With a total of five pricing tiers, there's a size that works for every business, from startup to enterprise.
Probo is different from other CI tools on the market in that it does not tear down your environment, but instead posts a link so that the entire team can review new features or bug fixes. Project manager can always see how tasks are progressing and developers can get immediate client feedback. Probo is designed to be easy to extend and easy to wire into a broader devops ecosystem. It's the only automated testing tool with quality assurance (QA) and user acceptance testing (UAT) built right in.
Patrick Murphy to be Sworn in as Undersecretary of the Army
Patrick Murphy, the first Iraq War veteran to serve in Congress, represented Pennsylvania's 8th district (Bucks County and part of Montgomery County and Philadelphia) for 2 terms, This Wednesday he will be sworn in as the 32nd Undersecretary of the Army and Chief Management Officer. He was confirmed as Undersecretary by the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this year. On January 7th, President Obama asked him to serve as Acting Secretary of the Army. He is currently responsible for a $143 million dollar budget and approximately 1.4 million soldiers and Department of the Army civilians, which would rank as a Fortune 10 company and behind only Wal-Mary in total personnel.
As Acting Secretary he has testified before the Senate and has traveled to Iraq, Afghanistan, Texas, and other places, as well at the Walter Reed National Medical Center, to visit with military personnel. The Undersecretary serves as the Army's principal adviser on matters related to the management and operation of the Army, including development and integration of the Army Program and Budget. As the Chief Management Officer (CMO) of the Army, he advises the Secretary on the effective and efficient organization of the Army's business operations and initiatives for the business transformation of the Army. Whle in Congress he co-authored legislation including the 21st Century GI Bill, the Repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, and Hire Our Heroes legislation
Labels: patrick murphy, veterans
Emerge PA Women on the Ballot
Emerge Pennsylvania is an organization dedicated to recruiting and training Democratic women to run for office in order to increase the number of women in public office. The first Emerge state group started in 2001. Over that time, of the Emerge graduates who ran for office, 70% won.
The Emerge Pennsylvania women on the ballot in 2016 are:
• Mary Ellen Balchunis - 7th Congressional
• Carolyn Committa - 156th State House
• Barbarann Keffer - 163rd State House
• Elaine Schaefer - 165th State House
• Diane Cornman-Levy - 168th State House
• Movita Johnson-Harrell - 190th State House
Montco Walkability Study
The Montgomery County Commissioners adopted Walk Montco, a new countywide walkability plan, at their February 18 meeting. The plan corresponds to the goals of Montco 2040: A Shared Vision, Montgomery County's new, award-winning comprehensive plan. Montco 2040 advocates for more sidewalks and pedestrian-oriented developments to improve transportation quality and expand options.
Walkability continues to be a key aspect of the growth and redevelopment of downtowns, residential neighborhoods, office parks, and retail destinations in the county. Walkability is not only good for the built environment, but essential for physical health. Walkable streets help decrease local traffic volumes, increase access to available public transit, and increase opportunities for healthier lifestyles. They support mobility for everyone throughout all stages of life and create safer communities, especially for children, the elderly, and those with mobility limitations. Walkability also has positive environmental benefits in that a reduction in vehicle trips equates to fewer vehicle emissions.
The entire study is lengthy, a little over 80 pages, and is available here: www.montcopa.org/WalkMontco It's a thorough, well done plan, with a lot of illustrations and graphs. Walkability is an important concept; as a relatively new diabetic I can attest to walking as one of the easiest, and certainly the cheapest, form of exercise around. The best way to incorporate walking into a daily routine is for it to be a part of that routine - walking to work, to public transit, to the store, to school. For that to happen there need to be safe walkways between these points.
Kudos, Montco!
Labels: health care, Montgomery County
Rebecca Ross Haywood Nominated for US Court of App...
Patrick Murphy to be Sworn in as Undersecretary of...


text:
Brazil's Bolsonaro says he has plan to end Ukraine conflict
The president of South America's biggest country has claimed to have a solution for ending the conflict in Eastern Europe
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he's figured out how to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but he won't share his plan with anyone until he pitches it to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky next week.
"I'll tell him my opinion, what I think," Bolsonaro told reporters on Thursday. "The solution to this, I know how it could be resolved, but I won't tell anyone."
The Brazilian leader is scheduled to speak with Zelensky by phone on Monday. "This war has been causing huge disruption, less for Brazil, much more for Europe," Bolsonaro said.
He declined to offer details of his proposed peace plan, but he said the conflict could be resolved "like how Argentina's war with the UK ended in 1982." Argentina invaded the British-controlled Falkland Islands in April 1982, prompting the UK to dispatch a large naval task force. The Argentinian forces were outmatched, and Buenos Aires surrendered in June 1982.
I know how to end the war in Ukraine, the President of Brazil hinted at surrender"I will tell him [Zelensky] what I think about solving this problem. I know how it can be solved. But I won't tell anyone," Bolsonaro told the media. pic.twitter.com/JzeZLhoWNN
— Spriteer (@spriteer_774400) July 14, 2022
Bolsonaro raised the ire of US President Joe Biden and other critics in February, when he went through with a planned trip to Moscow just days before Russian launched its offensive against Ukraine. He adopted a neutral stance on the conflict and declined to join in a US-led attempt to isolate and cripple Moscow through international sanctions.
READ MORE: Brazil seeking Russian fuel supply – Bolsonaro
Just last week, Brazil secured a steady supply of fertilizers from Russia. Bolsonaro said his country might buy low-cost Russian diesel cargoes.
Previous Posts Hundreds of thousands of US troops may face dismissal
Next Posts 4 Reasons Why You Should Have Chia Seeds With Lemon Water


Did anyone else find it very hard to follow Supernatural's plot tonight?
At least 3/4 of the guest cast have been on the show before in other roles.
and a total waste of Patty McCormack, the BAD SEED!
*I did like the moment where it looked like the FootballPlayer/HeartTransplant/MayanGoddess was about to rip Dean's shirt off but then it didn't happen. Damn you, Jensen.
Poor Jensen - not a fun script to direct. Boys looked pretty though!


text:
Anti-Nuclear Protest in New Zealand
Threat of the Cold War
Health Fears
Groups & People
Protest Groups
The Prime Ministers
Protest Action
Effects/Significance
NZ and US relations
NZ and French relations
NFZDAC Act 1987
Lasting Legacy
Passing of the Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act
The major political result of the campaigning against nuclear weapons was ultimately the passing of the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act in 1987 by the New Zealand government, led by David Lange. The mainstream perception, by this time, was that being nuclear free was an integral part of New Zealand's identity and a sign of New Zealand's independence. The Labour Party was re-elected into power in August that same year, which was another sign that the New Zealand public and government were in agreement on the nuclear issue. In the documentary 'No Nukes is Good Nukes!' Lange is heard, in a Parliamentary debate, saying "If we don't pass this law, if we don't declare ourselves nuclear free, we will have anarchy on the harbours and in the streets." The passing of this law would not have been possible without the mass protest movement in the 1970's and 1980's, because it helped change the minds of many New Zealanders and politicians, which was important as New Zealand could only be nuclear-free if the politicians were assured support from the public for the law change. Clause 9(2) of the Act states that "The Prime Minister may only grant approval for the entry into the internal waters of New Zealand by foreign warships if the Prime Minister is satisfied that the warships will not be carrying any nuclear explosive device upon their entry into the internal waters of New Zealand." This was an important clause as it addressed the 'confirm or deny' issue. Visiting warships now had to confirm or deny the presence of nuclear weapons. This meant that when in New Zealand waters, all countries had to follow the New Zealand anti-nuclear laws, not just New Zealanders. New Zealand had become a nuclear-free zone.
David Lange after winning the 1987 election. This was due in large part to the support the Labour Party received from their stance on the nuclear issue.
The result of the passing of this act was that the US passed the Broomfield Act, which officially and symbolically ended ANZUS and named New Zealand as a 'friend' not and ally. This had been a major reason for many New Zealanders being against the protest, however in 1989, 52% of New Zealanders said they would rather deny nuclear-armed ships than be allied with America. The National Party had adopted the anti-nuclear policy by 1990.
Another result of the anti-nuclear campaign in New Zealand was the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty of 1986 (also called the Treaty of Rarotonga. It was signed by the 13 members of the South Pacific Forum. This shows that the people of the Pacific wanted to be nuclear free as well, and that New Zealand spoke for more countries than just itself when it campaigned for a nuclear-free South Pacific.


text:
Kim Behrens, heute Kim van de Velde, (* 22. September 1992 in Bremen) ist eine deutsche Volleyball- und Beachvolleyballspielerin.

Karriere Hallen-Volleyball
Kim Behrens begann als Neunjährige mit dem Hallenvolleyball in ihrer Heimatstadt beim Bremer TS Neustadt. Später spielte sie hier in der Regionalligamannschaft, in der Bremer Landesauswahl und in der Jugendnationalmannschaft. 2007 wechselte die Außenangreiferin ins Volleyballinternat zum USC Münster, wo sie bis 2016 in der Zweitligamannschaft spielte. In der Saison 2009/10 hatte sie auch mehrere Einsätze im Erstligateam des USC. 2011 wurde Behrens mit dem USC Münster deutsche U20-Vizemeisterin.

Karriere Beachvolleyball

Seit 2010 ist Kim Behrens auch im Beachvolleyball aktiv. Zunächst spielte sie mit verschiedenen Partnerinnen auf der Smart Beach Tour und anderen nationalen Turnieren. An der Seite von Sandra Seyfferth wurde sie 2011 Vierte bei der U20-Europameisterschaft in Tel Aviv. 2012 bildete sie mit Stefanie Hüttermann ein Duo und war erstmals auch auf der FIVB World Tour unterwegs. Bei den deutschen Meisterschaften in Timmendorfer Strand belegten Behrens/Hüttermann Platz 13. Im Anschluss daran landete Behrens zusammen mit Christine Aulenbrock bei der U21-Weltmeisterschaft im kanadischen Halifax auf dem fünften Platz. 2013 und 2014 spielte Kim Behrens wieder mit Sandra Seyfferth zusammen. Die beiden Abwehrspezialistinnen erreichten Platz Fünf bei der U22-Europameisterschaft in Varna und Platz Neun bei den deutschen Meisterschaften. 2014 wurden Behrens/Seyffert in Porto Studentenvizeweltmeisterinnen und belegten bei den deutschen Meisterschaften erneut Platz Neun. 2015 hatte Behrens verschiedene Partnerinnen, darunter Jenny Heinemann, mit der sie bei den deutschen Meisterschaften wiederum Platz Neun belegte. Bei den Antalya Open wurde Behrens mit Anni Schumacher Fünfte. 2016 war Nadja Glenzke ihre Partnerin. Behrens/Glenzke gewannen die CEV-Satellite-Turniere im rumänischen Timișoara und im mazedonischen Skopje. Auch mit Glenzke landete Behrens bei den deutschen Meisterschaften 2016 auf dem neunten Platz.

2017 gelang Behrens im australischen Shepparton (1 Stern Turnier) an der Seite von Anni Schumacher erstmals der Sprung aufs Treppchen bei der FIVB World Tour. Weitere Erfolge von Behrens/Schumacher waren auf der World Tour Platz Vier in Sydney (2 Sterne) und Platz Zwei in Monaco (1 Stern). Hinzu kamen auf der europäischen CEV Tour ein zweiter Platz beim Masters in Ankara und der Sieg beim Satellite in Ljubljana sowie die Siege beim Smart Beach Cup in Nürnberg und beim Smart Super Cup in Kühlungsborn. Bei der Deutschen Meisterschaft wurden Behrens/Schumacher Siebte, es war das letzte gemeinsame Turnier, da Anni Schumacher danach ihre aktive Beachkarriere beendete. Von Oktober 2017 bis Ende 2018 bildete Behrens ein Team mit Sandra Ittlinger, das von Kay Matysik trainiert wurde. Auf der FIVB World Tour 2017/18 hatten die beiden zahlreiche Top-Ten-Platzierungen. Bei der Europameisterschaft in den Niederlanden wurden Behrens/Ittlinger Neunte. In Timmendorfer Strand wurden sie nach einer Finalniederlage gegen Bieneck/Schneider deutsche Vizemeisterinnen.

Seit Frühjahr 2019 spielte Behrens an der Seite von Cinja Tillmann. In ihrer ersten gemeinsamen Saison konnten sie zwei Turniere der nationalen  Techniker Beach Tour gewinnen. International gelangen ihnen drei 17. Plätze bei den 4 Stern Turnieren der FIVB World Tour in Xiamen, Jinjiang und Espinho, wobei sie vom Deutschen Volleyball-Verband zu sechs weiteren Turnieren, bei denen sie spielberechtigt gewesen wären, nicht gemeldet wurden. Der Verband berief sich bei seiner Entscheidung auf die Notwendigkeit, den Nationalteams im Hinblick auf die Olympischen Sommerspiele 2020 bevorzugt internationale Spielpraxis einräumen zu müssen und sich daher gegen Behrens/Tillmann entschieden zu haben, wogegen sich das Team juristisch zur Wehr setzte. Nach einem 17. Platz bei der Weltmeisterschaft in Hamburg und einem 9. Rang bei der Europameisterschaft in Moskau beendete das Duo die Saison mit einem dritten Platz bei den Deutschen Meisterschaften, wobei Kim Behrens im kleinen Finale gegen ihre ehemalige Partnerin Sandra Ittlinger gewann. Auch 2020 erreichten Behrens/Tillmann bei den Deutschen Meisterschaften Platz drei.

Der größte Erfolg ihrer bisherigen Karriere gelang Kim Behrens und Cinja Tillmann jedoch bei der Europameisterschaft in Jūrmala im gleichen Jahr. Nach einer 0:2 Auftaktniederlage gewann das deutsche Duo die folgenden fünf Spiele jeweils mit 2:0 Sätzen und wurde erst im Finale von den Schweizerinnen Joana Heidrich und Anouk Vergé-Dépré nach einem vergebenen Matchball in drei Sätzen knapp besiegt (21:18, 14:21, 16:18). So wurden die beiden Deutschen zum Saisonabschluss noch Vize-Europameisterinnen.

2021 spielte Behrens wieder zusammen mit Sandra Ittlinger. Auf der FIVB World Tour hatten die beiden durchwachsene Ergebnisse. Auf der German Beach Tour 2021 erreichten sie die Plätze eins, vier, zwei und eins. Im August wurden sie sowohl bei der Europameisterschaft in Wien als auch beim nationalen "King of the Court"-Turnier in Hamburg Neunte. Anfang September erreichten Behrens/Ittlinger bei der deutschen Meisterschaft Platz drei.

Nach ihrer Hochzeit und ihrer Babypause stand van de Velde Ende Dezember 2022 zusammen mit ihrer neuen Partnerin Chenoa Christ im Endspiel des Future-Turniers in Den Haag, in dem sie gegen das niederländische Duo Brecht Piersma / Emi van Driel unterlag.

Berufliches
Nach dem Abitur 2012 wurde Kim Behrens bei der Polizei Münster ausgebildet. Anschließend absolvierte sie ein Psychologie-Fernstudium.

Privates
Behrens heiratete am 1. Januar 2022 den niederländischen Beachvolleyballspieler Steven van de Velde und wurde im Frühjahr 2022 Mutter.

Ihr Bruder Kevin Behrens ist Profifußballer und aktuell beim Bundesligisten Union Berlin unter Vertrag.

Weblinks

 Profil bei beach-volleyball.de

Einzelnachweise

Beachvolleyballspieler (Deutschland)
Volleyballspieler (USC Münster)
Deutscher
Geboren 1992
Frau

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Panasonic CF-NX2ADHCS Driver Download – Now any laptop computer has changed into a product that you simply are not able to get rid of. Computer performs a crucial role found in today's lifestyle for anyone for example entrepreneurs, authorities, retired staff members, house designers, not to mention college students. Almost all will need computers together with netbooks meant for e-mailing, assignment getting ready, seeking facts and also other genuine tasks.
The foremost selling point of a laptop computer would be the mobility in the product that delivers anyone lessen together with ease of being offered internet during anywhere as well as any time frame. E-mailing is an additional huge advantage of taking your laptop. Online surfing around and looking out pertaining to facts turns into a satisfying job which has a laptop computer nonetheless points may well not keep consequently if your process actually starts to failure. Qresolve provides assist just for laptop computer to assist you of the practical stalemate simply by repairing your laptop computer internet.
There exists a massive area involving computer authorities easily available, 24×7 along with their premium computer assist designed for handling the difficulties that you can facial skin in your laptop computer. You possibly can contact us every time for the purpose of internet computer assist, when your laptop computer ends performing, managing slowly or simply presenting faults connected with various mother nature herself.
We can supply you with the top internet enable, however, if challenges for instance glowing blue monitor problem, infection problem, damaged windows windows registry, damaged web browser, Online on the web connectivity concerns, program, driver incompatibility and even difficulty with keep track of, key board and also other add-ons surface.
We can help you in order to keep your pc updated and additionally backed up with the newest platform together with MS Business package for example Online web browsers. Consequently contact us, when your laptop computer remains managing for dated Operating system and also program. We are going to learn the most suitable drivers for the process preventing just about any program clash this may result in new venture and shut down challenges.
Our authorities can be found 24 / 7 and will provide you with fast internet assist for all reputable laptop computer and laptop companies for example Lenovo, Acer, HP, Samsung, plus much more.


The first, most important thing: the program was made under itself and is used within our company for web sites testings. That is how Human Emulator was made - it is Internet Explorer, wrapped in PHP. What was once taking time for a day or two, now takes less than an hour. * Full emulation of live testers on your site, including the movement of the mouse and keyboard buttons emulation. * It can be built into the PHP-finished or finished pieces already include PHP-code. * Gathering information from the site much easier than using a pure PHP. With the help of Human Emulator you can solve any (really ANY) tasks in the Internet Explorer.


We are the UK's first fully-regulated online adviser scaling up automated financial advice across the industry.
Wealth Wizards has been added to the Innovation 50 report - showcasing the fifty most innovative businesses across the Midlands.
Compiled by Mills and Reeve, it is a celebration of the region's innovations, highlighting the cutting-edge industry that the area has to offer.


text:
Movie reviews: 'Ghost in the Shell,' 'The Boss Baby,' 'The Zookeeper's Wife' and 'The Blackcoat's Daughter'
Paramount Pictures, 2017.
Read Tom's quick reviews of these movies at the following link:
http://www.axs.com/116790
Movie reviews: 'Ghost in the Shell,' 'The Zookeeper's Wife,' 'The Blackcoat's Daughter' and 'Boss Baby' hit theaters, March 31
"Beauty and the Beast" is continuing to smash records and make boat-loads of money, but one "major" release this week hopes to break the spell they've cast over the box office. "Ghost in the Shell" starring Scarlett Johansson is this weekend's biggest release, but is it its best? A horror movie, an animated family film and a World War II drama all open this weekend as well, but which films deserve the attention of your hard-earned bucks?
Here are reviews of all of the films opening in theaters on Friday, March 31, 2017:
Movie reviews: 'T2: Trainspotting,' 'CHIPS' just a few of many movies opening this week, March 24
Warner Bros. Pictures, 2017.
https://www.axs.com/movie-reviews-t2-trainspotting-chips-just-a-few-of-many-movies-opening-116464
Movie review: 'Beauty and the Beast' (2017)
Walt Disney Pictures, 2017.
Read Tom's full review of this movie at the following link:
https://www.axs.com/movie-review-beauty-and-the-beast-faithfully-recreates-the-classic-dis-116163
Movie reviews: 'Kong: Skull Island,' 'The Ottoman Lieutenant' and 'My Life as a Zucchini'
Sure, there may be other movies opening this weekend, but let's not monkey around: There is only one King of the Box Office this week.
Movie reviews: 'Logan,' 'Table 19' and 'The Shack' hit theaters on March 3
Fox Searchlight, 2017.
http://m.axs.com/movie-reviews-logan-table-19-and-the-shack-hit-theaters-on-march-3-115522


text:
Turn on web notifications for latest news
Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings
NOT NOW!
OKAY TURN ON
Ranked & Rated
More. . .
© 2019 MEAWW All rights reserved
Home / News / Human Interest
Woman wore makeup to cover acne but boyfriend saw her without it on a vacation and then dumped her
Anonymous woman reveals how her shallow boyfriend dumped her and refused to see her again after seeing what she looked like with no makeup.
By Ishani Ghose
Published on : 04:21 PST, Mar 7, 2019
A woman revealed how she was dumped by her boyfriend who flatly refused to ever see her again and also accused her of 'catfishing' when he saw what she looked like without the use of make-up to cover up her acne.
The anonymous 20-year-old woman who is believed to be from the US revealed on Reddit that she has hormonal acne and often has breakouts on her cheeks and chin. The woman had attempted to cover up all the acne while on the first six dates and then decided to do away with the makeup while on a weekend trip with her boyfriend and friends. She shared, "At first, he didn't say anything, just looked at me a bit weird. When we were alone, he just told me that he didn't know I had acne like that. After that, he's been acting distant the whole trip."
"When we got home that night, he said that it would be for the best to stop seeing each other because he doesn't like me anymore. As the very last thing, he said that I shouldn't lead people on like that," she added. The woman wrote in the 'Am I the a**hole' column, "I'm 20 years old. Me and that guy (also 20) have been on 6 dates before the incident and everything was going well before that."
Woman accused of 'catfishing' by boyfriend after covering acne with make-up https://t.co/7uOqwOV2WG pic.twitter.com/oBBoSKBxrF
— Kristen Neville (@ScornedWomanX) March 6, 2019
"My acne is caused by my hormonal issues. These are the most accurate pics I could take - some of the spots are a bit redder in reality, but it's not a dramatic difference. I don't have breakouts on my forehead or anywhere else on my body. I usually cover up my acne with make-up - however, that's the only thing I do on my face make-up wise, so I don't look like a completely different person when I'm make-up less," the woman revealed.
"This weekend, me, the guy and a few of our mutual friends went on a backpacking trip and he saw me with no make-up for the first time," she wrote. She then revealed how the boyfriend had dumped her as he suddenly did not 'like' her and felt like she had been leading him on. "I feel like I dodged a bullet here, but at the same time, it haunts me that he thinks I'm catfishing people and I wonder if anyone else feels the same way."
"I wear make-up because I'm not the biggest fan of my acne and because it makes me feel a bit more confident," she continued before revealing that the former boyfriend had broken up with his ex as she had changed her hairstyle. "I asked mutuals about that guy and apparently he broke up with his ex because she cut her hair short. Just thought you might be interested in knowing. So yeah, definitely dodged a bullet."
The former boyfriend had broken up with his ex as she had changed her hairstyle. (Source: iStock)
"I made this thread because he told me that I lead him on and that I'm catfishing guys by putting make-up on. I didn't feel like I've done something inherently wrong, but a lot of people around me seemed to agree with him on this - but since make-up is generally frowned upon where I live, I wanted opinions from a more diverse sample of people, if you will. Just thought I'd clarify because some people thought that I was seeking validation. Trust me, if I wanted validation I'd go to my loved ones," she continued.
Reddit users seemed to be on her side and commented, "You're definitely not catfishing anyone by wearing make-up. I mean acne isn't a huge deal for normal people, potential boyfriend sounds like a really shallow guy to break up over something like that." Another user shared, "Yeah this guy is gonna have a real fun life with standards that high."
MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. We are one of the world's fastest growing media-tech companies with hubs around the world. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader.
Accuracy & Fairness


It is this very command which animates the missionary activities of the Society of Saint Pius X, whose holy founder serves as an outstanding archetype. The SSPX is proud of its missions. They are the heritage of its founder's heart. This concrete dimension of the Catholic Church is made possible every day because of the tireless spiritual and material support that you all give here in the United States to our missionaries spread throughout the world.
If you wish your donation to be used for a particular foreign mission, or even a specific project, please specify this in the Special Instructions field on the next page. The Trustees of the Foreign Missions Trust normally honor such donor requests, but it must be clear that, in order to be eligible for a tax deduction, each donation must be entirely at the disposal of the Trust to use as it sees fit for the foreign missions in general.